Euro Disney Net Loss Widens Threefold

[speck76]

Euro Disney Net Loss Widens Threefold

By Associated Press |
Posted April 27, 2006, 7:40 AM EDT

PARIS -- French theme-park operator Euro Disney SCA said Thursday its net loss more than tripled in its fiscal first half because of one-time restructuring gains a year earlier.

Euro Disney's net loss rose to 102 million euros ($126 million) in the six months ending March 31 from 29.8 million euros a year earlier.

The company, which operates the Disneyland and Walt Disney Studios parks in the Paris region, said its operating loss increased to 61.1 million euros ($75.9 million) from 51.2 million euros ($63.6 million) a year earlier, as revenue fell.

First-half revenue decreased 1.4 percent to 467 million euros ($581 million) from 474 million euros last year, as both theme park attendance and hotel occupancy were lower.

Spending per hotel room decreased due to the discounting of room rates for certain vacation packages, Euro Disney said.

Real estate revenue grew 60 percent from the prior year to 15.5 million euros ($19.3 million) because of increased land sales of residential property.

The group said it plans new attractions in the Walt Disney Studios Park from the beginning of the 2007 fiscal year to add to the appeal and capacity of Disneyland Resort Paris.

Euro Disney shares were unchanged at 0.10 euros (12 cents) in early afternoon Paris trading.

 

[marni1971]

Build a cheap park, get the results....

WDSP is 4 years old now, and hasn`t help matters. Once you get past the front lot the quality vanishes - the attractions themselves are good (most of them.... just don`t try to pass off a spinner as a major attraction) but as a park DCA would have been better. Apart from the name of course. Even TWDC feared it was too small and lacklustre the day before it opened.

Don`t get me wrong; I love DLRP but compared to it`s neighbour, the Studios are more of a cheap themed land to a complete new gate.

It looks like I`ll be saying this forever too; WDSP ToT is plain in the wrong location. Someone needs a serious talking to over the tower and Buzz - they could have been used to so much better effect with not a lot more money. And don`t even ask why the tower is still in it`s original form after it`s twin was slated at DCA.

I can`t wait for the resort as a whole to stand on it`s own feet (it could be worse - it could be Eurotunnel) but making half brained decisions like these won`t help.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Hmm...I think this posting is somewhat misleading...DPR expected these losses due to the restructing from last year, and in reality this is sort of posting something that doesn't effect anything at present (i.e. as is represented in the no change in stock).

Disney Studios, by the way, is not calling it Tower of Terror - but none the less, it is in about the best place they could put it -- smack dab in the middle of the park where everyone entering it can see it and be drawn toward it.

And what do you mean about Buzz? It is in a perfect location and is already predictred to bring in increased revenue...

 

[marni1971]

I thought it was expected too.

Regarding the ToT, I thought the name was agreed. Even the in park billboard named it the "Twlight Zone ToT" - I didn`t expect the Twilight name. Tokyos is Hightower Hotel, but I thought Paris was the same as the others.

Whatever it`s name, it`s still poorley located. Right outside Studio One - as soon as you enter the park for real (Studio 1 is one shop and one cafe) it`s there. Imagine having Cinderellas Castle in the hub. Such a wasted opportunity to not build a Blvd (not necessarily Sunset) and have it at the end of it - the ultimate weenie as you exit Studio 1. It`ll take something very big and expensive to beat the Tower and be the Blvds weenie when it finally gets built. The other issue is the placement of the tower - the shadow will cast across Animagique all the way to Cinemagique. Not to mention when it`s backlit picture will look awful - this is the reason every castle has been built specifically to not face away from the sun (apart from Tokyo, for different reasons)

Buzz was a wasted opportunity to expand the Studios - and we know they need it. Le Visionarium was fine, popular and a very good attraction. It cost 9 million Euros to decommision and make the space available for Buzz - how much would a metal shed have cost at WDSP? The ride could then have gone into WDSP at no extra cost and been another draw and major attraction, since as you rightly say it`s going to boost figures.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

They didn't decommision Le Visionarium to put in Buzz!! They decided to use the space long after they got rid of Le Visionarium (as did the other parks)...They put in Buzz because they had empty space and it was so popular at WDW they figuured they could bring in more people with the attraction at DRP as well...also, it is cheap to install without having to create a new attraction...

 

[DieHardDisney]

Buzz doesn't fit into the theme of Discovery Land in the main park. Since when does Buzz intervene in a Jules Verne novel?

 

[marni1971]

Le Visionarium was closed specifically to be removed for Buzz. I wouldn`t call 9 million cheap before you start even thinking about a ride.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

In what way does Buzz not fit into Discoveryland? How does Autopia fit into Discoveryland? Buzz is in Tomorrowland at WDW. If anythiong, Discoveryland is sort of a hodgepodge of somewhat futuristic attractions - they created it that way on purpose so they wouldn't be stuck with the Tomorrowland moniker at the US parks - which are themselves toying with changing the name to Discoveryland.