Theme_Park_Insider
04-09-2009, 06:39 PM
By Robert Niles: My sources are telling me that crowds are slamming the Walt Disney World theme parks in Florida this week, with the Magic Kingdom closing its parking lot at times, and cars being redirected to overflow lots at the other Disney theme parks.
The week before Easter traditionally is the busiest of the Spring Break weeks for theme parks. Here in Southern California, I found a large crowd at Knott's Berry Farm (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200904/1150/) when I visited earlier this week.
I've yet to hear reports about crowds at Universal Orlando, though I am sure one of you will help me out with that, in the comments.
If you've been reading the site in the past, you'll know that parks have been dreading this year, given the lousy state of the U.S. economy. Disney World, in particular, has discounted heavily on hotel and food packages and (this is key) promoted those discounts relentlessly. That strategy appears to be paying off, with large crowds coming to Central Florida this week.
The Central Florida theme parks do not release attendance data, so we can't know for certain how this year's attendance matches with previous years. (Some general information about park attendance trends will become available when Disney and Universal release their 10-K reports for the quarter, later this year. Those are the reports corporations that issue public stock are required to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission every three months, detailing the company's financial status and outlook.)
But big crowds are good things for theme parks. What are you seeing at the parks you've attended this week?
Update: When the parks are packed, it's a perfect time to try one of our four hour tour plans (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/four-hour-tours/). They'll help you get some of the biggies, early in the day.
More... (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200904/1156/)
The week before Easter traditionally is the busiest of the Spring Break weeks for theme parks. Here in Southern California, I found a large crowd at Knott's Berry Farm (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200904/1150/) when I visited earlier this week.
I've yet to hear reports about crowds at Universal Orlando, though I am sure one of you will help me out with that, in the comments.
If you've been reading the site in the past, you'll know that parks have been dreading this year, given the lousy state of the U.S. economy. Disney World, in particular, has discounted heavily on hotel and food packages and (this is key) promoted those discounts relentlessly. That strategy appears to be paying off, with large crowds coming to Central Florida this week.
The Central Florida theme parks do not release attendance data, so we can't know for certain how this year's attendance matches with previous years. (Some general information about park attendance trends will become available when Disney and Universal release their 10-K reports for the quarter, later this year. Those are the reports corporations that issue public stock are required to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission every three months, detailing the company's financial status and outlook.)
But big crowds are good things for theme parks. What are you seeing at the parks you've attended this week?
Update: When the parks are packed, it's a perfect time to try one of our four hour tour plans (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/four-hour-tours/). They'll help you get some of the biggies, early in the day.
More... (http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200904/1156/)