A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[the.dreamfinder]

Good question, but from my perspective the success of Potter was due to an appropriate scale and an increased focus on retail and food outlets into the land's storytelling. I would imagine that Rowling's involvement was more about tone and detail than these things. Universal Creative had already proven themselves capable of world-class detail and world-building work on prior projects like MiB, Merlinwood, and the entire Jurassic Park area.

If there was a "magic" ingredient in the success of the land I think it's just that the Harry Potter universe in general is just tailor-made for smooth translation into a physical theme park environment and Universal's timing, at the peak of the books' and films' popularity, was impeccable. Being the first major application of robocoaster technology and effectivity serving as the real national debut of Islands of Adventure (Since Universal botched the park's original debut so horribly in '99) didn't hurt either.

It will be interesting in a decade or so to make a case study of Disney's upcoming Star Wars and Avatar projects. One will have been built under the personal influence of its IP's creator (in this case, Cameron in the "Rowling" role) and the other will not.

The Wizarding World is the classic Disney theme park experience of yore. That's why people react the way they do to it and nothing else Disney or UNI have done recently, post WW, matches it.

 

[doctornick]

Dr. Strange has been getting solid reviews. Now at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes after 37 reviews.

 

[Cesar R M]

Look at the trajectories of the two companies

one is constantly working to improve quality of attractions and guest service and takes staff hiring seriously with an eye towards improving the guest experience and manages to open D-E ticket attractions every 18 months or so. Because of this the returns are stellar for their P&R group.

The other is making huge guest facing cuts coupled with massive price increases cutting hours at the park and has not opened new major attractions in the us for over a decade, staff is hired on 'do they have a pulse' basis and it's management entirely focused on pleasing wall st

Which Theme park company am I describing in each paragraph?

Which is kinda strange.. since comcast has abysmal support/score in the other business they manage. Specially internet.

Do you think it will get to the point that Disney starts to charge Moderate resort prices for people staying in the value resorts, charge deluxe for staying in a moderate resort and charge even more for the deluxe resorts? On top of that, if people say they won't stay on site - FP only for guest staying on property. Think they will push it that far?

technically.. Dont you pay already that for what they offer?
Values have reached 200 USD per night sometimes..
"Moderates" are on 180-300 USD
and Deluxe are above 400 USD.

Some of these prices are truly luxury 5 star GT.

 

[DinoInstitute]

Except he was, end of story. But keep living in fantasyland, whatever floats your boat.

I don't understand how I'm the one living in a fantasyland when I'm the one using facts, but alright. Looks like we'll be floating off on different boats

 

[Cesar R M]

Do you think it will get to the point that Disney starts to charge Moderate resort prices for people staying in the value resorts, charge deluxe for staying in a moderate resort and charge even more for the deluxe resorts? On top of that, if people say they won't stay on site - FP only for guest staying on property. Think they will push it that far?

technically.. Dont you pay already that?
Values have reached 200 USD per night sometimes..
"Moderates" are on 180-300 USD
and Deluxe are above 400 USD.

Some of these prices are truly luxury 5 star GT.

You know I consider putting you on ignore but your posts are so comical. Universal CHARGES for FastPass and gives resort guests it for free, not Cabana Bay though because it's a "value" and they don't deserve the same perks as the "deluxe" hotels. But you keep thinking what you think

The fastpass thing for Universal are unlimited on all enabled attractions. not 3 "sure" attractions. Or worse.. tiered ones like at epcot.

Oh, and I don't know where you live, but from where I live, the absolute cheapest airfare we could get is about $4,800. We haven't spent even half that amount for ANY Disney vacation. Please stop with the nonsense.

Just because you cant, doesn't means other people has. (that excuse is akin to "oh, I never seen one, therefore it doesn't exist")
going to WDW for me is at least 2800 USD + airfare.
Thankfully I managed to tone down the prices by renting DVC points.

 

[Cesar R M]

Well, maybe his airplane is made out of tinfoil, just like the fedora he sports. That might lower the cost of his airfare.

He is a funny man though. Someone that complains this much about WDW, but still has 800 DVC points and frequently visits the parks...is, well...fascinating, on some type of psychological scale.

And even though this post will most likely be deleted, it still felt good typing it.

