Disney park fails to gnaw at rivals' attendance
Tampa Bay Business Journal - by Nanette Woitas Holt Staff Writer
There had been much nail-biting over what the opening of Animal Kingdom would mean to Tampa Bay area tourism.
What would families with animal-crazed kids do when Walt Disney World rounded out its repertoire with the largest animal park of its kind in the world?
Would they tack extra days to their Orlando stays, foregoing previously popular side trips to Tampa's Busch Gardens or Lowry Park Zoo?
But so far, Tampa Bay animal attractions claim they haven't suffered losses since the opening of Disney's newest attraction.
What's more, they say it appears they're benefiting from it.
Busch Gardens pioneered the free-roaming animal concept that has won raves for Animal Kingdom. So the 39-year-old Tampa park eyed Disney's arrival into the zoo scene with all the glee of a hyena backing down to a lion at the dinner table.
Busch Gardens braced for "a softening of attendance, but not to any great extent,'' said spokeswoman Lisa Lauf. Park officials say they'll know more by July or August.
"We've been over budget, very healthy every day since they opened,'' said Thom Stork, vice president of marketing. He declined to discuss attendance specifics.
"There's no indication there's any negative impact," Stork said. "I think it shows people aren't changing vacation plans because the park opened.
"Usually when a new park has opened, there has been some impact on attendance," he said.
He expects Busch Gardens will feel twinges later, as Animal Kingdom attracts visitors who may have previously chosen a trip to Tampa.
"But the positive side of that is when a new park opens there are more visitors coming to Florida and that's good for everybody," Stork said.
Lowry Park Zoo officials say they hardly feel threatened by Animal Kingdom.
"We're hoping it refocuses attention on animals in general,'' spokeswoman Deborah Carr said. Up to now, most Lowry Park Zoo visitors have been locals, she said.
Zoo officials even dare to hope Disney will draw more animal lovers to the state, and perhaps into their clutches for a day at their smaller, more intimate park.
They too say they're ahead of attendance projections despite a disappointing start to the fiscal year. Both Busch Gardens and the zoo blame early attendance slumps on El Nino rains.
While some folks are relieved Tampa Bay tourism hasn't suffered yet another blow from Orlando's mighty mouse, others are anything but shocked.
"I would be surprised if Animal Kingdom has done anything right now but help the others,'' said Tim O'Brien, Southeast editor for Amusement Business magazine.
Because anxious Animal Kingdom patrons have packed the park since it opened April 22, thousands of other would-be visitors have been turned away. On the park's first day, gates closed to anyone not holding a ticket or a multi-park pass even before the official planned opening time.
Disney officials wouldn't confirm whether hopeful visitors have been turned away on subsequent days. But industry watchers say they have.
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