record breaking attendance at wdw

[BRERALEX]

Disney Breaks Attendance Records - WKMG MyCFNow.com

Wed Jan 7,12:46 AM ET

Attendance at Walt Disney World set a number of records over the end-of-year holiday, despite travel concerns, Walt Disney Co. Chief Executive Michael Eisner said Tuesday.

Eisner announced that Walt Disney World had its best day ever in the resort's 33-year history as well as its best week ever over the holidays.


"The strong attendance we experienced does point to the gradual improvement that we have been anticipating," in the theme park business, Eisner said.


Local 6 News reported that when the terror alert level was raised, some were concerned that the theme park attendance would suffer. However , the opposite was true.


The company did not disclose a specific number, but Eisner said more than 200,000 people a day were at Walt Disney World, according to a report.


Eisner also reaffirmed the company's fiscal year earnings growth target of 30 percent -- or more.


News of record attendance during the Christmas holidays sent Walt Disney Co. stock to a 52-week high Tuesday.


Shares hit $24.27 before falling back slightly. After dipping below its previous 52-week closing high of $24.20, shares in Disney closed at $24.20, up six cents or .25 percent.


Meanwhile, the company could announce plans to close the Orlando animation studio and layoff more than 300 workers, according to the Local 6 News report.

 

[Luv2Roam]

DH read an article on this last night too. He was at MK Christmas Day and said he believed the article.
He arrived at MK shortly after opening and later park hopped to AK, via bus. He said the cars entering MK were backed up past the main gate almost to the hwy. He just described MK as "crazy".
A guy he works with was here over the holidays with his kids. He said they were able to ride two rides all day Christmas.
Not a lot of bang for your buck over the holidays I suspect.

 

[airlarry!]

Does anyone ever remember Disney publishing reports about general numbers at the resort before? With Ei$ner's own byline...er...quotes?

Hmm...is Monsieur R. Disney getting under somebody's skin or what?

 

[ArcticWildMan]

Maybe with this windfall in profits, they can afford to restore some of the services they cut ......nahhhhh.

 

[KNWVIKING]

***" they can afford to restore some of the services they cut ......nahhhhh."***

You mean things like EE, right ?

 

[WDWHound]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
***" they can afford to restore some of the services they cut ......nahhhhh."***

You mean things like EE, right ?

Actually, I think he's rffering to cost cutting measures like closed or "seasonally" closed attractions, shortened park hours, late opening of Adventureland, discontinued in room purchase delivery, fireworks performed less nights, parades performed less often (and not at all on some days), shows discontinued or perfromed less frequently, cutbacks to the number number of street performers and, most importantly, the removal of MICKEY BUTTER (OK, so I'm willing to negotiate on that last one )

BTW: It may only be my imagination, but I could have sworn EE lasted more than an hour originally.

 

[ArcticWildMan]

That's exactly what I'm talking about WDWHound.

 

[KNWVIKING]

***"BTW: It may only be my imagination, but I could have sworn EE lasted more than an hour originally."***

I thought it was always one extra hour..but I'm not certain.

***"That's exactly what I'm talking about WDWHound."***

I'm sorry, I thought you meant things like the great new fireworks display in MK, the reopening of CoP and Timekeeper, redoing ET to a more kid-friendly L&S attraction, the opening of McPhil, M:S, various discount packages,coming attractions like Soarin', Everest and Stunt Show, major improvements to TL, better bus transportation.

***"discontinued in room purchase delivery"***

I don't recall it ever being "room" delivery, but they were still delivering to the resort when we were there in Dec.

 

[Chuck S]

I don't recall it ever being "room" delivery, but they were still delivering to the resort when we were there in Dec. [/B]

How long ago was the in-room delivery changed to a central location at regular Disney resorts? I barely remember it at OKW, it was changed to the general store a LONG time ago. Many folks enjoy the added "privacy", especially since DVCers don't receive daily housekeping.

 

[Sarangel]

How long ago was the in-room delivery changed to a central location at regular Disney resorts?

They changed it in Late 1999 or early 2000. We visited in 1999 and purchases would magically appear on our table a couple of days after they were bought, and when we went back in 2000, they would only deliver to a central resort location (which, as of November, they're still doing).

Sarangel

 

[mickey1010]

Just to confirm that it was definitely *after* 1998 that they stopped delivering packages to the room. We were there in October, 1998 and as Sarangel stated, our purchases would appear in our room the following day.

While going to the resort shop isn't a huge deal, it definitely is a slight inconvenience. At least for us lazy folk!!

 

[DancingBear]

Early Entry was always just an hour; however, the parks regularly opened 1/2 hour prior to the scheduled time (at least some areas like Main St in MK). So, Early Entry folks could get in 1 1/2 hours prior to the scheduled regular opening time. When we were in WDW in December 2002, the parks were pretty much sticking to scheduled opening times.

 

[disrailfan]

Originally posted by Sarangel
They changed it in Late 1999 or early 2000. We visited in 1999 and purchases would magically appear on our table a couple of days after they were bought, and when we went back in 2000, they would only deliver to a central resort location (which, as of November, they're still doing).

When dw and I went in June of 2001 they were no longer doing the in-room delivery. I am not sure that this was a budget cut so much as it was a change in policy about going into unattended rooms other than for housekeeping purposes. They also at one time used to bring your luggage to the room without you being there in the room as well, but that stopped as well I suspect for the same reasons.