Attendence falls at WDW per lastest earnings release...

[monorail_silver]

Quality will win out as a famous man once said.

http://www.mugglenet.com/app/news/show/3849

Lul.

 

[tmack8983]

This is pretty much spot-on I'd say. Disney has been resting on it's laurels now quite some time. Not just in regards to the parks, but to the resorts (see Polynesian). They're charging an assanine amount of money to stay on-site. It was only a matter of time before it caught up to them.

This is the exact thing ive have been tryin to tell people.Most of disney resorts are overpriced, 350+ a night for a deluxe which only allows four people isnt worth it, on top of that you'll be at the parks all day. Maybe now they'll come down on the resort prices and expand the parks with some new attractions

 

[hoke2007]

Exactly. And when you raise prices, eliminate many discounts, and offer NOTHING new, who's going to want to go? And with the new Harry Potter attraction nearby, a large percentage of guests will simply reduce the length of time they spend at Disney (but I this could be off-set by people who normally wouldn't have visted either now deciding to visit both).

Agreed 100%.


TDO really needs to step up their game. The fantasyland expansion isn't going to be enough, in my opinion.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Maybe the mainstream customer has finally figured out what some of us have been saying for at least a couple years. That would be a good thing.

 

[HMF]

"lower hotel occupancy and attendance at Walt Disney World Resort and a decrease at Disney Cruise Line, partially offset by higher guest spending at our domestic resorts, primarily due to higher average ticket prices and increased attendance at Disneyland Resort."

Whats wrong with this picture??? Anyone???

Perhaps senior management will finally recognize that major changes to the way TDO operates should be reevaluated...

Link to entire earnings release:

http://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...isney-Company-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-Earnings

Please let this be a sign.

 

[HMF]

As far as the economy goes WDW is as blind as DC ! Maybe someone from the Tea Party should run TDO !

That would only make things worse.

 

[captainkidd]

This is the exact thing ive have been tryin to tell people.Most of disney resorts are overpriced, 350+ a night for a deluxe which only allows four people isnt worth it, on top of that you'll be at the parks all day. Maybe now they'll come down on the resort prices and expand the parks with some new attractions

Never happened. I started a thread a while back about how this next year will more than likely be my last time staying on site. I wasn't just crying wolf. I LOVE staying on-site, and if you had asked me 10 years ago, I would never have dreamed of staying off-site. But now, there are just too many other options right outside Disney's door that are priced for the average consumer. As a family of 5, staying on Disney property is way too expensive. 2 rooms at a Value, family suite at All Stars, cabin at FW, you're still looking at nearly $300 per night with taxes. In any industry, you have to stay within a reasonable means of the economy. If you don't, you start to suffer. Luxury autos are one example. Disney's overpriced resort rooms have had a good run, but I honestly believe it's coming to and end. Rack rates for most of the year have gone over the $400 per night mark at the higher end resorts. You've gotta be crazy to spend that much on a Disney Resort. I've got the Poly booked for next summer, but I know that without a decent discount, we'll be staying elsewhere.

Disney needs to keep people on property. That's why Michael Eisner went resort crazy in the late 80's, early 90's. He was smart. He saw Disney as Vegas. The resorts have to be beautiful, but they don't have to be expensive. Just keep people here and they'll spend the money. They've gotten away from that philosophy, are trying to get to people's wallets through the resorts as opposed to through the parks, and people are slowly starting to migrate off-site. At $400 per night, you just shouldn't find crumbs on your floor, or pizza boxes in the hallway. Disney just doesn't get it. It was inevitable.

 

[zulemara]

maybe if there was something to do past 10pm....

 

[SeaCastle]

maybe if there was something to do past 10pm....

Thank you! :sohappy:

 

[worldfanatic]

Disney stock closed up over 5% today.
That's a MASSIVE one day move for a megacap like Disney.
Especially considering it's recent upward climb.

