Another week gone and another week of seemingly endless posts on Facebook WDW groups of crowds that look biblical in proportion. Sure, it’s Spring Break, and for balance, there were some posts and blog posts about a really quiet week in the parks last month but overall, I have to say I am very trepidacious about our trip in October.
Nothing ruins a trip like overly busy parks and not being able to get on anything.
Having been out of the loop park-wise for some time, or at least it feels like I have, what is going on?
Is it social media over-egging the issue? Are we still in some kind of post-pandemic bounce back or have we reached a point where the existing parks just cannot accommodate the number of guests attending? Are there actually more guests and Genie+ (or some other factor) is playing a part in creating longer lines from that same number?
A minute’s worth of research suggests that the latter or something like it may be the case.
Pre-pandemic attendance at MK was higher and this is replicated at all four parks, with only DHS almost back to pre-Covid attendance. Of course, we don’t yet have 2023 or 2024 data so that may show a sudden spike?
Are there still shortages of CMs? Are there other factors I am not considering (there definitely will be!).
So what is going so wrong in the parks that wait times of over an hour for most rides are the norm? Do Disney care? Is that bad for business or not?
I recognise I am asking lots of questions and not many answers. My opinion is tainted by my hatred of Genie+ I guess. Sure, I really resent the extra money it requires but it just doesn’t look to be working as well as the old system. We’ve had good days using it, with an afternoon/evening stacked with ride after ride despite the park being busy but is that causing a lot of pain in the standby lines? Why aren’t Disney offering virtual queues for all rides and attractions so guests can be free to roam the park spending money?
There has been a clamour for a fifth gate for almost as long as I can remember and with Universal taking the bull by the horns and opening new stuff, are we at a point where Disney need to or will respond?
Will they be reluctant to do so when seemingly at war with the state governor who seems to be intent on biting the hand that feeds him?
If overall attendance is still not back to 2019 levels will they want to create a fifth park or just continue to expand what they have? There has been talk of a significant MK expansion recently.
As well as offering more capacity it would also deliver a draw to get guests to return. Nothing mobilises the Disney faithful like a new thing. There are four-hour queues for a popcorn bucket. Add to that the benefit to guests of spreading themselves out over five parks and not four, and the whole experience may improve and return visits would increase perhaps.
If nothing else, the Disney vlogging community would definitely thank them!
Of course, that new park brings a lot of investment and cost to build and run it but I suspect Disney are not short of a few bob.
As we are now some 30 years since WDW opened a new park it feels like time to do so, and as ever the healthy competition of Universal being in Florida and doing just that may be the catalyst for Disney to finally announce this.
As you know, I have a direct line to Bob Iger, so I will be passing on my thoughts to him via this post. He is always the first to read them as you know.
Ultimately, I am looking to be reassured that we won’t be pissing away thousands of quid in October to stare at the app and not see a wait time under 90 minutes. If Bob could pull his finger out and announce and build that fifth gate by then that would be lovely.
Till the next time….
Mkingdon's Blog 
It seems to be that Disney are inflating the queue times and that in quite a few rides the line wasn’t as long as stated at the entrance…I have watched a few vloggers who have proved this to be the case. Obviously Disney just want to “push” the genie+ so that it keeps you in the parks …I am, like you, a Disneyworld lover and have been spending my kids inheritance now for at least 30 years at Disneyworld and do feel that the “magic” is slightly watering down every trip…still hasn’t stopped me though my addiction is still real and counting down the days until my next “fix”..156 days and counting………
We last visited Disney World with 14 day tickets in April 2022. We have returned to Orlando several times since without visiting Disney. My stubbornness to not buy Genie+ ruined that holiday as we didn’t get on many of our favourite rides (Tower of Terror being my biggest regret). I consoled myself with assuming it was the post pandemic rush, however, that is definitely not the reason it was crazy busy as the crowds only seem to be getting worse. I don’t know the reason or the answer either but suspect Disney will have to address it, we are going in September and again will not be buying Disney tickets. I miss the Disney World we loved pre 2020 😦
Totally agree. We last went in 2022, just me and hubby. We didn’t buy Genie+ (we’re from Yorkshire) so we queued. We got on all that we wanted and had a great time. We were also lucky enough to be able to ride Guardians on a DVC members opening day (totally a fluke, I didn’t know it was happening). I do know they inflate the wait times, stating 50 minutes for M&M Runaway Train, it was 10!
There does need to be another park, new DVC accommodations are being built at Polynesian & Fort Wilderness and whilst brings in revenue also brings in park customers.
There’s a lot on in-fighting going on with the board, they can’t agree on anything, let alone a new park. It’s all very political and beyond me.
I live in Cocoa Beach and go to the theme parks regularly. I can attest to the crowds, It was insane, even Universal was packed. I remember last year having some quiet weeks but we’ve only had one slow week this year. I’m noticing alot more international travelers in January and February and alot more Spring Break people in the parks and at the beach this year. I’m hoping it’s just post pandemic travel and not the norm. I never buy Genie+, since I mostly go to Epcot or it’s not a requirement. I believe they do inflate the wait times but the crowds were real.