I find it hard to believe we're in a recession...

[halltd]

So, my family and I are visiting WDW again - we do it a LOT. Well, it's PACKED to the gills as always. All restaurant reservations are taken for the entire week, all of the expensive hotels are full, the parks are PACKED, and we waited an hour and a half yesterday for the safari at DAK. The Halloween parties this week are all sold out too.

So, where's this recession? We were at the Florida Mall on Saturday and we had to use valet because there were no spots. Everyone had tons of bags too.

It's been this crowded here each time we've been this year. Granted, the first time was Xmas/New Years. But, we also came in May and it was just as crowded. If everyone is out of work and has no money, where are all these people with money coming from?

[All4dISNEY]

I haven't seen it here on this corner of the US either. I'm in the PNW.

[Jerren]

Originally Posted by halltd

So, my family and I are visiting WDW again - we do it a LOT. Well, it's PACKED to the gills as always. All restaurant reservations are taken for the entire week, all of the expensive hotels are full, the parks are PACKED, and we waited an hour and a half yesterday for the safari at DAK. The Halloween parties this week are all sold out too.

So, where's this recession? We were at the Florida Mall on Saturday and we had to use valet because there were no spots. Everyone had tons of bags too.

It's been this crowded here each time we've been this year. Granted, the first time was Xmas/New Years. But, we also came in May and it was just as crowded. If everyone is out of work and has no money, where are all these people with money coming from?

Well it's Peak DVC season with MNSSHP and food and wine, and you are hitting the new free Dining that runs till the end of the year so I'm not that surprised it's gotten busy again but I can tell you it was not like that two weeks ago. Disney is also offering FL resident pricing to folks from nearby states so I did notice a lot of people driving in when we left. All that combined and it all adds up to larger crowds.

[OFTEric]

Well I know we are seeing a lot of peaks and valleys right now. I can't give out too much info, but you are seeing a very small portion of the pie.

[Hakuna Makarla]

its there, some folks are just blinded by it and go on as though nothing is happening. believe me, you will see major changes soon. type in amero dollar in youtube. you will see whats coming.

[KevinYee]

The apparent busy feeling is a result of several things:

1. As noted above, it's festival time: MNSSHP, Food and Wine
2. It's Free Dining time; this encourages folks to travel "off season" so there is no real slow time at WDW any more
3. Travel plans are seldom made within 30 days. People are here because they booked before the floor fell out of the stock market
4. Because it's not summer, the park hours are reduced. So you have x amount of folks trying to squeeze in the same amount of "fun" into reduced hours. Result: crowding!
5. Because it's not summer, staffing is also reduced. This slows capacity.
6. It's not just staffing that's reduced; there is fewer entertainment (so more people are in the same lines). And the non-summer is when they do attraction refurbs, so again, more people in the same lines.

I'm sure there's a 7, 8, 9 I'm not thinking of...

[Witches of Morva]

ORDDU: It also takes a while for the full effects of a bad economy to trickle down to everyone. There are many people out there who have already experienced the economic problems first hand. Others are yet to have it touch them. Some won't be affected as much as others. But this dilemma is far from being over.

[geoffa]

Originally Posted by Jerren

Well it's Peak DVC season with MNSSHP and food and wine, and you are hitting the new free Dining that runs till the end of the year so I'm not that surprised it's gotten busy again but I can tell you it was not like that two weeks ago. Disney is also offering FL resident pricing to folks from nearby states so I did notice a lot of people driving in when we left. All that combined and it all adds up to larger crowds.

And for the U K and European market they are offering 14 days for the price of 7 plus free dining plan. Don't forget we have to add on at least $1,000 for each family member for air fares.Many non Americans will have booked their trips up to 12 months in advance. As they are highly unlikely to cancel this year they may very well be thinking hard about whether they can afford it next year. In previous years nearly 2 million Brits visited WDW each year.

And as for effects of this recession I personally know of three people who have lost their jobs in the financial sector plus two others who have had their homes re-posessed. And all because of stupid, unsound lending in the first place.

[mycroft16]

There is also the effect of "Well, if I'm only going to be able to afford one vacation this year, I want it to be good, so I'll go to Disney instead of Universal/Six Flags/etc."

[steamboatpete]

It's crowded because all of us big ticket travelers are driving to Orlando instead of flying to Milan, Paris, London and Amsterdam. Y'know, because of the recession.

[kcnole]

While WDW isn't recession proof, I don't think they'll take the hit as big as some other places will. Compared to some vacations WDW is a value. I think a lot of people who may have traveled out of the country will look to WDW instead. Certainly their numbers will be down, but not to the extent that some other vacation places will see.

[Jerren]

Originally Posted by geoffa

And for the U K and European market they are offering 14 days for the price of 7 plus free dining plan. Don't forget we have to add on at least $1,000 for each family member for air fares.Many non Americans will have booked their trips up to 12 months in advance. As they are highly unlikely to cancel this year they may very well be thinking hard about whether they can afford it next year. In previous years nearly 2 million Brits visited WDW each year.

And as for effects of this recession I personally know of three people who have lost their jobs in the financial sector plus two others who have had their homes re-posessed. And all because of stupid, unsound lending in the first place.

True plus the euro/pound is still strong versus the dollar so even with the airline fee's the 14 for 7 deal is almost a 14 days for 4-5 days deal in terms of US dollars.

[nbodyhome]

A week or so ago, it was slow (slow, slow, slow!) I remember a couple of weeks ago, a line for Soarin that was like 5 minutes long.

I do know that bookings have been down for Disney, but I don't know how much.

[Disneyland Daddy]

As a former employee of LEHMAN BROS, I'd like to tell you that I FEEL THE AFFECTS of a Recession/Depression..........and I am not happy about it.......

[Rex Dopey24]

Originally Posted by Hakuna Makarla

its there, some folks are just blinded by it and go on as though nothing is happening. believe me, you will see major changes soon. type in amero dollar in youtube. you will see whats coming.

exactly.