Walt Disney World has been responding to rising customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance by quietly offering discounts on entry fees and hotel stays over the past few months.
Starting in May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages priced at $89 per day, allowing access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom. However, tickets for Magic Kingdom must still be bought separately.
These new ticket prices, available until September 24, represent a significant reduction from the previous peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is working to lessen the overall expenses for visitors to its Florida resort by lowering the prices of its budget hotel accommodations. Stays at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100 per night, depending on when guests make their reservations, reflecting discounts of up to 27% off regular rates, according to Bloomberg.
This summer, the parks have also rolled out new dining packages that lower meal costs by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, which can be used for select meals and snacks within the parks. Furthermore, Disney World is reportedly offering more quick meal choices, affordable food options for children, and more adaptable dining policies.
Experts in the Disney community identify the rising cost of in-park dining as a key factor contributing to decreased customer satisfaction.
Len Testa, the president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from à la carte dining to fixed-price meals at several popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-saving initiatives, he warned that this trend might not genuinely indicate a commitment to affordability or improved guest experiences.
“Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue,” Testa commented.