Lightning Lane Premier Pass

[Dranth]

That’s 2 pm on Friday when a substantial part of the country is off for the week.

Not great…but considering how they’ve wrecked investment it should be mathematically much worse

And 2 hours ago it looked much better…when I usually leave the park and hit the saloon

Who is getting a whole week off?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Who is getting a whole week off?

Every college kid in the country at some point…20% of school kids in the US at some point…sometimes whole states worth…

Are you playing the heel?

 

[Dranth]

Every college kid in the country at some point…20% of school kids in the US at some point…sometimes whole states worth…

Are you playing the heel?

Nope. Legit question.

You said:

That’s 2 pm on Friday when a substantial part of the country is off for the week.

That seems to imply that a bunch of people have this week off, I was asking who that was because nothing was coming to mind.

Most schools I know of have spring break mid to late March for high school and under while colleges are mainly in April. There are no holidays this week I know of that any large amount of people get off of work.

 

[Jrb1979]

Who is getting a whole week off?

All of Ontario Canada is on vacation this week. It's the beginning of spring break month.

 

[Dranth]

All of Ontario Canada is on vacation this week. It's the beginning of spring break month.

I got the impression he was talking about the US. Maybe not though. I'm sure he will clarify.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Nope. Legit question.

You said:


That seems to imply that a bunch of people have this week off, I was asking who that was because nothing was coming to mind.

Most schools I know of have spring break mid to late March for high school and under while colleges are mainly in April. There are no holidays this week I know of that any large amount of people get off of work.

That is completely incorrect…which is Born out with the “busy” season calendars for both rack rooms, dvc and ticket prices…

Breaks are for a variety of reasons…and other than specifically the northeast…not tied to Jesus Christ - superstar

I have multiple nieces and nephews in multiple states who are off this week or a lot next

Louisiana is off the week of Mardi Gras

Some states have trimesters and that throws calendars off.

Massachusetts always has a set week off

I believe Florida is off now?

It’s all over. It shouldn’t be “slow” by any stretch

I understand your tact. Disney love and I get…

Disney however…doesn’t know…doesn’t care and never will. They just hope you buckle and buy dvc and premier pass. Full stop

I got the impression he was talking about the US. Maybe not though. I'm sure he will clarify.

I was…but Ontario is (obvious joke) the “51st state” when it comes to visitation of wdw

(Too soon? )

 

[Chi84]

Who is getting a whole week off?

Maybe the same people who were all there the first week of November when we mentioned crowds.

There always seems to be an excuse when the parks are full. But a substantial part of the country being off this week is more far fetched than usual.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Wouldn't it be cool if they took the millions and millions of dollaras they made selling LLs and poured it directly back into the parks for improvements and expansions!

I know, I know, what a dreamer I am

 

[Dranth]

That is completely incorrect…which is Born out with the “busy” season calendars for both rack rooms, dvc and ticket prices…

Breaks are for a variety of reasons…and other than specifically the northeast…not tied to Jesus Christ - superstar

I have multiple nieces and nephews in multiple states who are off this week or a lot next

Louisiana is off the week of Mardi Gras

Some states have trimesters and that throws calendars off.

Massachusetts always has a set week off

I believe Florida is off now?

It’s all over. It shouldn’t be “slow” by any stretch

I understand your tact. Disney love and I get…

Disney however…doesn’t know…doesn’t care and never will. They just hope you buckle and buy dvc and premier pass. Full stop

I was…but Ontario is (obvious joke) the “51st state” when it comes to visitation of wdw

(Too soon? )

It was a simple question you are trying to twist additional meaning out of that wasn't there.

The first week of March hasn't been that busy post-pandemic after attendance restrictions were lifted so I was trying to figure out where all these guests you think should be there are coming from.

Using TP, the average daily crowd level for the first week of March:

• 2025 - 5.4286 (this includes their predictions for today and tomorrow, the rest of the week is actual)
• 2024 - 5.1429
• 2023 - 4.8571

Now the second week, which is when I typically see most of the schools in SC, GA and FL starting their Spring Breaks has been much busier. Using TP again, the second week average was:

• 2024 - 7.4286
• 2023 - 7.7143

We'll see how this next week goes but that is when I would expect it to pick up.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Maybe the same people who were all there the first week of November when we mentioned crowds.

There always seems to be an excuse when the parks are full. But a substantial part of the country being off this week is more far fetched than usual.

That’s the entire state of New Jersey…who has the highest per Capital dvc membership out there…except maybe Florida?

Wdw is “their place”

Want to know how I know?

And it was crowded neither then nor now.

When you get patronizing and dismissive…you might want to know the subject material first?

Or just don’t do it and build a scarecrow every single time?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It was a simple question you are trying to twist additional meaning out of that wasn't there.

The first week of March hasn't been that busy post-pandemic after attendance restrictions were lifted so I was trying to figure out where all these guests you think should be there are coming from.

Using TP, the average daily crowd level for the first week of March:

• 2025 - 5.4286 (this includes their predictions for today and tomorrow, the rest of the week is actual)
• 2024 - 5.1429
• 2023 - 4.8571

Now the second week, which is when I typically see most of the schools in SC, GA and FL starting their Spring Breaks has been much busier. Using TP again, the second week average was:

• 2024 - 7.4286
• 2023 - 7.7143

We'll see how this next week goes but that is when I would expect it to be busier.

