Motley Fool - predicts EPCOT will be WDW's least visited park by 2020

[RobDoc]

http://www.fool.com/investing/gener...l-be-disney-worlds-least-visited-park-by.aspx

Interesting article offered this morning by Rick Munarriz, staff writer for Motley Fool.

He reports that attendance has run stagnate at EPCOT while increasing at DHS and AK - even while those parks have shorter operating hours.

 

[KiniShakenBake]

I would suggest those predictions do not take into account the opening of the new Frozen ride in Norway next spring. It will significantly increase the draw of families to the World Showcase, at least to Norway.

 

[luisov]

It does make sense. By 2020 both DHS and AK will be very different parks. Both are likely becoming full day parks with more food options, more entertainment, and brand new lands and attractions to bring thousands of new guests through their gates. I doubt Epcot is getting anything big before 2020. Sure, the Frozen ride will probably attract lots of families, specially with a second film in the works. I still think it can't compare to the effect of having a brand new 12-14 acre land dedicated to something as huge as Star Wars or as spectacular as Pandora.

 

[rteetz]

It does make sense. By 2020 both DHS and AK will be very different parks. Both are likely becoming full day parks with more food options, more entertainment, and brand new lands and attractions to bring thousands of new guests through their gates. I doubt Epcot is getting anything big before 2020. Sure, the Frozen ride will probably attract lots of families, specially with a second film in the works. I still think it can't compare to the effect of having a brand new 12-14 acre land dedicated to something as huge as Star Wars or as spectacular as Pandora.

But who's to say that something else won't come to Epcot as well. I've heard a lot about a new illuminations that could be coming in the next year or two. As part of this big DHS project Epcot is also supposed to get 300 million so who know what that will be used for.

 

[luisov]

But who's to say that something else won't come to Epcot as well. I've heard a lot about a new illuminations that could be coming in the next year or two. As part of this big DHS project Epcot is also supposed to get 300 million so who know what that will be used for.

Well, the question is, can they make something big before 2020? I'm sure once they are done with DHS and AK, they'll focus on improving Epcot as well. Maybe they can do something cool with one of the empty buildings, but as far as new rides goes, I'm not sure they can build something big by 2020, especially considering they haven't announced anything so far.

 

[rteetz]

Well, the question is, can they make something big before 2020? I'm sure once they are done with DHS and AK, they'll focus on improving Epcot as well. Maybe they can do something cool with one of the empty buildings, but as far as new rides goes, I'm not sure they can build something big by 2020, especially considering they haven't announced anything so far.

Well I don't expect any major lands or anything in Epcot but what about something in innoventions, a imagination refurb, or something in wonders of life, those things would only take a ahead or two.

 

[minnie mum]

I have to agree with luisov, if you consider only the factors that the articles writer based his opinions on. The added Soarin theatre and film isn't going to bring in a huge influx of guests, IMO. The Frozen ride? Will it really bring in large numbers of guests who wouldn't go to Epcot anyway? Maybe, but my guess is that it will instead result in guests spending a bit more time in a park that they had already included in their plans.

DHS and AK, OTOH can realistically expect to see a large influx of guests who previously didn't bother with one or the other because they didn't think they were worth a one day ticket. And given that they are opening whole new lands, you're going to see guests planning trips specifically to see these new attractions.

There's no arguing that Epcot has stagnated. I would even go so far as to say its going downhill if you also factor in the decrease in the number and quality of live performances. Epcot needs a significant infusion of NEW attractions in addition to what is already there to maintain its status as the #2 park. I'm not sure that giving Illuminations a facelift is enough, although it certainly can't hurt. Filling up Innovations with exhibits that have widespread, longer term appeal might be a nice place to start. Finally giving EO the heave ho and putting in a new attraction is way past due. And for heaven's sake, put something into the Wonders of Life Pavilion instead of letting such a valuable piece of real estate moulder in neglect. Could they do that for $300 million? If they don't do something ( and they haven't announced that they will) then that article's prediction will probably come true. Time will tell.

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Epcot may very well end up being the least attended of the 4 Disney World parks. And it doesn't matter one bit. One park HAS to be the lowest. All that matters is if attendance is staying steady or moving upward. Epcot could increase steadily and still be the lowest park simply because HS and AK increase a great deal. No big deal because the parks aren't racing each other.

 

[Eoghann]

Epcot may very well end up being the least attended of the 4 Disney World parks. And it doesn't matter one bit. One park HAS to be the lowest. All that matters is if attendance is staying steady or moving upward. Epcot could increase steadily and still be the lowest park simply because HS and AK increase a great deal. No big deal because the parks aren't racing each other.

True to some extent but when combined with criticism that the park is stagnant (hard to argue with as they continue to take things offline with no grand vision announced for its future) you can start to get a stigma attached to the park (like the Animal Kingdom, "half-day park" thing).

 

[Q-man]

1. Are there any actual changes to the ride or is it just a retheming from Maelstrom to Frozen?
2. Isn't the princess meal at Norway's AkerHaus already the top draw at Epcot for that demographic? Is it really going to change that much?

 

[Lee Matthews]

I find World showcase quite timeless and i don't think Epcot even needs any expansions like DHS is getting but my lord they are letting future world go downhill fast.

