Disney stand alone hotels

[Jerm]

I think Disney is getting an idea of how things might look good on paper but when they build it they don't come....Aulani so far is not doing so hot. I will be visiting Aulani next week, but the bottom line so far is it is pretty easy to get a room or almost all of them there. Aulani in its first few weeks was packed, all the DVC (the 1% of AP holders) flocked to the latest and greatest, but after that it has fallen pretty flat in attendance. The two major problems with Aulani is it is in Hawaii (a very very expensive place to visit) and after you have visited once there really is not much to do there or in Hawaii. Think about why you visit WDW or DL, it is because there are things to do and something is always changing, Hawaii not so much.

After planning my trip to Aulani I have found that things to actually do at the hotel are pretty limited and the excursions they offer are really just the main tourist activities on the island. They have a small selection of activities around the hotel, mostly playing in the pools or lazy rivers, paying extra to snorkel or pet some sting rays or the Menehune Challenge (Kim Possible type game). The food offerings are very limited and VERY pricy but that is, I guess, one of the main draws of the Hotels in WDW so why not spread it over there.

I will have a better report when I get back but as far as "Stand Alone Disney Hotels", I think it might be a while before we see another on pop up.

[RANT] This is NOT something that Walt would EVER do. He was about quality, quality, quality. He was constantly looking to make changes, and, it costs money to keep things fresh. Looks like we need a new batch of executives, if all they are thinking about is the bottom line with investors, instead of making the parks, ships, and resorts the best that they can be. I think MORE capital spending (especially in the parks) is needed, not less.[/RANT]

It was one of Walt's dreams to build a ski resort before he passes away. The Mineral King Resort was to be home of the Country Bears and a full stand alone resort....SO YEAH!

 

[c-one]

I know I'm in the minority, and living in FL helps me to lose interest, but I don't find the tropical locations to be appealing to me (except Hawaii). Like Yoda, I would love to see Yosemite, Yellowstone, Gatlinburg, Banff, Alaska, or anything of the sort.... A Wilderness Lodge actually in the Wilderness!

That's a very fine line, though. The Wilderness Lodge was based on real national parks lodges. Disney would have to be careful not to offer a, well, "Disney"-fied version when the authentic experience is a direct competitor. There's a reason "Mickey Mouse" has become a pejorative.

 

[TalkingHead]

The two major problems with Aulani is it is in Hawaii (a very very expensive place to visit) and after you have visited once there really is not much to do there or in Hawaii. Think about why you visit WDW or DL, it is because there are things to do and something is always changing, Hawaii not so much.
After planning my trip to Aulani I have found that things to actually do at the hotel are pretty limited and the excursions they offer are really just the main tourist activities on the island. They have a small selection of activities around the hotel, mostly playing in the pools or lazy rivers, paying extra to snorkel or pet some sting rays or the Menehune Challenge (Kim Possible type game). The food offerings are very limited and VERY pricy but that is, I guess, one of the main draws of the Hotels in WDW so why not spread it over there.

Quite possibly the stupidest comment I've ever read on this site.

Yeah, when I think of boring, nothing-to-do vacation destinations, Hawai'i always comes to mind.

I know I would take a hundred trips to Hawai'i over a hundred trips to WDW, if I had a choice between the two.

 

[Computer Magic]

What I would not mind seeing is the Aulani model done in other locations. I have always liked somewhat adventurous or exotic locations but have shied away from them simply because you never know what you are going to get. Adding a resort with the Disney name to those locations is like an insurance policy. I would love to see Disney resorts in Alaska, Yosemite, Costa Rica, Mexico, Australia, etc.

I thought disney would build resorts to complement their Adventure by Disney. Keep all the money within the mouse ears. That would makes a lot of sense.

 

[disneyeater]

A stand alone hotel could do just fine on Castaway Cay if you ask me...

 

[Hakunamatata]

A stand alone hotel could do just fine on Castaway Cay if you ask me...

How would that work? You pay extra to stay at a hotel on an island when you have a room onboard at the end of the dock?:shrug:

 

[COProgressFan]

That's a very fine line, though. The Wilderness Lodge was based on real national parks lodges. Disney would have to be careful not to offer a, well, "Disney"-fied version when the authentic experience is a direct competitor. There's a reason "Mickey Mouse" has become a pejorative.

