TEA/AECOM 2013 Report

[ScoutN]

I have struggled with TEA's results annually as some operators don't release figures and others don't break them down etc ...

The end result always seems to be the MK is right where the WDC wants it, regardless of any reality that might place TDL or DL above it.


Anyone who has been to TDL can tell you that MK only approaches their typical crowds about two weeks a year, if that.

While I can buy that the MK saw a slight increase in 2013, a six percent jump that conveniently leaps it over a huge (and verifiable) jump at TDL (30th Anniversary was huge) just reeks ... As does the convenient perfect two percent increases at WDW third and fourth gates that pushed them over ...ahem ..ah ...10 million visitors. All the parkhopping and insane people who go to this park at opening to ride TSMM just don't make those numbers remotely believable to me.

I have to get back to the real world, while people here can deal with latest dolt who is going to preach about mythical fifth gates and such.

I chuckled at DHS average guests per day number.

 

[wm49rs]

I guess having a professional organization report numbers is not acceptable to you. You obviously know more than I could ever know and I am just stupid for believing an impartial organization. After all we all know Universal has the best attended theme parks in the world.

Fairly certain that's not what he said (indeed, Universal wasn't even mentioned in his post), but rationale is your particular kryptonite. Akin to monorail footers, if you will....

 

[PhotoDave219]

I don't believe for a second that Tokyo Disneyland is seeing over 1 million fewer guests per year than the Magic Kingdom. That's even accounting for park size and my estimations of capacity.

Since the OLC releases its attendance numbers (and their TEA aggregate is more or less accurate based on the OLC's last FY report), I suspect the Walt Disney World parks all have at least slightly inflated numbers.

For MK? 18 mil sounds right and it feels 50k a day. The other parks? It does seem overestimated.

 

[twebber55]

I look at it good for both resorts....for Uni to grow by a million people the year before DA opens is pretty remarkable to me, also NFL obviously must be looked at as a success increasing MK by 6% (not just people eater)
next year will be interesting to see how Uni does with DA opening

 

[Bolna]

I guess having a professional organization report numbers is not acceptable to you. You obviously know more than I could ever know and I am just stupid for believing an impartial organization. After all we all know Universal has the best attended theme parks in the world.

Not sure what your field of personal or professional expertise is, but have you never come across a study or news story about something you know a lot about and felt that some of the things in there are if not totally wrong at least not quite right? I can tell you that I have come across this quite often, in areas totally unrelated to Mickey and friends.

Those numbers are mainly guess work (except for the parks that actually release attendance, which WDW is not one of). They might be informed guesswork, considering that TEA should have knowledge of the industry. But AECOM is a company that serves all kind of industries, so is not a specialist at all. Of course there is the possibility that those numbers are off.

There are people in the world however, who know the attendance figures for every single WDW park. They sit in offices at TWDC. Would it be so unimaginable that some of these numbers find their way out of these offices the same way as attraction blueprints for unannounced attractions?

 

[roodlesnouter]

More interesting figures would be guest spend per head but I guess we will never be privy to those.

 

[Bolna]

An interesting thought that I had when looking at the methods used for the numbers: they say that they depend on historic numbers. Now those would be estimates as well. Could it be possible that those numbers are just a continuation of former incorrect numbers? Maybe the 2% increases for DHS is correct, but the starting point is incorrect?

 

[seascape]

I look at it good for both resorts....for Uni to grow by a million people the year before DA opens is pretty remarkable to me, also NFL obviously must be looked at as a success increasing MK by 6% (not just people eater)
next year will be interesting to see how Uni does with DA opening

Universal should have 10 to 15 percent increase but not enough to pass either DHS or AK.

 

[GLaDOS]

Maybe the 2% increases for DHS is correct, but the starting point is incorrect?

Increases are correct, overall numbers are not.

 

[twebber55]

Universal should have 10 to 15 percent increase but not enough to pass either DHS or AK.

im going higher for universal more like 20% closing in on 10 000 000
just my opinion of course

 

[danlb_2000]

This for one



A park with 7-8 rides depending on what you count as a ride, simply does not have the capacity to average 30K a day.

Having 30K people in the park a day is different from having 30K pass through the gates each day.

 

[seascape]

Not sure what your field of personal or professional expertise is, but have you never come across a study or news story about something you know a lot about and felt that some of the things in there are if not totally wrong at least not quite right? I can tell you that I have come across this quite often, in areas totally unrelated to Mickey and friends.

Those numbers are mainly guess work (except for the parks that actually release attendance, which WDW is not one of). They might be informed guesswork, considering that TEA should have knowledge of the industry. But AECOM is a company that serves all kind of industries, so is not a specialist at all. Of course there is the possibility that those numbers are off.

There are people in the world however, who know the attendance figures for every single WDW park. They sit in offices at TWDC. Would it be so unimaginable that some of these numbers find their way out of these offices the same way as attraction blueprints for unannounced attractions?

Of course these are estimates but most likely better than either one of us could come up with. I have no reason to say they are wrong. an interesting point from the disunplugged is that universal has a capacity problem which could limit them to about 10 million at the studio gate.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I'm interested to see what Diagon Alley does for IOA in 2014's numbers. I'm actually hoping that it cracks the top ten. Maybe that will light a fire under TDO's behinds.

Diagon Alley is going to be in USF, not IOA.

 

[GLaDOS]

Of course these are estimates but most likely better than either one of us could come up with. I have no reason to say they are wrong. an interesting point from the disunplugged is that universal has a capacity problem which could limit them to about 10 million at the studio gate.

Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure have better capacity than both DAK and DHS.

 

[danlb_2000]

Diagon Alley is going to be in USF, not IOA.

Yes, but it's still going be interesting to see how it impacts the IOA number, especially with the Hogwarts Express ride connecting the two parks.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

10 million over 365 is around 27,400/day. Doesn't sound impossible for DHS, although it is amusing to think that Canada's Wonderland has a better average daily attendence based on these figures.

 

[mm52200]

I'm just baffled by how DCA according to these figures hasn't passed DAK and DHS. It's a much better park than those two in terms of being a full day park with lots of entertainment, attractions, and well themed areas to enjoy.

 

[danlb_2000]

I'm just baffled by how DCA according to these figures hasn't passed DAK and DHS. It's a much better park than those two in terms of being a full day park with lots of entertainment, attractions, and well themed areas to enjoy.

Probably because Disneyland resort as a whole is pulling in far fewer people then Disney World.

 

[seascape]

Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure have better capacity than both DAK and DHS.

I have no reason to doubt you concerning DHS however there is no way it has more capacity than AK which is much larger. I would have thought the capacity at either Universal Gate would be about 12 million but I am not an expert and will leave that to others. the other issue the disunplugged covered is that if the parks increase hours to 20 hours a day the capacity would be higher.

 

[GLaDOS]

10 million over 365 is around 27,400/day. Doesn't sound impossible for DHS, although it is amusing to think that Canada's Wonderland has a better average daily attendence based on these figures.

DHS's numbers on the busiest times of the year is in the 30s. If the park was averaging 27K throughout the year, it would constantly feel like it was packed.

I have no reason to doubt you concerning DHS however there is no way it has more capacity than AK which is much larger. I would have thought the capacity at either Universal Gate would be about 12 million but I am not an expert and will leave that to others. the other issue the disunplugged covered is that if the parks increase hours to 20 hours a day the capacity would be higher.

To quote Yoda, "Size matters not."

DAK is physically a larger park, but has far fewer attractions to soak up crowds than both Universal parks.