I actually think the current ticket pricing structure has made the parks more crowded, especially made them feel more crowded. Let me explain
Before the pandemic, those that used to stay for a week to 10 days, a very typical time stretch for
DVC members, after 3 days the ticket price increase for additional days was pretty minor. Plus, you received 3 advance fast pass selections with your ticket. So our touring plan for an 8 day trip was to buy a full 8 days. We usually left one day unused on our ticket, and maybe spent half the day in the parks. We usually did a nice table service every day at the parks as well. So we actually only spent 3 1/2 days in the parks and never did more than our 3 fast passes rather try and work technology for another fast pass once we used one. We were relaxed in the parks. We rarely pulled out our phones, and if a day was particularly busy or a ride particularly crowed, we passed on it figuring we’d hit it some other day in our trip. We enjoyed going back to the resort for swims and naps even on park days.
Now, an equal ticket price gets you three days at most, you pay a hefty price to add fast passes, and so it tends to psychologically put in this, ‘I’ve got to get as much value as I can out of this expenditure,’ mentality for many of us who bought DVC because of it truly being a long term value proposition over cash stays. I hate this way of doing the parks and rarely go in the parks anymore. And when I bring guests, I only advise buying tickets for 3 days versus length of stay previously.
So, Disney parks are getting less money from me than before. The park experience isn’t the same for many DVC week to 10 day stayers. So will a recession drop crowd levels, sure it will. But IMO the pricing strategy that Disney has transitioned to has materially changed the park experience. It would be a boost to DVC sales and the value of the product if they had a length of stay pass to DVC blue card holders booking week or longer stays and I do not believe would substantially increase the crowd feel at the parks. I’d much rather have that then a couple of year recession downturn.