Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[LittleBuford]

From the many trips I've done to Paris Disney...Magic Kingdom on its quietest day of the year, is not far off what Paris is at its busiest day of the year.

When you visit Paris on a quiet day, pretty much every ride is a walk on - You can never ever say that about MK...they are 2 totally different parks when it comes to footfall.

If you dislike WDW so much, why did you choose to spend such a long holiday there? Or was it very different when you last went?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

From the many trips I've done to Paris Disney...Magic Kingdom on its quietest day of the year, is not far off what Paris is at its busiest day of the year.

When you visit Paris on a quiet day, pretty much every ride is a walk on - You can never ever say that about MK...they are 2 totally different parks when it comes to footfall.

I still think you’re focusing on ride lines more than the actual crowd dynamics.

Ride lines are a measure for simple amusement parks…that’s not the point of wdw…

 

[Thepuma]

If you dislike WDW so much, why did you choose to spend such a long holiday there? Or was it very different when you last went?

Well, when we first visited everything was a lot better, it slowly got worse and worse...the last time came we wanted to do Guardians and this time Tron....we always said this would be our last time as the enjoyment we get is diminishing while the cost is sharply increasing...to a point where we can't justify it anymore.

18 days was only because it worked much better value doing 18 days than our usual 2 weeks, due to how the flights fell and the discounted tickets we got for the length of our stays

 

[Thepuma]

I still think you’re focusing on ride lines more than the actual crowd dynamics.

Ride lines are a measure for simple amusement parks…that’s not the point of wdw…

Not ride lines, overall busyness in the parks, ride lines included.

 

[LittleBuford]

Well, when we first visited everything was a lot better, it slowly got worse and worse...the last time came we wanted to do Guardians and this time Tron....we always said this would be our last time as the enjoyment we get is diminishing while the cost is sharply increasing...to a point where we can't justify it anymore.

Then I suppose you’re getting exactly what you paid for and expected.

 

[Trauma]

I don’t think anyone here with a straight face can say that they have the same level of enjoyment from they parks as they did 10 years ago.

Unless somehow a sharp decline in quality and value is something that appeals to them.

 

[LittleBuford]

I don’t think anyone here with a straight face can say that they have the same level of enjoyment from they parks as they did 10 years ago.

Unless somehow a sharp decline in quality and value is something that appeals to them.

I always think it’s best not to presume to know how others feel.

 

[Thepuma]

Then I suppose you’re getting exactly what you paid for and expected.

Not really - every time we've come, which is about 12 times in 6 years, we have experienced everything getting worse a little bit each time.

When we came earlier this year it was going to be our last time, but Tron kept getting pushed back and it wasn't ready for our holiday...so we decoded to give it all one more try this August/September..mainly as we really wanted to do Tron, as well as the Cirque Du Soleil show in springs as well as do a HHN at Universal.

We did all those and we've enjoyed our time (surprising you probably say by my rants on here)...we enjoyed it, but we couldn't do it again....we have to put it to bed and try new destinations.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I don’t think anyone here with a straight face can say that they have the same level of enjoyment from they parks as they did 10 years ago.

Unless somehow a sharp decline in quality and value is something that appeals to them.

Some things are better and some things are worse ... I think overall service is down a little (but generally still high), park hours are lower, on site perks are way down (that is a big thing). But then there are some amazing lands and attractions - didn't have Pandora or Galaxy's Edge open 10 years ago which we love, and Guardians and Tron are awesome, also like MMRR and others just as a few examples (while they aren't building much now I think we sometimes forget how much has gotten built over the past 10 years).

 

[LittleBuford]

Not really - every time we've come, which is about 12 times in 6 years, we have experienced everything getting worse a little bit each time.

When we came earlier this year it was going to be our last time, but Tron kept getting pushed back and it wasn't ready for our holiday...so we decoded to give it all one more try this August/September..mainly as we really wanted to do Tron, as well as the Cirque Du Soleil show in springs as well as do a HHN at Universal.

We did all those and we've enjoyed our time (surprising you probably say by my rants on here)...we enjoyed it, but we couldn't do it again....we have to put it to bed and try new destinations.

I'm glad you've enjoyed your time there, because that really hasn't come through at all in any of your posts.

 

[James Alucobond]

I don’t think anyone here with a straight face can say that they have the same level of enjoyment from they parks as they did 10 years ago.

