Walt Disney World has responded to increasing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance by quietly reducing admission and hotel prices in recent months.
Starting in May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, while tickets for Magic Kingdom must be purchased separately. These reduced prices, valid until September 24, represent a significant drop from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is aiming to make vacations more affordable by lowering the prices of its budget hotel accommodations. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can start at as low as $100, depending on when bookings are made, offering discounts of up to 27% compared to regular rates.
This summer, new dining packages have been introduced, which reduce food costs within the parks by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, usable for various meals and snacks in the parks. Disney World is also providing more quick-service meal options, cheaper kids’ meals, and more flexible dining policies.
Experts attribute the decline in customer satisfaction partly to the increasing cost of dining within the parks. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings fell from 90% to 60% coinciding with Disney’s shift from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at popular restaurants. While Testa commended Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that these actions might not genuinely reflect a commitment to guest affordability or satisfaction, suggesting that Disney has often prioritized revenue over customer ratings.