Attendance Does Magic Kingdom (park) have higher attendance then Disneyland?

Sunny Blueberry

Sunny Blueberry

Member
Original Poster
I've always wondered whether Disneyland Park has higher attendance than Magic Kingdom Park.
I get that Magic Kingdom can hold more people, than Disneyland, but Disneyland had more attractions to service people. Judging from circumstantial evidence listed wait times, it seems to suggest that there are more people who attend Disneyland than Magic Kingdom?

Does anyone have any thoughts?
 
Curious Constance

Curious Constance

Well-Known Member
It's about 18 million for DL and about 20 million for Magic Kingdom. Disney doesn't release the numbers, but there are companies that do estimates each year.
 
networkpro

networkpro

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
Whats really different is the composition of the guest base. DL has historically had more locals, while WDW MK has more international.
 
FerretAfros

FerretAfros

Well-Known Member
It should also be noted that it's widely assumed that Disney manipulates the numbers so that MK comes out on top worldwide, including playing around with how they count parkhopping.

It's believed that MK counts the Halloween and Christmas parties separate from day guests in their annual attendance. With 32 Halloween parties and 21 Christmas parties this year, MK essentially has seven and a half additional weeks in their operating calendar that other parks don't get (let alone local/regional parks that close in the winter).

By contrast, Disneyland had just 17 Halloween parties last year (2017 dates haven't been announced yet) and no Christmas parties. It's unclear if DL counts attendance with these parties or not. It's also unclear if DL counts Grad Night in annual attendance; WDW moved their Grad Nights to Typhoon Lagoon, so MKs numbers don't rely on it.

Given the not-so-credible crowd forecast they announced before Shanghai Disneyland's opening, it will be interesting to see how they count things there, and where it lands in the worldwide totals. I know attendance has been strong, but the numbers they've released so far seem questionable. Iger will do anything to please the Chinese government!
 
Travel Junkie

Travel Junkie

Well-Known Member
It is the best estimate we have, but I wouldn't put too much stock into those numbers. Disney props up WDW numbers because they get a PR boost everytime the numbers come out.

You'll never convince me that MK gets more people than Tokyo. You'll never convince me that DHS outdraws DCA.
 
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
Virtual Insanity said:
It is the best estimate we have, but I wouldn't put too much stock into those numbers. Disney props up WDW numbers because they get a PR boost everytime the numbers come out.

You'll never convince me that MK gets more people than Tokyo. You'll never convince me that DHS outdraws DCA.
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If DHS outdraws DCA, what are all those people doing? They can't all be on the TOT or GMR.
 
LuvtheGoof

LuvtheGoof

DVC Guru
Premium Member
FerretAfros said:
It should also be noted that it's widely assumed that Disney manipulates the numbers so that MK comes out on top worldwide, including playing around with how they count parkhopping.

It's believed that MK counts the Halloween and Christmas parties separate from day guests in their annual attendance. With 32 Halloween parties and 21 Christmas parties this year, MK essentially has seven and a half additional weeks in their operating calendar that other parks don't get (let alone local/regional parks that close in the winter).

By contrast, Disneyland had just 17 Halloween parties last year (2017 dates haven't been announced yet) and no Christmas parties. It's unclear if DL counts attendance with these parties or not. It's also unclear if DL counts Grad Night in annual attendance; WDW moved their Grad Nights to Typhoon Lagoon, so MKs numbers don't rely on it.

Given the not-so-credible crowd forecast they announced before Shanghai Disneyland's opening, it will be interesting to see how they count things there, and where it lands in the worldwide totals. I know attendance has been strong, but the numbers they've released so far seem questionable. Iger will do anything to please the Chinese government!
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You do understand that Disney NEVER releases attendance numbers, right? Those numbers from the TEA are made-up SWAG numbers, and may have nothing to do with reality. It isn't Disney "cooking" the MK books to make it look better.
 
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
LuvtheGoof said:
Not everyone counts rides as the be all end all to being in a park. Lot's of us go there for shows, food, and ambiance as well.
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I didn't know the food at DHS was that good. How many times can someone see a thirty year old show? I don't think the current park's state has that much ambiance left.
 
LuvtheGoof

LuvtheGoof

DVC Guru
Premium Member
phruby said:
I didn't know the food at DHS was that good. How many times can someone see a thirty year old show? I don't think the current park's state has that much ambiance left.
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Well, your opinion, but obviously, lot's of us disagree. Oh, and the food. 50's Prime Time is a must do every trip. Food has always been excellent to outstanding. Hollywood Brown Derby is also an excellent restaurant. We've gotten great burgers at Sci-Fi Dine In Theater every time. Both Backlot Express and Mama Melrose have been good when we have eaten there.

So don't really like stalking someone, but according to your profile, you haven't been to WDW since 2002. If that is still correct, then you really need to take a look at whether you think you should be making any statements about the ambiance at a park you haven't been to in 15 years.
 
CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
FerretAfros said:
It should also be noted that it's widely assumed that Disney manipulates the numbers so that MK comes out on top worldwide, including playing around with how they count parkhopping.

