Walt Disney World has been quietly lowering admission and hotel prices amid increasing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance over the past few months.
In May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. Tickets to Magic Kingdom, however, must still be purchased separately. These reduced ticket prices, available until September 24, represent a dramatic decrease from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to ticket discounts, Disney is also aiming to cut the overall cost of trips to the Florida resort by lowering rates for its most affordable hotel options. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100, depending on booking dates. These discounts can reach up to 27%, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
The parks have also rolled out new dining packages this summer, which offer meal options at a 20% to 30% reduction in cost. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, redeemable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Additionally, Disney World is providing more quick meal choices, less expensive options for kids, and more flexible restaurant policies.
Experts attribute the increased dining costs within the parks to the decline in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted a fall in satisfaction ratings from 90% to 60% as Disney transitioned from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that these actions might not necessarily indicate a genuine commitment to customer affordability or satisfaction, suggesting that Disney has often been willing to lose some positive ratings for the sake of revenue.