What is going on with Disney parks?

[Remy is Up]

Found our point a few years ago. Between price going up and up, Disney nickel and dimeing the experience and the new FastPass system.
It has been a death of a thousand cuts since we started going in 2000. The vibe is different on the property compared to then. Off the top of my head I can't come up with anything specific, silly things hit me while we are there all the time. Now I'm reading Photopass is in a box like at the mall? Planning years in advance as to what and where you are going to eat, I remember walking into Epcot, going to guest services that day and making a reservation for somewhere for that night. They have a brand new ride you need to get to the gate at opening to have any chance to ride.
Sadly the last three trips to Florida we had a choice of Disney or Universal and chose Universal for price, (seasons pass gets you a good discount on hotels), for fun (no need to plan were and when you need to go months in advance, just get up and go where ever you feel like that day) and that whole reason for going on vacation, relaxing, putting the phone down and just chilling. Finding I seem to be on that thing all the time in Disney checking or trying for FP's

Living here and having access to every Florida park by having Annuals to all of them and relatives working at all of them so getting tickets has been easy, we find that some have certain aspects we prefer over others. We enjoy the coasters and animal experiences, the festivals, etc at BG and SW. We enjoy the atmosphere and creativity of the attractions at Disney. The parks we visit the least are Universal. Too many screen rides and the atmosphere is very sterile and almost forced at times. We do enjoy things like Mummy, Rip Ride, Hagrid, Jurassic and a few others. But, we find Uni to have very few rides we consider "Rerideable" and thats how we gauge attractions. We go to Disney every other weekend or sometimes every 3rd weekend and do 3 or so long staycation weekends a year including Christmas Eve/Christmas. We go to BG or SW once a month or so. We got to Universal maybe 2 or 3 times a year. I think its just personal preference.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

You made an assumptive statement based in no fact but opinion that thrill coasters arent popular and used that to morph into well its not as popular as Disney so you could validate a complete false statement.

There are at least two problems with your argument. First you’re arguing against something I didn’t claim. I never said “thrill coasters aren’t popular”; I said “thrill coasters aren’t as popular as some believe”. Of course they have a niche audience. But the most popular parks don’t have them. And that’s the second part of your argument that fails. You claim my opinion isn’t based in fact but it is a fact that the Disney parks don’t have many thrills and yet are more popular than parks that have a lot of thrill rides.
So you should probably read and understand things a bit better before you accuse someone else of not comprehending something.

 

[mshanson3121]

I'm skipping some replies, so I may be repeating what's already been said, but as far as the thrill ride debate...

I agree with the people who say that thrill rides aren't Disney's target. Yes, it's good to have a few to appease the thrill seekers, but Disney always has been, and always will be, primarily about the family experience - and thrill rides exclude a lot of people, primarily younger kids. So it's just never going to be their "thing". I disagree with the idea that thrill rides aren't popular/have a large fan base - they do. However, parks that cater to thrill rides are never going to be as large of a draw as Disney, and honestly, that has less to do with the rides, and more to do with just the very essence of what Disney is - the most well marketed FAMILY theme park, entirely built/themed around the movies and characters that children have been growing up with for multiple generations, which creates an emotional connection that is lacking in other parks. And that's not even taking into account the entertainment factor - the parades, the shows, the fireworks, the characters etc... No other theme park will ever be able to replicate the success of Disney, but that doesn't meant they're not a success in their own category.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

We go to Disney every other weekend or sometimes every 3rd weekend and do 3 or so long staycation weekends a year including Christmas Eve/Christmas. We go to BG or SW once a month or so.

So parks with a lot of family rides are more popular with your family than ones with more thrill rides? Uh.

 

[Jrb1979]

So parks with a lot of family rides are more popular with your family than ones with more thrill rides? Uh.

I agree that Disney will always be more popular with families with young kids. My nieces are 9 and 10 and prefer going to thrill parks over Disney. A big reason parks with bigger thrill rides don't do as good is, IMO, that lot of parents are intimidated by big coasters.

