Disneyland’s Attendance Issues Summer 2019

[Jamesh22]

I haven't been yet so won't comment on the quality of SWGE, although it does look amazing, but Batuu is not the kind of must see location that I'd run out to experience like I would Diagon or Hoggsmead.

Would ROTR not being open really put people off going to Disneyland as a whole? I'm not sure it would outside of hardcore fan communities or enthusiasts. Most of the GP probably won't realise there is supposed to be a bigger better ride next door to falcon.

For me this is clearly due to the fact they no longer have sporks in Docking Bay 7

 

[Ryan]

Well, usually in the summer, there IS a lot more single day and multi-day ticket sales. That's the odd thing. Tourists carry the load a lot more in the summer, typically.

Not necessarily nowadays. It used to be more, however. I do think some crowds were scared away.

 

[Scott W.]

I could make this same argument about almost any IP-based land though. Avatar, Potter, whatever.

I have a friend who had a chance to go the TM previews for Hagrid. He decided not to go because he doesn't care about literally anything Potter. We've told him it's great and his response is "I don't like Potter, why should I bother with a ride I won't understand".

I've met more people like my friend out there and we certainly know they exist for Avatar, but the lands or rides within them usually will get people who have no interest in the IP to have a good time. Star Wars is really no less inviting for people that don't give a crap than those other IPs. It really just comes down to Disneyland botched the opening.


Well, usually in the summer, there IS a lot more single day and multi-day ticket sales. That's the odd thing. Tourists carry the load a lot more in the summer, typically.

My point is more to do with the big price increase. If you’re not a Star Wars fan, the price increases doesn’t justify it, especially when recent additions to DL haven’t been great and it’s mostly locals going.

I don’t think WDW will have the problem because it’s adding a ton of new rides and more tourists visiting.

 

[La2kw]

Unfortunately, the land is open and people are going to judge it when it is missing its E-Ticket. I think they may have shot themselves in the foot with not having everything ready in time, or, trying to double dip

It would be as if Diagon opened with just HE and no Gringotts, it'd be weird

Diagon did soft open with only HE and no Gringotts. It was packed. I personally think Disney overestimated the popularity of the new Star Wars movies. I remember when Star Tours opened at Disneyland. It drew big crowds and long lines. Instead of expanding on the original trilogy, they made a land based on a place no one has ever heard of. That is the exact opposite of the original Star Tours and of Universal’s Wizarding World. Plus, word is getting out it is not kid-friendly and expensive. Compare the price of a wand at Universal to a droid or light saber at Disneyland. You can go to Olivanders and have the same experience that Harry had in the book and you don’t even have to buy the wand. At GE, you have to pony up a couple hundred bucks just to have the lightsaber experience I believe. GE has performed just as I have expected.

 

[shiekra38]

Diagon did soft open with only HE and no Gringotts. It was packed. I personally think Disney overestimated the popularity of the new Star Wars movies. I remember when Star Tours opened at Disneyland. It drew big crowds and long lines. Instead of expanding on the original trilogy, they made a land based on a place no one has ever heard of. That is the exact opposite of the original Star Tours and of Universal’s Wizarding World. Plus, word is getting out it is not kid-friendly and expensive. Compare the price of a wand at Universal to a droid or light saber at Disneyland. You can go to Olivanders and have the same experience that Harry had in the book and you don’t even have to buy the wand. At GE, you have to pony up a couple hundred bucks just to have the lightsaber experience I believe. GE has performed just as I have expected.

Even though it had issues, it was available during Grand Opening. SWL is officially opened missing its signature E-ticket. Good point with Batuu vs Hogsmede, there is nothing really iconic about Batuu

 

[Evan]

Disney should have kept its mouth shut... opened the land normally... the crowds would have come. They essentially taught everyone to stay away. Add in all the block outs...

 

[Red Carpet]

I think the attendance dip may actually be a good sign. Soon before Hogsmead opened up in Florida, Universal saw an attendance decrease in the months leading up to its opening. This was because people were holding off their trips until the land opens. Once the land opened, Universal's attendance shot up and more than made up for that down swing.

I think we are seeing a similar thing with Galaxy's Edge. Even tho the land is technically open, in most people's minds its not really open until both rides are open. I live in California. Many people I know are excited to check out the new land. However, most of them are planning on going after both rides are open. This attendance dip we are seeing not because demand for the land is low. Rather it is because demand for the full land is high. People are waiting for the full experience. Once Rise opens, the people holding of their trips will come, and the park will be slammed.

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

I think the attendance dip may actually be a good sign. Soon before Hogsmead opened up in Florida, Universal saw an attendance decrease in the months leading up to its opening. This was because people were holding off their trips until the land opens. Once the land opened, Universal's attendance shot up and more than made up for that down swing.

