"What's Next" Presentation cancelled.....

[celluloid]

I don't believe he ever even really 'joined' He is just sort of on his own planet. I guess he is in fact the one Disney is Punk-ing. They got him fooled and gullible good.

 

[marni1971]

I am sure they were hoping Disney would reveal more than they did. Just enough info to keep Uni guessing. I really think that much of the pressure generated in places like this to intimadate Disney into showing its cards comes from Universal management types. The mouse never steps into that trap.

Wow. You really believe that?

That's why they officially announced Potter 2 this weekend, right? With a huge distracting hoopla?

Comcast knows - rightly smugly - they need do nothing. The tower cranes off of I Drive are doing all the PR they need.

 

[danlb_2000]

Wow. You really believe that?

That's why they officially announced Potter 2 this weekend, right? With a huge distracting hoopla?

Comcast knows - rightly smugly - they need do nothing. The tower cranes off of I Drive are doing all the PR they need.

When is this happening?

 

[marni1971]

When is this happening?

When they're ready. Not before.

 

[GoofGoof]

Also perhaps Lee or '74 can answer this... Do you think Aulani was made more to sell DVC timeshares or to actually be profitable on its own. Obviously they want to make money there but do you believe it was deeply rooted in DVC? I just came to that thought while reading the Staggs article.

It was defiitely built to make money. By selling half the units through DVC they can recoup more than half the cost to build the resort up front by selling the points. The other portion of the costs will be covered by cash guests at the hotel. It was not built to provide alternative locations for DVC owners (although that is an ancillary benefit). One of the biggest problems with the project was the major economic problems in Japan after the tsunami/earthquake/meltdown. Japanese tourists are one of the largest components of the Hawaian tourism industry. When they proposed building in HI they built a DVC sales center in Japan. Japanese sales have not been what they expected so the units were not selling as well as projected. Seems like things might be turning around since they are expanding and building more rooms.

 

[danlb_2000]

When they're ready. Not before.

Ah, I got you, I though you really meant they were announcing it this weekend.

 

[Darth Sidious]

It was defiitely built to make money. By selling half the units through DVC they can recoup more than half the cost to build the resort up front by selling the points. The other portion of the costs will be covered by cash guests at the hotel. It was not built to provide alternative locations for DVC owners (although that is an ancillary benefit). One of the biggest problems with the project was the major economic problems in Japan after the tsunami/earthquake/meltdown. Japanese tourists are one of the largest components of the Hawaian tourism industry. When they proposed building in HI they built a DVC sales center in Japan. Japanese sales have not been what they expected so the units were not selling as well as projected. Seems like things might be turning around since they are expanding and building more rooms.

Yes but my question was not if they wanted money or an option for their DVC members. Rather I think it was to lure potential members into DVC and then to boot they'd make money. I'm wondering if it was done to increase DVC first and make money after.

 

[danv3]

They should have just cancelled the whole event. Based on past history, I had low expectations, and this even managed to fall below even TDO's minimal standards.

 

[GoofGoof]

Yes but my question was not if they wanted money or an option for their DVC members. Rather I think it was to lure potential members into DVC and then to boot they'd make money. I'm wondering if it was done to increase DVC first and make money after.

I get the impression that Aulani DVC was not intended for the FL DVC crowd. They focused heavily on selling in Japan and CA. There are probably some current FL DVC members who would be interested in adding on points in HI, but that isn't the focus. In the end they built the resort to make money first. Selling the DVC points is a huge money maker. I couldn't find solid numbers online for the total number of points available, but it's estimated to be around 9 to 10 million points. Assuming the average sales price is around $125 a point (started lower, but up to $135 now) they would make around $1.2B selling all of the points. The budget to build was $850M but may have ballooned to closer to $1B. Since DVC rooms make up about half of the resort you can estimate about $400 to $500M of the cost allocated to DVC. Selling $1.2B worth of points with a cost of $500M gives you a profit of $700M before backing out selling costs. Pretty profitable IF you actually sell all of the points. That may take 5+ years at the rate they are going. Until the points are sold the DVC rooms will be rented out to cash customers.

