Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[BlakeW39]

What is problematic is if the quality of Disney's output constantly tracks lower than Universal's and/or the gap continues to close on the service front, which is obviously entirely possible. But as others have pointed out, in the time between the launch of the Wizarding World and Epic Universe, Walt Disney World will have tackled New Fantasyland, Pandora, Galaxy's Edge, Toy Story Land, the Future World overhaul, and a smattering of other key attractions (Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, Ratatouille, TRON, Bayou Adventure, etc.). In other words, enough to fill a new park; no matter what you think of these additions (and the fact that they didn't do as much as they should have to increase capacity due to replacement), that's a lot.

No doubt Disney invested massive sums into their parks after Potter

It was done stupidly and poorly and didn't result in much past mediocrity, but they did dump a whole lotta $$$ into WDW once they saw what Comcast did with the WW.

Honestly, I think an obvious, direct response to Epic Universe would be more troubling to investors because it would signal that Disney is deeply worried about the competition and scrambling.

The problem isn't that Disney has no 'response' to EU. The problem is that Disney isn't proactively investing on their own to have any draws to their parks during the 2025–2027 timeframe. AND they're actively giving guests reasons not to go or come back. Mostly the latter, really. Their attendance will reflect this

 

[James Alucobond]

The problem isn't that Disney has no 'response' to EU. The problem is that Disney isn't proactively investing on their own to have any draws to their parks during the 2025–2027 timeframe. AND they're actively giving guests reasons not to go or come back. Mostly the latter, really. Their attendance will reflect this

We shall see. I was merely responding to the idea that Disney is constantly reactive. Rather, I think that they're just doing things in their own time (as they always have in recent history) and that, based on precedent, they see little reason to think EU will be more a siphon than a boon.

 

[5thGenTexan]

I'm unsure what "normal" is but we had an enjoyable day today. Rope drop and Seven Dwarfs had problems waking up, but we took it really leisurely today and hit all the big stuff by 6:00. Going back to MK on Friday for some shows and see what we want to do again. But it didn't feel crowded at all today and no really bad waits.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

One problem is after hours events keep selling out and MNSSHP and MVMCP will probably be $200pp this year and sell out too.

They allow the day to day parks to become more miserable or stressful to do than before, don’t expand as much as they should, and then have people overpaying for less crowds, or genie+, or dining packages for better seats, etc etc etc

It’s amazing how much things have changed over the years. Loss of hours, experience, food quality, more ride breakdowns and stress than ever before I could go on and on

Yep…that gimmick impacts everyone. You could see it coming a mile away and the overall compound is far worse now then when they started that after hours nonsense.

7pm…you’ve been had

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Ummmmm 15 minutes for ROTR with over an hour to go?
View attachment 723056

Tower probably running 1 shaft too

Why is it only 15 for the Dull-a-tron?

 

[Chomama]

Say 2 in the parks. We just left Hollywood after f! We were at Epcot earlier in the day. We met Vader in 10 mins, waited five for a margarita in Mexico and soarin was a 15 min wait at 5pm. On a Sunday. At Epcot.

 

[mysto]

G+ is genius. They've driven everyone away so we can enjoy the parks at last.

who knew?

 

[BlakeW39]

G+ is genius. They've driven everyone away so we can enjoy the parks at last.

who knew?

wait.... Bob was on our side all along?!

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Well I'll give you this, Bob probably agrees with you, considering his views on 'competition.' A rising tide lifts all ships...but "sitting back" is allowing yourself to be outcompeted, and provides no incentive for consumers to choose your product over another. This will present issues for Disney come EU. Perhaps you will see the results of EU as 'not negative,' but I lean towards thinking that Wall St. may disagree with you there

It’ll be interesting to see how EU actually changes people’s vacation patterns, our last trip we did 5 days at WDW and 2 days at Uni, I don’t see EU changing that, USF is our least favorite park so it’ll get combined into our IOA day and we’ll spend our second Uni day at EU instead.

There was a time we spent 6 days at WDW and no days at Uni so they have definitely started eating into our Disney days, I just think EU is a bigger threat to USF than any of the Disney parks because that’s the weakest park (in our opinion) and will be the easiest to combine into a park hopping day.

I’m kind of surprised Uni went ahead with EU before making more improvements to USF first. I’d say the same if Disney announced a new park while AK and HS are both in desperate need of improvements. Maybe the plan is open EU first and then redo USF with lower attendance.

 

[jonat90]

It’ll be interesting to see how EU actually changes people’s vacation patterns, our last trip we did 5 days at WDW and 2 days at Uni, I don’t see EU changing that, USF is our least favorite park so it’ll get combined into our IOA day and we’ll spend our second Uni day at EU instead.

There was a time we spent 6 days at WDW and no days at Uni so they have definitely started eating into our Disney days, I just think EU is a bigger threat to USF than any of the Disney parks because that’s the weakest park (in our opinion) and will be the easiest to combine into a park hopping day.

I’m kind of surprised Uni went ahead with EU before making more improvements to USF first. I’d say the same if Disney announced a new park while AK and HS are both in desperate need of improvements. Maybe the plan is open EU first and then redo USF with lower attendance.

They've tried to make additions and updates to USF but for some reason most of the recent stuff has been quite bad. While IoA was getting Hagrids and Velicicoaster, USF was getting Jimmy Fallon and Fast & Furious. Besides the lackluster new attractions, a lot of their existing roster is not aging well; The Simpsons Ride being a prime example of this.

I wonder if the lackluster-ness of USF's more recent additions was a side effect of most of their Universal Creative team being preoccupied with secretly designing an entire theme park for however long it's been in development for, because I agree USF really needs love.... but actually love this time, rather than whatever those rides were supposed to be.

