Thoughts on why crowds are lower this summer so far??

[RivShore]

There is one. I believe they have people at the parks daily and they count people in queues. Touring plans have been doing this for years. Their apps wait times are more accurate than Disney a lot of the time.

Don't forget that Len admitted there was a problem with their methodology - for the last full year that Disney reported, they were actually down less than 5%, yet TP had predicted they were down 15%+...not even close.

 

[sponica]

I haven't read all 7 pages, but aren't we in the traditional shoulder season between spring/summer?

After Memorial Day weekend, isn't their typically some softer weeks until this weekend? You have about half the country that's still in school

 

[J-Dog]

There is one. I believe they have people at the parks daily and they count people in queues. Touring plans have been doing this for years. Their apps wait times are more accurate than Disney a lot of the time.

But again, the problem with counting people in queues is that people's behavior in the parks can change for different reasons (i.e. when it's really hot), so the ratio of people who go through the turnstiles (which groups like TP don't have access to those numbers), and the number of people in queues could vary dramatically.

 

[J-Dog]

Don't forget that Len admitted there was a problem with their methodology - for the last full year that Disney reported, they were actually down less than 5%, yet TP had predicted they were down 15%+...not even close.

Yes. This. TP's methodology is a back-end count and may not be accurate.

 

[Minnie1222]

There is one. I believe they have people at the parks daily and they count people in queues. Touring plans have been doing this for years. Their apps wait times are more accurate than Disney a lot of the time.

This was from @lentesta

Magic Kingdom was a crowd level '1' (out of 10, 10=highest) on Memorial Day. I think that's unprecedented.
EPCOT = 8 / 10
DHS = 4
DAK = 5
Disneyland = 8
DCA = 9
Universal Studios Florida = 9
IOA = 5

I agree there's a correlation, but I don't see a direct relationship between Crowd Size and Wait Times as in y = kx.

I also don't believe how anyone could deduce that "people weren't going to WDW" during Memorial based on wait times at MK. Even if MK were a level 1 (which I am 100% disagreeing with), Epcot was still an 8, while HS at 4 and AK at 5. This showed that people were still going.

Sorry if I keep disputing this. I wouldn't be in this conversation if I hadn't been in Orlando during this specific time.

 

[Mermaidtails1323]

We were at Disney from May 23-31. We were at MK on Memorial Day and it was one of the slowest days we were there (also had a slow day Friday of Memorial Day weekend). I'm talking Space Mountain not even a 30 minute wait around noon. We had accomplished everything we wanted by 2pm and could've stayed to do more, but it was hot. I've been to Disney a lot, and we were all shocked at how slow MK was that day.

The next day, however, crowds noticably picked up for the rest of our trip. Basically, from May 23-Memorial Day, things were mostly comfortable (although we felt more of the crowds at EP and AK). It felt really bizarre, and then suddenly much more crowded (EE one morning at MK couldn't even accommodate all of the guests in the normal waiting area due to how many people were there).

 

[DisneyFive]

Don’t forget that the cruise industry is booming and Port Canaveral is not one of the busiest cruise ports in the United States. People mostly fly into Orlando to go to the port Canaveral Cruise port which also helps MCO busy

 

[katyjeka]

I agree there's a correlation, but I don't see a direct relationship between Crowd Size and Wait Times as in y = kx.

I also don't believe how anyone could deduce that "people weren't going to WDW" during Memorial based on wait times at MK. Even if MK were a level 1 (which I am 100% disagreeing with), Epcot was still an 8, while HS at 4 and AK at 5. This showed that people were still going.

Sorry if I keep disputing this. I wouldn't be in this conversation if I hadn't been in Orlando during this specific time.

I had to reply to you as we spent a week early December and read how crowd levels were low. We've visited the same week for years and we never encountered so many people and crazy wait times. When I saw Astro Orbiter with a 2 hour wait I knew we were in trouble! Needless to say Genie plus and LL saved the trip. That was the only time in my entire life that I waited in a 45 minute line to board a tram. My point, attendance was down supposedly and we were there 3 weeks before Xmas so not a normally busy time. I no longer pay attention to crowd calendars. I think less people are eating table service meals and more are staying off-site as I see tons of availability for both but I do believe people are still going. Crowds exist and I don't believe "1 and 2" level days will be seen again. Just my thoughts on the subject.

 

[tinkerhon]

#1 is the price, tied to #2 that folks have pretty much gotten their post Covid Disney fix and have a hard time justifying a return trip due to #1, the price.

