Attendance Tracker

[OhHaiInternet95]

I split my time between Northwest Arkansas and Memphis and the number 1 complaint are either the cost or long lines.

For 250 bucks I can get my family Gold passes for Six Flags and visit any damn park they have on it.

Case in point, We'll get 2019 passes this fall via their takeover of crappy Frontier City but we'll hit up a half dozen of their parks next summer.

SF and Cedar along with Herschend are busy building new rides galore. Cedar Fair set records for August attendance.

I'm not saying you should go in with an unbridled "build it and they will come" mentality, of course, but it's almost like lack of impressive new additions eventually leads to lower crowds...

(I have lots of hope that the new coaster will be a high-quality ride, but I was VERY angry--and remain very chapped about it--when they closed Dragons. Being reminded very recently about how many of their latest additions have been very similar, e.g. screens, and the delays of Nintendo, has me slightly bitter. Let's hope they go ahead with that big JP coaster--hopefully an RMC!)

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I think there's a general "There's nothing new here since we last visited. Let's wait unto they open everything else."

 

[SeventyOne]

Too, I wonder if Disney lovers are more informed about the coming attractions there and are holding off their vacations. Otherwise, gas prices are down, economy is hopping... just doesn’t make sense.

I agree external economic factors seem to support a gangbusters Summer. But I disagree with the idea everyone is holding off for Star Wars Land or Guardians. Toy Story Land had definite buzz among the super-fans who follow such things--notice it came DHS afloat at the expense of EPCOT and maybe DAK. The super-fans come anyway--and that's clearly a bigger and bigger percentage of who's left. Personally. I think years of out-of-control pricing and lines have finally caught up to Disney in the public consciousness.

 

[jrn14]

I love WDW, but my problem is I feel like I can't go to WDW unless I go all out. I don't like park hopping and I hate to not visit one of the parks so that's four days minimum that I want to be there.. Then you want to stay on property so that's more money... you want dining reservations you have to pick you fastpasses early and it's just so expensive. It's a very very big ordeal and I feel like I want to go all out, but going all out is expensive in both time and money. It's hard for me to justify a quick trip there. .. so it's usually a 7+ day event and I'm just a single guy. I can see how much of an ordeal this would be for families. So because it's such a BIG vacation I feel like it's something families might kind of space out? Also it's expensive and people might feel guilty going to the same place over and over and not exploring the rest of the world.

I know this has always been a big expensive vacation for the American Family, but now there is so much added pressure with advance fast passes, dining reservations, social media, event nights, booking a room, and doing it ALL..it can be rather daunting. I feel like the cost with all the extras and added pressure make Disney difficult to do often (unless you're a local). Not even to mention what a bad day at the parks (crowds/weather/children's reactions) can do to motivation to return.

*disclaimer* I love Disney and would go in a heartbeat if I had the time and the money

 

[Mad Dog]

Looking at the hurricane thread causes me to wonder if the last three years of really treacherous weather in the Carolina/Georgia/Florida area in Sept./ Oct. is scaring people off. I know it has for me. No more scheduled vacations in the fall now (though driving down with my brother for a few days business trip but that's a freebie), and I always came before in Sept./Oct. No way I pay for an expensive fall vacation with all those weather related travel problems. . It's probably just one factor of many,as Seventy One & jrn14 states, but it may finally be having a bit of an effect.

 

[JoeCamel]

Looking at the hurricane thread causes me to wonder if the last three years of really treacherous weather in the Carolina/Georgia/Florida area in Sept./ Oct. is scaring people off. I know it has for me. No more scheduled vacations in the fall now (though driving down with my brother for a few days business trip but that's a freebie), and I always came before in Sept./Oct. No way I pay for an expensive fall vacation with all those weather related travel problems. . It's probably just one factor of many,as Seventy One & jrn14 states, but it may finally be having a bit of an effect.

I think with the evacuation orders so far Orlando might see quite a boost for the next week or so. Why not hit the parks if you need to flee?

