A Spirited Summer Special (AKA Phil Holmes Takes Anaheim!)

[lazyboy97o]

What does Phil Holmes know that he has not decided to spend more time with his family?

 

[marni1971]

But in the end, the patties look the same as the previous 19 anniversaries and the non anniversary themed patties.

Actually, my bad. It wasn't the meat that had the logo. It was the bread bun.

 

[ford91exploder]

Not only is Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain in total disrepair (I am still of the opinion it's actually unsafe to ride), it has a very rough track, a dilapidated queue/pre-show, no audio, and in its current state is unsuitable to modify into different versions (such as Hyperspace Mountain, Rock-It Mountain, Ghost Galaxy, etc.). Phil Holmes would probably be fired on the spot if Chapek learned how he completely bungled the refurbishment it got a few years ago because of poor decision making and mismanagement on his part.

Honestly if MK fans want to see real change in Orlando an easy place to start is by emailing or writing to Bob Chapek's office and complaining about Space Mountain.

You do know what those big blue boxes on trailers around WDW's Space Mountain are don't you, They are WELDERS so the Welding Fairies can go in with 7018 rod and weld up the cracks in the track and support structure.

 

[ford91exploder]

What does Phil Holmes know that he has not decided to spend more time with his family?

Where the bodies are buried figuratively speaking.

 

[TP2000]

Downtown Disney in Anaheim does very poorly. Currently two stores are going out of business (the "GRAND CLOSING" sign posted all over the windows) and its anchor entertainment, House of Blues, is leaving. There have been a couple of storefronts there that have had constant turnover in the past 15 years (I can't even remember most of things that have come and gone nowadays).

There was an interesting discussion on Micechat today (the first in ages) about how Disney got handed huge tax incentives for their new hotel they "proposed" a couple weeks back. It was revealed this planned hotel was going to demolish about half of the current Downtown Disney, which goes to show you how unsuccessful the whole Disney mall thing has been, even in very wealthy Orange County (nobody really calls it the OC).

Well, no. The new Disneyland Resort hotel will be built on one of the existing surface parking lots for Downtown Disney. Disney will build new parking structures for Downtown Disney and the new hotel as well as the existing Disneyland Hotel on the surface parking lot that currently serves the Disneyland Hotel.

From last night's Anaheim City Council meeting...

None of the square footage of existing Downtown Disney retail or dining will go away. The development will actually bring more retail/dining square footage to Downtown Disney (or whatever they change the name to in the upcoming remodel)

House of Blues has wanted out of their Downtown Disney lease for years because the HoB management hated the way Disney ran the parking lots and allowed Annual Passholders to hog spaces there for hours as they went to the parks, leaving House of Blues patrons circling or paying extra for valet service. It was widely known in OC property management circles how much HoB wanted out of that long term lease.

None of the malls around that area do well. Gardenwalk everybody already knows about. The Block, about ten miles south, opened up as a high-end mall and has evolved into an outlet that barely stays afloat. The less written about the Santa Ana mall the better.

The City shopping center in Orange that opened in the late 1960's hasn't been "high end" since Gerald Ford was in office and Buffum's was still an anchor of that mall. The remodel of the complex in 1998 to The Block turned it into a date nite entertainment mall with mixed success, and when Simon bought it a few years ago they turned into The Outlets at Orange and it has done much better with sales per square feet. It reported $277 Million in taxable sales in 2015, up 9% over 2014. Simon is expanding the center this year based on strong traffic and sales. It's the only outlet mall in SoCal with a Sak's Off Fifth, a Neiman-Marcus Last Call and a Nordstrom Rack all in the same center.

PS It's also been reasonably argued that Disney took the tax handout just because, and that they really don't yet have serious plans to build the hotel. It's a compelling argument, not least because the people arguing it are right: the economics of it don't make sense.

The economics of the new 4-Star 700 room hotel next to the Disneyland Hotel make perfect sense when you realize the mid term plan for the Disneyland Hotel is to let it drift downmarket to 3-Stars once the new 4-Star hotel opens. The longer term plan for the Disneyland Hotel is to demolish it entirely, but that's a story for sometime beyond 2028 after the 2009-2011 upgrades are amortized.

Oh geez, I went way off topic... Sorry, gang.

As for WDW and Disney Springs...

