According to a recent report, Disney is reportedly handling their overcrowded parks problem by making it worse… on purpose.
For years, the issue of overcrowding at Disney parks has been a recurring concern among devoted fans and visitors. Both the iconic Walt Disney World Resort in Central Florida and the enchanting Disneyland Resort in Southern California have frequently grappled with exceeding their maximum capacity limits, especially during peak seasons and special events.
This challenge often translates into extensive wait times that can be as long as eight hours, leaving guests frustrated and exhausted. In some extreme cases, the strain of enduring such lengthy queues has led to guests experiencing physical distress, such as fainting or feeling unwell.
A recent article from That Park Place argued that Disney World, in its current state, is designed to make you feel like it’s overcrowded, and the Walt Disney Company does this for one simple reason: “A crowded park is a park where you’ll pay to skip lines. A crowded park keeps headlines happy towards your future.“
According to the article, Disney has been making changes over the last decade to reduce park capacity to give the illusion of an overcrowded park rather than increase it so as to encourage people to spend money at a Disney Park, and in particular on products like the paid Disney Genie service.
The author argued, “They want guests in the retail spaces, walking always, buying food, hot and thirsty.”
Related: Hundreds of Guests Stay Away from Disney Parks After a Simple Warning
Disney has identified a demographic consisting of infrequent visitors who are willing to splurge during their visit. According to the author, this strategic targeting of “rarely-attending guests ready to spend big money” has been a cornerstone of Disney’s approach for years.
By catering to Disney Park guests who are less acquainted with the intricacies of the parks, Disney taps into a willingness among these visitors to invest more in enhancing their overall experience.
One of the key strategies at play here is that guests who are less familiar with a particular environment or situation are often more inclined to spend money to address any perceived issues that arise while at the parks. In the case of Disney Parks, this dynamic has proven to be especially relevant.
Of course, it’s important to remember this is one fan’s opinion and observation of how the Disney Parks have been operating over the last few years. The Walt Disney Company has made no official statement echoing this and, in fact, has always stood by its party line that the company is working to fix the issues at the parks.
One thing many fans will agree on is that the solution couldn’t come a moment too soon. Here’s hoping Disney solves this issue sooner rather than later.
What do you think of this argument? Do you think Disney is intentionally making things worse? Let us know in the comments!
The parks are now always crowded, so why even have a park reservation system?