Walt Disney World is responding to increasing customer dissatisfaction and a reduction in park attendance by quietly reducing the prices of admission tickets and hotel stays over recent months.
Starting in May, Disney began promoting discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. However, tickets for Magic Kingdom must still be purchased separately.
These lower ticket prices are valid until September 24 and mark a significant decrease from the peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
In addition to ticket discounts, Disney is working to lower the overall cost of trips to the Florida resort by offering reduced rates on some of its most affordable hotel accommodations. A night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100, depending on the booking time. This represents discounts of up to 27% on standard rates, as reported by Bloomberg.
The parks have also implemented new dining packages this summer, which reportedly lower the cost of meals by 20% to 30%. The dining plan allows families to buy all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, which can be used for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Additionally, Disney World is introducing more quick meal options, offering cheaper food for kids, and adopting more flexible restaurant policies.
Industry experts highlight the rising price of dining at the parks as a key factor contributing to lower customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings have dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney transitioned from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at several popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s cost-cutting initiatives, he cautioned that such moves might not truly reflect a dedication to affordability or guest satisfaction. He remarked, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”