A lower attendance future for WDW?

[Jrb1979]

I tend to be the opposite.
A few days may be more enjoyable at universal...but since the restaurants generally suck and they are more “amusement” style rides...a get more out of a week at wdw

I rarely eat on property at either park. Much better restaurants off property. I enjoy the more "amusement" style rides for the most part. I would love Disney more if they had more thrilling rides. It doesn't necessarily need to be a coaster. One the best attractions that Disney ever had was Alien Encounter.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I rarely eat on property at either park. Much better restaurants off property. I enjoy the more "amusement" style rides for the most part. I would love Disney more if they had more thrilling rides. It doesn't necessarily need to be a coaster. One the best attractions that Disney ever had was Alien Encounter.

i can’t do the sand lake/i-drive/192 routine anymore

though I occasionally enjoyed a jaunt to a sweet tomatoes or a first watch

one is bankrupt and the other now has one 3 miles from me.

 

[Jrb1979]

i can’t do the sand lake/i-drive/192 routine anymore

though I occasionally enjoyed a jaunt to a sweet tomatoes or a first watch

one is bankrupt and the other now has one 3 miles from me.

I do it mainly cause the food is much better then most of Disney or Universal has. The Yard House I find to be good. Especially since they have 150 beers on tap. I also stay off property for the most part. It's mainly due to that for me a hotel is a place to sleep. I don't spend much time there when I'm on vacation.

 

[GimpYancIent]

Florida voting to increase the minimum wage will force TWDC to streamline wdw operations. Shorter regular operating hours daily but more high priced separate ticket events. Reservations and apps to make it all work.

IMO.

So what has been going on up till now?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

We have quit going to disney, and it's definitely not the cost.
We have gone to WDW yearly or more for years with extended family and by ourselves.
But we have quit going and are one of those families that are voting with their money. The reason? Not the price increases. It is the decline of "show" for the CM's, the loss of attractions or changes to them, the loss of "freebies" that used to make us feel special and actually wanted by disney. The little extras that made the trip special. Now the hours are cut for normal day trippers. If you want to stay in the evening, then it's an add-on cost. We have never done the extra events, not because we can't afford them, but because of the fact that evenings used to be included in the cost of a daily ticket. There is so much that has been taken away that changed our minds. So, it's not the money. The money is not an issue for most in this society as they just use their credit cards and pay them off later. But I think the changes in the perception of the "brand" of disney is what will hurt them in the long run. IMO!

I thought the “special ticketed events” without any distinction was crossing the rubicon for the consumers...and we didn’t hold the line.

its line lees army retreating from Gettysburg...its never going to get beyond that level again.

i railed about “after hours magic” and “early morning magic”...it was the message.

those aren’t “experiences”...they’re 3 hours...and the longterm trend is far more significant.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I do it mainly cause the food is much better then most of Disney or Universal has. The Yard House I find to be good. Especially since they have 150 beers on tap. I also stay off property for the most part. It's mainly due to that for me a hotel is a place to sleep. I don't spend much time there when I'm on vacation.

I have yard house 1.5 miles away...ironically next to a covid vaccine supersite that’s now cranking 2,500 out a day.

...the beer helps

 

[jt04]

So what has been going on up till now?

Basically the strategy has been to continually increase turnstile counts but with increased costs and competition they will need to have more control of the demand side. Counts likely will continue to increase but they will better control sales to better control overhead. Hence reservations are likely long term. And we are just beginning to see how creative they will be with the Disney apps. I think it will work. As a customer you will better understand what you are purchasing and Disney will be better at delivering it. Long waits in queues will seem arcane eventually. IMO.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Basically the strategy has been to continually increase turnstile counts but with increased costs and competition they will need to have more control of the demand side. Counts likely will continue to increase but they will better control sales to better control overhead. Hence reservations are likely long term. And we are just beginning to see how creative they will be with the Disney apps. I think it will work. As a customer you will better understand what you are purchasing and Disney will be better at delivering it. Queues will seem arcane eventually. IMO.

good point...

...but still, it’s all gonna be based on price.

management has this “idea” that if people will bite for $150 a day now...they’ll bite for $300 ten years from now.

but there are limits.

good luck selling Peter Pan for that

 

[jt04]

good point...

