Is Disney more crowded, or less?

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Sometimes people base how "crowded" parks are based on wait times. But Disney has been known to staff down during "slow" times and to run rides at reduced capacity, therefore the wait times are "high" even though there may not be as many ppl in the park. Dumbo and Space Mtn are examples of this. There are two "tracks" for Dumbo, but we've been there in Oct when only one is operating - not due to mechanical issues either. Also at parks like Epcot and HS where attractions are closing and new ones have not opened up yet...wait times at other attractions naturally go up.

This is an excellent post. The data is clear that attendance is down at WDW in the last couple of years and will probably be down again this year. The reduced staffing creates the illusion that the parks are more crowded.

Now...over at Universal...it's a different story. They are EXPLODING and actually are much more crowded.

 

[sponica]

We are going on January 27, and from what we’ve read we thought that would be a slower week.

But there’s not a single value room available for that week, which makes me worry about crowds.

I think that's more reflective of all the inventory that's missing from the moderates.

Between the refurbs at CSR, the soft goods at POFQ starting this week, the MISSING BUILDINGS from CBR in addition to the Pop refurb, there's no place for all those rooms to shift to except the values unless those who normally stay at a moderate splurge on a deluxe (for a shorter stay)

 

[FastPasser.]

Is Disney more crowded, or less?

More

 

[marcyleecorgan]

It's interesting that you stopped going backwards in 2004.

Just after September 11th, 2001, the parks were beyond slow. Practically ghost towns. They stayed that way for a couple of years and then the crowds started slowly building back up.

People set their baseline around where crowds were on their first visit. People who started going in the 90s (when the economy was good and fastpass didn't exist) have a much higher baseline than those who started going in the early 2000s. And people who started going just a few years ago (when the economy had improved and the crowds were much higher) also have a higher baseline than those who started going in the early 2000s.

THIS so very much!!!

That was Old Disney. But we have New Disney now. And it's becoming Even Newer! with some adaptations newly made to tighten up TOS for many systems

Part of the nice thing about people putting their trips in their signatures is that you can see how much experience they have, to have the opinion they do about ____________. I like hearing how people have learned to adjust to the Even Newer! Disney and still find it a family vacation worth the $$$$$$$$$$.

 

[DVCcurious]

It has been crowded because we’ve had such an awesome economy since January 2009. According to a website I frequent we should be seeing a recession any day now. There was going to be one last year, but the economy was in such great shape at the end of 2016 it will take time for those policies to wear off and the worse policies to take effect. But a recession is coming. And there will be low attendance when that happens.

 

[FastPasser.]

is that you can see how much experience they have, to have the opinion they do about ____________.

I don't list mine, not enough space.

It has been crowded because we’ve had such an awesome economy since January 2009. According to a website I frequent we should be seeing a recession any day now. There was going to be one last year, but the economy was in such great shape at the end of 2016 it will take time for those policies to wear off and the worse policies to take effect. But a recession is coming. And there will be low attendance when that happens.

Good one!

 

[TinkerPan]

I believe Disney has done an excellent job of spreading crowds year round and day of. Adjusting hours helps spread or contract crowd levels. So does what attractions are open, or whether a ride is operating at full capacity. Special seasonal offering helps too, whether its Halloween or Christmas parties or free dining. I also believe Disney has done an excellent job of selling the parks as now being an adult activity. Years ago I wouldn't have considered going without the kids. Now its a very real option for many adults. More adults w/o children means they can go at off times other than summer or spring breaks. I am actually shocked at the number of adults versus kids in crowd photos.

 

[DOOM1001]

This is an excellent post. The data is clear that attendance is down at WDW in the last couple of years and will probably be down again this year. The reduced staffing creates the illusion that the parks are more crowded.

Now...over at Universal...it's a different story. They are EXPLODING and actually are much more crowded.

The Universal point is a good one,nobody can deny that the crowds at Universal are up big time,that right there has to affect crowds at Disney.Disney ignored their parks for too long and Pandora,Star Wars,Toy Story land are a direct response from what's going on at Universal,or what will be going on as its expected they'll be announcing the opening of one or two major theme parks on top of the new water park they opened last year.All you have to do is look at how their APs have increased over the last 12-15 years.I'm a Fl resident and would renew my passes for like $99-$109 for both USF and IOA,over the last 5-6 years that price first climbed to $159 for a couple of years and then basically shot up like $100,I think now the RENEWAL price is like $260+,its basically more expensive than Disney now.

