Walt Disney World has been implementing admission and hotel discounts in recent months due to rising customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance.
Starting in May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors to enjoy Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for just $89 per day, while tickets for Magic Kingdom are available separately. These reduced prices, which will be available until September 24, are significantly lower than the previous peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In an effort to make trips to their Florida resort more affordable, Disney is also lowering the cost of its budget hotel options. For instance, a night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be booked for as low as $100, a reduction of up to 27% compared to standard rates.
Additionally, the parks have rolled out new dining packages this summer, slashing food costs by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, usable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney is reportedly also expanding quick meal options, providing more affordable food for kids, and adopting flexible dining policies.
Experts point to the rising costs of dining within the parks as a key contributor to declining customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, shared with Bloomberg that customer satisfaction ratings have fallen from 90% to 60% as Disney switched from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledges the effectiveness of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he also warns that these actions may not demonstrate a genuine commitment to affordability or improving guest satisfaction. He noted that Disney has often prioritized revenue over maintaining high customer ratings.