TEA 2017 theme park attendance report released

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George Lucas on a Bench

George Lucas on a Bench

Well-Known Member
Leaked photo of Disney top brass reacting to DCA's attendance numbers:

Screenshot_20180518-165634.png
 
Rich T

Rich T

Well-Known Member
TP2000 said:
The comparison between DCA and DHS has seemed extremely suspicious for several years now, ever since the DCA rebuild was completed in 2012. They basically have the same attendance?!? I call BS on that. That seems logistically impossible when you consider that for this 2017 data DHS has five rides; ToT, RnRC, Star Tours, Midway Mania, Great Movie Ride.

That would be like DCA operating daily with only Guardians, Screamin', Soarin' with an extra theater, Midway Mania with an extra track, and Little Mermaid. You'd have to close down DCA's 16 other rides, including E Tickets Racers and Grizzly, and stop doing the DCA parade. You would then need to rely on DCA's remaining theater shows and walk-thru exhibits to soak up the crowds. Even if you cut that attendance by several million per year (which is what I think the real difference is between DCA and DHS attendance), it would kind of explain why DHS has held on to tired old shows like 1989's MuppetVision 3D.

Even the DAK numbers seem a tad suspicious and off, but not quite to the extent of DHS. I'm thinking the reality is something like DCA's numbers here are under-reported and DHS numbers are grossly over-reported. There's even some suspicion in the Magic Kingdom Park vs. Disneyland numbers, with so many rides missing at Magic Kingdom compared to Disneyland's monster roster.
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WDW tourists can be really naive and ill-informed. It's absolutely possible there are that many people going through the gates of DHS. It doesn't mean they're having fun, actually getting on any rides or not regretting their travel plans. :D
 
Phroobar

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
Rich T said:
I'm not thrilled about every change Cedar Fair's made to Knott's, but I'm almost afraid to think what today's Disney would do with the property. It's nice to have a park full of real California history and no Disney characters, Star Wars or Superheroes in sight for a change of pace.
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If I remember correctly, Disney wanted to combine Knotts with the Independence hall area across the street into a version of Disney's America. They had an industrial area in the back with Muppet coaster and a boardwalk pier area. There would be a big raft ride and a flight over America. Ghost town and Independence Hall would be the only things that stayed in tack. The Knott's family would never sell to Disney in fear of what they would do to the place.
 
Disney Irish

Disney Irish

Premium Member
Dr. Hans Reinhardt said:
Theme parks generally aren't something I enjoy or think about. I'm just not interested in spending my day in a hot theme park full of unruly teens and sticky little kids waiting in line for a 90 second thrill on some screetching off-the-shelf ride. In my younger days I couldn't get enough of it, but my interests have changed.
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Then one has to wonder why you're on a theme park board dedicated to THE theme park, daily. :p I kid.

*No need to answer, I'm just messing with you.
 
TROR

TROR

Well-Known Member
Phrubruh said:
If I remember correctly, Disney wanted to combine Knotts with the Independence hall area across the street into a version of Disney's America. They had an industrial area in the back with Muppet coaster and a boardwalk pier area. There would be a big raft ride and a flight over America. Ghost town and Independence Hall would be the only things that stayed in tack. The Knott's family would never sell to Disney in fear of what they would do to the place.
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Wonder if they could have transferred Calico Mine Train and Timber Mountain to Frontierland in such a purchase.
 
Travel Junkie

Travel Junkie

Well-Known Member
TP2000 said:
The comparison between DCA and DHS has seemed extremely suspicious for several years now, ever since the DCA rebuild was completed in 2012. They basically have the same attendance?!? I call BS on that. That seems logistically impossible when you consider that for this 2017 data DHS has five rides; ToT, RnRC, Star Tours, Midway Mania, Great Movie Ride.
Click to expand...

I don't see the #'s for DHS being even close. I admittedly go to WDW during slower times, but I have never seen any ride at DHS have more than a 45 minute wait in person. 5 rides and that many people supposedly going through the gates and you would have massive lines for the rides.

TP2000 said:
There's even some suspicion in the Magic Kingdom Park vs. Disneyland numbers, with so many rides missing at Magic Kingdom compared to Disneyland's monster roster.
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Not to mention Tokyo Disneyland. I would guess Tokyo has a larger capacity than MK and Tokyo closes to capacity quite often while MK maybe only a couple times between Christmas and New Years.

The argument that I have heard that makes sense about MK's huge number is that they count hard ticket events as separate admissions. MK has a ton of them each year (Halloween, Christmas, after hours events etc.) which adds a lot to its total.
 
