Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[HauntedPirate]

I was in the parks this week and they were crowded. I also didn't notice a lot of empty tables. I ate at via Napoli, prime time and raglan road at around 4pm and they were all packed

And others have posted the opposite - lots of people clogging walkways (giving the impression of "packed") but low waits, plus pictures of half-full restaurants and dining reservations that are readily available. Given your penchant for defending the Mouse at every turn, who are we to believe? I'm going to go with the truth being more on their side than yours. I was there in February during the Half-Marathon weekend and it wasn't as full then as your contrarian claim says it is now.

 

[Andrew25]

The wait times on the genie are long…that isn’t the same thing

Take picture of Main Street or Epcot concourses and I can deconstruction the crowd level for you.

I visit the parks on a weekly basis, they are crowded. Not 2021-22 crowded, but busy. Attendance has declined, but the % are marginal and not as drastic as some suggest.

The parks have hit a price ceiling (attendance is being "inflated" at the moment w/ multiple FL-Resident discounts), but the parks aren't ghost towns.*

*Except DAK after 5PM lol

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I visit the parks on a weekly basis, they are crowded. Not 2021-22 crowded, but busy. Attendance has declined, but the % are marginal and not as drastic as some suggest.

The parks have hit a price ceiling (attendance is being "inflated" at the moment w/ multiple FL-Resident discounts), but the parks aren't ghost towns.*

*Except DAK after 5PM lol

There’s a big difference between ghost towns and “crowded”

Those parks were built to handle massive amounts of people

And attendance is declining with no recession

That’s pricing

Huge problem

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

And others have posted the opposite - lots of people clogging walkways (giving the impression of "packed") but low waits, plus pictures of half-full restaurants and dining reservations that are readily available. Given your penchant for defending the Mouse at every turn, who are we to believe? I'm going to go with the truth being more on their side than yours. I was there in February during the Half-Marathon weekend and it wasn't as full then as your contrarian claim says it is now.

Memorial Day weekend reminded me of 2002

And new years wasn’t thick either

But I don’t know much

 

[Andrew25]

One thing to note is that crowd patterns have shifted and people are visiting (somewhat evenly) throughout the year versus historical busier periods. Crowds have "averaged" throughout the year. It's "quieter" during holidays, but "busier" during softer periods like September and the weeks between Easter and Memorial Day.

I've been very critical of WDW, but I also have the ability to see that the parks are in no danger of falling of the cliff attendance-wise anytime soon.

 

[the_rich]

One thing to note is that crowd patterns have shifted and people are visiting (somewhat evenly) throughout the year versus historical busier periods. Crowds have "averaged" throughout the year. It's "quieter" during holidays, but "busier" during softer periods like September and the weeks between Easter and Memorial Day.

I've been very critical of WDW, but I also have the ability to see that the parks are in no danger of falling of the cliff attendance-wise anytime soon.

I noticed that last August. I usually go the week after everyone in Florida goes back to school. It was definitely busier than in past years.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

One thing to note is that crowd patterns have shifted and people are visiting (somewhat evenly) throughout the year versus historical busier periods. Crowds have "averaged" throughout the year. It's "quieter" during holidays, but "busier" during softer periods like September and the weeks between Easter and Memorial Day.

I've been very critical of WDW, but I also have the ability to see that the parks are in no danger of falling of the cliff attendance-wise anytime soon.

I noticed that last August. I usually go the week after everyone in Florida goes back to school. It was definitely busier than in past years.

That’s been going on for 25 years…overall they are down a significant chunk and I’ve been told the forecasts are getting steadily worse

Pay no attention to the little man behind the curtain

 

[Andrew25]

That’s been going on for 25 years…overall they are down a significant chunk and I’ve been told the forecasts are getting steadily worse

Pay no attention to the little man behind the curtain

Not disagreeing you that attendance is in decline... but the dramatic exaggeration is getting a bit ridiculous.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not disagreeing you that attendance is in decline... but the dramatic exaggeration is getting a bit ridiculous.

What would you quantify as “dramatic”

I can only tell you from experience that a 5% dip would be catastrophic on the bottom line…which means it has to be corrected ASAP

 

[Laketravis]

This was typical the last time we were there a couple of months ago. Maybe it's picked up since then.

 

[easyrowrdw]

This was at 1pm in the afternoon and only the front section was open:

View attachment 793273

How crowded are resort restaurants expected to be at lunch time? I’m usually at the parks at that time but when I'm not I think I see folks at the pool or quick service rather than table service. That's just my experience though.

I was at Disney last week and found the crowds to be easily manageable. At MK, QS lunch seemed busy as typical. The evening leading into the After Hours event didn't have the normal drop-off in waits, which was annoying (lots of ticket holders seemingly coming). On the other hand, my VQ at Tron on Sunday evening was a true walk-on. I don't think I saw a wait time above 60 minutes the entire day. Waits and crowds were manageable all week. I didn't try to ride everything at the parks, but I rode everything I wanted and only used Genie+ one day.

 

[JD80]

A conundrum here, as every new discount can (and most will be) applied to existing bookings. I see them quietly rolling back rack on new bookings and keeping the discounts quite topheavy for now.

Trying to suss out some interesting comments I picked up this afternoon. Stick a PIN in that for now.

