The PR of Epic opening whenever that will be can only bode well for the Sunshine State . More will come visit Orlando/Kissimmee and beyond and support the overall local economy that is so dependent on travel and tourism. It was a good idea to impose a no one allowed under 18 allowed to enter CityWalk on weekend nights with a few exceptions to the policy.It's mentioned often on various sites that people only use Universal as a one or 2 days trip. I think that is wrong, or maybe we are the only ones who are going for 5 1/2 days this fall? We always find something to do, not just running from ride to ride. I used to think that way too, until I took the time to actually do more than rides. The last time we were at Universal last year, we only stayed 3 1/2 days which was not enough to see and do all we wanted.
I don't believe that we are the only ones who consider it a vacation destination of more than 2 days.
Years ago I thought the same thing and we only went to Universal for 1 or 2 days during our 10 days WDW trips.
However, that has changed, as WDW has changed. We are now Universal only people.
I'm not picking on you, but just addressing the comments about Universal visits that most people online say stating Universal is only a 1 or 2 day theme park. I don't think that is true now. Now, when Epic Universe opens, that's a whole new ball game
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Is attendance really down at WDW this or…
- Thread starter coachb
- Start date
Minnesota disney fan
Well-Known Member
Wow, it looks to be about 25 % or a little more of their usual amount of guests. When we went to Disney, we always had to wait on the porch for our reservations. Then when we got inside, it was always, always super crowded. We always waited whatever it took to get in because the food was so good. This really shows the reality of Disney's problem with reservations and decreased crowds. Sad to see.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
The idea universal is a 1 day is locked in time from the year 2000It's mentioned often on various sites that people only use Universal as a one or 2 days trip. I think that is wrong, or maybe we are the only ones who are going for 5 1/2 days this fall? We always find something to do, not just running from ride to ride. I used to think that way too, until I took the time to actually do more than rides. The last time we were at Universal last year, we only stayed 3 1/2 days which was not enough to see and do all we wanted.
I don't believe that we are the only ones who consider it a vacation destination of more than 2 days.
Years ago I thought the same thing and we only went to Universal for 1 or 2 days during our 10 days WDW trips.
However, that has changed, as WDW has changed. We are now Universal only people.
I'm not picking on you, but just addressing the comments about Universal visits that most people online say stating Universal is only a 1 or 2 day theme park. I don't think that is true now. Now, when Epic Universe opens, that's a whole new ball game
But we’re on a Disney board…so there is resistance to the idea that Disney has any competition. They’ll die on that hill.
Comcast has really done a good job of closing the gap in 10 years. URO isn’t as large or built up as WDW…for sure…but it’s not 1/5 of wdw any longer either.
3/4 is an easy use of time at universal. After this really popular themed park is open? Who knows for sure?
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
I’ll go ahead and wait for the 101% BS excuses why wdw is EMPTY on Saturday, July 6 to flow in?
Let’s hear it
Let’s hear it
Iger will put his basic spin on it not when but if Wall Street asks him about park attendance. Rinse and repeat Iger still in charge nothing new to report. There are some forum members wishing Disney to fail but the irony is continue feeding the Mouse - it ain’t happening. Disney not going anywhere.I’ll go ahead and wait for the 101% BS excuses why wdw is EMPTY on Saturday, July 6 to flow in?
Let’s hear it
Chi84
Premium Member
Why are you sad? It could be their goofy decisions catching up to them. Hopefully they’ll figure it out.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Awful management…nothing they are doing makes any sense
That’s why fans are critical. Not hard to follow
Brian
Well-Known Member
This is how empty it is.I’ll go ahead and wait for the 101% BS excuses why wdw is EMPTY on Saturday, July 6 to flow in?
Let’s hear it
GhostHost1000
Premium Member
I’m sure everyone is just waiting on the little mermaid show to return
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
That was more my point. I think more people are seeing it as a full trip instead of a side gig. I think more people, like myself, have changed their mindset on it being a destination. For me it started with volcano bay. At that point you could do a day in each park, then a split day between the two. One water park day and a day at the pool and seeing city walk. That's 5 days right there.
