Walt Disney World is responding to increasing customer dissatisfaction and declining attendance by implementing discounts on admission and hotel stays over recent months.
Beginning in May, Disney has offered discounted three-day ticket packages allowing access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. However, tickets for Magic Kingdom still need to be acquired separately.
These reduced ticket prices, available until September 24, reflect a significant decrease from the peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition, Disney is working to minimize the overall expenses of visiting the resort by reducing prices for its budget hotel options. Depending on booking dates, a night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100, representing discounts of up to 27% based on a Bloomberg analysis.
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, valid for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Furthermore, Disney World is reportedly adding more quick-service meal options, offering cheaper food for children, and allowing more flexible dining policies.
Experts highlight that rising food prices within the parks have contributed to a decline in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that satisfaction ratings dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the value of Disney’s cost-reduction strategies, he expressed caution about whether these measures genuinely indicate a commitment to affordability or customer satisfaction. He stated, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”