Walt Disney World is responding to growing customer dissatisfaction and decreasing park attendance by quietly lowering admission and hotel rates in recent months.
Starting in May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages allowing access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. However, visits to Magic Kingdom still require a separate ticket purchase. These reduced prices, valid until September 24, represent a significant drop from the previous peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, to further reduce overall costs for visitors, Disney is slashing prices on its lowest-tier accommodations. Depending on the booking date, a night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100, reflecting discounts of up to 27% off standard rates, according to Bloomberg.
This summer, the parks have also launched new dining packages that cut meal costs by 20% to 30%. Families can buy all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, usable at various park locations. Disney World is reportedly increasing quick meal options, offering cheaper children’s meals, and adopting more flexible restaurant policies.
Experts attribute the decline in customer satisfaction partly to the rising expenses associated with dining in the parks. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that overall customer satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60% while Disney transitioned from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-saving measures, he expressed concern that these changes might not genuinely reflect a commitment to affordability or guest satisfaction. He remarked that “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”