Walt Disney World has been quietly reducing the cost of admission and hotel stays in response to growing customer dissatisfaction and a decrease in park attendance. This trend has been evident over the past few months as the company seeks to attract more visitors.
In May, Disney started to offer discounted three-day ticket packages, enabling guests to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, with Magic Kingdom tickets sold separately. These new ticket prices reflect a significant drop from the previous peak of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Along with ticket discounts, Disney is also lowering the cost of its budget hotel options. Overnight stays at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can now be booked for as low as $100, depending on the booking dates. This represents up to a 27% reduction from regular rates, according to an analysis by Bloomberg.
Additionally, the parks have launched new dining packages this summer that cut dining costs by 20% to 30%. Families can opt for all-day meal passes priced at $30 for children and $95 for adults, valid at various dining locations throughout the parks. Disney is reportedly enhancing quick meal options, providing cheaper children’s meals, and implementing more flexible restaurant policies.
Experts attribute the decline in customer satisfaction partly to rising food prices within the parks. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that customer satisfaction ratings have plummeted from 90% to 60% in tandem with Disney’s shift from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the benefits of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he expressed caution, suggesting that these efforts might not necessarily reflect a genuine commitment to affordability or improving guest satisfaction. He remarked that Disney has historically been willing to sacrifice positive customer ratings in favor of revenue.