Why No Broadway Type Theater at WDW

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fosse76

Well-Known Member
wickedsoccer22 said:
It'd be awesome to have a Broadway style show on property. I'd vote for Beauty and the Beast since it is off Broadway, and take away the show at Hollywood Studios. If they would do a non-Disney show, I'd vote for Wicked! Family friendly and an amazing show.
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Disney would never get Wicked...it's produced by Universal.
 
Buried20KLeague

Buried20KLeague

Well-Known Member
You know, this has been discussed on this site before. Quite at length, if I recall. It's been a few years ago at least though.

The predominant thought at the time, if I recall, was to put a theatre near the front of MGM (now DHS). Maybe next to Indy? Maybe in place of Indy?

Anyway. You could have the theatre have two entrances. One from inside the park (for those guests going to the show after being in the park for the day), and one entrance directly from outside the park.

There are a few thoughts on this:

- For people using Disney transportation, it'd be a heck of a lot easier getting to DHS. More busses go to the parks than to DTD, and getting from anywhere on property to a park is often easier than getting to DTD. Unless they made some changes to the routes and such obviously, which is possible.

- Cut down on cannibalizing their own parks business because of the show by offering a "two-fer" ticket. If you buy a ticket to DHS for that day, the show ticket is 20 or 25% off. This would require the DHS ticket to be used THAT DAY. You could get inventive on how to work this into multi-day tickets as well... But require that day be used at DHS in order to get the discount on the show tickets.

- What better location to have a Broadway show than in a park that revolves around (or should, at least) Hollywood? You could easily throw in some shops and restaurants to support the theatre, and add revenue. Maybe add in a dinner package? Have a restaurant themed to Broadway and the history of broadway... Maybe have it themed to "backstage" of a show? Maybe even have it ACTUALLY backstage, with a glass wall showing what they're doing to get ready for the show (without spoiling the magic of course)? But have it directly connected to the theatre for ticket holders of the show for that night.

It could work. And I think it makes more sense to put into DHS than DTD. By far.
 
DVCOwner

DVCOwner

A Long Time DVC Member
Original Poster
Why I suggested DTD was that with PI all but closed, I think something needs to be done to add some nightlife to DTD. Also now that my youngest child is 24, I am always looking for thing to do in the evenings.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
It might be nice to have. I love the Disney shows (going to see Lion King again ... this time at Mandalay Bay ... soon). But it isn't even on long-range planning at TDO now.

I also think the folks at Cirque (who are having more trouble filling seats now) might have some issues with it. Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if there was something in their contract that dealt with any potential competition ....
 
kcnole

kcnole

Well-Known Member
There was discussion a few years back about adding a Broadway theatre outside then MGM Studios that would cost extra to see. Disney even did quite a few surveys to see how well the idea flew, as I remember the major discussion on the boards was that it was a bad idea. I still agree with it being there as a bad idea. However I'd like to see it at DTD but I agree that there's probably a no-compete clause with Cirque.
 
PaisleyMF

PaisleyMF

Active Member
My humble opinion is that Disney could and should get a theater with a revolving door for shows, Make ir more seasonal. Change a show every 4 months or so, And not just Disney shows, I do like the idea of Fantasia Live! (now it does sound like Bugs on Broadway)

On the other hand I would not like to Cirque leave Disney but maybe get a New show (All you need is LOVE).

Now and IF, can we get a building like the Walt Disney Amphitheater?

476499181iSEWaS_ph.jpg
 
raven

raven

Well-Known Member
DisneyInsider said:
It would also greatly affect ticket sales for the traveling productions.
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People are still going to go to NYC to see shows. No harn impact there to worry about.

DisneyJoe said:
I'm just envisioning the traffic and parking nightmare that would create.....
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Have you seen the parking on the other side of Cirque? It practically wraps around to Saratoga Springs.

PaisleyMF said:
My humble opinion is that Disney could and should get a theater with a revolving door for shows, Make ir more seasonal. Change a show every 4 months or so, And not just Disney shows, I do like the idea of Fantasia Live!
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Orlando is currently in the process of building it's first Performing Art center specifically designed to hold venues like this. They've picked up on the power of tourism. Disney could easily build one and keep people on property to counter act that effect. The problem would just be momey to build it in an already failing economy.
 
