Perceptions of Walt Disney World: Antecedents to Return Visits

Walt Disney World is an extremely popular tourist destination that attracts millions of visitors each year. Scholars have researched Walt Disney World and there are many different written articles on the subject, however there are very few that delve deep enough into the subject to generate quantitative data about visitors rather than only opinions about the parks. Due to its popularity and prominence in America, it is important to determine which demographic segment prefers to visit Walt Disney World. This can be used for both the parks themselves as a marketing tool, and consumers as well by knowing when the best age to visit the parks will be. This thesis will determine which age group, if any, prefers Walt Disney World over others. To generate an affirmative conclusion, an extensive literature review was conducted and a survey was distributed. The results of the survey show that there is not a positive correlation between age and preference of the Walt Disney World parks, however there is a correlation between gender and preference. This study is one of the first quantitative studies to be available to the public in respect to the parks, which significantly assists future researchers in determining demographic information and satisfaction concerning Walt Disney World