TEA- 2010 Theme Park Attendance Figures

[Master Yoda]

I will start off by saying that any theme park increasing their attendance by 30% in an incredible feat.

But........

IOA had been in attendance free fall since 2007. If we look at their attendance from 2007 (their highest attendance before 2010) the increase is only about 9%. Still a pretty huge jump but the 30% is a shade misleading.

As most have said we shall see if this trend holds. Personally I think they will peak somewhere in the 7 million range.

 

[jt04]

Don't forget to add your first Disneyland visit in 2012 into the headcount for that year!

Disneyland should have another strong year in 2011 with another modest increase in attendance. This summer with Star Tours in Tomorrowland and the new Soundsational Parade should keep crowds healthy at Disneyland if not increase them modestly, while there's not much new at Magic Kingdom Park in 2011 to pull extra people in (DHS gets the similar Star Tours bump that Disneyland does, possibly pulling more out of Magic Kingdom in '11).

But I'm not sure that will be enough to make up a million person difference between 2010 and 2011.

It's getting closer and closer every year by a few hundred thousand, but there's still a solid Million visitors more at Magic Kingdom Park than there is at Disneyland.

1. Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World, 16.972 Million -1.5%
2. Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort, 15.980 Million +0.5%

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The only shot DL has of surpassing the MK is next year when Carsland opens. But FLE will also be opening some stuff so getting that number 1 spot will be quite difficult for DL. DCA attendance could draw guests from DL also but it almost definitely will see an increase next year. My guess is the MK will see a bigger percentage increase than DL in 2012.

WDW is not going to give up the title of having the number 1 attended theme park easily.

I also think that if the numbers were broken down WDW's decreases are largely due to locals going to IoA and spending scarce entertainment dollars to experience the new attractions there. In the long run though I think they will return to Disney. That they are extending park hours and adding shows at DHS could indicate that is already happening.

 

[PhilharMagician]

Interesting to see AK pop up above DHS...considering AK hasn't had squat added to it.
I wonder if the expansions at DCA and the fact that MK's expansions won't open for another year could infact push DL over MK for 2011's most visited park. I think DCA will bring some people out to both parks that maybe haven't visited in awhile...I'm definitely expecting to see an uptick at both parks once Carsland opens.

That'll teach TDO!

Ak has not added anything, but Star Tours was closed much of 2010. Sunset Blvd and Pixar Place were so overcrowded without Star Tours to help draw crowds across the park. Then take into effect that Star Tours was closed a good percentage of last year and it really is not surprising.

My hats off to the Managment at Universal Parks for a very good year in the states and mostly the 30% gain for IOA.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Harry Potter is amazing, but still look at the fact that despite a 30% increase in attendance, IoA didn't come close to the least attended Disney park.

The declined numbers at the MK despite the discounting says more about Disney than any of the Uni numbers listed. What happens if these numbers fall even more due to the most recent set of increases? This list is just more evidence that Disney seems to be competing more with itself than other local attractions.

Again, not a statement of quality or growth, simply looking at the business side.

People are also anticipating that these numbers will somehow keep growing at IoA indefinitely, which is unlikely.

I visit Universal parks, and really hope they push Disney to do more, but I'm just not sure that these numbers scream competition.

 

[autigger]

Ak has not added anything, but Star Tours was closed much of 2010. Sunset Blvd and Pixar Place were so overcrowded without Star Tours to help draw crowds across the park. Then take into effect that Star Tours was closed a good percentage of last year and it really is not surprising.
QUOTE]


I agree.

Plus, Fantasmic! was severely cut back on number of performances and DHS has pretty much given up on having an afternoon parade.

DHS should actually be encouraged by this “slight” drop when you consider how much they have cut back.

 

[xdan0920]

Does anyone have Magic Kingdom and IOA respective capacities? I think a more fair comparison would be to see how full the parks are percentage wise.

So take MK capacity multiply it by 365, then divide by attendance. Do the same for IOA and see how they stack up.

 

[Master Yoda]

Does anyone have Magic Kingdom and IOA respective capacities? I think a more fair comparison would be to see how full the parks are percentage wise.

So take MK capacity multiply it by 365, then divide by attendance. Do the same for IOA and see how they stack up.

I know Disney guards those numbers quite closely. All of the estimates I have heard are so far apart that using them for comparison would be next to useless.