Fanboys may not approve of Disney Management, but stockholders like myself are pretty stoked.

Keep it up IGER!!!:sohappy:

 

[pax_65]

I take my family to WDW nearly every year - we're about as loyal to Disney as you can get. This year will be the first in roughly 10 years that we plan to go to Universal. We're thinking probably 2 days away from Disney parks, at minimum. This has us considering what passes we want to get - probably not annual passes or hoppers for the length of our stay. Something shorter and less expensive than that. Maybe 4 or 5 days in Disney parks over an 9-day trip. Bottom line: we'll be spending much less time and money in Disney parks this year.

Potter is THE reason for this... and the fact that Disney really has nothing to offer us this year that we didn't see last year or the year before that.

I know we're just one family, but the logic we've used to arrive at these decisions is pretty simple and obvious. I'm sure other families have reached the same conclusions - and I believe that's reflected in the earnings numbers shared here.

It's time for Disney to WAKE UP.

 

[Testtrack321]

I take my family to WDW nearly every year - we're about as loyal to Disney as you can get. This year will be the first in roughly 10 years that we plan to go to Universal. We're thinking probably 2 days away from Disney parks, at minimum. This has us considering what passes we want to get - probably not annual passes or hoppers for the length of our stay. Something shorter and less expensive than that. Maybe 4 or 5 days in Disney parks over an 9-day trip. Bottom line: we'll be spending much less time and money in Disney parks this year.

Potter is THE reason for this... and the fact that Disney really has nothing to offer us this year that we didn't see last year or the year before that.

I know we're just one family, but the logic we've used to arrive at these decisions is pretty simple and obvious. I'm sure other families have reached the same conclusions - and I believe that's reflected in the earnings numbers shared here.

It's time for Disney to WAKE UP.

If you're spending 4 days at Universal WAKE UP.

 

[pax_65]

If you're spending 4 days at Universal WAKE UP.

Hey, I'm not saying Universal is that great, but the kids are definitely excited about Harry Potter. Still, I'm thinking a day in each Universal park will more than cover us. But then we figured since we're not buying park passes for the entire time we might take a day or two on this trip to do some other area attractions. As I said, there's very little new in WDW this year - 5 days in those parks will more than satisfy us.

In all the time I've been traveling to WDW, I can't remember a time when there was so little in the way of new attractions or improvements. Should I be excited about seeing Captain EO and the Electric Light Parade again? What is this, 1991?

 

[tirian]

Disney stock closed up over 5% today.
That's a MASSIVE one day move for a megacap like Disney.
Especially considering it's recent upward climb.

Fanboys may not approve of Disney Management, but stockholders like myself are pretty stoked.

Keep it up IGER!!!:sohappy:

Meh, Wall Street is fickle. They fawned over Eisner, then dropped him as soon as Disney shareholders decided he wasn't maintaining the Company's heart anymore. (I agree; he wasn't.)

But at what point does Wall Street finally agree the parks are operating on a BUBBLE created by discounts? What happens when the discounts end? I won't attack Disney for its ticket prices, but the resorts are obscenely overpriced.

Standard club level is about $320/night at the Ritz-Carlton; it's about $600/night at the Grand Floridian (regular season). :brick: :brick: :brick:

 

[tmack8983]

Never happened. I started a thread a while back about how this next year will more than likely be my last time staying on site. I wasn't just crying wolf. I LOVE staying on-site, and if you had asked me 10 years ago, I would never have dreamed of staying off-site. But now, there are just too many other options right outside Disney's door that are priced for the average consumer. As a family of 5, staying on Disney property is way too expensive. 2 rooms at a Value, family suite at All Stars, cabin at FW, you're still looking at nearly $300 per night with taxes. In any industry, you have to stay within a reasonable means of the economy. If you don't, you start to suffer. Luxury autos are one example. Disney's overpriced resort rooms have had a good run, but I honestly believe it's coming to and end. Rack rates for most of the year have gone over the $400 per night mark at the higher end resorts. You've gotta be crazy to spend that much on a Disney Resort. I've got the Poly booked for next summer, but I know that without a decent discount, we'll be staying elsewhere.

