Lack of crowds and Disney's response

[azdisneylover]

There is no perfect way to do it. People in SoCal go when they want to go, because they want to go. And if they pay through the nose they can do that anytime they want and there is no way to plan for that. Team Disney Anaheim knows not to mess with the goose that lays the golden egg. Star Wars' lackluster attendance is a perfect example of how Disney is at the mercy of their Annual Pass holders. They built the biggest IP Land ever and its been basically dead its first week open to the public. IF they lift the blackout dates on the lower passes it will be packed tomorrow. They know they can turn on the money faucet anytime they want.

This week they were trying to get the high end customers. But they are having to cut CM hours like crazy because those people are not showing up. I wish I had a work trip to LA this week! !!! This is why, from a dollars and cents perspective, annual pass holders are more important than single day or multi-day ticket buyers. The pass holders will show up in mass like clock work when there blackout dates are lifted. But the multi-day ticket buyers are fickle. They worry about crowds and this and that and the other. If your running a business the last thing in the world you want to rely on is a fickle customer base. You want steady money that the annual pass holders give you. Customers complain about the pass holders but as long as they keep coming and making money for TDA, Disney couldn't care less. They will give lip service to the problem but then turn around and hand out discounts to pack the parks. Its always about the dollars and the pass holders bring in the dollars.

Well said! You took the words right out of my mouth!

 

[fly girl]

I don't believe the increase in ticket prices has anything to do with light attendance in the last month. It is blocking annual pass holders and the expectations among visitors of massive crowds due to the Star Wars land opening. Just look at these boards over the last 6 months. The non-Star Wars fans were rushing to get their trips in before Star Wars opened.

No doubt blocking most AP’s made an impact. But that’s not the only reason.

I do think prices to regular folks made a difference. Price wise, Disney is always higher than other theme parks - that’s a given. But DLR vs WDW right now is substantially more. It’s $40 cheaper for a 1 day ticket into a WDW Park. And hotel cost ... don’t get me started. Comparing DH and GC to deluxe resorts at WDW the price is considerably more. Club Level at Grand Floridian is $200 less a night than a parking lot or roof view of GC! CLUB LEVEL!!!

Most families are comparing and saying we’ll go to WDW, unless you’re a die hard SW fan and can’t wait until August.

 

[Blue32]

Most AP levels are blocked by this time in the Summer anyway though right? Clearly the fear of crowds or non AP’s delaying trips has had a big impact as well.

 

[SoCalDisneyFan2708]

Looks like it’s more crowded today. Saw the tweet that Mickey and friends parking structure is full. Wait times on the app look higher too.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Most AP levels are blocked by this time in the Summer anyway though right? Clearly the fear of crowds or non AP’s delaying trips has had a big impact as well.

No, Deluxe is not usually blocked. Just the two lower levels. Deluxe can go to DCA this summer but not DL.

 

[midnight star]

Looks like it’s more crowded today. Saw the tweet that Mickey and friends parking structure is full. Wait times on the app look higher too.

Weekend. Plus Deluxe and up are valid (Deluxe can go to DCA). Though it doesn't look terrible still.

 

[tarheelalum]

I wonder what impact this whole situation will have on future attraction openings/events (RotR, Marvel Land, Runaway Railway, future FL expansion and/or TL overhaul, etc).

From a guest experience perspective (at least in my opinion) the opening of SWGE was a success. They had an aggressive plan to combat crowds, and it has been great! Smooth entry (remember all the worry about camping for days?), low wait times (remember the 6+ hour lines predictions?), and also they didn't do a controversial "pay to play" paid preview. I had hoped that this effort was a sign that they are serious about finding a way to manage crowds at DL for the long term.

But, it seems like there's some collateral damage in overall park attendance. I hope this doesn't mean that next time they'll say "screw it" and just let the madness happen. Even if there's nothing on the scale of SWGE in the foreseeable future, going forward I hope they remember what worked about this opening from a guest standpoint, and not focus only on the possibly negative business aspects.

From a guest experience I think this was a unicorn event. Truly amazing for those who got to experienced it. I certainly wish I could have but it was just not in the cards for me. Even if I could have gotten the time off work I would have never planned a trip during what I expected to be an awfully crowded park. If we still lived in San Diego we would have drove up this morning for the day but we moved to AZ so its not as easy to go now.

