Attendance Tracker

[JoeCamel]

And how everyone thought the "only" projects we're getting is what's in construction now and the 3rd gate. Which isn't true... and everyone's reactions were shown to be overblown and reactionary in the long run.

Not "everyone"......

 

[Nick]

Lol are we reading the same site? People were apoplectic that Uni was cutting budgets

Yup, yup, you're right.

I was exhausted last night so I must've had something else on my mind.

 

[Coasted]

Yup, yup, you're right.

I was exhausted last night so I must've had something else on my mind.

5am Orlando time you wrote that original mssg. You are staffing / modding at crazy hours - though is appreciated

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Multiple people I have taken to disney now remarked how they had a great time, but could see it being a poor value frustrating experience for the cost without my expertise and planning. It feels like people in the social media age are so concerned with image they are driven to cool place no matter what the cost and afraid to admit when they spend money that wasn't worth it.I could see there being a tipping point where people just get too fed up and do something else though. I think disney makes a lot of places like Dollywood or Cedar Point look like steals to people who now have a lot more info to plan alternative vacations. I could definitely see a scenario where air travel is up to Florida driven by budget flights but people find other things to do.

If you like Dollhwood, Don't forget Silver Dollar City the shadiest park in America. Just as good as Dollywood if not even better in some regards as it has kept more to it's general theme.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Yep. The 'observed' wait times for the major attractions have been really really low. Just one example, SpiderMan averaged 10 minutes yesterday, a non rain day. That's essentially walk on all day status......We ran into that kind of situation ( UK Triggs trip report, An Epic Adventure-A Live & Interactive Trip Report) on Labor Day at Cedar Point too. Parking lot was less than half full. Except for Steel Vengeance & Maverick super long lines (thus we didn't ride them), everything we rode was a walk on or less than 15 minutes real line time (their app had inflated wait times all day so we quit paying attention to it). We walked around a lot that day exploring the park for UK Trigg, had lunch, and spent just a bit over half a day in the park, & Mark still got in 16 coaster rides. We thought we'd have to spring for fastpasses but glad we didn't pre buy. On my many previous trips to Cedar Point, I was lucky to get in 7 or 8 coaster rides in a full day.

Were you at the park on Labor Day itself? Or... the Sat or Sun of that weekend? We have found that parks aren't as crowded on Labor Day itself compared to, say... Memorial Day. Memorial Day if often the start of end of school season and longer vacations. Labor Day, everyone is back at it on Tuesday. The 4th was kinda like that this year with it not being bookended by a weekend.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I think the case of low attendance (or at least not meeting projections) is a result of the consumer becoming smarter and planning on slower days as well as dynamic pricing working its magic. There's no more long periods of "slow days" and instead they are just spread out thru the year. September was always, always, the best month to visit Orlando, and it's become busier every year.

 

[SeventyOne]

So last night at HHN was glorious to visit. But at the same time, it's worth reflecting--a last-minute addition of a school night still in mid-September managed to pull close to probably 20k visitors.

I'm convinced more than ever of @Joe's theory that Disney's recent growth was driven by more and more people moving to Florida. Not just Orlando, but as far as Cape Coral and Jax, I believe the #1 and #2 fastest-growing cities in the U.S. (although Orlando still in the top 10). I think this year reflects Disney finally pricing even them out of the market--and those guests respond by trying HHN, because hey, Stranger Things this year. Bad for Disney because I don't know that they win those guests back again.

 

[JungleSkip]

Something that may have to do with Disney's struggles:

DoD Contractors and civilian employees were added to the military ticket deal for the rest of the year. Super great deals. Something like 226 for a 4 day park hopper. No word on whether it will carry over to next year's deal as well, but I'll be surprised if it doesn't.

 

[Nick]

I'm not saying everything is perfect with the mouse because it's far from that (hell, I let my AP expire about two months ago and really don't feel like i'm missing anything). However the way some of you talk about WDW makes it seem like they're a struggling start-up. They're far from it and are doing well enough. I think they had loftier expectations than they should have attendance-wise concerning TSL and since the hype train really fell off quick there an it turned out to be something of a dud, this has been an off year for the resort.

Everyone that you guys talk about leaving or being priced out will be back in some form or another once SWGE opens. So really it's up to SWGE to deliver in order to win back many people that they may have lost due to high price increases. People need a reason to feel like spending that money is worth it and right now, I don't think WDW is worth an AP unless you buy Silver or below.

 

[JoeCamel]

I'm not saying everything is perfect with the mouse because it's far from that (hell, I let my AP expire about two months ago and really don't feel like i'm missing anything). However the way some of you talk about WDW makes it seem like they're a struggling start-up. They're far from it and are doing well enough. I think they had loftier expectations than they should have attendance-wise concerning TSL and since the hype train really fell off quick there an it turned out to be something of a dud, this has been an off year for the resort.

Everyone that you guys talk about leaving or being priced out will be back in some form or another once SWGE opens. So really it's up to SWGE to deliver in order to win back many people that they may have lost due to high price increases. People need a reason to feel like spending that money is worth it and right now, I don't think WDW is worth an AP unless you buy Silver or below.

