Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah not a huge fan of the extra cost of the 1 bedroom but with a 4 year old and a 2 year old the ability to put them down for a nap/not have to go to sleep when they do is a lifesaver and well worth the extra cost. Frankly I'm looking forward to when we can all share a normal-sized hotel room and not feel like we need the 1 bedroom (although I won't lie - we do a load of laundry daily and it's nice to come home with clean clothes).

One bedroom bathrooms are excellent for putting one “in a vault” to sleep

 

[HauntedPirate]

To anyone doubting, take a loop around CSR. It's most obvious here.

We also still have blocking at the All Stars.

It's less prevalent at the Deluxes though I know AKL has a chunk blocked, and both SSR and OKW are experiencing occupancy issues.

My wife would be able to confirm blocks of rooms out at ASMusic. Not necessarily an entire building, but random blocks of rooms.

DVC better hope a lot of points are being converted to be used elsewhere (or that people aren't banking and are choosing to lose them), or there's going to be another glut of points very soon.

 

[MarkTwain]

Anyone else suspect the low hotel occupancy is due to DVC cannibalizing their hotel business? People that maybe used to pay cash to stay at Port Orleans every year, probably now have contracts at Riviera instead. IMO Disney has basically spent the last few decades selling off their once-super profitable hotel business.

DVC is a starving beast Disney no longer has any ability to control.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

Anyone else suspect the low hotel occupancy is due to DVC cannibalizing their hotel business? People that maybe used to pay cash to stay at Port Orleans every year, probably now have contracts at Riviera instead. IMO Disney has basically spent the last few decades selling off their once-super profitable hotel business.

DVC is a starving beast Disney no longer has any ability to control.

Not just DVC, but consistent devaluation of the onsite hotel product combined with grossly inflated rack rates.

They dared their customers to look elsewhere, and they love it.

 

[jpeden]

Anyone else suspect the low hotel occupancy is due to DVC cannibalizing their hotel business? People that maybe used to pay cash to stay at Port Orleans every year, probably now have contracts at Riviera instead. IMO Disney has basically spent the last few decades selling off their once-super profitable hotel business.

DVC is a starving beast Disney no longer has any ability to control.

Unlikely - the folks staying at mods/values aren't their ideal target audience for DVC - they're trying to convert deluxe guests.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Anyone else suspect the low hotel occupancy is due to DVC cannibalizing their hotel business? People that maybe used to pay cash to stay at Port Orleans every year, probably now have contracts at Riviera instead. IMO Disney has basically spent the last few decades selling off their once-super profitable hotel business.

DVC is a starving beast Disney no longer has any ability to control.

Yes and no

Is dvc out of hand? Absolutely…they took what was the best program in all of main stream travel…and exploited it to the point where it’s turned into Frankenstein…

But cannibalizing rooms at pop century and port orleans?

No…it costs someone bout $30,000 to get a contract worth using at this point…and $2000 in annuals.

That’s not “nothing” when an undergrad psych degree will run you $200K now…

The rooms are in less demand because they just…are…charging…too…much…!!!

And that was coming…but the genie was the “Catalyst” that seems to cause critical mass…for the first time in along time (due to no recessions) I think your Main Street customer started asking “what are we paying for?”

And they can’t put it back into the lamp now.

Years of awful strategy and management coming to a head

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not just DVC, but consistent devaluation of the onsite hotel product combined with grossly inflated rack rates.

They dared their customers to look elsewhere, and they love it.

Absolutely

 

[Andrew25]

Also a lot better offerings outside the bubble at better prices. Transportation is the only worthwhile amenity offered at WDW resorts.

 

[pigglewiggle]

Also a lot better offerings outside the bubble at better prices. Transportation is the only worthwhile amenity offered at WDW resorts.

I don't see the likes of Wilderness or Animal Kingdom Lodge outside of the bubble. We decided between those two for the unique resort experience we will get.

What surprises me is that these two are the least expensive of the deluxe resorts (and in the case of AKL, seemingly least popular?). Bus is the only transportation offered at AKL, yes, but we aren't bothered by that. Lucky us I suppose because we are quite looking forward to staying there.

 

[Andrew25]

I don't see the likes of Wilderness or Animal Kingdom Lodge outside of the bubble. We decided between those two for the unique resort experience we will get.

What surprises me is that these two are the least expensive of the deluxe resorts (and in the case of AKL, seemingly least popular?). Bus is the only transportation offered at AKL, yes, but we aren't bothered by that. Lucky us I suppose because we are quite looking forward to staying there.