But I don't see Disney ever letting this happen again. They overestimated their value on this but I don't see them ever making the same mistake twice on something this big. But then again I don't think they will ever have anything this big open up again in the coming years.

From all of the delays I've heard about ROTR, maybe they may have to scale it down to get it operational? I don't know how/if that would degrade the experience. I certainly hope the end product is better than Smugglers Run. That attraction, although wonderfully themed, appears to be a let down to some I've spoken with. I'm not saying it bad by any means, but I remember riding Indy after it opened and everyone who was there thought it was the most amazing thing ever. I'm not hearing that about ride portion of Smugglers Run, and that kind of makes me sad. The ROTR attraction sounds like a much better concept but who knows what the end product will look like after they get it operational. Hopefully its just as amazing as Indy was back in the 90s but I don't think Team Disney Anaheim will ever allow another big opening to be this slow ever again. If they did I think people would lose their jobs over it.

 

[DLgal]

@tarheelalum

I bet people will lose their jobs over this one. Disney corporate is absolutely merciless when it comes to decisions that cost the company profits. I have a good friend who worked at the corporate level in Burbank and he basically said the main driver in EVERY division of the company (he was in security) is profits and revenue. If you don't increase either, you're gone. It is very cutthroat. I think whoever approved the Deluxe AP blackout is gonna be canned. That was a huge mistake.

 

[BigCheese]

Weekend. Plus Deluxe and up are valid (Deluxe can go to DCA). Though it doesn't look terrible still.

We’re in the parks almost every Saturday and it was very crowded yesterday, what I would call a typical Saturday feel in both parks. I’m not sure what today will bring but the lines to get in this morning were longer than they were on either the past two days, but the vast majority went to DL and headed to GE immediately. I prefer to enjoy other areas of the parks first and go to GE at dusk. The past couple of evenings we went to Oga’s around 6:30 and stuck around GE at night. By far our favorite time of day to be there.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

We’re in the parks almost every Saturday and it was very crowded yesterday, what I would call a typical Saturday feel in both parks. I’m not sure what today will bring but the lines to get in this morning were longer than they were on either the past two days, but the vast majority went to DL and headed to GE immediately. I prefer to enjoy other areas of the parks first and go to GE at dusk. The past couple of evenings we went to Oga’s around 6:30 and stuck around GE at night. By far our favorite time of day to be there.

I’m on the bus back to Toy Story (I just came to get my BIL an AP discount ticket and show him around SWGE), and it’s much more crowded than it has been. Lots of groups, lots of tourists, several people buying the discount tickets when I was... the people are coming.

 

[MillauFr]

@tarheelalum

I bet people will lose their jobs over this one. Disney corporate is absolutely merciless when it comes to decisions that cost the company profits. I have a good friend who worked at the corporate level in Burbank and he basically said the main driver in EVERY division of the company (he was in security) is profits and revenue. If you don't increase either, you're gone. It is very cutthroat. I think whoever approved the Deluxe AP blackout is gonna be canned. That was a huge mistake.

I doubt it. This is part of the long term plan to eliminate the Deluxe Annual Passport and replace it with the Flex.

 

[mamapenguin]

I doubt it. This is part of the long term plan to eliminate the Deluxe Annual Passport and replace it with the Flex.

Maybe, but I think it makes a better addition than a replacement. Flex won’t work for some of the people that Deluxe did and I don’t see them all upgrading to signature. The ride times are low again today, it’s not looking good for Disney.

 

[tarheelalum]

@tarheelalum

I bet people will lose their jobs over this one. Disney corporate is absolutely merciless when it comes to decisions that cost the company profits. I have a good friend who worked at the corporate level in Burbank and he basically said the main driver in EVERY division of the company (he was in security) is profits and revenue. If you don't increase either, you're gone. It is very cutthroat. I think whoever approved the Deluxe AP blackout is gonna be canned. That was a huge mistake.

Hopefully Bob Chapek loses his job. He seems to be the driving force behind the nickle and dime mentality.

 

[BigCheese]

Maybe, but I think it makes a better addition than a replacement. Flex won’t work for some of the people that Deluxe did and I don’t see them all upgrading to signature. The ride times are low again today, it’s not looking good for Disney.