 

[Mad Dog]

I think with the evacuation orders so far Orlando might see quite a boost for the next week or so. Why not hit the parks if you need to flee?

The opposite happened with us with the warnings. We cut the vacations short to get out before the roads leading north become impassable. South Carolina, for one, spends squat on infrastructure, so when the rains come they shut down just about every major road through the state since everything floods over with no real flood control up there.

 

[Joel]

In MK just now and it feels relatively quiet compared to previous visits. I think the wait times are also being inflated for some reason.

I spoke to a lot of regular visitors to Orlando before my trip and it seems like most are putting off their trips indefinitely and those who are visiting next year are swearing that it will be their last.

I’ll make a proper post about it later and I’ll get into the reasons why.

I recently lost my wallet visiting friends in ATL during a weekend I remember as *hazy* (which may be related to the lost wallet, filing this under inconclusive). Anywho, I had to update all the recurring charges I have, including 2 premier UOAP's and 2 gold WDW AP's.

I immediately updated my Universal AP billing info, no brainer.

To my own surprise, I never updated our Disney AP billing info, subsequently letting both passes expire (and that's STILL without ever seeing Pandora!).

If I only had to worry about paying for my own pass - I probably would've kept both. However, I can't justify paying for two passes to both UOR and WDW (especially with the inevitable economic downturn looming) right now. With that under consideration, plus the reality (note: this is *my opinion*) that I find Universal to have WAY more attractions that are enjoyable, re-rideable, and straight-up more fun - that's where my money went.

Honestly, it's refreshing to know that after all the healthy debates we have about our two favorite theme park resorts, I finally had an opportunity to put my money where my mouth is, and did!

Please remember I say this only with good intentions (I don't want to start meaningless jabs). I still love Disney having practically grown up there.

 

[Frank Drackman]

I wonder how projections are looking for Universal’s autumn? Too, I wonder if Disney lovers are more informed about the coming attractions there and are holding off their vacations. Otherwise, gas prices are down, economy is hopping... just doesn’t make sense.

Maybe the ways in which we measure the health of the economy are inadequate?

I’ve just been noticing odd things this year. Things like Broadway type shows coming to the local theater and then offering odd deals that I have never seen before. Hearing about groups going on tour (rock bands) and not meeting expectations causing them to do odd promotions. Ticket Master keeps having these $20 lawn ticket sales. Little things like that.

For Disney, does the international economy play a bigger part? Personally, I feel like WDW spent around a decade trying to push out frequent visitors in favor of ‘once in a lifetime’ trips, maybe it worked too well?!?

 

[Mad Dog]

Maybe the ways in which we measure the health of the economy are inadequate?

I’ve just been noticing odd things this year. Things like Broadway type shows coming to the local theater and then offering odd deals that I have never seen before. Hearing about groups going on tour (rock bands) and not meeting expectations causing them to do odd promotions. Ticket Master keeps having these $20 lawn ticket sales. Little things like that.

For Disney, does the international economy play a bigger part? Personally, I feel like WDW spent around a decade trying to push out frequent visitors in favor of ‘once in a lifetime’ trips, maybe it worked too well?!?

So many middle and low class households are always on the edge of collapse since wages have largely stagnated during the last two decades, so when you get something like a spike in gasoline prices, as has occurred in the past year, that puts them closer to going over the edge. And so many people have tapped into the equity of their homes to pay for vacations,kid's college, new cars etc. over the years, that many may have reached the end of that source. Student loan debt has also mushroomed so much that it is really blocking many millennials and next gens from buying homes, cars, and going on expensive vacations. Plus their parents that financed those expensive educations are often going into their retirement years with little equity remaining. It all catches up over time. The economy may be great for the top 10%. They've received the bulk of the government help. But, as we've seen before, "Trickle Down Economics" is a very flawed concept. It just doesn't work for the masses....and as you say, the overseas economy, especially South America, is precarious in a number of cases.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

I've been Alive for 46 years and South America has always been in the abyss or on the brink of it.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Maybe the ways in which we measure the health of the economy are inadequate?