Disney needs to keep people on property. That's why Michael Eisner went resort crazy in the late 80's, early 90's. He was smart. He saw Disney as Vegas. The resorts have to be beautiful, but they don't have to be expensive. Just keep people here and they'll spend the money. They've gotten away from that philosophy, are trying to get to people's wallets through the resorts as opposed to through the parks, and people are slowly starting to migrate off-site. At $400 per night, you just shouldn't find crumbs on your floor, or pizza boxes in the hallway. Disney just doesn't get it. It was inevitable.

True indeed, some people are so in love with disney there to blind to see there getting took advantage of.It's good to see people are waking up and recognizing just that.

 

[askmike1]

"lower hotel occupancy and attendance at Walt Disney World Resort and a decrease at Disney Cruise Line, partially offset by higher guest spending at our domestic resorts, primarily due to higher average ticket prices and increased attendance at Disneyland Resort."

Whats wrong with this picture??? Anyone???

Perhaps senior management will finally recognize that major changes to the way TDO operates should be reevaluated...

Link to entire earnings release:

http://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...isney-Company-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-Earnings

Ummm, let's see.... resort who's previously crappy park got a $1+ billion investment vs a resort who's been in refurb-and-paint mode (which is a great thing mind you) and who's major park investment will be premiering next spring.


Remember, this isn't "them" vs "us"...... it is ALL "us". Park jealousy gets us nowhere.

 

[DisneyNut2007]

As far as the economy goes WDW is as blind as DC ! Maybe someone from the Tea Party should run TDO !

Since you dared to say "TDO", I shall now bash you with a two-by-four (clobbers Vince on the head REALLY hard).

 

[DisneyNut2007]

Basic business... if you spend money, make improvements and better yourself to take care of your customers who are your #1 priority, they'll reward your bottom line. If you, instead, try to take care of your bottom line as the #1 priority at the expense of your customers, your bottom line will be hurt by those customers.

I understand it's not easy to throw money at improvements in a weak economy. It seems to fly in the face of logic to spend when gate receipts should theoretically decrease but hunkering down and making budget cuts to the point where it hurts the product... instead relying on discounts to get people into the same, old, stale parks doesn't work. Unfortunately, TDO doesn't seem to have the stomach for pushing themselves to maintain a standard of excellence in tough times and this is the result.

Can't say I'm really surprised by this...

Another individual goes against my warnings, so... (bashes HM Spectre on the head with a two-by-four)

Alright! Who's next?

 

[TP2000]

Ummm, let's see.... resort who's previously crappy park got a $1+ billion investment vs a resort who's been in refurb-and-paint mode (which is a great thing mind you) and who's major park investment will be premiering next spring.

What park investment premieres next spring at WDW?

Also, I'm not sure you could say that DCA got a 1 Billion dollar investment in the past tense. The vast majority of DCA expansion and makeover projects are all still behind construction walls and nowhere near finished.

So far, the only parts of the 1 Billion dollar DCA makeover to be opened to the public are the preview center, a water show, and a swing ride. All the new rides, shops, restaurants and re-themed areas don't start opening at DCA until May, 2011, with the bulk of them opening in June, 2012.

 

[captainkidd]

Not to open this old can of worms again, but I don't get all the hubbubb over Harry Potter. I get that it's popular, and Universal did a great job with that little area, but that's all it is - A little area. It's not like it's a whole day experience. There's one new ride, and a couple of small stores.

OT - Here's the thing with Universal. If you're gonna do it, stay on-site. Either that or fork over the bucks for the unlimited express option. Universal is awesome for 2 days that way. Otherwise, don't even bother. You'll end up spending hours in line to see everything.