Do you think the resort arcades are still relevant?

[kane47]

With the explosion in the last 5 years from smart phones and tablets, do you think the days of the resort arcades are numbered? I know that for many years there have been handheld devices such as Gameboys, DX, PSP, etc… but the number of people owning these devices are tiny compared to the new devices. Everyone I know has a phone. The younger members of my family are addicted, lol. They are always playing games.

With arcades taking up many prime locations, do you see Disney removing them anytime soon to replace them with something that generates more revue such as a store?

 

[Figgy1]

After over 20 visits, and having every game system known to the free world, we hit the arcades (and DIsneyquest) every visit. Plus, we do the MYW package and get the 100 credits.. (son is STILL trying to beat me at air hockey.... ain't gonna happen LOL) Plus, the arcades are always a good bet on bad weather or too hot days during everyone's stay

You go girl!!!!!!!! When will boys learn!!

 

[MaxsDad]

I go just about every resort visit. Yes, it is the pinball I go for. I especially like the PoC game. It is fairly common there. If our resort does not have good pinball, we just save the cards for the next time.

 

[flynnibus]

The games at Disney aren't likely even owned by Disney.. so it's purely a profit center for them sans some basic staffing.

A coin-op vendor buys the games, services them, and rotates them in and out as necessitated by themselves or the location. In return, the location splits the coin drop (what people put in the machines) with the vendor.

The vendor basically rents the games out for free.. in exchange for a cut of the revenue. Usually a 50/50 or close to that.

This is the same for every place you find a vending machine, jukebox, crane, etc. There are places that own their own pieces - but in the grand scheme, it's the exception.

In the hotels - its a no brainer for Disney to have the games where the parents can send little johnny off for a bit while they wait, eat, or whatever. Disney has the space - so its making that space take in direct revenue.

It's not as popular out in general retail anymore simply because of the space the games take up. The owners want a better return for the footprint, or just don't like dealing with the hassle of customers asking about the game. They are a point of theft, vandalism, etc.

Add onto all of that the fact the price people are willing to pay per game really hasn't escalated much since the 70s.. and it's a recipe for disaster. I know lots of people operating arcades and coin-op routes... almost every 'arcade' you see is done out of passion - not profit

For Disney - they basically have nothing to lose except for the space.. which in most cases they have plenty of. The ones that suprise me are any in the parks (like Space Mountain)

 

[Phonedave]

Those were the days. We had an arcade and about three 7-11 style stores in bike riding distance from my house growing up. I can not even fathom the number of hours or quarters I spent there.

There was no arcade within distance I could bike when I was a kid. That was a treat for when my grandparent would give my brother and I $5 each and take us to an arcade.

We had the normal 7-11 type stores that we could bike to, but it seemed that just about every store had a game in. The pizza places (Karate Fighter, Zaxxon, and Donkey Knog Jr.) the bike store (Q Bert, and something else), the card/candy/cigar store (Adventure - the laser disc one, Tempest, and 1948) the bagle store (Burger Time), the Jewish Deli (Frogger). The list goes on and on. We just used to wander from store to store.


-dave

 

[Pooh Lover]

My 15 year old niece couldn't wait to get down to the WL arcade every morning before we left the resort and would play again either in the afternoon or late evenings. I can't imagine how much money she poured into that game. Most often we would be the only ones there in the morning but the evenings were pretty popular. The arcade at AoA was packed when we toured the resort in September (around 2:00 pm.)

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

In my family and extended family we have about 75 trips to Disney World from 1973 to two weeks ago. Not once has any of my family ever set foot in one of the arcades. I would love to see the space used for something different. I honestly don't ever recall looking in and seeing anyone on there to be honest. I don't know what the space could be used for but I'm sure it could be better utilized.

 

[ndiniz]

After over 20 visits, and having every game system known to the free world, we hit the arcades (and DIsneyquest) every visit. Plus, we do the MYW package and get the 100 credits.. (son is STILL trying to beat me at air hockey.... ain't gonna happen LOL) Plus, the arcades are always a good bet on bad weather or too hot days during everyone's stay

I'd have to agree! I think Arcades are a very important part of our culture. Things would be quite different if we didn't have arcades. I'm a pinball nerd, I'll admit it, and I don't play much of the newer pins because the only company in my town (who I used to work for) that deals with serious game room equipment hasn't bought any newer pins since probably the first 5 to 7 or 8 years of the new millennium and the new ones are probably too expensive for them.

I'm also a fan of classic games too like Donkey Kong, Galaga, Pac-man, you name it!

