Locals not coming to Disney World

[Buschfan]

Interesting article in the Orlando Sentinel. Maybe Disney will finally wakeup and start discounting..

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...111901nov19.story?coll=orl-business-headlines

 

[Peter Pirate]

There is something wrong here. WDW has been packed virtually every weekend, if it isn't locals, who is it? Perhaps there is a definition problem as I would consider Floridians local, perhaps Disney is defining local in the strictist definition (the Orlando area).

Certainly WDW is suffering due to tourists afraid to fly & this explains why the weekdays are so empty. But saying the locals attendance is down seems contradictory when faced with the weekend attendance numbers of late...

 

[twalton]

We're heading over on Friday, and maybe Saturday, so, that should help!

I agree, there should be more discounts/promotions for Florida residents...

 

[fklhou]

Doesn't Disney already give a big break on annual passes to locals?

I personnaly thought that the Orlando Sentinel article was off. It was talking about there being stronger local traffic at DL and DCS compared to WDW. The two markets are different and there is increased local traffic at DL?DCA this year due to the opening of DCA.

 

[All Aboard]

I'm not going to complain about getting a seasonal pass for $170, rooms at the All Stars for $49, and 20% off almost all my food (for a $55 fee). I think those are plenty of discounts for Florida Residents.

 

[Quentin Disney]

These DL / WDW locals comparisons make me sick. The people at the Orlando Sentinel should spend more time coming up with better reporting. The headline itself absolutely made no sense. The LA area is one of the most populated areas in the country and this is why there are so many locals that go to DL. Should Orlando gain population (and as of now it is growing by the numbers), that would equal more local visitors.

Once again, this report was "duh" on so many levels. With a little common sense, most people should understand that fact.

Anyhow, I don't care how fewer we are, but the WDW are the most loyal of all WDW visitors.

I'm darn proud to be a local Annual Passholder!

 

[mburg1821]

I was down in Tampa last week on business and took the hour drive to Disney on Monday the 12th and Wednesday the 14th. The crowds were light but when I returned on Saturday 17th Epoct was crowded. And if any of the AP holders attended the MGM Osborne Lights shindig Saturday night it was elbow to elbow. So as for me we Floridians are attending Disney at least on Saturday. Would be interesting to see if attendance pickes up on Sunday once football season is over.

 

[raidermatt]

I agree, no real news in this article. DL gets a higher local percentage than WDW, and that has been well publicized. Not anybody's fault, its just a factor of local population density/demographics, and the fact that DL has only recently become a true resort destination with the additions of DCA, GC, and DD, and plenty of landscaping.

It just means that WDW is being hurt more by the economy than DL, but it will also profit more when there is a turnaround.

 

[Mr D]

More than likely the majority of guests are military and families that are being treated by Disney, I heard a little rumor that SOG was backed up and that one of the other resorts that was "closed" was used for the overflow. Then again it would make perfect sense to give out free passes for any military, police, or guardsmen families to enter the parks, it would also create a massive security force that Disney isn't paying for.

 

[Testtrack321]

Your never going to give up, Mr. D, are you?

But what I heard from a friend who came back was that there was very few people ther. But lines still one hour long? Why? They reduced the CM's and have cut the amount of people manning an attraction and how many vehicles are on it.

 

[walter]

I for one (if not many) would love to receive the discounts already afforded Florida residents. Although being a DVC member does not give you the right to obtain these great discounts, when you have a group of approx. 40,000-50,000 owners (w/families), you would think that Disney could offer a greater incentive for these members to visit on a regular basis. We were there in Jan. and Nov (on an annual pass). Next Dec when we stay at OKW, we will not visit the parks, but might visit Sea World &/or Busch Gardens. Maybe we will just relax, walk over to Downtown Disney a few times the week before a DCL cruise. That idea may change if some incentive was given.

 

[Buschfan]

I have researched and can't come up with a discount for a 1 day ticket, Florida resident or not. We are not interested in paying around $700 for our family for seasonal passes. It is blocked out most of the summer from what I understand. I get 2 years for almost that price at SW/BG with free parking, no blackout dates, discounts on food and I can pay for the passes monthly.

Why is it so difficult for Disney to discount a 1 day pass? They used to have deals with AAA a few years ago for Florida residents. It is the only pass AAA sells at face value. I used to at least get a little off with a Magic Kingdom pass from work.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Why is it so difficult for Disney to discount a one day ticket?

IMO, it's because up until this point in time they haven't needed to. Busch & Universal HAD to try to lure guests from Disney (they were the new kids on the block) and the 2fer has proved valuable. Disney, on the other hand, has generally been full & hasn't seen the need to offer 'day guests' great incentives since they have been actively seeking the 'many day' type guest as their main demographic. Even now with the percieved smaller crowds, it appears Disney still doesn't think the effort to lure more locals in Florida is worth the effort (or net bottom line gain). It is obviously a different strategy thah they are using in California.

