According to an earnings call, Disney World’s attendance has been lower than expected. With that being said, the parks will be shortening their park hours from September to November.
Spaceship Earth
But, Disney World isn’t the only theme park that reopened in Orlando recently, Universal Orlando has reopened as well. And they have also been operating with similar safety measures to keep guests and Cast Members safe. However, since the Universal parks reopened in June, they’ve seen some differences in their attendance growth compared to Disney World.
The Orlando Sentinel has reported that Universal Orlando has started to see an “uplift in admission,” while Disney World’s attendance remains lower than previously expected. Currently Universal is operating with crowds that are 64% less than 2019’s reports, while Disney is down 80% from last year according to an analyst note from Deutsche Bank.
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Currently, EPCOT and Animal Kingdom are outperforming Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. This is very interesting since Hollywood Studios is typically the park with the fewest available park reservations (especially for APs), but could be attributed to the fact that those parks are much smaller than the former.
Since cases were higher when Disney originally opened, many guests started canceling their reservations. The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek even recognized this as Disney announced that it had taken a $2 billion loss during the closures.
Hollywood Studios
However, as Universal’s attendance continues to grow during its reopening procedures, Disney might see an increase in demand when it comes to park visitation, especially since Florida has started to see a decrease in its cases. The Deutsche note stated that “Given this ongoing improvement in Universal’s attendance and declining new daily COVID cases in Florida, we believe that Disney World will also soon see some benefit.”
Disney did announce during its recent Q3 earnings call that there is a significant decrease in guests traveling to visit Disney World, and that 50% of the attendance is currently locals. Perhaps Disney World attendance will see a boost if more guests begin to travel again.
Homer Simpson
As Disney continues to make changes in the parks, including its attendance, we’ll keep checking back, so we can give you all the information you need to know. And, as always, we’ll continue to update you on everything you need to know about going back to Disney World!
Read about the additional Disney Park Pass availability next week in the parks here!
Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe!
WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Oh boy, planning a Disney trip can be quite the adventure, and we totally get it! But fear not, dear friends, we compiled EVERYTHING you need (and the things to avoid!) to plan the ULTIMATE Disney vacation.
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Have you been back to Disney World during its parks’ re-opening? Let us know in the comments below!
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
People aren’t going to Disney because they don’t want to wear masks, hang out in a Covid paranoid world pretending like it’s normal, and subscribe to mandatory temp checks. That’s not fantasy vacation. Disney is only fun if it’s carefree and not a breeding ground for Covid hysteria that we have to walk in egg shells over…
Disney is also forcing attendance to be what it is with the reservation system. Universal never implemented it. Makes a huge difference. Attendance might be lower than expected at Disney but I’m sure it’s not THAT much lower than capacity.
Universal’s attendance is also outperforming Disney because they’re not restricting their passholders to visti their parks as Disney is.
Disney is greedy in that they did not reduce their annual passholders’ fees knowing that passholders don’t have access as the annual pass is intended.
I have a pass to universal and a cast member wife. I go to universal all the time because I can’t go to Disney. The problem isn’t people not wanting to go, the problem is Disney not letting anyone in. I’ve heard annual pass holders complaint about being unable to secure a reservation and cast members have been blocked out since reopening. They just opened a couple weeks for us this week and until Labor Day weekend.
Universal has more thrill rides and thus appeals to teens and 20’s who are less affected by Covid anyway. Disney appeals to toddlers up through seniors. WDW will rebound.
I honestly think that people are put off with having to wear masks .. for us coming from the uk an average Disney holiday can cost around £10000 which is a hell of a lot of money if your limited to masks and park hopping etc I think people are waiting to experience the magic with a little more normality. We are due to come in May but if masks still need to be worn outside around the parks and pool area I’m afraid we will be cancelling. I wouldn’t mind wearing in the indoor lines or indoor areas but certainly not whilst wondering outside And round the pool. These are very hard strange times . I hate what this pandemic is doing to the world and I understand what needs to be done to keep safe I’m just expressing my opinion as to why it may be happening. I haven’t been following the universal news only Disney are they more relaxed or is it the same ?? I know to come from the uk it’s definitely cheeper to go there and also maybe the hotels are more relaxed with the mask ??
Universal has made discounts and promos available while Disney has not. Universal is allowing their guests to park hop, while Disney is not.
Wearing a mask isn’t an issue for my family and I. We are traveling in October and for the price we are paying to stay at Disney at Pop a Value resort, we could be staying at Loew Royal Pacific and getting more perks.