I’ve just been noticing odd things this year. Things like Broadway type shows coming to the local theater and then offering odd deals that I have never seen before. Hearing about groups going on tour (rock bands) and not meeting expectations causing them to do odd promotions. Ticket Master keeps having these $20 lawn ticket sales. Little things like that.

For Disney, does the international economy play a bigger part? Personally, I feel like WDW spent around a decade trying to push out frequent visitors in favor of ‘once in a lifetime’ trips, maybe it worked too well?!?

Maybe these bands over valued their product and all insist on playing the same summer circuit cause show overload. The shear number of venues compared to even 10 years ago is staggering.

Now go to stub hub and take a gander for Brumo Mars tickets for his two dates in Tulsa. No softness there.

College is so overrated, I work in a place that has 50 folks working and just the forklift driver makes over 40k. I'm the only one with a College degree and I make at least 10 k more than my college peers do at any of the big three in the area(Walmart, Tyson, jb hunt) in a totally unrelated field than my degree was in..


Here in podunk Arkansas, I paid $2.43 for gas this morning.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

So many middle and low class households are always on the edge of collapse since wages have largely stagnated during the last two decades, so when you get something like a spike in gasoline prices, as has occurred in the past year, that puts them closer to going over the edge. And so many people have tapped into the equity of their homes to pay for vacations,kid's college, new cars etc. over the years, that many may have reached the end of that source. Student loan debt has also mushroomed so much that it is really blocking many millennials and next gens from buying homes, cars, and going on expensive vacations. Plus their parents that financed those expensive educations are often going into their retirement years with little equity remaining. It all catches up over time. The economy may be great for the top 10%. They've received the bulk of the government help. But, as we've seen before, "Trickle Down Economics" is a very flawed concept. It just doesn't work for the masses....and as you say, the overseas economy, especially South America, is precarious in a number of cases.

Frankly, I'm shocked that WDW and UO have had record attendance the last few years as is, given the obvious of what you just posted. Maybe SW’s good year combined with soft attendance forces Disney and Uni to make themselves more affordable? #ICanDream

 

[Disneyhead]

My sources are indicating that this is a pretty serious problem that revolves around the product itself.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

My sources are indicating that this is a pretty serious problem that revolves around the product itself.

I think WDW has snapped.

 

[Mad Dog]

My sources are indicating that this is a pretty serious problem that revolves around the product itself.

If that's the case, imagine what will happen if they do indeed, as rumored, announce the new much higher priced, and extremely confusing, multi day ticket prices this fall. Maybe this will give them pause to dive into that potential hornet's nest.

 

[Nick]

I think WDW has snapped.

So their prices are high. At least they know about what people are willing to pay before turning away the product now. That now allows them to have the chance to roll out monetary options that fit all budgets... or they can just keep shooting themselves in the foot and raising prices.

One guess tells me that the former likely won’t happen.

 

[Mad Dog]

So their prices are high. At least they know about what people are willing to pay before turns ngvaway the product now. That now allows them to have the chance to roll out monetary options that fit all budgets... or they can just keep shooting themselves in the foot and raising prices.

One guess tells me that the former likely won’t happen.

I think they get excited from the pain sensations of shooting themselves in the foot. So, I'm guessing the shooting continues. I never underestimate masochistic business practices in the name of short term profit & big Exec. bonus checks.

 

[Joel]

especially South America, is precarious in a number of cases.

I've been Alive for 46 years and South America has always been in the abyss or on the brink of it.

Except for Colombia! CO-LOM-BIA!!!

 

[SeventyOne]

My sources are indicating that this is a pretty serious problem that revolves around the product itself.

I understand the need to be vague, but can you elaborate on the latter half of that statement? As shown by comparison to comparable products, guest feedback, something else?