Everything about Disney Springs screams Anaheim - from the retail mix, to the restaurant selection, to the architecture. This isn't L.A. folks. These stores may work fine with the Southern California cash flow, but Brazilian tourists (who are scrounging the outlet malls for good deals on luggage) are not going to be buying $3,000 watches. A few those stores is a great idea. A whole mall of it, without anything to draw tourists in, is a recipe for disaster.

Agreed. It will be fascinating to watch this play out over the next year. I haven't seen Disney Springs for myself yet, but almost all of it just seems... misplaced.

 

[Stitchon]

Downtown Disney in Anaheim does very poorly. Currently two stores are going out of business (the "GRAND CLOSING" sign posted all over the windows) and its anchor entertainment, House of Blues, is leaving. There have been a couple of storefronts there that have had constant turnover in the past 15 years (I can't even remember most of things that have come and gone nowadays).

None of the malls around that area do well. Gardenwalk everybody already knows about. The Block, about ten miles south, opened up as a high-end mall and has evolved into an outlet that barely stays afloat. The less written about the Santa Ana mall the better.

That's a tad disingenuous. House of Blues is moving to Gardenwalk because it needed more space for concerts. The Block's conversion to outlets has been very successful, so much so that they're expanding the property as we speak. A majority of the more mainstream stores at Downtown Disney, particularly Sephora and Build-a-Bear and the like, perform exceptionally well. The closing stores you allude to are Quiksilver and its sister brand Roxy, a company that went bankrupt and has been closing stores everywhere. While MainPlace certainly has its problems, a lack of investment (textbook Westfield) combined with being in the shadows of South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island has done it no favors.

 

[Nmoody1]

The Boathouse at Disney Town is nothing like The Boathouse at Disney Springs.

It really isn't!

 

[Nmoody1]

Well, no. The new Disneyland Resort hotel will be built on one of the existing surface parking lots for Downtown Disney. Disney will build new parking structures for Downtown Disney and the new hotel as well as the existing Disneyland Hotel on the surface parking lot that currently serves the Disneyland Hotel.

From last night's Anaheim City Council meeting...

None of the square footage of existing Downtown Disney retail or dining will go away. The development will actually bring more retail/dining square footage to Downtown Disney (or whatever they change the name to in the upcoming remodel)

House of Blues has wanted out of their Downtown Disney lease for years because the HoB management hated the way Disney ran the parking lots and allowed Annual Passholders to hog spaces there for hours as they went to the parks, leaving House of Blues patrons circling or paying extra for valet service. It was widely known in OC property management circles how much HoB wanted out of that long term lease.



The City shopping center in Orange that opened in the late 1960's hasn't been "high end" since Gerald Ford was in office and Buffum's was still an anchor of that mall. The remodel of the complex in 1998 to The Block turned it into a date nite entertainment mall with mixed success, and when Simon bought it a few years ago they turned into The Outlets at Orange and it has done much better with sales per square feet. It reported $277 Million in taxable sales in 2015, up 9% over 2014. Simon is expanding the center this year based on strong traffic and sales. It's the only outlet mall in SoCal with a Sak's Off Fifth, a Neiman-Marcus Last Call and a Nordstrom Rack all in the same center.



The economics of the new 4-Star 700 room hotel next to the Disneyland Hotel make perfect sense when you realize the mid term plan for the Disneyland Hotel is to let it drift downmarket to 3-Stars once the new 4-Star hotel opens. The longer term plan for the Disneyland Hotel is to demolish it entirely, but that's a story for sometime beyond 2028 after the 2009-2011 upgrades are amortized.

Oh geez, I went way off topic... Sorry, gang.

As for WDW and Disney Springs...



Agreed. It will be fascinating to watch this play out over the next year. I haven't seen Disney Springs for myself yet, but almost all of it just seems... misplaced.

I've said all along, they clearly didn't surey enough international visitors as to what stores they visit the malls for! Go to Florida mall, milennia, any outlet mall.... people are walking around with the same bags - Victoria secret, hollister, abercrombie, American Eagle, bath and bodyworks. I know some may be a little off brand for disney, but it seems they really have just targeted high class mommies.

If you want people to stay on property and folow on the work of magical express, dining plan and fastpass+, cater to the largest group that will be off shopping at a mall for a day.

