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Disneyland Faces Possible Attendance Drop – What’s Behind the Decline?

Disney's Grand Californian Hotel Exterior
Credit: Disney

Disney hopes to avoid seeing its theme park attendance drop during an certain worldwide event.

A family of four, including two young children, interacts with Mickey Mouse in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland.

Credit: Disney

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Although the Disney theme parks are already filled with magic, they can become even more magical during holidays and special events. Some of the most popular times to visit both Disneyland and Walt Disney World are during the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s seasons, with millions pouring into the parks to celebrate.

On the other hand, there are certain times of the year when guests may opt to skip out on a Disney vacation entirely, whether it be due to the weather or the maintenance calendar.

It’s not every year that guests get to visit the Disney theme parks while the Olympic games are going on, something that could push guests away from the resort in 2028. However, Disney is reportedly hoping to find ways to keep attendance numbers strong.

Disneyland and the Summer Olympics

The bright, sunny weather enhances the vibrant colors of the scene as the castle towers in the background at this Disney Park.

Credit: Disney

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As reported in a story from The Orange County Register, Disneyland is looking to avoid making the same mistakes the Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris resorts made during their respective summer games in Japan and France.

Current Disneyland Resort president Ken Potrock has been given the keys to a new position, one that will focus on special games and events like the upcoming Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

Potrock will step down as president, and Disney Cruise Line executive Thomas Mzaloum will take over. According to the Hollywood Reporter, this suggests that Disney is looking at the upcoming 2028 Olympics as an opportunity to capitalize on rather than simply endure.

When the city of Los Angeles first hosted the Olympics in 1984, the Disneyland Resort struggled with attendance. The resort saw some of the smallest summertime crowds in its history, something executives and officials hope to avoid this time around.

A horse-drawn trolley travels down a bustling street in a theme park with a castle in the background. The street is lined with colorful buildings, and people are walking and enjoying the scenery. Two people are riding on the trolley, which has festive decorations.

Credit: Disneyland Paris

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During the 2024 Summer Olympics, Disneyland Paris was reportedly ” deserted” and empty, as tourists and locals focused their attention on the sporting event.

Disney CEO Bob Iger even acknowledged a “slowdown” in the resort’s overall attendance in an earnings call: “Disneyland Paris has obviously felt some challenge due to the Olympics. It’s not a surprise, but something that happens, and the good news is the Olympics are over in a couple of weeks.”

Tokyo Disneyland faced similar issues during the 2020 Tokyo Games.

By 2028, both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts will look and feel quite different, with several large-scale projects and expansions in the works.

Last year, Disney pledged $60 billion toward its theme parks, a sum the company will invest over the next decade.

Disneyland is expected to open its own version of Pandora – The World of Avatar within the next several years. Alongside this new area, Disneyland is also expected to begin working on its Disneyland Forward project, which has been in the pipeline for quite some time.

Will you be visiting Disneyland in 2028?

About Luke Dammann

When at Disney world, Luke will probably be found eating with his favorite animatronic, Sonny Eclipse at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe. When not at Disney World, Luke will probably be found defending Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe to people who claim "there are better restaurants"

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