Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[JoeCamel]

According to the data, compared to 2019, MK is down 18%, AK down 37%, DHS down 10.3%, and Epcot is down 3.73%. Overall for the year, that's just under 18%. For reference, on average in 2019 DAK had 38,000 visitors a day. They are down 14,000 in 2023. MK is down over 10,000. On average, the parks as a whole are down 29,000 visitors a day from 2019 levels. I agree they don't feel empty, but at least with 2023 data (the most recent we have), they are significantly down from 2019.

Where did you get your numbers?

 

[Chi84]

According to the data, compared to 2019, MK is down 18%, AK down 37%, DHS down 10.3%, and Epcot is down 3.73%. Overall for the year, that's just under 18%. For reference, on average in 2019 DAK had 38,000 visitors a day. They are down 14,000 in 2023. MK is down over 10,000. On average, the parks as a whole are down 29,000 visitors a day from 2019 levels. I agree they don't feel empty, but at least with 2023 data (the most recent we have), they are significantly down from 2019.

I don’t doubt the numbers at all. The cost of a WDW vacation is increasing at a ridiculous pace. People who could afford it in the past can no longer do so or don’t find sufficient value for their money.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

I feel like the parks are more consistently busy now. There are no more slow times/ moderate times / busy times. It’s all just busy. My daughter and I were there this past August, the 17th-24th. I had been planning that trip for a while and I remember checking wait times every day the year before. Wait times were so low I was convinced we wouldn’t even need LL. Fast forward a year and August 2024 was PACKED. At times it felt more crowded than our March 2023 trip. We did use LL most day and I don’t regret it. We definitely needed it.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

I don’t doubt the numbers at all. The cost of a WDW vacation is increasing at a ridiculous pace. People who could afford it in the past can no longer do so or don’t find sufficient value for their money.

We are seeing an increase in quoting for 2025, but the conversion rate is lower than we're used to. Several regular clients have booked with the minimum $200 deposit but don't plan to carry on unless new discounts are released that better fit their needs.

I have a family of 5 who just booked a long, but otherwise fairly normal vacation (family suite, dining, hopper tickets)... their total *with discount* was $15k. Many of our folks who used to be every year or every-other-year clients just can't afford it like they used to. It appears to me that we're seeing a shift back to the "once in a lifetime" or "very special occasion" cadence of traveling. If they don't want to address pricing for their preferred Golden Goose onsite, captive clients, they need to either kickstart new customer development or do more to right-size their hotel and dining capacity.

 

[HatBox]

I’m 50/50 on it being more or less busy. Here now and it does feel crowded but the longest we waited so far has been an hour for jungle cruise. 55 minute waits were about 20-30 mins yesterday at Hollywood.

I don’t put it past Disney to make it feel packed on purpose and also run the rides at half capacity manufacturing long wait times.

Just ate at ohana. They had several tables open when we were leaving. I haven’t ever seen it like that.

 

[donaldtoo]

We are seeing an increase in quoting for 2025, but the conversion rate is lower than we're used to. Several regular clients have booked with the minimum $200 deposit but don't plan to carry on unless new discounts are released that better fit their needs.

I have a family of 5 who just booked a long, but otherwise fairly normal vacation (family suite, dining, hopper tickets)... their total *with discount* was $15k. Many of our folks who used to be every year or every-other-year clients just can't afford it like they used to. It appears to me that we're seeing a shift back to the "once in a lifetime" or "very special occasion" cadence of traveling. If they don't want to address pricing for their preferred Golden Goose onsite, captive clients, they need to either kickstart new customer development or do more to right-size their hotel and dining capacity.

The vast majority of family (family of 5, plus others on a few trips) trips we took in years past were week-long trips with 6-day park hoppers.
We took a 5-night family trip last October and only booked 2 park days and 2 TS restaurants (MK, Epcot and Raglan Road and ‘Ohana character breakfast).
On our most recent 6-night family trip in late June/early July, we booked 3 park days and 4 TS restaurants (MK, Epcot and DHS and Olivia’s, T-Rex, Biergarten and the ‘Ohana character breakfast again). We had our 2 young granddaughters and SonIL on both of those trips with us, as well. SonIL was also with us on our previous 4 trips.
It’s just too darn expensive now, and we don’t plan on returning anytime soon.
We’re planning on going back to cruising (non-Disney), and traveling to Europe.
Although both our DDs, SonIL, granddaughters and DWifey (she was an Air Force brat) have all been to Europe, DS and myself have not.
If we’re gonna’ drop that kinda’ money, I’d much rather visit the real Europe than walk around the fake Europe in World Showcase…!!!