Disney unveils brand new cheaper pricing after fan backlash – but visitors are still not impressed

Disney is cutting prices on theme park packages after facing backlash over “insensitive” comments from bosses in August.

In August, finance boss Hugh Johnston blamed poor Americans for Disney’s declining profits. He said they had cut back on visits due to lack of funds.

The new discount initiative – ‘Stay, Play and Save up to $200 per night’ – aims to encourage lower-income families to return to Into Disney world Florida for their vacations.

The promotion offers up to $200 per night on hotel and park tickets when booking on or after October 2.

But fans have two main complaints: the prices are still “35 percent too expensive,” and most of the discount deals are sold out anyway.

To take advantage of this offer, guests must stay a minimum of three nights in addition to a two-day theme park ticket package.

The discount is available for most stays between February 26 and June 30, 2025.

In addition, a room-only offer has been announced for early 2025.

This is only for those who want to book a hotel but don’t want to visit the theme park – maybe because they already have tickets or just want to soak up the atmosphere.

This room only deal includes 20 percent discount from January 1 to February 20, and 25 percent from February 23 to April 30.

Popular hotels like Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort are also offering 15 percent off stays most nights from February 23 to April 30, 2025.

Some fans were unhappy with the promotion, complaining that prices were still sky-high and many rooms seemed to have already been booked.

‘Most Value Resorts were already booked in the first three weeks of May 2025.

“Either room availability under this promotion was very limited, or many people already took advantage of the offer,” says a consumer commented on the Disney Tourist Blog.

“While nice, it’s still about 35 percent higher than rates should actually be at this point in the global economy,” another added.

Disney’s All-Star Resorts and Pop Century Resort are also offering 10 percent off stays during the same time period.

Disney is also expanding its special offers to Florida residents and annual pass holders.

The discounts appear to be an olive branch of sorts for lower-income families who have felt left behind by rising costs at the Disney parks.

“The economic landscape has changed and families are feeling the pressure,” said theme park analyst Sarah Jenkins told Inside The Magic blog.

“This move reflects Disney’s understanding that they need to be more inclusive and accessible, especially for lower-income guests who may have felt overlooked.”

It is the latest in a series of measures that Disney has had to take after criticism about prices.

In May, Disney World began offering cheaper prices for a one-day park hopper ticket, which had reached a high of $254.

Customers complained that the parks have gone from “the happiest place on earth” to a source of rising costs and customer service frustrations.

“I think Disney has lost our family forever,” Lindsey Robertson, a mother of two in Dallas, told Bloomberg.

Disney has taken a series of measures after criticism of its prices

‘We have had successive negative experiences with staff, the standby lines have gotten out of hand and the costs have become prohibitive.’

The cost of a luxury trip to the Florida parks has now risen to about $40,000 for a family of four, the outlet reported.

Meanwhile, the number of four- or five-star reviews on Yelp dropped from nearly 52 percent in 2019 to 33 percent in 2022.

In 2023, more than 40 percent of reviewers gave the theme parks only one or two stars.