Disney has quietly introduced discounted tickets and lower hotel prices at a number of parks, hoping to lure back customers who complained about sky-high costs.
In May, Disney World began offering lower prices for a day ticket to the park, with the highest price at the time being $254.
Through September 24, Disney fans can purchase admission for $89 per day with three-day tickets to the resort in Orlando, Florida, Bloomberg reported.
Please note, guests only have access to certain areas and tickets to the Magic Kingdom theme park must be purchased separately.
This is because customers complained that the parks had gone from being ‘the happiest place on earth’ to a source of rising costs and customer service frustrations.
Disney has quietly introduced discounted tickets and lower hotel prices at some parks in an effort to lure back customers who have complained about rising costs
“I think Disney has lost our family forever,” Lindsey Robertson, a mother of two from Dallas, told Bloomberg.
‘We have had negative experiences with the staff for years, the queues are no longer manageable and the costs have become insurmountable.’
The cost of a luxury trip to Florida’s parks has now risen to about $40,000 for a family of four, the magazine reported.
Meanwhile, the number of four- or five-star reviews on Yelp fell from nearly 52 percent in 2019 to 33 percent in 2022.
In 2023, more than 40 percent of reviewers gave theme parks only one or two stars.
As complaints continue to grow, Disney is also offering cheaper nightly rates at some of its lower-priced resorts, such as the All-Star Movies, Music and Sports Resorts, which start at around $100.
According to Bloomberg, the hotel’s rooms were listed on Google Hotels in mid-January for $125, a 27 percent discount from the standard price.
However, these reduced prices only apply on the quietest days of the year, usually January and February. Otherwise, prices range from $200 to $300 per night.
More affordable accommodations are coming soon, however, with the expansion of Disney’s timeshare arm, Disney Vacation Club. Two new properties are expected by the end of 2024.
Disgruntled customers have complained that the parks have gone from being ‘the happiest place on earth’ to a source of rising costs and frustration due to poor customer service.
Through September 24, Disney fans can purchase admission for $89 per day with three-day tickets to the Orlando resort, but they must purchase separate tickets for the Magic Kingdom park (pictured)
Disney has also responded to complaints about the high costs of its theme park restaurants and snack stands.
This summer, meal plans were reintroduced, helping the average family spend 20 to 30 percent less on food.
Visitors can purchase a set amount of meal credits for approximately $30 per child and $95 per adult per day. The credits can then be redeemed for meals or snacks at fast food restaurants and even character dining experiences.
There are also more affordable, quick-service options and less expensive children’s meals available.
Len Testa, co-author of “The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World” and president of TouringPlans.com, a company that collects park data and surveys hundreds of thousands of Disney guests each year, says he’s seen some improvement in customer satisfaction as a result of the changes.
But he remains skeptical about whether Disney is doing enough to make the parks affordable for families.
“Disney has long been willing to sacrifice a certain amount of positive reviews for a certain amount of revenue,” he told Bloomberg, citing the persistent prix fixe menus as a prime example.