 

[Remy is Up]

So parks with a lot of family rides are more popular with your family than ones with more thrill rides? Uh.

Ummm no. We go to Disney more because of the festivals and such. You are really reaching. You got called out for an absolutely preposterous argument which didnt exist until you changed the argument. Get over it. We love Coasters, but, we also enjoy Disney. You can actually enjoy both but also not be dense enough to assume one isnt popular. Wow, you really dont get the whole fact you changed the argument to suit yourself after you got called on a preposterous assertion without a qualifier. Keep banging your head against the wall. You were wrong with your initial assertion and just cant admit it.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Ummm no. We go to Disney more because of the festivals and such. You are really reaching. You got called out for an absolutely preposterous argument which didnt exist until you changed the argument. Get over it. We love Coasters, but, we also enjoy Disney. You can actually enjoy both but also not be dense enough to assume one isnt popular. Wow, you really dont get the whole fact you changed the argument to suit yourself after you got called on a preposterous assertion without a qualifier. Keep banging your head against the wall. You were wrong with your initial assertion and just cant admit it.

Yeah, that’s not what happened.

 

[mshanson3121]

But the most popular parks don’t have them.

???

I honestly have no idea how you came up with this statement.

Sea World - thrill rides
Busch - thrill rides
6 Flags - thrill rides
Universal - thrill rides
Knott's Berry Farm - thrill rides
Hersey - thrill rides
Cedar Point - thrill rides

I could continue with the list, but I think you get the point... Every single big theme park out there, has at least one thrill ride, most have multiple thrill rides. Heck, even our small local theme park added a thrill ride a few years back. And even Disney themselves, a park not known for thrill rides, offers a few (RnRC, Everest, ToT, arguably Space, and of course Tron and Guardians once complete).

 

[Douglas Dubh]

I honestly have no idea how you came up with this statement.

You have to look at it in context. I was talking about thrill coasters. Disney doesn’t have any. Universal has one. Disney and Universal have by far more popular parks than SW/BG and Cedar Fair. I have no problem with coasters or thrill rides. I just think they should be balanced with family rides if a park really wants to succeed.

 

[Jrb1979]

You have to look at it in context. I was talking about thrill coasters. Disney doesn’t have any. Universal has one. Disney and Universal have by far more popular parks than SW/BG and Cedar Fair. I have no problem with coasters or thrill rides. I just think they should be balanced with family rides if a park really wants to succeed.

IMO a coaster with a height requirement of 48" I would consider a family ride. Most parks like Cedar Point have a kids area for the littles to ride. Then they have the higher thrill rides for those 48" and above to ride. I think there are more families like my sister's. She has 2 girls that are 10 and love big coasters already. A lot that has to do with that me and their dad love big coasters. Going by most who post here, aren't fans of high intensity rides

 

[mshanson3121]

You have to look at it in context. I was talking about thrill coasters. Disney doesn’t have any. Universal has one. Disney and Universal have by far more popular parks than SW/BG and Cedar Fair. I have no problem with coasters or thrill rides. I just think they should be balanced with family rides if a park really wants to succeed.

I don't think anyone can say these parks aren't succeeding. Every one of them has several million visitors every year. They're doing just fine. Also, as for your Universal is doing better than Cedar Fair... CF parks had 25.8 million visitors, compared to Universals 19.86 million. For the record, Six Flags parks also blew Uni out of the water, with 26.7 million visitors, just in the first 9 months of 2019.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

CF parks had 25.8 million visitors, compared to Universals 19.86 million. For the record, Six Flags parks also blew Uni out of the water, with 26.7 million visitors, just in the first 9 months of 2019.

Sure but there are only three Universal parks and dozens of CF and SF parks so that’s not really a valid comparison.

 

[mshanson3121]

Sure but there are only three Universal parks and dozens of CF and SF parks so that’s not really a valid comparison.