M

mlayton144

Well-Known Member
TP2000 said:
The comparison between DCA and DHS has seemed extremely suspicious for several years now, ever since the DCA rebuild was completed in 2012. They basically have the same attendance?!? I call BS on that. That seems logistically impossible when you consider that for this 2017 data DHS has five rides; ToT, RnRC, Star Tours, Midway Mania, Great Movie Ride.

That would be like DCA operating daily with only Guardians, Screamin', Soarin' with an extra theater, Midway Mania with an extra track, and Little Mermaid. You'd have to close down DCA's 16 other rides, including E Tickets Racers and Grizzly, and stop doing the DCA parade. You would then need to rely on DCA's remaining theater shows and walk-thru exhibits to soak up the crowds. Even if you cut that attendance by several million per year (which is what I think the real difference is between DCA and DHS attendance), it would kind of explain why DHS has held on to tired old shows like 1989's MuppetVision 3D.

Even the DAK numbers seem a tad suspicious and off, but not quite to the extent of DHS. I'm thinking the reality is something like DCA's numbers here are under-reported and DHS numbers are grossly over-reported. There's even some suspicion in the Magic Kingdom Park vs. Disneyland numbers, with so many rides missing at Magic Kingdom compared to Disneyland's monster roster.
Click to expand...

I totally believe the numbers. Remember WDW has a much more captive audience with people spending a week plus on vacation dedicated to WDW while DLR had tons and tons of locals spending the day or night there and going home. If you are there for a week, without a car, and easy and free transportation most folks will check the in for a half day, go there to eat at SciFi or Primetime or Brown Derby, and/or stay for the nighttime shows/fireworks
 
M

mlayton144

Well-Known Member
Travel Junkie said:
The argument that I have heard that makes sense about MK's huge number is that they count hard ticket events as separate admissions. MK has a ton of them each year (Halloween, Christmas, after hours events etc.) which adds a lot to its total.
Click to expand...

You will be hard pressed to find many people outside of the West coast spending big coin and planning a week long vacation to DLR just to partake in 10 extra attractions vs WDW extra benefits of resorts , Restaurants, and more varied themed attractions, it’s just a fact
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Disney's Hollywood Studios likely benefits from park hoppers. People go in the morning, count as a click, and then go about their day somewhere else with something to do. Far too much of visiting Walt Disney World is wasting time going from place to place.
 
Ismael Flores

Ismael Flores

Well-Known Member
I had heard that WDW supposedly counts every click into each and every of the four parks. So if a guests enters Magic kingdom in the morning then head over in the evening for Hollywood studios both parks get a click count.
I also remember hearing that Anaheim doesn't do that and only counts the first click. and not a park hopping click.

whether that is true I don't know but if it is that would be the reason why all four WDW parks are able to maintain such large attendance numbers as DHS does.

Anyone in the know of how?
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Ismael Flores said:
I had heard that WDW supposedly counts every click into each and every of the four parks. So if a guests enters Magic kingdom in the morning then head over in the evening for Hollywood studios both parks get a click count.
I also remember hearing that Anaheim doesn't do that and only counts the first click. and not a park hopping click.

whether that is true I don't know but if it is that would be the reason why all four WDW parks are able to maintain such large attendance numbers as DHS does.

Anyone in the know of how?
Click to expand...
Disney established the first click methodology when EPCOT Center opened. Disneyland Resort adopted the Walt Disney World system. How Disney counts is not necessarily how AECOM counts.
 
Darkbeer1

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
The Walt Disney Company, along with every other Theme/Amusement Park uses a LOT of different Attendance numbers, including length of time in a park (exit turnstile counts, plus random surveys), which park(s) they attended, if an AP/SP, how many different times they attended, etc.

But the First Click of the day being the only one counting towards daily attendance was started with WDW and became an industry standard. This number is important towards guests coming to or staying in the resort, parking demands, etc.

I remember in the early DCA years, of CM's being forced to visit DCA first, and for guests to be signed in at DCA before parkhopping to pad attendance.

It truly makes sense, so "morning" parks at WDW do rank higher in the TEA numbers.

So TEA/AECOM does use First Click methodology, as do other parks like USO, and Cedar Fair/Merlin /Six Flags in regards to Theme Park and Water Park visits. But of course, internally they do know the total amounts entering each park in a day for other purposes.

Same with the rides, yes turnstiles are disappearing, but they are being replaced by electric eyes and other ways to count people walking past a certain point in the queue, partially due to ADA issues.
 

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