Disney's HUGE mistake with DLP

[Spike-in-Berlin]

I am thinking about DLP since it was planned and opened. I especially wanted to single out why I prefer to go to WDW every few years, instead of going to DLP twice a year. I don't like it being in French for example, I don't speak french and hate it when I am greeted in Phanton Manor in French. I also don't like the weather of course as I connect DISNEY-PARK automatically to HEAT. But that still wasn't the main reason.
I believe I finally singled it out. DLP is only a smaller MK. DLP offers no really special attractions that WDW doesn't offer too (leave out minor ones like Casey Jr. or Alice's maze) and that mostly in a superior form (with the exception of SM which is superior to WDW). Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, as one of the very few attractions not featured in WDW is...nice but no reason to go to Paris as I consider it one of the weaker Disney-coasters. And I don't want to experience a sup-par park which is only a downsized MK when I just have to wait longer to have the "real thing" again. They are repeating the same mistake with the WDS-Park where there is even less to do and again no BIG E-Ticket that WDW doesn't offer.
Now what would be if they instead would build the Indiana Jones Adventure/IJ and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull from DL/TDS and especially the Journey to the Center of the Earth from TDS? Two major rides that are not featured in WDW and where, considering JttCotE you even would have to go not to Anaheim but to Tokyo, one of the most expensive cities in the world on the other side of the globe! If they would build them I would immediately be interested in going to Paris after their opening to finally do rides WDW doesn't offer.
Or if they would finally build the originally planned unique Jungle Ride (Adventureland in DLP is a major letdown to me without JC, heck without a JUNGLE at all). Or anything big and unique, like Fire Mountain in Adventureland or Geyser Mountain in Frontierland. How do you think about it?

 

[Pixiedust1983]

I agree with everything you have said.
One main reason I prefer to go to WDW instead of DLP is the exchange rate for the Euro is really poor these days so it may be cheaper and quicker to go from Scotland to Paris but when you add up the costs of food and shopping it ends up costing a fortune. It's nearly $2 to £1 so it's like double money for me when I go to Florida.

 

[marni1971]

One; so what if it`s in France? It had to be somewhere. The location was the best choice for all the criteria Disney wanted.

Two; Disneyland Parc is bigger than the MK in Orlando

Three; Each of the E Rides in the Parc were replanned from the ground up to better the American versions in everyway, which they do. A 3 floor PotC? Yep. A-100s in Phantom Manor? Yep. A longer Thundermountain? Yep. Detailing to rival TDS? Yep. That`s why the park cost $2.2 Billion.

WDSP is a different story, built by management who also budgeted DCA and HKDL. On the eve of WDSP opening, management were quoated as saying it was too small. That`ll change in the next 5 years.

Geyser Mountain never got off the boards; before it could be developed the drop shaft idea went to Discovery Mountain and eventually a certain hotel. As for the Indy EMV... well, there is that space in Adland sitting waiting. Tha plans exist. It`s that first or a certain water-based mountain

As for the Euro... I agree. Not Disneys fault. It is painfull. There again, the dollar won`t be so weak for ever. Having said that, I can`t wait for my forth visit to DLP next year.

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

One; so what if it`s in France? It had to be somewhere. The location was the best choice for all the criteria Disney wanted.

Two; Disneyland Parc is bigger than the MK in Orlando

Three; Each of the E Rides in the Parc were replanned from the ground up to better the American versions in everyway, which they do. A 3 floor PotC? Yep. A-100s in Phantom Manor? Yep. A longer Thundermountain? Yep. Detailing to rival TDS? Yep. That`s why the park cost $2.2 Billion.

WDSP is a different story, built by management who also budgeted DCA and HKDL. On the eve of WDSP opening, management were quoated as saying it was too small. That`ll change in the next 5 years.

Geyser Mountain never got off the boards; before it could be developed the drop shaft idea went to Discovery Mountain and eventually a certain hotel. As for the Indy EMV... well, there is that space in Adland sitting waiting. Tha plans exist. It`s that first or a certain water-based mountain

As for the Euro... I agree. Not Disneys fault. It is painfull. There again, the dollar won`t be so weak for ever. Having said that, I can`t wait for my forth visit to DLP next year.

One: There were better locations, especially in Spain with far more appropriate weather and with English as language (not Spanish). Paris turned out to be a BAD choice bringing the company into turmoil immediately after opening. I prophesized it as a teenager and was absolutly right. I had as a disney-crazed teenager better instincts than disney executives who earned millions for making wrong decisions. It took nearly a decade to cope with the problems and seriously influenced plans for WDW-additions, Westcot, Port Disney and so on.

Two: DLP is larger but features less attractions. And some "attractions" are not even real rides or shows. I would count them in the same range like meet-and-greet areas, sword in the stone and frontierland shooting arcade. Critter Coral? Ford Comstock? Passage Enchante de Aladdin? The Nautilus?

