Amid growing concerns over customer dissatisfaction and declining attendance at its theme parks, Walt Disney World has been quietly reducing admission and hotel prices in recent months.
In May, the company introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, although tickets for Magic Kingdom must be purchased separately. These lower prices, effective until September 24, significantly decrease from the previous record-high price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney has lowered the price of its most economical hotel options, such as Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resorts, which can now cost as little as $100 per night, based on booking time. According to a Bloomberg analysis, these discounts can reach up to 27% off standard rates.
New dining packages have also been introduced this summer, offering families meal plans at 20% to 30% off regular dining costs. The all-day meal passes are priced at $30 for children and $95 for adults, redeemable for select meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney has reportedly expanded quick meal options, introduced cheaper children’s meals, and made dining policies more flexible to enhance the guest experience.
Experts in the Disney community have pointed to rising food costs inside the parks as a key factor in diminishing customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, shared that customer satisfaction scores have dropped from 90% to 60% since Disney switched from a la carte dining to fixed-price meal offerings at several popular restaurants.
While Testa lauded Disney’s efforts to cut costs, he warned that these measures may not signify a genuine commitment to guest satisfaction or affordability. He remarked that the company has historically been willing to trade off positive ratings for increased revenue.