Its probably the area i tend to skip the most on my visits.

Whats frustrating is that i don't think it would break the bank to fix most of the issues

 

[rteetz]

This chart is very telling


Theme Park. 2006 2014 Change
Magic Kingdom 16,640,000 19,332,000 16.2%
Epcot 10,460,000 11,454,000 9.5%
Animal Kingdom 8,910,000 10,402,000 16.7%
Hollywood Studios 9,100,000 10,312,000 13.3%

SOURCE: THEMED ENTERTAINMENT ASSOCIATION.


MK saw a 16.2% increase, think about what's opened there since 2006
AK saw a 16.7% increase, think about what's opened there since 2006
DHS saw a 13.3% increase, think about what's opened there since 2006

Then Epcot saw a 9.5% increase, what opened during that period... Nothing really. Epcot has been one of the most stagnant parks of them all when it should the the least stagnant of them all.

@Yellowstonetim you say one park has to be at the bottom, yes that is true but look at the difference between MK and the other three parks. MK is getting close to double the attendance that AK, and DHS. That is a problem. Epcot isn't far above them at all. People keep complaining about crowding and needing a 5th gate. Fix the other three parks to spread out the crowds. They are currently doing major things to both DHS, and AK which is of course needed. However frozen isn't going to give Epcot a huge bump like the DHS, or AK enhancements will.

 

[rteetz]

1. Are there any actual changes to the ride or is it just a retheming from Maelstrom to Frozen?
2. Isn't the princess meal at Norway's AkerHaus already the top draw at Epcot for that demographic? Is it really going to change that much?

1. The load and unload stations have been combined in the new frozen ride to make it have two more scenes than maelstrom had which adds about 30 seconds to the ride. Otherwise it's the same layout and flume type attraction it was before.

2. It's a big draw but not an attraction type draw. An attraction is going to move more people through than a restaurant is.

 

[rteetz]

I find World showcase quite timeless and i don't think Epcot even needs any expansions like DHS is getting but my lord they are letting future world go downhill fast.

Its probably the area i tend to skip the most on my visits.

Whats frustrating is that i don't think it would break the bank to fix most of the issues

Epcot just needs some reinvestment. World showcase is pretty good as is maybe a few minor changes and it's great.

Future world however is not very futuristic at all anymore. Innoventions is basically a shell. Wonders of life a festival pavilion, and imagination is also not nearly what it once was. I agree that Epcot doesn't need expansion which it really doesn't have a lot of room for expansion anyways.

 

[luisov]

Yeah, no expansion needed in terms of size. They have many empty building they could repurpose for new rides and attractions. What Epcot really needs is another E-Ticket to take some pressure off Soarin' and Test Track.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I would suggest those predictions do not take into account the opening of the new Frozen ride in Norway next spring. It will significantly increase the draw of families to the World Showcase, at least to Norway.

That's not really a big deal

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I don't think this is a very insightful prediction...it's almost common sense.

This is the path that Disney has chosen...they have decided to princess/pixarize all the parks...which means the LCD - the 7 year olds attention span - is now governing hoe the parks are run. Epcot has no choice but to be the odd park out there.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Does it really matter if Epcot is the least attended? I would think what is most important is income versus operating expenses. If Epcot has lower attendance but the average visitor spends more money, then why should Disney care?

 

[Josh Hendy]

If Epcot is the most neglected and least visited park in 5 years from now it's entirely Disney's fault.

The park was based on the idea of leveraging other people's money in the form of corporate sponsors in Future World, and national governments sponsoring World Showcase in the name of promoting tourism and the export of consumer products. If Disney claims that they can't find enough sponsors, I say baloney.

The are thousands of giant corporations in the world and they have huge marketing departments who are constantly racking their brains to find ways of reaching the public and showing off their products and their name and image. Look at the giant effort and spectacular booths that are set up at any trade show. Future World should be like a permanent trade show with long-lived rides and attractions and short-lived, timely displays of the latest technology and products.

Likewise for World Showcase. There are many countries which are HUGELY dependent on tourism and on exports of food and beverages. Countries that pretty have much *only* those things going for them. Disney might not be able to depend on a single, small country like Norway to support a pavilion over several decades, but the idea that they can't attract a dozen or more countries any time they want to sponsor a high-quality pavilion and restaurant for a decade or two is pretty ridiculous.

Disney really fell down on the "vision thing" for Epcot. Big time. They got sucked into the accountants-level view of the park as a kind of cash cow that people mostly visit to use up the extra days on their multiday admission pass ... instead of as a living entity with a heartbeat driven by the commercial aspects of world culture and science.

I know that one park has to be last ... but does it have to be last because the company that owns it has no idea what it is or why it exists?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I've stated this many times before...I think the Internet killed Epcot.

Both the sponsors and the appeal. There's just no mystery in anything now like there was in 1975 when the park was conceived.

As far as Disney dropping the ball...they did. Flaws aside - I think Eisner was still an optimist when it came to Epcot in many ways...he just got gunshy when the redo was taking form in the late 90's...I imagine the sticker shock in AK had ALOT to do with that.

But since? It's a "quick strike" regime now...only dollars being spent are for quick profit merch opportunities...Epcot is never that...unless you start doing princess rides and bibbidis...but they'd never do that.