Cheaper tickets COMING SOON

[GhostHost1000]

Crowds are lower than usual nothing new like some other parks ( including non Disney ) open 365

Think crowds will be low at Universal next year?

 

[GhostHost1000]

And the execs making the decisions to make this happen are still employed and are very well compensated for their efforts.

efforts? the execs making the poor decisions over the last several years is what has contributed to the decline and trends. I expect the next few years to be the same (or maybe worse)

 

[ChrisFL]

I know several years ago, Universal had some reports where attendance was a bit lower, but per guest spending was up and it turned out to be a net positive. The same COULD be true for Disney, however I do think there is still a general dissatisfaction with HOW Disney is pushing higher per guest spending...aka it doesn't FEEL like a better experience even with lower crowds (because there's a lot of things that are lower quality now)

 

[Lilofan]

Think crowds will be low at Universal next year?

Like any huge opening including the 4 Disney parks ? , no.

 

[Lilofan]

efforts? the execs making the poor decisions over the last several years is what has contributed to the decline and trends. I expect the next few years to be the same (or maybe worse)

Not only are they still employed some even got promoted and the one that got the ax left with a $23M good bye gift. For the decisions Iger made , one year he earned $31M for a poor job?

 

[JoeCamel]

I’m sure this has been stated within the 10 pages of this thread, but I always wonder how much of the lessened summer crowds are lessened overall demand, and how much of the lessened crowds are the success of Disney’s goal to equalize the crowd levels throughout the year.

In my head there are two big things besides the price of a ticket increasing and thus decreasing demand:
1: People actually did travel for the 50th and 100th, and so a lot of people’s “trip cooldowns” (meaning that many people do not travel to WDW yearly) are on the same schedule, contributing to smaller crowds.
2: I don’t think Disney dislikes the new trends in crowds. I was looking through the data the other day, and this trend is, seemingly, not unique to this year or last year. It’s a growing trend for the summers to be less busy, and if we can see that reflected in wait time data, Disney has to know about these trends themselves. This leads me to believe that Disney actually LIKES this trend of crowds being more equal throughout the year, with the summers being quieter than a lot of other times of the year. If they didn’t like this new trend, then I feel as though they would have done something more obvious to correct it by now.

They can try to manipulate the crowd levels but it can't change school times. Their primary target is children that attend school most of the year so school breaks and summer will always be parents choice times to travel. If they can't pull those kids in summer that direct family spending they are down a hole that needs filling.
Its the price

 

[GhostHost1000]

Like any huge opening including the 4 Disney parks ? , no.

So ya think maybe Disney should have been planning for some openings as well? That’s the effort those execs should have been doing more of

 

[GhostHost1000]

. For the decisions Iger made , one year he earned $31M for a poor job?

now you’re starting to get it

There’s a reason Iger hasn’t found his successor yet and hand picked Chapek to throw under the bus to come back.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Just because you like the investment, doesn't mean it is happening.

If you have it in your head that $60 bil of non-committal money is going to result in huge tangible park gains…you’ve not been watching the corporate history since 2004

 

[JoeCamel]

now you’re starting to get it

There’s a reason Iger hasn’t found his successor yet and hand picked Chapek to throw under the bus to come back.

A deep hole but what if it was all a setup? Bob knew and elevated slappie with his full knowledge and cooperation he would be out when it passed? "Hey slaphead, would you fill in for a couple of rough years and suffer some public humiliation and probably destroy your career for 20+ super large? 23? OK we can do that...."

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

A deep hole but what if it was all a setup? Bob knew and elevated slappie with his full knowledge he would be out when it passed? "Hey slaphead, would you fill in for a couple of rough years and suffer some public humiliation and probably destroy your career for 20+ super large? 23? OK we can do that...."

Considering the board canned him when convenient and Sue “retired” the next day?

Not exactly the jfk conspiracy we got going here

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’m sure this has been stated within the 10 pages of this thread, but I always wonder how much of the lessened summer crowds are lessened overall demand, and how much of the lessened crowds are the success of Disney’s goal to equalize the crowd levels throughout the year.

In my head there are two big things besides the price of a ticket increasing and thus decreasing demand:
1: People actually did travel for the 50th and 100th, and so a lot of people’s “trip cooldowns” (meaning that many people do not travel to WDW yearly) are on the same schedule, contributing to smaller crowds.
2: I don’t think Disney dislikes the new trends in crowds. I was looking through the data the other day, and this trend is, seemingly, not unique to this year or last year. It’s a growing trend for the summers to be less busy, and if we can see that reflected in wait time data, Disney has to know about these trends themselves. This leads me to believe that Disney actually LIKES this trend of crowds being more equal throughout the year, with the summers being quieter than a lot of other times of the year. If they didn’t like this new trend, then I feel as though they would have done something more obvious to correct it by now.

Redistributed crowds was to balance them out…not load them onto one date and vacate others

Parks were SICKENING empty today…and have been on many days for a year

That isn’t compensated for by having some busy (and they aren’t that busy) days during food and wine festivals.

