Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

V

V_L_Raptor

Well-Known Member
I was in MK, Epcot, and HS yesterday. MK and HS were busy in patches -- the area around Tiana's was bedlam, but everywhere else was practically a walkup. HS was crazy in Toy Story land and Galaxy's Edge, but everything else was pretty sparse. Epcot was kind of '90's light. For those pointing up the need for new attractions and capacity, water indeed remains wet.

It looked like it was crazier than it was when I got into the TTC lot, but they'd closed off a whole section for restriping. What's more, the monorail and tram loads leaving the park were much greater than those going in, and the express monorail crowd didn't just shoot across the way to get to the Epcot train. People weren't sticking around.

There's a neat little new manipulation Disney has going at the Magic Kingdom at the end of the night, which is if the park closes at 10:00 (on an August Saturday?!! damn it!), HEA goes off at 9:30 9:20(?). The mob pouring out into the monorails and the ferries after the fireworks coincides with everyone leaving the closed park, while the mobs looking to fit in rides before leaving for the night churn their way through whatever attractions they tried to get into. It's created a marvelous mess for the transportation folks to try getting everyone to the lots and to their hotels in a timely manner, and I have to say, the system ran very efficiently last night. Much credit to the entire transportation team, because wow. I haven't seen that kind of crowding after park close in a long time.

Again, the park itself isn't that crowded overall, and if the park closed an hour or more later, the crunch wouldn't have happened this way. As it was, everything looked a lot more crowded than it was, which I imagine was at least partly the aim.
 
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davis_unoxx

davis_unoxx

Well-Known Member
V_L_Raptor said:
I was in MK, Epcot, and HS yesterday. MK and HS were busy in patches -- the area around Tiana's was bedlam, but everywhere else was practically a walkup. HS was crazy in Toy Story land and Galaxy's Edge, but everything else was pretty sparse. Epcot was kind of '90's light. For those pointing up the need for new attractions and capacity, water indeed remains wet.

It looked like it was crazier than it was when I got into the TTC lot, but they'd closed off a whole section for restriping. What's more, the monorail and tram loads leaving the park were much greater than those going in, and the express monorail crowd didn't just shoot across the way to get to the Epcot train. People weren't sticking around.

There's a neat little new manipulation Disney has going at the Magic Kingdom at the end of the night, which is if the park closes at 10:00 (on an August Saturday?!! damn it!), HEA goes off at 9:30 9:20(?). The mob pouring out into the monorails and the ferries after the fireworks coincides with everyone leaving the closed park, while the mobs looking to fit in rides before leaving for the night churn their way through whatever attractions they tried to get into. It's created a marvelous mess for the transportation folks to try getting everyone to the lots and to their hotels in a timely manner, and I have to say, the system ran very efficiently last night. Much credit to the entire transportation team, because wow. I haven't seen that kind of crowding after park close in a long time.

Again, the park itself isn't that crowded overall, and if the park closed an hour or more later, the crunch wouldn't have happened this way. As it was, everything looked a lot more crowded than it was, which I imagine was at least partly the aim.
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it was very busy even at 10:40 PM outside front gate. I hope the night parade that is coming brings back 12 AM closings.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Straw poll again. Work colleague is going to Orlando in a few weeks with his family. They have been every year for the last 2 decades. This is the first time in 20 years they are not going to Disney World. “It’s become too expensive”.

Another colleague just got back from his second family trip. First was pre Covid. Loved it. Hated the recent one. Too confusing. Too limiting. Too expensive. And I quote “they want you to pay more to get on some of the rides quicker and THEN want EVEN MORE for the best ones”. Won’t be going back.

These are just two families of average foreign tourists. How many more are there? Quite a lot it seems.
 
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Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
Straw poll again. Work colleague is going to Orlando in a few weeks with his family. First time in 20 years they are not going to Disney World. “It’s become too expensive”.

Another colleague just got back from his second family trip. First was pre Covid. Loved it. Hated the recent one. Too confusing. Too limiting. Too expensive. And I quote “they want you to pay more to get on some of the rides quicker and THEN want EVEN MORE for the best ones”. Won’t be going back.

These are just two families of average foreign tourists. How many more are there? Quite a lot it seems.
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Such a massive difference in prices and offerings 20 years ago VS. today!
Even the prices and offerings are significantly different pre VS. post COVID.

Today’s WDW is a whole new and more expensive and different world and in many ways, and not for the better in my opinion.

Having said that, I still think there are plenty more recent visitors who don’t know any better who still show up and spend money.
 
L

Lilofan

Well-Known Member
Disstevefan1 said:
Such a massive difference in prices and offerings 20 years ago VS. today!
Even the prices and offerings are significantly different pre VS. post COVID.

Today’s WDW is a whole new and more expensive and different world and in many ways, and not for the better in my opinion.

Having said that, I still think there are plenty more recent visitors who don’t know any better who still show up and spend money.
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I'm curious to see if Wall Street doing Q&A with Iger and his CFO in the upcoming public quarterly company earnings call asks a similar question. My bet is No.
 
Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Nubs70 said:
And they pass one their first hand account to 5 others, which each in turn, pass on to 5 others. Sets up a nice geometric spiral of negative marketing.
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Well, we will see what happens.

The Magic Kingdom still holds top spot for attendance and I think even EPIC won’t change that.

It will be interesting to watch.
 
Nubs70

Nubs70

Well-Known Member
Disstevefan1 said:
Well, we will see what happens.

The Magic Kingdom still holds top spot for attendance and I think even EPIC won’t change that.

It will be interesting to watch.
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Double sell the park, attendance naturally increases.

Trip the turnstiles 30,000 times in the morning then 10,000 times for what ever party, daily attendance is 40,000.

Days of old would have had only 30,000 from morning to night.

A Magical 33% increase.
 

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