Al Lutz: "Management must stop bending over to pick up pennies as dollars fly over their heads"

[Cmdr_Crimson]

i like it although im worried it sounds a little too islands of adventure ish

Ehh..They got to punch them in the face somehow..

 

[Lee]

Which point(s) is he wrong about? Serious question.

Good luck getting an answer from CountryBearFan.

Here's a hint: Lutz isn't wrong in that article. At all.

 

[aklodge]

Good luck getting an answer from CountryBearFan.

Here's a hint: Lutz isn't wrong in that article. At all.

But, how many times is he and others who are well-connected going to have to say those things before TDO takes notice?

I think that things will finally turn around at some point. I'd like to think, however, that the turning point would happen before it is critical to the survival of the business. Other companies certainly recognize the lack of innovation at WDW within the last decade, and will continue to take full advantage of its shortcomings until Disney finally responds with something better.

 

[Lee]

But, how many times is he and others who are well-connected going to have to say those things before TDO takes notice?

They actually notice fairly quickly.
Trouble is, there are a lot if factors (ego, dedication to a business model, personal job security, etc.) that prevent them from caring/listening.

 

[wdwfan22]

But you don't need emotion to create a great attraction/land that people would enjoy though.

I disagree. An attraction without character and emotional attachment is just a ride. Avatar comes off cold and while it could be executed well I still don't feel it will play well with Walt Disney Worlds core audience.

 

[alphac2005]

Wouldn't you think that a major company Disney would care about what their reputation? They've gone from the trendsetters of the world to the joke of it...at some point this is going to come back to haunt them. I think this is a step in the right direction since someone that can actually make some noise is saying something...hopefully this will make enough noise for them to hear

Just like their foray into consumer products. Any and virtually everything has some type of Disney character licensing deal from toothbrushes to frozen foods to nearly any given consumer product.... absent toilet paper. I guess they realized that might not be great for branding as there is some given irony there.... Oversaturation and an apparent lack of care about their "brand" outside of the corporate profit spreadsheets.

 

[aklodge]

They actually notice fairly quickly.
Trouble is, there are a lot if factors (ego, dedication to a business model, personal job security, etc.) that prevent them from caring/listening.

Hasn't it been reported here and elsewhere, though, that numbers are down across the board? I believe I read that hotel occupancy numbers are especially low.

With the vast success that DCA and the entire Disneyland Resort have seen as a result of the overhaul, you would think that those in Orlando would be wanting something similar. After all, the numbers are what is important to them and DLR's numbers have skyrocketed well beyond TDA's expectations.

It just seems like there is more to the story when it comes to the lack of real expansion in recent years. Of course TDO would like to keep its capital expenditures lower, but when occupancy rates and other numbers start to take a dive, you've got to do something.

If not, stockholders will start to want answers.

 

[GLaDOS]

I disagree. An attraction without character and emotional attachment is just a ride. Avatar comes off cold and while it could be executed well I still don't feel it will play well with Walt Disney Worlds core audience.

I have to agree. Cars Land and Wizarding World wouldn't be the amazing successes that they are if people didn't have deep connections with the characters. Cars has been one of, if not the, most popular franchises for younger boys this past decade, and Potter is a worldwide phenomenon. Without their past success, they wouldn't be setting record attendance gains and guest spending.

Avatar made a ton of money at the box office, but that's about where it stopped. It sold no merch, and has fostered little love in the long run. Even people who enjoyed the movie can't name 10 characters from it off the top of their head.

 

[twebber55]

I disagree. An attraction without character and emotional attachment is just a ride. Avatar comes off cold and while it could be executed well I still don't feel it will play well with Walt Disney Worlds core audience.

tower of terror has no emotional connection and character development with it yet its a great achievement in theme park entertainment

a great ride is great ride to me whether its transofmers, HP, or HM
who are the great characters in POTC? none..great theming definitely

 

[twebber55]

I have to agree. Cars Land and Wizarding World wouldn't be the amazing successes that they are if people didn't have deep connections with the characters. Cars has been one of, if not the, most popular franchises for younger boys this past decade, and Potter is a worldwide phenomenon. Without their past success, they wouldn't be setting record attendance gains and guest spending.

Avatar made a ton of money at the box office, but that's about where it stopped. It sold no merch, and has fostered little love in the long run. Even people who enjoyed the movie can't name 10 characters from it off the top of their head.

i agree with what your saying but i dont buy into the merchandising angle carsland is kids movie so obviously there will be more stuff (toys) to buy....im sure disney can come up with merchandising to be sold at AK for this

tome it boils down to can pandora be recreated in a theme park setting? if you think it can then your probably for it if you dont think it can youre probably against it

 

[GLaDOS]

tome it boils down to can pandora be recreated in a theme park setting? if you think it can then your probably for it if you dont think it can youre probably against it

Oh I think it can. I just think it's a poor choice overall for the park and for any park for that matter.

