Walt Disney World has been subtly lowering admission and hotel prices in response to growing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance.
Starting in May, Disney 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 are sold separately. This pricing represents a significant decrease from the peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass. These lower ticket prices will remain available until September 24.
In addition to ticket discounts, Disney is also aiming to make trips to its Florida resort more affordable by reducing the rates for its budget hotel accommodations. Guests can find nights at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort for as low as $100, depending on booking dates, translating to savings of up to 27% off regular rates, based on a Bloomberg analysis.
The parks have introduced new dining packages this summer, offering discounts of 20% to 30% on food costs. Families can purchase all-day meal passes priced at $30 for children and $95 for adults, which can be used for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Furthermore, Disney World is expanding quick meal options, providing more affordable children’s food, and implementing flexible dining policies.
Experts suggest that rising food prices within the parks have contributed to declining customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, which conducts annual surveys of Disney visitors, noted a drop in satisfaction ratings from 90% to 60% after Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the effectiveness of Disney’s cost-reducing measures, he warned that these actions may not indicate a genuine commitment to customer affordability or satisfaction, stating that “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”