Has the economy been effecting crowd levels?

[MonkeyPants]

just wondering with the state of the economy if anyone had noticed a drop in crowd levels this year?

 

[tndisneyfan]

I would say no. We went five times in the last year and it was crowded every time. I've had coworkers go and when they got back they all said "there's no recession in WDW".

 

[CrabbyPatty]

We went the same week last year and this year, and the attendance seemed quite a bit lighter this year. We talked with a few CMs and several mentioned that attendance has been quite a bit lighter this year - for what it's worth.

 

[dqpowell]

I would say definitely yes -- crowd levels are down.

I was at WDW three weeks ago and couldn't believe how low the crowds were for the 1st/2nd weeks of August. After walking on Tower of Terror for third time in a row, I commented to one of the CMs in the gift shop on how small the crowds were. She agreed and told me they were definitely down compared with the same time previous year. I asked her if she had any idea why, and it was her opinion that the down economy finally "caught up" with Disney. She said she saw no real impact in 2008 or 2009, but that she thinks it is significant this year.

My observations mirror hers.

David

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

Free DDP is keeping them coming!!

 

[dqpowell]

Another thing to consider is that this is the first year Disney has ever offered free dining on so many different dates. In the past it was only offered a few weeks in the early/mid autumn, when the heat, hurricanes, and school schedule made for really low revenue. Now it's being offered all over the calendar.

Not to mention the other discounts they're offering for people uninterested in free dining. Big room-only discounts, and multi-hundred dollar gift cards for booking certain stays. They wouldn't be offering all these incentives if they were having an easy time filling the parks.

David

 

[CrabbyPatty]

We were also surprised by empty tables in TS restaurants. Ohana had some empty tables the evening we were there (7:45 - 9:15 p.m.) and it was really easy to do a last-minute change to our final ADR and we had a choice of several restaurants at several times. So, even though it was free dining, I thought it seemed light in the restaurants as well.

 

[Mamu]

We were also surprised by empty tables in TS restaurants. Ohana had some empty tables the evening we were there (7:45 - 9:15 p.m.) and it was really easy to do a last-minute change to our final ADR and we had a choice of several restaurants at several times. So, even though it was free dining, I thought it seemed light in the restaurants as well.

Do you think that people are making ressies so far ahead (it's so easy to book on line) (your not on hold for a hour) and then just not showing up. If you try to make an ADR now for September most restaurants are booked.

 

[ThanksForTheMemories]

During the summer, there's not much difference tbh. I got back a few weeks ago, and I think the DDP has kept people coming because the queues were no different to any other year.
But over the rest of the year crowds have dropped a bit, yes.

 

[ancestry]

At the times I have traveled it almost seems that the crowds are *higher* than previous years due to the deep discounts Disney have been offering. From my personal experience I wouldn't say the numbers are down but rather they are up!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well-certainly not down based on our most recent trip in May.

 

[focusondisney]

Do you think that people are making ressies so far ahead (it's so easy to book on line) (your not on hold for a hour) and then just not showing up. If you try to make an ADR now for September most restaurants are booked.

Hmmm, we arrive on the 12th. Even tho I have all our ADRs, I have been checking out what is available online. I was thinking there seems to be lots of choices for our week. Of course, not Le Cellier or California Grill, but lots of Kona Cafe, 50s Prime Time, 1900 Parke Fair, Coral Reef. These are popular places that in other years would be fully booked by now.

I was thinking this probably has a lot to do with the free dining offered at other times of the year. I am hoping for low crowds when we get there. Maybe there's hope for good discounts next year, too.

 

[francie57]

We were there from 8/12-19 and noticed a big difference from last year. Since free dining started right in the middle (like last year) there definitely wasn't the spike in people that there was last year. As a pp said, at most of our TS meals at night (most ADRs around 6:30) there were empty tables in all the places. My guess was that the economy finally caught up since between 2008 and 2009 most people plan early and would have had their trips plans and paid for so they went and now they aren't going as much.

 

[Brian Noble]

The most recent quarterly report, published in early August and covering April-June, had WDW attendance down 2% in the quarter, but that's partly because, in 2010, Easter fell partly in the 2nd quarter rather than entirely in the third. Adjusting for that, attendance was down 1%.

So, yes the economy is affecting attendance, but not by enough to make a tangible difference in the parks on average. What's more, if operating hours or ride capacity are cut back even a little bit, that makes it "feel worse".

 

[BLTLDZ]

Free DDP is keeping them coming!!

I couldn't agree more!

 

[mom2rtk]

The lower early fall free dining crowds probably ARE because of the long-term economic downturn.

But I ALSO think that once Disney added free dining for Oct to Dec last year, they added the speculation that they would do so this year. August and September are SO hot, that many prefer to go later in the fall.

We are a case study in this. We went in late September last year, thinking it would be our best shot at free dining with semi-reasonable weather. The record heat they set that week (and others!) last year sent me packing back to December this year. I figured..... they extended it last year.... the economy is still not recovering..... surely they will extend it again. Missing the heat was worth taking the chance.

 

[ntsammy5]

It's all conjecture until WDW posts attendance figures. Anecdotal references are not accurate since everyone has a different reference point.....

My own opinion is - MAYBE.

 

[dqpowell]

The most recent quarterly report, published in early August and covering April-June, had WDW attendance down 2% in the quarter, but that's partly because, in 2010, Easter fell partly in the 2nd quarter rather than entirely in the third. Adjusting for that, attendance was down 1%.

I'd really like to see the third quarter numbers when they come out. Tower of Terror was walk-on several times in a row a full 90 minutes before closing the first weekend in August. There were shorter waits to ride Test Track and Soarin' than I saw in late Jan 2009 or early December 2007. Soarin' fastpasses were still available at 4:30 or 5 PM. That's all quite unusual, and would only make sense if attendance was off considerably more than 1%.

So, yes the economy is affecting attendance, but not by enough to make a tangible difference in the parks on average. What's more, if operating hours or ride capacity are cut back even a little bit, that makes it "feel worse".

And yet it didn't "feel worse" when I was there a few weeks ago -- it felt an awful lot better than I would have expected. (I mean the crowds, obviously. The heat and humidity were awful.)

David

 

[dqpowell]

I almost forgot to mention what was (maybe) the most surprising indicator of all. I got a reservation at Le Cellier by calling the reservation line one day prior to when I wanted to eat there. I was actually calling to try to get a reservation anywhere, and asked about Le Cellier on a whim. I was shocked when she said a time was available.

David

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

Lets see we went in Sept 09, Feb, May and August 10. In Sept 09 and Aug 10the crowds were more than I'd seen in the past, but we had not been in Feb and May before and didn't really know what to expect and how those months were in the past. I don't think the economic downturn is effecting the bottom line attendance numbers, I do think it is hitting sales in the parks pretty hard and thats why we have seen seveal agressive campaigns to get people to spend more (more gift w/ purchase, AP discounts % all year, the $500 gift card for $395 offer, and the gift card w/ trip purchase offer).