Zagat survey on Disney

[c&d]

From the Orlando Sentinel, April 25

"Rating your favorites at Disney
Zagat Survey publishes its first guidebook all about Disney World.

Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted April 25, 2007

Mickey Mouse is the favorite costumed character, Soarin' the most popular attraction and Victoria & Albert's the home of the best food at Walt Disney World, say frequent visitors.

In a first of its kind, Zagat Survey has polled customers to rate everything at Disney World -- characters, rides, shows, restaurants, taverns, stores, hotels and special experiences -- for a new guidebook.

Zagat Walt Disney World Insider's Guide, published today, is the latest among dozens of guidebooks about Walt Disney World, but may be the first to base ratings on the opinions of thousands of frequent customers.

Zagat surveyed 4,841 people by computer between Nov. 16 and Dec. 3. The average participant had been to Disney World 36 times. And 58 percent possessed annual or season passes.

"We wanted people who are really interested in going to Disney World," said Zagat Survey spokesman Michael Mahle. "They're savvy."

Zagat asked them to rate each Disney World location using a one-to-30 points scale, similar to what the research company has used on restaurants for decades. Zagat also asked each person how often they had been to each location, to determine what was most "popular." In some categories, Zagat also asked them to name their "favorites."

Started as a restaurant review outfit in New York City in 1979, Zagat has become an internationally influential consumer ratings company now rating everything from hotels to entertainment. The Disney effort is the first time Zagat ever produced an entire survey and guidebook on just one business, Mahle said.

Disney World did not participate, but officials apparently are not displeased.

"It's a recognition of how much interest there is in Walt Disney World," spokesman Dave Herbst said. "We're always delighted when people are interested in us, particularly when they say nice things."

Among the findings:

Favorite park: Magic Kingdom was picked by 48 percent of participants, followed by Epcot (36 percent) and Disney-MGM Studios (9 percent.)

Favorite costumed character: Mickey Mouse (37 percent) followed by Goofy (11 percent) and Donald Duck (6 percent.)

Most popular attraction: Soarin' at Epcot, followed by Rock 'n' Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror, both at Disney-MGM Studios.

Though not as popular as Soarin', Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom got the highest average rating (29 points) from adults, and the Wishes Spectacular fireworks show at Magic Kingdom got the highest from children (29 points).

Most popular dinner show: Hoop-Dee-Doo, at Fort Wilderness Resort.

Most popular shopping: World of Disney at Downtown Disney.

Most popular nightlife: Adventurers Club at Downtown Disney.

Most popular restaurant: California Grill at the Contemporary Resort.

Yet Victoria & Albert's at the Grand Floridian Resort got the highest ratings for food, decor and service (27 points for each.)

The only restaurants not in hotel districts that made Disney's top 10 for food ratings were the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain & Chocolate Shop (ranked ninth) at Downtown Disney, and the Boulangerie Patisserie pastry shop (10th) in Epcot."

[Ian]

Huh ... that's kinda cool ... I actually was asked to participate in this survey. I wondered if I'd ever get to see the results.

Looks like I was along with the norm most times ... I picked MK as my favorite park, Mickey as my favorite costumed character, Soarin' as my favorite attraction, and Cali Grill as my favorite restaurant (even though we almost never eat there ).

I'm so mainstream ....

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

I participated as well. It took a long time! Aren't we supposed to get a copy of the guide?

[JWDisneyFan]

I participated in this too and yes, if you participated, you will supposedly receiving a copy of it. It will be fun to see all the results. I did get an email probably about 2 months ago thanking me once again for participating in the survey. I think it did mention (to the best of my recollection) that we would receive copies once it was published.

[dlpmikki]

I participated too - hey I wonder what percentage of participants were from Intercot!

[rsumrall]

This sounds like a very interesting guide book. I'll have to go to Books-A-Million and scan it over a cup of Joe.

[Ian]

Huh ... that's right they did promise us a copy. Wonder when it will arrive?

I got the email thank you, too, but that was the last I heard from them.