 

[zengoth]

As a middle class Disney daytripper, the former Downtown Disney was always an overpriced window-shopping exercise for us. After Virgin Megastore shuttered, we only spend a couple of hours there now. Earl of Sandwich is about the only reasonable food offering and that's only if the line's not winding out the door by the time we get there. Having said that, now that we're on "disney passholder blackout summer", Disney Springs will at least give us a chance to poke our heads into the huge Disney Store and nearby Art of Disney to see what's new in the Disney retail world. Happily, there's a Disney Outlet Store literally across I-4 from Disney Springs. Unhappily, that outlet mall is almost always mercilessly packed (like a crowd scene out of Blade Runner) with shoppers wielding multiple shopping bags.

 

[drew81]

What does Phil Holmes know that he has not decided to spend more time with his family?

No comment

 

[Nubs70]

Actually, my bad. It wasn't the meat that had the logo. It was the bread bun.

Same can be said about the bun. It all looks the same in the end.

 

[Mike S]

Well, no. The new Disneyland Resort hotel will be built on one of the existing surface parking lots for Downtown Disney. Disney will build new parking structures for Downtown Disney and the new hotel as well as the existing Disneyland Hotel on the surface parking lot that currently serves the Disneyland Hotel.

From last night's Anaheim City Council meeting...

None of the square footage of existing Downtown Disney retail or dining will go away. The development will actually bring more retail/dining square footage to Downtown Disney (or whatever they change the name to in the upcoming remodel)

House of Blues has wanted out of their Downtown Disney lease for years because the HoB management hated the way Disney ran the parking lots and allowed Annual Passholders to hog spaces there for hours as they went to the parks, leaving House of Blues patrons circling or paying extra for valet service. It was widely known in OC property management circles how much HoB wanted out of that long term lease.



The City shopping center in Orange that opened in the late 1960's hasn't been "high end" since Gerald Ford was in office and Buffum's was still an anchor of that mall. The remodel of the complex in 1998 to The Block turned it into a date nite entertainment mall with mixed success, and when Simon bought it a few years ago they turned into The Outlets at Orange and it has done much better with sales per square feet. It reported $277 Million in taxable sales in 2015, up 9% over 2014. Simon is expanding the center this year based on strong traffic and sales. It's the only outlet mall in SoCal with a Sak's Off Fifth, a Neiman-Marcus Last Call and a Nordstrom Rack all in the same center.



The economics of the new 4-Star 700 room hotel next to the Disneyland Hotel make perfect sense when you realize the mid term plan for the Disneyland Hotel is to let it drift downmarket to 3-Stars once the new 4-Star hotel opens. The longer term plan for the Disneyland Hotel is to demolish it entirely, but that's a story for sometime beyond 2028 after the 2009-2011 upgrades are amortized.

Oh geez, I went way off topic... Sorry, gang.

As for WDW and Disney Springs...



Agreed. It will be fascinating to watch this play out over the next year. I haven't seen Disney Springs for myself yet, but almost all of it just seems... misplaced.

Wait, they want to demolish the Disneyland Hotel? I can't imagine that going over too well...

 

[asianway]

Wait, they want to demolish the Disneyland Hotel? I can't imagine that going over too well...

No dlh is losing a parking lot and will share

 

[WDW1974]

What kind of change? If it is similar to more IPs and less creativity in Disneyland, I'm not interested.

All sorts of change.

Some of it has already started in terms of people at TDA being laid off.

I would 'guess' more of the structural changes will be announced this afternoon.

Nothing that I am speaking of involves the building of attractions. It is all about BOH ops.

 

[WDW1974]

• Shocked that this post is still out on the DPB ... not so shocked that Special Needs Phil From Celebration has a post oohing and ahing about the Headless Horseman coming to DL for the Halloween Parties (that much like FL are increasing in an obscene rate, so as to eventually cost MORE -- yes, that is the goal -- than a one-day ticket and cease being a 'value' to many non APers).
  
  
  Why wasn’t the Tower of Terror mentioned as a Halloweentime ride? These Halloween announcements and all the marketing materials had always mentioned Tower of Terror in the past. Will I be able to ride Tower of Terror at California Adventure this October?
  
  Thor Swenson on July 13, 2016 at 4:36 pm

 

[WDW1974]

"Spirited Change"



-

That won't happen until Bob Iger is out of the company. It can't. He's a cancer at the top.

 

[WDW1974]

The exchange rate is indeed causing a lot of concern over here. My circle of random Orlando fan friends are noticeably worried, tightening their belts, or deferring the next visit.

I am sure it is.

