Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[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.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

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.

Post of the day

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

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

You were in the Latrine when 45,000 all bumrushed the main concourse and went immediately into the line for mine train or ratatouille

 

[easyrowrdw]

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.

My above comments were mostly focused on MK. I think it's been close between MK and HS for us. HS just gets bogged down, as waits rise so fast there. We also had a fair number of rides being down at that park, which makes waits even worse.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Laketravis]

You were in the Latrine when 45,000 all bumrushed the main concourse and went immediately into the line for mine train or ratatouille

True. I think the line for Rat was consistently the longest line most of the time that I saw. The LL line, not standby.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

True. I think the line for Rat was consistently the longest line most of the time that I saw. The LL line, not standby.

It’s brand new and very magical…until further notice

It’s also 4 minutes long and the cars breakdown every time one loads/unloads

 

[Laketravis]

My above comments were mostly focused on MK. I think it's been close between MK and HS for us. HS just gets bogged down, as waits rise so fast there. We also had a fair number of rides being down at that park, which makes waits even worse.

Thanks for the info!

HS really frustrated us. Even when the park was virtually empty the choices were limited because of multiple attractions being offline. I can only sit thru Walt's story once per trip.

 

[the_rich]

Looks pretty crowded to me. This was Monday at 10am. I had reservations at 4pm at prime time and it was packed. Tuesday I had reservations at via Napoli at the same time and it was packed. Same goes for raglan road yesterday at 430.

 

[Laketravis]

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

I have video of one of our dinners at Yachtsman's 10 years ago. The place was packed and so noisy you can hardly hear us in the video. Crew's Cup would be standing room only with people waiting for their table to be called.

The last three times? Maybe another couple or two in the bar. We've always been seated at the window because most of the rest of the tables were empty. And it was actually quiet in there.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

HS really frustrated us. Even when the park was virtually empty the choices were limited because of multiple attractions being offline. I can only sit thru Walt's story once per trip.

Studios was not a full day park and still isn’t…they’ve closed as many or more things than they’ve added.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I still question whether any of us have the anecdotal ability to gauge crowds, especially since Disney changes staffing to meet expected demand.

45,000 people at MK vs 50,000 people at MK is statistically 10% down but I doubt many of us would notice a difference in the park, even 40,000 (a 20% decrease) would probably be hard to notice beyond a little more space in the paths.

Pictures of the fireworks crowds on Main Street may be the best way to guesstimate because that’s the one time the majority of the guests are in one place and staffing wouldn’t matter.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I still question whether any of us have the anecdotal ability to gauge crowds, especially since Disney changes staffing to meet expected demand.

45,000 people at MK vs 50,000 people at MK is statistically 10% down but I doubt many of us would notice a difference in the park, even 40,000 (a 20% decrease) would probably be hard to notice beyond a little more space in the paths.

Pictures of the fireworks crowds on Main Street may be the best way to guesstimate because that’s the one time the majority of the guests are in one place and staffing wouldn’t matter.

If you spend enough time…you get a sense…

It’s more than just 5,000 people in one park on one day…

You gauge more accurately on hotel common areas…parking lot levels…concourses at certain hours of the day…what time springs gets crowded (or don’t)

Food is a big one…people gotta eat and they’re not packing sandwiches.
If nobody is eating its because they’re not there.

Shops too.


I’d argue that fireworks is the worst gauge. It’s an intentional bottle neck that creates and exaggerated look in only a tiny sliver of the parks

It was a much better gauge before projection as well

 

[easyrowrdw]

HS really frustrated us. Even when the park was virtually empty the choices were limited because of multiple attractions being offline. I can only sit thru Walt's story once per trip.

Yup. One day last summer we encountered five rides down at open - Rise, Slinky, Railway, Tower, and RnR (I took a screenshot lol). It was a disaster.

 

[Laketravis]

I still question whether any of us have the anecdotal ability to gauge crowds, especially since Disney changes staffing to meet expected demand.

Very true. They've gotten really good at making it "feel" crowded.

 

[LSLS]

I still question whether any of us have the anecdotal ability to gauge crowds, especially since Disney changes staffing to meet expected demand.

45,000 people at MK vs 50,000 people at MK is statistically 10% down but I doubt many of us would notice a difference in the park, even 40,000 (a 20% decrease) would probably be hard to notice beyond a little more space in the paths.

Pictures of the fireworks crowds on Main Street may be the best way to guesstimate because that’s the one time the majority of the guests are in one place and staffing wouldn’t matter.

Which is why I'll take Disney's word for it that crowds are down. And use the idea of hotel blocks being taken offline as extra evidence as opposed to "Here's a picture from a single day" (and I say this as someone who posted how insanely dead DHS was a year ago where we rode everything in the park in 4.5 hours).

 

[Grimley1968]

WDW, with its space and all inclusive nature, used to be referred to as the "Disney bubble." These days, with Disney's unparalleled ability to make the uncrowded feel crowded, you could refer to it as the "Disney funnel."

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Which is why I'll take Disney's word for it that crowds are down. And use the idea of hotel blocks being taken offline as extra evidence as opposed to "Here's a picture from a single day" (and I say this as someone who posted how insanely dead DHS was a year ago where we rode everything in the park in 4.5 hours).

They’ve been reporting that for over a year and yet…there are dozens of post per day claiming that DISNEY is lying…
Which they have every reason not to about that…

Because nothing ever bad happens to the fictional Disney in their heads

 

[Lilofan]

WDW, with its space and all inclusive nature, used to be referred to as the "Disney bubble." These days, with Disney's unparalleled ability to make the uncrowded feel crowded, you could refer to it as the "Disney funnel."

The Disney bubble can also be referred to as even law enforcement can't burst the bubble when the NBA teams were staying like at Coronado Springs for example when teams stayed in the bubble , could not leave property and played their games at ESPN during Covid time. A number of the players openly smoked pot in the resorts complex.

 

[Laketravis]

.......(and I say this as someone who posted how insanely dead DHS was a year ago where we rode everything in the park in 4.5 hours).

You weren't the only one who noticed. Will be interesting to compare the upcoming July 4th holiday period to last year:

Why Disney World is so empty this summer

The park recently saw its slowest July Fourth weekend in nearly a decade

www.yahoo.com

Disney World Hasn’t Felt This Empty in Years

Shorter wait times for rides and more discount offers are signs of thinning crowds at the theme parks.

www.wsj.com