 

[SirLink]

Oh I think it can. I just think it's a poor choice overall for the park and for any park for that matter.

Even for DHS?

 

[ParentsOf4]

I agree with most of Lutz's article but a lot of what he writes is opinion, subject to debate. It does not contain enough substance to persuade someone with a different view. It's difficult to see how this gains traction unless there already are those at TDO fighting for WDW's soul.

• A lot of bad ideas come out of executive retreats - I've seen this first-hand but the implied concept that these ideas are simply green-lit is a stretch. Most are politely shot-down by the people actually making the decisions. ("Thank you for taking the time to come up with these excellent suggestions; we'll look into them further ...") Eisner was a micromanager who was not about to let his subordinates ("a shopkeeper and a schoolteacher") dictate anything. IMHO, DCA 1.0 lies mostly in Eisner's lap. At this time, there is little non-speculative reason to project DCA 1.0's results onto Avatarland.
• Avatarland won't be a success because of the movie's weak fanbase and poor merchandise sales - A poor fanbase and merchandise sales are true but there are plenty of WDW success stories not based around films. (Although sometimes the film followed the attraction.) It's also possible that a well-executed Avatarland could be a raving success. Lutz conclusion is premature. We simply don't know enough at this time. Won't Cameron's ego want to make sure Avatarland is a success? Besides, do you think WWOHP would have been as successful if it had been simply handed to TDO? Why do you think a Star Wars land (for example) would be any different?
• WDW should go with a Pixar or Lucas themed land over Avatlarland because they already own the intellectual property - OK, it's impossible to disagree with this one. Star Wars is "free", Avatar costs money. It's time to dust off those Wookiees and Ewoks so we can fit Star Wars into DAK!
• Queue enhancements are nice but can't compete with new attractions - Of course. Unless the new attraction is the American Idol Experience, in which case I'd rather stand in line in the new & improved queues.
• Issues with bus transportation system - There's a reason I almost always use a car when traveling within WDW. It certainly could be better but is it any worse than it was 10 years ago?
• "Current management must stop bending over to pick up pennies as dollars fly over their heads" - OK, I have written only a couple hundred posts critiquing TWDC management's myopic vision on short-term financial performance so how can I disagree with this one. However, this is just an opinion. Lots of bean counters love TDO and, despite the recent "modest" drop in attendance, it appears WDW revenue continues to climb, suggesting that there still are people willing to pay more for less. Eventually, I hope they smarten up but for the last 5-10 years, TDO has been successfully milking this one for all it's worth. In the business world, 5 years is an eternity.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Even for DHS?

Oh I think it can. I just think it's a poor choice overall for the park and for any park for that matter.

"Avatar" as pop-culture hasn't proven its longevity, its significance, or its long-range appeal in any way shape or form. Robert Iger grabbed it because he was grasping at straws to try to one-up Wizarding World, and he failed miserably at it. Most people know that. Only Avatar fans are still excited about this beknighted attraction. Doesn't matter WHERE it would be placed, it'd be dated and forgotten in a matter of a few years; bet on it.

Someone mentioned that the Tower of Terror and Pirates have no strong characters that make those rides successful. True - but they have strong archetypes - ghosts and pirates. Everyone, including the little kid who fears what's under his bed or who dreams of having adventures with treasure as a reward, can identify with them. Giant blue kitty-cats...not so much.

 

[tomman710]

I, for once, totally back Al on this article.

Here's the problems the way I see it;

1. TDO is making money, so nothing else matters. (Microcosm example: I have a friend in Disney that works in a position privy to this kind of knowledge who tells me that DisneyQuest is a huge money maker for the company, like HUGE ... I use that as a perfect example, that place is in shambles, its outdated, its not really relevant but apparently no one cares because it makes tons.) PROBLEM: The problem with this logic is the two angle shortsighted nature of their "its not broke, don't fix it" mentality. Obviously the first is they are downgrading their product and backing it into a corner that will be difficult to get out of and second they aren't using the foresight to realize that new product (i.e. attractions/entertainment) means new ways to market, new guests, returning guests, new merchandise, and eventually new revenue (EXAMPLE: Potter, obviously there isn't another Potter sitting out there [yes there is it's called Star Wars] but new EXCITING INNOVATIVE attractions brings crowds, happy crowds spend money, its really very simple, don't complex it up).

