More Families are Skipping Disney – Will $60 Billion in Investments Get Them Back?
Disney owns seven of the world’s top ten most attended theme parks, including Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom Park, which has been the #1 attended theme park on earth for decades. Disney Parks welcomes approximately 100 million guests each year. But, more than in years past, families are skipping the happiest place on earth for other places.
Disney Knows They Have a Problem
Between sky-high ticket prices, crazy crowds, and complicated line reservation systems, families are skipping Disney for other vacation destinations. Will a ten-year, $60 billion investment in theme parks and experiences be enough to get them, and their dollars, back in Disney?
Disney Theme Park Attendance in America is Down
July 4th week saw something rare in Florida and California Disney Parks – room to spread out. Whether you looked at the data or attended in person, park attendance was way down. How much? It was Disney’s lowest ticket sales for the July 4th weekend in decades.
Last year, the parks brought Disney $32.3 billion in operating income. But with less of it, the other business warts and missteps can’t be as covered with less of it. So, while their international parks are doing well, their U.S. theme park admission and revenue are down.
You Know Something’s Up When Disney Puts Their Theme Park Tickets on Sale
Whenever Disney needs to drum up more ticket sales, it turns to its largest third-party ticket seller, Undercover Tourist. Earlier this summer, they promoted an offer where you could buy adult admission tickets for the price of a child’s. Disney rarely puts tickets up for sale as they usually don’t need promotions to help fill the parks.
And recently, they launched a ticket and food package that can save families up to $1,000. But will it be enough to get more people to the parks?
And Now, Disney’s Stock Hit Its 9-Year Low
Even though the S&P 500 Index has jumped double digits, Disney’s stock hit its nine-year low this summer, and it’s been hovering around there for most of the summer. This stock price decline is believed to have erased around $16 billion from the company’s market value.
They Were Using High Ticket Prices as A Way To Cut Down on Crowds – But It Didn’t Work
“One of the things that we had to do is we had to improve the guest experience by reducing crowding. And it’s tempting to let more and more people in. But if the guest satisfaction levels are going down because of crowding, that doesn’t work,” CEO Bog Igar told the attendees at a Morgan Stanley conference.
They moved to dynamic pricing to try to move guests to the lesser crowded time periods, but families are still limited to the popular time frames when kids are off from school.
It’s a Hard Balance – Did They Get It Right?
“We had to figure out how we reduce crowding but maintain, obviously, our profitability. And we did that well, but we have to be careful about that as well because, in doing that, you’re actually — you actually end up increasing the price or putting features into your pricing that are viewed by some consumers as perhaps being a little too aggressive, and that’s where we’re being careful about,” he continued.
CEO Bog Iger Thinks Their Theme Park Ticket Prices are Too High
“I always believed that Disney was a brand that needs to be accessible,” said Bog Iger, CEO of Disney, at the media conference. “And I think that in our zeal to grow profits, we may have been a little bit too aggressive about some of our pricing.”
The Damage is Done Already – Families Aren’t Returning To Disney
“Our Spring Break Disney World tickets were $1,646 for two days of park hopper passes and ride reservations for two adults and two kids,” says Daniel, a dad from New Jersey. “Our per-person cost was almost double the average ticket price at $205.75. Given the exorbitant cost, huge crowds, and super-long ride lines, I don’t see our family returning to Disney anytime soon.”
Families Don’t See It as An Annual Trip
“I have been fortunate enough to experience the enchantment of Disney Parks on multiple occasions. I know it is a fantastical realm replete with parades, theme parks, magic performances, and an abundance of cartoon characters. There is so much waiting to be discovered there. I realized that it take at least seven days to see everything there,” said Umar Ali, Founder, HopDes.
The Cost Is Just Too High
“I’ve come to the realization that embarking on Disney trips is no longer within the realm of financial feasibility for my family. There is more to planning a vacation than just theme park entrance fees and hotel rooms and the additional expenses have made it increasingly difficult for us to make these trips a reality,” he added.
So Perhaps It’s Not A Surprise That Disney is Investing Big in Their Theme Parks to Create Reasons for People to Come Back
“We have an ambitious growth story that is supported by a proven track record and a bold vision for the future of our Parks business,” said Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Josh D’Amaro.
It Has Worked in the Past
When they added Cars Land at Disney California Adventure, Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Resort and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure they saw a growth in people coming to the parks.
What New Rides and Attractions Will They Add?
