Today is a BIG day for Disney fans, even though it might seem like just a random Wednesday.
Disney World Entrance
That’s because today (February 8th) is Disney’s 2023 first-quarter Earnings Call. During this call, Disney executives comment on the state of the company, share updates on current projects, and sometimes announce MAJOR news. But, Bob Iger failed to comment on a controversial part of the Disney parks: the Park Pass Reservation system.
Park Pass Reservations were introduced to Disney World and Disneyland when the parks reopened after the COVID-19 pandemic-related closures. The reservations were originally intended to keep capacity down and allow for more social distancing, but after distancing requirements were removed, those reservations stuck around.
Entrance to Magic Kingdom
Executives have commented that having these reservations allows guests to secure their spot in the theme parks ahead of time so that fewer people arrive at the entrance only to be turned away due to the parks being at full capacity that day.
EPCOT park entrance
Now, if you want to visit Disney World of Disneyland, you must have both a park ticket and a reservation. Those reservations are free to make, but they are mandatory. Without one, you can’t get into the parks. Annual Passholders can hold a certain number of reservations at any given time, and that number varies depending on which pass you have.
Animal Kingdom
Some guests have complained that this system makes it harder to go on spontaneous trips to the parks, and it limits the value of Annual Passes. When CEO Bob Iger returned to the position last November, he was asked about potential changes coming to the park passes. At the time, he said he had not used it himself. He also said that he wanted to hear from Josh D’amaro about the system before he made any more comments. (D’amaro is currently the Chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.)
©Disney
But, Iger didn’t exactly comment on the Park Pass Reservation System during the call.
In today’s earnings call, Iger once again made some comments about park passes and park capacity. He first noted that he is “very bullish” about the Disney parks, and that they’re still a top priority for him. He then went on to mention that over the past holiday season, Disney reduced capacity in the parks in order to create a better guest experience — and still “maintained a robust bottom line.”
©Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
Iger said that Disney is able to manage capacity “very very carefully and shift the mix from Annual Passholders to those who may come once in a lifetime or just once.”
And for those once in a lifetime guests, Iger remarked, “It’s clear that some of our pricing initiatives were alienating to our consumers. We were not perceived to be as accessible or as affordable as we probably should have been,” and steps have already been taken to change that — like with more low price tickets in Disneyland, for example.
Bob Iger ©New York Post
As far as plans to increase capacity in the parks, Iger didn’t say anything for certain, but mentioned that in the past, Disney has been able to increase park capacity by building new lands like Pandora and Galaxy’s Edge. Whether or not these changes might be on the horizon for Disney remains to be seen.
©Disney
Want to know more about upcoming changes at Disney? Check out these posts:
- 3 Nasty Surprises Waiting for Disney CEO Bob Iger in 2023
- Can Activist Investors Derail Disney’s Board of Directors?
- Why a Random Date in April Will Be CRITICAL to The Walt Disney Company
We’ll continue to watch for more updates from Disney, so stay tuned to DFB for all the latest news.
Check out our FULL GUIDE to Park Pass Reservations here.
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What do you think about Iger’s comments? Let us know below.
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I do not think the park pass reservation system ever going away…it is here for good and for ever.
Disney has in fact built a better mouse trap and guests are flocking to the front door. Disney has only one other means to control the amount of guests coming in, and that is with price. By raising the price, Disney can curb the gross amount of guests arriving to the parks I general, but not specifically, the park pass reservation system allows Disney to do both. Slow down the worldwide rush and direct who can go where on what specific date. They needed to do something. Rising the prices of tickets did not slow the crowds from arriving, but the park pass system did.
What is the definition of FULL CAPACITY for each of the four parks in Disney World? We have never been told what that number is by Disney. My family and I were in Disney World in 2019. We had Free Fast Pass with three rides each day in each park well in advance of our arrival. We had NO NEED for Park Reservations. We went on all the rides we wanted to go on each day in each park. We had the Magical Express. My family and I were back in Disney World in 2022. The crowds were the same as in 2019. The only difference is everything above which we had FREE in 2019 was eliminated. Can anyone, Disney Executives, Disney Guests, please explain to me how these changes can be made for no other reason than DISNEY GREED. Please Can Anyone Explain It Honestly?