Maybe thats why he's angry.
He is tied to DVC points and cant get out.
There are many angry DVC owners thanks to see their costs go skyhigh (maintenance). And their exclusives and discounts go down.

 

[csmat99]

Yes but ATT is not the ATT of years gone by it's actually one of the RBOC's in this case SBC who bought what was left of ATT after the 'vulture capitalists' got through destroying it and renamed itself to ATT.

Yeah poor ATT got slaughtered and only thing left was the name. Meanwhile they let all the Ma Bells merge and become what they are now. The new ATT and verizon.

 

[csmat99]

Are you sure that was not Comcast ?

It was comcast. TW never tried to take over Disney.

 

[Cesar R M]

I agree with this. It was Universal's decision to up their quality combined with the purchase of the Harry Potter rights which has led to their parks being on par with Disney's parks in the market. There seems to be an idea out there that somehow Disney could have prevented Universal from competing by investing more at WDW. My opinion is that the only thing that could have severely limited Universal's success would have been buying those Harry Potter rights. Universal still would have had the opportunity to raise the bar without Potter but that single decision to buy Potter gave Uni the customer base to feel confident spending heavily on the rest of the parks.

We should thank Rowling for not eating Disney's cheap cake of "Toy Story with Wands".

Except that fat DVC check up front... but let's not let facts get in the way.

Speaking of DVC.
How many of the original DVC perks have disappeared or replaced by lower valuable perks?
I know Disney cut severely the rate of cleaning/Mousekeeping of Disney DVC units.

Now we've got the pixie dusters claiming WDW is better than a trip to Europe?! LOL, what a great read that was over my morning coffee. Guess what? There are tons of places in this Florida swampland that are better than WDW. Just wow

I think it all depends on tastes.
Some prefer Theme parks than actual places.
Just like some people love cruises vs going to specified resorts.

 

[Cesar R M]

Lets buy Avatar! Lets take 7 years to build it, but in the meantime, may we spend $2 billion on implementing a magic band system that ultimately forces our guests to be on their computer at midnight 60 days out from their trip so they can book a FP for a ride?

And promise a huge return in profits/expending because they didnt expend a dime building new attractions but a system to balance crowds.

 

[flynnibus]

Very indisputably true, it is completely ridiculous to claim a trip to WDW is better than one to Europe. Good thing that's not what @LuvtheGoof was doing. The original point, which could have been understood if people read posts instead of just doing what they find more fun in hopping on negative bandwagons, was that comparing a full trip to Europe as one to WDW is not the same thing whatsoever.
(Not to mention the fact that OP gave a pretty nice misrepresentation of a comparison between the two in the first place, but that's besides the point now).

Try reconciling the comments about what Theme Parks in Europe... there is a 'why would I goto europe when I have WDW' theme there... not simply 'apples and oranges'.

 

[Cesar R M]

And really, EU was the biggest IDGAF in fandom. No one could follow all that crap.

I have been feeling the same with DC. I stopped reading the Green Lantern Arcs because they now demanded you to buy 15+ different green lantern series to follow the main story line correctly.. annoying.
And some of these comics were barely one shot things or tiny series with no traction (like the individual series for specified third rate characters)

I don't understand how I'm the one living in a fantasyland when I'm the one using facts, but alright. Looks like we'll be floating off on different boats

Its kinda ironic how the talk devolved into "living in a fantasyland" insult. When we're talking about theme parks. Which are technically representations of fantasylands.

 

[WDW1974]

The great irony of course was WDW was 'Blue Ocean' until 'Mr Blue Ocean Bob Iger' got his claws into the company. Disney built the LAST E-ticket in Orlando the year before Iger showed up. Since then - zip.

To be fair, the Forbidden Mountain attraction (which was always the name until marketing got a hold of it and decided it needed the absurd long name that people shorten to 'EE' -- who is actually a middle school teacher in Miami -- or 'Everest' -- which is not the mountain you travel up and meet Disco Yeti) opened on Iger's watch. But it was budgeted and approved and built by the Eisner Administration. ... And if Iger is very lucky, he'll open exactly one major E-Ticket on his watch at WDW (four parks over what will be an almost 13-year tenure when he steps down) in Pandora. No excuses for that at all ... pathetic leadership and investment.