@Remy is Up was right. You just really can't admit that thrill rides have a substantial fan base, can you? Really, your entire argument is invalid. Disney/Uni have greater numbers not because of the rides. Every one of those parks listed, also happen to have family rides, too. In fact, pretty much the exact same family rides (mechanically speaking) that Disney offers. Every park out there has a Splash Mountain, a Tea Cups, a Dumbo, a train, a 7D etc... It's not the rides that makes Disney succeed over other parks. Instead, it's the entertainment factor. The shows, the parades, the fireworks, the characters - the other parks just don't offer that. They succeed because of the fact that everything is themed around the stories that generations have been growing up on. They succeed because of strong emotional connection. Universal is growing in this regard as well. But take away that, and ride for ride, most people are just as happy, or in fact happier, to go to other parks. Which is why those other parks all individually have multi-millions of visitors every year. Indeed, cumulatively, they have more visitors than Universal Studios, and darn close to the same amount as the American Disney parks. I can't count the number of people I know in real life (and this board in no way represents the "real" world who is visiting theme park and Disney) who find other parks better than Disney, when it comes to the rides. Why? While that's a bit multi-faceted (lower cost, lower crowds etc...) , one of the reasons I often hear is because they offer more thrill rides to satisfy their older children/teens, while still offering smaller family rides for their younger children.

 

[Remy is Up]

You have to look at it in context. I was talking about thrill coasters. Disney doesn’t have any. Universal has one. Disney and Universal have by far more popular parks than SW/BG and Cedar Fair. I have no problem with coasters or thrill rides. I just think they should be balanced with family rides if a park really wants to succeed.

Please define Succeed. I think if you are doing a "comparison" to Disney then noone will succeed, inclusive of Universal. If you are doing a comparison of Business plan and profitability, I think youll find the BG/SW Parks, Cedar Fair Parks, and Six Flags are doing pretty darn well with their current business plans. SW/BG opened Sesame play places for kids but that isnt the focus of those parks. Those were opened to give smaller kids in families something to do while the older kids can go do the thrill rides. To say they need a balance of family rides to be successful isnt true if you merely look at their profitability to business plan. Again, if NOT comparing to Disney ( To whom there is no comparison and would be stupid to try and build a family ride park to compete with Disney ..Just ask Uni, still not even in the same level and they try) Thrill and amusement parks are extremely successful and do just fine without a plethora of family rides. Just as Disney doesnt need thrill rides to be who they are, Thrill parks dont need family rides to be who they are. Success is defined by profit to business plan and budget, not by comparisons to other businesses who arent even the same business plan. That would be like Walmart being compared to Home Depot. Both big box stores, but not the same audience and both very successful

 

[rteetz]

Might be time to move on from this argument.

 

[Brianstl]

Getting back to the topic of the thread. What has been happening at Disney Parks and Resorts really doesn't matter anymore. We are in a new world now because of COVID-19 and the impact it has on the travel industry will be felt for a long time.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

just really can't admit that thrill rides have a substantial fan base, can you?

Again, I never claimed otherwise.

 

[Firebird060]

If we end up in a recession because of Co Vid at least it will make going to the Disney parks cheaper. I just got 40 dollar credit from southwest because of the drop in airline prices. I know that isnt much but hey its a round of drinks at trader sams. Get the small wins when you can

 

[mshanson3121]

Again, I never claimed otherwise.

You kinda did....... You started with this....

I don’t think thrill coasters are as popular as some believe.

And continued with implying they don't have much of a fan base, with this statement...

Of course they have a niche audience. But the most popular parks don’t have them.

And then you keep trying to tell us, that you never said these things

 

[rteetz]

If we end up in a recession because of Co Vid at least it will make going to the Disney parks cheaper. I just got 40 dollar credit from southwest because of the drop in airline prices. I know that isnt much but hey its a round of drinks at trader sams. Get the small wins when you can

This is something that will be interesting to watch. We haven't seen any discounts yet outside of airlines. Some cruise lines have dropped prices for obvious reasons as well. Disney on all fronts is staying strong with no additional discounts yet and no price drops. My guess is they are waiting as long as they can before doing any of that. They don't want to jump the gun in case this is just a short downtime. The parks don't seem to be impacted much yet either. It is mainly the cruise lines seeing the biggest impact.