Well, you have the same issue with the culture of the Hawaiian islands in Aulani, and they seemed to do it fairly well. Certainly much better than most of the other hotel/resort developers on Oahu. Most would agree that from the looks of it Aulani attempts to recognize authentic Hawaiian culture, rather than the Mickey-fied Tacky Tiki motif.

It's interesting because I have been to some of the places "fake" Disney resorts are themed after -- New England Coast (Yacht/Beach), Jersey Shore (Boardwalk), Polynesian (Hawaii), Saratoga, etc., and very often the difference between what is authentic and what is artificial is not really that clear.

 

[disneyeater]

How would that work? You pay extra to stay at a hotel on an island when you have a room onboard at the end of the dock?:shrug:

I am not saying you would stay there when you cruise. There is an airstrip on the island. People would love to just vacation there without the cruise.

 

[MarkTwain]

A stand alone hotel could do just fine on Castaway Cay if you ask me...

This has come up before, actually. Supposedly the island becomes absolutely swarmed with insects at dusk every evening, getting on the beach chairs, congesting the air, and so on. Don't know if it's true for certain, but it would definitely explain why the ships are always gone by sundown, or why they never spend the night at the dock (when they easily could).

To which I say... time to break out the insecticide!!

 

[disneyeater]

This has come up before, actually. Supposedly the island becomes absolutely swarmed with insects at dusk every evening, getting on the beach chairs, congesting the air, and so on. Don't know if it's true for certain, but it would definitely explain why the ships are always gone by sundown, or why they never spend the night at the dock (when they easily could).

To which I say... time to break out the insecticide!!

I have heard of sandflies in the carribbean, but thought you could treat for them.

 

[UrbanDonovan]

Quite possibly the stupidest comment I've ever read on this site.

Yeah, when I think of boring, nothing-to-do vacation destinations, Hawai'i always comes to mind.

I know I would take a hundred trips to Hawai'i over a hundred trips to WDW, if I had a choice between the two.

And yet, here you are, posting in a WDW fan-forum.

Interesting.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Aulani so far is not doing so hot. I will be visiting Aulani next week, but the bottom line so far is it is pretty easy to get a room or almost all of them there.

My agency's bookings for Aulani are very strong.

Many are frequent visitors to Hawaii, and want to have the Disney experience there. Some have already talked about booking multiple Aulani trips.

 

[COProgressFan]

And yet, here you are, posting in a WDW fan-forum.

Interesting.

Why so interesting? I love Disney resorts, but I also love Hawaii. Can't someone still love Disney World but prefer Hawaii if they had a choice?

 

[ScoutN]

Why so interesting? I love Disney resorts, but I also love Hawaii. Can't someone still love Disney World but prefer Hawaii if they had a choice?

I guess it boils down to how many times you have been to Hawaii. I could careless if I ever step foot there again.

 

[fractal]

The Hawaiian resort has been very dissapointing so far - in terms of interest.

Somebody was smart enough to hit they brakes and see if Aulani's problems are fixable or if they completely overestimated the Disney brand in regards to stand alone hotels/resorts.

My two cents - The WDW hotels are protected under the cover of the entire resort - meaning the themeparks, transportaion, dining, and other extras you get by staying there. These hotels do not have to directly complete with off-site accomodations because they offer things you cannot get offsite. The offsite hotels/condos can only compete by lowering their prices. It is strange that you can get bigger, more luxurious accomodations at half the price only a mile outside of WDW. But as they say in real-estate; "location,location,location".

Once Disney hotels leave the "realm" of the theme park "umbrella", they now have to compete with the other hotels on a more level playing field - and the competition is fierce. I'm a bit surprised that it took them this long to figure out.

Moving more resourse into Asia is definately a smarter move. The last thing we need as fans of WDW is for them to be losing tons of money building standalone resorts based on some "delusions of grandeur".

 

[GrimGhost]

...
Once Disney hotels leave the "realm" of the theme park "umbrella", they now have to compete with the other hotels on a more level playing field - and the competition is fierce. I'm a bit surprised that it took them this long to figure out....

I essentially agree with your analysis, but it got me thinking of Hilton Head and Vero as examples. I was wondering if anyone knows or has Disney ever inadvertently published or released how Hilton Head DVC does? I know resales are cheap in terms of after market prices, but many people pay cash to stay there, and the rates are comparable to other resorts on HHI. Do the membership fees, cash nights and food and merchandise sales generate any profit for Disney?

 

[MarkTwain]

I have heard of sandflies in the carribbean, but thought you could treat for them.