Universal has the same precautions as Disney (masks, temp checks etc.) The only difference is that they do not require park reservations or limit park hopping. They simply stop admitting people once they reach capacity, but as people leave, more are allowed in.
I was planning on a Disney/Universal trip this October, but ended up canceling due to all the Halloween events canceling that I had tickets for. Plus, my job as a nurse and my state is forbidding travel into any of the black listed states with high COVID, which includes Florida, without also doing a 14 day quarantine when I get back. Who can afford to take 3 weeks off of work, for a 1 week vacation? Not worth it, so I will happily come back October 2021.
Disney is too arrogant. Raising prices incessantly despite decrease in available attractions and rides. The almost last straw was parking fees at all the resorts for guests who stay there. And this year is increased despite everything being decreased in terms of enjoyment
Couldn’t agree more with Jr. Not going until there’s a proven vaccine. Not flying anywhere. No vacation is worth my life.
Could it be that Universal is more successful because going there isn’t as complicated with so many restrictions Disney has imposed??
@jr —- actually, hundreds of thousands of people have done just that. Rational, logical, and decent people have no problem with the masks or the temperature checks. My family went for the opening, wore masks the entire time, sanitized, watched the cleaning, and had an absolute blast. It was fun, relaxing, and exciting —- gasp, even with awareness of the pandemic.
Also, what is your point supposed to be? Universal has the same precautions in place.
With these percentages, it means a higher percentage of people are returning to Universal, but still more people are going to Disney. My thought is a higher percentage is going back to Universal because they don’t require reservations, which is making people nervous, it’s far, far smaller, and the attendance is a higher percentage of young adults. Families with young children and grandparents are wary right now, and that means smaller general attendance for Disney.
They cut back on hours did they cut back on prices. I don’t think they did
People aren’t going to Disney because while cutting hours and removing a ton of entertainment etc they have not reduced their prices or have given any special perks to their annual passholders who pay extra for the benefits or people in general. Universal has. I know a lot of people who have now cancelled their AP for Disney and picked up Universal AP instead. I know Disney makes a lot of money from tourists but while tourists are slow coming they might not want to alienate their local people and AP holders. I have AP passes for both but I won’t lie, I’ve considered not renewing my Disney pass when it expires for now.
Masks, if I need to wear a mask, I should not be there! You can sit inside a restaurant without a mask, yet you cannot be out in the fresh air without a mask. Masks are not healthy for people to wear for an extended period of time. And I’m not sure I like them checking my temperature. We have park hopper tickets, we can’t park hop, we have tickets yet we have to make a reservation to go to a park, this makes no sense what so ever. Our trip had to be changed, dates, hotels, things canceled, we were moved to a higher priced hotel, the food plan stopped, the dinner shows gone, no fireworks, parades, characters, late nights in the parks, no park hopping and it’s costing us more. We are paying more for less, and all the magic is being taken out of it.
Just recently came back from disney. We feel more confident going to any park at disney than going to our own Walmart. The concerns are real. It was one of our best trips ever to disney world.
I had reservations for two rooms at Port Orleans French Quarter but these were cancelled by Disney when I refused the replacement accommodations offered. This was after all of our dinner reservations were cancelled. It seemed like Disney was saying “We’re open but don’t come down”
Disney is doing everything they can to make you feel unwelcome. Closed rides, sky high prices, insane rules, less hours. I’m glad universal is doing better. I hope disney gets taught a lesson that people’s love of Disney definitely has its limits
Shortened hours, no fireworks, no dining plan. Why would I want to go to Disney World unless they are offering discounted admission?
I applaud Disney for all they are doing for safety, regardless of how anyone feels.
Universal on the other hand, no masks, number of people over the required limits, no distancing. Just waiting for some outbreaks to be reported because of the lax protocols.
I and my family would rather be safe than sorry.
I have never been to Universal. Do they normally offer shows, parades, fireworks & character greetings? In my opinion, the decrease in Disney guests is due to the lack of the shows, parades, fireworks, character meet & greets and no dining plan. So, just wondering how the 2 parks differ.
Well……. attendance levels are probably higher at Universal right now because you do not have to have a reservation to get in, you can just go. And if you have an annual pass with them you can still “park hop” between the two parks.
I’m a Disney AP and have gone as much as I can since they reopened, but the reservation system makes it rather difficult, and you can’t park hop any more.
