Facing increasing customer dissatisfaction and a downturn in park attendance, Walt Disney World has been quietly reducing admission and hotel rates over the past few months.
In May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages for $89 per day, allowing access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom. However, tickets for Magic Kingdom need to be purchased separately. These lower prices will remain effective until September 24 and mark a significant drop from the previous peak of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Simultaneously, Disney is also cutting the cost of its budget hotel options to make trips to the Florida resort more affordable. Nights at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100, depending on booking times, representing discounts of up to 27% compared to the usual rates.
This summer, the parks have also rolled out new dining packages that decrease meal costs by 20% to 30%. Families can buy all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, which can be used for various meals and snacks within the parks. Furthermore, Disney World is reportedly providing more quick-service meal options, cheaper kids’ meals, and more flexible dining policies.
Industry experts have pointed to the increasing costs of dining inside the parks as a major factor in declining customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings plunged from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged Disney’s cost-reduction measures, he warned that these steps might not reveal a genuine commitment to affordability or customer happiness. He commented that Disney has historically been willing to trade off some positive feedback for increased revenue.