 

[Darth Sidious]

I get the impression that Aulani DVC was not intended for the FL DVC crowd. They focused heavily on selling in Japan and CA. There are probably some current FL DVC members who would be interested in adding on points in HI, but that isn't the focus. In the end they built the resort to make money first. Selling the DVC points is a huge money maker. I couldn't find solid numbers online for the total number of points available, but it's estimated to be around 9 to 10 million points. Assuming the average sales price is around $125 a point (started lower, but up to $135 now) they would make around $1.2B selling all of the points. The budget to build was $850M but may have ballooned to closer to $1B. Since DVC rooms make up about half of the resort you can estimate about $400 to $500M of the cost allocated to DVC. Selling $1.2B worth of points with a cost of $500M gives you a profit of $700M before backing out selling costs. Pretty profitable IF you actually sell all of the points. That may take 5+ years at the rate they are going. Until the points are sold the DVC rooms will be rented out to cash customers.

Yeah I didn't think it was FL DVC but rather a way to expand membership. Companies love consistent revenue so it would make sense to build a resort that lures in more DVC members as well as providing traditional resort revenues.

 

[GoofGoof]

Yeah I didn't think it was FL DVC but rather a way to expand membership. Companies love consistent revenue so it would make sense to build a resort that lures in more DVC members as well as providing traditional resort revenues.

You are right. They have definitely been looking to expand outside the parks. There are a few villas at DL now (i think somewhere between 50 and 100 depending on if they are used as a 2 bedroom or broken into a 1 BR and a studio) and the properties in Vero Beach and Hilton Head. There were proposed projects in Times Square NYC and Newport Beach CA that were cancelled years ago and a more recent potential project in MD outside of DC that never materialized. The success or failure of Aulani will probably factor into how much they expand beyond the parks. I am surprised they have not built somewhere in the Caribbean. They could even tie it in with the cruise ships.

 

[flynnibus]

The only people punked are the posters here who STILL take the bait and jump into the troll vortex

 

[doctornick]

I too am disappointed that nothing new was announced. I'd just like to know something is on its way, whether that is selfish or not. I can understand why now though may not be the "best" time to announce this project or that project.

The facts are WDW attendance is down by their own admittance. They want people to plan trips now for what is opened now. That is where the focus was and the focus on media coverage is. If they suddenly announced Cars land or detailed Avatar plans or anything else of similar caliber, then certainly media focus could be that and not on the new reasons they have for people to visit now (whether or not you personally feel what opened to be a reason to visit).

That's fair. I'd settle for something going unannounced but for walls and cranes to be on site with building.

 

[RSoxNo1]

So to review what happened at the "What's Next" presentation that was retitled to "Around The World";

1. They reviewed everything that has just opened this week in New Fantasyland
2. They showed some additional concept art for Seven Dwarves Mine Train opening in 2014
3. They briefly mentioned Avatarland and showed a very vague photo of a very vague model of green Styrofoam. No opening date was mentioned.
4. They summarized the other minor projects happening at WDW, the biggest of which was the new Splitsville bowling alley at Downtown Disney

No announcement of Cars Land coming to WDW was made at all, and no new parades, attractions or major entertainment were announced for any of the other WDW parks. Now gather your personal belongings and please exit to your left.

That was it, right?

Is the concept art shown anywhere?

 

[lebeau]

Because as of now there's absolutely nothing else on the horizon for WDW.

That is nonsense! You must be a malcontent. There is a Starbucks coming to Main Street. And um... DCA is doing great!

 

[lebeau]

For me personally, I have zero emotional connection to the Simpsons (I don't even think its funny, I honestly think they started mailing it in like a decade ago) while batb is engrained in my childhood. Do people really have a strong emotional attachment to the Simpsons? I just think it's a very odd choice for a theme park land.

This post explains a great many things.

