Walt Disney World has been responding to increased customer dissatisfaction and a decline in park attendance by quietly implementing discounts on admission and hotel stays in recent months.
In May, the theme park began offering affordable three-day ticket packages that allow visitors to explore Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. However, tickets for Magic Kingdom must be purchased separately.
These new prices, which are available until September 24, mark a significant drop from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition, Disney is looking to lower the overall cost of a trip to the Florida resort by offering discounts on its budget hotel options. Guests can find rates as low as $100 per night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort, resulting in discounts of up to 27% compared to regular rates, according to a Bloomberg study.
Furthermore, the parks have introduced new dining packages that reduce meal costs by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 for children and $95 for adults, which can be used for a variety of meals and snacks around the parks. Disney World is also offering more quick service meal choices, less expensive food for kids, and increased flexibility with restaurant policies.
Experts believe that rising costs of dining within the parks are among the reasons for the decline in customer satisfaction.
Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings have plummeted from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from individual dining options to fixed price meals in many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the effectiveness of Disney’s cost-reduction efforts, he expressed concern that these strategies might not indicate a genuine commitment to making the experience more affordable or pleasing for guests.
“Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue,” he stated.