I think a topic is needed for this, since raptors latest visit to the resort, crowds at WDS are huge. I hope this is the beginning to a GREAT future ! [-o< :D
Discuss here the Crowds at WDS.
Photos of the crowds at WDS, From Photosmagiques.com;
(//http://www.photosmagiques.com/gallery/news_updates/7-9_march_08/DSC04171.JPG)
(//http://www.photosmagiques.com/gallery/news_updates/7-9_march_08/DSC04169.JPG)
Raptors Photos Update here; //http://www.photosmagiques.com/gallery/news_updates/news_7-9_03_08.php
Well it's the result of the last years of progress @ dlrp and wds.
Really great to see that the effect is also really happening now!
Hopefully they can keep up this high standard and blast them selfs out of debt and further into positive growth!!! :D
when i was there in december the crowds were not bad but it wasnt overly busy ! queing wasnt at all bad but i guess i have only ever seen it really busy and that was when it was bonfire night ! and the rest of times i have been is christmas! but now with the new rides and TOT it will me veery busy over the summer months !
We had to deal with those crowds at the end of January too. I was very surprised to see so many people in front of the studios. :shock:
Quote from: "Reiana"We had to deal with those crowds at the end of January too. I was very surprised to see so many people in front of the studios. :shock:
Crikey. I was there from the 27th - 30th January this year, with Park access on the 28th and 29th. Not too sure if it was the times I accessed the studios, but I didn't even have to wait to get into the park.
Wait times for the Rock 'n' Rollercoaster were also only about 1-2 minutes.
oh my gawd! :shock:
i always loved the studios because it was never that busy :(
the longest i had to wait was 20 mins and that was for the tram tours !! oh and armageddon we waited about 20mins also ! but other was only 3 to 5 mins wasnt long at all ! but i think alot of people didnt hang around as it was so cold ! lol
but we're going in july not so cold then ( [-o< )
According to inparkmagazine's report of attendances of themeparks in 2007:
Walt Disney Studios got 2.5 million visitors which is a rice of 13,6%.
Disneyland Parc got 12 million visitors which is a rice of 13,1%.
Disneyland Parc is still the number one in the list and Walt Disney Studios stands on a 10th place. Let's hope that the attendance will even be higher in next years report!!
You can find the whole report on inparkmagazine.com
QuoteWalt Disney Studios got 2.5 million visitors which is a rice of 13,6%.
In reality it's a lot more, because when a guests uses a hopper ticket, it only counts when he or she uses it first at WDS. If someone hops over from Disneyland Park (with a K!) it doesn't count.
And to add to raptors point, i dont no if this makes any diffrence but that is from 2007, the recent big crowds have started late 07 - early 2008. :)
i'm pleased to see crowds (don't often say that)
Now i just hope Disney find a way to keep people intrested with the park.
It's great to its that busy at Walt Disney Studios Park. Hopefully the momentum will keep going.
For me it´s very interesting how soon the restaurant capacities come to their limit, as raptor describe. More real food locations will be a great add to the studios too!
Of course wait times for attractions and restuarants all vary on the show times. At the moment the Stunt Show holds about 5,000 guest for every show. The theatre's like Animagique and Cinemagique both hold something like 1,100 guest per showing. That is a lot of guest in and out of shows all the time, which of course will reflect waiting times for the various other stuff. I think DLRP may need to have a look at show times and crowd patterns now that TOT and Stitch Live have opened.
Quote from: "Malin"I think DLRP may need to have a look at show times and crowd patterns now that TOT and Stitch Live have opened.
Very good point Malin, I never thought of that before. Especially the showtimes of Moteurs... Action! are important since the show can host up to 5000 people like you mentioned. By the way, last time I went to the park, all shows (Animagique, Cinemagique and Moteurs) didn't perform after about 16h/4pm... Wouldn't it be a wise move to shift the showtimes to a later time so more guests will be forced stay longer at the park? Or did they already adress this issue?
i just hope when i go is when no one else wants to go to studios :P
Quote from: "Maarten"Quote from: "Malin"I think DLRP may need to have a look at show times and crowd patterns now that TOT and Stitch Live have opened.
By the way, last time I went to the park, all shows (Animagique, Cinemagique and Moteurs) didn't perform after about 16h/4pm... Wouldn't it be a wise move to shift the showtimes to a later time so more guests will be forced stay longer at the park? Or did they already adress this issue?
This too is a good point Maarten, if Management expect guest to stay longer it needs to give them more to do. Holding later performances of shows like Cinemagique would keep some occupied. I don't think the Studios has enough attractions to keep guest entertained enough so that guest would leave at 9.00pm. So later performances of Cinemagique and Animagique maybe required.
Yes they should really have a look at these things. I remember last time it was a very rush-race to get all shows and all new attractions. Maybe they could also cancel the moteurs-show in the early morning to have a performance late in the noon.
It's clear that the rides and attractions that opened last year and the official opening on ToT this year are having a big impact on the Studios. If the management haven't thought about the "ebb and flow" of the guests before, they are certainly going to have to soon! At least with the shows, particularly the Stunt Show, they do have the opportunity to control to some extent, the circulation of the guests.
