Disney has rolled out discounted ticket prices for select parks, summer dining plans and reduced hotel rates to woo back customers who have complained about the exorbitantly high cost of taking their families to the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
In May, Disney World quietly began to offer cheaper ticket prices, which soared to as high as $254 for a one-day park hopper ticket at the Orlando, Fla, theme park.
The discounted price starts at $89 a day for those buying three-day tickets — but visitors are limited to entrance to Hollywood Studios, EPCOT and Animal Kingdom, according to Bloomberg News.
If they want access to Magic Kingdom, that will require a separate purchase at full price, which can range from $109 per day to $159 per day.
Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. introduced a similar deal in which customers were charged $50 a day to visit the theme park this summer — so long as it was a three-day, one-park ticket that was valid for entry Mondays through Thursdays.
Disney visitors who book rooms at one of the hotels at the resort have cheaper options, including Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music and Sports Resorts, which start at around $100 a night.
A glance at Google Hotels confirmed the reduced rates. Rooms at the hotel were listing for $125 in mid-January, a 27% discount compared to the standard fare, according to Bloomberg News.
Disney recently announced that it was revamping its “Lightning Lanes” system which allows visitors to book a seat for rides a week ahead of time.
While the price ranges from $30 per person to more than $100, a few rides won’t cost extra to reserve.
“Frozen Forever After” and “Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad” can be reserved without extra charge once the new system takes effect on Wednesday.
The revamp is aimed at cutting wait times — a pet peeve for scores of Disney visitors who have taken to the internet to complain about it.
Disney has also been receptive to complaints about the price of its menu items in theme park restaurants as well as concession snack stands.
Disney reintroduced dining plans that reduced the price of food by between 20% and 30% for the average family.
Visitors can buy a set number of meal credits for around $30 per child and $95 per adult per day. Those credits can then be redeemed for meals or snacks at fast food restaurants, according to Bloomberg News.
Disney has also rolled out more affordable quick-serving dining options and lower-priced kid’s meals.
Not all skeptics are convinced that Disney has changed its ways.
“I think Disney has lost our family for good,” Lindsey Robertson, a mother of two from Dallas, told Bloomberg News.
“We’ve had back-to-back negative experiences with staff, the stand-by lines are out of control, and the cost has become insurmountable.”
In the second quarter of the current fiscal year, revenue at Disney’s domestic theme parks rose 7% while its theme parks overseas reported a 29% increase.
But Disney acknowledged wrestling with higher costs at its theme parks during the quarter due to inflation.
The company said that there was increased spending by guests at Walt Disney World due to higher ticket prices, while Disneyland guests boosted their spending due to an increase in ticket prices and hotel room rates.
The Post has sought comment from Disney.
With Post wires
