Dipping Crowd Numbers

[Travisma 1,317]

Interesting article

http://www.themeparktourist.com/news/20160730/32091/things-youll-notice-your-next-walt-disney-world-visit?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social%20Adv&utm_campaign=Dipping%20Crowds%20WDW

I had read another article a while back saying attendance has dropped over the summer, but wasn't that Disney's reason for making tired ticket prices to get people to come at other times instead of overwHelming the MK in summer?

[keith_h 420]

It was my understanding that Disney had a plan to lower attendance by raising prices and it would also allow them to increase revenue. Looks like it might have backfired but it is still too early to tell in my opinion. If the trend continues a couple of more quarters then I think you could find causation with the apparent correlation of price increases causing lower attendance. 

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

However, the actual new price will NEVER come back down. BUT, they will offer "discounts" which is merely dropping it back to the last full price, and folks will grab up the "discount" like flies, but in reality they are paying the normal full price from a few months ago.........

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I agree that the article is interesting- but only because it's so stupid.

The author cites three minor developments as Disney's reaction to lower than anticipated attendance.

Who says attendance is lower than anticipated?  Maybe Disney attendance is right where Disney wants it to be?  How does the author know?

The closing of Sunshine Seasons at breakfast may simply be because the majority of guests are heading to Norway in the morning and getting their quick serve breakfasts at the new locations they opened in Mexico and Norway.

If Disney really was worried about an attendance decline, they would be doing more than adding entertainment in Germany and a cupcake party at the Grand Floridian.  Disney knows exactly what they're doing.  These things were probably planned independently of any so-called decline in attendance. 

This is just another typical blog post- sheer speculation with very little thought or analysis.

TCD

[Tuke 16]

Follow-up:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-disney-attendance-earnings-20160809-story.html

 

It appears Disney is doing what they intended to do and that is increase spending per visitor. Certainly, I'm not predicting the decline of Disney or even frowning on the articles posted above. However, just my personal experience here but there has been a dramatic mentality shift among our Disney loving family and friends in the last couple of years when considering the value of the Disney Park experience. For several families, that annual or biannual week long vacation has become a once every 3rd or 5th year extended weekend. No doubt some price hikes are a part of this preception but IMO all the inconveniences of the local county fair and the feeling that you are being charged for every ounce of entertainment has crept into what once felt like an "all-inclusive" Disney experience.  Of course, we still loves it but find ourselves considering a plethora of alternatives, even within Disney, from what was our standard family vacation.  

 

[shoreline99 137]

I'd also chalk it up somewhat to a changing of the original Walt Disney World demographics. People that grew up with the MK as new are all in their late 40's, 50's or above. EPCOT was new in the 80's.

You're talking at least two if not three generations removed from the original park.

So much has changed in the last several years and all everyone seems to refer to is 'the good old days'.

Most of the changes are exactly what was noted in the articles - less visits, higher dollars per visit, more 'efficiency controls' designed to separate you from your dollar while giving you less.

Disney Springs has turned out to be the long awaited 5th gate; why shop elsewhere when you can spend a day here without going into the parks.

More IP leveraging and brand expansion / dilution - Star Wars and Marvel are great, but they aren't Disney to me. Pixar has always been a part of Disney from it's beginnings, so to most people the two are synonymous.

I honestly believe the powers that be don't care if attendance is down and Joe Plumber only comes once every couple of years; they know he'll spend more when he does vacation there. They know they can't compete with Harry Potter, but I'm sure that management is hoping that the hoopla will die down and the pendulum will swing back towards Bay Lake.

In that regard, I don't see much more being done at Magic Kingdom; it will be left as a remnant of the past, where you can take your grand kids to see some of the original rides and some updated new attractions in Tomorrowland, for example (PLEASE get rid of Stitch). See? Disney and Pixar again.

EPCOT is a sinkhole. Future world is a wasteland these days, at least Innoventions is. Lots of rumours about Universe of Energy and the old Wonders of Life pavilion. Truthfully, the best thing they can do is scrap a lot of it and start fresh with something new. For me, it's always been a place to get away from a lot of the Disney IP themed attractions (although it's been nice to see characters from different countries in their 'natural' habitats) and the fact that we're now seeing an inevitable slide in that direction spells the end of the ambiance of the park.

Heard a joke the other night that said the fifth park had finally been announced, too bad it's already the third. Is DHS the new DCA? A park that has to be cut down to be rebuilt larger and better? It seems like a catchall park now, much like DCA is on the west coast.

Animal Kingdom has yet to live up to its promise; Rivers of Light has so far been a flop, and i'm not betting any money on Avatarland yet either. At least teh new things they have built (Harambe market, Tiffins, etc) have been very strong. Now there is scuttlebutt that Joe Rohde and his crew are on the chopping block in a management shakeup, but that's only rumour so far. I do wish they had built the magical creatures land from the original plans, it would really have played into the strengths of the park.

Not sure where I'm going with this, other than to say that yes you have to keep evolving a park in order to keep repeat visitors coming back, otherwise it stagnates like Innoventions, but it just seems like we're lacking overall direction and vision. Decisions are made just to fulfill next year's fiscal projections or are reactionary to other outside stimulus.

Seems to me some of the best work lately has been in the resort areas, but that's all leaning towards DVC now. Hook 'em and keep 'em coming back.

I guess the best thing to hope for now is to see if some of the imagination and design work that went in to Shanghai and the other foreign parks makes its way back here. And/or Disney Management finally decides to create a new vision for master planning the park (hey, wasn't that Walt's original dream anyway?)...