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News Disney to heavily reduce Capital Expenditures in the parks throughout 2020 during COVID-19 crisis
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
Eh, who could ever possibly have predicted that billion dollar losses, closure of the parks, and the biggest hit the tourist industry ever took could result in postponed investments....
Walt's been dead 60 years and if by some miracle he was still alive today it's very doubtful Tomorrowland would even exist as he would have most likely flattened the place and built something else. It's a dated concept as we don't view the future as having as much change like the did in the 50's and 60's. Tron is 80's futurism so it fits in the land of the future people dreamed about but which never happened.
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
Do you know of the grand entrances to the parks will be completed? Magic Kingdom is a mess right now to get in.
And Epcot, I hate to say this. Should have just been left alone. I feel like they immediately start bulldozing everything instead of sections.
And Epcot, I hate to say this. Should have just been left alone. I feel like they immediately start bulldozing everything instead of sections.
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
There is not much magic Kingdom can develop. I actually think even without Tron it competes strong against all 3 universal parks combined. But, depending on demographic group, Universal wins.
Bob Harlem
Well-Known Member
It's not completely (some types of work have), but, site work and general improvements are still happening, it has slowed due to county issues, but even recent bioreconstruct photos still show active site work going on, particularly in the back half by Sand Lake Road, general grading, and parts involving the road extension for Kirkman.
Yeah it's awful I know someone who's been waiting at the turnstiles for 2 weeks now and they were saying what a mess it is
Quinnmac000
Well-Known Member
Infrastructure is continuing for Epic Universe as seen by the aerial overview photos coming out.
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
Yeah it's awful I know someone who's been waiting at the turnstiles for 2 weeks now and they were saying what a mess it is
LOL think back 2 months ago
Disney has recently opened lands themed to Star Wars and Toy Story, and has upcoming rides to Guardians, Troy, and Rat. Universal is countering with How to Train a Dragon *land*, an underwhelming Fantastic Beasts land, classic monsters land, and a Nintendo land. (All rumored).
Universal's available IP isn't necessarily bad. Disney's advantage will always be more compelling IP. For better or worse that's why we see so much on Disney's side. Universal can drop the same ride as, say, Slinky Dog and brand it to How to Train Your Dragon and Slinky Dog would likely still draw more people. Universal will certainly take a short term bump, but I'd still question sustainability on IPs alone. Their likely best shot is to take the potter lands and scale lessons to an entire park to make people not care about attached IPs. But that's going to take buckets of money and is currently a huge financial risk.
Universal's available IP isn't necessarily bad. Disney's advantage will always be more compelling IP. For better or worse that's why we see so much on Disney's side. Universal can drop the same ride as, say, Slinky Dog and brand it to How to Train Your Dragon and Slinky Dog would likely still draw more people. Universal will certainly take a short term bump, but I'd still question sustainability on IPs alone. Their likely best shot is to take the potter lands and scale lessons to an entire park to make people not care about attached IPs. But that's going to take buckets of money and is currently a huge financial risk.
WDW Pro
Well-Known Member
I took some heat over the past two months for the things I've said. You'd better believe I'm going to make note that I knew what I was talking about.
Go check out the responses on March 24th. Plenty of people thought I was nuts and Disney had plenty of money to get all this stuff done regardless of a short term virus. Why the parks would be open by May no problem.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
Yea, all you can eat cupcakes for only $5.99 each....
Phil Holmes the VP of DHS is retiring at the end of August. Any word of any more execs "retiring"?
WDW Pro
Well-Known Member
No. And if I did hear rumors on that I probably wouldn't disclose them. People should be able to make those decisions without online gossip. Talking about a purposeful leak and deleting hundreds of social media posts is one thing... outing a normal person pondering retirement is another.
I think that you are vastly under valuing the Nintendo IP, which is not 1 IP like Toy Story but is a brand with multiple IPs like Marvel or even Disney itself. Of these family of IPs you have a trio of surefire groups that will almost certainly be massive hits:
Mario-the one everyone thinks about and the one poised to be the first land as he should, but he is not all that Nintendo owns
Zelda-the top selling adventure game of all time, this brand awareness is at an all time high due to the recent release of Breath of the Wild (and a sequel is on the way) as Disney well knows, high fantasy in theme parks is a major crowd pleaser. Universal will likely be looking into this franchise next after Mario gets off the ground.
Pokemon: This is the ace in the hole, this is the top selling brand of all time. It’s translation into theme parks is not as cut and dry as Mario and Zelda but even if it’s just meet and greets and merch it will still sell like hot cakes
Outside of those three IPs who could support lands themselves Nintendo has other IPs that are popular enough to support a ride:
-Donkey Kong
-Splatoon
-Metroid
-Kirby
Nintendo is the most beloved video game company of all time, and has the potential to be bigger then Harry Potter or Star Wars.
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Prince-1
Well-Known Member
Another insider. Got it.
doctornick
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I think there is only so much WDW can do with "look at all these things we build a few years ago" when Universal is opening up a whole big park. I don't think that WDW would need a whole new park, but at least one new big ride coming out the same year that Epic Universe opens would I think be sufficient to prevent any cannibalizing of WDW's attendance towards Uni.
At the very least though, I would think Disney would consider big new entertainment offerings - like a light parade, new fireworks show at MK, a parade at DHS, etc - as counter programming. They could be developed quicker than a new ride(s) and would help with drawing in locals who are debating what APs to get.
My gut feeling is that if they want to do something to compete with Uni that an Indiana Jones ride might be a good option - whether a clone of DL's ride or something using the Shanghai Pirates tech.
We won't tell you what trying to get glory from "I told ya so" means.
peter11435
Well-Known Member
Well, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist or even a Disney insider to know that with construction projects shut down and on hold around the world, CAPEX spending would be down for the fiscal year. If there’s no construction activity on the sites for 3 months that’s 3 months you largely aren’t spending money on them.