Does WDW need more Hotel rooms/Resorts?

[k5thbeatle]

Do you think WDW is in need of more hotels/resorts?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

They're building two right now.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Apparently Disney thinks so and I'm sure they've crunched the numbers to back the decision.

 

[buzznina]

Based on availability seeming to be harder to find these last couple of years, and their occupancy levels being steadily in the 90% for all resorts, I would say yes.

 

[bbkangs]

Do you think WDW is in need of more hotels/resorts?

I wish the answer was no, because more hotels means more people. And more people means more crowds...

I know Disney is adding a bunch of new stuff to the different parks but there are only so many people that can fit in the gates! Wouldn't it be nice if they kept opening up more hotels, they would open up another gate to spread out the crowds a little more?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

To be fair, the new DVC is taking over space that used to be rooms in another resort. The Star Wars hotel shouldn't increase gate traffic at parks, since the point of that is to be an immersion experience and for the $$ you won't be buying park tickets or leaving the space ship.

 

[buzznina]

I wish the answer was no, because more hotels means more people. And more people means more crowds...

I know Disney is adding a bunch of new stuff to the different parks but there are only so many people that can fit in the gates! Wouldn't it be nice if they kept opening up more hotels, they would open up another gate to spread out the crowds a little more?

Yep, we have the same fear

To be fair, the new DVC is taking over space that used to be rooms in another resort. The Star Wars hotel shouldn't increase gate traffic at parks, since the point of that is to be an immersion experience and for the $$ you won't be buying park tickets or leaving the space ship.

But they are creating a lot more rooms then they are getting rid of. I also do not think that the people staying at the Star Wars resort is going to spend their entire vacation at the resort. I'm sure they will not visit the parks as many days as they did before but they will hit the parks.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I also do not think that the people staying at the Star Wars resort is going to spend their entire vacation at the resort. I'm sure they will not visit the parks as many days as they did before but they will hit the parks.

Given that the rate for that resort sounds all-inclusive, I suspect that people who are not spending their whole stay at that resort will split stay -- do 2-3 days of full-immersion SW, then move elsewhere for park time.

 

[SL6827]

So in order to stay at the Star Wars hotel, you'll have to pay for the immersion experience?

 

[scrapquitler]

Well considering that I was unable to book 7 consecutive nights at ANY value resort for the week after Labor Day when I called last week, I'm thinking that the answer is YES. I got my reservation taken care of eventually, but I have to do a split stay, which I would prefer not to do at all, and I would have rather been at Pop than at Sports, but Disney is Disney.

Do you think WDW is in need of more hotels/resorts?

 

[Minnesota!]

So in order to stay at the Star Wars hotel, you'll have to pay for the immersion experience?

That is what it sounds like. Staying there = full experience. You are role playing for the duration of your stay.

 

[Minnesota!]

Also, yes, I think they do. A big draw (for us) is the hotel. We love having a ton of things to do/see/experience OUTSIDE the gates of the parks. If hotels are meeting occupancy currently, and the parks are going to draw even MORE people based on new attractions/lands, they are going to nee more places for people to stay

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The point of the SW hotel is a 360 experience. It's going to be a lot like a limited 5th gate or cruise ship in that sense.

I doubt it will be a "hoppable" resort, where you book dining. If you want a SW dining experience, you'll go to DHS, whatever they rename it to.

 

[Minnesota!]

The point of the SW hotel is a 360 experience. It's going to be a lot like a limited 5th gate or cruise ship in that sense.

I doubt it will be a "hoppable" resort, where you book dining. If you want a SW dining experience, you'll go to DHS, whatever they rename it to.

Outside of it being SW, I think that will be either a big draw (us, personally), or a big detractor. As I imagine it, it will require people to "drop everything" and be dedicated to the hotel for the duration (2 nights is what I am hearing?). Being sequestered to the hotel, to continue the storyline. I think it sounds amazing, and very much like a limited 5th gate...all the experience, none of the standing in line

 

[rg35]

There's also a major assumption that the majority of the people who are staying at Disney resorts are going to the parks. I don't know what the numbers are, but my understanding is that, for example DVC members staying at resorts aren't necessarily visiting the parks. Our kids made friends at the pool on our last trip who weren't going to the parks at all - going to the resort was their vacation. So I'd agree that yes, more people in WDW as a whole, but not an equal number of people visiting the parks.

 

[cwis]

I believe the equation, more or less, is:

More attractions in the parks = more attendance until parks are full = more rooms to keep guests on property

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Park crowd is very frequently a factor of off-site visitors more than resort bookings. Adding rooms gives Disney an opportunity to try to capture some of the off-site visitors, in theory, although I think some of that is price-driven.

 

[davale4]

There's also a major assumption that the majority of the people who are staying at Disney resorts are going to the parks. I don't know what the numbers are, but my understanding is that, for example DVC members staying at resorts aren't necessarily visiting the parks. Our kids made friends at the pool on our last trip who weren't going to the parks at all - going to the resort was their vacation. So I'd agree that yes, more people in WDW as a whole, but not an equal number of people visiting the parks.

This is very true for our family. We will be there next month and we were planning on not getting park tickets. The only reason we got a 2 day park hopper was to go to AK to see pandora, go to MK to the MNSSHP, and F&W Festival at Epcot. It was planned due to these events, it just worked out that way and we didn't want to pass on them. However, we are planning for 2018 already and park tickets are not in the plans.

 

[raddisneyfan]

I could always use more places to stay!

 

[scrapquitler]

not everyone who stays at a resort goes to the parks, and not everyone who goes to the parks stays at the resort.