Eisner on "Fifth Park"

[ClemsonTigger]

Fix what we got

In the intermediate term, as has been provided by many here, without some truly novel/breakthrough theme, the most cost effective approach is enhancement of the current infrastructure, ie. expand AK significantly, expand MGM and fill in the dead spaces. Epcot can use a few more countries and some additions to Futureworld. MK IMO mostly needs some polishing with a few additions in Tomorrowland and there is that big landfill between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland...

WDW gets good publicity and a good bump if they can maintain the current pace of 1-2 major new attractions a year.

Convincing the people (like those on this thread) that AK and MGM are "complete" parks would give the best boost. A major factor are the repeat Floridians, and for that, you need new.

 

[Hank Scorpio]

The British are not halfway between WDW and TDS. Its an 8 hour plane trip to Walt Disney World, and more like 24 hours to Tokyo.

I'd love to visit TDS but I don't see it happening before the teleportation device is invented. Its just too far to go... although it does look awesome!

 

[speck76]

MK IMO mostly needs some polishing with a few additions in Tomorrowland and there is that big landfill between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland...

While I am always up for new attractions, I don't think the MK is in need of any major additions, at least compared to the other parks.

The MK has had Philharmagic and Wishes added within the last year, and with SGE opening this year, and Cinderellabration next year, MK has really received its share of capital improvements for a few years.

The other parks need the money more....MK is never suffering for attendance.

 

[SIR90210]

Was just sitting her thinking and something just occured to me: Shouldn't the Corp. big wigs, i.e. Michael Eisner and his staff, be located in Fla, and not Ca. I mean, there's no denying that the majority of business is being conducted in Fla., versus DL. And it seems the bigger issues of the day all seem to center around WDW and the needs of the parks/resorts located there. I mean, out of sight, out of mind, right? Seems to me that the disconnection that exists has a lot to do with Mr. Eisners' proximity to his biggest investment. I know that if my GM for our store were located 3000 miles away, it would be much harder to get things done on a day to day basis.

Any thoughts?

As soon as I take over the company, I will move the HQ to Orlando and build a full studio on the other side of World Drve from MGM.

 

[imagineer99]

As I've said before, FINISH AK (as Imagineer99 has pointed out)

Grizz has recognized me!

My pointless life suddenly has meaning!

*promptly faints*

 

[jrriddle]

I've been following this thread for a few days now and I'm on the build up what we have side.

MK- Fantasyland, ToonTown - these areas really need to be redone (like California's). IMHO WDW's MK is not as nice looking as the other Disneylands around the world.

Epcot- Getting there. Finish up rehabbing Future World, take a look at more attraction for World Showcase.

Disney MGM- With the MGM license going in a few years. I think this park will be next for Rehab. This park could use a few more attractions. More darkrides.
There just seems to be alot they can do with this park if the Muppets can regain their popularity and if the Roger Rabbit rights can ever be sorted out.

Animal Kingdom- Still a 1/2 day park. Nuff said.

When these parks are the best that they can be. A 5th gate would be welcomed. I would love a brand new idea with the quality of a DLP and TDS.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

On the same page...

Quote:
Originally Posted by ClemsonTigger
MK IMO mostly needs some polishing with a few additions in Tomorrowland and there is that big landfill between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland...



While I am always up for new attractions, I don't think the MK is in need of any major additions, at least compared to the other parks.

The MK has had Philharmagic and Wishes added within the last year, and with SGE opening this year, and Cinderellabration next year, MK has really received its share of capital improvements for a few years.

The other parks need the money more....MK is never suffering for attendance.
__________________
The light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off due to budget cuts.
Speck76

Speck,
I guess I was not clear enough in my ramblings, but I was trying to say just that. Tomorrowland should have the empty buildings utilized, planets moving and such, possibly updates and new sound for HM and PoTC, and now that we have a big hole in the ground, I would like to see it filled with quality and pixie dust.

So in moving forward, major spending for MGM and AK, moderate for Epcot and as you said, minor for MK.

