Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Theres a reason for that. The food can be a very iffy option there. In April I had what they were calling a 'steak' and the knife they supplied (and it was a good quality German one) wasnt up to the task of cutting it, so I sent it back and replaced it with fish.

It’s not just there…ressies and walk up available across the board from 5/22-5/28

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I can see MK attendance improving especially when some want to visit Hall of Presidents for some history and some laughs.

Stop now

 

[Tha Realest]

Per Disney - Taylor Swift and the heat are keeping people away.

Per everyone else - it’s too expensive, quality isn’t the same as it used to be, and other things

Taylor Swift has a disproportionate affect on park attendance but somehow a negligible impact on D+ viewership trends.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Taylor Swift has a disproportionate affect on park attendance but somehow a negligible impact on D+ viewership trends.

She turned both off…i blame Ticketmaster

 

[Willmark]

At the risk of wafting through 524 pages can someone give me a very brief summary as to what on earth is going on?

 

[Kristamouse]

No, @HauntedPirate is correct. It rarely gets 100+ in Orlando. According to the National Weather Service Orlando has only hit 100 twice in the last 24 years, on 6/19/2015 and 8/12/2023. So no it wasn't 105 the first week of July last year.

8/12 was our EPCOT day, I had to lie down on the cold marble floor in the American Pavilion! I truly though I was going to pass out and hubs rushed me there. Thankfully the kids seemed ok and we made they drink cold water every 15-30 mins

 

[Lilofan]

8/12 was our EPCOT day, I had to lie down on the cold marble floor in the American Pavilion! I truly though I was going to pass out and hubs rushed me there. Thankfully the kids seemed ok and we made they drink cold water every 15-30 mins

American Adventure is a great way to cool down and or overeating. After the all u can eat at Germany it is a 50 min nap for me at the ice cold theatre.

 

[Kristamouse]

American Adventure is a great way to cool down and or overeating. After the all u can eat at Germany it is a 50 min nap for me at the ice cold theatre.

never though I would lay on the floor of a theme park anywhere, but yeah it was the perfect chill spot for us to cool off and regroup!

 

[Disstevefan1]

American Adventure is a great way to cool down and or overeating. After the all u can eat at Germany it is a 50 min nap for me at the ice cold theatre.

You just described my perfect EPCOT day

 

[el_super]

At the risk of wafting through 524 pages can someone give me a very brief summary as to what on earth is going on?

Per everyone else - it’s too expensive, quality isn’t the same as it used to be, and other things

Yep they've so upset by all the reservations and genie+ and upcharges, until it's Tuesday then they forget all that and just come back anyway.

 

[GhostHost1000]

View attachment 788600



Yep they've so upset by all the reservations and genie+ and upcharges, until it's Tuesday then they forget all that and just come back anyway.

You must not be paying attention

 

[el_super]

You must not be paying attention

Oh I have been. I have been sitting here contemplating all the reasoning being put forth here for the downturn in attendance, and trying to gauge how serious it is and come up empty almost every time.

This thread as existed as a way of trying to frame all these attendance reports as a referendum on Iger and his management of the parks with the hope that it was a sign that Disney was facing a comeuppance. They will RUE THE DAY! After a year though, it's pretty clear something else is going on that isn't at all related to the theories that most have put forward here.

Magic Kingdom had a light Memorial Day weekend... sure. But Genie+ and reservations and the lack of entertainment and "general lowering of quality" were all still present on Tuesday when the wait times shot back up. All of those things were present at Epcot too over the weekend when Epcot was doing a pretty good business. Even at Disneyland, where all those things still exist, they had a pretty healthy weekend. That's even with someone reporting that they spent $294 on a one-day park hopper with parking.

Bad management doesn't explain bad attendance at one park on a specific day. Clearly people still want to go.

 

[LSLS]

Oh I have been. I have been sitting here contemplating all the reasoning being put forth here for the downturn in attendance, and trying to gauge how serious it is and come up empty almost every time.

This thread as existed as a way of trying to frame all these attendance reports as a referendum on Iger and his management of the parks with the hope that it was a sign that Disney was facing a comeuppance. They will RUE THE DAY! After a year though, it's pretty clear something else is going on that isn't at all related to the theories that most have put forward here.

Magic Kingdom had a light Memorial Day weekend... sure. But Genie+ and reservations and the lack of entertainment and "general lowering of quality" were all still present on Tuesday when the wait times shot back up. All of those things were present at Epcot too over the weekend when Epcot was doing a pretty good business. Even at Disneyland, where all those things still exist, they had a pretty healthy weekend. That's even with someone reporting that they spent $294 on a one-day park hopper with parking.

