Disneyland’s Attendance Issues Summer 2019

[Parkscope Joe]

Another thing to consider is that, for quite a few years now, not only has DL had Star Tours, but they’ve also had Hyperspace Mountain as a Star Wats ride.

Hell, to this day, both are still there, which means there’s more Star Wars attractions in TL than in SWGE right now.

Something both @SeventyOne and I have said for a bit.

 

[Nick]

Something both @SeventyOne and I have said for a bit.

I think it’s a bit more of a problem at DL than DHS, but we’ll see. Granted, I never thought it would cause this big of an issue.

 

[UNIrd]

Overcrowding Sucked the Magic From our Disneyland Trip - HuffPost
Disneyland at Capacity? Get Used to It for Star Wars Land
Crowds... when is enough, enough? : Disneyland - Reddit
Reflections on overcrowding at Disneyland and Disney Corp's attitude towards the visitor experience
How to solve the Disneyland crowding issues???

These are just some of the articles, blog posts, forum threads created that go as far back as 2009. I'm sure without realizing it, everyone asked for these price hikes in the name of preserving the guest experience. You wanted $150 a day for Disneyland, you got it.

 

[Mad Dog]

$150...."Where Every Day is a VIP Tour"....Disney's new motto

 

[awhen]

Overcrowding Sucked the Magic From our Disneyland Trip - HuffPost
Disneyland at Capacity? Get Used to It for Star Wars Land
Crowds... when is enough, enough? : Disneyland - Reddit
Reflections on overcrowding at Disneyland and Disney Corp's attitude towards the visitor experience
How to solve the Disneyland crowding issues???

These are just some of the articles, blog posts, forum threads created that go as far back as 2009. I'm sure without realizing it, everyone asked for these price hikes in the name of preserving the guest experience. You wanted $150 a day for Disneyland, you got it.

$150...."Where Every Day is a VIP Tour"....Disney's new motto

It’s the annual passes that need to bear the costs, not the tourist tickets. Or invert the peak pricing. Peak is when passes are unblocked, use expensive tickets as a subtle warning not to waste money on a one day ticket at those times.

 

[UNIrd]

It’s the annual passes that need to bear the costs, not the tourist tickets. Or invert the peak pricing. Peak is when passes are unblocked, use expensive tickets as a subtle warning not to waste money on a one day ticket at those times.

Have you seen AP prices? Everyone is bearing the cost.

 

[awhen]

Have you seen AP prices? Everyone is bearing the cost.

Except something is out of whack. Everyone agrees there were crowding issues, now there is the opposite. If we assume this isn’t a blip that will go away (and I’m not convinced it isn’t just a blip), then it suggests that single and multi-day tickets are priced too high during times when passes are blocked, and passes are priced too low (which really requires a longer period of study for renewal data, etc).

Of course I go on the assumption that pricing should be set to reflect the experience provided, whereas those who set the price perhaps assume that price should be set at whatever we will pay for whatever minimal experience we will put up with. So yes I would consider $150 for an empty park a bargain, even if that means I go less often.

 

[Mad Dog]

Disney has increased the prices, daily and AP levels, in Anaheim and Orlando, nearly astronomically the past 12 months in gleeful anticipation of GESWL bringing in unprecedented crowds, regardless of the pricing. At least that what Disney thought would happen.

 

[Jamesh22]

It's not necessarily a bad thing for them to get taken down a peg by this. Pricing as everyone has said is now quite ridiculous, not just the gate price but the food/drink prices are insane.

Last time I went, I spent $200+ and got on about 5 rides across both parks, but only through using single rider. It's not an experience I want to repeat anytime soon, and I love Disney.

 

[shiekra38]

It's not necessarily a bad thing for them to get taken down a peg by this. Pricing as everyone has said is now quite ridiculous, not just the gate price but the food/drink prices are insane.

Last time I went, I spent $200+ and got on about 5 rides across both parks, but only through using single rider. It's not an experience I want to repeat anytime soon, and I love Disney.

They aren't going to lower prices, they're going to cut entertainment, staff hours, and increase churros to $15

 

[Jamesh22]

They aren't going to lower prices, they're going to cut entertainment, staff hours, and increase churros to $15

Sadly I think that's true.

Looking forward to the $99 Lightsaber churro with blue milk sprinkles.

 

[fryoj]

$150...."Where Every Day is a VIP Tour"....Disney's new motto

If they'd guarantee a dead park and short wait times at $150 a day, I'd book a trip right now.

