Amid growing customer dissatisfaction and a decline in attendance, Walt Disney World has been implementing discounts on admission fees and hotel rates in recent months.
Starting in May, Disney began offering three-day ticket packages for $89 per day, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom. However, tickets to Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately.
These reduced ticket prices, valid through September 24, represent a significant drop from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In conjunction with the ticket price reductions, Disney is also discounting its budget hotel options. Stays at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100 per night, depending on reservation timing, amounting to discounts of up to 27% off standard rates.
Additionally, the parks have rolled out new dining packages this summer that cut food costs by 20% to 30%. The all-day meal passes are priced at $30 for children and $95 for adults, redeemable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney reportedly is also introducing more quick service meal options, affordable children’s meals, and flexible restaurant policies.
Experts attribute increasing food prices inside the parks to some of the customer dissatisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings fell from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed price meals at popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the merit in Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that these changes may not signify a genuine commitment to affordability or improved guest experiences.
“Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue,” Testa remarked.