As for you comparison of BG/SW and what you get with them vs. Disney...That is precisly the comparison Disney is wanting its guests, particularily Floridians, to look at. There will be a few & maybe more than a few, like yourself, who cannot rationalize the need to "upgrade" to Disney, but obviously the majority (or enough) of guests in this group do choose Disney.

Mind you, I'm not saying you're wrong...Quite the contrary. I believe every person should do what is right for his family in any given situation and for the people who find the amount of thrill/enjoyment/value they need in a Universal or Busch pass, who can say that is wrong? I can't. I will take my family to the place that I like best. Where I'm treated best & where I feel I get the best value for my money. For me, that is currently WDW, but again, that doesn't make it right for anyone but me and it doesn't mean that my opinion can't be swayed by future policy decisions that affect my personal visiting habits...

 

[paulde177jb]

As someone from England (London) I dont know why Disney should start giving more & more discounts to locals. We visit florida every year. We dont get any discounts, in fact if it wasnt for us the central florida economy would be right up the spout. Extra taxes (airport car park fees etc/Hotel room occupancy taxes). There was a few posts earlier abour Universal giving a special discount book to brit visitors (on production of a brit passport) as the word is that it is Brit tourists keeping the parks going at the moment (the very words of a member of SeaWorld staff).

I can visit Disneyland paris on a 1 day ticket of $30 approx (face value). Rather makes the $50.88 charge in florida a joke.

I will be at WDW from December 15th for my annual trip but I think Disney needs to rethink its entry charges full stop. They are far too high compared to Paris.

WDW has benefited from over a million brits there every year. That figure is now starting to reduce, mostly because it now offers LESS value for money to European visitors. A million Brits buying 5 day hoppers is a lot of money. The tour operators over here were starting to reduce its florida holiday pacakages before Sept 11th as it could see the Brit visitor downturn coming. The number of charter flights into Sanford is reducing significantly.

I wonder of the suits at WDW are paying any attention to this....

 

[scauzilloc]

I have been a AP for over 5 years now and I just renewed my pass this month for my 6 year. We are always using our passes and have a quite a few friends that are passholders as well. I just got both my parents into the passholder thing and they in turn got 4 other families to join. I think we do make an improvement for Disney. Unfortunately I have to work on the weekdays and cannot make it to WDW during that time but we always go at least 3 out of the 4 weeks per month. We camp at least 4 times a year there and I feel we support WDW as much as anyone can. I think that Disney has a great deal for Florida residents and though some of the perks have been cut back such as no more discounts to the movies and to certain resturaunts in Downtown Disney, they still make us an offer you can't beat. Think about it, for 256.00 a year you can go to Disney 365 days a year and if you include the extra 100 days that makes 465. You can't beat that. A one day Disney ticket is over 50 dollars and that is not a parkhopper. So after 7 visits to WDW you have paid for your ticket. Also with the AP you get parking for free. That saves you as well. It's a great deal! I also have Universal AP's and we use Disney much more than those. They have so much more to offer than UO. Don't get me wrong, both parks are great but you can't beat the magic Disney has to offer.

 

[Buschfan]

Peter Pirate - I agree that right now Disney only seams concerned with multi-day visitors. They have catered to people from out-of-state for so long, that they are having a difficult time changing gears to make their parks more attractive to the local market. Universal IOA is having a free child admission promotion right now which will certainly attract locals who can drive for the day.

SW and BG are not the 'new kids on the block' as you suggest. BG has been around since the late 50's and SW since the early 70's. SW just started out under different owners. I don't feel having a Disney pass is an 'upgrade'. I just would like to visit one of their parks for a change of pace and not pay full price when the other Florida attractions are discounting to help their attendence. I will take Universal up on their new offer and can only hope Disney offers something in the future.

 

[Captain Crook]

...Let me answer for him.

By "new kids" I only really meant playing in the big time. You can't deny that it was Disney that upped the ante on the theme park business & while other amusment parks existed, even before DL, they were not the caliber that we're discussing today and even today Disney is the only true 'big guy' - especially WDW with 4 Parks, two water parks, etc., etc.

I guess "upgrade" would be a subjective term in this case, but I only meant it as to the added expense of the Disney pass. Certainly if someone enjoys Universal or SeaWorld more, the notion of something inferior as an "upgrade" is silly. Sorry about that catagorization.

Now, as to further discounts to Floridians or even Orlandoians, I can't see it coming. If Disney is, in fact slower, it must be Monday-Thurs because weekends seem packed and I would think that local discounts generally serve to increase weekend attendance, which it doesn't seem that they need.