TEA/ERA Theme Park Attendance Report: DCA Attendance Drops 4.5% In 2007

[planodisney]

According to this years TEA/ERA theme parke attendance report, DCA was the only Disney park to have an attendance decrease in 2007.

It's total attendance numbers for DCA was 5,680,000.

That gave it a little over half the attendance of Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.



They may have just waited too long to actually do anything major to DCA in hopes that it will effect attendance in any major way.

Toy Story Mania isnt going to have an effect on attendance and that is the only new attraction that DCA will see for the next 3 years.

A fact that I find mind boggling.

Yet it seems that they want to re-introduce DCA to the public for its 10th anniversary as a completely new and improved disney experience by giveing them 1, count them 1 new attraction. LM.

I hope they make the wise decision and just hold back on any anniversary celebration publicity.

I have a feeling it would be just more embarresment for the park.


Man this park is struggling!!!!

[Majikku]

Not so fast turbo,lets remember that 2005/2006 were record breaking years for both DL and DCA due to the 50th,so the fact that DCA had a decline in 2007 isnt TOO surprising being the gains in 2005/06 were probably pretty high. Seems like its adjusting,I could be wrong,just a guess,but seems likely.

If you look at Disneyland's past attendance records,youll see that in the milestone years there was a huge spike in attendance,then following year was always followed by a decline. Thats just how it is, people come to the parks to see the big celebrations/and or new rides,and the year following always suffers since the hype has died down. I think that is what these 2007 numbers reflect.

[KNRG]

None of the other parks have the same trend though. Not even DL.

AK had another record boost in attendance, bringing it directly inline with MGM, and just shy of Epcot. MGM, Epcot, and MK all went up relative to each other.

If this was just adjusting, then AK should be down (it was up over 6% last year too) as should the other parks, including DL (which saw a 1% increase according to these numbers.)

Most significantly, the financial papers from Disney say DLR has a 5% drop in attendance overall. That's right in line with DCA being down 4.5 and DL up 1% if Oct-December was good (2007 attendance, but not disney's fiscal year, when did Nemo open?) Also, they said that drop was countered by significant gains at WDW to counter any sort of net loss - which these numbers also reflect.

[planodisney]

It was the only Disney park to have a decline in attendance.

DL did have great years in 2005 and 2006, and followed it up with a modest 1% gain in 2007.

[planodisney]

I am afraid continued numbers like this, coupled with a down economy and minimal to no boost in attendance from Mania will cause Disney to re-think some of the plans for DCA.

My gosh, they still get just over half the attendance of MGM and AK, while offering all kinds of specials.

i honestly dont know what they can do.

they have waited too long, and continue to do so with current plans.

They needed to strike fast after the 50th, but the seem in no hurry at all.

BIG MISTAKE IMHO!!!

[Alpha]

I think WDW numbers reflect that when a family goes to that complex they tend to visit all the parks and sometimes twice. Where a preponderence of DLRs visitors are 1 or 2 days with either or visits. Does DLR still count only the first park visited as the visitors choice? We tend to visit both parks in a day......but begining with Disneyland first and then going to California Adventures.

[SNJ]

Toy Story Mania isnt going to have an effect on attendance and that is the only new attraction that DCA will see for the next 3 years.

How do you know?

[KNRG]

I think WDW numbers reflect that when a family goes to that complex they tend to visit all the parks and sometimes twice. Where a preponderence of DLRs visitors are 1 or 2 days with either or visits. Does DLR still count only the first park visited as the visitors choice? We tend to visit both parks in a day......but begining with Disneyland first and then going to California Adventures.

I think you're just making rationalizations - DCA dipped abnormally compared to other parks, even non-Disney parks.

It's not performing well.

[1FoolishMortal]

Let's look at the facts, shall we....


Fact 1.) DCA was not the only Disney park to have a decline in attendance. HKDL had a 20.2% decline in attendance according to the TEA numbers (which, I might add, are an unofficial estimate, not Disney's actual numbers).


Fact 2.) The only thing "added" to DCA last year was the Rockin' overlay for Screamin'. That's it....nothing else new was added to the park. After Rockin' ended, DL was in the spotlight for the rest of the year (Nemo, Pirate's Lair, Castle Overlay, etc.). I don't think anyone expected a spectacular performance for DCA in 2007. This year, however, it's getting Pixar Play Parade, a new Playhouse Disney, and TSMM (and that's just so far), so we'll see what happens.


Fact 3.) TSMM has not opened, therefore we don't know what effect it will have on DCA's attendance.


Fact 4.) TLM is not the only thing debuting in time for DCA's 10th Anniversary. World of Color debuts the year before that, the new entrance in 2010-2011, as well as whatever else they decide to debut between now and then. There are also whispers of a new nighttime parade for 2011, so we shall see.

[Majikku]

I am afraid continued numbers like this, coupled with a down economy and minimal to no boost in attendance from Mania will cause Disney to re-think some of the plans for DCA.

I think low attendance is what is driving the DCA rennovation,and if low attendance continues than it will just cement the idea that somehing needs to be added to this park.I dont think lower attendance will make Bob Iger say "hmm lets just leave DCA the way it is",its backwards logic.

But with that said,I think your making a bigger deal about this attendance drop than is warranted.