 

[Andrew25]

What would you quantify as “dramatic”

I can only tell you from experience that a 5% dip would be catastrophic on the bottom line…which means it has to be corrected ASAP

Of course any sort of dip is a "catastrophe" to the business, but some on here are suggesting the parks are in danger of closing shop tomorrow lol

This was typical the last time we were there a couple of months ago. Maybe it's picked up since then.

View attachment 793465View attachment 793466View attachment 793467View attachment 793469

You took a photo of an area at DHS that is always "dead" with no major attractions outside theater shows. Take a pic at TSL/SWGE at the same time...

The buses are always empty in the middle of the day.

I wouldn't judge MK crowds off of this area of Frontierland as Tiana has yet to open and Big Thunder has lots of downtime nowadays. The park's "weight" has shifted east until Tiana opens next week.

 

[Laketravis]

How crowded are resort restaurants expected to be at lunch time? I’m usually at the parks at that time but when I'm not I think I see folks at the pool or quick service rather than table service. That's just my experience though.

I was at Disney last week and found the crowds to be easily manageable. At MK, QS lunch seemed busy as typical. The evening leading into the After Hours event didn't have the normal drop-off in waits, which was annoying (lots of ticket holders seemingly coming). On the other hand, my VQ at Tron on Sunday evening was a true walk-on. I don't think I saw a wait time above 60 minutes the entire day. Waits and crowds were manageable all week. I didn't try to ride everything at the parks, but I rode everything I wanted and only used Genie+ one day.

The last three times we've been there since December, MK was always the busiest park. HS/AK/EP not so much (see pics above).

As far as how crowded resort TS's are expected to be at lunch time - we pretty much only eat lunch/dinner at resort TS's and can say with confidence that they are far less crowded than in years past. Conversations with servers and managers confirm this. We also park hop extensively (no less than 3 parks per day) and transport (boats, monorail, buses, Skyliner) are seldom crowded.

 

[Laketravis]

Of course any sort of dip is a "catastrophe" to the business, but some on here are suggesting the parks are in danger of closing shop tomorrow lol


You took a photo of an area at DHS that is always "dead" with no major attractions outside theater shows. Take a pic at TSL/SWGE at the same time...

The buses are always empty in the middle of the day.

I wouldn't judge MK crowds off of this area of Frontierland as Tiana has yet to open and Big Thunder has lots of downtime nowadays. The park's "weight" has shifted east until Tiana opens next week.

I must have not noticed the crowds, standing room only buses, long lines for concessions and packed QS/TS that I had become accustomed too over the last 20 years. Len must be missing them as well.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Of course any sort of dip is a "catastrophe" to the business, but some on here are suggesting the parks are in danger of closing shop tomorrow lol


You took a photo of an area at DHS that is always "dead" with no major attractions outside theater shows. Take a pic at TSL/SWGE at the same time...

The buses are always empty in the middle of the day.

I wouldn't judge MK crowds off of this area of Frontierland as Tiana has yet to open and Big Thunder has lots of downtime nowadays. The park's "weight" has shifted east until Tiana opens next week.

They won’t close…

Star Wars land is NOT crowded…it’s heading towards irrelevance in crowd levels

Buses are light midday…but are more busy than average in high heat. Release valve for many midday

They aren’t gonna get a park bump from that ride…they know it and that’s why they’re pushing it as damage control for PR.
Disney 101

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

How crowded are resort restaurants expected to be at lunch time? I’m usually at the parks at that time but when I'm not I think I see folks at the pool or quick service rather than table service. That's just my experience though.

I was at Disney last week and found the crowds to be easily manageable. At MK, QS lunch seemed busy as typical. The evening leading into the After Hours event didn't have the normal drop-off in waits, which was annoying (lots of ticket holders seemingly coming). On the other hand, my VQ at Tron on Sunday evening was a true walk-on. I don't think I saw a wait time above 60 minutes the entire day. Waits and crowds were manageable all week. I didn't try to ride everything at the parks, but I rode everything I wanted and only used Genie+ one day.

For about 20 years restaurants across property were crowded at all times

That hasn’t been the case the last few at all

I would guess because of value?

They were never “cheap”…but they used to be consistently a much better value for the quality

 

[Laketravis]

They won’t close…

Star Wars land is NOT crowded…it’s heading towards irrelevance in crowd levels

Buses are light midday…but are more busy than average in high heat. Release valve for many midday

They aren’t gonna get a park bump from that ride…they know it and that’s why they’re pushing it as damage control for PR.
Disney 101

The resorts are packed (at least the wings and buildings that are open). It's difficult to get ADR's (unless you open the app). People are buying all the merchandise and concessions (except not this time). The pathways are virtually empty because everyone is standing in a line somewhere (although the posted wait times are typically longer than reality).

I suppose I'm not seeing it because less people are being squeezed into smaller spaces.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The resorts are packed (at least the wings and buildings that are open). It's difficult to get ADR's (unless you open the app). People are buying all the merchandise and concessions (except not this time). The pathways are virtually empty because everyone is standing in a line somewhere (although the posted wait times are typically longer than reality).

I suppose I'm not seeing it because less people are being squeezed into smaller spaces.

Everytime I’ve walked in for about 2 years…I can’t see it either

My damn lying eyes

 

[Laketravis]

Everytime I’ve walked in for about 2 years…I can’t see it either

My damn lying eyes

Right? And all those pictures of crowds being posted recently - I must have missed them.