Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[flynnibus]

Have they ever lowered the ticket prices? It seems like the move is to just offer discounts or promotions off of existing prices/rack rates.

I also feel the flurry of promotions and limited availability with some of them create a confusing and frustrating impediment to people booking these trips.

Only to the pros who are trying to optimize... to the general audience it looks like any other kind of Sale promotion. "Get 50% off..." hooks them in and then they look at the fine print of when and on what.

This is the kind of stuff they can run in Media ads, etc and drive interest.

Promos are always the better way to handle negative price pressure as they are easily modified and short term... plus people think they are getting a deal.

Plus in Disney terms - "lowering prices" just means slow or delay a price increase. Same effect... just less marketable.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It's artificial. It's October now, so there are only 3 nights a week for fireworks while the other nights MK closes early at 6.

So basically packing an entire week worth's of guests into 3 days (roughly - don't take the math seriously lol)

It is at least partially due to Fall Break probably. I know a ton of school systems locally have theirs this week and next. But in my experience going this time of year in the past, it didn't get really packed until the second weekend of Fall Break, which coincides with Columbus Day weekend. Generally it seems that the school systems that have Fall Break do not observe Columbus Day, but those with no Fall Break do observe Columbus Day. So this coming weekend will often combine both types of school schedules having time off.

I think it is a combination of these - I do know a lot of people on fall break that have traveled to Florida so I think overall attendance is up a bit, BUT the fact MK feel packed is due to the limited nights to see the fireworks - I saw some photos of EPCOT today and it looked rather empty (as a counter point)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

In the short-term, they can rely on APs to fill the park..

You mean the ones they couldn’t sell after a 2 years travel restriction that saw a ton of cancellation followed by nonsensical unavailability….then a huge price increase?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Only to the pros who are trying to optimize... to the general audience it looks like any other kind of Sale promotion. "Get 50% off..." hooks them in and then they look at the fine print of when and on what.

This is the kind of stuff they can run in Media ads, etc and drive interest.

Promos are always the better way to handle negative price pressure as they are easily modified and short term... plus people think they are getting a deal.

Plus in Disney terms - "lowering prices" just means slow or delay a price increase. Same effect... just less marketable.

Promotions have always worked well because they were warranted by a downturn in the overall economy…

What’s the scary part here?

 

[Trauma]

Isn’t a possible “big lever” bringing back EMH for all resort guests every night ?

Is that something that they can’t return too for some reason ?

I could be enticed by some late night hours.

 

[Trauma]

So nighttime EMH anyone?

 

[Dranth]

So nighttime EMH anyone?

I had pretty mixed feelings on the old EMH. At times it was great but towards the later years it was so crowded we would just avoid the park that had it. Regardless of how I feel about the original, it was obviously very popular so I’m sure it would be a winner from a PR point of view to bring it back in some form.

 

[Trauma]

I had pretty mixed feelings on the old EMH. At times it was great but towards the later years it was so crowded we would just avoid the park that had it. Regardless of how I feel about the original, it was obviously very popular so I’m sure it would be a winner from a PR point of view to bring it back in some form.

I understand your point, however I just found myself enjoying the parks more at night. It was more about the atmosphere than trying to maximize a certain number of rides.

I liked the energy of it.

In a way if you where trying to maximize rides or avoid crowds you could pick the park without the EMH’s.

You could say that even if you didn’t enjoy participating In it, you could still find benefit.

 

[Splash4eva]

Isn’t a possible “big lever” bringing back EMH for all resort guests every night ?

Is that something that they can’t return too for some reason ?

I could be enticed by some late night hours.

To me this loss is definitely something that hurt but it went right along with their failed strategy catering to the people spending the most… allowing all resort guests back in at night would be imo a “big lever” as you say

 

[Tha Realest]

It’s just you, me, and pirate that think that way…

…according to the 8 people here that still defend Bob


But what if?…Hypothetically…it’s 10s if not hundreds of THOUSANDS of dvc members, Florida residents, and 80s and 90s baked in park fans that think the same way?