Touring plans tracks wait times…because it one of the few metrics we have available

No problem with that…

But occupancy, restaurants, flights and rental prices work too…because TWDC can’t put an arbitrary demand label on it and hide the evidence.

That’s where we are now and have been for 3 years

You want to know what happened “post Covid”? They didn’t get their crowds back…and they continue to just float as the rest of travel dom has gone up.

I’ll be over here if you need me…

If inventing “demand” makes you feel better at home…your choice.

I prefer to stay out of a mud fight

 

[Disstevefan1]

Funny thing is, the more LLs sold, the more there is a need for guests to purchase LLs to avoid long standby waits.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It was a simple question you are trying to twist additional meaning out of that wasn't there.

The first week of March hasn't been that busy post-pandemic after attendance restrictions were lifted so I was trying to figure out where all these guests you think should be there are coming from.

Using TP, the average daily crowd level for the first week of March:

• 2025 - 5.4286 (this includes their predictions for today and tomorrow, the rest of the week is actual)
• 2024 - 5.1429
• 2023 - 4.8571

Now the second week, which is when I typically see most of the schools in SC, GA and FL starting their Spring Breaks has been much busier. Using TP again, the second week average was:

• 2024 - 7.4286
• 2023 - 7.7143

We'll see how this next week goes but that is when I would expect it to pick up.

Maybe just a general trend of people spreading out more and trying to avoid traditionally crowded weeks (at least partly due to Disney pricing, looking for less expensive weeks)

Your cited dated shows a trend of this week increasing and next decreasing (albeit still higher than week)

 

[Disstevefan1]

Maybe just a general trend of people spreading out more and trying to avoid traditionally crowded weeks (at least partly due to Disney pricing, looking for less expensive weeks)

This is happening, folks are learning when the crowded times are and are avoiding those times.

This is why WDW will go to the airline pricing model.

 

[JD80]

Unfortunately from reports out there it's not looking good at all. Universal isn't selling tickets for Epic as much as they hoped and Disney has the lowest Hotel rates since COVID. Neither company is in a good situation right now.

With a brand new theme park opening, Orlando should be booming this summer.

Occupancy is flat 2023 vs. 2024. Only up since COVID. Down 5% since peak 2019, and 3% down from 2018. Disney is doing just fine.

Epic isn't selling because they aren't selling single day tickets yet for the majority of prospective people. Epic's largest pool of potential guests is still people going to WDW.

These are SEC filings, and please note available room nights are relatively the same across all these years.

 

[Chi84]

That’s the entire state of New Jersey…who has the highest per Capital dvc membership out there…except maybe Florida?

Wdw is “their place”

Want to know how I know?

And it was crowded neither then nor now.

When you get patronizing and dismissive…you might want to know the subject material first?

Or just don’t do it and build a scarecrow every single time?

It was a simple comment. No need to be so super-sensitive.

 

[Dranth]

Touring plans tracks wait times…because it one of the few metrics we have available

No problem with that…

But occupancy, restaurants, flights and rental prices work too…because TWDC can’t put an arbitrary demand label on it and hide the evidence.

That’s where we are now and have been for 3 years

You want to know what happened “post Covid”? They didn’t get their crowds back…and they continue to just float as the rest of travel dom has gone up.

I’ll be over here if you need be.

If inventing “demand” makes you feel better at home…your choice.

I prefer to stay out of a mud fight

Post pandemic and inflation a new norm has been established. For better or worse, across multiple industries, things changed pretty dramatically. Comparing to 2019 is almost like comparing apples and oranges at this point. A once a generation pandemic followed by insane inflation tends to do that.

For example, destination theme parks in the US haven't had a particularly good go of it in that time. Of the nine that cracked the top 25 in 2019, only two are above those levels in the last TEA report (DCA and Uni Hollywood). Regionals on the other hand seem to mostly be going well while spaces like cruising just took off.

None of that means that I don't largely agree with you that they are creating more problems for themselves then they need with many of their choices, or that they aren't heading in the wrong direction in many areas. I just don't think comparing to 2019 is reasonable at this point with as much as people, habits, the world and the economy have changed.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It was a simple comment. No need to be so super-sensitive.

It’s always the same…some vague backhanded “some people” type of thing to express the same general concept

Usually followed by wounded feelings or “I don’t know what you’re talking about? ” statement

Very Sun Tzu

And it’s not just you…I do it alot and struggle with it. So the struggle is real

And I’m not sure why the jersey week thing was your Salvo? I was harsh in my response

Too “Jois”

But it’s very real. There’s history, validity and precedent for it.

It’s also…however…thinning. Like everything else

Even the gluttons have limits

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Maybe just a general trend of people spreading out more and trying to avoid traditionally crowded weeks (at least partly due to Disney pricing, looking for less expensive weeks)

Your cited dated shows a trend of this week increasing and next decreasing (albeit still higher than week)

Correct…but that trend has been going on for at least 25 years…and repositioning takes time.

It’s not because of Covid…which is becoming a go to excuse for about everything including the Reichstag fire.

Not entirely non-strategic that the flower and garden festival length was doubled…or food and wine was tripled…or 8 Halloween things became about 50…

Not just to feed the money vacuum…originally.

Crowd dispersal was studied and implemented to varying degrees decades ago. I knew a guy who told me once.

It’s an evolution…didn’t mean peak weeks “emptied out”. A lot of them look pretty sad now.

 

[Tha Realest]

All of Ontario Canada is on vacation this week. It's the beginning of spring break month.

Aren’t they boycotting?