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The reopening of the Walt Disney World Resort has reportedly pulled far fewer guests into the theme parks than expected.
During the Disney earnings call this week, CEO Bob Chapek reported that demand for the theme parks was much lower than the company anticipated. While original projections showed higher demand than availability, some sources state that only around 5,000-7,000 guests are visiting each park per day. During a crowded summer, Disney often sees several times that number.
In an effort to keep crowd levels low, Walt Disney World implemented the Disney Park Pass reservation system. This new system requires a pre-purchased ticket or annual pass before booking. Reservations are pooled into three categories: Theme Park Ticket Guests, Disney Resort Guests, and Annual Passholders. So far, only Annual Passholders have seen several dates pre-booked through October 2020. However, Disney Resort guests and standard theme park ticketholders have wide access on most dates.
Low crowds still don’t mean that Disney won’t see a profit. Despite the company’s overall $2 billion loss last quarter due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the theme parks are now making money. Guest ticket purchase, annual passholder visits, merchandise sales, and more have contributed to an overall net profit.
With that said, the Disney theme park demand is still incredibly low. Reportedly about half of the visitors to Disney World are from out of Central Florida, but typical visits see much higher. In fact, the entire city of Orlando is taking a major hit on tourism.
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Our readers appear to report that worry about travel safety as the top reason for pausing their trip. With so many uncertainties about schools reopening, mask compliance, and quarantine orders, taking a vacation this summer doesn’t seem to be in the cards. With that said, we still see a high interest in experiencing Disney theme parks. However, only time will tell how long travelers are willing to stay at home before planning a magical escape.
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