In response to increasing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance, Walt Disney World has been subtly lowering admission and hotel prices over recent months.
Beginning in May, Disney started to offer discounted three-day ticket packages that allow visitors to experience Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for only $89 per day, while tickets to Magic Kingdom must still be bought separately. This price reduction, valid until September 24, marks a significant decrease from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to ticket discounts, Disney is working to lower the overall expense of visiting the Florida resort by slashing prices on its most affordable hotel options. For instance, a night’s stay at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100, based on booking dates. These discounts can reach up to 27%, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
This summer, the parks have also rolled out new dining packages, which reportedly offer savings of 20% to 30% on meals at Disney. Families can buy all-day meal passes priced at $30 for children and $95 for adults, redeemable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Additionally, Disney is providing more quick-service meal choices, cheaper food options for kids, and more flexible dining policies.
Experts who follow Disney note that the rising costs of dining within the parks are among the reasons for declining customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, shared insights with Bloomberg, indicating a drop in customer satisfaction ratings from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from à la carte options to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that this might not indicate a genuine effort to prioritize affordability or enhance guest satisfaction. He remarked, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”