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Disney World Tips and Tricks

I have heard a couple of different theories on the crowds being down. Domestically, surveys are showing people are delaying trips due to all of the construction and to save a trip for when some of the new rides open up. I am sure most of this is aimed at Star Wars Land. I was at Pandora on the second day it was open and it was packed within 30 minutes of the official park opening. We, luckily, were there 70 minutes before the listed park opening and they opened 75 minutes before the listed time that day. Star Wars will be many multiples greater than that in regards to crowd.

For foreign visitors, apparently our political climate is keeping visitors from coming. I have even heard reports of Canadians not wanting to come down to the parks because of what is going on. And of course there are countries still reeling from economic crisis that usually send a lot of visitors to the parks (think Brazil).

All of this is adding up to a lot smaller crowds this summer. Apparently, Pandora is usually packed, but many complained mightily in July because Disney was maintaining the 10 pm close time for the Magic Kingdom instead of pushing it to Midnight or later, as they have done the last couple of years.

We are heading for our anniversary in September and I'm hoping the crowds aren't bad. I can remember going at the same time in 2009 and walking around the countries in EPCOT for a couple of hours without seeing 20 people that didn't work there. Same trip saw us ride Soarin' twice without having to get off the ride and Toy Story Mania three straight times without having to leave our car.
 
All that is what I've seen as well. The lack of tour groups from Brazil is evident.

I also think we're seeing a correction after artificial attendance the last few years. Attendance was pretty low for several years when I started going regularly post-recession. Living with the Land never had a line. Now since Fastpass+ it's a 15 minute wait guaranteed.

As the economy bounced back, people who didn't travel as much from 2007-10 or so started gradually coming back. Disney spent a ton of money on Magic Bands, Fastpass+, new resorts and park expansions and new rides which accommodated the rush.

I think taking everything into account, park historians will look at the time between the start of the recession and the opening of Star Wars Land as a 12-13 year period bookended by times people were hesitant to go to the parks. In the middle is a period from 2010-16 when people took the trip they put off during the recession or their last trip before Star Wars Land is built.

I think things will pick back up by next summer with the addition of Toy Story Land.

On a personal note, my 5 year old hit 48" albeit with the aid of some socks stuffed in his shoes. That was enough to get him on Lochness Monster, Verbolten, and Mach Tower at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. I finally have a full-time riding partner at Disney World. My 8 year old like rides but still gets scared. He won't go on Everest or Rockin' Rollercoaster. He's never been in Tower of Terror either. My 5 year old when on Tower of Terror when he was 3. He's is a daredevil who loves everything.
 
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I feel like you're overstating the Star Wars Land effect. If you're the kind of person who knows about Star Wars Land and the Star Wars resort (the resort was only announced a couple weeks ago, right?), knows when they're opening, and is already planning a trip specifically for them, you're probably a big enough Disney fan that you've been in the parks regularly anyway. I suspect attendance slumps are more tied to overall economy and price of tickets to get into the parks. I have nothing to back this up, just a gut reaction.
 
Yeah, people go to Disney when they have young kids and they have the money. I'm not holding off on a Disney trip now so I can take my son who will then be 12 years old to Disney in a few years to see Yoda. We're considering a trip to Universal but I don't think the kids (9 & 11) really give a shit.
 
People who follow this sort of thing disagree.

Star Wars Land was announced a few years ago. Most Disney fans save up and go every few 2-5 years or so. It's simply a matter of deciding when to do. If there's something big happening at the parks, it makes sense to plan around that. Star Wars Land is bigger than big. If someone went in 2015 and were planning to going for 4 days 2017, it may make sense to skip that trip and save up to spend a week for Star Wars Land.
 
