Attendance figures?

[k5thbeatle]

Is there any reliable source for information on the attendance for WDW? I was curious as to what affect the economy these last couple of quarters has had if any on WDW? I know their stock has dropped but it doesn't seem like people are mentioning any noticeable drops in attendance beyond normal? One would have to believe that attendance would be down? Does local media have any info on this?

 

[mitros]

If anything, attendance is up at WDW. I don't know where to go to get exact numbers. I suspect that Disney does not release those types of figures themselves. But I can assure you, from personal experience, this has been the biggest year yet for WDW. We have found the numbers have been steadily increasing all year. Even the slower times, such as September, when the kids go back to school, which used to be THE best time {crowd-wise } to go to WDW, was very busy this year. They say the economy is bad, but you couldn't prove it by the bodies on property at WDW. The other explanation is that because the dollar is weak, a lot of people from other countries are coming here, so a lot of the folks going to WDW are from other countries. Actually, I feel it is a combination of both. People from this country are still flocking to Disney in record numbers, and because of our $$, a lot of overseas people are going as well. We have NEVER seen WDW as crowded as it has been this year, and we have been visiting since 1988.

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

yeah... its getting worse. Even at the down times what they do is they drop room rates and have free dining, which really brings in people. Im not sure how people can afford it right now lol. I've gone twice this year, and I usually only go once every two years, but we try to save money in other ways so we could go again. My family's obsessed with Disney, but im not exactly sure how so many others are going than usual. Anyone know?

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I can only relate from our "insiders" way of assessing WDW's capacity. We have always watched castmember rates for the resorts. The fewer the choices for us, the higher the advance reservations.

One thing we have noticed over the years.....DVC has rarely been offered - even 11 months out - for the dates we travel.

This year we had a 10-day stay at BWV - 1 bedroom villa - for maximum castmember discount. WOO HOO

Even more telling......we just traveled to DL last month for a short week visit. We jumped at the chance because our favorite Disney resort - GC was listed (4 weeks out) at DOUBLE castmember standard discount. While we were there we also noticed that one entire wing seemed to be closed (no lights on in the rooms at night). DL was walk-on for even the major rides.

It was GREAT for our hoilday - but frightening if you were a beancounter at Disney.

No, it's not scientific - but castmember rates have been plentiful and generous this year. That means free dining, AP discounts, bouncebacks, etc. aren't filling the rooms.

We are back in 38 days - with another maximum castmember discount trip......including Pop Warner dates!!!

Disney will not give away ANYTHING - especially to castmembers - unless they have to. This year our choices have been abundant. Does not sound all that successful to me.

 

[tinkbyday]

Maybe the free dining brought people in over the last couple of months, but I spoke to a CM at CRO yesterday who said people keep cancelling upcoming trips. Sounds like if it hasn't already, the economy will affect WDW at some point.

Plus, I read on the boards that the reason they are offering all of the discounts is because they can't sell out the rooms...

 

[mitros]

Maybe the free dining brought people in over the last couple of months, but I spoke to a CM at CRO yesterday who said people keep cancelling upcoming trips. Sounds like if it hasn't already, the economy will affect WDW at some point.

Plus, I read on the boards that the reason they are offering all of the discounts is because they can't sell out the rooms...

I'm willing to bet that new reservations will far out-weigh the cancelations.

 

[wdwpins]

As a frequent visitor to WDW (AP holder), living about an hour away, I started noticing a drop in attendance this past summer, normally much more crowded, in my experience, when kids are out of school. I was able to navigate more easily through crowds, and attraction lines were much shorter than what I had experienced the year before. In fact, may times it was easier to wait in the standby line than to get a Fast Pass.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Here is the latest (2007) Annual Attendance Report published by the Themed Entertainment Association.

 

[zulemara]

It is so fascinating, Disney holds 8 out of the top 10 theme parks worldwide and the top 2 waterparks world wide. Perhaps that explains their arrogance and "hostile guest policies" according to Pete.

 

[mitros]

It is so fascinating, Disney holds 8 out of the top 10 theme parks worldwide and the top 2 waterparks world wide. Perhaps that explains their arrogance and "hostile guest policies" according to Pete.

