Low crowd trends? Is this true?

[Ignohippo]

We had dinner with a very high-up official from Universal last week. Park attendance has been up (on average) more than 300% since WWoHP opened. It has surprised even them. They have actually already starting to brainstorm possible expansions to the Potter area. Average attendance was 11,000 last year. Since Potter, they're pulling in more than 30,000 a day.

This may have an even bigger impact on Disney than anyone could've imagined.

 

[MickeyMind]

We had dinner with a very high-up official from Universal last week. Park attendance has been up (on average) more than 300% since WWoHP opened. It has surprised even them. They have actually already starting to brainstorm possible expansions to the Potter area. Average attendance was 11,000 last year. Since Potter, they're pulling in more than 30,000 a day.

This may have an even bigger impact on Disney than anyone could've imagined.

and why shouldnt it? Uni really pulled out all the stops for wwohp, they deserve all the success they get

 

[JimboJones123]

and why shouldnt it? Uni really pulled out all the stops for wwohp, they deserve all the success they get

Good, keep taking visitors from Disney. I would rather have one busy Universal day and 10 slower Disney days on my next trip for sure.

 

[the-reason14]

Epcot seemed to be pretty dead around 7 pm ish today. I was kinda shocked.

 

[Monsterfan99]

I am a 1st/2nd grade teacher in Michigan (Detroit area). The recession has hit us really hard up here. Our unemployment is still around 15%, and those that still have jobs have had to face pay/benefit cuts. And, in June thousands of teachers were pink slipped due to budget cuts. I know of MANY who had plans to go to WDW this summer, but had to cancel

True for a ton of teachers we know in IL. Nation wide teach cuts have hit over 100k and killing many summer trips.

 

[71jason]

Only anecdotal evidence, but went park-hopping yesterday. EPCOT walkways "felt" empty, like a weekday in October, unless you happened to bump into a Brazilian tour group. Went to MK around 4:00, hadn't even filled the "Duck Pond" in the parking lot yet. Went to BTMRR, only a 20 minute wait. PotC was literally a walk-on straight onto the boat. Around 6:00 went over to DHS. 20 minutes at RnRC, walked straight to the preshow door at ToT. First Fantasmic filled up, but second seemed to have plenty of open seats on either edge of the amphitheater.

Talked to some CM friends and all agreed crowds seem to be down. The popular opinion is to blame Potter, but that's obviously just word of mouth, not any sort of science.

 

[parkgoer]

forget the guy in front of me... this place is empty!!

pix taken yesterday..

 

[floridabill]

Wow!

On a serious note if harry is the reason I think it is a little ridiculous and unbelievable that a 20 acre themed land can effect a 30,000 acre resort complex! Like I understand that it is a great land....but really. It also makes me wonder to if this is effecting disney that much what about bush gardens and sea world!!!???!!

 

[RiversideBunny]

We had dinner with a very high-up official from Universal last week. Park attendance has been up (on average) more than 300% since WWoHP opened. It has surprised even them.
.

Percentages can look dramatic.
If there were one person in a room and another person walked in, that would be a 100% increase in the number of people in the room.

The long term effect of HP, e.g. a year from now, is what is really relevant. Time wise, this close to the grand opening, in the summer season, the numbers could be skewed.

 

[OFTeric]

On a serious note if harry is the reason I think it is a little ridiculous and unbelievable that a 20 acre themed land can effect a 30,000 acre resort complex! Like I understand that it is a great land....but really. It also makes me wonder to if this is effecting disney that much what about bush gardens and sea world!!!???!!

Well you should remember that SeaWorld get's bundled into a lot of Universal vacations via the Orlando Flex Tickets which come with UO, IOA, SW, BG, WnW, AQ etc... I will put some feelers out to see if I can find out how SW attendance has been so we can get a better general idea on here.

 

[OFTeric]

Percentages can look dramatic.
If there were one person in a room and another person walked in, that would be a 100% increase in the number of people in the room.

The long term effect of HP, e.g. a year from now, is what is really relevant. Time wise, this close to the grand opening, in the summer season, the numbers could be skewed.

