Is it my imagination....

[TheBigErn]

or is DW park attendance down? I've been checking weekend line wait times for several weekends at different times of the day and wait times seem less than years past. Why/

 

[scrappinginontario]

Many feel summer is no longer the busy time it once was.

 

[reddog21]

Many feel summer is no longer the busy time it once was.

You have to look no further than the refurb schedule, it used to be un herd of to take down rides during the summer now look how many rides are going to be down in both WDW and DL.

 

[_19disnA]

Likely a combination of several factors. Cost/hot weather/etc. I know where I work someone always seems to take their family to Disney in the Summer for the first time and returns to say it was so HOT/HUMID they will never do that again. It is exhausting trying to walk for miles in June/July/August Florida weather. As more people experience that or hear it from others, I think they decide to do Disney some other time of the year. Continually rising prices probably also causes people to look for other more economical places to vacation. Something is always down for refurbishment, so it is difficult to say how much that impacts attendance.

 

[TheBigErn]

I'm not buying the heat explanation. It's always been hot in the summer. Prices, I get that. It is very expensive.

 

[reddog21]

I'm not buying the heat explanation. It's always been hot in the summer. Prices, I get that. It is very expensive

The heat remains the same however people for whatever reason just can't handle it anymore.

 

[Disturbia]

It’s probably a combo of less international travel overall and the new Epic Universe (waits have been 90-120 mins for headliners there).

Also the starlight parade is opening in a few weeks, so people are probably deciding to postpone their travel.

We had friends who traveled last year and the crowds and waits were much more intense vs what we are seeing this week. LLs are available even for July 4!