In response to increasing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance, Walt Disney World has been discreetly lowering the prices of admission and hotel stays in recent months.
Starting in May, Disney began offering 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 still be purchased separately.
These reduced ticket prices are available until September 24 and represent a significant decrease from the peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to ticket discounts, Disney is also working to make trips to its Florida resort more affordable by lowering prices on its budget hotel options. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort could cost as little as $100, depending on the booking date. These price reductions can reach up to 27% off standard rates, according to a Bloomberg analysis.
This summer, the parks have introduced new dining packages that reduce meal costs by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, redeemable for select meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney World is reportedly also providing more quick meal choices, cheaper food for children, and more flexible dining policies.
Experts attribute the rising costs of meals in the parks as a key factor behind the decrease in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings fell from 90% to 60% coinciding with Disney’s shift from a la carte dining to fixed-price meal options in many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the benefits of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that these changes may not signal a genuine commitment to affordability or customer satisfaction. He remarked, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”