I agree completely with JR. It feels like what an amusement park would be like if George Orwell included it in 1984… I also believe that the whole NBA malarky has something to do with it. My family has pushed our annual trip to after the NBA “season” is over. We don’t want to be denied access to locations and activities because they are being held for the exclusive use of a small group of millionaires and their families.
I’m not surprised Universal has a larger attendance. I saw pics from Saturday and there was virtually no social distancing. Just lots of people all crowded together. Disney appears to be controlling the crowds better. Right now, I’d much rather go to Disney where my chance of exposure is much less. Universal doesn’t appear to be doing a good job of keeping people 6 feet apart.
@JR I hear you… I’m sure both parks have lower attendance because many feel that way with all amusement parks. But I think they’re just comparing numbers between the two parks: Disney vs Universal in this article. I think Disney is lower in attendance because people haven’t been wanting to take their kids to Disney versus adults hanging out at Universal Studios.
I’ve never been to Universal Orlando. I have always stayed visited WDW. I think if Disney were offering better rates than they are they’d get more attendance. Universal has a deal where you can buy two days worth of tickets and get two days free. I’ve never seen WDW have a deal like that. Yes, ticked prices decrease with each extra day purchased, but Universal has better deals and is cheaper than WDW. I
Disney World depends heavily on preplanned long-distance travel by guests from across the US.
I would guess that Universal has a somewhat higher percentage of local visitors. If so that would explain its attendance being less affected by the pandemic.
When I went to both Disney and Universal Studios last year, Universal seemed to have families with older kids and teens while Disney had more multigenerational families with smaller children. . I can’t imagine planning a Disney trip right now knowing I had to get little ones to keep their masks on and Grandparents around crowds. Also Traveling with older children would be easier and Universal appeals to that group being it’s more thrill rides. I’d think as shows, fireworks, and Character interactions return, along with lessening of Coronavirus cases and mask requirements, families with little ones will return.
Too many things remain closed at Disney to spend the money they ask for. Glad to see Universal is doing well…maybe. Disney should. take their lead. Seems their going in the opposite direction with shortening park hours. Time to open everything up and eliminate the silly mask, temperature and distancing requirements.
For us locals and annual passholders, we are loving the low crowds and the ability to ride every ride with really shorts lines (sometimes several times). I’m very proud that Disney is taking all the precautions to insure cleanliness and our safety. Legally it is very sound judgement on their part so no one can blame them for catching COVID-19 in or on their property.
Honest, locals don’t usually venture to the parks because of the huge summer crowds, extreme heat, humidity, and periodical storms. Locals come out of hibernation when kids are usually in school and when the temps are more comfortable.
Tourists are afraid to travel to Orlando and everyone wants COVID-19 to just disappear. COVID-19 has truly hurt tourism everywhere and as well as financially due to lost jobs.
Universal is doing better because they’re letting more people in. It’s crowded and feels unsafe, unlike Disney which is capping attendance. Last weekend at Universal felt like a pre-COVID, crowded, no social distancing hot mess.
Disney’s stupid reservation system is the problem, its become way too difficult and a headache plus like everyone has already said they basically showed passholders the door and made it clear they dont want them anymore… so I dont want to hear Disney whine, they brought this on themselves and now people are really turned off of them as a whole since they turned their backs on guests and paying passholders. They are going to have to change some face and let up on their dictative procedures to regain guest satisfaction again.
There are many reasons why Universal is out performing Disney in attendance;
1. Universal is offering Tickets Discouns (Buy 2 BOGO), Disney does not
2. Disney is not offereing any discounts on thier hotels (hotels near Unversal are way cheaper)
3. Resrvations for Annual Passholders are restricted (can’t go to MK all next week)
4. Disney is no longer selling Annual Passes (even for local residents who want to buy)
The draw to visit Disney without large crowds is huge (even with mask restrictiions), but after researching all of the above, I knew that Disney was doing it’s best to discourage visitors, the arrogance to protect the pricing/brand seems to be worth the loss.
Mask are the single biggest reason people don’t visit Disney. Universal has a mask policy but it’s more relaxed. The mood at Disney is stiff while at Universal it’s more enjoyable. Whichever park stops mandating mask first will be the park that sees attendance explode. It will also likely win over new loyal guest. Walking around all day at an expensive park with fewer attractions all while wearing a mask is not fun. It’s just not. People simply will not pay the Disney price for half the attractions and being forced to wear a mask.