What are the numbers telling them?

CNBC has taken notice of how attendance at parks has lagged

Disney is discounting child tickets at U.S. parks as industry attendance lags

Disney is discounting children's tickets at its domestic theme parks as overall attendance at U.S.-based theme parks has lagged across the industry.

www.cnbc.com

 

[Andrew25]

It wouldn't surprise me to see a "limited-time magic activation" for 10-20% off quick-service dining for APs next year if attendance really lags.

If we don't see hotel reservations move much... they're gonna have to start looking after their APs again

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

CNBC has taken notice of how attendance at parks has lagged

Disney is discounting child tickets at U.S. parks as industry attendance lags

Disney is discounting children's tickets at its domestic theme parks as overall attendance at U.S.-based theme parks has lagged across the industry.

www.cnbc.com

The journal and barrons has too

Nobody on the street is fooled

Bob has been exposed

 

[fgmnt]

It wouldn't surprise me to see a "limited-time magic activation" for 10-20% off quick-service dining for APs next year if attendance really lags.

If we don't see hotel reservations move much... they're gonna have to start looking after their APs again

I think they ran this promo 6 or so years ago at the complete nadir of new attraction openings.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Isn’t a possible “big lever” bringing back EMH for all resort guests every night ?

Is that something that they can’t return too for some reason ?

I could be enticed by some late night hours.

Unfortunately they won’t do it…

More bad strategy…
It’s the “after hours”…they decided it’s a good idea to generate profits from tickets and it never was.
They’re getting hammered by the ripple effect now.

Root problem: management

And so begins another day ending in “y”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think they ran this promo 6 or so years ago at the complete nadir of new attraction openings.

…yeah…how’s that construction going now?

 

[HauntedPirate]

So nighttime EMH anyone?

While I’d love to see them being that back, I don’t see it happening. Yet. Staffing the parks those extra hours is likely the sticking point. While it sounds like staffing has improved, I don’t know if it’s EMH-improved, if you know what I mean.

 

[HauntedPirate]

It wouldn't surprise me to see a "limited-time magic activation" for 10-20% off quick-service dining for APs next year if attendance really lags.

If we don't see hotel reservations move much... they're gonna have to start looking after their APs again

They already have started, I’d say, albeit slowly, because they’re tightwads. It’s funny how many around here said that $lappie’s dismissal of AP’s would bite them in the ***. And while it hasn’t been a mule-kick, it’s been bruising. You can’t alienate a core audience like that in an industry that is sensitive to economic maladies, where you also often depend on that core audience to keep the cash registers ringing (sorry, old timer reference for all you youngin’s out there ) during downturns and slower times. But, pride cometh before the fall. Neither Bob learned a damn thing about how things worked, and succeeded, before their presence graced the upper eschelons of Burbank.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

Truth is Disney has a lot of levers they can pull and it works every time. The trick is not pulling more levers than they have to.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Truth is Disney has a lot of levers they can pull and it works every time. The trick is not pulling more levers than they have to.

They do have a lot, no doubt. How many do they have left to pull, though? And if they have to keep pulling more levers, what does that say about the current state of things?

 

[JD80]

1. They do have a lot, no doubt. How many do they have left to pull, though? And if they have to keep pulling more levers, what does that say about the current state of things?

They are pulling the same levers, the only difference is:

• Extra 5% discount on rack rates sometimes
• Wider availability of dates and hotel inventory

The new discount for next year is basically free dining for families with under 10s but with the numbers moved around a bit. This reflects the new Dining Plan pricing. Kids are cheaper than in 2019, adults are more expensive.

I suspect if things continue to stay soft we'll see additional ticket price discounts. Ticket prices are being artificially inflated more/faster than hotel rooms and it's at the point where tickets are main driver of cost of a vacation.

Just wait for other clever offers for tickets where they don't out right discount them. Deals like buy 4 get 1 free. Or better pricing when you order more tickets. Four park ticket packages like in the summer again.