Bluewaves

Bluewaves

Well-Known Member
Ok the number 1 reason this will never happen, where does WDW draw a large portion of their guests from?? The New York Metro area, where of all things Broadway is located, hence no one from that area would pay to see something that they can in their own back yard as it wouldn't be all that special or interesting. Its just that simple, the reason Aladdin works in Disneyland is that fewer people there have access to a theater district with a great number and variety of shows so its something unique to them and it wouldn't be with an East Coast crowd.
 
unkadug

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Bluewaves said:
Ok the number 1 reason this will never happen, where does WDW draw a large portion of their guests from?? The New York Metro area, where of all things Broadway is located, hence no one from that area would pay to see something that they can in their own back yard as it wouldn't be all that special or interesting. Its just that simple, the reason Aladdin works in Disneyland is that fewer people there have access to a theater district with a great number and variety of shows so its something unique to them and it wouldn't be with an East Coast crowd.
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I think you overestimate the New York City metro area.

Just because you live on the East Coast does not mean that you have immediate access to Manhattan.
 
kcnole

kcnole

Well-Known Member
While Tokyo does have a broadway theater, its not a full fledged broadway show. If we're going to go that route we could say DCA has a broadway theater.
 
Kamikaze

Kamikaze

Well-Known Member
Bluewaves said:
Ok the number 1 reason this will never happen, where does WDW draw a large portion of their guests from?? The New York Metro area, where of all things Broadway is located, hence no one from that area would pay to see something that they can in their own back yard as it wouldn't be all that special or interesting. Its just that simple, the reason Aladdin works in Disneyland is that fewer people there have access to a theater district with a great number and variety of shows so its something unique to them and it wouldn't be with an East Coast crowd.
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97% of all statistics are made up on the spot.
 
Bluewaves

Bluewaves

Well-Known Member
Actually that was from the Travel Channel special on DCA, as to why they did a theater in DCA and haven't done one in the other US parks.

It was an experience most west coast guest had never had while most east coast guest's had access to that sort of experience.
 
F

fosse76

Well-Known Member
Bluewaves said:
Actually that was from the Travel Channel special on DCA, as to why they did a theater in DCA and haven't done one in the other US parks.

It was an experience most west coast guest had never had while most east coast guest's had access to that sort of experience.
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Perhaps it's because the eastern states are smaller (size-wise) so the populations are closer together...there is easier access to a city that hosts touring shows than say on the West coast...where there may be some distance.

The issue is it can be very costly. As Disney is a huge Company, they would have to house a union show...and due to the success of the show the union would demand Broadway salaries (current minimum is over $1550/week for ensemble). Then you have to hire union stagehands, who aren't cheap. New modern theaters today cost more than even the old vaudeville palaces from the beginning of the century...with their added upgrades and rennovations. But I have no doubts these costs would be offset by the show's attendance.

Since Disney is going to want to keep one show in the theater, it would have to mount a new production. Most large scale musicals on Broadway take 1 year to recoup their costs (Wicked, which occupies Broadway's largest theater, took ten months of sold-out performances to turn a profit). So any show that Disney would put their would have to run for a year. While they could definitely lease the theater to tours, it would be hard to market for long-term planners...especially if the theater is going to be dark for any length of time.

And another problem, and probably the biggest, is confusion of product. While no one with any sense would ever confuse Festival of the Lion King with The Lion King, many people may not realize the two shows are very different. No one goes to Disney World expecting to see the Broadway musical version, same if they produced The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast. Cirque du Soleil is such a distinct entity and event that people don't have much opportunity to see it elsewhere (and the show at Disney I believe is exclusive to Disney).

But the biggest problem is going to be pricing. Assuming you can overcome the confusion of product problem, people are already spending a lot of money to come to Disney World...and unlike theme park admissions, theater tickets aren't sold by age. So a family will have to shell out an additional $100.00 per ticket to see a show. I think many would opt to skip the show and wait for the tour to come to their town.
 

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