Walt Disney World has been reducing admission and hotel prices in response to increasing customer dissatisfaction and falling park attendance.
Since May, Disney has introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors to experience Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, although tickets for Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately. These reduced prices, valid until September 24, mark a significant decrease from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to lower ticket prices, Disney is making efforts to lower overall trip costs by offering discounts on its budget hotel options. Stays at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100 a night, depending on booking dates, reflecting discounts of up to 27% according to a Bloomberg analysis.
This summer, the parks have rolled out new dining packages that reduce food costs by 20% to 30%. These all-day meal passes are priced at $30 for children and $95 for adults, allowing families to redeem meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney World is also enhancing its quick meal offerings, providing more affordable children’s meals and introducing more flexible dining policies.
Experts attribute part of the decline in customer satisfaction to rising food prices within the parks. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted a drop in customer satisfaction ratings from 90% to 60% coinciding with Disney’s shift from a la carte dining options to fixed-price meals at popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the potential benefits of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that these adjustments may not necessarily demonstrate a genuine commitment to improving affordability or guest satisfaction, suggesting that Disney has historically been willing to compromise positive ratings for increased revenue.