Lack of crowds and Disney's response

[midnight star]

Yes, yes yes yes yes. Many people have not renewed APs (including us). Even though we are from AZ, when we went, we would stay onsite, spend $$$$$, ate all meals in the parks, hotels or DTD. Well, the jump in the prices for everything made us take a step back and say, not a decent value for us anymore. We have a Knotts AP, so when we do go to CA, we go there. Perhaps Disney needs to realize they are losing AP spenders, and take a long look at prices and perceived value.

While I def think the promo will bring the crowds up, I don’t think it will be awful (at least I hope not). So many people have let their passes go. I don’t know anyone that still has their deluxe pass due to cost and the blackouts, same with the SoCal pass...so I’m assuming that’s why DCA hasn’t been slammed since being only valid over there. There are also many people who let their signature and signature + passes go too.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

People are funny. The #1 complaint about DL (even more than cost) is crowds. Too crowded. Too crowded. And predictions of apocalyptic crowds this summer.

Disney specifically said they would work to address the problem of the park being too crowded. They came up with the reservation system. They did a massive push to get the word out. And they are tracking it as evidenced by the recent surveys specifically about crowds and lines. And most shockingly... it seems to be working!!! Crowds and wait times are great!

But despite all that... people are convinced that this is some kind of unexpected disaster that has the brass panicking.

Sure, they’re bringing back blockout tickets, and adjusting cast block dates (which isn’t unusual) but it seems to me this is all part of a planned major effort to adjust operations to combat the #1 complaint about DL: crowds. Not some unexpected disaster.

As a guest, SW:GE opening was an amazing smooth experience, and as a frequent guest I think they are doing an awesome job fixing the biggest problem I have with the park... the crowds!

I say GOOD JOB!!

No one’s complaining here.

But this is not what they had in mind. Not remotely. They’re absolutely panicking; even all the CMs I know are talking about how they’re already cutting hours and entertainment staff. This isn’t controlled crowds; this is NO crowds.

Suddenly making $99 parkhoppers available for the whole summer? Come on...

 

[DarthGallifrey]

No one’s complaining here.

But this is not what they had in mind. Not remotely. They’re absolutely panicking; even all the CMs I know are talking about how they’re already cutting hours and entertainment staff. This isn’t controlled crowds; this is NO crowds.

Suddenly making $99 parkhoppers available for the whole summer? Come on...

I see more complaining about the supposed low crowd complaining haha.

But there is just no way this was their intention. It's no secret that over the past few years Disney has wanted packed parks.

I also dont think it was ever their intention to open so soon and with only one operational ride. At least not at WDW. Which certainly would explain the merchandise issues they have been having.

 

[fly girl]

The only complaining most of us truly have is that we are not there now!

 

[BadPinkTink]

I'm in LA right now, going to Anaheim on Saturday. I'm staying with friends and when I tell people here on LA I'm going to Disney, they all look at me and say but the crowds, the new land opening, are you crazy. Then I explain exactly what's going on, the reality of low crowds, blockouts etc. Everyone knows about SWGE opening, so the pre promo in California worked, but now no California's want to go as they think it will be too crowded, Most are waiting until after the summer.

 

[DLgal]

You know, my perception is that a lot of locals are over it. They are over the high crowds and price increases and simply did not renew their passes due to a fear of even worse crowds this summer, which obviously has backfired on Disney.

Disney has effectively priced people out at "full price." They can really only bring crowds with discount offers and special events nowadays. It seems abundantly clear that the vast majority of AP holders are Deluxe and lower, and without those guests, and at full price, people simply aren't coming.

They need to adjust their ticket pricing down about 20-25% The non AP tickets are outrageously expensive compared to the other theme parks in the area. I suspect Univesrsal, Knott's, Sea World, and Legoland are seeing larger crowds this summer as Disneyland has driven away a lot of potential visitors with steep pricing and a narrative that Star Wars land is the most amazing theme park expansion of all time (it's not) that everyone and his mom wants to come see.

My son had a doctor's appointment today and I mentioned Disneyland and his immediate response was "it's very crowded there at this time of year." I corrected him, and he was surprised to hear it isn't crazy. The thing is, MOST people still believe this is the case. Word hasn't spread to the masses that the place is a ghost town.

 

[MillauFr]

The perception of high crowds continues to be the most effective way of predicting low crowds (and vice versa), much more than I even realized...

Agreed. Everyone thinks that the weekends and the Summer are the busiest times at Disneyland. I have experience just the opposite. Summer is a great time to go and some of the most manageable days have been on a Saturday.

 

[Version 6]

Agreed. Everyone thinks that the weekends and the Summer are the busiest times at Disneyland. I have experience just the opposite. Summer is a great time to go and some of the most manageable days have been on a Saturday.

Does that mean I'm in trouble for my trip in mid Jan?

 

[DznyPrnces]

They need to adjust their ticket pricing down about 20-25% The non AP tickets are outrageously expensive compared to the other theme parks in the area. I suspect Univesrsal, Knott's, Sea World, and Legoland are seeing larger crowds this summer as Disneyland has driven away a lot of potential visitors with steep pricing and a narrative that Star Wars land is the most amazing theme park expansion of all time (it's not) that everyone and his mom wants to come see.

You are not wrong in this. I am from CA, but live in CO now. We always take a trip to CA in the summer to visit family, etc. Every single summer, my sister and I take our kids to Disneyland. This year, with the fear of insane crowds and the knowledge that both of our oldest have read all or most of the Harry Potter series, we decided to go to Universal Studios instead. We went in early June. We spent 6 hours just in the Harry Potter area, and crowds were decently low. As soon as we stepped out into the rest of the park, it was wall to wall people. So crowded that we ended up leaving. Hearing about the low crowd situation at Disneyland, we decided to spend 1 day at DCA. It was lovely.