 

[Did Knee]

The AK bump got me thinking. First of all, I don't believe things happen without a reason, so let me throw this out for discussion: Didn't Seaworld take a huge PR hit last year with the whole Orca "killer whale" debacle? Maybe the "eco-tourist" zoo crowd voted with its feet at that point and chose Animal Kingdom over Seaworld? Is that a possibility?

 

[jt04]

The AK bump got me thinking. First of all, I don't believe things happen without a reason, so let me throw this out for discussion: Didn't Seaworld take a huge PR hit last year with the whole Orca "killer whale" debacle? Maybe the "eco-tourist" zoo crowd voted with its feet at that point and chose Animal Kingdom over Seaworld? Is that a possibility?

I thought the same thing but it could also be that DAK is benefitting from good word of mouth over time and that the park is slowly building momentum through the years. It really is a park that is hard to appreciate at first. But as people 'get' the aesthetics they are able to educate others. I wonder sometimes if Disney really understands the potential of the park. Another explanation for the bump is more people finding out about the relatively new DVC.

 

[Did Knee]

I thought the same thing but it could also be that DAK is benefitting from good word of mouth over time and that the park is slowly building momentum through the years. It really is a park that is hard to appreciate at first. But as people 'get' the aesthetics they are able to educate others. I wonder sometimes if Disney really understands the potential of the park. Another explanation for the bump is more people finding out about the relatively new DVC.

This is also true. there are probably several factors involved including what we both brought up and some we hadn't thought of yet. :drevil:

 

[Lucky]

Looks like IOA/Universal could be stealing a lot of Sea World's traffic.

9. Sea World, Orlando, 5.1 Million -12.1%
12. Sea World, San Diego, 3.8 Million -9.5%

Sea World is the big loser and the park people give up the most to visit Potterland.

.

But Sea World San Diego was close behind as the 2nd biggest loser. So it seems to be more about Sea World in general, and not mostly due to Potter.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Well so far DCA doesn't seem to profit too much from the 1 billion expansion, perhaps this will change when Cars Land opens.

The 1 billion expansion didn't include any new attractions that opened in 2010. World of Color wasn't part of the 1 billion investment. 2010 saw the opening of Silly Symphony Swings, but numerous construction walls and a few attraction closures that decreased capacity. I expect the real reflection of the DCA makeover to show up in 2012-2013.

Ak has not added anything, but Star Tours was closed much of 2010. Sunset Blvd and Pixar Place were so overcrowded without Star Tours to help draw crowds across the park. Then take into effect that Star Tours was closed a good percentage of last year and it really is not surprising.

My hats off to the Managment at Universal Parks for a very good year in the states and mostly the 30% gain for IOA.

Ak has not added anything, but Star Tours was closed much of 2010. Sunset Blvd and Pixar Place were so overcrowded without Star Tours to help draw crowds across the park. Then take into effect that Star Tours was closed a good percentage of last year and it really is not surprising.

I agree.

Plus, Fantasmic! was severely cut back on number of performances and DHS has pretty much given up on having an afternoon parade.

DHS should actually be encouraged by this “slight” drop when you consider how much they have cut back.

The AK bump got me thinking. First of all, I don't believe things happen without a reason, so let me throw this out for discussion: Didn't Seaworld take a huge PR hit last year with the whole Orca "killer whale" debacle? Maybe the "eco-tourist" zoo crowd voted with its feet at that point and chose Animal Kingdom over Seaworld? Is that a possibility?

Star Tours being down is likely the biggest culprit here. However the way attendance is counted is typically the first park that someone visits. Given the change in Fantasmic's schedule you're more apt to see people hopping to Hollywood Studios to see Fantasmic.

 

[Goofy6294]

I think it's just a weird bump for no reason. DAK and DHS have always been neck and neck in terms of attendance.

I think the numbers are very telling at WDW. They're pretty much stagnant, but considering all the discounting for 2010, I would have guessed they'd go up a little.

I read an interesting section of the Unofficial Guide last night about WDW ticket price increases, and a theory that within a couple of years, Disney is gonna be in trouble. Less park attendance means less hotel occupancy, etc.

Although the attendance at the Disney parks is still about 3 to 1 to the Universal Parks, Universal continues to give people more of what they want and change things up.

