The Walt Disney Company has been providing products, entertainment, and experiences to people for over 100 years. It is no stranger to the world of entertainment.
Cinderella Castle
When a company is around for that long, it develops a strong reputation — especially with a company as big as Disney! And it’s no secret that Disney is a company filled with devoted fans, yet equally filled with critics. Every year, we like to check on the Axios Harris reputation rankings, just to see where Disney ranks amongst other major businesses. We have the results this year, and it looks like Disney has taken some steps backwards…again!
The Axios Harris Poll 100 reputation rankings is a system that takes public opinions on American brands, and ranks 100 businesses based on reputation. It’s a poll they have been running for several years, and we now have the results for 2025. For years, Disney has fluctuated in its ranking, going as high as 37th out of 100, and as low as 77th out of 100. This year, Disney ranks 76th out of 100! What’s been going on with the company to drop it to the second-lowest score so far?
©Disney
Over the past year, Disney has been involved in some controversies. Some fans were unhappy about the live-action Snow White remake. Disney also faced criticism following the change in its DEI standards. Have these issues impacted the company’s reputation?
Walt Disney Company Headquarters in Burbank
The survey works by scoring each company in several categories. Based on these scores, companies are ranked 1-100, with 1 being the highest-scored brand. Disney scored a total of 69.7 points, placing them at spot number 76! This drops the company nine spots from its last ranking.
On the website, you can expand to see where it ranked and what it scored in each category. Disney’s scores were in the bottom half of most categories, including low scores in “Trust,” “Character,” and “Citizenship.”
©Axios Harris Poll
What we found interesting was that even though this isn’t Disney’s lowest ranking, its overall score this year is LOWER than it was in 2023 when Disney hit its lowest ranking. In 2023, Disney had a rank of 77 out of 100. However, it had a total score of 70.9. This year, Disney ranked 76, but had a total score of 69.6. Disney is fourth amongst companies with the LARGEST decline in reputation score from 2019 to today.
©Axios Harris Poll
As far as the rest of the rankings go — the top five companies were Trader Joe’s, Patagonia, Microsoft, Toyota Motor Corporation, and Costco, in that order. The bottom five were Wells Fargo & Company, Meta (Facebook), X (formerly Twitter), The Trump Organization, and Spirit Airlines in last.
Walt Disney Company Headquarters in Burbank
We’ll be interested to see how Disney performs in the future! The company has big plans on the horizon for its parks, movies, and television. To stay up to date with all the latest Disney news and updates, be sure to follow us at the Disney Food Blog.
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What do you think is the biggest reason for Disney’s reputation declining? Let us know in the comments!
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Can’t imagine why? 🙄
It’s the bait and switch pricing created by removing free fast pass. Similar to hotel fees or airlines charging for seats. This erodes trust. It also creates a class society in the park of haves and have nots with lightning lane. You can afford it or not and if not there you are in a hot miserable line watching everyone skip. When it was free it was just a matter of luck and everyone had the same chance. You might get one ride and didn’t mind your neighbors getting another ride. You were all having the same experience. It’s not the price it is the nickel and diming. Just raising the price makes it more aspirational and doesn’t hurt the brand but acting like a budget airline cheapens the brand.
I’m not surprised ! I’ve been coming to WDW since 2003 from U K and I’m a D V C member but I feel now it’s all about how many $ can they squeeze out of us before we say enough ! Or it’s just rich visitors they want !
No free fastpass , no free airport transport and cost of food etc crazy now ! We came every year at one time now it’s going to be every 3 years of just enjoy Disneyland Paris instead !!!
Wow, I think the reason for the dismal fall from grace for Disney is GREED. My family had the best trip EVER out of 30 trips in 2019. We had FREE FAST PASS (THREE RIDES BEFORE ARRIVAL) THE MAGICAL EXPRESS, REASONABLE PRICING FOR HOTEL ROOMS AND RESTAURANTS. Then the Pandemic hit. So many people lost their jobs and so many companies lost revenue. Disney closed for four months and lost revenue. Disney made back the lost revenue and then some with DRACONIAN CHARGES, which upset LONG TIME DISNEY FANATICS SUCH AS OUR FAMILY. My entire family of nine still returned to Disney World in 2022, 2023 and 2024. A big mistake that WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. After the Pandemic
1. Disney eliminated the FREE FAST PASS
2. Disney implemented Genie Plus, where you pay to enter the park and then pay AGAIN to go on rides and then pay AGAIN to go on certain rides
3. Eliminate Magical Express
4. Raise prices DRAMATICALLY on hotel Rooms and raise prices in restaurants almost on a daily basis.
5. Eliminate DISABILITY
I am sure that Disney lost the respect of visitors for other reasons but the major reason is Disney is no longer the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH and this is because of GREED GREED GREED
The drop in ranking is no surprise to loyal Disney fans. Once they removed the amenities that they used to have that made it a relaxing resort vacation and also took out many of the iconic rides and shows that loyal fans wanted year after year. We never got tired of going back to the same things . It was comfort “food” like having Mac and cheese over and over. Because of these changes, I haven’t been to Disney World since 2018 and have no intentions of ever going again to the parks although I would go to Disney Springs for the food and possibly Epcot for the food but would not stay in the Disney bubble.
Disney”s decline is a result of the people in charge who care little about their customers. The continued rise in prices is making it less affordable for many people. The actual workers inside the Disney Resorts and Parks are great.
Well, Disney has released quite a few subpar movies, raised the prices of Disney + while cutting back on programming, reduced hotel perks while raising prices, and increased the price of park tickets to a level outside of most families travel budgets while having large portions of their parks closed for ride/land updates. So, charging ‘more’ while providing ‘less’ seems like a great plan to reduce company reputation.
Greed. And lack of vision / decline in quality of their films and shows. The majority of the new shows on Disney Junior have horrible unrefined animation that would make Walt turn in his grave. Very few if any new stories come out every year— just sequels and remakes.
I haven’t been to the parks in a decade and have been saving up to take my kids for the first time. We finally booked a trip for 2026 and I was disappointed to see that everything that was included in my 2016 trip no longer is. Magic bands for a family of 4 sets you back 100$ when they used to be free. Fast pass used to be free now its very costly and complicated. Hotel and food prices are very high. We will likely only be able to go once ever with our children.
I agree with most of the comments expressed and wonder if things will get worse at Disney. Fast Passes are gone. The Magical Express is history. Extra Magic Hours disappeared. Reasonable food prices are non-existent. Daily house-keeping vanished at most if not all Disney resorts. No more Luau. And the list goes on and on of how Disney raises its prices but has cut back on service. I too use to be a loyal guest, visiting Disney each year, sometimes visiting multiple times a year but that has changed. I no longer look at Disney fondly. I have directed my travels to other parks, places and experiences. Universal Orlando has become a great alternative when me and the family travel to Orlando. Thanks for the memories Disney. Maybe our paths will cross again when you remember who you are and why you were created.
Read all the prior comments and I totally agree that GREED has overcome the BOD as well as upper management. They completely eliminated the “MAGIC” by overpricing everything from A to Z. Swindlers!!!