Unless somehow a sharp decline in quality and value is something that appeals to them.

My most recent trip earlier this year was way more enjoyable than the ones I took in 2016 and 2020 (pre-COVID). I agree that the nickel and diming is a bad look for what you’re already paying, but I also never purchased Genie+ on principle and still hit up every ride I wanted, which is more than I can say for recent years past. The cast remained helpful and gave me way more than I would have expected in gift card money in response to the only minor inconvenience I experienced (mixup with the type of room).

The main thing that irks me is park hopper stuff at the moment.

 

[Dranth]

I don’t think anyone here with a straight face can say that they have the same level of enjoyment from they parks as they did 10 years ago.

Unless somehow a sharp decline in quality and value is something that appeals to them.

Maybe not 10 years ago, but close.

My trips the last few years were certainly better than my 2016 through 2019 trips. They really let the parks get WAY too crowded.

Doesn't mean I don't see a decline in various areas but for me, the crowds made it unbearable and far worse than anything they are doing now.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm glad we can agree on that! I think this is the principle everyone here should live by. Too many here seem to think that others should share their views.

Opinions are an individual thought. Some people honestly like things that honestly suck. It’s quirky but cool.

“Value” is not an individual choice however…it’s a view on what a consensus thinks. Tough…but not impossible to agree on

 

[nickys]

Opinions are an individual thought. Some people honestly like things that honestly suck. It’s quirky but cool.

“Value” is not an individual choice however…it’s a view on what a consensus thinks. Tough…but not impossible to agree on

Well I’m disagreeing.

Opinions are individual thoughts. We can at least agree on that.

The rest - not so much. Which will be of no surprise to you.

What you think sucks is just your opinion. It is subjective. It cannot be proven.

And although value can be defined in monetary terms, everyone’s value-o-meter will differ. What is good value to one person may be poor value to someone else.

And I’ll use @LittleBuford ‘s question and adapt it for you. If you find WDW such poor value, why do you keep returning - multiple times a year? You could sell your DVC and have done with it.

 

[James Alucobond]

“Value” is not an individual choice however…it’s a view on what a consensus thinks. Tough…but not impossible to agree on

There’s actual value and perceived value. I’m sure you can make a spreadsheet and objectively demonstrate that you get less for your money these days, but if the things that are either cut or now tied to a surcharge were never things that concerned you and the way you vacation in the first place, your perception probably won’t change that much.

 

[LittleBuford]

And I’ll use @LittleBuford ‘s question and adapt it for you. If you find WDW such poor value, why do you keep returning - multiple times a year? You could sell your DVC and have done with it.

The irony is that he spends far more of his time and money at WDW than I could ever hope to. I'm quite jealous actually!

 

[Chi84]

There’s actual value and perceived value. I’m sure you can make a spreadsheet and objectively demonstrate that you get less for your money these days, but if the things that are either cut or now tied to a surcharge were never things that concerned you and the way you vacation in the first place, your perception probably won’t change that much.

I think you may be talking about the difference between “worth” and “value.”

Worth is often tied to the monetary cost of something and can be measured intrinsically. Value refers more to the significance or importance of a thing and is subjective. For example an inexpensive item may have great value to you depending on who gave it to you.

When it comes to WDW people can acknowledge that a vacation there may have less worth than before, but it can still be valuable to them based on their particular circumstances.

It’s not a right or wrong thing, which can be hard to grasp sometimes.

 

[networkpro]

I can say that Eatcot has a good crowd this evening.

 

[LittleBuford]

Frankly…neither of you know how much time and money I spend at wdw. At all.

I don’t stay on property and haven’t been in over three years. So yes, I feel confident in saying that you give more of your time and money to WDW than I do.

If you’ll notice…I try to talk about trends and shifts in the wdw consumerate. Medium term most of the time.

OK, but if you yourself still find enough joy and value in the place to keep going back, why berate others for doing likewise?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don’t stay on property and haven’t been in over three years. So yes, I feel confident in saying that you give more of your time and money to WDW than I do.

Ok…fair.
But I gotta ask: why not?

OK, but if you yourself still find enough joy and value in the place to keep going back, why berate others for doing likewise?

I’ll give you that.

However…I think my expectations are far lower than your average bear. If I step outside of that and look at how they run it and what they charge…it’s not at all a hard case to make the value is down. A lot.

But I can say that and not take it personally.