Walt Disney World is addressing rising customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance by implementing discounts on admission and hotel stays over the last few months.
In May, the company began offering discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing customers to visit Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day. However, tickets for the Magic Kingdom must be purchased separately. These reduced ticket prices, available until September 24, mark a significant decrease from the previous peak price of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Additionally, Disney is working to lower the overall cost of visiting the Florida resort by reducing rates for its most affordable hotel accommodations. For example, a night at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can be as low as $100, depending on the booking date, representing discounts of up to 27% from usual rates.
This summer, the parks also launched new dining packages that decrease food expenses by 20% to 30%. Families can purchase all-day meal passes for $30 per child and $95 per adult, valid for various meals and snacks in the parks. Disney is reportedly enhancing its quick meal options, providing affordable food for children, and adopting more flexible dining policies.
Experts point to the rising cost of dining within the parks as a key factor contributing to lower customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted a significant drop in customer satisfaction ratings from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed-price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa acknowledged the positive impact of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, he warned that these changes may not indicate a genuine commitment to affordability or guest satisfaction. He remarked that Disney has historically been willing to trade off positive customer ratings for increased revenue.