Guys park historians are recording all this important information so that it is not lost overtime, it's that crucial.
 
timthedeac said:
I feel like you're overstating the Star Wars Land effect. If you're the kind of person who knows about Star Wars Land and the Star Wars resort (the resort was only announced a couple weeks ago, right?), knows when they're opening, and is already planning a trip specifically for them, you're probably a big enough Disney fan that you've been in the parks regularly anyway. I suspect attendance slumps are more tied to overall economy and price of tickets to get into the parks. I have nothing to back this up, just a gut reaction.
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I agree with this take.

This thread is for 1% Disney fanatics. The vast majority of the general population doesn't go balls deep into Walter Disney.
 
This isn't just me and Ga. Every article on Disney attendance attributes some of it on waiting for Star Wars Land.
 
HailToTheDeacons said:
I agree with this take.

This thread is for 1% Disney fanatics. The vast majority of the general population doesn't go balls deep into Walter Disney.
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PhDeac said:
This isn't just me and Ga. Every article on Disney attendance attributes some of it on waiting for Star Wars Land.
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got it. there are more disney fanatics than you and ga.
 
So the argument is that the majority of people who go to Disney every few years don't know Star Wars Land is coming or they know and don't care?
 
Will be in Orlando in October for the World Cup Qualifier. Have a free day on Saturday, which park should we hit? Myself and my brother (27/23). I think we did every park when we were younger but I don't remember any of it.
 
If Disney, go to Epcot and drink around the world.

If you like Harry Potter, go to one (or both) of the Universals.

You could even do Universal in the morning and Epcot in the evening.
 
PhDeac said:
So the argument is that the majority of people who go to Disney every few years don't know Star Wars Land is coming or they know and don't care?
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Yes. More people are age sensitive to taking their kids to the Magic Kingdom than are concerned about what WDW comes up with next. I've got an amusement park in my backyard with better roller coasters than Disney has ever contemplated building. And the "great" restaurants that you spend a half hour getting to have pretty average fare at a ridiculous price.
 
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BiffTannen said:
Yes. More people are age sensitive to taking their kids to the Magic Kingdom than are concerned about what WDW comes up with next. I've got an amusement park in my backyard with better roller coasters than Disney has ever contemplated building. And the "great" restaurants that you spend a half hour getting to have pretty average fare at a ridiculous price.
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But this ignores that adding Star Wars to the parks gets rid of the age sensitivity argument. Are you claiming your 12 year old boy isn't going to want to visit Star Wars Land or do the immersive Star Wars Resort?
 
PhDeac said:
But this ignores that adding Star Wars to the parks gets rid of the age sensitivity argument. Are you claiming your 12 year old boy isn't going to want to visit Star Wars Land or do the immersive Star Wars Resort?
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Yeah, he'd rather hang out on the beach. Same with the daughter who is 19 months older. And as the one who gets to make decisions on what I want to do with my vacation time and money, so would I.
 
Or I could go to Italy - the real Italy, not the Epcot one.
 
BiffTannen said:
Yeah, he'd rather hang out on the beach. Same with the daughter who is 19 months older. And as the one who gets to make decisions on what I want to do with my vacation time and money, so would I.
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So it's not an age issue. It's a preference issue.
 
I agree that there's probably a slice of Disney-goers who may be holding off and waiting for Star Wars - people who are somewhere in between fanatics that go every year and non-fans who will take their kids once. I just think it's a narrower slice and less to blame for attendance than ph thinks. If crowds are down, I think it's because it costs over $100pp to go for a day.

Edit - And I'm probably in the group I'm describing - I think I've been 4 times in the last 15 or so years. But if I was planning my trip around a specific attraction, I definitely wouldn't go right when the new area opens; I'd go 2-3 years later when crowds for that area aren't as bad.
 
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timthedeac said:
I agree that there's probably a slice of Disney-goers who may be holding off and waiting for Star Wars - people who are somewhere in between fanatics that go every year and non-fans who will take their kids once. I just think it's a narrower slice and less to blame for attendance than ph thinks. If crowds are down, I think it's because it costs over $100pp to go for a day.
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Yeah, we've taken the kids twice with free tickets both times and could get free tix again tomorrow. No hurry to go back.
 
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