MK Daily Attendance

[Genie of the Lamp]

Is touringplans worth the subscription? I've contemplated it several times but never actually signed up.

I personally feel it's a little too pricey at $11.99 for the year's worth subscription and you can renew it and the beginning of the new year. But it's a great app and posts very accurate information be it wait times and crowd levels so I'd recommend it to a certain extent. There should be a free app of it available at the ITunes store. However I believe there's a similar one @wdwmagic offers as well but not sure. So yeah I'd recommend it to a certain extent.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Didn't say or mean that at all. Just saying you're being unrealistic for thinking that the waits should always be less than 35 minutes.

Why shouldn't it be? For $85/day, I shouldnt be waiting for anything more than 20 minutes.

And how big of a crowd is enough? Is 50k/day average (18.2 million?) enough to satisfy management?

My main point is that an average crowd at MK is horribly uncomfortable to walk around in, even with their expansion. You can only get X number people on MSUSA for Parade/Fireworks. Thats just a physical reality, no matter how many rides/attractions you add to the park.

That and I really dont want to hear management complain about attendance being "flat." Attendance is not flat, its bigger than it has ever been since 1991.

I feel that the MK has reached the saturation point where it has become so busy, people will not want to come because of the place being packed.

The other main point is this as regards to MK & New Fantasyland:

TWDC has publicly stated that they expanded MK because of an article they read in Oprah's magazine about how damn crowded MK is in the summer. Then, they expand capacity but then immediately fill it back up by marketing the crap out of it and filling the capacity that they just made.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Although I appreciate your desire for such a thing as "no wait", so far you haven't offered how to make that happen. It's nice to wish things were different, but what you wish for has to be attainable. Waiting in line is, and always has been, part of the costs of being there. They can only be avoided by not going there or not riding anything (which I think you have already said you do), so what would be the purpose of going be? Do they want them to have a special "PhotoDave219 day" where only you are allowed to go? How do you prevent the parks from being full?

True you can protest by not going there anymore, but who really loses out in that scenario, I mean, besides yourself? It seems that the only way that could ever become a reality is if you were to contact every visitor that might ever go to the place and advise them to stay home.

No, I publicly said that a 20 minute line was reasonable.

Please read before you put words in my mouth.

The point here is that average attendance of 47k/day is (IMO) uncomfortable to walk around in and makes the park feel very crowded. And thats an average day.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Although I appreciate your desire for such a thing as "no wait", so far you haven't offered how to make that happen. It's nice to wish things were different, but what you wish for has to be attainable. Waiting in line is, and always has been, part of the costs of being there. They can only be avoided by not going there or not riding anything (which I think you have already said you do), so what would be the purpose of going be? Do they want them to have a special "PhotoDave219 day" where only you are allowed to go? How do you prevent the parks from being full?

True you can protest by not going there anymore, but who really loses out in that scenario, I mean, besides yourself? It seems that the only way that could ever become a reality is if you were to contact every visitor that might ever go to the place and advise them to stay home.

Agreed! Let's hear suggestions instead of just complaints.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Agreed! Let's hear suggestions instead of just complaints.

*Fifth gate. (Boutique Star Wars Park ala Discovery Cove?)

*More rides/attractions with a high OHRC.

*Maintaining attractions properly so there is less cause for lengthy rehabs or rides going down every day.

 

[DisneyJoe]

No, I publicly said that a 20 minute line was reasonable.

Please read before you put words in my mouth.

The point here is that average attendance of 47k/day is (IMO) uncomfortable to walk around in and makes the park feel very crowded. And thats an average day.

Imho, the only way to decrease attendance is to

- make another park that draws them away from Mk
- limit attendance
- raise prices so that fewer people attend

Any other thoughts?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Imho, the only way to decrease attendance is to

- make another park that draws them away from Mk
- limit attendance
- raise prices so that fewer people attend

Any other thoughts?

MK already costs a lot, $85/day for a 1D1P. I'm not sure you can limit attendance tho, as much as I'd love it if they would.

 

[Computer Magic]

I'm no expert in how WDW rides are run, but can WDW control capacity to the rides? For instance, I was in line for Star Tours and it seemed like they open more ride simulators. The line started moving faster and moving us to the last ride simulator. My point being I wonder if WDW is keeping low ride capacity during high peek times. This to reduce operating expense and turning a bigger profit?

 

[PhotoDave219]

My point being I wonder if WDW is keeping low ride capacity during high peek times. This to reduce operating expense and turning a bigger profit?

Thats an excellent question.

 

[George]

TWDC has publicly stated that they expanded MK because of an article they read in Oprah's magazine about how damn crowded MK is in the summer. Then, they expand capacity but then immediately fill it back up by marketing the crap out of it and filling the capacity that they just made.