...but still, it’s all gonna be based on price.

management has this “idea” that if people will bite for $150 a day now...they’ll bite for $300 ten years from now.

but there are limits.

good luck selling Peter Pan for that

Space Mountain has two tracks, Dumbo two spinners. Hmm, maybe PPF could be reimagined and made an E Ticket. Though I think Tokyo already thought of this. Not sure if it has two tracks.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Space Mountain has two tracks, Dumbo two spinners. Hmm, maybe PPF could be reimagined and made an E Ticket. Though I think Tokyo already thought of this. Not sure if it has two tracks.

Don’t think it’s “likely”

 

[UNCgolf]

Long waits in queues will seem arcane eventually. IMO.

The only way that's possible is if Disney builds about 30 new rides and/or cuts attendance in half.

In other words, that's not going to happen.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The only way that's possible is if Disney builds about 30 new rides and/or cuts attendance in half.

In other words, that's not going to happen.

exactly

I’ll never understand why grasping the problem is so hard?

 

[UNCgolf]

exactly

I’ll never understand why grasping the problem is so hard?

There are people who still think they can just put virtual queues on everything and thus no more waiting in line.

Sounds great in theory... until you realize there's nowhere for all of those people to go. No room. The Magic Kingdom already struggles with room for all guests on busy days even with thousands of people waiting in lines.

 

[AugieMorosco]

The only way that's possible is if Disney builds about 30 new rides and/or cuts attendance in half.

In other words, that's not going to happen.

I assumed they meant standing in the physical queues, not actual wait times. Full MaxPass style with every ride as a virtual queue. Check in on the app, wander around and eat, shop, go to shows, until your ride time window. I could see something like that.

 

[UNCgolf]

I assumed they meant standing in the physical queues, not actual wait times. Full MaxPass style with every ride as a virtual queue. Check in on the app, wander around and eat, shop, go to shows, until your ride time window. I could see something like that.

See my above post. That's logistically impossible. There's not enough capacity in shops, restaurants, and walkways for that to work. It would hard to even move around at the MK if no one was waiting in lines.

The parks are designed to have a significant number of guests waiting in queues at any given time. You could do an all virtual queue system, but it would need to be in a new park that was planned/designed with that in mind.

 

[uncle jimmy]

I assumed they meant standing in the physical queues, not actual wait times. Full MaxPass style with every ride as a virtual queue. Check in on the app, wander around and eat, shop, go to shows, until your ride time window. I could see something like that.

Not every ride needs to have a virtual queue. A mix I think would work and keep people moving around.

 

[UNCgolf]

Not every ride needs to have a virtual queue. A mix I think would work and keep people moving around.

Having a very small number of rides as a VQ is doable, but it would just makes the lines longer for all the non-VQ rides. Certainly wouldn't eliminate waiting in queues.

 

[jt04]

There are people who still think they can just put virtual queues on everything and thus no more waiting in line.

Sounds great in theory... until you realize there's nowhere for all of those people to go. No room. The Magic Kingdom already struggles with room for all guests on busy days even with thousands of people waiting in lines.

They'll be off to other events or activities on the itinerary or shopping using the 25% coupon Mickey just dropped in their app. (Good for the next hour). WDW might need more pools and boat rentals and golf courses, eateries etc. Skies the limit.

 

[UNCgolf]

They'll be off to other events or activities on the itinerary or shopping using the 25% coupon Mickey just dropped in their app. (Good for the next hour). WDW might need more pools and boat rentals and golf courses, eateries etc. Skies the limit.

That would involve leaving the parks, though, which adds a ton of travel time into the equation. It could easily take you an hour+ to get back to the ride for your VQ spot. That's not something most guests would bother doing, especially since they're going to want to experience the rest of the theme park. This suggestion would only work for guests that are staying like 2 weeks at a time.

 

[matt9112]

No... That has no relevance. Credit cards will continue to increase if Disney raises their prices by 5%.
Credit cards won't suddenly cease to exist if Disney continues to raise prices.

I honestly don't understand the argument that you're making? Disney can't raise their prices 1 more penny, because then the majority of Disney visitors will hit their credit limit?

No im saying its not all rich people its a ton of people living beyond there means. Like most of the western worlds middle class.