2017 Theme Park Attendance Data

[donsullivan]

I've been an annual passholder for SeaWorld Orlando for longer than I know. It's been over 10 years. I don't know the exact number. I was really surprised to see that they reported SeaWorld Orlando specifically as being 10% down in 2017. Another 10%? In 2017? I did not feel that at all. If anything it felt more busy. I'm not going to say it felt like it is finally recovered, but it definitely felt like the bleeding has stopped and attendance was trending in the right direction. I'd even say the same thing for 2016. It didn't feel like a park that was losing people left and right and still bleeding attendance. But 10% is quite a drop. It does make me question that number. It's just not what I've experienced When I'm Gone.

I do know that the most recent quarterly earnings report for Sea World parks showed an uptick of ~5% in attendance so hopefully that is an indication they have hit bottom and are beginning their path to recovery. I really hope it is because I believe that have a really good product that needs to be alive in the marketplace and I want to see them succeed.

I do suspect they are a candidate for a takeover in the not too distant future though as they just do not have the financial resources to compete in some of the markets they are in (especially Orlando). The challenge is there aren't any themed entertainment operators that are likely going want to invest in that. The only one that is large enough is Merlin, but they tend to focus on smaller properties like Legoland, Orlando Eye (or whatever it's called this week) and similar smaller venues around the world.

 

[mikejs78]

I agree...i’m Just messing with you.

I think the traditional 1-2-1-2 pattern is still fairly accurate...

It may be 3 (MK) - 1 (Epcot) - 1 (studios) - 2 (dak) temporarily...but nobody “skips” mgm to a statistically valid level of on a long trip.

In my trip last month (first in a few years), I did 2 MK, 1 Ep, 1 DAK, and .5 DHS (my arrival day)...

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

Why won't it last long?

Star Wars

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Star Wars

What does Star Wars have to do with DAK passing Epcot?

 

[winstongator]

It will be interesting for sure, maybe it won't jump by much in reality as a stat. If 29,000 people going for 3-4 hours suddenly try to go all day then does it sit at capacity many days. You could double the attendance without doubling the front gate clicks. Will it be so crazy that people go all day once but avoid the chaos other days of a trip.

SWGE will make the Pandora crowds and lines for rope-drop look like fun. WDW-SWGE will have the experience of DL's opening. They are doing a lot to manage the experience. From what I've heard, they don't want the FoP style lines throughout the land. Did Disney underestimate that ride's popularity? There is going to be something to let guests cycle through SWGE, instead of the first ones there staying all day. That's a guess and I have no idea how they'll do it. People spend weeks at a time in Westworld right?

 

[seascape]

If you really look into the numbers and think about the additions to Epcot and DHS it is easy to see that in 2020 all WDW parks will draw over 15 million. That alone would total over 65 million. So unless a miracle happens there is no way any of Universal current themeparks out draw any of the 4 WDW parks. Maybe the next gate can if they make it much bigger. As for 2018, expect to see larger growth at WDW as Pandora will be open all year and finally 2 new rides at DHS. The big question remains for 2019 and its growth, when will SW:GE open? If it makes it in August it is possible bbn le 2019 is the year WDW breaks 65 million otherwise its 2020.

 

[winstongator]

What does Star Wars have to do with DAK passing Epcot?

Star Wars

Did DAK pull attendance from any park since Pandora opened? SWGE will drive additional guests to WDW, and lengthen stays to get more time at DHS. I do not believe there will be anything like that pull from TSL. TSL will add to Jedi Training for things for the non-RnRC/ToT age group.

By 2021 resort-wide, you'll have roughly double the number of e-ticket attractions as 10 years before that (pre-7DMT). Some of these will be among the best anywhere. Personally, I'm looking forward to all of them (except Alien Saucers).

 

[winstongator]

If you really look into the numbers and think about the additions to Epcot and DHS it is easy to see that in 2020 all WDW parks will draw over 15 million. That alone would total over 65 million. So unless a miracle happens there is no way any of Universal current themeparks out draw any of the 4 WDW parks. Maybe the next gate can if they make it much bigger. As for 2018, expect to see larger growth at WDW as Pandora will be open all year and finally 2 new rides at DHS. The big question remains for 2019 and its growth, when will SW:GE open? If it makes it in August it is possible bbn le 2019 is the year WDW breaks 65 million otherwise its 2020.

SWGE is going to be late 2019. I'm hoping it's open by the week before Thanksgiving, so it won't drive 2019 attendance much. 2020 & 2021 will be extremely crowded.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

What does Star Wars have to do with DAK passing Epcot?

