Disney’s not running a Mickey Mouse operation, although you may not know it judging by the lack of crowds at its theme parks this summer.
On July 4th, for example, is usually a blockbuster event at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Fla.
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Yet traffic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park was slow on the summer’s biggest holiday, with consumer engagement being the third-slowest day of the year, according to Touring Plans, an entertainment theme park traffic tracker.
Image source: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Short Wait in Line
Additionally, Disney’s Magic Kingdom saw the shortest lines it’s seen in years, with the average customer line waiting time clocking in at 27 minutes on July 4, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The average wait time for a Magic Kingdom ride stood at 31 minutes in 2022 and at 47 minutes in 2019.
“It’s something that nobody would have predicted—just unfathomable,” said Touring Plans analyst Len Testa, in comments to The Journal.
So what’s the problem with Disney and thinning crowds this summer?
Part of it is the lagging economy, as consumers still struggle to keep up with inflation and with corporate layoffs on the rise. Another issue is the tropical Florida heat, with numerous 100-degree heat index days in recent weeks.
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Yet Disney management appears to share some of the blame.
The company picked what many Disney-watchers call a pointless fight with Florida governor Ron DeSantis over local land development agreements after the company, a move that Disney says was politically motivated.
Disney officials claim the DeSantis administration was penalizing the company for objecting to the recently enacted Parents Rights in Education Bill, which was signed into law on March 28, 2023.
As always, consumer price points are an issue.
Costly Single-Day Ticket
A single-day pass to a Disney World park now costs as high as $189 per day and perks that used to be free – like parking for select customers, airport shuttles, hotel accommodations, food and beverages, and Disney merchandise, are now costlier.
Meanwhile, the cost of a two-day pass has risen from $255 to $285, dinging tourists even more in the pocketbook.
Yet nothing is static in the theme park industry and Disney has already seen a modest uptick in visitors in the days following the July 4th holiday, Touring Plans reports.
That may not mean much if consumers don’t believe a trip to Disney parks is worth the rising cost of attendance – at least in mid-2023.
