This is a bold move for current day Disney. Celebration was a investment town in my opinion. This seems to be billed as a utopia built and managed by Disney. Seems more akin to Walts big goal, which is awesome but the pass/fail grade will be so tough and the ultimate answer to if they really can achieve what Walt wanted.
I think it's still too early to tell, but there is something telling about Disney offering "Guest Service" in this community that might set it significantly apart from Celebration. Celebration wasn't really meant to be overtly Disney, and I have a feeling that this project is.
My thinking is that this will be more akin to a DVC Property (like Aulani specifically), but with homes instead of timeshares. They have the ability to offer amenities and programs that are comparable to current offerings at their resort hotels (fitness programs, institute workshops, movie nights, character events or even full entertainment productions) to a smaller audience of community members, or to a wider audience (open to the public) without it necessarily having to be in California or Florida.
Pricing may be key to this, but if they can offer a somewhat comparable price to other HOA/Community amenities while being able to offer Disney specific products, it could definitely have big demand. With some communities, you might be buying into a club house, a pool or a boat dock, but with Disney, you might be able to get a Disney caliber show.
The timing of this is pure Bob-level genius! 5 to 6 interest rate hikes coming in the next year, meaning mortgages rates will be jumping up, the housing market will cool off, and people won't be looking to buy something like this. Brilliant!!! Give the bald-headed dork a raise on top of it!
This seems shortsighted. If the economy was headed for trouble, that seems like a good indication that park investment should also be considerably slowed down. Diversification seems smart, and definitely does seem like an Eisner era move.