 

[Clamman73]

Those were the days. We had an arcade and about three 7-11 style stores in bike riding distance from my house growing up. I can not even fathom the number of hours or quarters I spent there.

Played plenty of Spy Hunter and Karate Champ at a 7-11

 

[copcarguyp71]

Me and DD always take a couple of hours for ourselves some afternoon when momma bear needs to recharge and head to the arcade mostly to have an air hockey tournament and mess around on games of skill. I really enjoy that it is "our thing". That having been said I do think that the games are a little stale or more to the point redundant with the smart phone genre in full swing. I actually think it would be cool if they added classic games back in that I remember dropping tons of quarters into..Tapper, Contra, Zaxxon, Dig Dug, Tron, Etc. along with the aforementioned XBox, WII, Playstation gaming stations. Mixing the old and new would be a win win for this old head!

 

[GenerationX]

We still play at the resort arcade each visit (and hit DisneyQuest, too). The boys tend to play any games they don't have at home, especially the large dance and driving games. I like playing the boys in air hockey, because it's the only game where I stand half a chance against them.

At DQ, I typically park myself in front of one of the machines with multiple games that includes Berzerk and Defender. Games I spent many a quarter on back in the 80s.

 

[JIMINYCR]

At some point, it's late at night, weve done the park, gone back to the resort, had a snack and my son says, hey lets go check out the arcade. So yeah, it's not a highlight of the trip, certainly not something that gets entered onto my planning sheets to do, not a memorable vacation moment. But it's there, fills in some time, it's certainly better than going back to the room and turning on the tv.

 

[hksusa]

I think Arcades will still exist, but now a days they are usually tied in with another way to make money, like a bar or a food service. A good example is Dave and Busters, which has a bar and food service.

I think video arcade games are getting less popular due to home console systems. Most arcades now a days usually has redemption games like stacker, crane/claw and games to win tickets.

I think disney will have arcades as long as is profitable, because business is business.

Gone are the days where you can drop a quarter in and play for 10mins, now there are these redemption machines that have big prizes (like an ipad), and the machine is smart enough to know how many plays it must have before it gives you a chance to win the big prize, so generating profits on these machine is almost guaranteed.

 

[Figgy1]

I think Arcades will still exist, but now a days they are usually tied in with another way to make money, like a bar or a food service. A good example is Dave and Busters, which has a bar and food service.

I think video arcade games are getting less popular due to home console systems. Most arcades now a days usually has redemption games like stacker, crane/claw and games to win tickets.

I think disney will have arcades as long as is profitable, because business is business.

Gone are the days where you can drop a quarter in and play for 10mins, now there are these redemption machines that have big prizes (like an ipad), and the machine is smart enough to know how many plays it must have before it gives you a chance to win the big prize, so generating profits on these machine is almost guaranteed.

Welcome and have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SAV]

My kids are 11 and 8 and they both love going to arcades when they see them. We have a trip soon to the Wisconsin Dells and besides the water park aspect of it, they are so stoked to go to the on-site arcades. So yes, I do think they are very relevant.

 

[Paging Mr. Morrow]

I don't know if this was mentioned but I just returned from a week in WDW with my family and we spent a couple hours in Disney Quest and I must say it was very disappointing from what it was a years ago. Everything seemed very outdated although I do understand the nostalgic pinball and Pac Man games and appreciate them. Also Disney Quest in general seemed very run down and dirty, kind of like a movie theater arcade is the best way I can describe it.

I just think my generation and those that will come after just don't see the draw in the games offered in "classic" arcades anymore, it's all about the tablets and the smart phones now. I'd like to see disney bring maybe some new technology into the arcades and Disney Quest by incorporating touch screen games and Xbox, Wii U and PS3 consoles. I think this could bring in a huge draw for kids and parents and also be a way for Disney to test new video games they want to release to the public or to sell already developed games.

Hope this didn't get too far off track from OPs original post!

 

[BigRedDad]

I love the arcades. it is a fun distraction for a short period for kids and adults to play.

Does anyone remember those old games at Pioneer Hall in FW where the big vibrating Big Al chair was (it was big to me because I was barely out of soiling diapers)?

 

[PhilharMagician]

We hit the resort arcade at least a few nights per trip on the way back to the room after a day in the parks. We play some air hockey, my daughter loves to play Skeeball and I hit some misc games. Another one we hit is @ DHS. If we decide to stop for a bite @ Pizza Planet we will go a few rounds of Air Hockey. Winner picks the next ride/show to do.

In the evenings the arcades are quite busy that we have seen. I cannot see them being removed.