Although as to the ticket prices, a one day one park peak ticket at Disneyland is not much more than a one day peak ticket at universal.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

You know, my perception is that a lot of locals are over it. They are over the high crowds and price increases and simply did not renew their passes due to a fear of even worse crowds this summer, which obviously has backfired on Disney.

Disney has effectively priced people out at "full price." They can really only bring crowds with discount offers and special events nowadays. It seems abundantly clear that the vast majority of AP holders are Deluxe and lower, and without those guests, and at full price, people simply aren't coming.

They need to adjust their ticket pricing down about 20-25% The non AP tickets are outrageously expensive compared to the other theme parks in the area. I suspect Univesrsal, Knott's, Sea World, and Legoland are seeing larger crowds this summer as Disneyland has driven away a lot of potential visitors with steep pricing and a narrative that Star Wars land is the most amazing theme park expansion of all time (it's not) that everyone and his mom wants to come see.

I agree with this to an extent. I know my family used to be AP holders, but we had to drop our passes 2 years ago when it became apparent that the value was no longer there. Now, I was just at Disneyland on Sunday, so I haven't exactly stayed away, but here's the deal. For my family of 6 to go for 1 day to only 1 park, it was over $800 just for tickets. I happened to have a contract revision at work that left me with some extra money, but paying $800 for a single day isn't something we can do a lot. We recently went on a weeklong trip to the mountains for the same cost as a 3-day trip to Disneyland.

We only go once or twice per year now. We only took that extra trip because I was able to get a reservation for SWGE. Otherwise, we would have patiently waited until November. We're discussing only 1 trip next year or none at all. When it's wall to wall people, it's just not as much fun as it used to be. We still love it, but there are a lot of other things we love, too, like Knott's, where we could get season passes for everyone in our family for less than a single day at Disneyland. It may not be Disney quality, but they're getting better and better. And it is sort of nice to have money for other things so that our lives don't completely revolve around Disneyland as much as that hurts me to say.

From others I've spoken to who live within a 2 hour radius, it seems I'm not alone in my thinking. Maybe someday I'll be a millionaire and can afford 6 higher level APs again, but for now, my middle class salary just isn't appreciating Disney quite as much as it used to.

I still suspect crowds will pick up in the fall. They always do. Summer has actually been less crowded for several years now, but people don't believe any of us when we tell them that. I do think SWGE is a success having seen it firsthand (and it'll be even better after it's complete). But when you hear about openings like Pandora or WWOHP at Universal and the multi-hour waits people are still experiencing years later, there's definitely a factor of "will I get enough bang for my buck if I'm in line all day?". Now that people are starting to see that it's not as crowded as expected, they'll start making last minute plans. By July, I suspect it'll be at least as crowded as normal for this time of year.

 

[pblack]

I definitely think Disney is trying to drum up additional business this summer. I was just scrolling through facebook and scrolled past the attached "sponsored" ad.

 

[MonocularVision]

May I have a small victory dance?

 

[bwvBound]

While I def think the promo will bring the crowds up, I don’t think it will be awful (at least I hope not). So many people have let their passes go. I don’t know anyone that still has their deluxe pass due to cost and the blackouts, same with the SoCal pass...so I’m assuming that’s why DCA hasn’t been slammed since being only valid over there. There are also many people who let their signature and signature + passes go too.

Yep, that was us, too, until this month. We jumped back in with the new Flex AP. Seems to be a good price/value point.

 

[disneydenisel]

We were at Disneyland June 13-17 during the SWGE reservation period and thought the parks were crowded enough. There was a grad night on Friday, so it seemed extra crowded that day. For the $350 per person we paid for 4-day park hoppers, I am glad that it wasn't sardines. I would hope that Disneyland has heard for years about the crowds, and that the price hikes and SWGE reservation/boarding group system is its way of trying to avoid 2+ hour lines. I remember when Carsland opened and it was nearly impossible to walk, and we were smashed up against people, and the standby line for Racers was 4-5 hours.

I hope that Disney isn't panicking about the wonderful experiences families might be having in the parks because it's actually enjoyable to walk around and take some time to look around without being worried about standing in line half the day. We would have been very disappointed to have paid the higher entry prices to be faced with wall to wall people. Kudos to Disneyland for managing the crowds and providing us with a mostly calm and happy vacation. Walt would be very proud .

 

[MillauFr]

It isn't the high prices that are driving people away. It is fear of massive crowds that drove people away.

 

[MillauFr]

Does that mean I'm in trouble for my trip in mid Jan?

You are only in trouble if you think January = low crowds. As long as you realize that Martin Luther King day weekend is one of the most crowded times of the year you will be fine.

 

[tarheelalum]

I think this proves one thing beyond any doubt. Disneyland lives and dies by their annual passholders. Without the bulk of their APs, they can open the biggest IP Land ever created and hardly nobody will show up.

 

[Version 6]

You are only in trouble if you think January = low crowds. As long as you realize that Martin Luther King day weekend is one of the most crowded times of the year you will be fine.

I did think January would be low crowds

Our dates are 12 January - 18 January. NAMM convention starts on the 16th, and MLK Day is the 20th. Is the 18th going to be unbearable? What about our earlier days?

 

[MillauFr]

They need to adjust their ticket pricing down about 20-25%

That is not going to happen. Once the slow Summer season is over people will come flooding back in in September. This fall will see massive crowds at Disneyland once the annual pass holder blockouts end.

 

[MillauFr]

I did think January would be low crowds

Our dates are 12 January - 18 January. NAMM convention starts on the 16th, and MLK Day is the 20th. Is the 18th going to be unbearable? What about our earlier days?

Summer = low crowds. You should be fine as you will miss most of the MLK Day weekend travelers.