“We have a wealth of untapped stories to bring to life across our business,” said D’Amaro. “Frozen, one of the most successful and popular animated franchises of all time, could have a presence at the Disneyland Resort. Wakanda has yet to be brought to life. The world of Coco is just waiting to be explored. There’s a lot of storytelling opportunity.”
Are they clues or just examples of what could be?
They Have a Huge Opportunity, But Can They Get People There?
According to Disney’s internal research, more than 700 million people have a high Disney affinity yet hasn’t been to a Disney theme parks. Also, for every one guest who visits a Disney Park, there are more than ten “Disney people” who do not visit one of their theme parks.
But Will It Be Enough for People Who Prefer to Explore the World?
“My husband & I have been to Disney before, and while it was an experience, it will never be a vacation destination for our family. My family is skipping Disney, and in fact, we have no plans to ever visit Disney,” said Jessica Sproat, Founder, Next Up Adventure.
“Instead, we are intentionally choosing activities and destinations where we can spend time together and access nature. From a connection perspective, not putting ourselves into situations that cause stress – waiting in line, spending a lot of money, and really not interacting with one another.”
Or Those Who See Better Use of Disney Dollars For Big Vacations?
“My in-laws are Disney Vacation Club members, and they want us to go to Disney all the time. But I can’t get over how uncost-effective it is,” said said Taylor, Founder, Traverse With Taylor. “We’ve been before, and it’s definitely something I’d recommend kids see once… but once a year? Not worth it,” she added.
“We finally said no. We are tired of spending thousands of dollars to stand in lines when we can literally take our children to multiple European countries for cheaper. “People don’t realize that you can travel abroad for cheaper. We want our children to have unique, varied, cultural travel experiences, so we are nixing Disney,” she proclaimed.
Only time will tell.
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What happens when Americans visit a Disney theme park and take 20,000 steps or more daily in hot, humid weather? Many get the Disney rash. If you’re planning on visiting Disney or any other theme park in a warm climate, here’s what you can do to prevent it and what items you should bring to treat it.
5 Experts Explain The Dreaded Disney Rash and How To Avoid This Disney Disaster
The 3 Best Days to Visit Walt Disney World Revealed
Seventy-four million people go to Orlando annually, making it America’s most visited destination. And more than half of those people who travel to Florida’s theme park capital visit Walt Disney World.
So, if you’re planning a trip to Disney, it’s essential to think about when you can avoid the crowds and the summer heat. Well, new research reveals the three best days to visit based on a crowds-to-weather score.
The 3 Best Days to Visit Walt Disney World Revealed
Disney’s No Longer Orlando’s Best Theme Park – Travelers Voted Discovery Cove Into the Top Spot
What if I told you about a place in Orlando near it all, but feels like you’ve been whisked to a tropical island? A day destination that’s nestled in between resorts and iconic theme parks but feels worlds away from the crowds and long lines of America’s vacation capital.
It’s not a Florida heat-induced mirage; it’s Discovery Cove Orlando. This unique, all-inclusive, all-day outing offers guests a one-of-a-kind opportunity to swim with dolphins, snorkel among thousands of tropical fish and rays, hand-feed exotic birds, and encounter playful otters—all in a surprisingly stunning tropical atmosphere just 12 miles from Orlando International Airport.
Disney’s No Longer Orlando’s Best Theme Park – Travelers Voted Discovery Cove Into the Top Spot
30 Reasons Families Prefer Legoland Florida to Disney World Theme Parks
Our family spent the last two Spring Breaks in Orlando, the most visited destination in America, but we had two very different experiences. In 2022, we had a typical Orlando family vacation visiting Disney theme parks. Then, in 2023, we went to non-Disney theme parks, including Legoland Florida, and it was a night-and-day experience. After these two trips, our family prefers Legoland Florida to Disney World.
And it turns out we’re not the only ones. After interviewing 25 other families who feel the same, here’s why people are opting for days with Emmet, Lloyd, and Master Wu instead of Elsa, Luke, and Mickey Mouse.
30 Reasons Families Prefer Legoland Florida to Disney World Theme Parks
Here’s How I Saved $7,000 On Our Summer Family Vacation To Hawaii
With its unique aloha spirit, volcanic mountain terrain, tropical rainforests, national parks, fantastic food, and the best beaches in the world, it’s not a surprise that Hawaii is a top destination on people’s vacation wish lists. If you think it’s out of reach for your family to visit the Aloha state, here’s how I saved $7,000 on our trip with just two booking strategies.
Here’s How I Saved $7,000 On Our Summer Family Vacation To Hawaii
