Crowd Outlook

[Jrb1979]

I agree, just need to find a way to get more lifeguards to get back to it, Volcano Bay definitely took a chunk out of the previously available pool of folks to staff all of the parks in the area.

I would think it's going to a difficult task to do. You don't just have Volcano Bay but you have SeaWorlds Aquatica as well as the water park that opened at Margaritaville. That's a lot of life guards.

 

[wabbott]

I would think it's going to a difficult task to do. You don't just have Volcano Bay but you have SeaWorlds Aquatica as well as the water park that opened at Margaritaville. That's a lot of life guards.

Looks like the park crowds are a bit thin this afternoon, according to the wait times.

 

[Jrb1979]

Looks like the park crowds are a bit thin this afternoon, according to the wait times.

That's definitely not a good thing if you're a shareholder. It's great for those going but if your Disney this isn't what you want to see. It's the first long weekend of the summer. The parks should be packed and they aren't.

 

[SkyGuy]

Looks like the park crowds are a bit thin this afternoon, according to the wait times.

I think crowds were thin other places in Florida as well. My brother lives in Naples, and he said he was shocked how slow it was there this weekend. He had no issues finding a parking place at Wiggins Pass around noon yesterday - he said he should have gone and bought a lottery ticket. My husband was in Ft Lauderdale for business Friday and stayed with a friend on Saturday and said he expected it to be a madhouse and was pleasantly surprised. They were in a restaurant and there were only three other tables seated on Saturday around 6pm.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

I think crowds were thin other places in Florida as well. My brother lives in Naples, and he said he was shocked how slow it was there this weekend. He had no issues finding a parking place at Wiggins Pass around noon yesterday - he said he should have gone and bought a lottery ticket. My husband was in Ft Lauderdale for business Friday and stayed with a friend on Saturday and said he expected it to be a madhouse and was pleasantly surprised. They were in a restaurant and there were only three other tables seated on Saturday around 6pm.

this all points to a tourism slow down, i wonder how long it lasts? i am also curious if this is specifically a Florida problem or if it spans more of the country

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

this all points to a tourism slow down, i wonder how long it lasts? i am also curious if this is specifically a Florida problem or if it spans more of the country

It will be everywhere, more so expensive places. People will turn to lower cost options.

 

[Jrb1979]

this all points to a tourism slow down, i wonder how long it lasts? i am also curious if this is specifically a Florida problem or if it spans more of the country

I don't think it's just a Florida thing. I do think any high priced vacation will have a slow down. I do think regional parks will have higher attendance this summer. People will opt for those over destination parks. This past long weekend I do know King's Island and Cedar Point were extremely busy. With 2 hour waits for most top rides.

 

[RivShore]

Maybe all of this weekend's anecdotal evidence we have here is just off because, per many sources, inflation has not impacted travel yet. Here's one:

https://newsroom.aaa.com/2023/05/42-3-million-americans-expected-to-travel-for-memorial-day/

“This is expected to be the third busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000, when AAA started tracking holiday travel,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “More Americans are planning trips and booking them earlier, despite inflation. This summer travel season could be one for the record books, especially at airports.”

 

[Jrb1979]

Maybe all of this weekend's anecdotal evidence we have here is just off because, per many sources, inflation has not impacted travel yet. Here's one:

https://newsroom.aaa.com/2023/05/42-3-million-americans-expected-to-travel-for-memorial-day/

“This is expected to be the third busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000, when AAA started tracking holiday travel,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “More Americans are planning trips and booking them earlier, despite inflation. This summer travel season could be one for the record books, especially at airports.”

I did see MCO say something similar in regards to travel this long weekend. My question is more if travel was high this weekend and projecting to be a busy summer they why was WDW not that busy and why is Disney projecting a slow summer?

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I also agree it will be less crowded but more in line with DLR crowds post covid if that makes sense.

All the celebrations are winding down or done BUT with holidays and some international travelers still coming over I forsee wait times more in line with DLR (aka 65 minutes for ROTR tho i did see someone on facebook post that it was 5 minutes @ DHS yesterday and I actually dropped my phone in shock!).