2. The fan community needs leaders (plural), leaders with faces I might add. I love @WDW1974 and I think if he thought he could rally the troops he would step out and assume that role but at this point it'd be counterproductive because Mongello, Brigante, the fully assimilated Jim Hill, et al will tow the company line and manipulate company image to the mass of lemmings that blindly accept mediocrity. I believe there are enough of us out there to enact change (I mean how many angry moms did it take to rip out Alien Encounter?) but we need organization, we need notoriety as more than just wishful fans but as intelligent CUSTOMERS (who pay their salaries and bills I might add), and we need leaders that have influence, recognition, or at least an audience to support them. I don't want to pick on Mongello too much but he'd be perfect, his audience is massive, but now his livelihood is tied to his opinions (allegedly) so that will never happen. Maybe Al will be the unlikely champion for change, maybe Jim Hill will have a mea culpa moment and join the charge ... but until we have leaders, no noise from the fan community will enact change.

 

[GLaDOS]

Even for DHS?

I guess I should have clarified.

As a full on land, Avatar is a poor choice, for the multitude of reasons that have been brought up ad naseum.As a singular ride, it's less problematic. A ride based of a bad property can be a huge success. A land based off a bad property is something entirely different. A land of this nature needs to do gangbusters in merch, attendance, and food sales to justify itself. A ride just needs to get an uptick for the park's attendance and sell merch.

As a single attraction, it doesn't really fit anywhere, either, but it can be made to work in DHS. I think DAK is a poor fit for the entire land, but is a worse fit for a singular attraction. DHS could get away with it due to its hodgepodge nature, but it still isn't something I'd want.

Nor would I want it, or think it would fit, anywhere in Universal's parks.

 

[djlaosc]

Even for DHS?

I don't think many people would complain if the "Avatar Soarin' Attraction" was put into the "American Idol Experience" building with an entrance behind the building opposite "Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater" to change "Commissary Lane" into "Sci-Fi Street".

It's the amount of money being spent ($500m?), the amount of land (12 acres?) and the location of the land (DAK), on top of the fact that it is "Avatar" that has people not liking the idea - if it was a single attraction based on the largest grossing film being placed in a movie park - there would be less issues.

 

[djlaosc]

As a single attraction, it doesn't really fit anywhere, either, but it can be made to work in DHS. I think DAK is a poor fit for the entire land, but is a worse fit for a singular attraction. DHS could get away with it due to its hodgepodge nature, but it still isn't something I'd want.

Nor would I want it, or think it would fit, anywhere in Universal's parks.

I think it could work in the American Idol Experience building opposite Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater - that's probably the best location in WDW.

As for Universal, the only place that it could really fit would be beside Men in Black (replacement for Fear Factor/land behind Simpsons?) if you turned that corner of the park into a SciFi Area, and even then, it would be a stretch.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

That's why Universal passed on Avatar.

 

[wedenterprises]

I'm actually not as skeptical about AvatarLand, and while he raises valid points (especially about TDO), I'm going to disagree with Al's prediction of failure. I think it's even silly to compare this project to DCA1.0.

First of all, I've noticed how folks will say "I'm going to Harry Potter land". Not "Islands of Adventure", not "Universal", not even "Orlando". Harry Potter is such a strong IP that it completely overshadowed everything else at the Universal Resort and actually defined the entire place. I would hate for Animal Kingdom to be known as "Avatar" to most non-disney fans. If you were to build an entire Star Wars land at a WDW park, surely a similar thing would happen. I think that's a genuine concern.

The weakness of the Avatar IP might actually be a positive for WDI and TDO. Ideally, Avatar will mostly be an amazing environment that justifies AK as a full day park. They need a reason to keep people in the park after dark without disrupting the animals, and a land of glowing trees would be pretty amazing. AK is already beautiful at night, but this would be incredible if done right.

While Beastly Kingdom would be any fans first choice, I have to wonder if WDI doesn't have some sort of technology up it's sleeve to make this place absolutely magical. The truth is, with plants that glow (!), the characters and story are never really going to be the first thing on people's minds. It's going to be holy crap that tree is glowing, I must now buy things that glow at the gift shop. Add in a great ride that brings people back and you're set. I don't think the weakness of the story or characters should worry anyone. WDI and Cameron have this land and ride to re-introduce characters and make everything that much more memorable.

AvatarLand won't overshadow the Animal Kingdom brand, it will enhance it's message.

As much as I could care less for the Avatar movies, I think that adding this land into AK could turn out to be a brilliant move if the budget allows for it to be done properly. Just my two cents.