Really? I need to get my "Start kicking a$$ again or at least put some Christmas decorations up at EPCOT" article published in Oprah Magazine.

 

[openendedsky]

Why shouldn't it be? For $85/day, I shouldnt be waiting for anything more than 20 minutes.

And how big of a crowd is enough? Is 50k/day average (18.2 million?) enough to satisfy management?

My main point is that an average crowd at MK is horribly uncomfortable to walk around in, even with their expansion. You can only get X number people on MSUSA for Parade/Fireworks. Thats just a physical reality, no matter how many rides/attractions you add to the park.

That and I really dont want to hear management complain about attendance being "flat." Attendance is not flat, its bigger than it has ever been since 1991.

I feel that the MK has reached the saturation point where it has become so busy, people will not want to come because of the place being packed.

The other main point is this as regards to MK & New Fantasyland:

TWDC has publicly stated that they expanded MK because of an article they read in Oprah's magazine about how damn crowded MK is in the summer. Then, they expand capacity but then immediately fill it back up by marketing the crap out of it and filling the capacity that they just made.

They're just upset that they can't cram even more people into the parks.

I'm no expert in how WDW rides are run, but can WDW control capacity to the rides? For instance, I was in line for Star Tours and it seemed like they open more ride simulators. The line started moving faster and moving us to the last ride simulator. My point being I wonder if WDW is keeping low ride capacity during high peek times. This to reduce operating expense and turning a bigger profit?

And this is a very possible and valid point. I was talking to my boyfriend about this and how the Tomorrowland Speedway (possibly a bad example) about how it almost always seems like it has a 40+ minute line, even when it's near park closing and it seems like not many people are actually on the ride.

 

[DisneyJoe]

*Fifth gate. (Boutique Star Wars Park ala Discovery Cove?).

- I can't see this drawing enough people away from the Mk on a consistent basis - and discovery cove has limited attendance and a high price point.

Let's face it, MK is THE main draw for visitors to Orlando, there's a reason many get confused and call IT DisneyWorld.

 

[George]

Also, is management really so out of touch that they have to read an article about how crowded MK has gotten in the summer before they consider doing anything about it? That's stupendous if that is the case.

 

[PhotoDave219]

- I can't see this drawing enough people away from the Mk on a consistent basis - and discovery cove has limited attendance and a high price point.

Let's face it, MK is THE main draw for visitors to Orlando, there's a reason many get confused and call IT DisneyWorld.

Which brings us full circle: How many people in the parks is too many?

 

[Computer Magic]

Which brings us full circle: How many people in the parks is too many?

more than 2

 

[DisneyJoe]

Which brings us full circle: How many people in the parks is too many?

Whatever feels too many for that person. For someone from Kansas, 10k may feel too crowded, for someone from Japan, it may not feel crowded until it gets to 75k.

It's all relative.

 

[luv]

Is touringplans worth the subscription? I've contemplated it several times but never actually signed up.

I think it is. I think it really, really is.

If you have a UG, you get a big discount, so it's like $7. If you don't, it's what? $12.00? Not a lot at all and you get so much with it. I joke that Len Testa should set up a payment plan and charge $1.00 a month.

I'd pay it for the Lines app alone, but I also love that you can make CUSTOMIZED touring plans (!), with just the stuff you want to do. Then there is the crowd calendar and oh, so much more.

I am a big fan of the book and possibly a bigger fan of the website.

I don't plug many things (and they certainly don't pay me for this, lol), but I think all disney planners should get this.

 

[flynnibus]

If >20mins feels like too much of a commitment.. maybe you've reached saturation with the product and need a break.

 

[Computer Magic]

If >20mins feels like too much of a commitment.. maybe you've reached saturation with the product and need a break.

Only speaking for myself, that might be true. When I walk up to a ride and see it > 30 mins, I think well I've been on that ride so I'm not waiting. Where as if its a new ride, I'm might wait 45 min. I think society in general don't have patient for waiting. All this multitasking. I think Disney knows this and trying to implement interactive queues.

I do however think Disney is not opening up the rides to full capacity.

 

[PhotoDave219]

If >20mins feels like too much of a commitment.. maybe you've reached saturation with the product and need a break.

... or the park has hit oversaturation with guests.

Flip side of things - Tonight was a pleasant surprise. Got there at 8 and the crowd was much lighter than expected. You could get a great seat for the parade up till 815-830 on MSUSA. Very easy to walk around and it didnt feel crowded at all. Wait times were 20 or less. Cheerleaders everywhere but still a very enjoyable time.