TEA Global Attendance Index is out

[BrianLo]

True but they aren't doing it to keep crowds low. That's my point.

Not solely or altruistically, but it is a minor factor.

They are trying to wring high margins and growth while not drastically impacting GSATs. They’ve hit that optimal position and now seem to believe the best way for growth is via investment once more.

The streaming service is undergoing the same strategy. They are focused on margins more than customer acquisition and that too will flip in a number of years once they hit the end of the road.

 

[BrianLo]

I’d actually dispute the narrative that “ordinary” people can no longer go to Disney. The parks are full of people who seem perfectly “average” to me. Yes, it’s an expensive product, but the idea that Middle American families have been pushed out by luxury holidaymakers and childless Disney adults seems untenable to me based on the demographics of the parks as I’ve experienced them.

I’ve always been troubled by this presumption. Very smart people like @lentesta have sounded this alarm, but anecdotally I do not feel the demographics of the average WDW vacationer appear differently than a decade ago. Kids are everywhere.

In the end I think it’s more a fear than something that anyone can point to as happening. I think the millennial - alpha (parent [30-45] - child [1-14]) cohort they currently have is probably about the strongest generation they’ll ever get. There were really solid movies for both of those cohorts and even direct home offerings.

 

[Trauma]

Something I don’t understand about this never ending debate.

If Disney wanted lower attendance to increase guest satisfaction, why not just lower the capacity limit of each park?

 

[LittleBuford]

Something I don’t understand about this never ending debate.

If Disney wanted lower attendance to increase guest satisfaction, why not just lower the capacity limit of each park?

Presumably, they'd have to charge even more if they did that.

 

[Chi84]

Something I don’t understand about this never ending debate.

If Disney wanted lower attendance to increase guest satisfaction, why not just lower the capacity limit of each park?

I wonder why no one else ever thought of that.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Something I don’t understand about this never ending debate.

If Disney wanted lower attendance to increase guest satisfaction, why not just lower the capacity limit of each park?

They did that coming bsck from the pandemic distance enforcement.

People hated it for planning. But they liked the less crowded parks.

And if the pre- covid crowds returned., they would still be using it for the general audience.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Bob Iger specifically stated that the company’s strategy was to increase prices in order to decrease attendance and improve guest satisfaction.

Does Disney, TEA, or anyone else report guest satisfaction numbers?

I find it hard to believe those numbers would be higher today than they were pre-Covid.

We may be in the minority but we would 100% rate 2019 (jam packed) Disney much higher than we’d rate 2024 (nickel and dime) Disney, it wouldn’t even be close. 2019 was busier but a vastly superior experience.

If their goal is higher guest satisfaction scores I think they’re failing spectacularly, and I say that as someone who spent a week or 2 at WDW every single year since 2013 (including 2020) but hasn’t been back since our disappointing last trip in Jan 2024, and had DL APs every year since 2013 but didn’t renew 2025.

 

[Trauma]

Presumably, they'd have to charge even more if they did that.

Why is that ?

 

[Trauma]

I wonder why no one else ever thought of that.

I didn’t ask if anyone has thought of it.

I asked why have they not done it ?

 

[Stripes]

Does Disney, TEA, or anyone else report guest satisfaction numbers?

I find it hard to believe those numbers would be higher today than they were pre-Covid.

We may be in the minority but we would 100% rate 2019 (jam packed) Disney much higher than we’d rate 2024 (nickel and dime) Disney, it wouldn’t even be close. 2019 was busier but a vastly superior experience.

If their goal is higher guest satisfaction scores I think they’re failing spectacularly, and I say that as someone who spent a week or 2 at WDW every single year since 2013 (including 2020) but hasn’t been back since our disappointing last trip in Jan 2024, and had DL APs every year since 2013 but didn’t renew 2025.

I disagree. The experience in the parks is much better than it was in 2019, in my opinion. Since the crackdown on DAS abuse (May 2024), I don’t even think people need Lightning Lane anymore. We had a great time this year, and it was our favorite trip in our 15 years of vacations at WDW.

Of course, I don’t think any company releases guest satisfaction ratings as it’s proprietary information that can benefit competitors, but I think Disney got a lot of negative feedback from average guests about crowds and wait times.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Does Disney, TEA, or anyone else report guest satisfaction numbers?

I find it hard to believe those numbers would be higher today than they were pre-Covid.

We may be in the minority but we would 100% rate 2019 (jam packed) Disney much higher than we’d rate 2024 (nickel and dime) Disney, it wouldn’t even be close. 2019 was busier but a vastly superior experience.

If their goal is higher guest satisfaction scores I think they’re failing spectacularly, and I say that as someone who spent a week or 2 at WDW every single year since 2013 (including 2020) but hasn’t been back since our disappointing last trip in Jan 2024, and had DL APs every year since 2013 but didn’t renew 2025.

2019 was busier, but operations were much more efficient than they are now (and even then, they were way less efficient than the were 5 years prior to that).

The guest experience has gone down drastically enough that I don’t miss going to the resort. It’s not just the closed attractions; the parks are dirtier, the service is worse, there are more CMs with “attitudes” than ever before, maintenance is the worst it’s ever been save for the Paul Pressler era (mostly before my time), and the parks are understaffed that waits for everything are much longer than before. And yes, we are paying more for all of this.

