Not sure what people are talking about on here. Been to WDW twice over the last 6 months and it has been really crowded. Will be interesting to see how much more crowded it gets once Star Wars and Pandora open!

I think they got bit by timing. They made an attempt to actually reduce the number of day visitors via price hikes at the same time that exchange rates cut the international visitors. Combining with this was the announcement of major expansions, Pandora, Star Wars Land, and Radiator Springs Racers coming out beginning next year, and it seems like this summer is not a particularly good time to go. Animal Kingdom seems unfinished, much of Hollywood Studios is closed, only one new attraction at Epcot (No one is going to cross the country just because of a new film at Soarin' and the Pixar shorts)

Prices Prices Prices. The January through June FL Residents offer went up by a huge margin and the heat is unbearable. The lack of change doesnt help either. I'm in my 30s and I still see the same rides from when I was 10 years old. Universal has done more to reinvent itself and more attractions for millennials and adults.

Count myself as one of the few people who probably don't mind the price increases if it keeps crowds away. I'm a born and raised Floridian and have been visiting Disney my entire life. Had passes in the late 90s/early 2000s. Now those were the golden days where crowds were not nearly as bad and they still had the ticketed FP system. You could easily do each of the parks in one day. Fast forward a few years and I recently bought annual passes in Spring 2015. I was extremely disappointed at how crowded it had gotten in the parks over the years. That added to the fact that you have to plan out your visit before even arriving and I had been disappointed at how much the Disney experience has changed. Now this past year I have been loving going to the parks again because the crowds are not nearly as bad as it had been in the past. Of course this is me being selfish as a FL resident who can buy annual passes for as low as $250. Really if you are a FL resident you shouldn't complain about price hikes as much since you at least have the option of buying an annual pass. Have pity on those who cannot. The days of spontaneously going to Disney for one day are long gone. It is just way too expensive and crowded to do that.

I think the above comments regarding price are dead on. For me, there is another factor, beyond just the ticket price. It's the value provided for that ticket. DHS is half a park, at the MK we're still watching the electrical parade I watched in 1980, Epcot has lost all focus as the World Showcase becomes factionalized and future world sees more closures with remaining attractions having nothing to do with the future. Meanwhile, loyal guests of WDW have to listen to reports of all these service cuts and price hikes in Florida to cover expenses in Shanghai??? Enough is enough. With the euro and pound down, my family of 5 could have gone to Europe for the price of our summer 2015 Disney World vacation. Next year that's just what we're going to do.

I think the problem is customer service is not what you would expect from a Disney theme park I went for my first time in January and was horrified at the rudeness of other guest and litter on the ground I will pay the air fair and go back to Disneyland

I for one will not be returning. My AP is about to expire and they have priced me out. To me it felt like they are no longer want Florida residents. I also find the park closures at HS are not worth the day trip any more. I will wait to renew in a few years. I'm sad that it's come to this and loyal fans are being told to stay away. ( huge price increases)

I doubt that the current pricing is what Walt Disney envisioned. It is very hard to pay for the park prices, food etc. for the average american

One of the biggest problems is the massive ticket price increases over recent years. I first went to Disney World in 1988, since then prices have risen greatly and are pricing out many families. The cost of travelling from the UK to Disney is now beyond a lot of families that used to make the trip. I now live in the US and planned to bring my boys over this year but prices for flights, accommodation and tickets was beyond us. We will try again this year but reducing ticket prices would help greatly.

Could the noticeable decline in attendance be related to the alligator incident, or the Orlando shooting? Just a thought.

Disney's prices are too high for the average family. Ticket prices and hotels.

In addition to the economic issues of Brazil and the U.K., another reason may be this is the first year for flex pricing at Disney World. One day visitors may be staying away until the ticket prices drop. ALeo, recall that last October had unprecedented high attendance. It's possible that the early fall may now become the busy season as people who think they are avoiding crowds by taking a fall vacation find themselves in the middle of the new busy season.

Free on your birthday was 2009, not 2008.

I doubt the recent UK currency change has much to do with the low summer volume. I would bet that most guests book trips months in advance, to take advantage of the perks of pre registering, plus having the ability to pay over a long period of time. Now what i could see is many guests booking in advance, betting they'll get that bonus, or have extra savings available, and then canceling due to the current woes, but i doubt that would be a high volume.

I work at both universal and Disney and during the summer holidays(Memorial Day, July 4th) and just the weekends in general, walking through the parks on my way to work I couldn't help but stop and look around thinking, "Where is everybody?" "The line for _____ is only thirty minutes?" Etc etc. It's been really weird. I've been here since 2008 and never seen anything like it.

Discounts and special deals are always a good thing! - what I worry about is Disney and Universal sending staff home when the parks aren't packed, thereby making the lines just as long

Spoiler alert: There is no mystery. Execs at Disney went way too far with the latest price increases and long loyal fans had just had enough. After years of price increases far outpacing inflation, they finally got bit by the hands that fed them. Disney management, once the envy of many, has allowed unrestrained greed to cloud simple common sense. They need to go back to caring about their customers and not trying to suck every penny out of their pockets.

It would be nice if they offered some additional perks to DVC members it used to be you got a nice discount on tickets. If they offer free dining it would be nice to offer it to vacation club members.

The cost to go to Disney is not affordable for most. People don't have that kind of money. Lower price of everything you might get more people. For me to go to Disney 2016 cost me $3,000.00 that was before I left home plane ticket, Disney tickets, resort fee's at a low end resort. Not to mention the money I sent when I got there. This was just me, way to much money and families cannot afford this.

We have been trying to plan a trip to Disney for the past couple years but because of the US/Canadian dollar, it adds alot of $$ to our trip! We will see how the Canadian dollar makes out OR what specials are offered before booking another Disney trip

I think Disney has reached its "breaking point" with price increases and forced planning agenda. I think this is the result of their own arrogance.