Disney World Low Attendance Paradox

[wdisney9000]

I firmly believe we've come full circle on the crowd issue. Just a few months ago everyone was complaining that the crowds were too huge and Disney needed to do something to stretch them out. Now it's a complaint that there aren't enough people going and it's now worrysome.

I wouldnt say people are complaining about low crowd levels. At least I have not seen any posts expressing that sentiment.

A part of the problem (IMO) has been the cutbacks on staffing which cause longer lines in the QS locations and the carts that serve snacks/drinks/booze, etc.

 

[erasure fan1]

People aren't complaining that the crows are too huge.

Speak for yourself! Once you have a huge crow steal your lunch, you'll change your mind.

 

[marni1971]

Low attendance... wow. All weve been hearing is how oppressive the crowds have been, how long the lines are, how the standby times are over a hundred minutes long, how difficult it is to enjoy a Disney event from oversell of tickets... and now its a ghost town??

It has been a lot quieter than expected.

 

[WDW Pro]

It has been a lot quieter than expected.

WDW isn't nearly as far off projections as Disneyland, and Magic Kingdom attendance has been only slightly below average. But EPCOT and Hollywood Studios have taken quite the hit this summer. Too many eggs may have been placed in the SW:GE basket, and we may see a few lean years as they find ways to offset too-high ticket prices with non-stop promotions. I also think the price increases for annual passes were just ridiculous, and I'm not sure why they're going that route rather than increasing capacity with the goal of increasing volume ticket sales rather than increasing the base price of entry.

 

[marni1971]

WDW isn't nearly as far off projections as Disneyland, and Magic Kingdom attendance has been only slightly below average. But EPCOT and Hollywood Studios have taken quite the hit this summer. Too many eggs may have been placed in the SW:GE basket, and we may see a few lean years as they find ways to offset too-high ticket prices with non-stop promotions. I also think the price increases for annual passes were just ridiculous, and I'm not sure why they're going that route rather than increasing capacity with the goal of increasing volume ticket sales rather than increasing the base price of entry.

You got it

 

[JIMINYCR]

It has been a lot quieter than expected.

Yes it has been quieter. But my point I was trying to make was that crowds HAD been oppressive, people HAD been reporting it was affecting their pleasure, and it HAD been predicted to drop. So there shouldnt be a massive call that all of a sudden Disney is failing from low numbers. The numbers WILL go back up in time. Theres no reason for panic, doom & gloom because we knew this was how things might be going at this time.

 

[marni1971]

Yes it has been quieter. But my point I was trying to make was that crowds HAD been oppressive, people HAD been reporting it was affecting their pleasure, and it HAD been predicted to drop. So there shouldnt be a massive call that all of a sudden Disney is failing from low numbers. The numbers WILL go back up in time. Theres no reason for panic, doom & gloom because we knew this was how things might be going at this time.

No, it was neither predicted nor expected.

The company has rushed internal mitigation procedures into place to last certainly into the fall. It’s not an emergency by far but it is prudent limitation of liabilities.

 

[JIMINYCR]

No, it was neither predicted nor expected.

The company has rushed internal mitigation procedures into place to last certainly into the fall. It’s not an emergency by far but it is prudent limitation of liabilities.

Plenty of TA's HAD said their clients were saying they would wait to go to WDW until things were competed.

 

[marni1971]

Plenty of TA's HAD said their clients were saying they would wait to go to WDW until things were competed.

I’m sure they did. I know they did.

 

[Bleed0range]

From my POV, I intend to visit the parks again but the prices are so high now I keep putting it further and further back because if I can only go once in awhile I want to go when SWGE is completely open and might as well try to squeeze in Mickey and Minnie too. So that’s probably at least summer 2020 now instead of this October as planned or even spring 2020.

Why spend all that money with so much incomplete? If I wait I can get the Skyliner, SWGE, Mickey and Minnie and if I wait longer I could get the added benefit of Tron and Guardians/Rat.

I don’t think I can go every year anymore so it’s better to pack it all in for the value. Maybe a lot of people are considering that.