I can’t imagine how anyone would rate their satisfaction highly unless they’ve never been before and have nothing to compare it to.

 

[Chi84]

Does Disney, TEA, or anyone else report guest satisfaction numbers?

I find it hard to believe those numbers would be higher today than they were pre-Covid.

We may be in the minority but we would 100% rate 2019 (jam packed) Disney much higher than we’d rate 2024 (nickel and dime) Disney, it wouldn’t even be close. 2019 was busier but a vastly superior experience.

If their goal is higher guest satisfaction scores I think they’re failing spectacularly, and I say that as someone who spent a week or 2 at WDW every single year since 2013 (including 2020) but hasn’t been back since our disappointing last trip in Jan 2024, and had DL APs every year since 2013 but didn’t renew 2025.

I don’t agree at all. Packed parks, buses, parking lots etc. are the worst as far as we’re concerned.

We had a much easier time post-COVID. It’s more expensive but I would rather pay more and have lower crowds.

 

[LittleBuford]

Why is that ?

Because they don’t want their profit margins to fall, and attendance caps at the current ticket prices would lead to less money. Perhaps I’m misunderstanding your question.

 

[Stripes]

2019 was busier, but operations were much more efficient than they are now (and even then, they were way less efficient than the were 5 years prior to that).

And you know this, how? Because Touring Plan’s data indicates waits are down versus 2019 and my anecdotal experience indicates the same.

The guest experience has gone down drastically enough that I don’t miss going to the resort. It’s not just the closed attractions; the parks are dirtier, the service is worse, there are more CMs with “attitudes” than ever before, maintenance is the worst it’s ever been save for the Paul Pressler era (mostly before my time), and the parks are understaffed that waits for everything are much longer than before.

The parks are dirtier now than 2019? Evidence? More CMs with attitudes? Anecdotal. Maintenance is worse? I beg to differ.

 

[Jrb1979]

And you know this, how? Because Touring Plan’s data indicates waits are down versus 2019 and my anecdotal experience indicates the same.

The parks are dirtier now than 2019? Evidence? More CMs with attitudes? Anecdotal. Maintenance is worse? I beg to differ.

2019 was much better. Free transportation to Disney from the Airport, free Fast pass, and the resorts still had a theme to them.

Big crowds aren't a big deal for my family. It's always been part of going to a theme park.

 

[Brer Oswald]

The parks are dirtier now than 2019? Evidence?

Evidence? How about the fact that the gutters on Main Street were filled with trash the last time I went (in 2024). Or the disgusting state of the bathrooms. Most of the ones that I went into had one working soap dispenser (and this was first thing in the morning).

 

[Brer Oswald]

Also, about the Cast Members…literally everyone has noticed it. There’s still great ones, but it used to be that EVERY Cast Members gave exceptional service. Now half of them are rolling their eyes at you every time you have a problem or question.

And the maintenance…oh boy the maintenance. Have we been on any dark ride in the last few years. How about their “newest” in Frontierland. How great is that working? And speaking of Frontierland and Adventureland…do you know how many times that side of the park closed in the last year or so because of power outages, sewage leaks, etc? It’s more than 5.

 

[Chi84]

Evidence? How about the fact that the gutters on Main Street were filled with trash the last time I went (in 2024). Or the disgusting state of the bathrooms. Most of the ones that I went into had one working soap dispenser (and this was first thing in the morning).

That’s the complete opposite of what we encountered in November 2024!

There was at least one attendant in each one of the larger bathrooms and often one in the smaller ones too. They were cleaning constantly.

Trash in the gutters on Main Street? That’s incredible.

 

[Stripes]

Free transportation to Disney from the Airport, free Fast pass

These benefits are still offered for a price. Is it a reduction in value due to the new charges? Sure. But, I don’t view the fact that you have to pay for these as “damaging the experience.”

the resorts still had a theme to them.

Umm…what? What resort in 2019 has no theme in 2025?

Big crowds aren't a big deal for my family. It's always been part of going to a theme park.

Well, I think most people visiting WDW find their experience is worse when they are battling crowds.

I think you’ve made clear in your posting history that your family values thrills above anything else. Nothing wrong with that, but I’m not sure it makes sense for a family with those preferences to vacation at WDW. You’ve said before that Disney shouldn’t have built Cosmic Rewind unless they put it at the same thrill level as Velocicoaster. With that perspective, I absolutely think a park like Cedar Point is a better value for your family.

 

[Trauma]

Because they don’t want their profit margins to fall, and attendance caps at the current ticket prices would lead to less money. Perhaps I’m misunderstanding your question.

The story is Disney thought the crowd levels where to high leading to lower guest satisfaction pre covid.

That means that Disney has an idea what crowd levels lead to improved satisfaction.

Why not just lower the capacity to the level that leads to improved satisfaction and raise the prices to whatever they need to be to maintain their revenue goals.

Currently you can pay an ever increasing ticket price and still end up in an overcrowded park if you pick an unlucky day.

I wouldn’t mind paying more if it came with a guarantee ( capacity limits ) that prevented the park from being overcrowded and miserable.