This..this… and this… I still can’t believe that (4) 1-day park tix for Epcot is over $640!

 

[Mouse Tracker]

After ya'll get this figured out maybe the "which came first, chicken - egg" can be worked on

 

[RivShore]

This..this… and this… I still can’t believe that (4) 1-day park tix for Epcot is over $640!

Is it that shocking when you compare it to other entertainment offerings? Any major concert will probably get up over $1k for 4 decent seats. An NFL game for decent seats would run about the same, at best. Broadway show, more. And all those are 3 hours of entertainment at most vs. 12 plus hours at Epcot. I know everyone hates to hear it, but in context, it is not that far out of line (and that's before any available discounts for 3+ days kick in).

 

[tinkerhon]

Is it that shocking when you compare it to other entertainment offerings? Any major concert will probably get up over $1k for 4 decent seats. An NFL game for decent seats would run about the same, at best. Broadway show, more. And all those are 3 hours of entertainment at most vs. 12 plus hours at Epcot. I know everyone hates to hear it, but in context, it is not that far out of line (and that's before any available discounts for 3+ days kick in).

Does that mean that the other entertainment offerings that you mention are not considered to be expensive ? ( understood that “expensive” is relative)

Living in NY… totally agree about Broadway… luckily, there is TDF… maybe Disney needs a TDF

 

[RivShore]

Does that mean that the other entertainment offerings that you mention are not considered to be expensive ? ( understood that “expensive” is relative)

Living in NY… totally agree about Broadway… luckily, there is TDF… maybe Disney needs a TDF

Just trying to provide some context, threads like this always talk like Disney pricing is the only thing that has gotten outrageous but, as you said, they are all expensive. My question is, why would anyone think WDW would not have similar cost to other entertainment options?

 

[tinkerhon]

Just trying to provide some context, threads like this always talk like Disney pricing is the only thing that has gotten outrageous but, as you said, they are all expensive. My question is, why would anyone think WDW would not have similar cost to other entertainment options?

Yea... Guess my post was a generalization ... EVERYTHING is very expensive.. Always had APs in the past , and usually have more than one day to spend at the parks.. So, had not checked the 1-day price .. If ever..

 

[MartyParty]

After ya'll get this figured out maybe the "which came first, chicken - egg" can be worked on

Chicken!

 

[greeneyedchick]

This..this… and this… I still can’t believe that (4) 1-day park tix for Epcot is over $640!

That is shocking but then the person who responded to you pointed out the cost of other entertainment venues. My family of 5 is seeing Les Mis in Orlando next week and it cost me over $800 for balcony seats. When viewed that way, it makes the Epcot tickets look like a deal.

 

[katyjeka]

That is shocking but then the person who responded to you pointed out the cost of other entertainment venues. My family of 5 is seeing Les Mis in Orlando next week and it cost me over $800 for balcony seats. When viewed that way, it makes the Epcot tickets look like a deal.

Recently took 2 of my daughters to see Air Supply, they are huge 80's and 90's fans. Paid close to 400 for a concert that lasted almost 2 hours. We had a great time(worth every penny)but definitely not a great deal. Everything is expensive now. I recently bought park hoppers, 7 days, for a little over 600.00 a piece at AAA for our September trip. We usually spend 10 hours a day at the parks which means we pay a little over $8.00 a person per hour to visit. In our area going to the movie is more, including our local drive in.

 

[katyjeka]

This week in Orlando has been pretty nice....mid 80s.

We have been in the 90's all week in PA. Weather is definitely strange this year.

 

[RivShore]

Recently took 2 of my daughters to see Air Supply, they are huge 80's and 90's fans. Paid close to 400 for a concert that lasted almost 2 hours. We had a great time(worth every penny)but definitely not a great deal. Everything is expensive now. I recently bought park hoppers, 7 days, for a little over 600.00 a piece at AAA for our September trip. We usually spend 10 hours a day at the parks which means we pay a little over $8.00 a person per hour to visit. In our area going to the movie is more, including our local drive in.

And i forgot to mention that for that Epcot ticket you can sometimes get a free (short) concert, thrown in. Lots of 70's/80's/90's bands (or parts of them) were at Garden Rocks this year, your kids would have loved it.

 

[katyjeka]

And i forgot to mention that for that Epcot ticket you can sometimes get a free (short) concert, thrown in. Lots of 70's/80's/90's bands (or parts of them) were at Garden Rocks this year, your kids would have loved it.

I'm sorry we missed it!