Originally Posted By mickeyboy43 Well maybe people that live in Florida spent Christmas at home and others opened gifts/slept in. I would honestly expect lower numbers on Christmas.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Happy 2008 LPers! << Happy 2008 to you too Spirit! >> That brings me to wonder if the fact our economy is in a recession (a major one if you go by things like foreclosures and oil prices but let's not tell the lame-brained duck at 1600) is starting to affect WDW. << Never fear President Hillary will pull us right out of it in 2009! >> I still can't figure out why they still insist on adding inventory with things like the DVCs at DAK Lodge and the Contemporary unless they plan on setting up a sales office in London! << Shades of Enron's investment strategy? >> , it sure seems like as soon as this week is over the flow is really going to give way as far as attendance. << Perhaps, but I'm guessing, and I emphasize "guessing", that it will continue a slow but steady growth. I feel that history has shown that in times of recession that entertainment doesn't take as big a hit as a lot of things. I lean towards what Mr X is saying, and I don't think a full blown recession is on the way. Maybe an adjustment, but nothing more. At least that's what I learned in my 5th grade Economics class. Supper time so I will read post 11, and beyond tomorrow.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome I don't remember Epcot ever having phases. (maybe for 1999). As I'm told, the park holds upwards of 80,000 people. That is a LOT. I don't think that means anything. I've never had a problem just walking into Epcot during a holiday week, or NYE.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome Oh - someone posted on another board that Soarin had a 310 minute posted wait. So I don't think Epcot was dead.
Originally Posted By mickeyboy43 MGM is probably the park with least capacity bc its the least amount of space. DAK has the most. That is alot for EPCOT! Thats assuming, i guess that all of WS is full!?
Originally Posted By nbodyhome Epcot is huge. I don't think DAK can hold that many. The safari has a lot of land, but the park feels full very quickly (to me).
Originally Posted By nbodyhome Oh - I was told about 60k is MK capacity. Epcot is larger. I don't think that AK could go nearly that high.
Originally Posted By mickeyboy43 I get what youre saying. It feels like DAK is kind of spreading out now though. Feels like there is more to do there.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome I love Animal Kingdom, I have no problem with the park! It is large, but much of that is safari and I am sure also backstage areas. It feels crowded too quickly. I would love to see them expand, but I can't imagine how they'd staff an expansion right now.
Originally Posted By mickeyboy43 ^It does seem like staff has been minimal right now. In all parks, it just seems understaffed. Lanes closed during lunch, and ride times can show that. This same fact also kills the 5th gate argument.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome Disney is not great on pay in many areas, and they employ 60k people. They can't be so choosy anymore. I don't want to see a 5th gate anytime soon, if only because there isn't enough staffing as it is.
Originally Posted By Simba12 I believe that I read that the Magic Kingdom closed at about 11:30 am on New Years Eve due to the crowds. That's all that I've heard about the parks closing. Last year, I believe it was Christmas day that three of the parks closed. I think that Disney needs to look beyond the year of a million dreams. They need to add "real" attractions to keep people coming back year after year.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >> Happy 2008 LPers! << <<Happy 2008 to you too Spirit!>> Thanks. May '08 be great for you and your family and loved ones! >> That brings me to wonder if the fact our economy is in a recession (a major one if you go by things like foreclosures and oil prices but let's not tell the lame-brained duck at 1600) is starting to affect WDW. << <<Never fear President Hillary will pull us right out of it in 2009!>> I just don't see her being President again. Maybe I'm wrong. I dunno. Frankly, I'm tired of Bushes and Clintons in the White House and think we could use a different last name this go around. >> I still can't figure out why they still insist on adding inventory with things like the DVCs at DAK Lodge and the Contemporary unless they plan on setting up a sales office in London! << <<Shades of Enron's investment strategy?>> You really have to wonder. If it's a question of someone losing a house or a car or having to give up a timeshare, what do you think is going to go? Saratoga Springs hasn't sold as well as hoped and neither has DAK Villas either. I know for a location standpoint, Contemporary is a 'home run' but still ... seems like its time to pull back and stop expanding for a while. If this is just a small blip and things get a whole lot better in 6-9 months, then you pick up things again.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome I thought SS was mostly sold? If I was going to go DVC (I'm not), the AKL villas look like they will be very nice.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I don't remember Epcot ever having phases. (maybe for 1999). As I'm told, the park holds upwards of 80,000 people. That is a LOT. I don't think that means anything. I've never had a problem just walking into Epcot during a holiday week, or NYE.>> EPCOT can actually hold over 100,000 ... and I recall walking right into Epcot at all times, including the Milennium, even after going back to my hotel during the afternoon ... and, no, no one asked to see a room key or anything ... they just had me (and everyone else) stick the pass into the turnstyle and walk in. <<Oh - someone posted on another board that Soarin had a 310 minute posted wait.>> Anyone who would wait that long for a theme park attraction really is ... well ... nuts. <<Oh - I was told about 60k is MK capacity. Epcot is larger. I don't think that AK could go nearly that high. >> I believe the all-time MK high for attendance is well over 80,000. I knew it exactly at one time, but now ain't it.
Originally Posted By Mr X ＊＊Anyone who would wait that long for a theme park attraction really is ... well ... nuts.＊＊ Ask WorldDisney to tell you about Pooh's Hunny Hunt in Tokyo sometime (I did NOT join him in his hype, I went and got popcorn and watched 2 parades while he was, er, indisposed). As for me, my Disney "record" was 90 minutes, and that was ONLY because it was Friday the 13th and I was hyped on riding the Tower at night (a rare chance at that time, the park closed before dusk almost always). I've had to wait 2 hours for some coasters in Japan though..it was totally an issue of wait in line or lose though, I wasn't happy about it.
Originally Posted By nbodyhome I would never wait 5 hours for anything. The point was, there were people there. As far as capacity - with Fastpass now sending more people into the park, I'm not sure that the capacity would be the same as it once was.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Mr. X, I don't know if I've waited two hours for an attraction, but I suspect in my younger days, I may have. Now? I won't wait in any line that is over 20-30 minutes unless it is something brand new. I waited an hour to ride the Nemo Subs in DL in September. That may change when I make it to TDR this spring because it will be the first time and it is so far. But I still will try and avoid anything over an hour since my time is so precious.
Originally Posted By hopemax Attendance...that reminds me...the predicted attendance for NYE at the MK was either 72K or 74K. I don't know if they hit it or not. When I was there on the 22nd predicted was 44K and they had 42K when we entered around 2PM. It's nice when the CMs aren't thinking the guests aren't paying attention.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I would never wait 5 hours for anything. The point was, there were people there. >> Well, part of me wonders if that figure was really legit. It just sounds so crazy, but there's a lot of that going around.