 

[civileng68]

Disney Fans

To those of you who are true Disney fans, you of all people should not want a fifth park. Why? Because whether Disney pulls people from other parks or not is not the story, they'd be pulling from other DISNEY parks.

It makes no sense. Disney would simply thin out the number of people in one park to put in another.

A fifth park years from now may be fine but, you dont' grow too fast without suffering the consequences. AK is not even complete yet and we're talking about a fifth park? Look back at history of the corporate world, companies that grow beyond their consumers demands always end up in financial troubles, if not bankrupt. As someone said earlier, the demand is not there. Demand is not based upon us saying "we want it" but marketing demand, where financially it shows that the new product is being demanded. It's not, plain and simple. They need to finish AK first. Why do we keep wanting extra parks anyways? AK isn't even completed. Mt. Everest isnt' even done and we want new parks? Sheez.

 

[GoofMaul]

IMO, a fifth park doesn't make sense financially. Don't get me wrong I would love to see what Disney comes up with, I just don't think demand is quite there yet.

Here is what I think Disney should be doing in the short term (mostly as others have said):
1) Finish out AK (make this a full day park and collect revenue for a full day).
2) Continue fixing up the park. I think these past 2 years have been really good for the parks.
3) Get some good "quality" programming back on the air coupled with a good marketing campaign. Right now there are not many Disney shows that children are really into. Viacom's Nick has been trouncing Disney in this department. Sponge Bob, Dora, etc. Personally my Nieces and Nephews know more about Sponge Bob than Mickey Mouse. That's just not right. I think "The House of Mouse" is a step in the right direction.

 

[mac388]

No way they'll be a fifth park any time in the near future. As others have said, AK didn't really increase overall attendence that much, but rather took visitors away from the other parks. Plus, AK doesn't have nearly enough rides to make it a full day park for most visitors.

Personally, I'm preying that a new park doesnt get built until Eisner and anyone who thinks like him are out of that Team Disney Burbank building. Otherwise, all we'll get is some misguided, budget-cut to death, vision-less park that will further hurt the company. (Disney's Florida Adventure, perhaps :hammer: )

Akk! Disney's Florida Adventure sounds like something that Eisner would think is just great. I think it would be hasty of Eisner and Co. on a financial perspective to build another park in WDW. Who's to say in ten years or so how the economy would be, but I doubt that people will stay longer to catch more parks. It's more likely they would spend less time at some parks just to fit everything in. I know my family didn't change our length of stay in the fifteen years we've been coming here (until we moved to Orlando, ha ha!).

I'd rather they put money into the existing parks-like making a great ride, not another hydraulic up and down ride (triceratops spin, aladdin's magic carpet).

 

[Tim G]

I specifically remember when Animal Kingdom opened, a reporter asked Eisner if there will be a fifth WDW park. Eisner responded: "Yes." The reporter then pressed Eisner on the issue and asked if he knew what its theme would be. Eisner responded: "I've been thinking about it and I have an idea... I know exactly what it is, but no one [in the company] knows about it [yet]..."

I wonder how WDI took this!

There are alot of things Eisner knows, what other people don't know, most of the time Eisner himself doesn't know...


But....... he doesn't know that...

 

[jrriddle]

There are alot of things Eisner knows, what other people don't know, most of the time Eisner himself doesn't know...


But....... he doesn't know that...

Finally! Thanks for clearing that up for us. :lol:

 

[speck76]

Anyone else think getting rid of Fastpass would keep guests in the park longer? (esp during non-peak time periods)

 

[Nicole]

3) Get some good "quality" programming back on the air coupled with a good marketing campaign. Right now there are not many Disney shows that children are really into. Viacom's Nick has been trouncing Disney in this department. Sponge Bob, Dora, etc. Personally my Nieces and Nephews know more about Sponge Bob than Mickey Mouse. That's just not right. I think "The House of Mouse" is a step in the right direction.

I totally agree with this. My 4 y.o. watches morning tv and the older she gets the less willing she is to watch the Wiggles and Roly Poly Ollie. Stanley she still likes, and was thrilled to meet him at AK last fall. Oh if only they'd bring back the old classics like Darkwing Duck and Rescue Rangers. You can still find Chip & Dale all over the parks but little kids don't really know who they are.

