Disney's new Japan theme park hosts 10 million visitors in shortest time (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020708/ap_wo_en_bu/japan_disney_1)- AP, 7/7/02

QuikQuote: Walt Disney Co.'s newest amusement park in Japan welcomed its ten-millionth visitor since opening last year — reaching the milestone in the shortest time recorded so far, a spokeswoman said Monday. The new mark came Sunday, 307 days after the DisneySea amusement park's Sept. 4 opening, said Oriental Land Co. spokeswoman Marie Iwamoto.

Maybe this will get a fire going under the Disney execs to improve DCA and get some more E ticket rides in @ DL!

Has DCA hit 10M yet? They opened in March (or was it April?) last year...

Originally posted by Andrew
Has DCA hit 10M yet? They opened in March (or was it April?) last year...
February.

According to this article (http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/news/stories/012102_02.shtml), DCA drew 5 million guests in its first year. Based on that figure, it is highly doubtful that DCA has broken the 10 million guest mark.

This seems very suspect to me. Tokyo DisneySea had at least 10 times the number of people in it on an average Tuesday than I've seen at DCA on a holiday weekend. Indiana Jones had a 5-hour wait in the rain, for pete's sake!

This is an Epcot-size park. People CAMPED OUT for tickets 2 hours before opening... on a TUESDAY! It was filled to capacity by noon, and admissions were cut-off!

If TDS took in its 10,000,000th guest in 300 some odd days, I'd venture DCA will hit that number about 5 years from now.

Any OLC marketing wizards available to come over and show ME and the Mouseketeers how the theme park business is supposed to work? How vision mixed with a little risk is sometimes necessary to hit a home run as supposed to drawing a walk or bunting someone along .........

I read your trip report, Kuzco, and know that you dealt with huge crowds. But I was there just last week and the only line that approached a half an hour was the Magic Lamp Theater. Most rides were walk-ons all day, including Journey and 20,000 Leagues. We showed up at opening time and walked right through the turnstile. I'm not saying it wasn't crazy busy when you were there, but just that the newness has apparently worn off. Don't think that what you saw will be the norm forever!

Iceman, I think you were lucky that you came during a very slow time during the week and year. Most children are in school taking examinations at this time of year. Many adults are not able take a day off because most usually take summer breaks in August.The newness hasn't necessarily worn off, it is just the calm before the storm....of crowds when vacation begins in late July. Did you visit on a weekend?

JoeInJpn
http://www.jtcent.com

When I went the place had only been open a month...

Still... bigger crowds than were ever at DCA. Bigger crowds than I've ever seen in Disneyland.

We visited on both weekend and weekday days, Joe. I know this is the off-season, rainy season and all that. But I still expected the crowds to be much worse. Heck, on my last visit in October 1996 there were more people at TDL than I saw at either park this time.

I'm not trying to imply that the place was empty. There were plenty of people around, but it was no where near the mob scene craziness I expected from reading trip reports at this site.

Iceman-I would be VERY happy if I was you with that kind of moderate attendance.

Or are you intentionally trying to mimick some of the "I have not been to the TDR and I NEVER will go because Tokyo is four billion miles from me and costs eighteen trillion dollars to go and thus I am bitter and jealous beyond words that we never got TDS in OUR parking lot and so I will put down the Tokyo parks at every opportunity" people on Laughing Place?

;) ;) ;)

In all fairness, I must point out that TDL is the most popular theme park in the world, pulling in more visitors than Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom. Even if DCA were popular, I wouldn't expect it to outperform TDS.

Brad: I don't think Iceman is trying to be negative about the attendance situation - he is merely reporting what he saw.

I think there is a belief here in the USA that the throngs are pouring into TDS because it is such a great park and the truth is that it still is the "2nd gate" at TDR and TDL is still the worldwide leader in attendance of all Disney-brand parks.

Look at WDW - regardless of how new or interesting the other parks are Magic Kingdom almost draws as many guests as the other 3 parks combined every year .........

Hi there. I was not implying that Iceman was wrong. I have been at the park on days where I didn't even need a FastPass, Priority Seating, or have to wait hours before a show started. I do take exception to the comment that the "newness" has worn off though. Like I said before, Iceman was very fortunate he came at the time he did. I wish everyone could experience that park like that. :)

JoeInJpn
http://www.jtcent.com