Attendance Down, Revenue Up

[bsj1701]

And Paris has the best BTMRR I've been on by far. Ratatouille is the best Disney Attraction Made. And the Disney Dreams show at night was wonderful as well.

I fully agree! DLP is awesome! BTMRR puts all the others to shame!

 

[oddman]

This is us too. Last trip for us was in 2013. I've been finding I can get a better bang for my buck going other places (and prior to 2013 we were at least a once a year visitor, sometimes 2-3x per year). I never thought the day would come that we didn't have a WDW trip in the works, but we were very disappointed on our last trip and decided to take a one year break. So far one year has turned into three and I don't even see us going back in 2017 because of other planned trips (Sandals LaSource Grenada for 11 days and 15 +/- days in Europe). We plan to go back again once the new attractions are open (DH loves Avatar and really wants to see it when done), so maybe 2018 or 2019. I just don't see it becoming a yearly destination for us again. It seems that once we burst the Disney "bubble" it has become easier and easier to find other destinations that are more attractive to us.

I completely agree. There are so many other excellent options out there and mostly they are also better value. We were visiting a Dis park once a year or even more, then it dropped to once every second. Mostly due to crowds, pricing, FP+ and disappointing product. Food is rubbish and takes far too long to get served or seated. We used to feel like guests in a place that valued all of its visitors equally, these days we feel like walking wallets.

 

[aprincessatlast]

I agree. Dis has reached a tipping point for many customers, whether or not this is just the life cycle of the typical customer I do not know. But I suspect that over time many guests just become disillusioned with crowds and pricing. Perhaps the loss is simply filled by some 20 somethings on the other side of the curve.

You know I was wondering about this the other day. I am unsure that the upcoming generation will take the bate actually. I know Disney for me as a kid held a huge nostalgia factor. There were not many options as far as entertainment. Disney and maybe Nick were it. We went once or twice but it was the shows and the sunday night movies that got us. My avatar pic will tell ya that. lol

We cut the cord on cable long ago and with the information age there is so much to grab kids attention. I know I am always telling my kids lets watch a Disney movie or something. Nope they are not having it. They might watch some of the Mickey Clips on the apple tv but there is just so many other things that I do not think my kids have an emotional attachment to Disney. If it is Disney cartoon it is 1x. Perhaps it is just my kids, but it is not for lack of trying. Personally I think Disney is going to have to majorly step up their game to attract these young kids when they are earning their own salary with families. I don't think that nostalgia factor is or will be there with this generation.I think that is why they bought all those IP's because with out Star Wars/Marvel etc. they did not have much from a kids perspective in way of nostalgia. Sure they had Princesses but anyone who has a young girl knows that stage is short lived. It is just a different era for sure.

Anyone who says Disney is too big to fail is totally fooling themselves or taking in way too much pixie dust.

 

[oddman]

And those people built Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. By any measure, those are the best themed areas of any amusement park ever built. And yet you insist that Disney has separation over the best of the best. Do you think that Toy Story land is going to match those areas? Do you think that Gaston's Tavern and gift shop, cute as they are, create separation from Diagon Alley? Not through any lens other than Disney Goggles. Cars Land is great. No argument there. But it is mostly visual, (which at this point, I will take). The main attraction there is well done too. Even though it is just a Test Track redux, I won't complain. But the other attractions have a distinct "Dinoland quality" about them. Nevertheless, guess what? DLR has seen an increase in attendance. Coincidence? I think not.

Those "Potter" attractions , managed to swing my families trip from a Dis to a Uni trip...

So instead of 10 day dis tickets for maybe 10 people, it is 14 day U tickets for everyone... We will most likely not fully use them just like the dis tickets.

We are very much the income bracket Dis wants to attract, but frankly between being required to pre book my FP, and being limited as to the number and timing etc I just don't want to be bothered. Prices are high for everything and quality is just not there. I am not in favor of having to tour the park in such a grossly regimented way.

Dis send us junk year round, trying to woo us with some nonsense or other, when what we want is just a reasonable wait time without having jump through hoops backwards just to get on a few attractions.

To be clear we have over 5 weeks ship time and at least 100 days in parks (min). We are exactly the clients they want, but being forced to ride xyz on certain date at a certain time is just pita. I want to be able to say, "Hey its raining lets go to ##### instead today."

 

[Kona65]

All good things come to an end. And it looks like that Disney is coming to the end of the road. Do the young kids of today even know who or what Disney is? No more The Wonderful World of Disney on TV. No more Disney shows for the family to set down and watch together. But we do have our I-phones, and video games. I hate to say it, but Disney is entering the mature stage of their business plan. The growth is over, and the end is in sight.

 

[Planogirl]

All good things come to an end. And it looks like that Disney is coming to the end of the road. Do the young kids of today even know who or what Disney is? No more The Wonderful World of Disney on TV. No more Disney shows for the family to set down and watch together. But we do have our I-phones, and video games. I hate to say it, but Disney is entering the mature stage of their business plan. The growth is over, and the end is in sight.

I wouldn't necessarily agree that the end is in sight. Disney just needs to reinvent themselves a little to appeal to new generations. They have become way too complacent.

