In response to growing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance, Walt Disney World has quietly reduced the prices of admission and hotel accommodations over recent months.
Starting in May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages that allow access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, with the exception of Magic Kingdom tickets, which must be purchased separately.
These reduced ticket prices, effective until September 24, mark a significant decline from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Alongside ticket discounts, Disney is aiming to ease the overall costs for visitors by lowering rates for its most affordable hotel options. For instance, a night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort could be as low as $100, depending on the booking time, reflecting discounts of up to 27% according to a Bloomberg analysis.
Additionally, the parks have launched new dining packages this summer, offering meal options that reduce dining expenses by 20% to 30%. These meal plans allow families to purchase all-day dining passes at $30 for children and $95 for adults, redeemable for various meals and snacks within the parks. Furthermore, Disney World is enhancing its offerings with more quick-service meals, affordable children’s food, and more flexible dining policies.
Industry experts have noted that the rising costs of dining inside the parks have contributed to declining customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, pointed out that satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals in many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s current cost-cutting efforts, he warned that these moves may not necessarily indicate a genuine commitment to enhancing affordability or ensuring guest satisfaction. He remarked that Disney has often prioritized revenue over maintaining positive customer ratings.