 

[Lilofan]

G+ is genius. They've driven everyone away so we can enjoy the parks at last.

who knew?

Or fired the execs who thought of that brilliant money maker.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It’ll be interesting to see how EU actually changes people’s vacation patterns, our last trip we did 5 days at WDW and 2 days at Uni, I don’t see EU changing that, USF is our least favorite park so it’ll get combined into our IOA day and we’ll spend our second Uni day at EU instead.

There was a time we spent 6 days at WDW and no days at Uni so they have definitely started eating into our Disney days, I just think EU is a bigger threat to USF than any of the Disney parks because that’s the weakest park (in our opinion) and will be the easiest to combine into a park hopping day.

I’m kind of surprised Uni went ahead with EU before making more improvements to USF first. I’d say the same if Disney announced a new park while AK and HS are both in desperate need of improvements. Maybe the plan is open EU first and then redo USF with lower attendance.

You just brilliantly summarized why there will never be another Disney park - for those still learning at home…

But back to front, studios is a huge problem. But I think they know that. I’d think their next move - who knows when? - will be to start at Diagon on one side and redo near everything around the lake to the opposite side…

The kiddie area is obvious…but the Simpsons crap gotta go too.

Iger can have that “gem” back

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Or fired the execs who thought of that brilliant money maker.

This guy?

Kinda looks like the T1000, doesn’t he?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It’ll be interesting to see how EU actually changes people’s vacation patterns, our last trip we did 5 days at WDW and 2 days at Uni, I don’t see EU changing that, USF is our least favorite park so it’ll get combined into our IOA day and we’ll spend our second Uni day at EU instead.

There was a time we spent 6 days at WDW and no days at Uni so they have definitely started eating into our Disney days, I just think EU is a bigger threat to USF than any of the Disney parks because that’s the weakest park (in our opinion) and will be the easiest to combine into a park hopping day.

I’m kind of surprised Uni went ahead with EU before making more improvements to USF first. I’d say the same if Disney announced a new park while AK and HS are both in desperate need of improvements. Maybe the plan is open EU first and then redo USF with lower attendance.

One aspect that could get us to change patterns more is if the Universal hotels stay better priced than the Disney ones. I am suspect they will increase quite a bit, especially the premiere ones once EU opens, but we shall see.

Currently though they do have more opens at better pricing for larger families (as a family of 5 that is relevant) - so if they then have the parks to keep us interested for longer, maybe they become where we stay and Uber over to Disney, or do a split stay with more days at Uni instead of Disney

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

One aspect that could get us to change patterns more is if the Universal hotels stay better priced than the Disney ones. I am suspect they will increase quite a bit, especially the premiere ones once EU opens, but we shall see.

Currently though they do have more opens at better pricing for larger families (as a family of 5 that is relevant) - so if they then have the parks to keep us interested for longer, maybe they become where we stay and Uber over to Disney, or do a split stay with more days at Uni instead of Disney

I’m not sure how Loews Will play it?

On one hand - it really makes sense for them to stay lower priced when and if possible to draw more people in. Comcast would be wise to subsidize?

But it’s tempting to Jack it up. That’s Disney customers fault…in the end. Paying 300% for the same or most cases diminished services in 20 years. Ridiculous from any angle. That’s not “inflation”…so save that one

 

[monothingie]

G+ is genius. They've driven everyone away so we can enjoy the parks at last.

who knew?

From a branding perspective G+ has been a disaster. I am shocked that a company that is so completely obsessed with its public perception is still sticking with this.

It would be interesting to see what the results would be if they made G+ free. (Temporarily)

 

[The Mom]

Approx 10 years ago DHS had a Villians park event starting in the early evening included with the price of a day ticket. Back then there was one way in one way out at DHS on Buena Vista Drive. The traffic was so bad guests and cast were stuck trying to leave and or enter to enjoy the park leave or report to work. Afterwards these kinds of events were pay to play to enjoy these events.

MVMCP was pay to play for at least 35 years. But when it started, it was only $15 and you got so many extras - I still have the free photo.
And there weren't crowds.

 

[drizgirl]

It’ll be interesting to see how EU actually changes people’s vacation patterns, our last trip we did 5 days at WDW and 2 days at Uni, I don’t see EU changing that, USF is our least favorite park so it’ll get combined into our IOA day and we’ll spend our second Uni day at EU instead.

There was a time we spent 6 days at WDW and no days at Uni so they have definitely started eating into our Disney days, I just think EU is a bigger threat to USF than any of the Disney parks because that’s the weakest park (in our opinion) and will be the easiest to combine into a park hopping day.

I’m kind of surprised Uni went ahead with EU before making more improvements to USF first. I’d say the same if Disney announced a new park while AK and HS are both in desperate need of improvements. Maybe the plan is open EU first and then redo USF with lower attendance.

No way is USO planning on lower attendance at ANY of their parks. I’m sure they are planning on the new park raising attendance for both of the other existing parks. And I’m sure it will.

 

[Jenny72]

We're here now and have gotten on everything we wanted (in Epcot and DHS so far) without using Genie+. You do have to be a little flexible, but if you check the tip board, you can ride most rides without a long wait. We rode Soarin', Test Track and Runaway Railway as a walk-on several times in a row, waited 30 minutes for Rise. I don't have a smartphone (so yes, we're weirdos) and really hate staring at devices, so this has been pretty sweet. No wait for quick service food either even though we didn't use mobile order. The parks still feel crowded to me (who doesn't come very often), but there are times where there are lulls and empty spots, especially morning and evening.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Yep…that gimmick impacts everyone. You could see it coming a mile away and the overall compound is far worse now then when they started that after hours nonsense.

7pm…you’ve been had

Remember the good old days of extra magic hours and very extended park hours that didn’t cost extra.

Pepperidge farm remembers, I bet Bob does too