Walt Disney World has been responding to increasing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance by quietly reducing admission and hotel prices in recent months.
In May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors to experience Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, while tickets to Magic Kingdom are sold separately. These new ticket prices, valid until September 24, represent a significant decrease from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is working to make trips to the Florida resort more affordable by lowering the prices of its budget hotel options. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can start as low as $100, depending on the booking date, which reflects discounts of up to 27% compared to regular rates, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
The parks have also launched new dining packages this summer, offering a 20% to 30% reduction in dining costs. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, redeemable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney World is also reportedly providing more quick meal options and cheaper kid-friendly food, along with flexible dining policies.
Experts highlight the growing cost of dining in the parks as a key factor affecting customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted a decline in satisfaction ratings from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-reduction strategies, he warned that these changes might not indicate a genuine commitment to affordability or customer satisfaction. He pointed out that Disney has historically been willing to trade off favorable customer ratings for increased revenue.