I have heard a lot of people say they’re simply waiting a “few years” for SWGE to die down in popularity.

 

[WDW Pro]

There are several things I would advise Disney Parks to implement for WDW in order to increase ticket sales, and thus all that in-park revenue.

1) Offer lower level blackout dated Annual Passes nationwide, not just in Florida. There are many guests who make 2-3 trips to WDW a year and would enjoy having an annual pass (which often increases their attendance), but aren't willing to fork out $900 or more per ticket... and who can blame them?
2) There should be Passholder lounges in each park. These could be places that allow guests to sit in comfortable chairs, enjoy air conditioning, grab a soda, water, tea, or lemonade from a dispenser, charge their phones, etc. Again, adding perceived perks generates increased buy-in.
3) There are many potential guests out there who simply cannot afford a trip to Disney World when tickets are running $100 a day and they've got a family of five. However, if there were half-day non-MK tickets for $60, you would likely have an influx of guests eager to get in there and spend their discretionary funds. These already exist for conference attendees, so the infrastructure is mostly there.

 

[The_Jobu]

Whenever I think "this is it, this will finally dip attendance at WDW" it just keeps going up. I give up trying to predict things now. The locals are blocked from Star Wars in Cali, and other than opening day, no one's in a rush to see it. Yet, regardless of its content, it will be packed at WDW. Price gouging, bad word of mouth, poor reviews, nothing matters in Orlando anymore.

I think I just talked myself into an existential crisis. Please excuse me.

 

[bUU]

Whenever I think "this is it, this will finally dip attendance at WDW" it just keeps going up. I give up trying to predict things now.

Welcome to the finish line of the Kübler-Ross model. So many Disney fans languish in Denial and Anger; some make it to Bargaining and Depression; only a few seem to make it to Acceptance that our own personal preferences don't govern what's best for other and/or for the company.

Price gouging, bad word of mouth, poor reviews, nothing matters in Orlando anymore.

Well, maybe you have a little more work to do - putting in perspective the very narrow pockets of "bad word of mouth" and "poor reviews", and understanding that the term "price gouging" doesn't even come close to being applicable, for a couple of reasons.

I think I just talked myself into an existential crisis. Please excuse me.

Take heart; you're further along than many.

 

[ohioguy]

It's the economy. It's showing signs of consumer stress.

 

[CLEtoWDW]

Guests may care about tracking attendance. Disney cares about tracking revenue. If they can make more money with fewer customers, that is a win.

This!!!!
Disney would much rather have 100,000 high revenue generating guests than 130,000 moderate/low revenue generating guests.

 

[CLEtoWDW]

It's the economy. It's showing signs of consumer stress.

Not really.... in certain pockets there’s signs but for the most part the American consumer is strong. And that’s according to one of the greatest financial minds in our country (Jamie Dimon).

 

[drizgirl]

This!!!!
Disney would much rather have 100,000 high revenue generating guests than 130,000 moderate/low revenue generating guests.

It's an even bigger win if they can get their 100,000 high revenue generating guests and backfill with an additional 30,000 moderate/low revenue guests. They want it all. Hence the free dining offer released this morning.

 

[CLEtoWDW]

It's an even bigger win if they can get their 100,000 high revenue generating guests and backfill with an additional 30,000 moderate/low revenue guests. They want it all. Hence the free dining offer released this morning.

True. I’m convinced that “free” dining is a nice revenue grab for Disney.

 

[KaliSplash]

If it weren't, they wouldn't be doing it!

 

[alphac2005]

It's the economy. It's showing signs of consumer stress.

It's my company's 21st year in business and that sentiment is accurate. We're seeing patterns that have foreshadowed the prior two recessions. The issue isn't fundamentals with the economy in the US, it's unpredictability. The tariff situation is becoming a real problem on the manufacturing/wholesale side and companies are pulling back spending rapidly to keep their profit margins where Wall Street expects them to be. A self-inflicted storm is what we may be seeing.