The holidays aren’t even crowded…and there is zero excuses there.

The crowds are down significantly in Orlando…and it’s intensifying

What ever could be the reason?

 

[akileese]

I’m sure this has been stated within the 10 pages of this thread, but I always wonder how much of the lessened summer crowds are lessened overall demand, and how much of the lessened crowds are the success of Disney’s goal to equalize the crowd levels throughout the year.

In my head there are two big things besides the price of a ticket increasing and thus decreasing demand:
1: People actually did travel for the 50th and 100th, and so a lot of people’s “trip cooldowns” (meaning that many people do not travel to WDW yearly) are on the same schedule, contributing to smaller crowds.
2: I don’t think Disney dislikes the new trends in crowds. I was looking through the data the other day, and this trend is, seemingly, not unique to this year or last year. It’s a growing trend for the summers to be less busy, and if we can see that reflected in wait time data, Disney has to know about these trends themselves. This leads me to believe that Disney actually LIKES this trend of crowds being more equal throughout the year, with the summers being quieter than a lot of other times of the year. If they didn’t like this new trend, then I feel as though they would have done something more obvious to correct it by now.

Summer downward trends are a fairly new phenomenon. I really think it's the heat that's keeping people away. I live in north Texas and it's hot as can be here during the summer, but even I struggle with the Orlando summers. I do pretty much try to avoid July/August at this point.

Attraction Ideas recently did a video about 'when is the best time to go' that used average wait times to guess for theoretical crowds and the wait time data they had seemed to show that summer drop offs started hard in 2022 in WDW and continued in 2023. This summer also seems to be slower than anticipated as well.

It's weird because you would think that summer would be when people go because the kids are out of school and that is Disney's key demo, but frankly I just think parents don't care anymore and they'll pull their kids out for whenever they (the parents) want to go. I've taken plenty of random mid-week trips during the school year and it seems no matter what, there's always just hordes of people, kids included.

 

[Jrb1979]

If WDW was open from May to Sept like seasonal park Cedar its a no brainer the WDW parks would be packed also.

Lol what a joke. Disney is no different than every other park. They are built for crowds. Attendance and rooms empty is not a good thing no matter how much the dusters want to sell it.

 

[Jrb1979]

Summer downward trends are a fairly new phenomenon. I really think it's the heat that's keeping people away. I live in north Texas and it's hot as can be here during the summer, but even I struggle with the Orlando summers. I do pretty much try to avoid July/August at this point.

Attraction Ideas recently did a video about 'when is the best time to go' that used average wait times to guess for theoretical crowds and the wait time data they had seemed to show that summer drop offs started hard in 2022 in WDW and continued in 2023. This summer also seems to be slower than anticipated as well.

It's weird because you would think that summer would be when people go because the kids are out of school and that is Disney's key demo, but frankly I just think parents don't care anymore and they'll pull their kids out for whenever they (the parents) want to go. I've taken plenty of random mid-week trips during the school year and it seems no matter what, there's always just hordes of people, kids included.

News flash it's hot everywhere in the summer. If heat is such a factor than parks across the country should be empty. You live in Texas, it's hot there and yet the parks there are busy all the time.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I’m still happy to visit Disney, but many people I’ve talked to when traveling for work absolutely refuse to visit Disney because of political issues (they say Disney “went woke”).

Others say “we priced it out and it’s just so expensive!”

I think these are the 2 big reasons the park attendance is suffering. I’m pretty sure Dollywood and Silver Dollar City are packed this week.

 

[Streetway]

Silver Dollar City is packed this week.

Fire in the hole deserves more respect man. Same for a lot of current and defunct dark rides at regional parks across America and the UK (calico mine ride, beary tales/ kingdom of the dinosaurs, phantom theatre, og Alton towers haunted house, ect.). They have just as much love put into it as the big ones at Disney and universal, and their histories are also interesting.

 

[IanDLBZF]

I’m still happy to visit Disney, but many people I’ve talked to when traveling for work absolutely refuse to visit Disney because of political issues (they say Disney “went woke”).

This isn't just the "woke" issue, apparently when you put BDS/anti-Israel boycotts into play that could be a factor too.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

This isn't just the "woke" issue, apparently when you put BDS/anti-Israel boycotts into play that could be a factor too.

Oh for sure there could be others… those are the 2 reasons I hear.

 

[Jrb1979]

I’m still happy to visit Disney, but many people I’ve talked to when traveling for work absolutely refuse to visit Disney because of political issues (they say Disney “went woke”).

Others say “we priced it out and it’s just so expensive!”

I think these are the 2 big reasons the park attendance is suffering. I’m pretty sure Dollywood and Silver Dollar City are packed this week.

For my family it's not just the price but the amount of planning involved again with the changes from Genie+. If I'm paying that much to visit the parks I want it to be as simple as visiting Universal.