Thanks for that post TMFEdible. The entry that stood out to me was DCA attendance UP 13%.

I wonder if the bump in figures at Epcot was due to Mission Space?

Also I understand that SeaWorld, FL has added a new multimillion dollar attraction, restaurant, and shopping area which is bringing in more business.

Walt

Here is the complete list for the Top 50 Parks -- as well as some additional commentary as to why each particular park fared as it did (in Adobe Acrobat). . .

http://www.amusementbusiness.com/amusementbusiness/images/pdf/2003-top-50-north-america.pdf


Rick

When you read the attendance figures, and look at the numbers, you cannot help but notice that The Magic Kindom and Disneyland (the child-targeted Disney parks) are, by a large margin, the best attended. Here are a few observations from someone who travels to WDW's Magic Kingdom infrequently:

1) You meet far fewer annual pass holders here. I go to EPCOT, and get counted, 30 or 40 times a year. I get counted at the Magic Kingdom 2 times a year (soon to be 5 or 10 times with the grandson starting to take interest in entertainment). The attenance numbers at the Magic Kingdon, on unique-person visits pe-year, might be extremely high.

2) The cost of rides here are a fraction of, say, the $100 million spent on Mission: Space at EPCOT.

3) When I make those rare visits, which are never at peak periods, the park is still crowded.

4) There is dead space in this park. A) The submarine ride. B) The skyway ride (both ends) -- and the end by the Carousel of Progress creates a void that hurts CoP.

5) Almost 1/3 of the land area is consumed by 3 low-volume rides: A) Jungle Crusie (my favorite). B) Indy Speedway (my wife's favorite). C) Tom Sawyer Island (I have never met anyone who has this as their top attraction).

6) There are a couple of large undeveloped areas. A) Both sides of the main entrance, behind Main Street. B) Behind Tom Sawyer Island (along the tain route.

Why is all this being mentioned? If you owned the most visited park in the world, and had land for development, and attractions could be added for modest investments, would you plow money back into this cash cow? I would.

One reason I am anxious to see Mr. Eisner step aside is because I think that 1 + 1 = 2 logic has left Disney. When Mr. Eisner and Mr. Wells took control, I was one who marveled at how people thought the 1 + 1 = 2 logic they used was magic. Yes, your average Joe could not do what they did. But they made the capital investments to bring life back to Disney -- and they did make a BIG difference on the studio side of the business.

When I walk through the Magic Kindgom, it feels incomplete. It is cramped. Yet, it is a money machine. I would like to see an investment made to open up pinch points in the traffic flow, expand the attraction experience (like a theater that showed nothing but cartoons), and an every-other-year introduction of a new high-profile attraction.

Mr. Eisner thinks the captial investment has been made -- and it is time to sit back. I think he is wrong about the Magic Kingdom.

W.D.

4) There is dead space in this park. A) The submarine ride.


I had heard rumors from the site below that this area was finally going to be drained and developed. They mention that it may involve rides from the Mermaid Lagoon area from Tokyo Disneyland. They also mention that a new pathway from Fantasyland to Toontown could be added.

Although a lot of their rumors are about what will go there, it sounds more likely that something will be done with that area. It always strikes me when I go there how out of place the unused water area looks. In a park where everything is so alive, that body of water is so dead looking.

http://www.screamscape.com/html/walt_disney_world.html

When I walk through the Magic Kindgom, it feels incomplete. It is cramped.

One factor here is FastPass. The FP system takes people who would normally be waiting in a ride queue and puts them somewhere else. Where? Well, sometimes in shops (which is what Disney wants). But often this puts them on the sidewalks or roadways, giving the park a much more crowded feel.

Plus, the park is short several attractions. Carousel of Progress, Skyway, and 20,000 Leagues are all closed. Aladdin has been added, but that still gives the park a net loss of two attractions to help absorb the crowds.

The Magic Kingdom is by far the most popular park at Walt Disney World. I'd be curious to know why guests say that is. They must feel that the MK offers something that the other parks don't. What could this be? It's not thrill rides on the intensity level of Mission: SPACE or Tower of Terror. It's not a massive shopping or dining experience like at Epcot. So, what's so special about the MK?

I've got my own ideas. What do you guys think?


PHF

I've got my own ideas. What do you guys think?