 

[lebeau]

I am sure they were hoping Disney would reveal more than they did. Just enough info to keep Uni guessing. I really think that much of the pressure generated in places like this to intimadate Disney into showing its cards comes from Universal management types. The mouse never steps into that trap.

Yes, it was brilliant how Disney didn't announce anything. Now Universal has fallen into their trap!

Now the mouse's plan enters its brilliant second phase of not building anything. Haha! Take that Universal!

 

[ParentsOf4]

WDW does have things coming, just no longer of the scale and frequency of what it used to accomplish in the past:
- 1971 - MK opens
- 1973 - Carousel of Progress
- 1973 - Tom Sawyer Island
- 1973 - Pirates of the Caribbean
- 1974 - Astro Orbiter
- 1974 - Discovery Island opens
- 1975 - Space Mountain
- 1975 - Mission to Mars
- 1976 - River Country opens
- 1979 - Epcot construction begins
- 1980 - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- 1982 - Epcot opens
- 1983 - Horizons
- 1983 - Journey Into Imagination
- 1984 - Morocco Pavillion
- 1986 - Living Seas
- 1986 - Captain EO
- 1986 - Disney-MGM Studios construction begins
- 1988 - Mickey's Toontown Fair (opened as Mickey's Birthdayland)
- 1988 - Norway Pavillion
- 1988 - Illuminations
- 1989 - Disney-MGM Studios opens
- 1989 - Typhoon Lagoon opens
- 1989 - Pleasure Island opens
- 1990 - Honey I Shrunk the Movie Set
- 1991 - Muppets Vision 3D
- 1992 - Splash Mountain
- 1992 - Voyage of the Little Mermaid
- 1994 - Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
- 1994 - The Timekeeper
- 1994 - Tower Of Terror
- 1995 - Blizzard Beach opens
- 1995 - WDW Speedway
- 1996 - Barnstormer at Goofy’s Wiseacre Farm
- 1996 - Fantasia Gardens Miniature Golf
- 1997 - Downdown Disney is reopened in its current configuration
- 1997 - Wide World of Sports
- 1998 - Disney's Animal Kingdom opens
- 1998 - Buzz's Spaceranger Spin
- 1998 - Test Track
- 1998 - DisneyQuest opens
- 1999 - Winnie the Pooh
- 1999 - Rock n Roller Coaster
- 1999 - Winter Summerland miniature golf
- 1999 - Kali River Rapids, Flights of Wonder, & Maharajah Jungle Trek
- 2001 - One Man's Dream
- 2001 - Who Wants to be a Millionaire
- 2001 - Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- 2001 - Playhouse Disney

This is not the complete list, only the highlights.

The point is that those of us who grew old with WDW remember a steady stream of real additions during it's first 30 years. We also remember a real commitment to quality and value.

So when TDO takes 5+ years to build a "New" Fantasyland, hopefully an Avatarland, and maybe a Carsland, sorry if us old timers can't get too excited. WDW used to add so much more quickly and at a better price.

 

[doctornick]

Because as of now there's absolutely nothing else on the horizon for WDW.

That's the problem. And I've got to believe that TDO and Burbank realize it's a problem. How can they not?

Right now we have the remainder of the FLE to open (Fairytale Hall and the mine train) and we have ongoing planning for Pandora. And nothing else. That's literally everything out there in terms of attractions. And, yes, we know of possible other plans (Cars Land, etc.) but none of that is being built now either.

I find it hard to believe that TDO is moving so slow as to have literally nothing planned to open in the 2014-2015 (and maybe 2016) range except the Mine Train that was announced years ago. How can they not have approved at least 1-2 modest projects to open in the 2014-15 range? Is there anything we might see for then?

I guess my biggest hope is that they might fast track the Monsters Inc door coaster since that possibly could be built in a shorter time frame and isn't replacing an existing attraction. I mean, they have to have something to promote to guests in upcoming years, right? Right??!?

 

[WDW1974]

I love when the mouse punks Universal. It is art.

Did JT just have another break with reality or did I (and the rest of us) miss something?