When we were there in early January, it was always worth getting into a restaurant before the Stunt Show or parade finished!
With all that's happening in the Studios, it's no longer a matter of just staying in for a few hours once or twice during your stay. The studios are fast becoming a place where you could easily spend the whole day, which they were not when they first opened.
They also help attract to DLRP, those who might (wrongly) consider that Disneyland is just for little kids! I think that DLRP should be very proud of what they have achieved in 15 years, especially in the face of some nasty criticism and the financial situation.
yes a true word! That´s really much!
Just can hope that they get this growds controlled till summer :D I mean its now not that what I would call one of the main seasons for the park. It´s wonderful that they have this crowds now! :D/ :D/ :D/ But they must reengineer the crowd control a bit for this reasons
This is kind of why I think the TOT was built in the wrong location. Because of its location this is the first attraction people are going to run to each day, because its new. Thats not going to help the flow of the crowd either. Stitch Live is also new and quite near the entrance which is going to cause a flow of guest heading here first too. Unless people want to ride RNRC or Armegeddon, why else would you venture into this area of the park. Holding the first showing of the Stunt Show at 10.30 for instance could change this. But I have confidence Management and the park ops Cast Members will review this soon.
Quote from: "Malin"This is kind of why I think the TOT was built in the wrong location. Because of its location this is the first attraction people are going to run to each day, because its new. Thats not going to help the flow of the crowd either. Stitch Live is also new and quite near the entrance which is going to cause a flow of guest heading here first too. Unless people want to ride RNRC or Armegeddon, why else would you venture into this area of the park. Holding the first showing of the Stunt Show at 10.30 for instance could change this. But I have confidence Management and the park ops Cast Members will review this soon.
At the WDS, everything is near the entrance.
Quote from: "pussinboots"At the WDS, everything is near the entrance.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Quote from: "Malin"This is kind of why I think the TOT was built in the wrong location. Because of its location this is the first attraction people are going to run to each day, because its new. Thats not going to help the flow of the crowd either. Stitch Live is also new and quite near the entrance which is going to cause a flow of guest heading here first too. Unless people want to ride RNRC or Armegeddon, why else would you venture into this area of the park. Holding the first showing of the Stunt Show at 10.30 for instance could change this. But I have confidence Management and the park ops Cast Members will review this soon.
I don´t think the tower has the wrong location. I first think about it but now I must say it´s a perfect catch for all people going through this dark covered bvd. named Studio 1. They go through the gates, through the stage and have then a perfect and iconic view, like the castle at Disneyland Park. you can see and hear the aaaahs and ooooh when you leave studio 1 and that wasn´t the fact before the tower. I remember my dad who had kittens last year first time watching the construction of it. He was saying the whole day "Wow! That´s something great! Wow! When do it open? When could I ride it?"
And I remember a friend of mine who was entering the open area without the tower before all the placemaking was grow up and she was only saying to a disapoint face of her boyfriend: "Darling, yes, that like movie studios look like. They are just big tarmac places with some studio halls on it" and I could just say "Yes, that´s true. Studios are ugly" :mrgreen:
So the location where they build it is perfect.
For the growds and don´t see a very big problem. The waiting times seems to be ok and you have also fastpass. And don´t forget the tower is an absolute E-Ticket so it will always catch the masses. And Crush´s Coaster shows that people also chose attractions that are "farer" away from studio 1.
The cause why people don´t go to backlot seems simply to be: It looks like a real studio. And that means not very beautiful :lol:
To take people into backlot they should made some better backlot /action studios theme. Why not some very iconic eyecatchs there which only say: "Here´s the place were the action live"
The stunt show is also a big possibility to get people to backlot. But I also remember that they must some advert inside the studios last year for the very first early show.
Maybe growds are flowing in a normal way. First taking Production courtyard and Toon studio and later in the evening or after lunch backlot. At Disneyland Park they take first Frontierland, Adventureland and in the evening discoveryland.
I think it absolutely doesnt matter if the tower is here or there. The tower IS, and that attracts the people. So, once they pay that 46euros for entrance, they might do tower as their first ride, but then they will stay in the park for whole day to try and experience everything.. i am sure. Disney is expensive, and i think people wont just pay this price for going to the tower and then say, uhhh all other attractions are crap-we go home, no they will stay in the park. For the people that are on vacation, i think that with the minimum package 3days/2nights, they have plenty of time so they will also stay in the studios to try everything.
-The tower is here, at a perfect place, attracting the crowds to go to the studios and pay for the entrance- and that was the purpose in the end-at least i think that :)
I don't get why people say that no people go to Backlot? Rock 'n' Roller Coaster had a +/- 40 minute queue line (full capacity) the last few times I went, Stunt Show always full and even Backlot Express and Café des Cascadeurs reached almost full capacity. Backlot is less "cramped" area that's very wide open where people spread easily to the restaurants, attractions and the pathway behind Tower of Terror. Don't let your eyes trick on you. [-X
=D> I´m happy to hear this! :D/
Last time the waiting times for RnR was always around 5 minutes and queue was a bit hmm missed. I like to have around 15 minutes to get exited enough for the ride :mrgreen:
And you´re we shouldn´t forget that there is much space for the growds. Even the stuntshow could take many people away from the street.
