Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Unless you just booked that Boardwalk stay, your comparison isn’t apples to apples. Try looking out 6 months at both and see what the price is. Maybe Boardwalk is cheaper, but you have to do a fair comparison, not “I already booked 6 months ago but let me see what Uni offers a month from now”.

But taking all the factors into account kills the “I’m only happy at Disney…” shell game which was the goal from the start.

It also ignores the elephant in the room at portofino.

Universal is also doing buy 2, get 3 free on tickets…did notice that recently.

 

[JustLikeMe]

Unless you just booked that Boardwalk stay, your comparison isn’t apples to apples. Try looking out 6 months at both and see what the price is. Maybe Boardwalk is cheaper, but you have to do a fair comparison, not “I already booked 6 months ago but let me see what Uni offers a month from now”.

No comparison between Boardwalk and Portofino can be apples to apples given the discrepancy in quality between the two hotels.

 

[Jrb1979]

But taking all the factors into account kills the “I’m only happy at Disney…” shell game which was the goal from the start.

It also ignores the elephant in the room ar portofino.

Universal is also doing buy 2, get 3 free on tickets…did notice that recently.

I have gotten a couple of emails from Universal for 35% off a Portofino stay. Both resorts are down. The crazy thing from what I've heard is SeaWorld is the busiest one of the three. I'm guessing it's more a locals park now.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have gotten a couple of emails from Universal for 35% off a Portofino stay. Both resorts are down. The crazy thing from what I've heard is SeaWorld is the busiest one of the three. I'm guessing it's more a locals park now.

Sea world is a really fine park that has made solid additions over the last 10 years

They needed to because of PR…but they’ve done it.

Sesame is the best park for young ones. Most people never get close to it…but it really is a “feel” kinda park. Closest thing to Disney I believe?

Couple that with Busch gardens in Tampa…also a great park…I can totally see the appeal for the I-4 corridor.

We’ve tinkered with getting the AB park passes a few times…to use in Florida and Virginia…but typically revert back to wdw.

However disney isn’t serious about APs right now…they have the data…they know it…but it’s tied up to bobs ego fight in his own mind. Like most problems these days

 

[QueenFanUSA]

I have gotten a couple of emails from Universal for 35% off a Portofino stay. Both resorts are down. The crazy thing from what I've heard is SeaWorld is the busiest one of the three. I'm guessing it's more a locals park now.

Happy to hear that Sea World is doing well!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

No comparison between Boardwalk and Portofino can be apples to apples given the discrepancy in quality between the two hotels.

Which one is “far superior” here?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Personal truth is an oxymoron.
If my personal truth says 2+2=5
Your personal truth says 2+2=3

Neither is true.

PS.. Marketing bastardized the meaning of an essential word .

Well they both could be true if all figures shown are rounded

2.4+2.4=4.8 which rounded shows as 2+2=5
1.6+1.6=3.2 which rounded shows as 2+2=3

Basically math with good PR spin

 

[Touchdown]

Which one is “far superior” here?

The one that is run by an international luxury hotel brand, has full housekeeping daily, a spa, restaurants you can get reservations for day of, 3 pools and a AAA 4 Diamond rating.

 

[dreday3]

My oplnion - Portofino is outdated (especially the rooms) and needs a refurbishment. We were thinking of staying there and watched plenty of videos and no thanks. Out of the Universal Resorts we either would stay at Royal Pacific for a deluxe stay or Sapphire Bay and/or Cabana Bay for a cheaper stay. Those look nice/fun and I think we'd like them.

Honestly I think the Boardwalk is looking great. We visited a lot in April. Love the grounds, love the lobby, love the coffee they serve in the coffee shop, love the gift shops, love the location, love the pool area, love the hotel bar, best breakfast on property at Trattoria Al Forno (got reservations day of) and the new design in the rooms looks great. Whenever go back to Disney, I think we will stay there.
Bring on the discounts.

 

[JustLikeMe]

Which one is “far superior” here?

The one that is run by an international luxury hotel brand, has full housekeeping daily, a spa, restaurants you can get reservations for day of, 3 pools and a AAA 4 Diamond rating.

This one.

 

[JustLikeMe]

My oplnion - Portofino is outdated and needs a refurbishment. We were thinking of staying there and watched plenty of videos and no thanks. Out of the Universal Resorts we either would stay at Royal Pacific for a deluxe stay or Sapphire Bay and/or Cabana Bay for a cheaper stay. Those look nice/fun.

Honestly, despite being the flagship, Portofino is easily our least favourite Premier resort. It’s a little too sedate for us. We tend to alternate between Royal Pacific and Hard Rock. We’d probably choose Sapphire Falls over all of them if it had unlimited express though, we really like it there. It’s almost like a newer Royal Pacific.

