New AP info I heard today!!

[Sherry E]

And DisneySuiteFreak, if they pray for rain, rain is what they shall receive, because, yet again, for the second day in a row....get ready everyone to bop your head to the telltale tune....we are on...(cue the urgent music and graphics)..."Storm Watch." We are currently getting a heavy dose of rain again, and I guess this is what El Nino has in store for us. So, if this El Nino season goes like some previous ones, we may get saturated with rain off and on for the next couple of months (I remember 1993 and, I think, 1998, when it was particularly nasty), in which case the crowds at DLR would decrease substantially for a while, I would think.

All of you rain lovers, this is your time to go to DLR!

 

[HydroGuy]

I still say 2009 and so far 2010 crowds are not as bad as they were in decades past. We just got back from a trip this past weekend over MLK holiday weekend. Definetly not crowded at all especially for a holiday weekend. We weren't there Sunday when it was raining as we went to Universal Studios which was fairly empty as well.

I think some peoples crowd perception is based on what they compare it too. In 2nd half of 2001 crowds at DLR were slim to none because of 9/11. They have increased steadily each year after until 2008 when the economy reduced crowds. Now attendance has been climbing again so it depends on what you use as your reference.

I waited in FAR longer lines and waded through massive log jam crowds during the 1980's that I have not seen since except a couple days during school breaks.

July 4th low crowds have been attributed to AP blackout dates. Maybe so. However, in the 1980's AP numbers were rather small and yet that weekend had massive crowds larger than even the Christmas/New years week.

Maybe it depends on when people visit DLR and knowing what rides to go on and when, how to maximize fast pass usage etc. 11 weekend trips this year, mostly over school breaks and we've never waited more than 30 minutes for any ride and usually less.

FWIW, it is expected once the tallies are made that 2009 will be the top DL attendance year ever. By a lot. So there were more people inside DL in 2009 than in years past. How those people distribute throughout each month, week and day has apparently changed. A lot. So this issue of "feeling more crowded" depends on a lot on what days are being discussed.

Decades ago DL had less places to put people - less rides. So it is true that they now can handle more people. Over the last 10-15 years there is not that much new as far as people eaters.

It is also true that with the increased AP holders there are more folks who come to hang out without going one rides - or not many rides. And that increases crowds in walk ways and shops too.

 

[Huff]

On all of this years visits I have rarely seen the walkways jam packed wall to wall throughout the entire park as I had in decades past. There were a few times over school breaks and holidays but thats it.

Worst was trying to get to Fantasmic one weekend where it took 20 minutes to walk the short 50 yards through Frontierland to the Mark Twain area. But that was just one night this past year I saw crowds like that and only occurred in the late evening.

In decades past I remember packed walkways, massive ride lines, over packed shows even during the so called off season. MLK used to be a very busy holiday weekend. 2009 and 2010 were light crowds for MLK.

So what weeks are these huge crowds that are bigger than the packed crowds of the 1970's and 1980's? This past year we went over MLK, Memorial Weekend, July 4th, Labor Day, Veterans Day as well as most elementary school breaks. We did not visit over Thanksgiving or Christmas/New Years.

As for knowing the actual attendance figures Disney never has released such information but I do understand there are figures with which one can derive a reasonable estimation (DLR financial records perhaps?).

 

[HydroGuy]

As for knowing the actual attendance figures Disney never has released such information but I do understand there are figures with which one can derive a reasonable estimation (DLR financial records perhaps?).

FWIW see

year by year
http://www.scottware.com.au/theme/feature/atend_disparks.htm#yearly

2008 attendance report
http://www.teaconnect.org/etea/TEAERA2008.pdf

2007 attendance report
http://www.connectingindustry.com/downloads/pwteaerasupp.pdf

2006 attendance report
http://www.connectingindustry.com/pdfs/TEA-ERAAttendance06.pdf

and 2009 attendance projections
http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al010510a.htm

When the 2009 theme park attendance numbers come out in the industry press shortly, Disneyland should be neck and neck with WDW's Magic Kingdom for the most visited theme park in the nation.

http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al120109a.htm

With WDW attendance slipping by single digits, the double digit attendance gains that Anaheim has made in 2009 has them giddy with excitement.

 

[pigletforever]

Not to HIJACK

But what shows did you see while you were in NYC. And I did see you on Regis.

 

[HydroGuy]

Not to HIJACK

But what shows did you see while you were in NYC. And I did see you on Regis.

No way. Really? On Regis and Kelly I was lucky #122 randomly selected by some lady in California on the phone, LOL.

On Friday we saw Wicked which was really good. On Saturday we saw Lion King. Not because it is Disney but because it is so highly regarded. LK was a bit disappointing. I thought it would be a bit more elaborate.

On Sunday we decided to see something off-Broadway and saw Our Town at the Barrett Street Theater. No musical. Just drama. It was fun for what it was. We liked it.

For anyone who heads to NYC and has an interest in Wicked, you have to do the "Behind the Emerald Curtain" tour on Saturday mornings. Very cool.

OK, back to the topic.

 

[Albort]

No way. Really? On Regis and Kelly I was lucky #122 randomly selected by some lady in California on the phone, LOL.

On Friday we saw Wicked which was really good. On Saturday we saw Lion King. Not because it is Disney but because it is so highly regarded. LK was a bit disappointing. I thought it would be a bit more elaborate.

On Sunday we decided to see something off-Broadway and saw Our Town at the Barrett Street Theater. No musical. Just drama. It was fun for what it was. We liked it.

For anyone who heads to NYC and has an interest in Wicked, you have to do the "Behind the Emerald Curtain" tour on Saturday mornings. Very cool.

OK, back to the topic.

what day? im soo gonna go find you on tape...

 

[jlmarr]

what day? im soo gonna go find you on tape...

You tape Regis and Kelly? Anywho, he said it was on last Friday.

 

[Albort]

You tape Regis and Kelly? Anywho, he said it was on last Friday.

no, but i can download it...

do you know who was the stars on that day? i know its friday but i wonder when it airs... or is it live... :/

 

[nunzia]

<<<In DCA, no DEP, WOC is postponed until May 1 at least now, right? >>>
It is???
I was hoping some of the initial crowding and mess would be done by the time I got there on May 12....ugh.

 

[HydroGuy]

no, but i can download it...

do you know who was the stars on that day? i know its friday but i wonder when it airs... or is it live... :/

I have it recorded on TiVo which I have not figured out yet how to get onto my PC. I would be very interested in downloading it. I have looked but could not find a place where the show is kept. If you know please tell me here or thru PM. ASAP. Thanks.

The star was Denzel Washington. But he was not actually there on Friday. He was there Wednesday and pre-taped the segment, and they spliced it on Friday. Bummer for us.

 

[HydroGuy]

<<<In DCA, no DEP, WOC is postponed until May 1 at least now, right? >>>
It is???
I was hoping some of the initial crowding and mess would be done by the time I got there on May 12....ugh.

I would not worry about it for a minute. The show will be drawing lots of folks in May no matter what day it opens.

 

[nunzia]

I would not worry about it for a minute. The show will be drawing lots of folks in May no matter what day it opens.

LOL! Good point....I hope they have a pay/a/riduculous/amount/dinner/show/thing.

 

[CrazyDuck]

LOL! Good point....I hope they have a pay/a/riduculous/amount/dinner/show/thing.

I read somewhere that they were going to do something at Ariels Grotto as far as a "Pay too much to eat" kinda show package.