I think you misreading what I'm saying here. I'm not saying the Tower's location is going to stop guest visiting other areas of the park. What I'm saying is that because of its location and the buzz surrounding this attraction, most guest are going to head straight to this attraction first. This will result in guest not entering other areas of the park until later in the morning. Thats why I think if WDS were to hold the Stunt Show earlier like 10.30am guest will be more willing to grab a FP for TOT and head over to that side of the park first first.
Disneyland on the other hand has four lands to choose from and more than one E Ticket for guest to head to first. What do you think would happen if Big Thunder Mountain was built next to the castle, guest would all head straight to that attraction first. This is why I think TOT is built in the wrong location. Its not a park icon, through some do view it as one. It is in fact the biggest E Ticket in the park and should of been built further away to spread the crowds out.
Quote from: "Malin"[...] Disneyland on the other hand has four lands to choose from and more than one E Ticket for guest to head to first. What do you think would happen if Big Thunder Mountain was built next to the castle, guest would all head straight to that attraction first. This is why I think TOT is built in the wrong location. Its not a park icon, through some do view it as one. It is in fact the biggest E Ticket in the park and should of been built further away to spread the crowds out.
To be honest, I've always thought the same thing, although for mainly thematic/storytelling issues. The Tower is the sort of attraction that should be built somewhere slightly beyond the berm, where it could dramatically "loom" over the park from behind dense greenery (so yes, like it was built at MGM). It is definitely not the sort of attraction that people should be able to walk around, like a Big Thunder Mountain or a Sleeping Beauty Castle, and it is definitely not suitable as a park icon.
However, let's face it, the WDS was a crater sans ToT. It just needed this. It needed it there because ED couldn't afford to spruce up the park's central area
and build the ToT, it needed it there because it is visible from outside the park there, and so helps thousands of clueless guests realize at last that the WDS is a theme park, not a "museum" that could easily be skipped. Now that it's there at last, the park has got somewhat of a solid basis and they can finally start to improve the park without that big crater taunting them at every move. And there will be other E-tickets to spread out the crowds. So let's forgive them for the location of the ToT.
Although the TOT is the newest attraction not all of the guests entering WDS will head straight for it. Id say maybe 50% will not want to ride it due to age/fear etc. Some may also decide to head to the other attractions eg. RnRc as they feel they will be quieter due to others going straight for TOT. I personally think its in a great location, being the major E-Ticket of the park I think it deserves to be the first thing you see as you enter.
Quote from: "giorgio1712"[...] I personally think its in a great location, being the major E-Ticket of the park I think it deserves to be the first thing you see as you enter.
Well, what if they had put the temple of the Indiana Jones Adventure in the middle of Disneyland*'s Adventureland? Gone would be the leafy path to it, gone would be the sensation of traveling to a hidden spot in an exotic jungle. This is Disney, not Six Flags. Storytelling counts.
*CA, I mean
I dont think you can compare, Indy to TOT. There is no way you would be able to hide it, its so big. Indy is easy to hide as it isn't that tall and is surrounded by greenery.
I have no problems with the location. It´s great to have it there after studio 1. I love to see this little bvd. the buildings in front and back this big buidling, like a fallen star. Sure it´s a bit sad that they haven´t make the very big gardens like first planned but the new placemaking buildings are a wonderful alternate to that and connect the Hollywood bvd. (also the future additions) very well. It´s a hotel with street connection, gardens and faded glamour. A bit forgotten behind the bvd. in front. Wonderful set for the show and wonderful storytelling. Have no problem with it. And walking around the streets and la terasse is my pathway to it :mrgreen:
the only reason that the que area for the Indy attraction at DLR is so themed and long is because there was no room to build the attraction in adventure land, and had to be built in the car park as it was then. The que takes you out of adventureland to the car park and had to be hidden hence the theming of the tunnel. It was out of necessity, not design
Quote from: "penfold12"the only reason that the que area for the Indy attraction at DLR is so themed and long is because there was no room to build the attraction in adventure land, and had to be built in the car park as it was then. The que takes you out of adventureland to the car park and had to be hidden hence the theming of the tunnel. It was out of necessity, not design
But it works. Much like DLP's Pirates of the Caribbean, with its enormous, winding queue, does a much better job at transporting you into the story than DL's. And MG...Disney's Hollywood Studios does a much better job than any other park with its ToT. It has Sunset, it has those lush gardens. A story needs to be set up.
Yes , pussinboots really has a point here. The 'transporting' into the story is really awful at DL's pirates.. when you compare that with the paris' version you understand how important the whole 'story-telling' thing is.
Visual storytelling is definately important. There isn't much of a build up at the Paris' Tower of Terror. Its quite in your face when you leave Studio 1. On the other hand, since its visible from the Esplanade it works as a weenie to pull in the crowds, which wouldn't be the case if the Tower would have been build far behind Studio 1.