If Disney wants to "lower Attendance" then Build a 5th Park..

[spock8113]

No brainer........5th Theme Park: "RetroDisney©" A collection of all the old removed rides. Like sliced bread, "If you build it, they will come" and pay money.

 

[John park hopper]

This is all hypothetical, Disney has desire to lower attendance The more they can pack in the existing parks the more money they make. To date raising prices constantly and eliminating perks has had no effect on crowd levels and Disney knows this. The only thing that had a major affect on attendance was 9/11 --people were afraid to travel and afraid of being in large crowds but that was short lived . The Disney bean counters know just how far to push the pricing. No need to expend all that money on a 5th gate.

 

[jloucks]

While I think you're probably right, that's 6% or less of US households. It just sounds like a failing strategy.

I'm not sure why the number starts at $200,000. I think $100,000 would also fit the concept. Even $75,000+.

 

[jloucks]

Actually, if you look at the history of Walt Disney World your statement is not true.

So building something new doesn't equate to larger crowds.

I still stand with what I stated that virtual queues are largely to blame for the overcrowding within the Disney parks.

There is a whole economic concept that supports my theory and there is an entire city so packed with people I am not comfortable going back. From my perspective that history supports my statement.

I never said building something guarantees bigger crowds. If I built a plywood roller coaster in my back yard, I would not except my home town to fill with people eager to ride. What I said was that building something, or lots of somethings, this can and does happen. Orlando and Vegas are great examples of build it, and they will come. There are others.

I looked back over your posts to try to figure out how queues, and virtual queues, equal larger crowds and could not. It seems like 6 of one, half-a dozen of the other. The total throughput of the rides remains the same. The amount of time people on average spend in line, is the same. The only thing I can figure you mean is that because there are large virtual queues it makes the parks seem less crowded so more people come and then get hammered with virtual lines?

 

[jloucks]

This is all hypothetical, Disney has desire to lower attendance The more they can pack in the existing parks the more money they make. To date raising prices constantly and eliminating perks has had no effect on crowd levels and Disney knows this. The only thing that had a major affect on attendance was 9/11 --people were afraid to travel and afraid of being in large crowds but that was short lived . The Disney bean counters know just how far to push the pricing. No need to expend all that money on a 5th gate.

At first, Covid slowed down attendance too. I wish I had gone after I was vaccinated.

Some friends went and said it was great. Crowds like the mid 2000's. (not bad at all).

 

[SteveAZee]

I'm not sure why the number starts at $200,000. I think $100,000 would also fit the concept. Even $75,000+.

I think it's about disposable income, right? Living in NYC with a large family (and home to match) has a lot less money to spend on Disney than someone living in Mississippi (I looked up 'state with lowest cost of living') for the same income level. The focus seems to be on demographics... what slice of the population has the most to spend on a vacation and then tailor the WDW experience for them.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

I just don't think a 5th park will happen anytime soon. Put it this way, this is how it has gone so far:

Magic Kingdom 1971
Epcot 1982
Hollywood Studios 1989
Animal Kingdom 1998

There has never been more than 11 years since the opening without a new park. Right now we are at 23 years. If you take away the water parks that were added, that's a lot of time in between. There is space for sure, but it is possible there is also no ideas in order to have a main park.

 

[erasure fan1]

There is space for sure, but it is possible there is also no ideas in order to have a main park.

Unfortunately, Disney ran out of ideas and originality a long time ago.

 

[Gottliebjess]

I think they should do a contest to create a ride. Think about how many ideas they would mine from huge fans and see what it is their guests want. All that creativity. They could find the next Joe Rhode

 

[Goofyernmost]

Unfortunately, Disney ran out of ideas and originality a long time ago.

What they are doing will eventually cut down on crowds. It may take some time, but it will eventually have to pay the piper. Once potential new "guests" are filled in on what little you get for so large an amount of money they my just find alternative locations to fill their free time. It will happen, not right now, but it will happen.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

If Disney really wanted to spread out the crowds (as they should) they should expand existing parks and open up way more people eater shows and attractions. They haven’t even reopened all the shows from before the pandemic and they seem to like replacing/redoing existing rides moreso than designing and expanding with new ones. Their thought process behind that other than cost is mind boggling

the fact is there are a ton of things Disney could do to help control and manage crowds in the parks or even in building a 5th gate, but they want to focus more on making money in Genie+ rather than the guest experience.

Actually, the attractions, or things-to-do, don't even have to be in the parks. They could also re-open or add things to do that aren't in the parks. Here's a short list of potential options:


1. It used to be that you could listen to the Grand Floridian Orchestra at GF every afternoon, plus musicians at Poly, River Roost, Jellyrolls.
2. Typhoon Lagoon
3. Spirit of Aloha
4. Hoop-Dee-Doo
5. carriage rides
6. Disneyquest? I know they aren't going to bring this back, but they could have perhaps- made the Galactic Starcruiser a half-day experience instead of a hotel. Maybe add something else that is a 2-5 hour experience and costs less than theme park ticket.
7. Something like Ridmakerz? These would have been really neat, but they were way over-priced. I don't think this place did all that well, but I am sure it would have done better if they'd had a lower starting price.
8. Something like the VOID? Again, not necessarily bringing back the same exact thing, but something fun that only takes a few hours and costs less than a theme park ticket.
9. More hotel activities.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I just don't think a 5th park will happen anytime soon. Put it this way, this is how it has gone so far:

Magic Kingdom 1971
Epcot 1982
Hollywood Studios 1989
Animal Kingdom 1998

There has never been more than 11 years since the opening without a new park. Right now we are at 23 years. If you take away the water parks that were added, that's a lot of time in between. There is space for sure, but it is possible there is also no ideas in order to have a main park.

