Will Disney reduce capacity?

Yes, you're reading that right, Disney REDUCED capacity during certain holiday periods in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023 (which covered from around October 2nd to December 31st, 2022) by 20% compared to pre-pandemic levels. Iger commented on this change too.



People Also Ask

As part of the Q1 2023 earnings call today, Disney CFO Christine McCarthy announced that capacity in peak periods at the Disney Parks has been cut by 20% compared to pre-pandemic, even with attendance up at the Disney Parks.

MORE DETAILS

Yes, you're reading that right, Disney REDUCED capacity during certain holiday periods in the first quarter of fiscal year 2023 (which covered from around October 2nd to December 31st, 2022) by 20% compared to pre-pandemic levels.

MORE DETAILS

Even if you're visiting during busy times of the year when the park might reach capacity, you'll be able to come and go to that park as you please throughout the day, even if it's currently closed to Guests who are Park Hopping from another location.

MORE DETAILS

Meanwhile, travel agents have pointed to higher ticket prices as a major factor in declining theme park attendance. On top of that, trips to Europe appear to be cannibalizing demand for domestic theme parks this year — likely both contributing to the downturn.

MORE DETAILS

The evidence currently suggests slightly lower-than-normal crowds at Disney this summer compared to the last few years and a return to a more pre-pandemic level of busy.

MORE DETAILS

Disney said the job cuts were part of a plan to save $5.5 billion companywide. Reducing the company's workforce is part of a strategic realignment of the company, including important cost-saving measures necessary for creating a more effective, coordinated and streamlined approach to our business, Iger said.

MORE DETAILS

Earlier this year, Disney said it would slash 7,000 jobs from its workforce as part of a larger reorganization of the company that will see it cut costs by $5.5 billion. The announcement was made during Bob Iger's first earnings call since returning as CEO.

MORE DETAILS

Disney plans to slash 7,000 jobs in three waves, with the first coming this week, the next in April and a final round by the beginning of summer, Iger said in the email. The layoffs are part of Disney's cost-saving measures that will create a streamlined approach to our business, he wrote.

MORE DETAILS

All told, Disney officials have indicated that visitors spend 40% more per day in US parks than they did pre-pandemic. The company's operating income from parks and experiences fell 13% last quarter, but was still 24% above where it was in 2019.

MORE DETAILS

Off-peak times fall around January, February, September, and early November. Discounts on vacation packages booked directly through Disney (which combine park tickets and hotel stays) can be found year-round, though they're most common at these less-crowded times.

MORE DETAILS

Highest Crowd Level When Visiting Walt Disney World The week before Christmas through the first two weekends of January, with the weeks including Christmas Day and New Year's Eve bringing in the historically highest crowd level each year.

MORE DETAILS

Based on events and traffic of years past, the least crowded days to visit Disney World in 2023 are:
  • Mar. 1-5.
  • Apr. 24-30.
  • May. 1-7, May. 8-15.
  • All of August.
  • All of September.
  • Oct. 1-6, Oct. 9-15, Oct. 16-20, Oct. 23-27.
  • Nov. 1-6, 27-30 (avoid Thanksgiving week)
  • Dec. 1-3, Dec. 4-10 (avoid Christmas and New Year's Eve)


MORE DETAILS

Typically, the least busy time at Disney World is late August and September, but there are other times you can catch low crowds too!

MORE DETAILS

Typically, the least crowded times at Disney World tend to be:
  • Mid to Late January through early February: The holiday season has ended, and many families are not traveling because school is in session.
  • Mid-May: There aren't any holidays during this time, and not as many families travel in the final weeks of school.


MORE DETAILS

This makes the September/October 2023 a good time to visit. Even once Moana is open, we're actually expecting Walt Disney World to be relatively stable until “late 2024” when Tiana's Bayou Adventure opens. We expect TRON to keeps its virtual queue at least through the end of 2023.

MORE DETAILS

“So, when a big crowd starts to form, Disney can be ahead of it. They actually have an entire team devoted to monitoring crowds.” “When a big crowd forms, they'll address the issue as quickly as possible by adding characters, opening up additional space in restaurants, and adjusting wait times and ride queues.”

MORE DETAILS

Starting on January 9, 2024, you can visit any theme park without a reservation as long as you have a date-based ticket. A date-based ticket is the standard ticket option and means you've purchased park passes for a specific time frame (whether it's tickets alone or part of a vacation package).

MORE DETAILS

How are Disney parks doing financially? As of Q2 of FY 2023, things were looking up for the parks, but the revenues for Disney Parks, Experiences, and Products for that quarter (Q2 of FY 2023) did increase by 17%.

MORE DETAILS

Experts say between 70 and 90 percent of Americans have visited a Disney Park.

MORE DETAILS