[Crow]

i was reading about this. and the person who listed it in their column was suprised at results....no dark rides among fav attractions, both Boma & Jiko in the top 10

[larrybob]

It says the average participant in the survey had been to WDW 36 times ... I wonder if that means 36 different trips or 36 different days. If it's different trips, that seems like a pretty high average to me.

[Tigerlilly]

Hi, I participated in this too. I remember being asked how many TRIPS I had taken, not how many days. I could not have told them days.

You have to consider people who live in florida who go all the time would drive that number WAY up. We were standing in line for for the Animation tour in 2003 and my husband started Pin trading with a 7 year old girl. She told us that this was her 37th trip to Disney!! Can you imagine at 7? And they were flying from the midwest! 5 times a year!! She was an old hat at the place. She said she had only brought 2 lanyards and had many more at home.

What a pro!

[DizNee143]

wow that seem pretty cool...so exactly what kind of book is this gonna be?? jut tell people all about disney or kinda like a guide book? i wonder when it will be coming out!...

[Doug The Disney Man`]

I love that Zagat did this book and can't wait to see it. I was surprised by a few things, though.

First, that Epcot was so far ahead of MGM for 2nd fave park. I knew MK would be first, but I thought MGM would be higher than 9%. To add to that, I was surprised that basically none of the Epcot restaurants made the top ten(especially considering the numbers for Epcot in that fave park category)! My personal top ten is almost entirely Epcot: 9 Dragons, Garden Grill, San Angel, Coral Reef, Le Cellier. We get Park Hopper just so we can go eat at Epcot! LOL.

I'm not surprised that RNRC and ToT were among the top rides, but I was surprised, as other posts have said, that no classics cracked the top few slots. Maybe we're just so used to Pirates and small world that we forget about them when asked.

Still very cool!

[Red Randal]

Very interesting. I'll have to pick up a copy if I see one.

I wonder, how did they find you guys to participate in it? Just a random phone sample to find people who had been to Disney over a certain number of times?

I also wonder how much they broke down the information, because some of it could be misleading. For instance, Tower of Terror is one of my favorite rides but I've been on it way less than TTA, simply because there is never any line for TTA. That should not mean that TTA is "more popular" than ToT.

Similarly, I'm sure far more people eat at Old Port Royale's food court than most other hotel quick service spots. That doesn't mean it's more popular, it's just because more people stay there.

Then again, I took one class in polling (political polling at that) and Zagat is known the world over for this kind of stuff, so I'm sure they know what they're doing. I'm just curious as to where they get their numbers.

[jedigrrrl]

I wish I was part of the survey!! How'd you all get involved?

[Tigerlilly]

Ha! I do not even remember!!

[tinksmom02]

I actually picked up this book when I was at Barnes and Noble yesterday LOL I scanned through it quickly (DD was with me) and put it back down. Ha! I'd never heard anyone here mention it, so I figured it couldn't be very good. Little did I know it was brand spankin' new!

It's the same size as their regualar issues--long and slender. Not too thick. Nothing really jumped out at me while I was looking at it (and I really did only give it a quick glance), but I thought the print was pretty small.

[cgriff]

"Zagat also asked each person how often they had been to each location, to determine what was most "popular."

If this article is correct, then Zagat's popularity ratings were exclusively decided by the number of times a location was visited. It is natural then that MK would be the "most popular", followed by Epcot, then MGM, and then AK, because this was the order in which the parks opened! AK has certainly seen the fewest visitors, and MK certainly the most. Is that the true measure of popularity though?

cgriff

[EpcotNut]

Cool - I actually participated and I actually received an email a couple of months ago confirming my address so they could send my free copy for participating. I was wondering when this would finally come out. Can't wait!

[MinnieMommie]

This is cool! I can't wait to read it. Sounds like a fun read.

[magicofdisney]

A few months back, when I entered MK, I was asked to take part in a survey about the park. It was just left of Guest Relations. It doesn't sound like that was the same thing as this. How did you guys become part of this survey?