I have said many times, including in private to you, but the UK traveling elite doesn't visit WDW. In many ways, you are dealing with the UK equivalent of the USA working class taking holidays in their Central FL paradise. That was very easy to see when the pound was over $2 or even over $1.50. While Orlando may still be a deal on paper it is nowhere what it was a decade ago and with the Brexit and uncertainty, one can easily surmise things get worse as far as UK numbers to FL dropping.

But the biggest issue BY FAR is twofold: 1.) The greater US economy and destruction of the middle class, and 2.) Disney (AND UNI) raising prices to points where people who still have the means and desire to travel simply say it isn't worth it anymore.

I firmly believe both of those reasons are why the FL (and to a lesser extent, but still noticeable, CA) parks have been off pretty much since 2015 turned the page.

And since about 80% of WDW visitors are Americans, those factors are much, much, MUCH more a concern than whatever happens in the land of cheese and onion crisps and warm beer.

 

[WDW1974]

Kinda sad to hear that Ghost Galaxy may not return, I really enjoy that overlay. Hyperspace Mountain is just as fun though so I wouldn't mind too much. I would really like if they put as much effort into Halloween offerings as they do Christmas time because the resort is lacking that, especially DCA. Also, I'm kinda interested in seeing peoples thoughts if/ when the GOTG overlay is announced. The rumor seems to have gotten around through twitter posts and other articles and it doesn't seem like people are too pleased. Most of the people I've talked about it to aren't really fond of the idea either. Are there any updates on the actual story of the attraction @WDW1974 ?

Well, Disney jumped to put out Halloween info (that said very little), but apparently GG will indeed be back. As to the GotG Tower tale, they'll make up an elaborate backstory that makes no sense and takes an absurd amount of man hours and research and development $$$ to shoehorn it in where it does not belong.

 

[George]

Well, Disney jumped to put out Halloween info (that said very little), but apparently GG will indeed be back. As to the GotG Tower tale, they'll make up an elaborate backstory that makes no sense and takes an absurd amount of man hours and research and development $$$ to shoehorn it in where it does not belong.

I bet you a billion, trillion dollars that what they come up with won't be any better than this-

I should note this rumor does explain why I was contracted to write that GotG comic where they travelled back to 1937 Hollywood and were pushed down a hotel's elevator chute by the evil Dr. Pushy Pants.

I should also note that their jetpacks keep malfunctioning whilst falling down the chute so they go up and down, up and down, again and again with each fall being for a different duration. Really, plot requests this specific often make no sense until you know a little more.

Also, coming up with an elaborate back story for a change like that makes no sense, since the group of people who find it dumb, will always find it dumb regardless of contextual contrivance and those who think it is a fantastic change don't need a backstory and likely won't even notice.

Edit: I know they have to come up with something, but spending a lot of time on this backstory is goofy to put it in Disney terms.

 

[WDW1974]

There are a few, (as in 2 or 3) lifestylers who have a respectable and subtle way of promoting, but the majority have the promtional skills of an 8 year old running a lemonade stand.

The bottom line with them is they all know what is on point and what is important to Celebration Place and they know they can't deviate from it or the freebie trough dries up and, more importantly, Disney just ignores them and refuses to acknowledge they exist.

That's why every Lifestyler loves every new store at DS, or they simple ignore the ones they don't. It's why when Disney makes the smallest of additions (say a new castle show at MK) that they all are out there from Day 1 pimping it. It's why they have all become defacto sales people for DisneyStore online. etc etc.

And forget about the important stuff like the Star Wars Experience. Has ONE blogger (my old buddy now living in a retirement home in Artesia, Andy Castro, doesn't count here) actually criticised the horrific placement of it in DLR and the wholesale, large scale destruction and negative change it is bringing?

Of course not, and it isn't because SW is simply that beloved no matter what some fanbois would have you believe. It's because saying SW has no business where it is (a common belief among present and ex Imagineers, some Disney Legends as well, not working on the project) would be a kiss of death for them.

Just like don't expect an outpouring of anything but praise from the blogging community when GotG Tower is announced and when the exact form of their presence at EPCOT comes out. If you're a blogger, then you love Marvel because Bob, Zenia and everyone at CP demands that you do.

And, sadly, there is no Al Lutz in the community any longer who isn't looking for a thing (beyond attention) and will call them out on it.

Hell, I am shocked that I now consistently break Anaheim-centric news here that Micechat would have had in the past and they simply don't anymore because they're headed into the abyss.