Walt Disney World has responded to growing customer dissatisfaction and a decline in park attendance by quietly reducing the prices of admission tickets and hotel stays in recent months.
In May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors to enjoy Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, while tickets for Magic Kingdom must be bought separately. These reduced prices, valid until September 24, mark a significant decrease from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is making efforts to lower the overall cost of a trip to the Florida resort by offering discounts on its budget hotel accommodations. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100, depending on when the reservation is made. According to Bloomberg, these reductions can be as much as a 27% discount from standard rates.
This summer, the parks have also rolled out new dining packages that cut meal costs by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, redeemable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. In response to complaints, Disney World is providing more quick meal options, cheaper food for kids, and more flexible dining policies.
Experts note that rising food costs within the parks have contributed to decreased customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, which annually surveys thousands of Disney visitors, stated that satisfaction ratings declined from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s efforts to cut costs, he warned that these changes may not necessarily reflect 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.”