I think once the dining plan returns it will go back up again. But someone said this will be more in line with the 08 recession where it could be empty or just like post covid crowds.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Maybe all of this weekend's anecdotal evidence we have here is just off because, per many sources, inflation has not impacted travel yet. Here's one:

https://newsroom.aaa.com/2023/05/42-3-million-americans-expected-to-travel-for-memorial-day/

“This is expected to be the third busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000, when AAA started tracking holiday travel,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “More Americans are planning trips and booking them earlier, despite inflation. This summer travel season could be one for the record books, especially at airports.”

That doesn't break down how far people are traveling, or for how long

 

[Smugpugmug]

Maybe all of this weekend's anecdotal evidence we have here is just off because, per many sources, inflation has not impacted travel yet. Here's one:

https://newsroom.aaa.com/2023/05/42-3-million-americans-expected-to-travel-for-memorial-day/

“This is expected to be the third busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000, when AAA started tracking holiday travel,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “More Americans are planning trips and booking them earlier, despite inflation. This summer travel season could be one for the record books, especially at airports.”

Maybe it's that while people are still vacationing in high numbers and are still going to Florida for vacation, they're not necessarily going to WDW?

 

[RivShore]

Maybe it's that while people are still vacationing in high numbers and are still going to Florida for vacation, they're not necessarily going to WDW?

Could be but it is all speculation until some real numbers come out.

I would expect things to calm down to pre-pandemic levels but unless we have a real recession, not much lower than that.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Could be but it is all speculation until some real numbers come out.

I would expect things to calm down to pre-pandemic levels but unless we have a real recession, not much lower than that.

Agreed, it's all speculation. I was at Epcot on friday and while friday nights are usually a zoo at that park it was pretty quiet. No lines for the festival booths. It was very unusual.

I just don't think less people are vacationing overall as I see a lot of articles discussing how European travel is at an insane height right now (as in, Americans flying to European countries like Italy and France).

 

[RivShore]

That doesn't break down how far people are traveling, or for how long

I did not see how long but it addresses distance - over 50 miles is their benchmark. Also air travel is breaking records so that implies distant travel, I guess how distant is the question - domestic or international??

 

[RivShore]

Agreed, it's all speculation. I was at Epcot on friday and while friday nights are usually a zoo at that park it was pretty quiet. No lines for the festival booths. It was very unusual.

I just don't think less people are vacationing overall as I see a lot of articles discussing how European travel is at an insane height right now (as in, Americans flying to European countries like Italy and France).

We were at Epcot Sat and Sun for a few hours and the walkways and shops around WS seemed annoyingly packed. I did notice that some booths were not busy but attributed that to being there between lunch and dinner. It wasn't wall to wall spring break revenge travel kind of crowds but it was a bit less than I would have expected on a holiday weekend but I don't know historically how busy that weekend usually is especially with most schools still in session.

 

[HokieRaven5]

Could be but it is all speculation until some real numbers come out.

I would expect things to calm down to pre-pandemic levels but unless we have a real recession, not much lower than that.

Summer was also showing signs of trending down in terms of attendance at Disney Parks pre-pandemic and who knows how much the pandemic accelerated the further spreading of crowds.

Top that with the ending of the 50th and a lull before whatever they have coming for Disney 100. Disney just seems to be kind of accepting Summer 2023 to be whatever it’s going to be and are offering discounts in accordance with that and pushing more of it into 2024.

Also probably not that big of a factor on anything, but Splash Mountain in Disneyland is closing today so who knows if people chose to travel there instead

 

[fatmanatee]

Haven’t really been keeping track but wait times seem closer to when I visited in mid-April right now.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Someone mentioned travel to European countries as well as other countries and 100%. We have been pushing back a European vacation since 2020 (we know we could go now but 2023 was always planned land and sea for us). So I can definitely see so many people heading abroad (and vice versa I know international travel quite a few people are finally making it back here to the US)

 

[PDXmouse]

Someone mentioned travel to European countries as well as other countries and 100%. We have been pushing back a European vacation since 2020 (we know we could go now but 2023 was always planned land and sea for us). So I can definitely see so many people heading abroad (and vice versa I know international travel quite a few people are finally making it back here to the US)

I love Disney but the price of our upcoming vacation is crazy. We could literally go to Europe for what we’re paying to spend 17 days in Orlando. I told DH the next time I pay this much for a vacation we are going overseas.