With 32+ bonafide attractions Magic Kingdom has by far the most of any of the four parks at Walt Disney World. What's more, at least 20 of those attractions are small child friendly. And while some of us adult kids maintain that the parks are every bit as much for us as wee ones, themed amusement parks and especially Walt Disney World and extra-especially, Magic Kingdom, is a child haven. Not Six Flags, not Universal Studios, and not most all other parks in the world, accommodate tots as well as MK and that's what gives the park it's niche.

EPCOT, by contrast, has almost a dozen fewer attractions than MK and some of those are often considered more cerebral in nature. If you count each World Showcase country as an attraction, however, it has about 8 more than Magic Kingdom. But here again, the park is not centered around children yet nor is it centered around the thrill seeking teens. It's almost more like a fuddy-duddy's park, for the intellectually and culturally inclined. Wine drinkers, flower lovers, culture lovers, etc.

MGM has more than several dozen fewer attractions than Magic Kingom.

Animal Kingdom has only about 8 traditional attractions. They have about 20 attractions if you count each walk-through animal encounter.

Is there a relationship between how many traditional attractions each park has, and their attendance? You bet. The more attractions, the more attedance. Following is each park, how many traditional attractions they have, and their attendance figures.

Magic Kingdom - 32 attractions - 14 million guests
EPCOT - 22 attractions - 8.6 million guests
MGM - 16 attractions - 7.8 million guests
Animal Kingdom- 8 attractions - 7.3 million guests

PLACES TO EAT
MK 21
EPCOT 28
MGM 10
AK 7

My observation is that if you want a park to be the most attended in the world, you must have many rides for children and just as many for adults and it's not only okay but imperative that some of the children's rides are not for adults and vice versa. The more attractions you have, the more people will come, as long as you don't cater to too narrow a crowd like EPCOT, Universal Studios, or say a Six Flags does. Magic Kingdom has hit on the right formula of number of rides, number of restaurants, and types of rides, and age groups it appeals to.

I find it somewhat ironic that, given how tiny and cramped Disneyland is, that Magic Kingdom is thought of as not having elbow room by some. But perhaps those folks have a better eye for layout than I.

Paul T.

Good analysis Paul.

We often allow 2 days for both the MK and Epcot and one day each for MGM and AK otherwise the visit feels rushed and incomplete.

Walt

What do you guys think?

I agree that the number of attractions are a draw -- especially because they are kid friendly.

The broad-base of attractions also appeals to adults. My wife loves the carrousel (talk about a low tech, older-themed ride). I like the Jungle Cruise (another low tech, older-themed ride). The variety is very high (especially when compared to movie-heavy EPCOT). From the Hall of Presidents, to the Riverboat, to the Haunted Mansion, to the train, to rollercoasters, it has variety like no other park.

The Magic Kingdon is also a variety of areas -- all within a reaonable walking distance (which cannot be said about EPCOT). When you are pushing a baby carriage, which I was yesterday in EPCOT, having attractions close together makes sense. It is also friendly for those with wheelchairs.

The Magic Kingdom plays to the child in all of us. I took my grandson to EPCOT yesterday and we had a great time. It was, though, not a Magic Kingdom great timef or him. He likes being around people and found the Candelight Processional music and singing something he could rock to (literally!). But It's A Small World make him beam -- and quiet for the entire ride! He was pointing in every direction. Toontown was great too -- although a little too many people where there for my comfort.

The Magic Kingdom is ageless. You do not have to be 10-years old to enjoy the park (and my grandson is 14-months old and loves it). It is also fun to ride the rides again that thrilled you years ago (although I miss Mr. Toad's Wild Ride).

The Magic Kingdom is family entertainment. Its theme does not exclude (although the Animal Kingdom might be all-inclusive too). Some want "nothing to do with movies." Others think EPCOT is too educational (or, to us the kids term, boring) -- although Mission: Space might help change that image. The Magic Kingdom is fun for the entire family.

PHF: Thank you for starting this threat. It will be fun seeing what others think.

W.D.

What do you guys think?

I can't compare WDW to some of the other parks described in here from time to time...fact is, I've never been to Disneyland yet...