 

[Stryker]

If they'd guarantee a dead park and short wait times at $150 a day, I'd book a trip right now.

It will likely continue to be dead until August 19 when Deluxe APs get unblocked. I'm looking at current wait times now and it doesn't even seem the 4th of July holiday is helping attendance as they're eerily similar to my visit a few days ago.

 

[Scott W.]

Who’d have thought.

 

[GAcoaster]

Honestly, if the crowds are that sparse, $150 is actually a great price because you'll be able to enjoy everything. I think Disney should charge more and limit the attendance to less than 30,000 per day.

 

[Scott W.]

Honestly, if the crowds are that sparse, $150 is actually a great price because you'll be able to enjoy everything. I think Disney should charge more and limit the attendance to less than 30,000 per day.

Wouldn’t that case major issues with people buying multi day passes if they only have 14 days and then can’t get into the park because it’s at capacity?

Granted that’s the worst case scenario and I can’t see Disney refusing people/$$$ into the park unless it’s a safety issue.

 

[GAcoaster]

You create a boutique experience. You have to book your day or days in advance, most days would be at capacity long before the date. You give people a premium experience for a premium price, and you eliminate the uncertainty of attendance. You always know the park will be at capacity and how much revenue you'll make. This is how Discovery Cove works, there's no reason any park couldn't do the same. And like Discovery Cove, you offer an all inclusive experience (food and drink included in price) for the premium. Everyone has a good time because they're not waiting on long lines or being crowded into the space.

 

[Scott W.]

You create a boutique experience. You have to book your day or days in advance, most days would be at capacity long before the date. You give people a premium experience for a premium price, and you eliminate the uncertainty of attendance. You always know the park will be at capacity and how much revenue you'll make. This is how Discovery Cove works, there's no reason any park couldn't do the same. And like Discovery Cove, you offer an all inclusive experience (food and drink included in price) for the premium. Everyone has a good time because they're not waiting on long lines or being crowded into the space.

There’s really nothing to criticise about the logic of the plan except from the outrage from the public but if Disney are making bank, I don’t think they’d care.

You could maybe make an argument about fewer people would mean less sales for food (Although food would be included in your plan so it’s a moot point anyway) and merchandise but implementing such a plan, you’re pretty much guaranteeing the wealthiest people are in the park and more likely to spend the most plus the exclusivity of it might result in higher sales.

I mean, I hate it but you can’t argue against it.

 

[Nick]

You create a boutique experience. You have to book your day or days in advance, most days would be at capacity long before the date. You give people a premium experience for a premium price, and you eliminate the uncertainty of attendance. You always know the park will be at capacity and how much revenue you'll make. This is how Discovery Cove works, there's no reason any park couldn't do the same. And like Discovery Cove, you offer an all inclusive experience (food and drink included in price) for the premium. Everyone has a good time because they're not waiting on long lines or being crowded into the space.

There’s really nothing to criticise about the logic of the plan except from the outrage from the public but if Disney are making bank, I don’t think they’d care.

You could maybe make an argument about fewer people would mean less sales for food (Although food would be included in your plan so it’s a moot point anyway) and merchandise but implementing such a plan, you’re pretty much guaranteeing the wealthiest people are in the park and more likely to spend the most plus the exclusivity of it might result in higher sales.

I mean, I hate it but you can’t argue against it.

What you guys are talking about sounds good on paper, but are there REALLY that many rich people to fill up 30K spots a day at an exorbitant pricepoint? Most people like spending multiple days at Disneyland whether they can ride every ride in a single day or not, anyway, so this still wouldn't work for many. I know myself I like to spend at least 3-4 days at DL/DCA when I go. It's not just about the rides, but the atmosphere.

 

[GadgetGuru]

What you guys are talking about sounds good on paper, but are there REALLY that many rich people to fill up 30K spots a day at an exorbitant pricepoint? Most people like spending multiple days at Disneyland whether they can ride every ride in a single day or not, anyway, so this still wouldn't work for many. I know myself I like to spend at least 3-4 days at DL/DCA when I go. It's not just about the rides, but the atmosphere.

I think it depends on the price point.

Disney After Hours in FL is a great way for Disney to test the waters on “boutique pricing”

Personally, I’d spend $150 to have a park with less crowds. But, MaxPass already solves the crowd problem enough for me.