We went to Disney for the weekend.
I can’t write exactly why we went there.Let’s just say Disney never was my The idea of the happiest place on earth, and although Halloween was never my favorite holiday, I told a story earlier about being held at gunpoint for candy while living in Reno (actually (It’s a story, not a country music song) – I was so happy to go to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s not-so-scary Halloween party.
Also, my wife Toni and I were especially excited to see one of the characters in the “Boo to You” parade.
Unfortunately we weren’t alone.
What happened to that Disney boycott?
So the main reason I’ve been the Disney villain in my family is that I don’t like crowds and lines. skillfully and excitedly navigating.
More Mark Woods:
Many times they said something like “this ride was only 45 minutes”. This led me to suggest that if you walk into a restaurant and are waited 45 minutes to be served a table, a place where you have been sitting at a table for hours, you are more likely to move on. did. Is it good news to ride for 3 minutes waiting?
I know comments like that only confirm that I’m a Disney villain.
So I was hoping there would be no crowds this time. This is partly due to Disney selling limited tickets for the night’s Halloween event and partly due to Disney’s boycott.
Disney in the middle of the culture wars of 2022
You may recall what happened earlier this year. Just got some news.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek after the state passed HB 1557, known as the “Parents’ Rights in Education” Act (which critics called the “Don’t Say Gay” Act) made several statements in opposition to the bill.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and state legislators responded by essentially revoking the 1967 deal that allowed Disney to self-govern the 25,000-acre Orlando complex. (Florida has more than 1,800 wards, most of which are unaffected.)
Florida Senator Rick Scott was among the politicians in attendance, canceling his subscription to Disney+ Channel and saying he would not return to Disney World.
As Disney World continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary, picketers gather near one entrance, and the co-founder of Moms for Liberty calls for a boycott.
Fox News produced an article titled “Woke Disney” detailing their take on “10 Families Who Swear on Disney”. And the governor’s press secretary shared a letter from a parent somewhere in the Midwest who said he would never return to Disney World, which has become the world’s most-visited theme park since it opened in 1972.
With that thought in mind, I headed to Orlando looking forward to “After all, it’s a small Disney World.” I imagined driving on Orlando’s interstate — for the first time in history, not stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic! , walked into the park and saw a wait time sign that said “0 minutes”.
It didn’t turn out like that.
On my way there, I got caught in a traffic jam. When I got to the parking lot, there were already hundreds of cars lined up. We parked next to another of Duvall’s and saw other license plates across the country, including the Midwest.
The Halloween party that night sold out much like any other month (tickets start at $109 plus tax). And while international visitors (typically about 20% of all visitors) are below normal, Disney’s daily attendance is back at levels close to pre-pandemic levels.
And my income has increased.
Aren’t you going to pay?
It turns out that despite the boycott efforts, many people are still happy to spend their money at Disney.
Disney parks earn $7 billion in the quarter
The Orlando Sentinel recently reported that the dispute with the governor appears to have had little impact on Disney’s bottom line. In the third quarter, Disney’s Parks, Experiences and Products division generated nearly $7.4 billion in revenue. At a glance, this is about five times the city of Jacksonville’s annual budget. in one quarter.
And if my experience is any indication, the fourth quarter is going to be crazy. The night I was there, not only were the tickets sold out, but the place quickly took on a ‘Black Friday at Walmart’ vibe when the gift shop started selling Halloween-themed merchandise at 7pm. People seemed to get what they could.
I’m not complaining about the crowds or the cost, but I would rather have Disney empty than full of families in Halloween costumes.
I’ve always preferred national parks to theme parks, but I’ve come to realize how happy Disney makes my wife and daughter, who are now in their junior years at the University of Central Florida.
Knowing I didn’t like dressing up for Halloween, Toni came up with a compromise.
And watching the parade and finding a particular character and seeing that character kissing us made me say things I wouldn’t normally say. .
mwoods@jacksonville.com
(904) 359-4212
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