In response to growing customer dissatisfaction and a decrease in park attendance, Walt Disney World has been quietly offering discounts on admission and hotel stays over recent months.
Since May, Disney has been providing discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors to enjoy Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. However, tickets for the Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately.
These reduced ticket prices, valid until September 24, mark a significant drop from the peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is working to lower the overall cost of visiting its Florida resort by cutting prices on its budget hotel options. For example, a night at the All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort may start as low as $100, depending on booking dates. These reductions can amount to a 27% discount compared to standard rates, as reported by Bloomberg.
Furthermore, the parks have launched new dining packages this summer, offering a 20% to 30% reduction in eating costs. These meal plans allow families to purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, which can be used for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney World is also reportedly enhancing quick meal offerings, introducing cheaper food options for children, and implementing more flexible restaurant policies.
Experts in the Disney industry attribute the rising food costs inside the parks as one of the reasons for declining customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, which surveys thousands of Disney guests each year, noted that customer satisfaction ratings have plummeted from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from offering a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many of its popular dining venues.
While Testa commended Disney’s efforts to cut costs, he warned that these moves may not genuinely reflect a commitment to affordability or guest satisfaction. He stated, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”