Is it my imagination....

[TheBigErn]

or is DW park attendance down? I've been checking weekend line wait times for several weekends at different times of the day and wait times seem less than years past. Why/

 

[scrappinginontario]

Many feel summer is no longer the busy time it once was.

 

[reddog21]

Many feel summer is no longer the busy time it once was.

You have to look no further than the refurb schedule, it used to be un herd of to take down rides during the summer now look how many rides are going to be down in both WDW and DL.

 

[_19disnA]

Likely a combination of several factors. Cost/hot weather/etc. I know where I work someone always seems to take their family to Disney in the Summer for the first time and returns to say it was so HOT/HUMID they will never do that again. It is exhausting trying to walk for miles in June/July/August Florida weather. As more people experience that or hear it from others, I think they decide to do Disney some other time of the year. Continually rising prices probably also causes people to look for other more economical places to vacation. Something is always down for refurbishment, so it is difficult to say how much that impacts attendance.

 

[TheBigErn]

I'm not buying the heat explanation. It's always been hot in the summer. Prices, I get that. It is very expensive.

 

[reddog21]

I'm not buying the heat explanation. It's always been hot in the summer. Prices, I get that. It is very expensive

The heat remains the same however people for whatever reason just can't handle it anymore.

 

[Disturbia]

It’s probably a combo of less international travel overall and the new Epic Universe (waits have been 90-120 mins for headliners there).

Also the starlight parade is opening in a few weeks, so people are probably deciding to postpone their travel.

We had friends who traveled last year and the crowds and waits were much more intense vs what we are seeing this week. LLs are available even for July 4!

 

[Minnie1222]

Summer has been a slower time to us for at least 15 years. If you can tolerate the heat, hotels are cheaper and lines are shorter.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I grew up in the 50s with no air conditioning in cars and more… and really never liked AC until the last 3 years living in Florida.
Only recently am I starting to occasionally turn on AC in car. But something about concreting the World is making the heat extremes very dangerous.
I just got off the Gondola at POP to explore new coffee shop and could not continue past the pool area The sun on concrete made me cautious so I returned to Gondola to go back to original destination to stay out of sun!
I also want to remind stay hydrated , use sunscreen ,
I just had a tiny mole / cancer scare on my butt … Required medical removal with 3 tiny stitches that required return trip to remove stitches … plus lab testing . I guarantee my rearend has never been exposed to sunshine !
I did not know that cancer skin screening is twice a year. They scheduled my 6 month for 12/22/25 …Wait a minute that is holiday week with family arriving for Disney fun Not grandma visit to doctor!

 

[lovethattink]

I have a pixie pass so can only go on weekdays. The parking lots have definitely been less full.

 

[BethC]

I've been to Epcot a couple of times in the last few weeks and it felt very slow to me. The fact that there's not a festival going on right now is probably part of it.

 

[TOBS2010]

I've also been just watching wait times lately and have been surprised to see how low wait times are for middle of summer. Makes me rethink buying the genie pass.

 

[ars0525]

Saturday 6/21 drove over & parked at 3:40pm at Epcot. I leisurely walked around WS, did my AP things & started riding rides at 6:30pm with no or minimal waits (Soarin' was 22 minutes from the time I walked under the entrance to the time I walked out, Spaceship Earth walk on). The paths weren't packed with people. The outdoor acts in the countries were performing. It was a truly enjoyable time. I was surprised at 8pm the amounts of people I saw heading towards the exit rather than saving their fireworks spots. I checked at 8:58 & it said GOTG had a standby of 90 minutes which I was back there taking pictures & the way the line wrapped around outside I would believe it. The fireworks started at 9pm & I was walking out to parking again I couldn't believe the amount of people leaving.

Not sure if this was a one off or regular Epcot with no festival? I am tempted to try a day at MK or HS in July so I'll see.

 

[miked1978]

I'm sure it's mostly heat and prices.

Slightly different topic but it has to do to heat and exhaustion, one thing i never understood about Disney is why not put some creative effort into easing the burden of waiting in lines. Like have long benches throughout the entire line so people can sit and just scoot down as the line moves. When people are hot and tired the last thing they want to do is wait in a 45 minute line while standing the entire time.
Also they need more places to sit throughout the parks that has shade. I know its not aesthetically pleasing but i feel they can put more areas for people to sit and rest. Heck put them underground or something.

 

[TheBigErn]

I'm sure it's mostly heat and prices.

Slightly different topic but it has to do to heat and exhaustion, one thing i never understood about Disney is why not put some creative effort into easing the burden of waiting in lines. Like have long benches throughout the entire line so people can sit and just scoot down as the line moves. When people are hot and tired the last thing they want to do is wait in a 45 minute line while standing the entire time.
Also they need more places to sit throughout the parks that has shade. I know its not aesthetically pleasing but i feel they can put more areas for people to sit and rest. Heck put them underground or something.

It's hot every summer. It's not the heat.

 

[Mle8308]

I think so many attraction closures are keeping people away. If it were going to be my first trip, I would not go now. Even with the discounts that have been offered, it's still expensive.

 

[lovethattink]

Epcot is super busy and hot today. It’s cm preview for TT, schools are out, and there’s tour groups.

 

[stinkpickle]

High prices, hot temps, and fewer foreign visitors

 

[Minnie1222]

I'm not buying the heat explanation. It's always been hot in the summer. Prices, I get that. It is very expensive.

I think the heat keeps people away. We, as a whole, are just more pampered nowadays. Prices can't be the main factor since summer is the cheapest time to go. Things cost a lot more in the cooler months, yet those are among the most crowded times at Disney.

 

[miked1978]

It's hot every summer. It's not the heat.

I think it's the heat. My family refuses to go in the summer only because of the heat. I've heard several people say they will never go back to Disney in mid summer.