 

[FortForever]

Just after September 11th, 2001, the parks were beyond slow. Practically ghost towns. They stayed that way for a couple of years and then the crowds started slowly building back up.

People set their baseline around where crowds were on their first visit. People who started going in the 90s (when the economy was good and fastpass didn't exist) have a much higher baseline than those who started going in the early 2000s. And people who started going just a few years ago (when the economy had improved and the crowds were much higher) also have a higher baseline than those who started going in the early 2000s.

Yep, we went during spring break 2002 and had the place to ourselves. Never had to even use fastpasses (the old fashioned version then.) That is the only trip that reminded me of the way things used to be at Disney, since the 70's.

 

[mom2rtk]

It has been crowded because we’ve had such an awesome economy since January 2009. According to a website I frequent we should be seeing a recession any day now. There was going to be one last year, but the economy was in such great shape at the end of 2016 it will take time for those policies to wear off and the worse policies to take effect. But a recession is coming. And there will be low attendance when that happens.

Oh brother.

 

[Gentry2004]

The Universal point is a good one,nobody can deny that the crowds at Universal are up big time,that right there has to affect crowds at Disney.Disney ignored their parks for too long and Pandora,Star Wars,Toy Story land are a direct response from what's going on at Universal,or what will be going on as its expected they'll be announcing the opening of one or two major theme parks on top of the new water park they opened last year.All you have to do is look at how their APs have increased over the last 12-15 years.I'm a Fl resident and would renew my passes for like $99-$109 for both USF and IOA,over the last 5-6 years that price first climbed to $159 for a couple of years and then basically shot up like $100,I think now the RENEWAL price is like $260+,its basically more expensive than Disney now.

Well, I don’t know what the FL Disney rates are, but a non FL AP at Disney is $789 before tax. So, a lot more than Universal.

 

[randumb0]

Well, I don’t know what the FL Disney rates are, but a non FL AP at Disney is $789 before tax. So, a lot more than Universal.

I think Universal's is close to $400 for non FL resident equiv of the Disney Platinum or a little more than that if you want the free HHN ticket

 

[randumb0]

I think Universal's is close to $400 for non FL resident equiv of the Disney Platinum or a little more than that if you want the free HHN ticket

Renewal for FL residents are obviously a lot lower for both parks

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

The rate of growth of Universal's attendance is simply breathtaking while Disney's continues to decline. I wonder if Volcano Bay will also sap Disney's water park attendace, too?

 

[Bullseye]

The only park that seems considerably more crowded to me over the past several years is MK. Other than early morning or late night it's always swamped. It's exhausting all the side-stepping you have to do to navigate your way through the park.

 

[DOOM1001]

Well, I don’t know what the FL Disney rates are, but a non FL AP at Disney is $789 before tax. So, a lot more than Universal.

My numbers are for a Disney silver Fl resident AP $379 with tax
For the Universal preferred if I remember it was close to $300 with tax

So my Disney pass is for four parks but does have blackout dates ,the Universal pass has no blackout dates but is only for two parks,so there are variables as far as blackout dates but its only two parks at Universal,in my book it just feels more expensive,especially given how the price on it just shot up in the last couple of years.And these are renewal numbers.

 

[epcotty]

I think it's overall lower but like has been said, Disney just makes it seem more crowded than it is at the lower crowd times by under-staffing and running rides at half capacity. I think it's unfair, especially as it's a more recent development. It's them trying to maximize revenue but the park guests end up being the ones affected

 

[The Rolands]

We always go the second week of November. Which is always been listed as a slow week. And it definitely was not slow at all this time around. We had to wait over 40 minutes for buses. And the line for it’s a small world was a 75 minute wait. I don’t know why it was so busy but it was very bad.

 

[randumb0]

We always go the second week of November. Which is always been listed as a slow week. And it definitely was not slow at all this time around. We had to wait over 40 minutes for buses. And the line for it’s a small world was a 75 minute wait. I don’t know why it was so busy but it was very bad.

A lot of vacations were rescheduled due to the hurricane

 

[ols386]

Years ago, I thought January was a slower time, but not anymore.