News Park attendance showing significant softness heading into the Fall 2018

[RustySpork]

It will all work out. I think it is interesting that they may be looking seriously at New E tickets for DAK and DHS sooner rather than later. May be seeing higher than anticipated hotel reservations for 2019 and beyond.

So much winning.

There's no doubt that it will all work out, they're not going to go out of business anytime soon.

 

[peter11435]

I’ve been going regularly for years (on and previously off season), and MK fireworks were never wknd only that I can recall... even during Great Recession... unless I blocked it out...? I don’t see that happening.

MK fireworks were only on “special nights” for many many years. The nearly nightly fireworks didn’t become a year round regularity until Wishes.

 

[asianway]

MK fireworks were only on “special nights” for many many years. The nearly nightly fireworks didn’t become a year round regularity until Wishes.

I thought it was the 25 year celebration in 96- @marni1971 ?

 

[peter11435]

I thought it was the 25 year celebration in 96- @marni1971 ?

They were nightly for the 25th. But it didn’t continue like that uninterrupted afterwards.

 

[marni1971]

I thought it was the 25 year celebration in 96- @marni1971 ?

I want to say they went nightly for the 25th but went selected again for a time before Wishes but can’t say for sure.

 

[marni1971]

Could it be possible this is a realignment rather than cuts due to expected crowds next year and a very tight labor market?

All indications shown to me are budget savings due to softer than anticipated attendance. Like I’ve said earlier I really hope it’s not long term.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

MK fireworks were only on “special nights” for many many years. The nearly nightly fireworks didn’t become a year round regularity until Wishes.

Yes — true at times years ago — but never wknd only unless I blocked that out — right?

 

[peter11435]

Yes — true at times years ago — but never wknd only unless I blocked that out — right?

Select days and weekends only are not all that different.

 

[flynnibus]

If I didn't have such an innate wanting to go because of the years of going as a kid in the 70s/80s...

This is the part “Disney is a business” justifiers miss. Disney is what it is today based on the generations of brand champions and loyalist they built through impressing those customers. That reputation and the repeat business of those loyalists is what solidified the Disney Brand and how its perceived for DECADES.

When Disney throws that mindset away and is satisfied with "Good Enough" or "They'll still pay..." you no longer build champions. You cycle customers through.. and it becomes harder and harder to convince customers of what your Brand really means. Success here is not measured in today's revenues... Brand building and protection is a multi-year, and in Disney's case, almost a generational thing to track and invest in.

 

[flynnibus]

Or HEA.

HEA doesn't have lots of outside vendors operating resturants depending on your main evening draw... (while half the park closes before the dinner rush even finishes).

Fireworks in the castle park not being nightly is a thing.. and was more common in the past, and is still common in Disneyland. It's not a far fetch for MK to try it...

 

[flynnibus]

Remember in 2009: Two showings of Fantasmic, fully see them doing that again

They can't convince that many suckers to see the same tired show anymore even if they wanted to... regardless of cost savings.

 

[SirLink]

Absolutely. Fantasmic, ROL, and HEA I could all see being cut back. Just not ROE

I could though, force everyone who wants to dine in and see the fireworks:
- move to a weekend to reduce operations of restaurants earlier in the week.
- enable them to create a dining add on with reserved fastpass.
- enable them to remove the fastpass+ for day guests

 

[peter11435]

I could though, force everyone who wants to dine in and see the fireworks:
- move to a weekend to reduce operations of restaurants earlier in the week.
- enable them to create a dining add on with reserved fastpass.
- enable them to remove the fastpass+ for day guests

I don’t see the dozen participant operated restaurants getting onboard with this.

I’m not sure what you’re getting at exactly with your second two bullets.

 

[SirLink]

I don’t see the dozen participant operated restaurants getting onboard with this.

I’m not sure what you’re getting at exactly with your second two bullets.

Upcharge and the only way you get good views.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Recessions only break bad business models. That is Cramer not Confucius.

WDW has experienced a crushing downtown in every economic retraction...every single one.

So to predict 4 years of “boom” when you’re already overdue for a correction is a bit silly.

 

[peter11435]

Upcharge and the only way you get good views.

Doesn’t help the participants.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It will all work out. I think it is interesting that they may be looking seriously at New E tickets for DAK and DHS sooner rather than later. May be seeing higher than anticipated hotel reservations for 2019 and beyond.

So much winning.

This is like a “fairy unicorn” post or something?

What does “looking at new e tickets mean”?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I love how attendance is down and at least to many people posting here, its because it rained last year.

Sure hurricanes happen, but look at the history, the odds of getting a hurricane at Disney World is very, very low. Even last year. The park was affected by storms something like 4 days max. out of 183 days in the hurricane season, that's only 2% of the time, or 1% of the year. Then figure the park has only closed a handful of times in almost 50 years.... you have a very, very tiny chance of being their ever during a hurricane.

Which is why I will be there first week of November, and while I will certainly look at the forecast, I won't worry about hurricanes.

That’s a messed up comment.

 

[SirLink]

Doesn’t help the participants.

They weren't guaranteed that a fireworks show running every night though either.

 

[jt04]

WDW has experienced a crushing downtown in every economic retraction...every single one.

So to predict 4 years of “boom” when you’re already overdue for a correction is a bit silly.

Crushing? The latest quarterly numbers don't reflect this unless I missed something.