People aren’t going because they see Disney more as an investment; universal seems to be more relaxed. A lot of folks go to Disney for a specific attraction, or event and if they can’t get their money’s worth why go??
For the first time in 15 years as an annual passholder at Disney I am actually looking forward to going to Universal more than I am looking forward to going to Disney. It has actually scared me and made me do a little self reflection. “How is this possible?” Disney is all about the magical experience and like it or not there is nothing magical about suffocating beneath a sweat soaked mask while walking past heartbroken cast members. Universal does not rely on the personal interaction between their cast and the visitors so they’ve lost nothing.
People don’t talk to each other. People don’t make eye contact. Even laughing is a chore when you’re trying to keep from overheating. This is a side effect of the masks. Until the magic can come back in force Disney will be lagging behind. Hopefully soon things will get back to the old normal because Disney was never intended for this new normal.
It’s easier to go to Universal. Less hassle with reservations and dining. Every minute of Disney now needs to be planned in advance. Which park you will attend on which day, where you will eat and when, when you will ride the good rides…it’s become such a hassle.I know the idea was to shorten waits but it’s not a very spontaneous experience.
I hadn’t been to Universal in a decade but was lucky enough to go in early March before the lockdown on a spur of the moment trip and had no problem getting a reservation, tickets and dining was a breeze.Had a wonderful time.I had been to Disney 3 times in that decade and each trip required a longer lead time and still couldn’t eat at will or in many restaurants we wanted to try.
I’d love to return to both but Florida is such a mess right now. I wouldn’t feel safe.
@Lane: Totally agree. How magical is it to have plexiglass dividers on the Monorail? Or the Jungle Cruise boats? Or on the buses? IMHO, Not At All.
Everyone is so scared of C19. Everyone thinks that C19 is floating through the air, or hiding behind every corner, just waiting to jump on people and infect them. Then you have the mask-wearers, who think wearing a mask will keep them safe from anything and everything. For the mask-wearers, I make this challenge: Go walk through a Level 4 Biohazard facility with just your mask. I bet you wouldn’t think your mask is so effective at that point.
I think it’s great that Universal is watching the extreme measures being taken at Disney, and then offering less “health theater” and a better value for peoples’ money. This is the essence of running a successful business. Do it better and cheaper than your competition, with less drama, and the customers will come to your door.
@DFB: What happened to my other post supporting “Jr?”
So what people are saying they don’t mind taking there chances of getting covid at or from someone at universal. It’s all in how you want to enjoy yourself and staying safe while you are doing so..
My family (me, my husband, my 14 yo and 8 yo) just booked a trip to Disneyworld for December (The week of Christmas). Yes, we might be crazy…lol!I HATE crowds and would NEVER think to go to Disneyland or Disneyworld during Christmas, as it is wall to wall people. BUT, we are hoping that the crowds will actually be manageable this year. We live in NV so we have to travel to get there. For us…the character greets, parades, fireworks are not a huge draw for us (because our kids are older) and totally willing for forego it, if it means getting to throughly enjoy the park, the rides and Christmas decorations without all the people. The masks are definitely a big downside….but again, still worth the hassle to not have to fight huge crowds. All our 3 previous trips to Disneyworld were done in August….worst time for humidity and heat….but best time for small crowds. Honestly, there is alot I would put up with simply to have no crowds and short wait times. I am sure Disneyworld attendance will increase over the next few months….but I pretty positive it will not reach pre-covid Christmas crowd levels:)
I am a nurse and pass holder to Disneyworld and Universal, been to both past month. Huge difference in safety level. Saw an employee at Universal without mask. Universal has no barriers in place like Disney. Universal has employees invade my 6 ft safety area before rides to squirt hand sanitizer on my hands, nothing after. Disney has a touchless automated stand before and after each ride. Universal told me to stand 3 feet apart on Race to New York ride, even after I explained safety is 6 feet, not 3! Disney employees more aware and so many are wearing shields along with mask.No one working at Universal wore one. I wear a shield that snaps on my hat for extra protection, shield snaps off and folds up to fit in pocket. Universal kicked me off of 2 rides with shield, Disney just said not to ride with the hat and shield. Felt safe only at Disneyworld!
I think that with all the Disney cuts to fireworks, shows, kiosks, extra magic hours, magic express buses and staff cuts …. people are not getting their moneys worth and feel somewhat cheated. I am extremely disappointed that Disney doesn’t mind keeping the prices the same – but have cut back on all the “magic” . Not the same as it used to be. If you want to open – open with all the amenities – or drop your prices.