DHS CARS LAND

[El Grupo]

Good point, but not everything is filmed in the L.A. area. They never put their hear and soul into promoting this studio, or it could have gotten work that areas like North Carolina have gotten. Even Petersburg, here in Virginia, has a working studio with a fake Oval Office set that gets used routinely. Of course Virginia attracts historical dramas.

But the majorly obvious use, I think, for DHS as a studio would be for live family and children's shows. The live audience is plentiful, as opposed to L.A., where they often have to stand around Grauman's Chinese Theatre and hand out tickets to ensure a full audience. And, of course the promotional benefits would be great.

Imagine this:
"And now, LIVE from Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, it's the Mickey Mouse Club!!" (Or whatever teen show it could be.) You could not find a more nature cross promotion and ready-to-go live audience. Same could work for a game show -- a real one! Or a Discovery type show LIVE from Epcot! I mean they even have the built-in hotel accommodations for guest stars.

Seems obvious to me. I just think that The Weatherman and the rest of the studios folks in L.A. have forgotten what they have over here with regard to entertainment television potential.

All valid points. I would suggest that the production budgets for many of the kids shows on Disney Channel are not very large. Moving the casts and some of the production teams to FL would only add to the overall costs. The big question is whether being able to say the show was filmed before a live audience in DHS would make a considerable difference for the park. Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell. I tend to think that the money that would be invested in the production facilities, cast move, etc. would generate better results if funneled into an attraction. But, that's just my opinion. I could easily be missing the mark.

 

[menamechris]

Hope I'm wrong, I just don't see it from a business standpoint. Disney doesn't need to do anything big. Their worst park is 2 million visitors ahead of universals best park. Disney can create something small immediately or be patient and create something big 3 years down the road. Disney is in the drivers seat...universal is not going to catch them.

As someone else mentioned, Disney (with the exception of the Magic Kingdom) is trending down. I am sure they have forecasts and models that predict how that will impact the resort as a whole in a few years. Not to mention, they are faced with massive expansion at Universal, including Universal currently building a value hotel. A hotel that will make it extremely easy for a good majority of families to beginning splitting their vacation week between Universal and Disney. This will hit HS and AK numbers drastically, because those would be the obvious losers in that scenario. 2 Million visitors may sound like a lot, but in a scenario like this - that is striking distance.

 

[prberk]

All valid points. I would suggest that the production budgets for many of the kids shows on Disney Channel are not very large. Moving the casts and some of the production teams to FL would only add to the overall costs. The big question is whether being able to say the show was filmed before a live audience in DHS would make a considerable difference for the park. Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell. I tend to think that the money that would be invested in the production facilities, cast move, etc. would generate better results if funneled into an attraction. But, that's just my opinion. I could easily be missing the mark.

I would not move an existing show, expecially a scripted one. I am talking about new shows, with entirely new talent, especially like a Mickey Mouse Club or other interactive show. Even game shows. Any show that is heavy on audience interaction or enthusiasm.

 

[El Grupo]

I would not move an existing show, expecially a scripted one. I am talking about new shows, with entirely new talent, especially like a Mickey Mouse Club or other interactive show. Even game shows. Any show that is heavy on audience interaction or enthusiasm.

I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't stepped inside the American Idol Experience. Could something be filmed there?

Again, not a real fan of the working studio/theme park in FL. I think Disney lost interest in the concept themselves because it wasn't as successful as they imagined on the scale developed in Orlando. The idea works at Universal Hollywood because that park was built around a massive and truly active studio. I believe that successfully recreating that (with multiple large-scale productions running throughout the year) would be cost-prohibitive.

However, it does seem like a show or set of shows filmed live in the AIE theater would be more productive and ultimately more attractive to guests than the show presently in place. Just a thought (at the risk of offending AIE fans).

 

[jensenrick]

Good point, but not everything is filmed in the L.A. area. They never put their hear and soul into promoting this studio, or it could have gotten work that areas like North Carolina have gotten. Even Petersburg, here in Virginia, has a working studio with a fake Oval Office set that gets used routinely. Of course Virginia attracts historical dramas.