Three: I know that the attractions in DLP are mostly more modern, sometimes larger than their MK-counterparts. That doesn't mean necessary better. I don't like Phantom Manor even near as much as the HM. The entire location, the ride, the western background etc. Same about most of the others. I only prefer the DLP Space Mountain. Far superior to MK. But again, they are only rides they also feature in MK and thats the point. Nothing really unique, nothing really special.
I only mentioned Geyser Mountain as an example of a planned but canceled disney-attraction that would make DLP more unique. I would prefer a Journey to the Center of the Earth in Discoveryland, where it would blend perfectly with the theming. And if they really plan IJA (do you have any links about that topic, I would be very interested in more informations about it) then I will definitely go to Paris. Thats exactly what I meant. Give me some reasons and I will go. A longer BTMR is not one, an Indiana Jones Adventure is.

 

[marni1971]

Better locations? Nope. Only in the mind of a tourist. The plot Spain offered was not large enough and had poor transport links. The French governemnt also offered a superior finnancial package, needed if the $5 billion resort was to be built.

English may be the `international language` but it is rather arrogant to assume everyone should speak it. I speak little French and have no problems in the resort, either thematically or for communication. Try going to Tokyo Disneyland if you like English. You`ll hate that even more.

The location IN NO WAY caused the turmoil in the company. The fact they opened in the midst of Europes worst recession was the problem. That and the poor pricing structure and operational decisions made by the company. Plus $1.5 billion worth of hotels they built all at once. It wasn`t the French. It wasn`t the farmers and their little tractors. It wasn`t the weather - indeed in winter 1992 (a severe one) the park was at capacity most days, hence the fast track Indy and the Temple of Peril to take some of the strain until Space Mountain was ready.

So you don`t like Phantom Manor. That`s a personal opinion, not a reason to call DLP a mistake. Same for the rest of your not liking the theme. It dosn`t make it a bad park. More unique, with some very deep backstories.

Anyhows, back to IJA. I dug this up. Not greenlit, but more than blue sky:

 

[Philo]

I don't really agree with any of the OP points.

Firstly, I don't speak a word of french but I'm quite comfortable with the French language being used in the parks. Considering the language barriers, Disney do a pretty good job with the "Disney Speak". Would I prefer everything to be in English? Yes, but being in French certainly doesn't spoil it for me.

The weather point is pretty irrelivant. I went to DLP for four days in Feb 2006 where the temp never got above 0 Celcius and I consider it to be one of my best disney trips.

DLP offers (IMO) a better version of BTMRR and PotC. I would classify SM as a whole new attraction as DLP and MK are similar in name and theme only, the ride is totally different. DLP also offers a very beautful park (and a stunning castle). The so called minor attractions add a lot of Disney magic for me too.

Basically, I consider the two parks quite different and each offer their own experience. I've been to WDW more often than DLP because I consider WDW to be a better holiday resort - but I will certainly visit DLP as often as possible

 

[morgan22]

We've just come back (yesterday) from our 4th visit to DLP ... 6 weeks after our 12th visit to WDW ... and we had an equally fantastic time. DLP is our opportunity to get a little Disney fix close to home.

'Euro-Disney' had to be located somewhere in Europe - and unfortunately (joke!) only GB has English as its first language ... whose to say that if it was built in Spain ..Phantom Manor wouldn't have been in Spanish?

As for there being no unique rides... I had the pleasure of riding Crush's Coaster for the first time and thought it was one of Disney's best rides ever ... the whole theme from the queue and the loading area through the actual ride experience was fantastic

Yes, the Euro really stung ... having just been in Orlando and taken advantage of the weak dollar ... we found the prices in DLP just shocking... for example we bought our daughter the Tinkerbell costume in MK for a jaw dropping $65 (approx. can't remember exactly) ... a lesser quality version at DLP was 69euros..... with the current exchange rate that is almost twice as expensive... I bought a mickey head bracelet at MK for $5 ... the same bracelet was 5euros at DLP!!!

 

[SpaceMountainUK]

Im a huge WDW fan and been there many many times! but as I live in London also go to DLP alot and I have to say the MK in Paris is FAR FAR superior to Orlando.

The detailing in the architecture, the way the park is laid out, the back ground stories to everything! It truely is amazing if you stop and notice these things. While I agree with you on Phantom Manor (I prefer the US story) the setting in Paris is spectacular. How you can say that BTM in WDW is better than Paris I dont know, but each to their own. POTC also much better and LONGER in Paris, WDW's is very short!

Fantasyland is stunning no way does Orlando match this area! same goes for Discoveryland.....Im not a big fan of parts of WDWs Tomorrowland (too much asphalt everywhere!) Main Street is also much more elaborate than Orlando, with the Disneyland Hotel blending perfectly in.

Now I will give you this, The hotels are not on par with Florida. The only ones I really like from an Architectural point of view is the Disneyland Hotel and Newport Bay Club, but again they dont match Floridas Resorts. Also Disney Village isn't great but it is improving now with all the changes they have made.