"It is a really tough summer," said Steven Goodwin, CEO of the $400 million Hard Rock Park, which licenses the brand name from the restaurant chain. "We're seeing people cutting their vacations from seven days to five days to three days, spending less money."

The park, doesn't release its attendance numbers, but experts say the slumping economy and cautious consumer spending habits are taking a toll on traffic at Hard Rock and other theme parks around the country this summer.

Experts now say that Hard Rock Park's original expectations of 3 million visitors a year were too high.

If there is a glimmer of hope for the park though, it is that when people actually do go through the park’s front gates, they’re spending money.

Critics say that the park was too narrow in its marketing scope, primarily trying to use free media coverage to get the word out about the park.

Park officials are rethinking their marketing strategy and looking at other ways to market the park.

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