There's a nice article out today showing that Disneyland and all of the WDW parks have posted decent attendance gains in 2005, while attendance at Universal Studios in both CA and FL has shrunk. The article attributes the success to DLR's 50th anniversary marketing campaign (which includes VMK), so this should come as encouraging news.

Click here (http://www.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/DESTINATIONS/12/26/theme.park.attendance.ap/index.html) to read the full article at CNN.

Yeah! This means that the chances of vmk staying are up!

Woot! That's great news to hear. Thanks for posting the article, Genie. Maybe since the attendance in parks is up, they will make more things availible some other way besides going to the parks? :xmas17: CL_MsFantasyGal

You know what, I think the DisneyLand went up alot too besides 50th anniversary is because of Space Mountain is now OPEN

Oh, this is hot news. ;) It's been stirring the pot at many Disneyland message boards around the net for a while now.

Disney really hit a homerun with their "Happiest Homecoming" ads and Disneyland's beautification campaign really has brought in the people. Finally people in Disney management have figured out that it was the beautiful surroundings, the stories, and the little things which bring people to Disneyland. It's not merchandise events, ODV carts, and shoehorned entertainment (*cough* DCA's X-Games *cough*) which brings people to the parks. It's the magic!

Shrunken attendance in Universal? YES! That's excellent, as I'm planning to go in January. :)

The 50th really sparked off this mass crowd. When I went in may, everything was packed to the limit.

1. Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Florida, 16.1 million, +6.5 percent

Source: Amusement Business and Economics Research Associates; AP

It's Great to see Magic Kingdom park remaining number 1 for both the Nation's and the World's top park!...

Thats great for Disney. I hear from some people that DLR and WDW are getting so crowded that they have to close the gates before closing. *yikes!*

Hip Hip Horray for DLR.

When we were at Disneyland a couple weeks ago Disneyland reached capacity and they did have to close the park down on a Saturday afternoon. I was surprised they didn't shut it down the Friday night before. The streets were so crowded nobody could move, it was very scary. And the cast was like deer in the headlights as to what to do with so many people. I do believe that the Happiest Celebration has been so successful! I know that is why I chose to go back to California this year, I did not want to miss the new fireworks, and the castle in all its glory. Space Mountain was also well worth the trip.
Everyone here at WDW are working all the hours and more that we can get. I've seen Guest Relations on their last nerve they are so tired. The parks are so busy. The Magic Kingdom is always crowded, somedays just a little less than others. But I am looking forward to after the holidays when things get a little more back to normal.

I saw this too MrGenie. I was not surprised to see Disney take up the top 5 spots. What is also interesting is that Walt Disney World has only used up 1/3 of its land meaning that in just in WDW there is still 2/3 of land left to build new attractions/resorts/recreation features and what not. Disney is a growing and developing company that I don't expect to see ever really come to a stop. I wonder how these statistics will change in the next year. Hmm...