I essentially agree with your analysis, but it got me thinking of Hilton Head and Vero as examples. I was wondering if anyone knows or has Disney ever inadvertently published or released how Hilton Head DVC does? I know resales are cheap in terms of after market prices, but many people pay cash to stay there, and the rates are comparable to other resorts on HHI. Do the membership fees, cash nights and food and merchandise sales generate any profit for Disney?

Couldn't tell you that. But I do know that those 2 resorts are infamous for low long it took for them to sell compared to their WDW-property counterpoints. Didn't Vero Beach take about 10 years to sell out completely?

 

[puntagordabob]

I know I'm in the minority, and living in FL helps me to lose interest, but I don't find the tropical locations to be appealing to me (except Hawaii). Like Yoda, I would love to see Yosemite, Yellowstone, Gatlinburg, Banff, Alaska, or anything of the sort.... A Wilderness Lodge actually in the Wilderness!

Give us a DVC next to Tokyo Disney! Not that I could afford to fly there at the moment...but it would certainly make a lot of us DVCers happy lol

 

[3IAlienKid]

Posted by Jerm
The two major problems with Aulani is it is in Hawaii (a very very expensive place to visit) and after you have visited once there really is not much to do there or in Hawaii.

Can't disagree with your first point. However, although I don't really know if the majority of tourist agree with your assessment there's not much to do in Hawaii, I can tell you my wife and I went to Aulani for a week in October (not DVC members) and we cannot wait to go back. There are a bunch of things we'd like to repeat and a ton of things we didn't get to do the first time around. We are actually hoping to go there again before we make another trek to our beloved WDW.

posted by Jerm
...but the bottom line so far is it is pretty easy to get a room or almost all of them there. Aulani in its first few weeks was packed, but after that it has fallen pretty flat in attendance.

posted by DisneyJoe
My agency's bookings for Aulani are very strong.

We were there within the first month and a half, and yes it was hard to get a room as some of the room types were completely booked. As for easy bookings in December when Jerm is going, I wonder if it was easier to get a room because it's the off season. Everything I've heard about Aulani not meeting expectations has been either rumor or second hand so far, nothing substantial, so I'd be interested to see actual occupancy numbers, especially bookings for Christmas and spring break.

btw Jerm, when you go next week, only 2/3rds of the rooms will be open, the last 1/3 are scheduled to open early next year (when we went in October only the first third of the rooms were open). So enjoy, you won't have to fight for a pool chair.

 

[MarkTwain]

Can't disagree with your first point. However, although I don't really know if the majority of tourist agree with your assessment there's not much to do in Hawaii, I can tell you my wife and I went to Aulani for a week in October (not DVC members) and we cannot wait to go back. There are a bunch of things we'd like to repeat and a ton of things we didn't get to do the first time around. We are actually hoping to go there again before we make another trek to our beloved WDW.

We were there within the first month and a half, and yes it was hard to get a room as some of the room types were completely booked. As for easy bookings in December when Jerm is going, I wonder if it was easier to get a room because it's the off season. Everything I've heard about Aulani not meeting expectations has been either rumor or second hand so far, nothing substantial, so I'd be interested to see actual occupancy numbers, especially bookings for Christmas and spring break.

btw Jerm, when you go next week, only 2/3rds of the rooms will be open, the last 1/3 are scheduled to open early next year (when we went in October only the first third of the rooms were open). So enjoy, you won't have to fight for a pool chair.

I wonder, then, if booking rates may be different from purchase rates (seeing as Aulani is part hotel and part timeshare). There might, for instance, be people wanting to splurge on a Disney-Hawaii vacation just once without intending to go again, or wanting a test run of the resort before committing to it for the rest of their lives.

This is just all speculation, anyway. Disney themselves claimed that their sales are going strong, so that may well be true. My family bought points in Aulani ourselves, although only enough get a one-bedroom once every three years (by carrying over points one year and borrowing the next). In my opinion, Hawaii has enough niches and opportunities to explore to last a lifetime of vacationing. Most of the islands (and there are eight) could easily fill a week's vacation. We're looking at adding several days on Big Island to our upcoming stay at Aulani, and we're becoming increasingly concerned that we'll have to make a future trip back to see everything we want to just on that one island. Factor in countless sites and tucked away beaches on Maui, Kauai, Molokai, and of course Oahu itself, and you'll find there's always a reason to go back.