I think we are seeing a similar thing with Galaxy's Edge. Even tho the land is technically open, in most people's minds its not really open until both rides are open. I live in California. Many people I know are excited to check out the new land. However, most of them are planning on going after both rides are open. This attendance dip we are seeing not because demand for the land is low. Rather it is because demand for the full land is high. Once Rise opens, the people holding of their trips will come, and the park will be slammed.

There’s a reason Universal is so reticent to announce major additions.

 

[shiekra38]

There’s a reason Universal is so reticent to announce major additions.

Universal learned this with Potter and now Disney is learning some lessons with SWL

 

[Teebin]

Fascinating conversation. The only thing I can offer is music for SWGE. That is what made some of the best movies greater and what makes a theme park and it’s lands hum along with romantic magic.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I think the attendance dip may actually be a good sign. Soon before Hogsmead opened up in Florida, Universal saw an attendance decrease in the months leading up to its opening. This was because people were holding off their trips until the land opens. Once the land opened, Universal's attendance shot up and more than made up for that down swing.

I think we are seeing a similar thing with Galaxy's Edge. Even tho the land is technically open, in most people's minds its not really open until both rides are open. I live in California. Many people I know are excited to check out the new land. However, most of them are planning on going after both rides are open. This attendance dip we are seeing not because demand for the land is low. Rather it is because demand for the full land is high. People are waiting for the full experience. Once Rise opens, the people holding of their trips will come, and the park will be slammed.

This isn't a dip, it's a plummet (as of 6/28).

SWGE opened May 31 because Disney said so and most people don't care about technicalities. We can play the whole "oh it's just a soft open" or something but guests show up all the time not understanding opening dates (or even where things are). For guests the land is open for business and they didn't come.

 

[shiekra38]

This isn't a dip, it's a plummet (as of 6/28).

SWGE opened May 31 because Disney said so and most people don't care about technicalities. We can play the whole "oh it's just a soft open" or something but guests show up all the time not understanding opening dates (or even where things are). For guests the land is open for business and they didn't come.

I feel @Red Carpet has a good point though, Disneylands demo is more local, and I'm sure they all very well know that Rise is not open yet. It could be said that Rise will be responsible for a moderate bump in attendance.

That being said, there is still a needed answer for why attendance has fallen so dramatically

I assume it would be the one, two punch of Rise not open and Disney advertising it as being slammed

 

[UNIrd]

Didn't something similar happen with WWOHP at USH? The model of raising ticket prices and blacking out most APs also had an adverse effect there, and they don't have half the AP base. WWOHP FL had been open for 6 years at that point so hype level should have way lower regardless but expectations were still high. They shuffled a couple things around though and eventually started to see the lifts in attendance and having record-breaking days.

Remember.. the only AP levels able to get into Disneyland right now are those paying minimum $1149 a year. All the WDW passes will be open when Galaxy's Edge opens, including the cheaper Theme Park Select and Weekday Passes. Plus, all the regular ticket holders AND it'll be Labor Day weekend. I would expect very different results.

 

[fryoj]

The quality of SWGE, MFSR, the price of SW merch, or RotR not being open have nothing to do with the rest of the park being empty. If the rest of the park was packed and SWGE we moderate or empty, then sure you could say that. People didn't say, oh $200 lightsaber? I'm not going at all. The blockouts, fear of overcrowding, and overall resort pricing are why it's dead.

 

[GAcoaster]

It will be interesting to see what happens here in Florida. Will they try to regulate attendance, or open the flood gates? I think whatever they do will be the wrong thing and bite them in the ass...

 

[shiekra38]

It will be interesting to see what happens here in Florida. Will they try to regulate attendance, or open the flood gates? I think whatever they do will be the wrong thing and bite them in the ass...

Real talk, theme parks decrease in fun the more people are there. Is it better for less people to have a guaranteed positive experience or open it up and let people potentially have an extremely negative experience?

 

[UNIrd]

Real talk, theme parks decrease in fun the more people are there. Is it better for less people to have a guaranteed positive experience or open it up and let people potentially have an extremely negative experience?

It's actually baffling the difference in approaches between how Team Anaheim and Team Orlando seem to be handling. From the looks of it, the floodgates will open... at 6am.

 

[fryoj]

Real talk, theme parks decrease in fun the more people are there. Is it better for less people to have a guaranteed positive experience or open it up and let people potentially have an extremely negative experience?

Depends on if you are looking at it from the customer's perspective or the business's perspective.

 

[shiekra38]

Depends on if you are looking at it from the customer's perspective or the business's perspective.

Pissed off people don't spend as much money

 

[fryoj]

Pissed off people don't spend as much money

I'm quite positive DL would take a park full of pissed off people over what they've had for the last month.