Hurting Disney or any vacation property in the Summer Season can be the most damaging.

 

[floridabill]

Well you should remember that SeaWorld get's bundled into a lot of Universal vacations via the Orlando Flex Tickets which come with UO, IOA, SW, BG, WnW, AQ etc... I will put some feelers out to see if I can find out how SW attendance has been so we can get a better general idea on here.

ahh yes thats right I forgot about that...Well if it is potter effecting disney then it is what it is and expect nothing more IMO. I say this because people keep thinking they will push out a big project in response..but reality check they just pumped one billion into california, millions into the fantasy land expansion and are building a new park over seas. the budget must be tapped out, and disney isn't one to build while collecting debt like universal. Plus bob iger said it himself that all really big projects after CA are done! So I picture more cost cutting measures and maybe a few cheap shows but thats about it! Disney doesn't want to risk things anymore it seems, if theres a threat they find away to down grade themselves just to save money and discount heavily. I'm afraid thats the new disney.

 

[theadmiral459]

Well I was at MK saturday night 10th I was really surprised crowds were light walked on POTC and that was after the first parade peter pan was the only one the had a real wait 50 mins haunted mansion walked on went to EPCOT Sunday and crowds were really light I told my wife it felt like a ghost town even Captain EO was walk on no wait for nemo or SE It was nice and scary at the same time . Also Seaworld has taken a pretty good hit also from some people that I talked to .

 

[71jason]

Percentages can look dramatic.
If there were one person in a room and another person walked in, that would be a 100% increase in the number of people in the room.

In fairness, the room would then be twice as crowded.

On a serious note if harry is the reason I think it is a little ridiculous and unbelievable that a 20 acre themed land can effect a 30,000 acre resort complex! Like I understand that it is a great land....but really. It also makes me wonder to if this is effecting disney that much what about bush gardens and sea world!!!???!!

I'm not convinced this is all Potter--that's just the meme that seems to be spreading among CMs. That said...if it was just the economy, why is PotterLand packed all day and selling out of merchandise left and right?

Any insiders heard about hotel occupancy rates this past month? I think that would be very telling.

 

[Korfar]

It is funny how everyone's perception is different. I see some people use the term ghost town, dead, empty. We all know Disney is never any of these. I get it that compared to what would be considered "normal" attendance it may seem to be emty, dead or a ghost town. Just a funny observation. If the parks are truly down in attendance I think it has more to do with an economy that just isn't recovering like everyone hoped it would.

 

[71jason]

It is funny how everyone's perception is different. I see some people use the term ghost town, dead, empty. We all know Disney is never any of these. I get it that compared to what would be considered "normal" attendance it may seem to be emty, dead or a ghost town. Just a funny observation.

Agreed. Even on a slow day there's a good number of people. But anyone who has visited in both July and October can tell you there's a difference--and this weekend felt a lot more like an October day than a July day.

If the parks are truly down in attendance I think it has more to do with an economy that just isn't recovering like everyone hoped it would.

But again, crowds most certainly are not down at IoA--and in a month's time that park has sold out of Pigmy Puffs, Butterbeer mugs, various wands, $300 brooms... I find it hard to believe that Harry Potter fans all just happen to be financial wizards (no pun intended).

Also, construction has actually picked up here in Tourist Town. On 192, for example, a new bar-b-que place recently opened and a Buffalo Wild Wings and Alehouse are being built. Within the past month on I-Drive, Treasure Tavern and Twisted Kilt opened, and Dave & Busters announced they are moving into the old Race Rock. These are all places catering to the tourist trade.

Whatever this is, it seems to be fairly Disney-specific.

 

[Korfar]

Agreed. Even on a slow day there's a good number of people. But anyone who has visited in both July and October can tell you there's a difference--and this weekend felt a lot more like an October day than a July day.



But again, crowds most certainly are not down at IoA--and in a month's time that park has sold out of Pigmy Puffs, Butterbeer mugs, various wands, $300 brooms... I find it hard to believe that Harry Potter fans all just happen to be financial wizards (no pun intended).

