Disney Theme Park Failures?

[RM 34478]

I was watching one of my favorite shows about Disneyworld that was on the Travel Channel. I believe it is simply called "Travel Channel Presents Walt Disney World." Anyway they were talking about competition and how "Disney can not afford to fail." This made it seem like Disney has never failed. That every idea is a winner. Don't get me wrong, I love everything about the mouse, but I thought this might be interesting to talk about. Here are some I thought about. These in my opinion were failures and were changed or discontinued rather quickly. Not a scheduled update. Your thoughts. I know there is more.

1. Rocket Rods at Disneyland
2. The Disney Institute
3. Journey Into Your Immagination
4. ????????

 

[DisneyRoxMySox]

Disneyland Paris?
Disney's California Adventure?

:lookaroun

 

[Chape19714]

I agree with DCA..:lookaroun

Here's some I can think of:
Stitch's Great Escape
Cinderellabration
Alien Enounter Version 1 (the one many people didn't see as it didn't last too long)
Rocket Rods
Hong Kong DL :lookaroun

not many more instances, those are the biggest. Some smaller decisions have not been great, but are not a large scale of failure.

 

[autumndawn1006]

Hey Chape, do you mean Hong Kong is a failure because of what is in the park, or because it has not been very successful financially? Has it been very popular?

 

[DisneyRoxMySox]

Hey Chape, do you mean Hong Kong is a failure because of what is in the park, or because it has not been very successful financially? Has it been very popular?

Hong Kong is an empty park. It has been popular, but has been receiving some bad press. Financially? It didn't quite make the attendance goals they set, but many beleive the goal was set to high to beign with, based on park capacity and what not.

When they build the second phase, things will pick up.

 

[metscool]

The only thing that I could remember is the ride in DL that of you watch the videos shows balloons falling down. I don't remember the name.

 

[autumndawn1006]

Hong Kong is an empty park. It has been popular, but has been receiving some bad press. Financially? It didn't quite make the attendance goals they set, but many beleive the goal was set to high to beign with, based on park capacity and what not.

When they build the second phase, things will pick up.

Interesting....thanks!

 

[jedimaster1227]

Journey into Imagination with Figment
Ellen's Energy Adventure/Crisis
New Global Neighborhood
Innoventions
Mission:Space (the biggest of them all considering it was going to be Disney's next large franchise to place a clone in every resort that Disney owned)
The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management

 

[CoffeeJedi]

just because you don't like something, doesn't mean its a failure

 

[RM 34478]

Totally agree with the Tiki Birds Under New Management. It seems to me that the new class of immagineers can not come up with attractions that were so deep in story and original. Now it seems to be build a back story around a thrill ride. In other words to me it seems that the old school imagineers were able to accomplish much more in an atrraction with far less technology to work with. I wonder what they could have done with the technology of today.

 

[jedimaster1227]

just because you don't like something, doesn't mean its a failure

The only statement from my earlier comment that was biased was Ellen's Energy Adventure/Crisis. All of the other attractions that I have mentioned have not pulled in enough guests statistically or been the popular attractions that they were supposed to be (even when confirmed by Disney).

Being able to read on 12 different sites that Journey into Imagination with Figment is an attraction that is good if you just want to get on something fast isn't a good sign. On the busiest day of the year in WDW, I have seen JIIwF have a 10 minute wait. I waited in line that day and we walked straight on (with only two other people ahead of us). Does that say anything about this "popular attraction?" (I hope I don't come off as rude when saying this, because I am not trying to be in any way. I am just trying to make a point.)

 

[celticdog]

just because you don't like something, doesn't mean its a failure

I agree completely.


Failures would be something that was either planned or attempted but just didn't create a good financial return.

Disney's America was a failure. Too much resistance from the local public and environmentalists.

The Disney Institute. It was not supported by visitors, therefore it just lost money. People didn't want to go on vacation to sit in seminars, even if they were hands on.

The treehouse condos/home away from home houses on the golf course. They're too far away from anything to be convienent.

The Disney Speedway. Sure, The Petty Driving Exerience is surviving there, but no meaningful races in years.

 

[CoffeeJedi]

oh yeah, i wasn't being rude either, i just know that people will start listing attractions that we as a collective fandom don't like (Tiki Room, Imagination, etc) but might be statistically popular.

 

[jedimaster1227]

Disney's America was a failure. Too much resistance from the local public and environmentalists.

The Disney Speedway. Sure, The Petty Driving Exerience is surviving there, but no meaningful races in years.

Disney's America didn't lose Disney all that much revenue. It was never built. The land that Disney owned where the resort was set to go was sold off piece by piece, so its cost was completely paid off (plus extra revenue was made in the sale of the land).

The Speedway hasn't been a success because Disney doesn't publicize it at all. Disney could easily schedule races and things like that if they wanted to, but that would cause the parks to become to packed, most likely having to close the gates of Magic Kingdom due to the fact that the park has passed its maximum guest capacity. The location of the speedway itself is Disney's biggest problem. If it were farther away from MK, then it wouldn't be as much of a problem.

 

[Chape19714]

Journey into Imagination with Figment
Ellen's Energy Adventure/Crisis
New Global Neighborhood
Innoventions
Mission:Space (the biggest of them all considering it was going to be Disney's next large franchise to place a clone in every resort that Disney owned)
The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management

New Global Neighborhood isn't open yet.

Unless you speak of the old one, which was very successful for both Disney and AT&T, but when AT&T left, so did the neighborhood.

M:S is NOT a failure, it did wonders for Epcot's attendance numbers, even with the bad press.

Innoventions is great for Disney and the Involved companies

Ellen brought new life to an old pavilion, just like Nemo is currently doing over at the Seas, and what soarin just did at the Land. It's a great thing.

 

[majortom1981]

wow

Like other people have stated, Attractions can't be stated as failures because for the people who think they are failures there are people who adore them.

 

[disney9752]

if we can include entertainment, light tragic, i mean light magic at disneyland, the replacement for MAIN STREET ELECTRICAL PARADE, the daredevil circus show at epcot, & the somewhat famous barbie show, i belive it was held at the american gardens stage for a VERY short time.

 

[mitchk]

New Global Neighborhood isn't open yet.

Unless you speak of the old one, which was very successful for both Disney and AT&T, but when AT&T left, so did the neighborhood.

M:S is NOT a failure, it did wonders for Epcot's attendance numbers, even with the bad press.

Innoventions is great for Disney and the Involved companies

Ellen brought new life to an old pavilion, just like Nemo is currently doing over at the Seas, and what soarin just did at the Land. It's a great thing.

exactly, I couldn't have said it better :sohappy:

 

[whizGoofy]

The only statement from my earlier comment that was biased was Ellen's Energy Adventure/Crisis. All of the other attractions that I have mentioned have not pulled in enough guests statistically or been the popular attractions that they were supposed to be (even when confirmed by Disney).

Being able to read on 12 different sites that Journey into Imagination with Figment is an attraction that is good if you just want to get on something fast isn't a good sign. On the busiest day of the year in WDW, I have seen JIIwF have a 10 minute wait. I waited in line that day and we walked straight on (with only two other people ahead of us). Does that say anything about this "popular attraction?" (I hope I don't come off as rude when saying this, because I am not trying to be in any way. I am just trying to make a point.)

I actually just got back from WDW and for the first time ever, I rode Figment and I loved it. It may not be an audience grabber, but the placement is not that good. Also most kids have no clue who Figment is, so why would they want to ride it??

 

[autumndawn1006]

How about DisneyQuest(s) outside of Orlando?