From: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...5,0,7360870.story?coll=orl-business-headlines
Hotels in the Lake Buena Vista area of Disney World boasted an 81 percent occupancy rate last week. Although far below the week before Easter in 2002, when those lodgings were 97 percent full, the showing impressed analysts such as Jordan Laycob of Marsico Capital Management in Denver, which owns a stake in Walt Disney Co. "Apparently April is going well down there. With the conflict coming to an end, travel patterns are being positively affected."
Even at Disney World's least-attended theme park, Animal Kingdom, guests walked nearly shoulder-to-shoulder on some paths Tuesday, the attraction's fifth anniversary. That turnout came despite the fact that no special events were scheduled for the public, only a news conference to herald a new thrill ride, Expedition Everest, that will break ground soon and open in late 2005.
Although Disney World spokeswoman Marilyn Waters wouldn't discuss specific attendance figures, she said, "Easter week was a good one and that has continued since then."
Weiss said Tuesday that he foresees the healthy spring attendance feeding into a solid summer.
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Looks like attendence figures this summer will be higher than expected at all Disney Parks and yes even the non Disney parks. Yet it would be very interesting to see what will happen come Aug. 15, when people are expected to go in through the gate at EPCOT because M:S will "open"; this however is only reported to be a soft opening not the grand opening. Things seem to be getting better over at WDW. BTW When is PhilarMagic opening???
Hotels in the Lake Buena Vista area of Disney World boasted an 81 percent occupancy rate last week. Although far below the week before Easter in 2002, when those lodgings were 97 percent full, the showing impressed analysts such as Jordan Laycob of Marsico Capital Management in Denver, which owns a stake in Walt Disney Co. "Apparently April is going well down there. With the conflict coming to an end, travel patterns are being positively affected."
Even at Disney World's least-attended theme park, Animal Kingdom, guests walked nearly shoulder-to-shoulder on some paths Tuesday, the attraction's fifth anniversary. That turnout came despite the fact that no special events were scheduled for the public, only a news conference to herald a new thrill ride, Expedition Everest, that will break ground soon and open in late 2005.
Although Disney World spokeswoman Marilyn Waters wouldn't discuss specific attendance figures, she said, "Easter week was a good one and that has continued since then."
Weiss said Tuesday that he foresees the healthy spring attendance feeding into a solid summer.
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Looks like attendence figures this summer will be higher than expected at all Disney Parks and yes even the non Disney parks. Yet it would be very interesting to see what will happen come Aug. 15, when people are expected to go in through the gate at EPCOT because M:S will "open"; this however is only reported to be a soft opening not the grand opening. Things seem to be getting better over at WDW. BTW When is PhilarMagic opening???
