Amid growing customer dissatisfaction and a drop in park attendance, Walt Disney World has quietly been reducing the prices of admission and hotel accommodations in recent months.
In May, Disney introduced discounted three-day ticket packages, allowing visitors access to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom for $89 per day, while tickets for Magic Kingdom remain separate. These lower ticket rates, available until September 24, mark a significant decrease from the previous high of $254 for a daily Park Hopper pass.
Alongside ticket discounts, Disney is also slashing the rates for its most affordable hotel options. Stays at Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resort can start as low as $100, depending on booking dates. This represents up to a 27% reduction from standard rates, as per a Bloomberg analysis.
Additionally, the parks have rolled out new dining packages this summer, which offer up to a 30% reduction in meal prices. Families can buy all-day meal passes priced at $30 for children and $95 for adults, usable for various meals and snacks throughout the parks. Disney World is reportedly expanding quick meal options, introducing more affordable kid-friendly food, and offering greater flexibility in restaurant policies.
Experts link the rising costs of dining within the parks to the decline in customer satisfaction. Len Testa, president of TouringPlans.com, noted that satisfaction ratings dropped from 90% to 60% as Disney shifted from a la carte dining to fixed price meals at many popular restaurants.
While Testa commended Disney’s recent cost-cutting measures, he warned that these actions may not demonstrate a genuine commitment to affordability or guest contentment, stating, “Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain number of positive ratings for a certain amount of revenue.”