News Disney to develop residential communities with new 'Storyliving by Disney' business

TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
DCBaker said:
Disney has shared a new video showing concept art of the amenities coming to Contino.

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Uh, so there's an upcharge club offering? With the best community amenities reserved for club level residents only?

I'm sure I've mentioned this before in this thread, but I have friends that have homes in La Quinta and Rancho Mirage. They're all in swanky gated communities, as per the norm there. Some are at Trilogy and one is at Santo Tomas. There is no "upcharge" to use the fancy club facilities or beach offerings in either community, it's all included in the HOA dues. Santo Tomas has reciprocity for tee times at Mission Country Club included in HOA as well.

I'd need to check with them, but this seems like an entirely new concept for gated communities in the Coachella Valley; paying extra to "upgrade" to club status to use the community's best amenities. I'm not sure how that's going to go over. It seems rather tacky.

GimpYancIent said:
I do believe mother nature said "Hold My Beer".
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No kidding. 🤣 The southern Sierras are nearing 300% of average snowpack today, and there's several feet in the forecast this weekend. The entire state of California is now at 225% of average snowpack for the entire year!

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Disstevefan1 said:
This is so stupid. I hope TWDC is only licensing their name (potentially making money) and not actually spending the company’s money on this stinker.
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Stupid is just one of several words one could choose to describe this. ;)

That it's really just a licensing agreement appears to be the case. However, that detail is lost on most people. Out in Rancho Mirage last year, the cocktail party chatter was often "Did you hear Disneyland is building a community across from Sunnylands?" or "Disney is building a theme community off Frank Sinatra Drive! I wonder if they'll have Mickey at the clubhouse and stuff?" And these are people that live there at least six months a year in gated communities themselves, so they are familiar with the culture and the concept Disney is building.

But the general consensus in the desert is that this is "Disneyland" and not "A Licensing Agreement That Can Be Terminated In The Future".
 
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TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
I will say though, the "Incredibles" themed clubhouse and all the artwork they released in this latest video looks rather nice.

The "Incredibles" connection is hokey and entirely not in tune with the marketplace for communities like this, but honestly that building looks just like normal Palm Springs mid century modern.

And it's obvious they're designing this so if at some future date Disney pulls out, all Disney has to do is take the letterhead and the branded polo shirts with them back to Burbank and the community left behind won't look like Fantasyland, it will just look like another gated community off Bob Hope Drive.

The communities I've stayed at there with friends who live out there can be of differing "themes". I will say the Santo Tomas community is a bit too faux Tuscan for me, it comes across as kind of cheesy. The Trilogy community is better because it's not themed, it's just "contemporary modern" in its style and approach.

I think the lighter they go on the "theme" aspect for Cotino, and they do appear to be going fairly light, will be best for them.

Remember, this is a place where banks in town look like this...

Bank-of-America_Relax_800x600_web.jpg


coachella-valley-savings-e-stewart-williams-bank-mid-century-palm-springs-modernism-week_dezeen_hero.jpg
 
Tha Realest

Tha Realest

Well-Known Member
Bocabear said:
with the target audience being 55+ I would say that an "Incredibles" theme is incredibly tone-deaf... Celebrate the modernist architecture of the area... design something that glorifies the glory days of Palm Springs Swank... that would interest a 55+ crowd more than cartoons.
Isn't it interesting that Celebration had world class architects like IM Pei and Michael Graves designing the town center, no IP, and a hugely successful project was born. Still popular, still expensive, still looks great.
While Celebration was a different animal, it's success shows they can do this sort of project...just forget the IP inclusion and make something engaging and beautifully designed
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Umm, excuse me, they have Gensler. Get ready for the sexiest CVS Minute Clinics around
 
MarvelCharacterNerd

MarvelCharacterNerd

Well-Known Member
I didn't watch the promo video, but if they haven't, it seems a HUGE missed opportunity to not partner with SH.AG on this and go full Disney SH.AG art everywhere. It would be literally perfect. Upscale, hip and retro.