In any case, this report while it looks good on paper for Disney, has to be rather concerning with the increase at Universal.

I think that having stagnant growth for 2010 should be chalked up to a success, given the state of not only the U.S.'s economy, but Europe's as well (re: UK visitors). That said, I'm sure that WDW's revenue per visitor must have suffered due to all of the discounts required to keep the attendance numbers where they were.

I will start off by saying that any theme park increasing their attendance by 30% in an incredible feat.

But........

IOA had been in attendance free fall since 2007. If we look at their attendance from 2007 (their highest attendance before 2010) the increase is only about 9%. Still a pretty huge jump but the 30% is a shade misleading.

As most have said we shall see if this trend holds. Personally I think they will peak somewhere in the 7 million range.

I totally agree. For IoA to overtake MK, it would have to grow at a compounded rate of 30% per year for the next four years, with MK experiencing no growth whatsoever, and there would obviously be a need for additional infrastructure that would run in the hundreds of millions to facilitate that much growth. It will be interesting to see what IoA's terminal velocity is over the next few years.

Does anyone have Magic Kingdom and IOA respective capacities? I think a more fair comparison would be to see how full the parks are percentage wise.

So take MK capacity multiply it by 365, then divide by attendance. Do the same for IOA and see how they stack up.

That would be golden if it was shared!

 

[lazyboy97o]

I believe this is the 1st year IOA has beaten Universal Studios. No surprise there though.

I think it is also the first time that a second gate has surpassed the original gate in attendance.

What happened in 2010 to give Animal Kingdom a slight boost while the other three WDW parks declined slightly? What am I forgetting they added to that park in 2010, or is it just a weird little bump for DAK for no apparent reason?

I think it is many people realizing that first thing in the morning is the best time to go see the animals, before the park gets hot. Disney seems to be following with the character breakfast buffet added a few years ago and the elimination of Evening Extra Magic Hours.

As most have said we shall see if this trend holds. Personally I think they will peak somewhere in the 7 million range.

May 2007 is when The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was first announced with much fanfare. I think there is enough at the Resort to help attendance hold steady, especially if they continue with incremental additions like are lined up for 2012. Holding off on the rumored big announcements (if they are true) like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion and Transformers over at Universal Studios Florida would probably help as well.

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

I don't think that UOA will ever even get near to challenging the MK, not even with the Harry Potter additions. Even the DAK is still far out of their range. It will be interesting to see how they will expand WWoHP in the next years because actually the entire land features so far only one real HP-ride, HP and the forbidden Journey with the two others being only rethemed older rollercoasters. What's next? Perhaps Diagonalley? Or the Forbidden Forest?

 

[xdan0920]

I don't think that UOA will ever even get near to challenging the MK, not even with the Harry Potter additions. Even the DAK is still far out of their range. It will be interesting to see how they will expand WWoHP in the next years because actually the entire land features so far only one real HP-ride, HP and the forbidden Journey with the two others being only rethemed older rollercoasters. What's next? Perhaps Diagonalley? Or the Forbidden Forest?

It will never get close to MK because it is just not able to handle that many people. IOA I would think has a much lower capacity then the MK. It's like expecting a 7-11 to keep pace with a Shoprite.

 

[Captain Chaos]

But Sea World San Diego was close behind as the 2nd biggest loser. So it seems to be more about Sea World in general, and not mostly due to Potter.

Maybe people have listened to Bob Barker????

Bob Barker Does Not Want You To Go To SeaWorld

 

[Testtrack321]

IoA's gains are damn impressive... but this doesn't offset their plummet from a few years ago. I remember when IoA was pulling 6+ million...

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

I think it is time for Bob Barker to go for a swim with Tilikum at Seaworld.

As far as the topic... great to see the declines at WDW and the increase at Uni as it may wake up some folks at TDO, but I doubt it. I think over the next few years the numbers will trend the same way. The number of repeat visitors to WDW will lessen unless they(WDW/TDO) go back to the yearly additions/improvements. It will be interesting to see if the FLE is enough to draw back some folks next year and for how long with no further additions??

 

[trs518]

I seem to remember that Disney doesn't release per park attendance, so that means that these numbers in regards to Disney Parks are only estimates. With Disney controlling all aspects of the environment, I would be curious to know how accurate the estimates are.