Walt Disney World has been quietly implementing discounts on admission prices and hotel stays amid increasing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance over the last few months.
In May, Disney began offering discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for as low as $89 per day; however, tickets for Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately.
These reduced ticket prices, valid through September 24, mark a significant decline from the peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is working to lower the overall expense of a trip to the Florida resort by offering discounted hotel accommodations. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort could start at around $100, dependent on booking dates. This represents potential savings of up to 27% compared to standard rates, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
Moreover, the parks have rolled out new dining packages this summer designed to cut meal costs by 20% to 30%. The dining plan allows families to purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, which can be used for select meals and snacks across the parks. Disney is also reportedly enhancing quick meal options, reducing food prices for children, and adopting more flexible restaurant policies.
Industry experts point to the rising costs of dining within the parks as a contributing factor to the decline in customer satisfaction.
Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60% in tandem with Disney’s shift from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many of their most sought-after restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that this trend may not indicate a genuine commitment to offering affordability or improving guest satisfaction.
“Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue,” he remarked.