Thoughts on why crowds are lower this summer so far??

[godfather927]

Thanks for the graph! Where are these data from?

People can speculate and cite anecdotal observations all they want. But I agree that this graph, if accurate, dispels that idea that people are foregoing WDW in favor of UO.

Now, the argument could still be made that Disney's policies are hurting the Orlando tourism industry in general, and that's causing wait times to decrease everywhere, including UO, but that contradicts other comments about MCO being extremely busy....so who knows?

Thrill Data, which scrapes and stores a database of wait times from every amusement park that reports them.

 

[Minnie1222]

People can speculate and cite anecdotal observations all they want. But I agree that this graph, if accurate, dispels that idea that people are foregoing WDW in favor of UOUO.

The myth of people shunning Disney has been going at full force since the "breaking" news of dead & empty parks during the July 4th week in 2023. It didn't matter that the temperature was unusually high during that time. It was sad to see some people on this board actually "liked" these posts.

 

[Minnesota!]

It's hard to describe how hot it gets. It's like you walk into a greenhouse and can't get out.

It is my most favorite weather - which is why I opt for August any time it works for us

We are going next month (yay!) for the first time since Covid. I am apprehensive about all the changes, but the price was too good to pass up. We have dining (QS), 4 day PH, and 7 nights at Pop for just over 2000. Airfare was free on points. We have 2 TS meals booked, and will get a few souvenirs and such, but for a week vacation, it will be under 3000 and I think that is hella reasonable.

That said - EVERYONE I know is traveling. Big vacations, small vacations, local, domestic, international. I think Covid made things such as travel much more important, but also people then cut down on going somewhere they had already been since "life is short" and they want to "see it all". Which I 1000000% support. And, after this trip, I can see it being an every-5-year trip for us where it used to be 3x a year. So, a lot of those "used to be an annual visitor to WDW" probably are just seeing something new and different vs shunning Disney.

 

[tigertides]

Here is the answer:
(Published in this morning NY TIMES)

There are now 2 American Economies- one for the upper middle class /wealthy who are still doing extravagant vacations to Europe and Disney World… (-and buying 2nd vacation homes)


And then another economy for the lower middle class, who are struggling to make ends meet.

Working class families are traveling less and spending less

Yes, this has been happening since the 1980s. But since the pandemic, this has only exacerbated this division.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/03/...-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb

 

[SmallWorld71]

I was there last week. Definitely much busier than it was during my mid August trip last year. Manageable if you knew what you were doing, but Genie+ was essential at MK on Tuesday. Could have been due to Tiana opening a few days later. I have been at all times of year and I would definitely call it moderate crowds. Hoping for slow again for my trip next month.

 

[BrightMorningStar]

"Thoughts on why crowds are lower this summer so far??"

The economy sucks. Many people cannot afford vacations when the cost of food is 17% - 60% higher than it was in 2020.

 

[allaboutthemouse]

Again, supply and demand, there is a lot of supply for 80+ home games in MLB and they are trying to get people in the seats. Usually a much different story with a good NFL team that always sells out every game and/or has season ticket waiting lists.

The poster I quoted made a blanket statement that "major league sports" have gone up as much as WDW, but I debunked that as well. I only looked up two teams, and found adult MLB tickets for just $12. Seniors and children can even still attend some games for free!

The tickets might be cheaper, but the concessions are $$$$$$!
We just went to the NCAA lax championship game at Eagles stadium, and I could not believe how much they were charging for concessions (it was all the NFL concessions). Football is not my thing, have never been to a game, but I can see why people tailgate lol. You can’t bring anything into the stadium, at least DW lets you bring food and drinks in, and we had about a two hour rain delay so we were thirsty and had to purchase their bottles of water for $7 a bottle! Ouch. And no, I didn’t ask to see if I could get a free cup of tap water lol, just pointing out the price. And $16 beers…
I think the DW experience is probably more comparable to concert or show tickets or NFL, etc, as someone pointed out.

 

[Minnie1222]

"Thoughts on why crowds are lower this summer so far??"

The economy sucks. Many people cannot afford vacations when the cost of food is 17% - 60% higher than it was in 2020.

That is to be expected following any global contagion catastrophe.

 

[tigertides]

"Thoughts on why crowds are lower this summer so far??"

The economy sucks. Many people cannot afford vacations when the cost of food is 17% - 60% higher than it was in 2020.

The economy definitely DOES NOT suck for the rich. Bookings at luxury resorts are booming. Bookings at budget hotels are not.


Parker Hess is director of rooms at the Allison Inn & Spa in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where rooms start at $645, amenities include plush robes and bucolic wine country surroundings, and business is booming.
“Our rates are the highest they’ve ever been,” Mr. Hess said, and while a customer will occasionally push back, many do not even ask about the price.

 

[itf]

Today’s crowd levels look very manageable indeed compared to what you might expect

 

[clarker99]

Is this a thread from 2023 or 2017 or 2005 or 1982? Time is a flat circle.

