News Round Up 2020

[mattpeto]

Maybe so, but that doesn’t change the fact that 30% of the days are at a crowd level that most on here would not want to schedule their vacation during. It’s mike saying 30% of the year is now Christmas week, which I believe.

10 should be park closure due to capacity.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

10 should be park closure due to capacity.

yeah, we were there Presidents Week and it was really crowded, but it wasn't like you couldn't move or walk or anything. We still got a lot done - though did see wait times for like C-level attractions way higher than normal (55mins+ for Nemo, etc.)

So if they are calling that a 10, what is Christmas week or 4th of July? To me they were what I would call like an 8

 

[Brianstl]

Maybe so, but that doesn’t change the fact that 30% of the days are at a crowd level that most on here would not want to schedule their vacation during. It’s mike saying 30% of the year is now Christmas week, which I believe.

This is the result of three things mainly. Dynamic ticket pricing is having an even bigger impact than Disney hoped it would. New rides are pulling in crowds. The biggest one in my opinion, the flock following sites like touringplans.com and booking trips for what they believed would be a slow time of year.

 

[rteetz]

News

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...esigner-collection-ear-hat-by-kevin-rafferty/

 

[TheMaxRebo]

This is the result of three things mainly. Dynamic ticket pricing is having an even bigger impact than Disney hoped it would. New rides are pulling in crowds. The biggest one in my opinion, the flock following sites like touringplans.com and booking trips for what they believed would be a slow time of year.

I think with Disney (and like a lot of things in life, but especially Disney given the fan enthusiasm and cost involved) things tend to snowball once word gets out (main reason I think Peter Pan gets such a wait - because people know it gets a wait so they plan around how to get to ride and that builds up hype and thus waits even more)

So people know it's crowded and do research trying to maximize their vacation/Disney dollars (though, not actual Disney Dollars any more) and then things swing too much the other way as "everyone" targets the same time ... Summer too crowded, people start going more in the fall, but then fall gets too crowded so people target winter/early spring, etc.)

I do also think people, generally, feel better about the economy (or have for a while) so some delayed trips are now taking place... plus you have Galaxy's Edge fully open so people are going for that/have been waiting for that (I know that impacted when we went) - just a lot of things

 

[CastAStone]

This is the result of three things mainly. Dynamic ticket pricing is having an even bigger impact than Disney hoped it would. New rides are pulling in crowds. The biggest one in my opinion, the flock following sites like touringplans.com and booking trips for what they believed would be a slow time of year.

I do think the proliferation of planning sites has made a big difference, but Touring Plans itself probably not since you have to pay for it. I think the free crowd calendars out there have been part of the problem.

But I think this specific busy Jan/Feb has 2 specific causes that are amplifying the impact of 4 long-term trends

1. People postponing trips to avoid SWGE "crowds" (Disney specifically called out on their Q3 earnings call that their research indicated that a sizable number of people were postponing trips until spring to avoid perceived crowds around SWGE, which is now painfully ironic)
2. Hurricane Dorian rebookings (last fall Touring Plans made a prediction around that in their blog, noting tat it happened with Irma and Matthew)
3. Long term trends
   1. Hotter summers pushing people to other seasons
      • In particular, this is the only tolerable-weather season where MK doesn't close at 6 every other night.
   2. More schools with Feb breaks
   3. Overall WDW attendance increases
   4. Ticket/hotel pricing gaming by WDW

I just wish Disney would find a way to maintain summer staffing in the other busy seasons. I know it's hard. Do it anyway.

 

[rteetz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1234885748756709376

 

[rteetz]

News

https://blogmickey.com/2020/03/perfect-picnic-poster-revealed-for-mickey-and-minnies-runaway-railway

 

[OSUZorba]

yeah, we were there Presidents Week and it was really crowded, but it wasn't like you couldn't move or walk or anything. We still got a lot done - though did see wait times for like C-level attractions way higher than normal (55mins+ for Nemo, etc.)

So if they are calling that a 10, what is Christmas week or 4th of July? To me they were what I would call like an 8

I think they need to consider going over 10. To me 55 mins for Nemo is a 10 and anything more than that is don't even bother going.

 

[rteetz]

News

http://www.insideuniversal.net/2020...er-resort-dockside-inn-and-suites-food-drink/

 

[OSUZorba]

This is the result of three things mainly. Dynamic ticket pricing is having an even bigger impact than Disney hoped it would. New rides are pulling in crowds. The biggest one in my opinion, the flock following sites like touringplans.com and booking trips for what they believed would be a slow time of year.

TP always predicts high crowds the second half of February and 10s for President's day weekend. I think people always just assume Jan and Feb will be dead, but at least since I've been following that hasn't really been the case.

The extra I really think is from new rides and finally having a complete DHS.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I think they need to consider going over 10. To me 55 mins for Nemo is a 10 and anything more than that is don't even bother going.

part of it was that Test Track was down when we were there, so that is one less ride ... so open that up, and get Rat open and that will help (though obviously SSE is going down soon).

Similar issue we had in MK in that Splash was closed for refurb and then Pirates went down for most of the day ...

Also, extending the park hours would help too

 

[scrappinginontario]

If anyone is interested, September dates have been opened for Cirque du Soleil's Drawn to Life. Note, the show will be dark from Sep 6 - 21.

 

[tlmadden73]

This is the result of three things mainly. Dynamic ticket pricing is having an even bigger impact than Disney hoped it would. New rides are pulling in crowds. The biggest one in my opinion, the flock following sites like touringplans.com and booking trips for what they believed would be a slow time of year.

To me -- "crowd calendars" seem to be a self-fulfilling prophecy over the last decade. They have been stating for YEARS and are also shared on social media via word of mouth to say 'This month is a low crowd time' . .then guess what? Everyone will start going in February .. (making the crowd calendars not very useful anymore) ..

Add in discounts and the new dynamic pricing (for both resorts AND tickets now) .. and people ARE going to flock to go to the cheapest time of the year.

Could explain why the summer seems "soft" in comparison (and why they are offering so many unprecedented discounts).. people are just learning:
1) Don't wanna go when it "used" to be crowded
2) Don't wanna go when it is hot and humid.

Spring/Fall is probably the new normal as the most crowded time to go to WDW and summer may be the better time to go IF you stand the heat/humidity.

 

[tlmadden73]

I think they need to consider going over 10. To me 55 mins for Nemo is a 10 and anything more than that is don't even bother going.

Nemo at 55 minutes is probably just a side effect of not many attractions at Epcot AND the tiering where people just get a NEMO fast pass .. just because there is nothing else. Nemo (the glorified people mover) should be a walk-on at all times

 

[rteetz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1234900460265406464

 

[rteetz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1234901217739968514

 

[OSUZorba]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1234901217739968514

Spoiler Alert!

 

[rteetz]

News

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...-adventure-opened-at-disneyland-park-in-1995/

 

[rteetz]

News

Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway will NOT be part of Extra Magic Hours.