Is attendance really down at WDW this or…

[WondersOfLife]

Yes, there may be some minor additional effect there; but not on movies.

Oh, I guess I was jumping into a conversation I didn't fully research. I thought this was in relation to attendance down at WDW in the thread of the same title. My bad..

 

[JD80]

This is already happening, albeit not on a large scale. I've seen people say that they've done this and will do this in the future.

My sister is actually doing this this fall. She's going in for MNSSHP and that's it.

Oh I know but it's not prevalent yet but WDW is expanding their offerings with new after hour events at EPCOT now along with different parties like Jollywood etc. Once you can reliably schedule 4-5 nights a week (Like 2x MK nights, 1x EPCOT, 1x DHS) you'll see this as a legitimate vacation strategy. You'll see vloggers start discussing it.

 

[Disstevefan1]

That would be catastrophic to their bottomline

I don’t have to convince anyone. Just watch the second half

Not catastrophic if the spending per guest goes up enough.

If folks know they will visit again, they may spend differently than if it's their only visit that year.

"I gotta get this" or "I gotta do this" now because I know I won't be back this year.

 

[LSLS]

They’re going to regional/day trip parks…yes…
Cause it costs way less…that’s the takeaway

Cedar point doesn’t serve the same market

I'd agree, but i do find it extremely interesting to see multiple hotels around cedar point sold out, along with some of cedar points snd very few room types available. Tells me people are still wanting multi-day trips to parks as well (again lending to the pricing points you are making).

 

[Jrb1979]

Oh I know but it's not prevalent yet but WDW is expanding their offerings with new after hour events at EPCOT now along with different parties like Jollywood etc. Once you can reliably schedule 4-5 nights a week (Like 2x MK nights, 1x EPCOT, 1x DHS) you'll see this as a legitimate vacation strategy. You'll see vloggers start discussing it.

IMO the only reason they do these parties are for the money. No park can run on low attendance and parties alone. Parks need big crowds to actually make money. Low crowds may be great for @MisterPenguin and @Disstevefan1 but for Disney it's not good at all.

 

[Jrb1979]

I'd agree, but i do find it extremely interesting to see multiple hotels around cedar point sold out, along with some of cedar points snd very few room types available. Tells me people are still wanting multi-day trips to parks as well (again lending to the pricing points you are making).

You can't compare them to WDW cause most guests of WDW wouldn't step foot in a park like Cedar Point. No theming and too much steel everywhere.

 

[WondersOfLife]

IMO the only reason they do these parties are for the money. No park can run on low attendance and parties alone. Parks need big crowds to actually make money. Low crowds may be great for @MisterPenguin and @Disstevefan1 but for Disney it's not good at all.

It was good for several years a while back lol

 

[el_super]

Parks need big crowds to actually make money.

So what about 2022? Parks made more money than 2019, with 30% less attendance.

 

[Jrb1979]

So what about 2022? Parks made more money than 2019, with 30% less attendance.

That's cause of all the nickel and diming going on. Look at what that's done for them. I would bet it will be much lower this year.

 

[GhostHost1000]

So what about 2022? Parks made more money than 2019, with 30% less attendance.

I guess a lot of that had to do with inflation in pricing everywhere but not offering or staffing as much as they once did

Plus the genie+ crapola that used to be included

 

[Disstevefan1]

IMO the only reason they do these parties are for the money. No park can run on low attendance and parties alone. Parks need big crowds to actually make money. Low crowds may be great for @MisterPenguin and @Disstevefan1 but for Disney it's not good at all.

I feel major FOMO seeing these “lower than usual” wait times.

I know I will miss out and eventually the parks will be MOBBED again.

Folks are talking, “Hey, I hear all over WDW has lower crowds and isn’t its usual, super MOBBED”

Word gets around and folks book to get there before it gets MOBBED again and before you know it, it’s MOBBED again”.

 

[JD80]

I feel major FOMO seeing these “lower than usual” wait times.

I know I will miss out and eventually the parks will be MOBBED again.

Folks are talking, “Hey, I hear all over WDW has lower crowds and isn’t its usual, super MOBBED”

Word gets around and folks book to get there before it gets MOBBED again and before you know it, it’s MOBBED again”.

Oh it will drive a ton of people to the website and travel agents until they see a week will cost them $5000 before flights/food. That price tag is the firewall to huge crowds.

(until the get desperate with crazy offers to fill parks and hotels)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'd agree, but i do find it extremely interesting to see multiple hotels around cedar point sold out, along with some of cedar points snd very few room types available. Tells me people are still wanting multi-day trips to parks as well (again lending to the pricing points you are making).

Two days…not a week

I’d love to make more comparisons to Disney parks…not less…but there’s aren’t a lot of close comps to draw from.

That makes Disney look better AND worse.

 

[JD80]

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Oh it will drive a ton of people to the website and travel agents until they see a week will cost them $5000 before flights/food. That price tag is the firewall to huge crowds.

(until the get desperate with crazy offers to fill parks and hotels)

Are you feeling ok?

Why do I keep agreeing with you without any effort?

 

[JD80]

Are you feeling ok?

Why do I keep agreeing with you without any effort?

Because you took your meds today

 

[el_super]

That's cause of all the nickel and diming going on. Look at what that's done for them. I would bet it will be much lower this year.

Those upcharges are implemented in order to make the base product still accessible. Do you think the parks would have been busier if they just flat out increased the admission as much as the price of Genie+ and left line skipping as free? What would that have done to the wait times?

I guess a lot of that had to do with inflation in pricing everywhere but not offering or staffing as much as they once did

Plus the genie+ crapola that used to be included

The prices were higher, and people still paid it. It's the same math as the private party tickets selling out, just on a wider scale. People are willing to pay more for a better experience, and that better experience means fewer people in the park. They just have to find the right balance.

Genie+ was the inevitable conclusion of having a broken FastPass system for a decade. I still want to believe that they will eventually just discontinue Genie+ and get everyone off the idea of having unfettered access to everything. Price increases seem to be going that way so hopefully people will stop using it.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Those are all the usual suspects…how many have been 101 today? Bet half or more at least

But the old problem hasn’t gone away: they don’t have enough seat capacities for the average crowd 10 years ago…and that is probably the same or slightly worse since.

Bob wanted it that way…lest we forget?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Because you took your meds today

That’s why the chocolate Milk tasted “chalky”?

 

[Touchdown]

You can't compare them to WDW cause most guests of WDW wouldn't step foot in a park like Cedar Point. No theming and too much steel everywhere.

Step out of the bubble, normal people who only go to WDW a few times in their life go to their regional amusement park more often and may even be passholders.