Walt Disney World has quietly reduced the prices of admission and hotel stays in response to increasing customer dissatisfaction and declining park attendance.
Since May, Disney has introduced discounted three-day ticket packages allowing visitors to explore Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. However, tickets for Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately. This pricing strategy represents a significant drop from the peak $254 daily Park Hopper pass price.
In addition to lowering ticket costs, Disney is also looking to make trips more affordable by reducing the prices of its budget hotel options. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort may now start at around $100, based on booking times. These reductions can amount to a discount of up to 27% from typical rates.
The parks have also launched new dining packages this summer, offering discounts of 20% to 30% for meals within the parks. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 for children and $95 for adults, usable at select dining locations for meals and snacks. There are reports of more quick dining options, lower-priced children’s meals, and flexible restaurant policies being put into place to enhance guest experience.
Disney analysts suggest that rising food costs within the parks might be contributing to the drop in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that satisfaction ratings fell from 90% to 60% as Disney transitioned from a la carte dining to fixed-price meal options in many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-reduction efforts, he warned that these measures may not necessarily indicate a genuine commitment to affordability or guest satisfaction, pointing out that Disney has historically been willing to compromise on customer ratings for revenue gains.