According to recent reports, the Walt Disney Company’s theme parks, including Disney World and Disneyland, have seen substantially shorter wait times on rides and attractions. This implies that consumers are avoiding Disney theme parks, despite it being the summer travel season when demand would be high for such attractions.
Some reports have suggested the ridiculously high ticket prices have driven the low attendance at these parks. Others have pointed to Disney’s incessant woke agenda that the company has inserted into its entertainment. Popular right-wing Twitter account “End Wokeness” posted a collage of pictures featuring a headline regarding Disney’s low attendance and other pictures showing Disney incorporating rainbows into its brand. The Twitter account said, “It’s a real mystery” as to why people aren’t visiting Disney theme parks.
“It’s a real mystery” pic.twitter.com/bmRKD7euIp
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) July 10, 2023
Twitter users in the comments section of the post shared words of agreement with “End Wokeness.” One user said, “Hahaha, go woke go broke never fails.” Another person agreed, “Disney just hit their 4th lay off wave just this year alone & not to mention their movies keep failing in box office LoL Disney go straight up bankrupt ofc not but if they keep failing with their content & wokesh*t agenda, broke just in front of their eyes.”
Another social media user commented how they won’t ever attend a Disney theme park again, stating, “We have to go in October because my husband promised his brother a trip. I really don’t ever want to go to Disney again and I won’t after this trip. I have loved Disney my whole life and now they just turn my stomach.”
Another analysis indicated that Disney World attendance over the 4th of July holiday was its lowest in nearly ten years. Typically, this holiday is one of the busiest times for the theme park. Backing this claim, average wait times for rides at the park were significantly lower compared to past data.
However, it is important to note that economic factors could also drive the declining attendance at Disney. An article from the Wall Street Journal implied that price hikes at Disney World could be turning away customers. Reportedly, Disney is trying to thin crowds at its theme parks to improve the park experience for a smaller number of customers who will spend more money at higher prices.
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Nonetheless, the declining attendance could be a troubling sign for Disney. “I couldn’t believe how light the crowds were,” one visitor said, noting that the parks felt busier during a visit in the summer of 2021 during the pandemic. The American Tribune recently reported that Disney’s stock faced a downgrade where softened demand for theme parks played a role.
“Disneyland growth due to its 100th anniversary celebration is more than offset by [Disney World’s] contraction from comparisons against its 50th anniversary celebration. We worry the ‘tough comps’ are not properly reflected in consensus,” a report from Keybanc stated.
The firm was also concerned with the stalling growth of Disney+, the company’s streaming service, despite billions of dollars invested in the service. Analysts at Keybanc changed Disney’s stock from an “Overweight” rating to a “Sector Weight.”