Attendance down this year?

[Brian247028]

We went to EAA today and compared to last year there appears to be less planes and less campers. Even passing Fond du lac airport there didn't seem to be as many planes. Anyone else notice this?

[Eric Page]

I'm here for the first time, but it did seem to me that there was plenty of open grass on the Homebuilt and Vintage areas. Don't know what represents "normal."

[Matt Gonitzke]

It definitely seemed like there were less people on Wednesday, although today seemed a bit more normal. It was very easy to take pictures of aircraft on the ground without people surrounding them, something I've not been able to do before. The restaurant we always eat at in the morning was not busy at all, which is very unusual.

[martymayes]

I hear the Chalet's didn't enjoy a very high level of occupancy either!!

Wonder who eats the loss on that?

[TheGreatFlight]

It certainly felt really busy today - not even the rainstorms seemed to drive the people away.

[Brian247028]

We left about 30 min before the rain hit. I felt sorry for those still there getting soaked.

[CarlOrton]

Interesting data point: earlier in the week, helicopter rides were $65. As we passed by on the bus this AM, I noticed they were now $49. My wife mentioned that the normally full waiting area was empty.

[BBARTONB]

I have been watching the web cams all week,and sure looks like there's not very many people there.Of course I'm use to the 80"s and 90's when it was shoulder to shoulder every where on the grounds.Look's like those day's are long gone.

[mtijim18]

I was there Sunday to Wednesday and the the attendance was definitely down. This is what happens when organizations let surrounding pricing get nuts.
$ 300 rooms 25 miles ( sign on back of the room door says $ 69 ) away and $ 1000 weekly car rentals. EAA should bring all the local business people together and inform them they are helping to kill the golden goose. From what I hear EAA is also being a little greedy with their vendors also. I saw many empty spaces in the vendor hangers also. They did this same thing in St. Louis a decade ago and took the Fair de St Louis from hundreds of thousands in attendance to tens of thousands. It never recovered from that loss. While Rod is clean sweeping the bloated EAA staff he might think about controlling costs of attending the show before there is further damage. I have been in the travel industry for 30 years and have seen this senario before and it doesn't end well. I am sure EAA will report the attendance is up again this year but all who went know better.

[Inspector Fenwick]

I was wondering, and I am not sure about what I am about to say.....but this year it seemed that there was no "A List" entertainment at the Theatre in the Woods. Forgive me if I am wrong, but where was Lt Dan Band, Jeff Dunham, etc.....I saw a poster of some guy who looked liked Johnny Depp, and I was asking myself, "who is this guy"???

I am concerned mainly because of the issue of continuity. Passing aviation down to the next generation. Airventure plays a major part in that. I realize that the staging of Airventure is a gargantuan task, and you can't please everyone. Can't control rain or heat. Also, we must remember that the economy is still pretty bad.

I (sort of) resent the never ending trail of vendor golf carts (usually with one seat occupied by a high maintenance "spokes-model" in platform shoes) and wonder if this is aviation. One vendor (a camera outfit) had their "crew" dressed up like hip hop performers, and I wondered, again, "is this aviation?".

At least Jerry the One Man Band was still there. Oh, and thanks for arranging the Curtis Commando....now THAT is aviation.