It also explains {as I have been saying} why the parks are all so friggin' mobbed ALL of the time.

 

[FireDancer]

I don’t think just looking at attendance figures are telling the whole story. What needs to be looked at is revenue per guest. If you give people a discounted room and free dinning and then the guest spends less on souvenirs than normal you could see less revenue from more guests. Add on top of this the diseconomy of scale you would have by having more guests paying less money (more staff to service them) and you could see how inflated guest figures could hide an underlying revenue problem.

 

[mitros]

I don’t think just looking at attendance figures are telling the whole story. What needs to be looked at is revenue per guest. If you give people a discounted room and free dinning and then the guest spends less on souvenirs than normal you could see less revenue from more guests. Add on top of this the diseconomy of scale you would have by having more guests paying less money (more staff to service them) and you could see how inflated guest figures could hide an underlying revenue problem.

So I guess Disney is biting off their nose to spite their face? {is that how it goes? } In order to attract more bodies, they reduce room rates and have these dining plans, but if these same bodies do not spend money on souveniers, there goes the companies bottom line. Well, guess what? good for them! They make the Disney experience less "fun" by crowding people into the parks, restaurants and resorts. "belly-to-back" I believe it's called. And if they excpect people to come back, they need to give them a less claustrophobic experience.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

It also explains {as I have been saying} why the parks are all so friggin' mobbed ALL of the time.

Lets not forget that they report sited is from 2007. Things are much different going toward 2008 than this time last year.

Take a look at their stock price compared to when that report was written in 2007.....there is a BIG drop.

Lets also remember that the British and Europe are about 6 months behind us with THEIR recession. They were filling the rooms in late 2007 and early 2008.

Times are quite different now.

I suspect attendance in 2009 will be at best....soft. Look at the discounts already available for 2009. Disney doesn't give away a penny unless they have to.

 

[mitros]

Talked to a DVC CM trying to make another reservation in January. He said all of the resorts are filled through May. He can't say how the other regular Disney resorts are doing as he is only on the DVC side.

 

[doconeill]

Talked to a DVC CM trying to make another reservation in January. He said all of the resorts are filled through May. He can't say how the other regular Disney resorts are doing as he is only on the DVC side.

I think DVC would see a much delayed effect, given that DVC members have essentially pre-paid for their lodging for the next 35-50 years...and we need to use our points or lose them, so we are compelled to still go.

 

[skier_pete]

So I guess Disney is biting off their nose to spite their face? {is that how it goes? } In order to attract more bodies, they reduce room rates and have these dining plans, but if these same bodies do not spend money on souveniers, there goes the companies bottom line. Well, guess what? good for them! They make the Disney experience less "fun" by crowding people into the parks, restaurants and resorts. "belly-to-back" I believe it's called. And if they excpect people to come back, they need to give them a less claustrophobic experience.

But here's the thing - an empty room earns $0 and the people staying in it SPEND $0. They are paying to operate the park, and they are paying to have the hotel rooms open. So, leaving that room open with no-one in it is worse than giving someone a big discount to stay there.

Plus, the clever thing about the new discount...the current 4 nights get 3 free deal..it's a big one, figure optimally at 7 nights it's 43 % off rack rate (the savings on the extra 3 days of park-ticket are nearly negligible)....it gets people to stay longer than they might have otherwise. I met a family recently that was going to go for 5 days and now is going for 7 with the deal - well now they will be spending money for 2 more days on food and souvenirs.

The same goes for the $200 gift card they are giving out...yes some people will only spend the $200, but a lot of people will just get $200 MORE in souvenirs. Considering the mark-up on stuff at WDW, giving $200 in free merchandise is like losing about $40.

SkierPete

PS ...and good point by PP the DVC bookings are a pretty meaningless indicator of the situation...the metric here would be new DVC sales...or someone would have to check if point re-sales are up.

 

[mitros]

Well, we are leaving next Saturday for a one week trip to celebrate our son's wedding, and I will be very anxious to see first hand exactly what is going on crowd-wise first hand.

 

[MJMcBride]

there was a report somewhere, don't recall where, that the Super Soap weekends were about 15% below expected and the lowest in a few years