But the majorly obvious use, I think, for DHS as a studio would be for live family and children's shows. The live audience is plentiful, as opposed to L.A., where they often have to stand around Grauman's Chinese Theatre and hand out tickets to ensure a full audience. And, of course the promotional benefits would be great.

Imagine this:
"And now, LIVE from Disney's Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, it's the Mickey Mouse Club!!" (Or whatever teen show it could be.) You could not find a more nature cross promotion and ready-to-go live audience. Same could work for a game show -- a real one! Or a Discovery type show LIVE from Epcot! I mean they even have the built-in hotel accommodations for guest stars.

Seems obvious to me. I just think that The Weatherman and the rest of the studios folks in L.A. have forgotten what they have over here with regard to entertainment television potential.

They did try that, and unfortunately, it doesn't fit well within the theme park enviroment. Back in the day, I went to a couple of the "live studio audience" shows they had at what was then DisneyMGM, and each time it was a MAJOR chunk of the day to be in the audience- much more than the average theme park guest wants to lose. I didn't mind, as I was a AP holder and could skip the rest of the park if I had to.
Both times I went (I kinda remember one was some kind of dog show for Animal Planet, I think) you had to be there first thing in the morning, and we wouldn't get out until half into the afternoon. During all intros and outros to commercial, off set guys are trying to whip the crowd into a clapping frenzy, until we were all pretty tired by the time it let out.
So if you are a first time guest and you do one of these tapings, when it's done- the day is over half done, you haven't ridden anything, and you are already tired.

 

[c-one]

Hope I'm wrong, I just don't see it from a business standpoint. Disney doesn't need to do anything big. Their worst park is 2 million visitors ahead of universals best park. Disney can create something small immediately or be patient and create something big 3 years down the road. Disney is in the drivers seat...universal is not going to catch them.

There's a word for what you're describing. It's called complacency and it's a great way to squander all that advantage you've built up in no time.

 

[CinematicFusion]

In 2011 Magic Kingdom attendance was up 1%. DAK up 1%. DHS up 1%. Epcot no change. Islands of Adventure was up 29% in 2011. In 2010 it was up 30.2% while everything but DAK dropped at WDW.

I'm sure IOA is taking away business from USF, SeaWorld, Gatorland, Busch Gardens, and Legoland.... but I'm pretty sure Disney isn't immune either .


And even if it isn't taking away any business, I'm sure DCA will show the same thing: Open up a MAJOR E-Ticket and business will go up. Maybe not as much, but a 5-10% bump is enough to pay for most E-Tickets. When you get to the 20.0%+ range you can talk new lands (Cars Land anyone?).

I understand them wanting to play it safe, but man is that boring, and just anti-American .

It would take a 30 percent bumb in attendance for IOA to catch DHS. That isn't going to happen. Universal must build state of the art attractions just to stay relevant.
Disney just needs to maintain what they have, keep the rides in good order and the flowers pretty. People will come, they have the princess market cornered.

California Adventure needed the love. They were number 13 with 6.4 million visitors. It made since to add a major land to the park.

I hope they do spend 1.5 billion on all three remaining Disney Orlando parks. I just. Don't see if that will yield that great a return on investment.

 

[CinematicFusion]

There's a word for what you're describing. It's called complacency and it's a great way to squander all that advantage you've built up in no time.

You would be talking about a catastrophic decline of epic proportion at
WDW for it to fall to the low levels of Universal. Disney will stay relevant spending the money to keep the parks clean and the rides in good order. Every 3 years open a solid ride or show.

Nothing suggests Disney has turned a corner and will start building major lands to the tune of 500 million for each park.
I haven't seen anything on Avatar to suggest its coming anytime soon.
The FLE was being discussed from the early 80s.
Disney will expand, just not in the 3 year window we are talking about.

Hope I'm wrong, again....I would love to see 1.5 billion spent on the parks. But at that number, it almost starts to make sense to create a fourth gate.

 

[c-one]

Universal doesn't need to catch up in literal terms for the Mouse to feel a hit, though.

 

[CinematicFusion]

Universal doesn't need to catch up in literal terms for the Mouse to feel a hit, though.

