How Big Of A Factor Is Florida In The WDW Crowd Draw-In?

[Bob Saget]

I've often wondered how much of an influence WDW's location has in the sunshine state to the being the #1 tourist draw-in on the globe. In other words, if you were to pick up WDW; everything to the last little detail and drop it verbatim in another location, say Myrtle Beach, Pigeon Forge, Nashville, Branson, etc. Altering absolutely nothing about WDW, just the location alone...how much of a difference would that make in how popular the place is?

You'd obviously have much colder seasons that are not normally witnessed in Fla. You'd have different terrains, different smells & feel of the area. You also wouldn't have the Fla coast just 45-min to an hour away. No palm trees or tropical birds/feel...but everything else we know & love of WDW is as-is.

Most of us here obviously go to Disney because it's, well, Disney! That's what we love and return to, and would most likely keep on returning to no matter where it is...because it's WDW.

But looking at their crowd base as a whole, does WDW benefit the state of Fla, or does BEING in the state of Fla benefit Disney the most? (Hope that makes sense).

 

[Tom]

I've often wondered how much of an influence WDW's location has in the sunshine state to the being the #1 tourist draw-in on the globe. In other words, if you were to pick up WDW; everything to the last little detail and drop it verbatim in another location, say Myrtle Beach, Pigeon Forge, Nashville, Branson, etc. Altering absolutely nothing about WDW, just the location alone...how much of a difference would that make in how popular the place is?

You'd obviously have much colder seasons that are not normally witnessed in Fla. You'd have different terrains, different smells & feel of the area. You also wouldn't have the Fla coast just 45-min to an hour away. No palm trees or tropical birds/feel...but everything else we know & love of WDW is as-is.

Most of us here obviously go to Disney because it's, well, Disney! That's what we love and return to, and would most likely keep on returning to no matter where it is...because it's WDW.

But looking at their crowd base as a whole, does WDW benefit the state of Fla, or does BEING in the state of Fla benefit Disney the most? (Hope that makes sense).

Walt and his men deserve a pooh-load of credit for choosing the location they chose for WDW. There were a number of previous spots they considered. Read one of the good biographies on Walt and you'll come to learn that plopping down in central FL wasn't at all an accident.

To answer your question, WDW would suffer greatly if placed anywhere besides where it sits today. Year round weather suitable for touring. Already a popular state to visit. No earthquakes. Hurricanes are (mostly) mild storms by the time they reach Orlando. Next to an Intl Airport. No snow. No tornados.

 

[unkadug]

Walt and his men deserve a pooh-load of credit for choosing the location they chose for WDW. There were a number of previous spots they considered. Read one of the good biographies on Walt and you'll come to learn that plopping down in central FL wasn't at all an accident.

To answer your question, WDW would suffer greatly if placed anywhere besides where it sits today. Year round weather suitable for touring. Already a popular state to visit. No earthquakes. Hurricanes are (mostly) mild storms by the time they reach Orlando. Next to an Intl Airport. No snow. No tornados.

MCO wasn't an International Airport before Disney arrived. In fact... MCO was still McCoy AFB when WDW opened. McCoy AFB wasn't decommissioned until 1972/73 and the airport wasn't opened until 74/75.

(I think I have my timeline right)

 

[Florida_is_hot]

According to Yahoo what place you think WDW is as a Tourist Attraction?

It is actually 8th

But for me I like Florida in the winter..... it is not a good place to vacation in the summer it is too hot and humid

 

[JIMINYCR]

It definitely works both ways. Disney draws a lot of tourists to the state and the state draws a lot to Disney. Look at how many businesses have popped up around Disney to benefit from their drawing power to the area. Many tourists visit Disney and plan to visit other areas of the state as well. A lot of money is spent in the area and state because of Disney in a years time. We personally would vacation at Disney even if it was in another state, but we do enjoy the Florida weather at certain times of the year being from Maine.

 

[Tom]

MCO wasn't an International Airport before Disney arrived. In fact... MCO was still McCoy AFB when WDW opened. McCoy AFB wasn't decommissioned until 1972/73 and the airport wasn't opened until 74/75.

(I think I have my timeline right)

Heh. Yeah. I realized that after I'd typed it, but was too lazy to backspace...plus it wasn't crucial to the point I was trying to make.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

We live in Michigan. It's April 5th, and the high today was 56. I want some sun, and several nights without the threat of snow. I LIKE Walt's choice .

:lol:

I live in northern Europe. I get my cold and my grey skies for free all year long.
If I sit on a plane for a day and pay thousands of dollars I want them to serve me oppressive heat and 98% humidity for breakfast. Bring it on.

 

[Tom]

:lol:

I live in northern Europe. I get my cold and my grey skies for free all year long.
If I sit on a plane for a day and pay thousands of dollars I want them to serve me oppressive heat and 98% humidity for breakfast. Bring it on.

It's amazing how relative everything really is. Here in Indiana, we had a record March, with 20 straight days of....I forget. Some high temperature. Probably above 60. Usually it's still snowing. So, we had a day when it was like 78 or 80 and everyone thought they were dying from heat stroke. What do we do when it's 95 here in July?

 

[StAug WDW fan]

Florida

I think being in Florida plays a big part. I live in Saint Augustine Florida and work for a large company in Jacksonsville Florida. All of the vendors we do business with always want to come for business trips in the winter. Even the auditors from our own company always plan winter trips here. The funny thing is they alway plan a late week trip then happen to make the weekend a Disney trip. Keep coming I say all the tax dollars keeps us from having to pay a state income tax!