 

[Kona65]

I wouldn't necessarily agree that the end is in sight. Disney just needs to reinvent themselves a little to appeal to new generations. They have become way too complacent.

Maybe. But all companies close the doors eventually.

 

[ChipnDale79]

All good things come to an end. And it looks like that Disney is coming to the end of the road. Do the young kids of today even know who or what Disney is? No more The Wonderful World of Disney on TV. No more Disney shows for the family to set down and watch together. But we do have our I-phones, and video games. I hate to say it, but Disney is entering the mature stage of their business plan. The growth is over, and the end is in sight.

I think Disney has made a lot of mistakes, but in my house, Disney Junior is on a lot. Both of my kids love it. They are not the only ones at their daycare that are all about it either.

Before we had kids i questioned how kids knew about Mickey Mouse anymore, now I know how.

They can still grow, and they are. However they are hurting the long term future of their brand and theme parks.

 

[Josh Hendy]

I wouldn't necessarily agree that the end is in sight. Disney just needs to reinvent themselves a little to appeal to new generations. They have become way too complacent.

I think they fell in love with their own financial wizardry and the (illusory) ability to train customers, i.e. "revenue units" to come, heel, sit up, bark, and roll over.

Instead of say, falling in love with their own products, and cultivating the itching, burning desire to constantly make the products better.

It's interesting how innovations have occurred right in Orlando, with the new technologies in Forbidden Journey, the interesting projection techniques in the Hogwarts queue and the talking paintings, the Hogwarts Express storytelling technology ... and other new technologies occur right inside the Disney company with the trackless systems for Ratatouille and Tokyo's Winnie the Pooh. Not to mention the jaw-dropping attention to detail in the atmosphere and decor of Diagon Alley, with the innovations continuing all the way down to the drinks like soda, tea and beer on menu at Harry Potter and Simpsons lands.

Yet ... do we see really big innovations at WDW? Nothing for years. Avatar arguably, in the floating islands and the glowing plants. But it's still just a boat ride and Soarin' over Pandora 3D.

We do see REALLY big, jaw-dropping innovations made in ride rationing, revenue tracking, crowd management and "special pricing".

Which shows what they think of the parks, and of themselves and their customers.

 

[beer dave]

Exactly. After going at least once a year from 1993 to 2006. It was less than that from 2007 - 2013. After my last trip in 2013 I have not been back. Just canceled my 2016 because the value was not there once I figured everything in. My kids got excited enough about going to please touch museum in PA, with sesame place, Dorney Park (snoopys place) and Philadelphia Zoo that I decided to put WDW off one more year to save a lot of cash.

wow-- Dorney park--- haven't heard that one in a while-- I grew up in the allentown area.

 

[Ellwood970]

wow-- Dorney park--- haven't heard that one in a while-- I grew up in the allentown area.

We got annual passes to Dorney with the dining plan. 120 for the pass to both the park and water park. 120 dollars for all summer dining, a meal every 4 hours while in the park and most of the food is as good as Disney CS. I can't be bothered to fly or drive to Florida this year for a half experience at Disney parks and very expensive food. Maybe in the future.

 

[manning]

All good things come to an end. And it looks like that Disney is coming to the end of the road. Do the young kids of today even know who or what Disney is? No more The Wonderful World of Disney on TV. No more Disney shows for the family to set down and watch together. But we do have our I-phones, and video games. I hate to say it, but Disney is entering the mature stage of their business plan. The growth is over, and the end is in sight.

Yes, getting close to squeezing blood from a turnip. Never comes out good.

If Disney was willing to sell and I had the money (dreaming) I would buy one of the parks and Drive Disney World out of business with value and service or force them to do the same

The problem with Disney is "one monster corporation that can't react."

Big is not always big. My company had super tankers. It took 20 minutes to stop one. It's going to take more than 20 minutes to stop Disney direction. As long as the Street is demanding maximum profits.

 

[dreiwhit]

Do the young kids of today even know who or what Disney is? No more The Wonderful World of Disney on TV. No more Disney shows for the family to set down and watch together.

While we were at MK, one thing my wife said has really stuck with me. During one of our days there, she turned to me and said, "Magic Kingdom is for folks our age and our parents age, not our kids age." That really has got me thinking. My kids know about Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald through Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on TV, but much of the pre-1990s Disney is unknown to them. I don't know if the recent movies and characters are enough to keep them interested in MK or not.

 

[Josh Hendy]

While we were at MK, one thing my wife said has really stuck with me. During one of our days there, she turned to me and said, "Magic Kingdom is for folks our age and our parents age, not our kids age." That really has got me thinking. My kids know about Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald through Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on TV, but much of the pre-1990s Disney is unknown to them. I don't know if the recent movies and characters are enough to keep them interested in MK or not.

I think the biggest asset that MK has is the sheer number of rides, their family-level appeal, and the fact that they are updated and maintained very consistently. Plus the fireworks and parades.

There is such a tremendous imbalance in the number of attractions and shows between MK and the other parks and in their quality and family appeal, it's no wonder it's so crowded ... in spite of being built around characters and movies that are not the most up-to-date or popular.