Walt Disney World has been reducing admission and hotel prices in response to growing customer dissatisfaction and dropping park attendance.
Starting in May, Disney began offering discounted three-day ticket packages allowing access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, although separate purchase for Magic Kingdom tickets is required. These lower prices, available until September 24, are significantly reduced from a previous peak of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to ticket discounts, Disney is also lowering the cost of its budget hotel options. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can now start as low as $100, depending on booking dates. These reductions can be as much as 27% off standard rates, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
Furthermore, the parks have rolled out new dining packages this summer, decreasing meal costs by 20% to 30%. Families can now buy all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, valid for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney has reportedly increased the availability of quick meal options and kid-friendly cheaper food, alongside more flexible restaurant policies.
Experts attribute the growing dissatisfaction partly to the rising costs of dining in the parks. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings plummeted from 90% to 60% as Disney transitioned from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-reduction initiatives, he warned that these actions might not indicate a genuine commitment to affordability or enhancing guest satisfaction. He remarked, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”