 

[WDW1974]

Wow... some days you make me feel like a Pixie Duster. lol

I still have a shred of hope that Disney can revert back to it's old guest-focused ways. If a corporation like Comcast took over, I'd say that sliver of hope would be gone.

Give up all hope. ... WDW may well improve in the future, but the days of world class Guest Service at a world class resort got left behind in the 20th century and they are not coming back.

WDW's target audience is rubes with money (or monied trash as I like to call them). People who don't know any better ... people who barely go out to eat at home, so they don't get why paying $52 for an a la carte steak at Le Cellier is insane. Those Guests wouldn't know world class Guest Service if it bit them on their collective behinds, so it's not coming back. Hell, even the local Four Seasons -- kisses up to trashy bloggers to shill what should be a 5-star property.

 

[AEfx]

It was comcast. TW never tried to take over Disney.

They never actually tried, but as I stated, it was heavily rumored once upon a time that it was being considered.

 

[WDW1974]

No kidding. Last week, I priced a week at the Poly and realized I can go to Europe for less than the overall package price.

Utterly insane what WDW charges and then management wonders why it needs to convert hotel inventory to DVC. Very simple. WDW and Orlando can't command $300-1,000 a night for 2-3 star service at resorts with dreams of 4-5 star grandeur. So, instead of making a profit with $75 rooms at values, $100-175 rooms at moderates and $200-300 rooms at deluxes, it just keeps pushing price points higher because that is the business model and Iger isn't going back on it. Yet, it has already proved to be a failed long term model. The ceiling was reached quite a while ago ...

 

[tirian]

Very indisputably true, it is completely ridiculous to claim a trip to WDW is better than one to Europe. Good thing that's not what @LuvtheGoof was doing. The original point, which could have been understood if people read posts instead of just doing what they find more fun in hopping on negative bandwagons, was that comparing a full trip to Europe as one to WDW is not the same thing whatsoever.
(Not to mention the fact that OP gave a pretty nice misrepresentation of a comparison between the two in the first place, but that's besides the point now).

You're right; a two-week trip to Europe is much more impressive than a week at a theme park.

 

[WDW1974]

Well, the 87% room occupancy for the entire year begs to differ. Most places would kill for that kind of occupancy. FP+ will never be monetized. Get real.

Well, I want to know how you know that because I KNOW the BoD was sold on the entire NGE program on added revenue that would partially come by monetizing FP. How many years into this ridiculous boondoggle are we? How many billions have been spent (a lot more than you likely think)? And that money is nowhere to be seen because it was a fundamentally BAD concept. It was designed to take the place of adding new attractions and sold based on that notion, that people would spend less time in lines, increase satisfaction scores by allowing Guests to do more in a day, and that they'd spend more in retail and food and beverage (tale as old as time).

Really? Where, and what theme parks are you visiting there that compare to WDW?

There are plenty of theme parks to visit in Europe, including two Disney parks. But one must first give up their addiction for parks in the swamps or Disney IP entirely.

 

[tirian]

Utterly insane what WDW charges and then management wonders why it needs to convert hotel inventory to DVC. Very simple. WDW and Orlando can't command $300-1,000 a night for 2-3 star service at resorts with dreams of 4-5 star grandeur. So, instead of making a profit with $75 rooms at values, $100-175 rooms at moderates and $200-300 rooms at deluxes, it just keeps pushing price points higher because that is the business model and Iger isn't going back on it. Yet, it has already proved to be a failed long term model. The ceiling was reached quite a while ago ...

Thank you. I'd like to know if the people who immediately jumped on my post have actually stayed at a Ritz or Four Seasons. I have many times, and with one exception I've paid less than the rack rate at the Grand Flo, and Disney's deluxe resorts don't compare.

Incidentally, I love WDW and the Polynesian is my favorite hotel. But I've also traveled throughout the world and know when something is overpriced. Right now, the rate drifts between $600–$800 nightly at the Poly. If Disney can charge it, more power to them; but the constant discounts suggest they know it's unrealistic.

 

[WDW1974]

Or go to Bora Bora and actually be able to dive off your bungalow into a real lagoon and still pay about 2/3 of the Disney 'Pizza Hut Villa' price including airfare...

Paging @alissafalco to the thread with honeymoon pics. Maybe someone can do a side by side of the real thing versus the Disney gator-filled swamp and snake and bug version.