But what if you don't give a mouse's butt about star wars?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I'm not saying everything is perfect with the mouse because it's far from that (hell, I let my AP expire about two months ago and really don't feel like i'm missing anything). However the way some of you talk about WDW makes it seem like they're a struggling start-up. They're far from it and are doing well enough. I think they had loftier expectations than they should have attendance-wise concerning TSL and since the hype train really fell off quick there an it turned out to be something of a dud, this has been an off year for the resort.

Everyone that you guys talk about leaving or being priced out will be back in some form or another once SWGE opens. So really it's up to SWGE to deliver in order to win back many people that they may have lost due to high price increases. People need a reason to feel like spending that money is worth it and right now, I don't think WDW is worth an AP unless you buy Silver or below.

That’s an assumption I don’t think I can agree with, but if you change it to “replaced by” I could agree.

 

[Suprachica79]

But what if you don't give a mouse's butt about star wars?

That’s my situation. If anything, SWGE opening will get me back to the park because I’m hoping that the opening of SWGE will just cannibalize the other parks that I actually have interest in, like DAK. I know Disney’s goal is to get people to DHS in addition to other parks, but as an attendee with zero interest in Star Wars, I’m hoping for the transfer of attendance.

 

[Disneyhead]

I will wait for the first 4 day FL Res. ticket deal after SW:GE opens to go.

Usually, I would say that WDW would tweak a few things and offer some specials and everything would be fine. But indicators are that there are fundamental problems with the product causing significant customer dissatisfaction. SW:GE is going to bring some folks back, but if they find jaw dropping prices for everything, can't get on the SW rides, and have to plan the vacation with military op precision, their return will be "one and done."

 

[JoeCamel]

I will wait for the first 4 day FL Res. ticket deal after SW:GE opens to go.

Usually, I would say that WDW would tweak a few things and offer some specials and everything would be fine. But indicators are that there are fundamental problems with the product causing significant customer dissatisfaction. SW:GE is going to bring some folks back, but if they find jaw dropping prices for everything, can't get on the SW rides, and have to plan the vacation with military op precision, their return will be "one and done."

Or none and done

 

[JungleSkip]

I think the idea that SWGE will be a silver bullet for everything that woes WDW is a bit of wishful thinking. SW will be big. Huge even. But I think it just shifts people back to DHS that left it for DAK, and then siphons off more people from EPCOT and DAK.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

I'm not saying everything is perfect with the mouse because it's far from that (hell, I let my AP expire about two months ago and really don't feel like i'm missing anything). However the way some of you talk about WDW makes it seem like they're a struggling start-up. They're far from it and are doing well enough. I think they had loftier expectations than they should have attendance-wise concerning TSL and since the hype train really fell off quick there an it turned out to be something of a dud, this has been an off year for the resort.

Everyone that you guys talk about leaving or being priced out will be back in some form or another once SWGE opens. So really it's up to SWGE to deliver in order to win back many people that they may have lost due to high price increases. People need a reason to feel like spending that money is worth it and right now, I don't think WDW is worth an AP unless you buy Silver or below.

You are absolutely correct. We 'll plan on hitting up SW-GE. It'll be like Nascar, a splash and dash. Books cheap AoA room for one fp, rope rope go get in the non fp line and then the fp and gone but that's it a quickly, wham bam thank you ma'am.

We entertained doing this in LA on the way back from europe(just fly back to la, then home) but we'll wait cause that will be just silly stupid. With two basically identical lands maybe the padora like crush will not be as bad once the grand openings are done

 

[Jonea32]

I think the idea that SWGE will be a silver bullet for everything that woes WDW is a bit of wishful thinking. SW will be big. Huge even. But I think it just shifts people back to DHS that left it for DAK, and then siphons off more people from EPCOT and DAK.

I think you have this spot on. We come to Orlando every other year and this is our off year. Next time we’ll go check out Star Wars sure and know we’re in for a loooong day as we’ll be staying at Uni so chances of fast passes are slim to zero but we usually do a day at Disney anyway so they aren’t getting much more from us.

My parents are coming with us next year who haven’t been out since 07 and reeling out everything that’s happened since then, SW is not on their radar at all, they’re far more excited by avatar!

I hope I’m wrong as I have nothing against Disney but I don’t think SW will make up that 30% detriment across the board.

 

[JungleSkip]

I hope I’m wrong as I have nothing against Disney but I don’t think SW will make up that 30% detriment across the board.

I hope it does. The current building boom is more interesting than anything Disney has done since Animal Kingdom, for me. I want it to continue, as it's also pushing Uni forward. But I worry Disney thinks SW will cure all its ills, and I just don't see that happening.

 

[Jonea32]

I hope it does. The current building boom is more interesting than anything Disney has done since Animal Kingdom, for me. I want it to continue, as it's also pushing Uni forward. But I worry Disney thinks SW will cure all its ills, and I just don't see that happening.

Absolutely, I’m a theme park fan, long may this ‘war’ continue.

I’ll be interested to see how they market SW in the U.K. as unless you went looking for it, there was very little around Avatar and TSL which surprised me somewhat.

 

[Disneyhead]

In general, WDW has been seeing between 2%-4% decrease in attendance since 2016. But the 30% this fall is mostly people not showing up for F&W. That has caused MNSSHP to take a hit also, but MNSSHP is still very popular. F&W not so much. I expect to see some changes to it for next year.

Disney is also becoming concerned about SW:GE and how it will play out. After the last 2 SW films under performing, they are starting to worry about SW:GE.