Also, construction has actually picked up here in Tourist Town. On 192, for example, a new bar-b-que place recently opened and a Buffalo Wild Wings and Alehouse are being built. Within the past month on I-Drive, Treasure Tavern and Twisted Kilt opened, and Dave & Busters announced they are moving into the old Race Rock. These are all places catering to the tourist trade.

Whatever this is, it seems to be fairly Disney-specific.

We went last November, in the early half expecting small crowds. We got the exact opposite. It was very busy. Felt more like summer crowds than a typical off season. I know the free dining had something to do with that but it was still more crowded than I expected. With it being down in the summer months this appears to be a recent phenomenon. Maybe Potter does have some impact. Only the brass of Disney know for sure the effects it has on Disney World. Does anyone know if Disneyland is experiencing the same attendance issues?

 

[Christi22222]

I'm being ridiculously hopeful and delusional, I'm sure, but I would really be happy if tourists are finally showing their displeasure with Disney's lack of quality new offerings and cost cutting business plan. It has just gotten ridiculous. I just can't believe anymore that it's just us hardcore fans that notice. And even if Harry Potter isn't changing the world, per se, I have to believe it's making folks stop and say, "Why doesn't Disney have anything new like this?" Maybe young people will still come because it's a great resort, but will they come as often now that there is zero nightlife opportunity? Not even a lame option? And will families choose to spend their recession dollars at Disney when instead of getting the "only the best" message from Disney that makes the expense feel worth it, they are getting the "good enough" message while blatantly pick pocketing us for every possible thing? It can't really be only us that notice this shift in the feel, can it? It's just really hard to tell what is going on at the world with so many variables: Harry Potter, oil spill, recession, Disney quality decline. Which ones are the biggies? Or is it just the perfect storm?

 

[floridabill]

I'm being ridiculously hopeful and delusional, I'm sure, but I would really be happy if tourists are finally showing their displeasure with Disney's lack of quality new offerings and cost cutting business plan. It has just gotten ridiculous. I just can't believe anymore that it's just us hardcore fans that notice. And even if Harry Potter isn't changing the world, per se, I have to believe it's making folks stop and say, "Why doesn't Disney have anything new like this?" Maybe young people will still come because it's a great resort, but will they come as often now that there is zero nightlife opportunity? Not even a lame option? And will families choose to spend their recession dollars at Disney when instead of getting the "only the best" message from Disney that makes the expense feel worth it, they are getting the "good enough" message while blatantly pick pocketing us for every possible thing? It can't really be only us that notice this shift in the feel, can it? It's just really hard to tell what is going on at the world with so many variables: Harry Potter, oil spill, recession, Disney quality decline. Which ones are the biggies? Or is it just the perfect storm?

Said it once and ill say it again! And I am a huge disney fan..... If it is potter effecting disney then it is what it is and expect nothing more IMO. I say this because people keep thinking they will push out a big project in response..but reality check they just pumped one billion into california, millions into the fantasy land expansion and are building a new park over seas. the budget must be tapped out, and disney isn't one to build while collecting debt like universal. Plus bob iger said it himself that all really big projects after CA are done! So I picture more cost cutting measures and maybe a few cheap shows but thats about it! Disney doesn't want to risk things anymore it seems, if theres a threat they find away to down grade themselves just to save money and discount heavily. I'm afraid thats the new disney.

 

[SwooshOU]

My wife and I were teachers so over the years we would only be able to go during school breaks which meant we were used to seeing the mega crowds at Disney World.

Then we moved to Tampa and got annual passes. I was really excited to see these alleged "empty" parks in January and February.

I guess its all relative because we've gone dozens of times to the various parks mostly on the weekends, but sometmies during the week and I am always surprised to see how many people are there. There are still lines and you still have to stake out a spot for the parade and fireworks if you want a good spot. Sure, there are not as many people as during school breaks, but still not anywhere near the expectation I had established in my head as to what an "empty" park is.

They keep the parks pretty full, in my opinion.