Walt Disney World has been facing increasing customer dissatisfaction and a decline in park attendance, prompting the company to quietly lower admission and hotel prices in recent months.
Beginning in May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. However, tickets to Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately. These reduced ticket prices, available through September 24, represent a significant drop from the previous peak of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Disney is also working to lower overall trip costs for visitors by offering discounts on its budget hotel options. Rates at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resorts may start as low as $100 per night, depending on booking dates. These discounts can reach up to 27% off standard rates, according to an analysis by Bloomberg.
Additionally, the parks have launched new dining packages this summer that provide savings of 20% to 30% on food expenses. Families can now purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, which are valid for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney World has also expanded quick meal options, introduced more affordable food for children, and adopted more flexible restaurant policies.
Experts attribute the rising food costs at the parks to a decline in guest satisfaction. Len Testa, the president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60% during the transition from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular eateries.
While Testa acknowledged the merit of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that this trend may not truly indicate a commitment to affordability or improved guest satisfaction.
“Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue,” he stated.