It's believed that MK counts the Halloween and Christmas parties separate from day guests in their annual attendance. With 32 Halloween parties and 21 Christmas parties this year, MK essentially has seven and a half additional weeks in their operating calendar that other parks don't get (let alone local/regional parks that close in the winter).

By contrast, Disneyland had just 17 Halloween parties last year (2017 dates haven't been announced yet) and no Christmas parties. It's unclear if DL counts attendance with these parties or not. It's also unclear if DL counts Grad Night in annual attendance; WDW moved their Grad Nights to Typhoon Lagoon, so MKs numbers don't rely on it.

Given the not-so-credible crowd forecast they announced before Shanghai Disneyland's opening, it will be interesting to see how they count things there, and where it lands in the worldwide totals. I know attendance has been strong, but the numbers they've released so far seem questionable. Iger will do anything to please the Chinese government!
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giphy.gif


Disney doesn't publish attendance numbers AT ALL. So how could they possibly "manipulate" them?
 
Travel Junkie

Travel Junkie

Well-Known Member
I was at DHS a couple of months ago and the only ambiance was the sounds of a construction zone.

Hopefully Star Wars and Toy Story can change it, but my opinion is that if not for Walt Disney Studios in Paris, DHS would be the worst Disney park by a long shot.
 
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21stamps

21stamps

Well-Known Member
Virtual Insanity said:
I was at DHS a couple of months ago and the only ambiance was the sounds of a construction zone.

Hopefully Star Wars and Toy Story can change it, but my opinion is that if not for Walt Disney Studios in Paris, DHS would be the worst Disney park by a long shot.
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I never heard any construction, but we did use the construction walls as fun photo back drops.lol. :)
For people, such as myself, who have a SW obsessed kid.. DHS is better than ever. I will never forget the first time my kiddo laid eyes on a Stormtrooper- jaw dropped, complete awe. Luckily I caught it on camera.. I will save that photo forever. Nothing at MK, AK, or Epcot, could produce that same reaction from him.

Anyway.. I'd be curious to know the actual stats on MK vs Disneyland. I haven't been to DL since childhood, but all of my friends make it sound so laid back, less crowded, and less stressful than WDW.
 
JediMasterMatt

JediMasterMatt

Well-Known Member
I'll only speak for myself and share what I've been told by people who know far more than me.

In the year prior to the ramp up to the 60th, Disneyland's attendance surpassed MK and this has held true (or at least since my last visit to Anaheim in late summer last year).

There is a strong desire within Parks to keep the MK on top as the number one vacation destination (the hotels have to be kept full).

So, unless Disney decides to release actual numbers - all we have to go off of conjecture and rumor; but, I have no reason to doubt those that have told me this and many reasons to doubt the numbers TEA is fed from Disney.

*Something that you also need to factor into the whole bicoastal attendance game is DCA and how many guests bounce between parks in Anaheim at some point in the day. This is a far higher percentage than park hoppers in Orlando. Nobody doubts DCA's gains in recent years and sure enough TEA's numbers reflect that. That excess should be seen in the numbers TEA reports for DL as well; but, you don't see it. I think that is where the reality is buried.
 
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Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
LuvtheGoof said:
Well, your opinion, but obviously, lot's of us disagree. Oh, and the food. 50's Prime Time is a must do every trip. Food has always been excellent to outstanding. Hollywood Brown Derby is also an excellent restaurant. We've gotten great burgers at Sci-Fi Dine In Theater every time. Both Backlot Express and Mama Melrose have been good when we have eaten there.

So don't really like stalking someone, but according to your profile, you haven't been to WDW since 2002. If that is still correct, then you really need to take a look at whether you think you should be making any statements about the ambiance at a park you haven't been to in 15 years.
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You don't have to go to place to see how poor everything there is. From what I have seen, the place has gone down hill since I've been there. I can see it with every site update and forum post. When I was there, the food was pretty much standard Disney tourist stuff. It wasn't worth traveling across the country to just eat there when I can get the same stuff or better at Disneyland. I've ridden RnRC, TOT and GMR and enjoyed them. The backlot tour was no where near USH version. The shows where stuff I saw at Disneyland twenty five years ago even back then. There is not a lot new at DHS that I didn't see back in 2002. In fact, there is a lot less now. In my opinion, Epcot is still the only place worth visiting there. I just see my tourist dollars going elsewhere for the next few years.
 
GiveMeTheMusic

GiveMeTheMusic

Well-Known Member
Disney feeds info to TEA to influence their "independent" numbers. This is an open "secret" in the industry. As stated above by others, Disney believes it's in its best interest to have MK on top. Whether DL ever passes it (and it has) is irrelevant. And no one, no one in the WORLD, can convince me that TDL has lower attendance than DL/MK. Since OLC releases attendance figures, I'll leave it to you to decide who is lying.

DHS' numbers that TEA puts out are laughable to anyone capable of basic math. To imagine that that many people could conceivably pass through the world's smallest Disney theme park in one year is hilarious.

In conclusion, TEA's WDW numbers are a joke and everyone knows it.
 

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