Walt Disney World has been quietly reducing the prices of admission and hotel stays in response to increasing customer dissatisfaction and a significant drop in park attendance.
Beginning in May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages that allow visitors to access Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for just $89 per day. However, tickets for the Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately.
These lowered ticket prices, valid until September 24, signify a substantial decrease from the previous peak cost of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In conjunction with the ticket discounts, Disney is also aiming to lower the total expense of staying at the Florida resort by offering reduced rates on its most affordable hotel accommodations. Depending on booking times, a night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100, resulting in discounts of up to 27% from standard rates, as reported by Bloomberg.
Moreover, the parks have introduced new dining packages this summer, which offer savings of 20% to 30% on meals within the parks. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, redeemable for various meals and snacks throughout the venues. Disney World has also rolled out more quick meal options, cheaper children’s food, and more flexible dining policies.
Experts attribute the rising costs of dining within the parks as a contributing factor to the decline in customer satisfaction.
Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, a site that collects feedback from thousands of Disney patrons annually, noted that customer satisfaction ratings plummeted from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining options to fixed price meals in many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged that Disney’s cost-cutting measures could be seen favorably, he warned that this trend may not genuinely indicate a commitment to enhancing affordability or customer satisfaction. He stated, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”