That all depends on who is in charge at Disney. History still suggest they just aren't that worried about it.
Disney still gets its name out there as a company pushing ride limits when they create RSR.

Disney can point to Magic Kingdom and say they have created the largest expansion in MK history.
I think they see what type of return on investment FLE and cars land offers before they start building anything.

Again, hope I'm wrong...but why would Disney change? They are still crushing Universal.
Will be interesting to see what type of spike FLE gives the largest park in the world.

 

[CinematicFusion]

Again...hope I'm wrong. We will see in the coming weeks...months...years.

 

[twebber55]

i see what you re saying but if im the big dog on the street i certainly dont want to come across as complacent

 

[Mawg]

DAK and DHS would not be on this list of top 10 parks if they were not part of Disney World. They would not be getting these attendance numbers if the Magic Kingdom was not pulling in the crowds. People know the longer they stay the less they pay so they go because it becomes affordable. Great marketing on Disney's side. The fact that IOA is even on the list when they really aren't just competing with one park but all four plus two water parks and world class resorts that make up the World is remarkable and says a lot for their additions. Disney cannot stand idle, there will be a point when people will start saying it's really not worth the whole package any more, let's just do the kingdom for a few days and then go somewhere else. Given the choice between only IOA and DHS or DAK, I think most people would choose IOA, the only reason they are not now is that it's actually cheaper for them to just stay and play a little longer. Just my opinion, still have not been to IOA.

 

[CinematicFusion]

Again...hope I'm wrong. We will see in the coming weeks...months...years.

News is out Avatar has been postponed indefinitely. So, Im still betting we don't see anything new in the next three years with the exception of the mine coaster...that will buy Disney time. Disney will be patient and will go into a wait and see approach.

Even with the expansion of potter....universal won't catch disneys attendance numbers.
Hope I'm wrong, I want 1 billion dollars of new stuff when I plan my vacation in 2016.

 

[disney fan 13]

News is out Avatar has been postponed indefinitely. So, Im still betting we don't see anything new in the next three years with the exception of themine coaster...that will biy them time. Disney will be patient

While Universal will have 2 major expansions and lots of little additions over the same time period...

 

[Taylor]

News is out Avatar has been postponed indefinitely. So, Im still betting we don't see anything new in the next three years with the exception of themine coaster...that will biy them time. Disney will be patient

I think it means exactly the opposite I think the DHS expansion could be fast tracked. Where was the avatar story broke exactly?

 

[CinematicFusion]

I think it means exactly the opposite I think the DHS expansion could be fast tracked. Where was the avatar story broke exactly?

http://www..com/2012/09/04/avatar-project-for-animal-kingdom-officially-delayed-indefinitely/

I saw it on ign

Hope you are right. I just think Disney will be patient with cars land and wait and see California Adventures numbers a year from now. See what the attendance is like after the honeymoon is over. If the numbers are still great a year from now...I think they will green light it. Be ready by 2016-17. I just don't think Disney is in a rush.

 

[Taylor]

I just hope TDO is proactive and can understand that a year with nothing new and additions to UNI will hurt them big time

 

[CinematicFusion]

I just hope TDO is proactive and can understand that a year with nothing new and additions to UNI will hurt them big time

I agree with you....but it would take a minimum of a 7 percent increase in universal attendance for Disney to get nervous. That would be just over 500,000 visitors for IOA.
If numbers held...DHS would still bring in 1.5 million more a year.

Disney will build as they have, I just don't see anything huge for some time. They will ride FLE for the time being

 

[cheezbat]

Do you guys realize a big reason why the WDW parks bring in so many more people than Uni? 3 big reasons. Number 1...add on a day tickets are cheap. Number 2...WDW has 20+ hotels on property...Universal has three. Way more people staying on property at WDW...it's easier to keep them there. Number 3...park size. Magic Kingdomis 107 acres with tons to do, DHS around 130acres, Epcot 300 acres, Animal Kingdom 500 acres...tons of places to put people. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are both around 100-110 acres each...not as much space to spread people out. I'm telling you, if Universal had 4 theme parks, 2 water parks and 23 hotels, I think the numbers would be MUCH closer.