I beg to differ. We were here Wednesday and it was very light and enjoyable (ridiculously so). But was also here all day Friday, yesterday, and still here today and it feels like a normal busy Sunday from a crowd level standpoint. An hour ago Space, Splash, MFSR and Matterhorn were all approaching hour waits but also from a walkway standpoint it’s crowded. It was busy on Friday and more so yesterday. While the M-Th crowds were definitely light in comparison and some of the best I’ve experienced in years during a June week, it has not been light these past three days. This will play out throughout the next month, and the week after the holiday next week will be very telling.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

I beg to differ. We were here Wednesday and it was very light and enjoyable (ridiculously so). But was also here all day Friday, yesterday, and still here today and it feels like a normal busy Sunday from a crowd level standpoint. An hour ago Space, Splash, MFSR and Matterhorn were all approaching hour waits but also from a walkway standpoint it’s crowded. It was busy on Friday and more so yesterday. While the M-Th crowds were definitely light in comparison and some of the best I’ve experienced in years during a June week, it has not been light these past three days. This will play out throughout the next month, and the week after the holiday next week will be very telling.

We’re back, and while the crowds are not the “empty” variety, it’s still what I would classify as moderate-to-low. Wait times are definitely on the lower side, and it feels busy but not actually crowded as we’re walking around.

It’s also hot. Whew.

 

[midnight star]

We’re back, and while the crowds are not the “empty” variety, it’s still what I would classify as moderate-to-low. Wait times are definitely on the lower side, and it feels busy but not actually crowded as we’re walking around.

It’s also hot. Whew.

Yeah I'm not at the park, but checked the app, and wait times are great for a summer weekend. Busier than last week, but still not bad at all.

I just left Santa Monica pier and it was nice and sunny there. I'm sure Anaheim is much warmer though lol

 

[agamble]

I beg to differ. We were here Wednesday and it was very light and enjoyable (ridiculously so). But was also here all day Friday, yesterday, and still here today and it feels like a normal busy Sunday from a crowd level standpoint. An hour ago Space, Splash, MFSR and Matterhorn were all approaching hour waits but also from a walkway standpoint it’s crowded. It was busy on Friday and more so yesterday. While the M-Th crowds were definitely light in comparison and some of the best I’ve experienced in years during a June week, it has not been light these past three days. This will play out throughout the next month, and the week after the holiday next week will be very telling.

I felt that way too. We visited Wed and Friday and just pulling into the garage on Friday it was already busier. I'm so happy we got to go on that wonderful Wednesday and ride the new attraction two times in a row with minimal wait (40 and 30 mins). We are going to WDW next summer and I know that just won't be in the cards. Both rides will probably be on the FP grid by next summer and all sold out at 60+ days.

 

[Dr.Mickey]

Count us as grateful for the lower crowds. But we will put a bit of the blame on Galaxy’s Edge underperforming, too.

We just finished our first ever family trip from the east coast, and we had 3 park days on the last 3 days of reservations. It was a wonderful trip with cool weather and nice wait times all week. We are total fans of DLR now!

But when I asked my three boys, age 15, 12 and 12 about their favorite things at Disneyland, they listed Guardians, Cars Land, Hyperspace Mtn, the Incredicoaster, Soarin (we miss the California version), and Splash Mtn. So I said, well what about Galaxy’s Edge? “Oh yeah, that was cool, too.” I wouldn’t call that a rousing endorsement of the land. I think if the reviews were uniformly the best thing ever, then the crowd in GE would be way higher. Just our thoughts.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

I’d like to think they won’t unblock passes or do anything else to make the parks more crowded. Why do they have to be stuffed to the gills? I miss the parks during the 90s and early 2000s when it wasn’t packed. My guess is a huge factor for why it hasn’t been super crowded is that the other ride isn’t open yet. People who travel from far away may and only go once every few years are probably waiting for the whole land to be open.

 

[poptart90]

We are staying at GC, so my crowd perspective is from on-site. For us, using MaxPass has been a challenge the last three days. No need. Mostly walk on everywhere when we are looking to ride (obviously GE excluded). In fact, we let three FastPasses whatever-they-call-them-now (the old multi-experience Passes) expire at the end of the night cause the kids were trashed and couldn’t think of one more ride they wanted to go on. We’ve been this time of year for the past four years...this is markedly slower. Lots of peeps, but ride times are awesome. If MaxPass wasn’t already paid for, I think we’d consider not getting it right now. If you have EMH, there’s no need unless you want to ride from dawn til dusk. And flippin bake!! lol