Earlier this month Disney CEO Bob Chapek shared that attendance at Walt Disney World Resort wasn’t what was expected. The lower attendance numbers were attributed to COVID-19’s effect on travel. Now, another group has come out sharing just exactly how low those numbers might be.
While Disney has not released any official attendance numbers, Deutsche Bank has done some analysis that leads them to believe that attendance numbers at Walt Disney World Resort are down more than 80%. These numbers look to continue to be around to stay for some time even as COVID-19 numbers seem to be decreasing in Florida.
“While Disney World appears to be lagging the COVID case reduction, we would expect the data to relieve some of the admissions pressure in the near future,” the bank’s analysts said in a note to clients. “At present, Epcot and Animal Kingdom are outperforming Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.”
Despite the low numbers, during a financial call earlier this month Disney CFO Christine McCarthy did confirm that Walt Disney World Resort is “operating at a positive net contribution level.” There were no specifics included with this statement.
While the numbers currently don’t seem to be in Walt Disney World’s favor, it is expected that things should improve as time goes by. Both Disney and nearby Universal Orlando have been courting local guests as travelers have not materialized as quickly as anticipated. Universal Orlando has seen a better attendance rebound.
“Given this ongoing improvement in Universal’s attendance and declining new daily COVID cases in Florida, we believe that Disney World will also soon see some benefit,” Deutsche Bank said.
The parks at Walt Disney World Resort reopened in July after being closed for three months due to the coronavirus. Currently, there are no parades, stage shows, or fireworks as part of the protocols in place for the phased reopening. It isn’t known when these offerings will be returning at this time. This could also be impacting the number of people booking vacations as well.
What do you think about the numbers presented by Deutsche Bank? Do they seem to be accurate from your observations? Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below or with DAPS MAGIC on Facebook or Twitter!
