Magic Kingdom Capacity ?

[gonnichi]

I had heard that FLE was built to increase Capacity. It was not built to combat the opening of Harry Potter in IOA. Is this true? I don't really see a lot of added capacity in FLE. There is a new Restaurant, tavern, new restrooms, new meet and greets, a new larger walkway thru Fantasyland and new shops. how much Capacity is gained with these? The mine train replaces 20,000 leagues, TLM ride replaces Snow White, Tangled restrooms replaces the Skyway. How much actual capacity is gained compared to the old Fantasyland? Does Storybook Circus hold a lot more capacity than Toontown Fair did? I have heard that peak capacity for MK is somewhere between 60,000 and 100,000, does anyone know what the actual Number is? Does anyone know how much capacity was gained from FLE, the Magic Kingdom is always so crowded I hope it is a large amount.

 

[ImagineerDude]

Yes it's true! But I don't know the exact amount of capacity, I'm hoping it's a lot for Monstrous Summer event which I'm going to @gonnichi

 

[momof1princess]

...just take this as a joke...but the added capacity is in the new lines. Lines for BOG, lines with no fast pass for Belle, lines for the new Ariel ride. Anyway, that's where we saw the people in new Fantasyland in April!

 

[gonnichi]

...just take this as a joke...but the added capacity is in the new lines. Lines for BOG, lines with no fast pass for Belle, lines for the new Ariel ride. Anyway, that's where we saw the people in new Fantasyland in April!

Well if there are longer lines now in the FLE area I hope that means that the lines for other attractions in the park are now shorter.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Capacity is increased as a result of New Fantasyland, but my undertstanding is that capacity is a function of existing facilities as well as staffing. A cast member may be able to confirm that, but I think it's a moving number.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Yes, capacity has increased. Say what you will about quality, but the Little Mermaid is a people-eater--as the Mine Train should be, as well. And BoG is a big restaurant. Plus we have more potties and just more space.

 

[JenniferS]

Capacity does not mean more things to actually "do" - just more room to move around on your way to various attractions (which in WDW-ese includes: rides, restaurants, potties and benches).

 

[muteki]

It's still a bit 2 steps back, 3 steps forward though. They can't ignore the fact that prior to FLE, capacity existed in some of the space occupied by it. At least until all is said and done, they are reclaiming capacity, not creating it.

 

[WDW95]

I think what people always forget in talking about New Fantasyland is the fact that it was built at the Magic Kingdom. Magic Kingdom is the most visited theme park in the world and has the highest attendance of all Disney parks. Magic Kingdom has a draw of its own and in my opinion I feel that major expansions would not be necessary to drive attendance up. If Disney were concerned about obtaining more guests to WDW, I think would think that they would expand Epcot, DHS, or DAK rather than expanding the most visited park in the world. MK attracts over 17 million guests a year. Epcot, DHS, and DAK attract around 10 million a year. Universal Studios and IOA attract only 6 million and 8 million respectively. Each year nearly fifty million guests go to WDW while less than 15 million go to UOR.

People I think would continue to go to MK regardless of any expansion honestly. They go to re-visit the classics. Even if people were going to Potter, most likely if they were in Orlando they would end up at least at Magic Kingdom. And this was the problem with MK. People would keep coming back to MK and attendance was increasing. However, capacity issues would come into play. Where would all these people go? Of course Fantasyland is the most popular land with the most amount of rides in the closest proximity. The walkways there are/were some of the most congested in the entire park.

By building the expansion, it allowed for a much wider, secondary pathway through the land to alleviate the crowds. It removed Dumbo from being in the middle of the land where everyone would walk through to the side while increasing capacity and cutting wait times. Before people would really only go to Toontown for Barnstormer and the tents. The new expansion added something to Fantasyland which was missing, landscaping. Lush trees and forests will give the area much needed greenery and once the Mine Train is complete it should complete the design and add a lot more shade to the land which got pretty hot. Mermaid is a people eater and brings an attraction to the far side of the land, away from the main action in the park. Also, the ride was planned to be built in conjunction with DCA's ride. If the expansion had been full of new rides everywhere, it would have repeated the congestion problems of Old Fantasyland. In the park there needs to be spaces of openness.

 

[wdwgreek]

Mermaid’s dark ride is not comparable to SWSA capacity, one is a large omnimover. Mermaid has a capacity of 2000 riders per hour. SWSA capacity hovers under 1000, Mermaid doubles the capacity and has a longer line still then SWSA did on its best days. The extra Dumbo adds 600 per hour, which I suppose is comparable to what Mickey’s and Minnie’s house did, so that’s a wash. Casey Junior is comparable to Donald’s boat. Be Our Guest is a hug restaurant that’s packed with 500 people all day, and Enchanted tales with Belle is proving to be extremely popular.

