A new report shows attendance at Disney Parks is down for the first time in a decade. Increased ticket prices led to the decline in attendance.
Last year, Magic Kingdom in Orlando topped the list of most visited theme parks around the globe with more than 20.3 million visitors. Moreover, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios also made it in the Top 10.
Attendance at Disney theme parks declined worldwide for the first time in at least a decade, according to recent reports. Disney’s other theme parks posted attendance declines compared with the previous year.
Attendance dropped by about one percent at 13 of 14 Disney theme parks worldwide in 2016 compared with 2015, according to an independent report released on Thursday. Although attendance at Disney’s parks increased, revenue went up about five percent due to guests spending more. Higher prices which were intended in part to ease crowding at certain parks were a major reason.
Theme park fans have complained for years that the crowds are too big, especially during family vacations, and the idea of increasing prices was supported by many. There was another suggestion: to shift to variable pricing as a strategy to ease congestion, as well as make more places on the rides.