However I have to say that I watched "the Three Musketeers" last night and it is GREAT! So many fun inside jokes, I loved the operatic score and it was just a lot of fun to see Mickey, Donald and Goofy together. I can't figure out why Disney made this a direct to video movie, I think it could have done really well in theaters! Our favorite part was when Pete catches Mickey and says "hey there, hi there, ho there, you're as welcome as can be." I'm feeling the magic and oh so ready to get down to WDW and meet the Musketeers!!

 

[jrriddle]

Isn't all of WDW really Disney's Florida Adventure.
The idea behind DCA was to keep guests on property instead of seeing all the other Californian tourist attractions (San Fran, Hollywood, Redwood Forrest, etc.)
Same thing with WDW.
Why go to Universal when you can go to Disney/MGM.
Seaworld? The Living Seas
Cape Canaveral? Mission Space
Busch Gardens? Animal Kingdom

Just an observation.

 

[Lynx04]

There just aren't enough people to make a big enough profit on a 5th gate.

I think that is what Universal relized as well. Which is probably one of the reasons they sold there expansion property

 

[DarkMeasures]

You know there is a good thing about new parks pulling guests from the other parks, it means less lines at the older parks. Just imagine if Test Track had a line worth waiting in, it would be more than a decent ride then.

 

[PeterAlt]

Good point...but there's an easy way out of this quagmire....go for the guests....

If Disney would make an all-thrill park lets say ala IoA...they would be in direct competition for the kind of guest which go to Universal...if Universal would build a family friendly park ala MK...then Universal would be in direct competition for the kinds of guest which go to Disney. I think thats the only way out...of coarse there are risks...risks of alienating the fan base perhaps?

That being said, would it be right for Disney to make an all thrill park?

I just hope the current parks are worked on before we see another gate...

Universal can't expand beyond their current two parks. There were plans to build two more Universal parks, but the company, which just sold the theme parks and movie studios to NBC, sold off the expansion property to some other company before they sold the parks and studio to NBC, so NBC/Universal, unfortunately, no longer owns the thousands of vacant acres Universal had purchased a few years ago for future expansion (which included two more parks and several hotels).

As for Disney, the goal of a fifth park would be to bring in new people that wouldn't have visited the resort if that fifth park didn't exist. So the theme would have to be something that would attract those people. If Eisner has an idea for what that park could be, and that it is truly his idea, then he is a genious, not as genious as Walt by a long shot, but still a genious. An all-thrill park would not fill that need, and would be far from an "smart" idea, since you could find thrill at all the Disney parks (and even more thrills are added to each park as the parks grow and expand). If this (an all-thrills park) is what Eisner has in mind then he's an idiot (IMHO).

The evolution of the current parks, as I see it is this: MK is renewing itself (old rides rehabbed and upgraded) and I think it will see a whole new mountain-type E-ticket thrill ride withing several years; EPCOT is currently in the process of re-inventing itself from an all-omni-mover dark-rides park to a park of hands-on, self-discovering, technology-driven and often thrilling park; MGM still needs to grow (so expect more rides like Tower of Tower and Rock 'N ROllercoaster over the next ten years); and AK is maybe 2/3 finished with more "lands" being added over the next several years.

But if it's true that Eisner has an idea for a fifth park and that it is his idea, not the ideas of anyone in Imagineering, then I really have more respect for him as a leader because that's exactly how Walt Disney built his empire.

 

[DarkMeasures]

Just don't worry about a new park. Nothing will probably happen about it for a decade. By then there will be new types of attractions and other stuff to attract new guests.

 

[deix15x8]

An all thrill ride park wouldn't be bad to have added to WDW, but only if it's done right. DCA did bad because it was to much like any park in the country. Could you imagine what an actual Disney thrill park would be like, Rock'n RollerCoaster, Tower of Terror, Operation Everest, Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Dinosaur, Test Track, and Space Ship Earth all in one park. That would be alsome but rather than a great all thrill park Disney just built a generic theme park.