Cabana Bay is too large and crowded for our tastes. Also no water taxi, unlike Sapphire and the three Premiers.

 

[JD80]

Wait are we seriously thinking Bob can blame Taylor Swift for the parks declines this year?

The post Covid travel surge is over. Those who have taken their trips to WDW have now experienced many of the unpopular changes as well as price hikes and just aren’t coming back as often. It’s just not as worth it to many like it used to be. It can also be seen in the record number of DVC resales. That along with things becoming stale with nothing big really on the horizon (minus Tiana and Moana’s water thing) isn’t going to help

This is basically it. WDW will have plenty of first time guests because the allure of the once in a life time vacation is still there. But they will certainly have less and less repeat customers as time goes on at this rate with both ridiculous prices and zero new offerings.

 

[dreday3]

Honestly, despite being the flagship, Portofino is easily our least favourite Premier resort. It’s a little too sedate for us. We tend to alternate between Royal Pacific and Hard Rock. We’d probably choose Sapphire Falls over all of them if it had unlimited express though, we really like it there. It’s almost like a newer Royal Pacific.

Cabana Bay is too large and crowded for our tastes. Also no water taxi, unlike Sapphire and the three Premiers.

From videos, I think we like Sapphire Falls best too!

 

[JD80]

And in previous discussions that people are out of sync from their normal Disney schedule and this is an off-year. Those are the largest drivers.

This is a good point I hadn't thought of. We'll see next year (if they come back).

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This one.

Just making sure

Wdw hotels were beautifully designed and built with quality…
But that’s something Bob the Ego has gotten rid of too

Culminating with this awful monstrosity at the Polynesian and an even more laughable trailer park grade over at the campground.

Believing what they sniff coming out of their own tailpipes these days

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

From videos, I think we like Sapphire Falls best too!

…doesn’t have the E pass though…which blows the Disney “deluxes” out of the water

Very nice though

Hell…cabana bay is way more fun than the Disney equivalents…location just is a detriment

 

[GhostHost1000]

This is basically it. WDW will have plenty of first time guests because the allure of the once in a life time vacation is still there. But they will certainly have less and less repeat customers as time goes on at this rate with both ridiculous prices and zero new offerings.

which is also why they brought annual passes back. They didn’t like ap holders or dvc members post Covid until they needed them. Now they are begging for them to come

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Honestly, despite being the flagship, Portofino is easily our least favourite Premier resort. It’s a little too sedate for us. We tend to alternate between Royal Pacific and Hard Rock. We’d probably choose Sapphire Falls over all of them if it had unlimited express though, we really like it there. It’s almost like a newer Royal Pacific.

Cabana Bay is too large and crowded for our tastes. Also no water taxi, unlike Sapphire and the three Premiers.

We've only stayed on property at Universal once and we did it at Portofino - we largely picked it as we are a family of 5 and went for the largest rooms - was really nice to be able to spread out a bit

We also really loved the pool area there - loved the sand so was like at a beach and loved how the pool bar was inside the gated pool area and they had people coming around to bring your drinks and food right to you at your lounge chairs in the sand ... really felt like a "vacation"

 

[JustLikeMe]

From videos, I think we like Sapphire Falls best too!

Sapphire is great, and Strong Water Tavern is one of our favourite places at Universal.

Last year we ended up arriving one day earlier than we expected and adding an extra night at Royal Pacific was $$$ so we decided to book one night at Sapphire. We liked it so much that we’re doing a full trip at Sapphire later this year. We’ll either just buy express on the days we want it with the money we saved not staying at RPR, or we’ll upgrade our APs to the top tier that give express after 4pm.

Then again, it’s just the two of us - if you have four or five to the room then the value of the unlimited express is hard to ignore. Some friends of ours did a trip with their kids where they booked a villa for their entire stay, but we convinced them to book one night at RPR regardless just to get two days of unlimited express. They said it was the best decision of the whole trip.

 

[dreday3]

…doesn’t have the E pass though…which blows the Disney “deluxes” out of the water

Very nice though

Hell…cabana bay is way more fun than the Disney equivalents…location just is a detriment

That's true. We'll see. We've waited so long to get back to Universal that I'm figuring we won't go until the new park opens. I couldn't care less about the Mario world, but I'm so excited for Classic Monsters. I'm not sure if it's a land or a ride but whatever, I'm a big monster movie fiend (classics, non-classics and all of the above). I can't wait for this. I just wish it was around when my dad was younger, he would love it.

But true to form for me, we would be adding days on to a WDW trip, not just going to Universal.