EDIT: the site wouldn't let me spell his name properly lol but I'm referring to the artist also known as JoSH AGle :)
 
Bocabear

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
I agree I love Josh Agle...and there is a lot of collaboration with Disney in the past... Maybe he will be brought in at some point...sure hope so.
 
Doberge

Doberge

True Bayou Magic
Premium Member
Considering the X ad stuff it would have been funny if South Carolina.

Also, instead of Asteria many will call it Hysteria. Have fun, Disney PR.
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
It's in a strange location IMO.

From what I can tell, it's right outside Pittsboro (a very small town) and near Jordan Lake but not actually at the lake. It's probably about 45 minutes to downtown Raleigh from there (assuming no traffic), and about 30 minutes to the UNC campus in Chapel Hill. I think getting to the center of Durham would be about 40 minutes.

That's not really a retirement location, and there are better places to live in the area if you want easy access to Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill.

I guess maybe if you worked at Research Triangle Park? That's only about 30 minutes away, although Cary is much closer to RTP and I'm not sure what would make you choose living here over Cary unless it's cheaper. I assume they will be charging a premium for this "Disney" development, though.
 
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B

Batman'sParents

Active Member
UNCgolf said:
It's in a strange location IMO.

From what I can tell, it's right outside Pittsboro (a very small town) and near Jordan Lake but not actually at the lake. It's probably about 45 minutes to downtown Raleigh from there (assuming no traffic), and about 30 minutes to the UNC campus in Chapel Hill. I think getting to the center of Durham would be about 40 minutes.

That's not really a retirement location, and there are better places to live in the area if you want easy access to Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill.

I guess maybe if you worked at Research Triangle Park? That's only about 30 minutes away, although Cary is much closer to RTP and I'm not sure what would make you choose living here over Cary unless it's cheaper. I assume they will be charging a premium for this "Disney" development, though.
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Got to market to the half-backs as well.
 
MisterPenguin

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Surferboy567 said:
Just…why? Invest into the parks it’s really not that hard.
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$60 Billion is already dedicated to the parks for the next 10 years.

And even if this was a cash outlay and not just a licensing of the Disney brand, then the same question can be asked:

Why build a new cruise ship? invest in the parks!
Why make new movies? invest in the parks!

Disney is more than parks.
 
W

WoundedDreamer

Well-Known Member
MisterPenguin said:
$60 Billion is already dedicated to the parks for the next 10 years.

And even if this was a cash outlay and not just a licensing of the Disney brand, then the same question can be asked:

Why build a new cruise ship? invest in the parks!
Why make new movies? invest in the parks!

Disney is more than parks.
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Fair point. Though, I'm still not sold on this business unit. One of the lessons Bob Iger has taken from the Chapek years has been quality over quantity. This business unit is noncore to Parks and Resorts business. Unlike the other business units that are mutually reinforcing (Parks+Cruises= extended vacation package or Parks+DVC= both businesses are stronger), this feels like it has only tenuous ties to existing offerings. And these projects don't strike me as something that only Disney can do. This looks like a fairly generic housing development. If this contributes to brand dilution, then it might not be worth the royalty check.

I am willing to be proven wrong on this. And honestly, I am very interested in seeing how this project plays out.
 
Bocabear

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
They really should get Cotino up and running before beginning another project. Have they even broken ground on it?
Once they can show the success story of that project, the NC project would be a lot easier to market and sell...but right now all we have are pretty concept pictures and some gobbledygoop about a big table in the 55+ area, and some landscaped park areas around the complex ( like every other gated community in the area)
 
JoeCamel

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Bocabear said:
They really should get Cotino up and running before beginning another project. Have they even broken ground on it?
Once they can show the success story of that project, the NC project would be a lot easier to market and sell...but right now all we have are pretty concept pictures and some gobbledygoop about a big table in the 55+ area, and some landscaped park areas around the complex ( like every other gated community in the area)
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But if the suckers um marks prospects see what it really is sales will suffer? Presales are the manna
 

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