The numbers never worked out for a 5th park…they never will. They couldn’t even commit to a boutique park…so the closest you get is “galactic star cruiser”. Which is high cost to go into mgm in a rather dull land. More or less.

What they are doing will eventually cut down on crowds. It may take some time, but it will eventually have to pay the piper. Once potential new "guests" are filled in on what little you get for so large an amount of money they my just find alternative locations to fill their free time. It will happen, not right now, but it will happen.

The management isn’t required to care about that.

Roy Disney is rolling.

 

[Elfinko]

Given the rising costs of construction (and pretty much everything else) and the workforce shortages, this isn't happening anytime soon.

 

[RollerCoaster]

I looked back over your posts to try to figure out how queues, and virtual queues, equal larger crowds and could not. It seems like 6 of one, half-a dozen of the other. The total throughput of the rides remains the same. The amount of time people on average spend in line, is the same. The only thing I can figure you mean is that because there are large virtual queues it makes the parks seem less crowded so more people come and then get hammered with virtual lines?

I don't know how to respond to this paragraph since the message is not coherent.

Virtual queues make a theme park feel more crowded. It's very well documented, this isn't some far our theory. It has nothing to do with the throughput of rides. It has nothing to do with increasing the number of people in the park. It has to do with how the park manages the crowd it has. You either understand it or you don't. For some, the concept is hard to grasp, but it is a fact.

 

[RollerCoaster]

Pandora is nice and it only took them 5 years to make it happen and the imagineer no longer is with Disney. Galaxy's Edge is very well done front to back, give them a few points. Toy story land OK for the landscaping, but only one new attraction (small coaster, no frills) and another borrowed from California. Mickey & Minnie, quite a good one. The mine train is good but a spectacular coaster, not even close. Soarin goes back to the DL 50th in 2005 and was built in California first. Everyone seems to agree that the original was great and the new one created by the new imagineers, Meh! Little Mermaid has a spectacular queue, the ride just barely worthy of praise and is also in Disneyland. Disney California Adventure had to be almost completely rebuilt and as you say that took 20 years. Guardians I have never seen simply because it isn't open yet, along with Tron (already in China I think) and both are coasters. The Galaxy in California destroyed a spectacular attraction known as the Tower of Terror. I've never seen it and will never see it. The rat ride has been in Paris for years. Not a lot of use of all those highly paid imagineers really. So that is about 9 or 10 new attractions in as many years. Not to huge a production record. Disneyland was built in one year and all of Epcot in 3 years. I think that Frozen is a major improvement over Maelstrom and Disney Springs was designed by almost any Shopping area could do without any input from an Imagineer. It's just really nothing but stores, but whoever came up with the tethered balloon should get a creative ability award.

Maybe add Guardians of the Galaxy at California Adventure to your no-ride list since you said you will never ride it. I've yet to try the Guardians ride at California Adventure, but by most accounts, it is apparently better than Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. The California version of ToT fell short on so many levels. While initially, my reaction to the re-theme was negative I now think it was the right move despite having never ridden it. California's ToT was always compared to Florida's and viewed negatively.

Maybe you're right Disney should just fire all the highly paid Imagineers. And 9 to 10 new attractions in as many years is truly an epic fail.

 

[BHF]

There has never been more than 11 years since the opening without a new park. Right now we are at 23 years.

But we've also had September 11th 2001, a great recession, and a global pandemic since the latter, so there's plenty of reasons for delays rather than scrapped plans. Still not holding my breath.

 

[JoeCamel]

And stop building hotels/resorts/vacation club villas. They keep building more rooms to accommodate more visitors. Of course, the parks are crowded!

They are big in the timeshare business?? Why stop printing money?

 

[jloucks]

I don't know how to respond to this paragraph since the message is not coherent.

Virtual queues make a theme park feel more crowded. It's very well documented, this isn't some far our theory. It has nothing to do with the throughput of rides. It has nothing to do with increasing the number of people in the park. It has to do with how the park manages the crowd it has. You either understand it or you don't. For some, the concept is hard to grasp, but it is a fact.

Just tell me, why do virtual lines make a crowd feel more crowded?

Start with... "Virtual lines make crowds feel more crowded because *insert reason here*" Don't say "because of how the park manages the crowd". That is just a nonsensical non-answer.

I'd even be ok with a link to a long drawn out explanation.

Or just go with the old "I'm a genius and most of you cannot fathom my higher level thinking" move, that works too.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

If Disney wanted lower attendance they would allow the water parks to just be part of the park hopping without making them an extra add on. I would certainly be more inclined to hit then if that were the case.

 

[Dead2009]

If Disney truly wants to " lower attendance" to avoid over crowding in the parks.. Build a 5th Park for the "overflow.." and not price us out of the parks on a whole.. because right now.. I am coming to the park One More Time.. and after that.. Disney can kiss my grits.. i just hope that I can have a great time and not be totally ticked off the whole time I am there..
but this theory of over crowding.. Fine.. you have more money then anyone.. Build a 5th park. and since you have so much money.. DO IT IN A YEAR and not drag your butt about it..
but do not tell us that this is about "overcrowding".. it does not fly with anyone.

You do realize it takes longer than a year to build a fully functional, well themed park, right? Also what happens when you build the 5th park and the other 4 are still "overcrowded" then?