Amid rising customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance, Walt Disney World has been subtly reducing admission and hotel stay prices in recent months.
In May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages for $89 per day, allowing visits to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom. However, tickets for Magic Kingdom are sold separately. This reduction represents a significant cut from the previous high of $254 for a Park Hopper pass.
Concurrently, Disney is working to make trips to its Florida resort more affordable by lowering the rates for its most economical hotel rooms. Stays at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can start as low as $100, depending on booking dates, marking discounts of up to 27% from the usual prices.
Additionally, the parks have launched new dining packages this summer that cut 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 World is also adding more quick meal options, offering cheaper food for children, and implementing more flexible dining policies.
Experts attribute the rise in dining costs in the parks as a contributing factor to decreased customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney transitioned from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-reducing efforts, he cautioned that such measures might not fully represent a genuine commitment to enhancing customer affordability or satisfaction. He remarked that Disney has historically been willing to trade off positive ratings for increased revenue.