No worries. What I was saying was I used to think that way. But that's no longer the case. Like I said, it's something that we would now plan at least 5 or 6 days. And with that, Disney would be the side gig, maybe getting one day. I guess my broader point was that, to all the people who think Disney has nothing to worry about, people are changing their tune with Universal. And don't be surprised if people are skipping or limiting their Disney time and devoting it to Uni instead. Disney might not take any sort of real hit financially. But if epic turns out as good as it looks, I have no doubt they are knocked down a peg from a PR standpoint.I'm not picking on you, but just addressing the comments about Universal visits that most people online say stating Universal is only a 1 or 2 day theme park. I don't think that is true now. Now, when Epic Universe opens, that's a whole new ball game
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
They’re all down at the trough filling Tiana’s up with garden hoses…so they can “experience” it
Minnesota disney fan
Well-Known Member
I'm sad because I remember what it used to be, and what it has become. Not everyone feels that way, but we've been disney fanatics since l977 and can't help but remember those times
I have some hope that they will figure it out, but it seems to be sinking in slowly at this point.doctornick
Well-Known Member
This is the problem to me:
If the parks are packed, the Powers that Be say "oh we are drawing crowds, no reason to do anything over the top, we can cut back on services and activities because people will just accept what we give them. And are replaceable if they don't want to take what we give them”
But when the attendance falls, the same folks in charge are saying "we aren't making as much money, so we need to cut services and staffing and not build anything new because we cannot justify it with our revenues. Need to keep our margins.”
Basically, no matter what the situation, they are finding a justification to not invest and to cut things to the bone. The idea of offering more than expected and plussing to create lifetime customers seems to be a completely foreign idea to this company now. I admittedly remain a bit cynical about all the rumored "large investments" coming because it seems difficult to expect this company to be proactive and have forethought in that way. It’s a long term - and winning - strategy but it requires looking past the next quarterly call.
If the parks are packed, the Powers that Be say "oh we are drawing crowds, no reason to do anything over the top, we can cut back on services and activities because people will just accept what we give them. And are replaceable if they don't want to take what we give them”
But when the attendance falls, the same folks in charge are saying "we aren't making as much money, so we need to cut services and staffing and not build anything new because we cannot justify it with our revenues. Need to keep our margins.”
Basically, no matter what the situation, they are finding a justification to not invest and to cut things to the bone.
The idea of offering more than expected and plussing to create lifetime customers seems to be a completely foreign idea to this company now. I admittedly remain a bit cynical about all the rumored "large investments" coming because it seems difficult to expect this company to be proactive and have forethought in that way. It’s a long term - and winning - strategy but it requires looking past the next quarterly call.
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Chi84
Premium Member
I don’t have much faith in them being able to fix this. Maybe they’ll reduce the prices in response to reduced demand but no way it’s going back to what it used to be.I'm sad because I remember what it used to be, and what it has become. Not everyone feels that way, but we've been disney fanatics since l977 and can't help but remember those times
People who think the market is going to force Disney back to what it was 10-20 years ago are being overly optimistic.
ConfettiCupcake
Well-Known Member
Not me, obviously. But I love to see this. Their decisions for too many years now have been very frustrating from this long term guests perspective.
There is little I love to see more when it comes to these parks than the general public saying enough is enough via their wallets.
doctornick
Well-Known Member
Yes. It's hard for me to see a path forward out of this unless the leadership is willing to take hits on profits for a period of time to rebuild the brand to what it was in the past. Because they need to cut prices, invest in building/plussing, hire significantly, etc in order to reverse the trends going on. Basically, they need to go back to "wowing" guests as opposed to having them just tolerate what they get as a "rite of passage" and think they are replaceable.
Jrb1979
Well-Known Member
What's even crazier is over at SeaWorld all the major attractions have waits of 60 minutes or more.
Even Islands of Adventure is busy.
Hagrids is 75 minutes
Spider-Man is 50 minutes same as Velocicoaster
Dudley Do Right is at 120 minutes.
You can't say this the heat keeping people away when 2 other parks in the area are busy
I do week long trips when I get APs, once in the fall, Christmas, Jan/Feb, Summer and fall (buy APs in mid Oct.) Sea World is a one day part of the Dec and Summer trip and MVMCP is a half day on the Dec trip but the other trips are all Universal. Fall is HHN season, I always leave that trip feeling like I didn’t get done everything I wanted to enough but nearly physically broken (18 miles per day average walking distance.)It's mentioned often on various sites that people only use Universal as a one or 2 days trip. I think that is wrong, or maybe we are the only ones who are going for 5 1/2 days this fall? We always find something to do, not just running from ride to ride. I used to think that way too, until I took the time to actually do more than rides. The last time we were at Universal last year, we only stayed 3 1/2 days which was not enough to see and do all we wanted.
I don't believe that we are the only ones who consider it a vacation destination of more than 2 days.
Years ago I thought the same thing and we only went to Universal for 1 or 2 days during our 10 days WDW trips.
However, that has changed, as WDW has changed. We are now Universal only people.
I'm not picking on you, but just addressing the comments about Universal visits that most people online say stating Universal is only a 1 or 2 day theme park. I don't think that is true now. Now, when Epic Universe opens, that's a whole new ball game