Downtown Disney District Extends to Buena Vista Street

[Stevek]

So here's the real question...


Sooner or later, this pandemic will end. And this whole 2020 ordeal will be looked at as a big headache of an experiment, during which we'll hopefully develop some best practices for when another pandemic comes again (and another will, someday).

So, does Disney say to themselves "If we knew the state wasn't going to let us open up properly, we would have shifted the park into 'mall mode' months earlier?" Does this become the default way of laying low while the state manages a pandemic?

And from an operations point of view, does Disney look at how to more seamlessly shift to mall mode in the future?

Does make Disney start to take a closer look at Universal's plan for Epic Universe where the whole central corridor of is public, but the lands require purchased access (whether by wrist band or app or ticket or whatever). WDI was already experimenting with this idea in the early stages of Shanghai DL: The idea was that DisneyTown (the mall) wasn't outside of the park. It WAS the Main Street area.


It will be interesting to see what new operational ideas this triggers.

I think they absolutely would have gone to mall mode. Pretty confident they felt they were going to open.

 

[mickEblu]

Pretty confident this will only work for people without children. “Get in the car kids! We re going to Disneyland... to eat at Starbucks!”

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Pretty confident this will only work for people without children. “Get in the car kids! We re going to Disneyland... to eat at Starbucks!”

I don't know, dude. The comments section on the Reddit Disneyland (Reddit is a cesspool but I occasionally look at it) is weirdly optimistic about it when they're usually a bunch of Shut It Downers/ Replace Splash Mountainers. I think it's going to be a big hit if even those nuts are responding positively. Shopping and Outdoor Dining = Good!

 

[mickEblu]

I don't know, dude. The comments section on the Reddit Disneyland (Reddit is a cesspool but I occasionally look at it) is weirdly optimistic about it when they're usually a bunch of Shut It Downers/ Replace Splash Mountainers. I think it's going to be a big hit if even those nuts are responding positively. Shopping and Outdoor Dining = Good!

Hahah yea it ll be a big hit for sure. Just wondering how the kids aren’t teased/ massively disappointed. Maybe a Mickey ice cream bar, some popcorn and a souvenir is all it takes?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Why isn't it main st usa and why did it take them 5 months after Knotts to do this?

Open both the parks just for food and shops.

And charge admission like Knotts. I thought they wanted money?

They probably don’t need to open Tomorrowland and fantasyland in DL but everything else could be open for food and shopping. Get those dole whips and blue milks moving!

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Hahah yea it ll be a big hit for sure. Just wondering how the kids aren’t teased/ massively disappointed. Maybe a Mickey ice cream bar, some popcorn and a souvenir is all it takes?

Maybe Mickey will appear on a balcony or something to wave.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Why isn't it main st usa and why did it take them 5 months after Knotts to do this?

I'm guessing reopening Carthay Circle was a better bet at drawing business than any restaurant on Main Street.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Why isn't it main st usa and why did it take them 5 months after Knotts to do this?

Open both the parks just for food and shops.

A few reasons:
1. Opening the parks in any capacity will require some degree of planning and coordination. Shift it to one park and everything is easier than with two.
2. In the highly unlikely event it fails, at least it is within the already flawed and damaged product that is DCA rather than the core product.
3. They know that DL is what people really want, so by opening DCA first, they test the waters in the park people already have lower expectations for so they have a little cushion against bad press and potentially overwhelming crowds. They can also then save the opening of Main Street for a more marketable time period (say, Winter Break). This also ensures that by the time they open DL, they know what they're doing.
4. This may be a controversial opinion, but DCA might actually have better cuisine than DL on average.
5. In addition, everything is roomier at DCA, which makes it easier to distance in shops, restaurants, restrooms, paths-everything.
6. Most people don't linger at DCA the way they do at DL.

As much as many more people would prefer Main Street USA, it makes a lot of logistical sense to build up capacity at DCA before doing anything in Disneyland proper.

I'm guessing reopening Carthay Circle was a better bet at drawing business than any restaurant on Main Street.

Also this. Higher prices and capacity too.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I'm guessing reopening Carthay Circle was a better bet at drawing business than any restaurant on Main Street.

You’ve never seen the line to Plaza Inn on a Sunday!!!

 

[Kram Sacul]

Maybe Mickey will appear on a balcony or something to wave.

Not for free.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Not for free.

While I would normally agree, they absolutely have to do such a thing. Going inside a Disney Theme Park and seeing no Disney characters? Who's in charge? Bob Iger??

 

[mickEblu]

While I would normally agree, they absolutely have to do such a thing. Going inside a Disney Theme Park and seeing no Disney characters? Who's in charge? Bob Iger??

Ahhh but it’s not the park see, it’s an extension of Downtown Disney

 

[mickEblu]

What merch is available at the these stores that is NOT available at World of Disney ?

