Walt Disney World is addressing growing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance by offering significant discounts on admission prices and hotel stays.
Starting in May, Disney rolled out discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors to experience Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. However, tickets for Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately. These reduced ticket prices will remain in effect until September 24, marking a considerable decline from the peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to ticket discounts, Disney is also focusing on making trips to the Florida resort more affordable by lowering rates for its budget hotel options. For instance, a stay at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music and Sports Resort can be as low as $100 a night, depending on the booking date, reflecting discounts of up to 27% compared to standard prices.
This summer, the parks have introduced new dining packages that aim to cut meal costs by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, which can be used for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney has also increased the variety of quick meal options and adjusted food pricing for children while implementing more flexible restaurant policies.
Experts point to the rising costs of dining inside the parks as a significant factor in diminishing customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that satisfaction rates fell from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining options to fixed price meals at numerous popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledges the potential benefits of Disney’s cost-saving measures, he cautions that this trend may not indicate a genuine commitment to guest satisfaction or affordability, suggesting that the company has historically prioritized revenue over positive customer feedback.