Walt Disney World has been subtly reducing admission and hotel prices over the past few months amid rising customer dissatisfaction and decreasing park attendance.
In May, Disney initiated discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, while tickets for Magic Kingdom must be bought separately. This significant price reduction stands in stark contrast to the previous peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass, and the discounts will remain in effect until September 24.
In addition to ticket price cuts, Disney is working to lower overall trip costs by offering discounts on its most affordable hotel options. Stays at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100 a night, depending on the booking period, marking discounts of up to 27% off regular rates, according to an analysis by Bloomberg.
Moreover, new dining packages introduced this summer aim to cut dining costs at Disney by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, redeemable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Reports suggest that Disney World is also increasing the availability of quick meal options and more reasonably priced children’s food, along with more flexible restaurant policies.
Experts point to the rising costs of dining within the parks as a contributing factor to declining customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, stated that customer satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa appreciates Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warns that these moves might not genuinely reflect a commitment to affordability or guest satisfaction. He noted that Disney has historically been willing to exchange positive ratings for increased revenue.