Your right, there isn't anything outside the bubble like those two... but most people just want a clean place to shower/sleep after a long day at the parks. Those two are by far Orlando's best (IMO), but you have to seriously consider the price when you may or may not be at the parks all day.

No point in spending good $ at a Disney Deluxe resort if you're at the parks all day.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don't see the likes of Wilderness or Animal Kingdom Lodge outside of the bubble. We decided between those two for the unique resort experience we will get.

What surprises me is that these two are the least expensive of the deluxe resorts (and in the case of AKL, seemingly least popular?). Bus is the only transportation offered at AKL, yes, but we aren't bothered by that. Lucky us I suppose because we are quite looking forward to staying there.

Wilderness was built in the “moderate” class and they switched during construction to “moderate plus”. The architect was amazing.

DAKL was priced as the second highest hotel when it opened. Eisner loved it.
But the people did not and rates were slashed the second year. No comment on that.

But it had an amazing architect.

Same guy

 

[hismattjesty]

There are multiple reports from several hotel wings (like the entirety of Port Orleans French Quarter) not being filled in and left empty.

The benefit of having some of these larger resorts with spread out buildings is being able to shutter them off completely without people recognizing it.

Edit: Every hotel has a handful of rooms available/off sale, but Disney can easily shut off a few buildings (or entire resort) to save on operating costs.

I can 100% confirm this. Stayed at French Quarter 4/19-4/28 and other than the day I checked in (there was 1 occupied room 5 doors down from me), my entire 3rd floor, as well as the 3rd floor on the opposite side of the building was completely empty my entire trip. This was confirmed daily by myself walking around, drapes being open every night, as well as television welcome screens that contained no party information.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Unlikely - the folks staying at mods/values aren't their ideal target audience for DVC - they're trying to convert deluxe guests.

They want moderate guests upgrading to deluxe or DVC, and value guests moving to DVC to accommodate their growing family for years to come.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

Wilderness was built in the “moderate” class and they switched during construction to “moderate plus”. The architect was amazing.

DAKL was priced as the second highest hotel when it opened. Eisner loved it.
But the people did not and rates were slashed the second year. No comment on that.

But it had an amazing architect.

Same guy

The absolute killer is that AKL is a few tweaks and a transportation rethink away from being a showstopper, and likely a top-5 resort for them.

Alas...

 

[Lilofan]

My husband and I used to go to Disney yearly from 2013 on. We started to notice decreased staffing and the closing of one side of an attraction about 2018. We always tried to go during slower times, when they actually had them.
So, I think the reduced staffing situation started slowly about that time. Our last visit was 2020 the week before Covid hit.

We are still planning to go. Even though the economy is so-so and prices in general everywhere you look are high we are benefiting from being long time investors in the markets which are at record levels. Cashing out some and while we are more able bodied, can still travel. As the actor Denzel Washington advised - "You will never see a U-Haul behind a Hearse. You can't take it with you. The Egyptians tried it and they ended up getting robbed. "

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The absolute killer is that AKL is a few tweaks and a transportation rethink away from being a showstopper, and likely a top-5 resort for them.

Alas...

I was around that time when they did surveys…

That was only part of it.

But yes…the weird idea that it’s “so far away…” was a sticking point.

Which is always silly because each point is about 4-5 miles away from each at most as the eagle flies

 

[pigglewiggle]

The absolute killer is that AKL is a few tweaks and a transportation rethink away from being a showstopper, and likely a top-5 resort for them.

Alas...

I always hoped they would build a train track, same style as the conservation station train, to go from hotel to park. Having ease of access to just even Animal Kingdom would be great.

Again for us, bus is just fine.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I always hoped they would build a train track, same style as the conservation station train, to go from hotel to park. Having ease of access to just even Animal Kingdom would be great.

Again for us, bus is just fine.

It would either bisect the majority of the animal care areas or have to loop through the parking lot…so what would really be the point that a bus can’t do?

 

[pigglewiggle]

It would either bisect the majority of the animal care areas or have to loop through the parking lot…so what would really be the point that a bus can’t do?

More fun.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

I always hoped they would build a train track, same style as the conservation station train, to go from hotel to park. Having ease of access to just even Animal Kingdom would be great.

Again for us, bus is just fine.

The ideal solution is a PepoleMover system riding Black Lake Rd over to the entrance, and then a mixed transportation hub at the entrance of each park. That is if Disney were still a company that liked showcasing how good infrastructure can be.