I was referring to DAK being the 2nd most popular park at WDW in my post, I’m guessing Star Wars will push DHS into that spot.

 

[lentesta]

If I'm doing the math correctly, these numbers show WDW attendance was up 3% YoY. Does anyone have easy access to the attendance numbers Disney reported on its last 4 quarterly calls, to see if they line up with that?

 

[SorcererMC]

If I'm doing the math correctly, these numbers show WDW attendance was up 3% YoY. Does anyone have easy access to the attendance numbers Disney reported on its last 4 quarterly calls, to see if they line up with that?

2017 Q3: Domestic attendance up 8%, benefit from the qtr timing of Easter holiday, accounting for 3% growth.
2017 Q4: Domestic Parks attendance +2% (Hurricane Irma impact)
2018 Q1: Attendance at our domestic parks was up 6% in the quarter
2018 Q2: Domestic attendance up 5%, ~2% benefit from Easter Holiday.

 

[twebber55]

SWGE will make the Pandora crowds and lines for rope-drop look like fun. WDW-SWGE will have the experience of DL's opening. They are doing a lot to manage the experience. From what I've heard, they don't want the FoP style lines throughout the land. Did Disney underestimate that ride's popularity? There is going to be something to let guests cycle through SWGE, instead of the first ones there staying all day. That's a guess and I have no idea how they'll do it. People spend weeks at a time in Westworld right?

i wonder how the opening of DL s version will effect crowds at DHS..im assuming crowds will be hevy but not as heavy with the land opening after DL...my guess is 20-25% bump for DHS
people who go to WDW dont just go to one park pandora will see similar numbers they saw this year

 

[twebber55]

I was referring to DAK being the 2nd most popular park at WDW in my post, I’m guessing Star Wars will push DHS into that spot.

i agree with this
EPCOT in 2020 may very well be 4th at WDW

 

[winstongator]

i wonder how the opening of DL s version will effect crowds at DHS..im assuming crowds will be hevy but not as heavy with the land opening after DL...my guess is 20-25% bump for DHS
people who go to WDW dont just go to one park pandora will see similar numbers they saw this year

My thought is about how they manage the crowds. Len Testa and Jim Hill on the Disney Dish talk about this. You’re going to have this immersive experience where you’re on another planet, but all these earthlings waiting in lines? First order signups? Do they have the lines all through the world, leaving little room for experience, or is there some capacity for the world? How DL handles it will give some indication to what we’ll see at WDW.

 

[twebber55]

My thought is about how they manage the crowds. Len Testa and Jim Hill on the Disney Dish talk about this. You’re going to have this immersive experience where you’re on another planet, but all these earthlings waiting in lines? First order signups? Do they have the lines all through the world, leaving little room for experience, or is there some capacity for the world? How DL handles it will give some indication to what we’ll see at WDW.

yeah all good points
my guess is it will be a struggle the first year
and will probably be like HP was when it firs opened where guest are admitted a few at a time

 

[winstongator]

yeah all good points
my guess is it will be a struggle the first year
and will probably be like HP was when it firs opened where guest are admitted a few at a time

I hope they do a better job. This is the picture I showed my kids when we were at WWoHP

 

[disneyflush]

I hope they do a better job. This is the picture I showed my kids when we were at WWoHP

My family went for the week of opening for Diagon Alley. They had a miraculous soft opening 2 days before the official opening and it wasn't crowded at all. One of the best theme park experiences I've ever had. We were there when they opened it officially and I couldn't fathom doing that all day.

 

[winstongator]

My family went for the week of opening for Diagon Alley. They had a miraculous soft opening 2 days before the official opening and it wasn't crowded at all. One of the best theme park experiences I've ever had. We were there when they opened it officially and I couldn't fathom doing that all day.

So were you in that line? How crowded was the official open vs. the soft open? We went for the first time 6 months ago.

 

[danlb_2000]

So were you in that line? How crowded was the official open vs. the soft open? We went for the first time 6 months ago.

That was the line for the first phase in IoA.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It will be interesting for sure, maybe it won't jump by much in reality as a stat. If 29,000 people going for 3-4 hours suddenly try to go all day then does it sit at capacity many days. You could double the attendance without doubling the front gate clicks. Will it be so crazy that people go all day once but avoid the chaos other days of a trip.

The original “argument” was made on hourly operational ride capacity. That isn’t even in the ballpark to actual Park capacity.

MK EPCOT hold 6 figures on a max day...studios and DAK are south of that but 29,000 ain’t the number.

WDW is not a “ride” Place...it’s much more complex than that. There’s a fallacy in the premise here.