Amid growing customer dissatisfaction and a decline in park attendance, Walt Disney World has been discreetly reducing ticket and hotel prices in recent months.
Starting in May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing entry to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for as low as $89 per day, while separate tickets are still required for Magic Kingdom. These discounted prices will be available until September 24. The current ticket prices mark a significant drop from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is lowering the costs of accommodations, with prices for budget hotels like Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort starting at $100 a night, depending on booking dates. These discounts can reach up to 27% off regular rates, based on Bloomberg’s analysis.
This summer, new dining packages have also been launched, offering discounts of 20% to 30% on meals within the parks. Families can purchase all-day meal passes at $30 for children and $95 for adults, which can be used for various meals and snacks. Disney World is also expanding options with quicker meals, more affordable children’s food, and flexible dining policies.
Industry experts believe that the rising costs of dining in the parks are contributing factors to the drop in customer satisfaction. According to Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, customer satisfaction has plummeted from 90% to 60% as Disney transitioned from a la carte dining options to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s efforts to cut costs, he warned that these measures might not signal a genuine commitment to affordability or improving guest experiences. “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue,” he noted.