Walt Disney World has been implementing discounts on admission and hotel prices amid rising customer dissatisfaction and a decline in park attendance.
Starting in May, Disney began offering discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, while tickets to Magic Kingdom are sold separately. These prices will remain in effect until September 24, showcasing a significant drop from the previous peak of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In an effort to make visits more affordable, Disney has also reduced the price of its budget hotel options. Rooms at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can now be found for as low as $100 a night, depending on the booking date. This represents a possible discount of up to 27% from standard rates, according to Bloomberg’s analysis.
Additionally, the parks have introduced new dining packages this summer, which offer a reduction of 20% to 30% on food costs. Families can purchase all-day meal passes priced at $30 per child and $95 per adult, applicable for various meals and snacks within the parks. Reportedly, Disney is also providing more quick meal options, cheaper items for children, and enhanced flexibility in restaurant policies.
Experts have pointed to the rising costs of dining in the parks as a contributing factor to the drop in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, mentioned that customer satisfaction ratings have fallen from 90% to 60%, coinciding with a shift from a la carte dining to fixed price meals in many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-reducing measures, he warned that such actions may not necessarily indicate a genuine commitment to affordability or enhancing guest satisfaction. He remarked on Disney’s historical readiness to prioritize revenue over maintaining positive guest ratings.