Also saying that the expansion is replacing 20,000 leagues under the sea and the sky ride is an invalid statement, both of those things have been dead for over a decade before NFL was dreamed up. The capacity of 20,000 Leagues was small given its ride system, and same goes for the skyway. The skyway sat vacant, and 20,000 leagues become a pooh meet and greet and the original grotto, If you want to say NFL makes up for 20,000 leagues former capacity you are arguing in the wrong league. *snare drum* While they both occupy the same space, NFL have triple the capacity of that single former attraction easy.
Edit- I forgot there is still another attraction and store being built...

 

[olinecoach61]

Well if there are longer lines now in the FLE area I hope that means that the lines for other attractions in the park are now shorter.

In theory it should work this way.

 

[momof1princess]

In theory it should work this way.

And in theory the FP return line for Splash should never pass the gift shop.

 

[olinecoach61]

And in theory the FP return line for Splash should never pass the gift shop.

Lol!

 

[KCL]

And in theory the FP return line for Splash should never pass the gift shop.

Oh no, it really gets that bad? In January, I went back for the first time in 20 years and they were refurbishing Splash Mountain. We're going back for a DCL/WDW trip at the end of the month and this is one of the few attractions I still have to ride.

 

[momof1princess]

Oh no, it really gets that bad? In January, I went back for the first time in 20 years and they were refurbishing Splash Mountain. We're going back for a DCL/WDW trip at the end of the month and this is one of the few attractions I still have to ride.

Don't fret, summer is busy, but that was at Easter/Spring Break. Just don't wait until after noon.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

New Fantasyland wasn't really built to increase capacity.
It was built to provide an upscale restaurant and new food options that increase income. That, on a business level, was the ONLY reason it was built. Everything else is all "show" including the new attractions. It was not built to compete with WWOHP, though it has certainly helped to bring in more crowds since it opened. Next to nobody is going to go to the MK to ride the new Ariel dark ride as any type of comparison to HP. Florida locals who haven't gone for years will go to see something new, no matter what that new is. Each return visit of someone who hasn't been there for years is a monetary win. Those who buy lunch there another win. Those who plan 6-months in advance and then have an expensive dinner with alcoholic drinks is a triple win.
That, is short, is why the expansion was built, not to improve the visitor "experience" -- they didn't need to do anything for that.

 

[ToTBellHop]

New Fantasyland wasn't really built to increase capacity.
It was built to provide an upscale restaurant and new food options that increase income. That, on a business level, was the ONLY reason it was built. Everything else is all "show" including the new attractions. It was not built to compete with WWOHP, though it has certainly helped to bring in more crowds since it opened. Next to nobody is going to go to the MK to ride the new Ariel dark ride as any type of comparison to HP. Florida locals who haven't gone for years will go to see something new, no matter what that new is. Each return visit of someone who hasn't been there for years is a monetary win. Those who buy lunch there another win. Those who plan 6-months in advance and then have an expensive dinner with alcoholic drinks is a triple win.
That, is short, is why the expansion was built, not to improve the visitor "experience" -- they didn't need to do anything for that.

Eh, I think it does attract visitors. I've heard quite a few people up here in CT mention seeing the FL construction over the last couple years and they all voice a feeling of wanting to return to see the finished product. Of course, actual guest reviews of the finished product have been tepid and won't generate much long-term buzz (while WWoHP still has buzz around it b/c it's a spectacular offering). And it certainly was built to increase capacity (and spending). The MK is too popular for its attraction count. It sees more guests than Disneyland and Disneyland has substantially more attractions.

 

[steve2wdw]

The FLE increased the guest area footprint of the park, thereby increasing the capacity of the park. The additional attractions, restaurant, shops and most importantly, walkways, all added elbow room to the MK, thereby allowing more guests to be in the park at any given time.

 

[doctornick]

It sees more guests than Disneyland and Disneyland has substantially more attractions.

But MK has substantially more room, in terms of total footprint, compared to DL. So, there's more space (especially larger walkways and just more open areas) for guests to be than in DL. The park doesn't feel as crowded/congested even with the same numbers of people.

Also, I'd be curious as to the actual ride capacity of MK versus DL. DL has more rides, to be sure, but not a massive amount more. And some of WDW's versions of rides (like Dumbo and Space Mountain) have more capacity than their DL equivalent so I wouldn't be surprised if the total ride put through per hour is not that dissimilar between the two parks.

 

[cheezbat]

They really need not only more foot traffic space in Magic Kingdom but more rides and attractions to spread people out. In my opinion they wasted space in this FL expansion. They should have built what they did further back, even if that meant rerouting current infrastructure. That way they could have added another two or three dark rides. I also look at the Speedway and the massive footprint it takes up. Just think of what they could do with that space as well as the expansion pad/retention area behind it!