Bob Chapek on CNBC - WDW to remain at 25% capacity

hmmmmm… it seems like a lot more than 25%… are they using that elusive ‘new’ math?

3 Likes

My only guess is that with the restrictions on rides and shows (most shows being closed) that there are much fewer places for people to go. If it was 25% capacity with the park working at full operations, then it would feel a lot different. For example, more people would be going to Fantasmic, Indiana Jones or Beauty and the Beast, rather than bunching up in the lines at attractions in HS.

13 Likes

This is what’s so high-larious about Very Serious People making sonorous noises about park capacity or Crowd Levels™. Disney doesn’t publish what the parks’ capacities are. Since they also never release attendance figures, one can’t even back those numbers out from the various phased closure levels when they happen. I don’t think there’s ever been a serious photogrammetric study of aerial photos of the parks during various times to estimate either attendance or crowd capacity.

This is little more than Kremlinology. There are so many variables, especially now, that govern functional occupancy and wait times that I think any statement about it comes down to delusion or dishonesty.

1 Like

Yes, thank you for that reminder!

This. Plus don’t forget about all those extra empty spaces on rafts and cars- normally every seat is filled. Every bit adds up when it comes to absorbing the crowd. I’d also be curious how much under 25% were crowds in July and August.

5 Likes

Just re-posting this to try to get clarity from @Wahoohokie

1 Like

We went in October last year…low crowds, but long lines because they bring in less workers and don’t open all the cues…only had 2 elevators open for TOT

I am going to text my friend right now and see what what she has to say since Chapek says they haven’t increased capacity. I’ll let you know!

12 Likes

I’m waiting to hear this :wink:

not too fast you dang forum gods!

4 Likes

Just happened to come across this, some pondering over crowd levels at MK on this video:

4 Likes

Thanks. Good info, regardless of where the capacity limit is, they need to open things up, bring more CM’s back, and of course some kind of ride reservation system!

3 Likes

I kinda feel like they’re at a tipping point where they have to either open more things and bring more staff back, or stop refilling parkpass availability.
That video looked like a nightmare. All the rides are lines out the wazoo, and there’s not enough shops and food. People are congregating waiting for mobile orders, it’s a cluster f.

I wouldn’t mind the limited shopping and dining if ride waits were low, and I wouldn’t mind longer ride waits of there was something else to do while waiting. Like shopping or dining, or shows.
But it can’t continue like this, imo.

12 Likes

You’re exactly right!

1 Like

We just got back on Saturday from a week’s stay and while it felt a lot less crowded than pre-Covid, it was pretty tight for social distancing. It was easy to find more secluded areas, but there was always a pretty good flow of people. Both DH and I agreed that they need to open up more eateries and shops, the demand for both of those is very real and I just don’t understand how having them closed is saving money. It would also open up more places for people to go and for walkways to be less crowded (bottlenecks along walkways were the worst IMO).

For line waits, all wait times we saw were very inflated, I’d say we waited a third of the posted time for everything, maybe half the time for 7DMT. We did not do HS for what it’s worth.

7 Likes

So I just got a crowd update and on the tp blog post explaining the changes, @SteveBloom mentions that the 25% number Chapek is throwing out there is 25% of Maximum Capacity . Think 25% of Christmas Day crowds, not 25% of typical crowds.
Which is some serious bs on Chapeks part. People need to feel that they can trust Disneys commitment to safety, not that they’ve been lied to.

4 Likes

My friend got back to me and said the same. 25% of Christmas Day/max capacity. That is definitely not the same as 25% of normal capacity.

4 Likes

I never believed the 25% meant 25% of normal (average?) capacity, because that would be a floating number. To me, it always seemed like it most likely meant 25% of maximum capacity.

16 Likes

But, you’re kind of a “numbers/data” kind of guy.
The average guest is thinking 25% of what they typically experience.
(That’s not a criticism, by the way.)

3 Likes

That’s a valid point.

Of course, normally, September and October, for example, would have very low crowds and wait times. This year it seems like it is the opposite! But it makes sense, ultimately. They might ultimately have the same number of people in the parks for September…but with shortened hours, fewer places to eat, and reduced ride and shopping capacity, it will just make everything seem worse.

In a way, it actually DOES make everything worse, and not just seem worse. But what is Disney supposed to do? They have to turn a profit (or in the very least break even) somehow! :confused:

2 Likes

They need to turn a profit for two parks (WDW and DL) with just one park (WDW) while limiting capacity. It is not an enviable situation.

2 Likes