So Many Changes at Walt Disney World

[epcyclopedia]

From my understanding the Saturday's sandwiched between parties were busier than Christmas Eve by a fair margin. Christmas Day was busier than those days, but not by all that much.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Side note: Tortuga Tavern opened for lunch this week. It hasn't been open all year and many in my circles assumed it wouldn't open.

 

[bob albert]

I don't think we can just act like tickets being $20 more per person for a vacation is s small amount. The fact is that disney has increased prices rapidly and so many people would see the increase from the last time they went which could be a few years for many of the guests. I know I went in 2013 for 600 per person with the free dining and hoppers. The same trip now would be $800 + pp at the same time 4 years later when salaries havent gone up accordingly.

 

[fryoj]

So everyone with a phone will be competing at the same time when the fastpasses become availible? That sounds worse.

Not sure it will be worse than the circus that is the RSR fastpass line.

 

[Mad Dog]

Reading posts over at WDW Magic, posters are basically saying MK crowds were more like summer crowds than Christmas Holiday, plus DHS was real slow.

 

[SkiBum]

Screamscape had an interesting article about the WDW upcharges. While I don't know if his reasoning was accurate, what was the most interesting is the recent spate of upcharge events. They are trying everything and Disneyland is not doing the same. It really makes one wonder what is going on.

plus DHS was real slow

This doesn't really surprise me. There isn't much to do in that park and the Osbourne Lights isn't part of the park anymore. We'll see what happens in the upcoming year. Is this just a cyclical downturn for WDW or are they paying the price for stagnant or underwhelming offerings?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

MK didn't even hit 30k on a Christmas. I don't think surge pricing affects attendance that much. I think it's many different factors and I'm still thinking about them.

 

[Mad Dog]

MK didn't even hit 30k on a Christmas. I don't think surge pricing affects attendance that much. I think it's many different factors and I'm still thinking about them.

Yeah, lot's of different factors for sure. Even Universal wait lines seem a bit shorter this year. One of the most obvious factors may be the "very soft" South American economies, especially Brazil, keeping tourist rates down. And the monetary results of Brexit may be starting to catch up with UK vacations. And all those big price increases, may have finally reached a point (or ceiling) where it actually is affecting vacation decisions. Like you, I doubt it's surge pricing though.

 

[adjjb]

I think the peak pricing did affect things. Last year they had reached peak at MK by like 10am. The Canadian dollar to US isn't good, so that higher price plus exchange rate at holiday time where prices are more can factor in.

No Osborne light show had to also affect DHS.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Yeah, lot's of different factors for sure. Even Universal wait lines seem a bit shorter this year. One of the most obvious factors may be the "very soft" South American economies, especially Brazil, keeping tourist rates down. And the monetary results of Brexit may be starting to catch up with UK vacations. And all those big price increases, may have finally reached a point (or ceiling) where it actually is affecting vacation decisions. Like you, I doubt it's surge pricing though.

I don't think it's surge pricing ONLY. And even then I don't think Disney thought a 50% loss in attendance was part of the min/max of pricing.

 

[GadgetGuru]

I don't think it's surge pricing ONLY. And even then I don't think Disney thought a 50% loss in attendance was part of the min/max of pricing.

It can't be just surge pricing. Universal would still be going bonkers. Plus, ticket prices pale in comparison to flight and hotel prices. Not everybody stays on site or avoids Spirit Airlines.

In the next couple weeks, we'll see reports on consumer holiday spending. If spending is down, it probably means that this is do to US economic factors. Otherwise, it'll be easier to blame South America and Brexit.

 

[bob albert]

Universal has also seen huge price increases that could contribute to an overall lack of affordability driving volume. I know the overall quality increase has so far been enough numbers from the past though.

Flights and hotels being a larger cost of a trip does not make make the tickets themselves affordable.

 

[UAN17]

Hoping the crowds keep down for spring next year it would be awesome to have to queue less than we did June 2015....and it might speed up the urgency with their investments.

 

[JoeCamel]

It can't be just surge pricing. Universal would still be going bonkers. Plus, ticket prices pale in comparison to flight and hotel prices. Not everybody stays on site or avoids Spirit Airlines.

In the next couple weeks, we'll see reports on consumer holiday spending. If spending is down, it probably means that this is do to US economic factors. Otherwise, it'll be easier to blame South America and Brexit.

What I have seen says +4% YoY

 

[Parkscope Joe]

It can't be just surge pricing. Universal would still be going bonkers. Plus, ticket prices pale in comparison to flight and hotel prices. Not everybody stays on site or avoids Spirit Airlines.

In the next couple weeks, we'll see reports on consumer holiday spending. If spending is down, it probably means that this is do to US economic factors. Otherwise, it'll be easier to blame South America and Brexit.

Appears attendance is going up after Christmas. I think the issues are

1) Weird timing of Christmas and NYE. More people will take off this coming week and early 2017 than travel to WDW for Christmas.

2) AP blackout dates so APs didn't fill in

3) Reduced CM passes and blackout dates. Can't get mom and dad in MK anymore.

 

[s8film40]

I've noticed over the last few years that guests are starting understand more and more that Christmas is busy. There used to be a fairly large number of people who would think that the parks would be relatively empty on a holiday. Now I think people are trying to avoid the day based on past years and word of mouth. In fact this was really a long term gradual shift that is now somewhat reversing back, there was a point in time the MK would close early for Christmas.

 

[bob albert]

I've noticed over the last few years that guests are starting understand more and more that Christmas is busy. There used to be a fairly large number of people who would think that the parks would be relatively empty on a holiday. Now I think people are trying to avoid the day based on past years and word of mouth. In fact this was really a long term gradual shift that is now somewhat reversing back, there was a point in time the MK would close early for Christmas.

You are never going to change the fact that kids have off when they do for the longer breaks. A number of people from out of town vacations aren't going at all if they aren't going during those times. I would imagine the blackout dates for locals are definitely an increasing factor along with prices in general and a few down economies.

 

[s8film40]

You are never going to change the fact that kids have off when they do for the longer breaks. A number of people from out of town vacations aren't going at all if they aren't going during those times. I would imagine the blackout dates for locals are definitely an increasing factor along with prices in general and a few down economies.

Yeah I definitely agree with that. The point I was making is that some time ago parents who had kids out of school for the holiday thought they were avoiding crowds by going during the holidays. As more and more people picked up on that trend Christmas has become more crowded and in turn people now actually view that as a busy day to try to avoid. I think a good portion of people are now trying to avoid the park on Christmas day. Not necessarily the whole week, but just find something different to do that day. I remember a couple of recent examples where MK was more crowded the day after Christmas. Of course I think it's a combination of a lot of factors and that's just one small piece.

 

[GadgetGuru]

Appears attendance is going up after Christmas. I think the issues are

1) Weird timing of Christmas and NYE. More people will take off this coming week and early 2017 than travel to WDW for Christmas.

2) AP blackout dates so APs didn't fill in

3) Reduced CM passes and blackout dates. Can't get mom and dad in MK anymore.

Great call on the weird Christmas timing!

 

[fryoj]

I think the "Surprise Disney Vacation" present has led to a lot of the crowding Christmas week as it really is a cute idea if you have kids. Cute ideas for kids multiply like wildfire so.... But that doesn't contribute much to Christmas Day crowding.