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Ahhh but it’s not the park see, it’s an extension of Downtown Disney

The more I think about it, the more I question the legality and sheer wackiness of all this. It's obviously in the theme park no matter this "It's Downtown Disney now" loophole. Theme Parks may reopen in Yellow Tier (Minimal), Downtown Disney may reopen in Red Tier (Substantial). But if we designate the entire resort Downtown Disney, it can open in Red Tier (Substantial)?

But, hey. As long as the Shut It Downers are fuming over this, I'm over the moon.

 

[mickEblu]

I feel bad for all the kids of weirdo disney parents. The parents are visiting shops and buying foods to engage their addiction, the kid will just want to go on rides and see characters and be miserable. Kids don't want to shop or eat at restaraunts.

Yes and No. I guess it just depends on the kid. I took my son to DTD a couple months ago and he was happy stocking up on Disney lollipops and just walking around and buying a new toy. He did ask to go to the parks so I took him to the gates and showed him they were closed. Actually walking into the parks may be too much of a tease though and I’m not sure I want or need to take that chance for a Starbucks sandwich and generic merch I can find on shop Disney. If they were to find a way to throw a few outdoor rides in with some sort of food festival thing I would probably do it.

 

[Anjin]

I has to be much easier to advertise an extension of Downtown Disney and set expectations appropriately, rather than announcing that they're opening DCA, but not really.

 

[Darkbeer1]

While I would normally agree, they absolutely have to do such a thing. Going inside a Disney Theme Park and seeing no Disney characters? Who's in charge? Bob Iger?? Paul Pressler

 

[MisterPenguin]

I hate them all with every fiber of my being

The host of these forums is a Disney blogger.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

The host of these forums is a Disney blogger.

Blogger is not the same as a vlogger.

 

[PiratesMansion]

1. So a company with Disney's size, money, and resources has to do "a lot of planning" to do a small task? Yet Knotts doesnt have to do planning? Disney has the manpower and money to make this stuff happen, they are just poorly managed.

If youre implying the company is so big that they can't get anything done, that's mismanagement, a large well managed organization can work like a machine.

2. Why should they worry if it "fails", right now they have all these resources (parks) eating up costs and making zero money. If it fails they can stop it just like any business. Their job is to take risks and make money.

3. I can see what you mean by this, DCA has more limited demand and maybe main street can be their effort later on when people get bored of DCA. (Maybe they will make main street entry a lottery and all the vloggers and twitterers will not be able to stop talking about it (ala Rise of the Resistance).

4. I mean they have Carthay which is great and the crappy Italian restaraunt, besides that isn't the rest all quick service? Disneyland has much more to offer IMO.

5. You are definitely correct about DCAs size. This is also why I feel Disney World can open much easier than Disneyland, as all their walkways are even larger than DCAs.

6. Can't disagree with you on that either. No one wants to soak in the atmosphere of Buena Vista St, which is just a poor man's knockoff of Main Street USA.

1. Yes. I mean, look at how slow their construction speed is nowadays! The company as a whole is definitely bloated and mismanaged.
But even Knott's couldn't just throw open the gates whenever they decided to do their event. You can't leave a theme park dormant for any period of time and just reopen (those seasonal parks that close for the winter don't just sit there for six months doing nothing and then throw open the gates-they're refurbishing, redecorating, inspecting/maintaining rides, etc). Inevitably you will have to do the necessary preparations to have guests in the space again, including cleaning, ordering food/merchandise, hiring and (re)training of staff, putting up new signage, etc. But Knott's is not only less watched than Disney but pivoted much faster, so it probably seems like they could do it overnight. No way that was actually the case.
2. Hence why I said unlikely. Disney can still be a very conservative company. What else is Iger's Disney output if not incredibly conservative and risk-averse? They're literally just making the same movies over and over again and being rewarded for doing so! Additionally, Disney knows that the minute they let the locals flood the parks, they will do so. Better to do it slowly and carefully.
3. The vloggers will absolutely lose their heads when MSUSA opens, not to mention the general population.
4. As I said, it's arguable, but DCA has some nice food options in Carthay, the Pacific Wharf, the cones, Ghiradelli, etc. Not saying DL has all bad options, but I think that pixie dust inflation and/or nostalgia applies more and makes the parks seem less equal than they really are in the food department.
6. I've always thought BVS was actually pretty nice, apparent questionable backstory aside! Not that there isn't something intangible about Main Street, but BVS is hardly amateur hour either.

It makes sense to start with DCA because right now people will eat up ANYTHING that will allow them a little bit of Disneyland. It's an appetizer. If they were to open bits of DL first and then slowly open parts of DCA, no one would care about DCA. But if DL itself remains closed, then suddenly just being in DCA will be highly appealing to many people.

Still, I'm sure that in time they will open DL and they could even do a "throwback" advertising campaign to match. "Remember when you could just come into Disneyland for a few dollars and enjoy it like an actual park? Well now, Disney presents a special, MAGICAL limited time offer to experience the atmosphere of the park the way it used to be, but with the modern amenities and Disneyland touches of the day that we know you've missed, like Plaza Inn Chicken and $20 churros, now featuring pumpkin spice!" etc.