Bad management doesn't explain bad attendance at one park on a specific day. Clearly people still want to go.

No, it does not. But pointing out one good day at one park does not prove management is great and doing things perfectly either (though, again, wait times do NOT equate to attendance). We will know a ton more in a couple months when the park attendance numbers for 2023 come out, but for now I'll rely on the Quarterly reports which have said WDW has seen decreases in attendance AND revenue, and the insiders who have said things look WORSE this summer than last (which was down).

 

[el_super]

wait times do NOT equate to attendance.

Good to know!

We will know a ton more in a couple months when the park attendance numbers for 2023 come out, but for now I'll rely on the Quarterly reports which have said WDW has seen decreases in attendance AND revenue, and the insiders who have said things look WORSE this summer than last (which was down).

To whatever level WDW's attendance is down, it seems to be made up for by the other parks and resorts since revenue for the overall division is still up.

Which of course is the point: if WDW is the only resort struggling, what specific factors are there, that are FLORIDA specific, that can be attributed to the cause?

Nothing mentioned so far has really been Florida specific, except of course the heat.

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

Boy, comparing Disney to the MLB is a weird way to try and defend their drop considering how far the MLB has fallen in both tv and attendance in the last 4 decades or so.

Specific to “defend their drop”….we are hitting MLB Ballparks in lieu of at least two trips to Disney this season…..

Already scheduled an afternoon/evening day with the Rockies while in Denver to see the Stones

Additionally will hit either Seattle or some rust belt combo of Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, etc….

Long way of saying Disney has lost of few of our $$$ as well

 

[GhostHost1000]

Oh I have been. I have been sitting here contemplating all the reasoning being put forth here for the downturn in attendance, and trying to gauge how serious it is and come up empty almost every time.

This thread as existed as a way of trying to frame all these attendance reports as a referendum on Iger and his management of the parks with the hope that it was a sign that Disney was facing a comeuppance. They will RUE THE DAY! After a year though, it's pretty clear something else is going on that isn't at all related to the theories that most have put forward here.

Magic Kingdom had a light Memorial Day weekend... sure. But Genie+ and reservations and the lack of entertainment and "general lowering of quality" were all still present on Tuesday when the wait times shot back up. All of those things were present at Epcot too over the weekend when Epcot was doing a pretty good business. Even at Disneyland, where all those things still exist, they had a pretty healthy weekend. That's even with someone reporting that they spent $294 on a one-day park hopper with parking.

Bad management doesn't explain bad attendance at one park on a specific day. Clearly people still want to go.

Well let’s see. I’m here this week reporting onsite and can confirm crowds are down. I’m not just making things up.

@Sirwalterraleigh was here over the holiday weekend as well and confirmed crowds are down.

It was not just one day but you can think that if it makes you feel better. Sure there are plenty of people here, but I was here the same time last year and this week has been much lighter. Attraction wait times aren’t the best indicator.

 

[el_super]

Well let’s see. I’m here this week reporting onsite and can confirm crowds are down. @Sirwalterraleigh was here over the holiday weekend as well and confirmed crowds are down. It was not just one day but you can think that if it makes you feel better.

LOL thank you for your continued patronage.

 

[LSLS]

Good to know!




To whatever level WDW's attendance is down, it seems to be made up for by the other parks and resorts since revenue for the overall division is still up.

Which of course is the point: if WDW is the only resort struggling, what specific factors are there, that are FLORIDA specific, that can be attributed to the cause?

Nothing mentioned so far has really been Florida specific, except of course the heat.

Isn't Disneyland mainly annual pass holders? Could just be people who don't have the ability to get the most out of passes are not seeing the value in paying the prices for tickets anymore, which is why you see the large drop in hotels as well.

But the heat makes no sense as has been shown multiple times. And you are kidding yourself if you think their largest park seeing decreases is not a concern, even if DCL propped it up some last year. For a year you had said the biggest thing was that the revenue was still maxed out so they didn't care if attendance stagnated. Well, now that's not the case anymore. It is decreasing along with the attendance. And insiders are saying there is real concern from that.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

LOL thank you for your continued patronage.

You should try going to parks occasionally…it gives context to what the rest of us talk about around here

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I hope to enjoy lower attendance on my visit some day....

…pick any day and you’ll see it