 

[SL6827]

As a parent, I can tell you the COVID shutdowns completely changed my POV on pulling my kids out. If the schools can shut down for years on end and change the rules as it suits them, then you better believe I can too. Not so much with my kid in the private school that we moved her to (because it as open the whole time and they deserve the consideration), but with my kids in public school. I have taken my kids out for college tours and educational trips that we arranged. I did not ask - I only gave the school the courtesy of letting them know we were going. When DD turned 18 and it was clear the school only wanted her there so they could get their attendance money I left it up to her. We did not get so bold as to pull any of our kids out for Disney vacations, but you can bet we did consider it.

Amen!!

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

The economy definitely DOES NOT suck for the rich. Bookings at luxury resorts are booming. Bookings at budget hotels are not.


Parker Hess is director of rooms at the Allison Inn & Spa in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where rooms start at $645, amenities include plush robes and bucolic wine country surroundings, and business is booming.
“Our rates are the highest they’ve ever been,” Mr. Hess said, and while a customer will occasionally push back, many do not even ask about the price.

That really isn't the point though. The rich is a small percent. Reality = The economy does suck. And the rich really are not going to Disney for their vacations. They go to beaches, take cruises, travel abroad, etc. I know rich people. I serve them daily. So the response is true. The economy sucks and the average Disney fans who fill the parks, who were able to go in 2019 on their salary are now in a position to choose between food/bills and luxury items, which a vacation is.

Even the interest, number of posts and new threads on this board have dropped. People are not going to Disney like they used to, because they cannot afford it.

I deal with many people all of the time. I do not live in a "cheap" area. They all say the same....how can people afford vacation? How can people get a new car at MSRP? Man, it kills me every time I go grocery shopping! The list goes on.

Defend it all you want because of what the news says, what your political leanings are, etc, but the reality is inflation is insane. Many things are as much as 4x the cost as it was in 2019.

 

[neverlandsky]

Today’s crowd levels look very manageable indeed compared to what you might expect

I'm actually surprised with it being 4th of July. There hasn't been many fireworks going off in the neighborhood either. Super quiet this year. Sign of the times maybe.

 

[RivShore]

I deal with many people all of the time. I do not live in a "cheap" area. They all say the same....how can people afford vacation? How can people get a new car at MSRP? Man, it kills me every time I go grocery shopping! The list goes on.

How do you explain record travelers this week then - per real TSA data, not all this anecdotal evidence? As you said the "rich" is a very small group. Obviously those further down the ladder are having no problem getting their vacations in this summer.

 

[PollyannaMom]

How do you explain record travelers this week then - per real TSA data, not all this anecdotal evidence? As you said the "rich" is a very small group. Obviously those further down the ladder are having no problem getting their vacations in this summer.

I think travel itself has become more important to many people since the pandemic, because they now have a "don't put it off" mentality. But I think many of those people are choosing cheaper options than theme parks - either because visiting family is a higher priority, other expenses are taking up more of their budgets, or they simply heard great things about national parks, etc. from pandemic era travelers.

So flights can be up and Disney/Universal crowds down at the same time.

 

[greeneyedchick]

I'm not sure how people are saying that attendance hasn't decreased at Disney World. This article based on Disney's quarterly report make sit pretty clear that attendance is down. Perhaps people are still traveling but not going to Disney for the same number of days as before.

https://**************.net/2024/02/walt-disney-world-resort-earnings-report-quarter-one-emd1/​

 

[neverlandsky]

How do you explain record travelers this week then - per real TSA data, not all this anecdotal evidence? As you said the "rich" is a very small group. Obviously those further down the ladder are having no problem getting their vacations in this summer.

I think record travelers is also due to people relocating, staying with family for vacay, or going to the office. If you're doing an out of State move, you're flying back & forth at least 2+ times. I do know a few locations where people commute to work by air and live in LCOL area.

 

[clarker99]

I'm not sure how people are saying that attendance hasn't decreased at Disney World. This article based on Disney's quarterly report make sit pretty clear that attendance is down. Perhaps people are still traveling but not going to Disney for the same number of days as before.

https://**************.net/2024/02/walt-disney-world-resort-earnings-report-quarter-one-emd1/​

Let me know where it says anything about WDW attendance in Disney's reports from Q2?

https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/app/uploads/2024/05/q2-fy24-earnings-transcript.pdf
https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/app/uploads/2024/05/Q2_FY24_Earnings_Presentation.pdf
https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/app/uploads/2024/05/q2-fy24-earnings.pdf
https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1744489/000174448924000152/dis-20240330.htm

TLDR: It doesn't say anything about attendance at all for WDW in the transcript or the reports/presentation.

That article is blocked by Disboards but if it mentions WDW attendance is down, they didn't read or listen to the transcript.

 

[RivShore]

I'm not sure how people are saying that attendance hasn't decreased at Disney World. This article based on Disney's quarterly report make sit pretty clear that attendance is down. Perhaps people are still traveling but not going to Disney for the same number of days as before.

https://**************.net/2024/02/walt-disney-world-resort-earnings-report-quarter-one-emd1/​

First of all that site is filled with ridiculous click bate. Second of all, it is speaking of Q1 which ended 6 months ago, so it is very old news. Third of all, the headline of that article says "Attendance Plunges", while the body of the article quotes only this: Lower volumes due to decreases in attendance and occupied room nights, both of which reflected the comparison to the 50th anniversary celebration in the prior-year quarter. Again old news and expected after the non-stop promotion of the 50th.