But even though we complain about non English speaking CM's, and we read about cast cutbacks and closings, and we debate the Eisner in-or-out scenarios, all that simply goes away when I walk underneath the railroad station at Magic Kingdom, and Main Street USA just EXPLODES on my senses...or when I get out of the car in the EPCOT parking lot, and that ethereal music is playing somewhere in the air, it seems, while Spaceship Earth beckons...MGM Studios has the same magic, and I guess I can even say that about my least favorite park, Animal Kingdom...it's Disney. Pure and simple.

Are there Knott's Berry Farm or Six Flags discussion boards as passionate or as devoted as this one is?

You know what? I can't wait to ride Big Thunder Mountain again.

And Spaceship Earth.

And Mission Space for the first time, and I'll be doing all that in only six more Wednesdays.

The anticipation is killing us...we were even discussing the Disney trip on Christmas morning, as presents were being opened!

Top 25? You betcha...and hopefully for years to come...

~ mike

dduct/toto2

What else can be said? I couldn't agree more or elaborate any better on what you said and how you feel. We all have our complaints but when you get to the park, magic happens.

We all have our complaints but when you get to the park, magic happens.

This is the message I've been trying to get across for a long time. If Disney is still magical then shouldn't Eisner get the credit as quickly as he gets the blame?

Or is it that magic is in us, not Disney? We feel it when we think we should and we feel the lack of it when it strikes us as well? I do think it takes something special, like Disney, to bring out the magic in us. So it's like a collaboration of sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and soul. The outside world and our inner selves conspiring to dose our brains with endomorphins.

Certainly, should those sights and sounds degrade, we're going to sense that and the magic isn't going to strike us the same way. So wouldn't it be a logical conclusion that if the magic feels the same when we are in MK, that the sights and sounds, the parks themselves, have not deteriorated in the same way that some would have us believe?

As I wrote for the Orlando Sentinel, it really isn't Roy Disney's, or Eisner's, or anyone's on this board's place, to tell us how much enjoyment we should get from Disney. Either that enjoyment is there, or it isn't. I say it's still there, at the parks, in the movies, on cruise ships, in magazines, etc.

Paul T.

As I wrote for the Orlando Sentinel...

In what capacity did you write for the Sentinel?


PHF

What do you guys think?

It's definitely the variety at Magic Kingdom. I can argue that it's the most popular because it is the original Disney theme park in Florida (and the attendance figures for Florida have always come out with the older Disney parks ranking ahead of the younger ones) but I'm not sure if I believe that entirely. In a few years I can fathom Islands of Adventure trumping Universal Studios Florida as that gap seems to narrow with every passing year.

Why? Variety.

Magic Kingdom has a little bit of everything. Folks who favor any of the other Disney parks are probably attracted to the specialty of what has become two-trick ponies. If you love shows or thrill rides? Disney-MGM has got you covered. If you love educational attractions and fine dining? EPCOT beckons (though Test Track and Mission: Space are going a long way towards teaching EPCOT a third trick). Animal Kingdom does animals real well. I'm not sure if I would go out on a limb and give it a second specialty.

Magic Kingdom is the one park that has many fast-loading attractions that the whole family can enjoy. You know, going in, that even if the park is packed you're going to get your money's worth.

Then again, it's all perspective. I went alone with my wife earlier this year and we didn't step foot in MK at all. We dined at EPCOT, strolled around, saw the shows and rode the thrill rides at MGM, hit Pleasure Island and Boardwalk at night and that was just what we needed. However, Disney attracts families for the most part and that means a wide variety of tastes and expectations. That's why I think Magic Kingdom fares so well. It's the ultimate settler of arguments.

While it may not seem like much I think Disney's California Adventure improved so much last year because it added the night parade and the Bug's Life kiddie ride area. Yes, the four kid rides are only slightly themed carnival rides but it helped fill a void. Do the same thing for Animal Kingdom and you would get the exact same spike -- though I have much higher long-term goals for Animal Kingdom.

In what capacity did you write for the Sentinel?

I'm senior editor and chief. No, actually, they had an op ed "post" feature following Roy's departure.
http://boards.fool.com/Message.asp?mid=19935252

I linked it in here but like most of my posts, it was ignored (except by dmeredit). Pay attention the first time, will ya? jk.

Paul T.

Gee, I sent a post to their graffiti board also, so I guess I can add that to my resume. ;-)

Walt