If a company similar to OLC in Japan was created and wanted to buy the Disney parks, would you embrace it?

[tanc]

As many know, Tokyo Disney Resort isn't run completely by Disney. Due to it, Tokyo Disney Resort is often regarded for the quality it provides compared to any other Disney park in the world.

If Disney were to sell park operations to another company would you embrace that? As the parks continue to decline it is something I have thought about.

 

[Lilofan]

In regards to selling, when Comcast tried to do their hostile takeover of Disney, the Disney Board told Comcast their offer was too low.

 

[bhg469]

As many know, Tokyo Disney Resort isn't run completely by Disney. Due to it, Tokyo Disney Resort is often regarded for the quality it provides compared to any other Disney park in the world.

If Disney were to sell park operations to another company would you embrace that? As the parks continue to decline it is something I have thought about.

Yes. Their focus would be completely on the parks and I would hope the resorts. Only a fool would not welcome such a change.

 

[JIMINYCR]

If you asked this years ago I would have said absolutely not. I would want Disney to keep from losing what made it special. Now as things have been trending, I’d say yes on the conditions that there would be a focus on improvements to all park attractions, resorts, better maintenance and guest relations. Discard policies that aren’t making trips easy and affordable as they once were.
I always hate to see buy outs of companies because there’s always a plus at the beginning that looks good and once in place there comes many unexpected negatives. You never know what is coming down the line after the deal is made. Disney losing control could be a disaster worse than what we are getting now.

 

[AndyS2992]

The only reason Tokyo Disney is the way it is, is because it is run by a Japanese company where the culture there is to work hard, be efficient, take pride and be respectful etc if a western company took over the parks they would treated nothing more than cash cows and the they would suffer.

Look at Disneyland Paris, the EuroDisney company was a third party and look how they ruined the place. Disney bought it back and the place is now thriving. Not entirely their fault that TWDC and French government made them overbuild hotels and laden them with debt but still lol

Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai are only partially owned by Disney, the rest owned by their respective governments so they need the parks to do well or it will become a political issue.

So overall I would hope Disney keeps full control of the US parks and Paris at least.

And as a side note, Tokyo Disney is overhyped, DisneySea is stunning but Tokyo Disneyland park itself is a bit of mess with poor layout, ugly roofed Main Street, large areas of barren concrete, Tomorrowland buildings are too high, copied from Magic Kingdom to accommodate the Peoplemover but there is no Peoplemover, Rocket Jets were on just some random podium copying MK again with no Peoplemover station below it, old versions of rides still running eg using the original 1950s Dumbos rather than newer higher capacity 90s version, steam train ride only goes around Frontierland and not whole park, awkward bottleneck dead end at Splash Mountain, fireworks don't even go over the castle, they are off to the side.. I could go on. Oh and Alice in Wonderland is huge in Japan, they have the Mad Tea Party ride and an Alice themed restaurant but the Alice dark ride would have been hugely popular, a missed opportunity.

 

[Married5Times]

Tokyo Disney Resort isn't run completely by Disney.

Disney has nothing whatsoever to do with Tokyo's direct daily operations and park philosphy. OLC enjoys total control except it may not do anything that can soil or debase the brand.

 

[Magicart87]

Disney has nothing whatsoever to do with Tokyo's direct daily operations and park philosphy. OLC enjoys total control except it may not do anything that can soil or debase the brand.

Which they hold to a higher standard than Disney.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Which they hold to a higher standard than Disney.

Disney also hypocritically holds Oriental Land Company to a different standard. The situation in Tokyo is a unique mix of culture and contracts from the 70s. A new company today would be much more like Euro Disney than Oriental Land Company. They’d be stuck with the high cost of acquiring the parks and then the high cost of dealing with Disney for additions.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

The only reason Tokyo Disney is the way it is, is because it is run by a Japanese company where the culture there is to work hard, be efficient, take pride and be respectful etc if a western company took over the parks they would treated nothing more than cash cows and the they would suffer.

This very much. WDW and TDL are very much representative of their countries. If TDL was 100% TWDC owned it still couldn't have fat tattooed CMs operating rides in disrepair.

 

[Disstevefan1]

As many know, Tokyo Disney Resort isn't run completely by Disney. Due to it, Tokyo Disney Resort is often regarded for the quality it provides compared to any other Disney park in the world.

If Disney were to sell park operations to another company would you embrace that? As the parks continue to decline it is something I have thought about.

A great hypothetical question. If as a result, WDW could be brought up to the quality level we see in Tokyo Disney then its a YES from me.

 

[Adventure Has A Name]

I'd support it in a heartbeat. In a choice between an unknown and a bad known, I'll take the unknown.

 

[Lilofan]

This very much. WDW and TDL are very much representative of their countries. If TDL was 100% TWDC owned it still couldn't have fat tattooed CMs operating rides in disrepair.

Another weight shaming post?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Another weight shaming post?

No? Continuing the theme of the importance of cultural norms rather than ownership for the difference in Disney resorts. In Japan, you can't be overweight or tattooed, whereas in America it is felt discriminatory not to be hired, the very thought being felt offensive.

Asia is not America: http://wafflesatnoon.com/illegal-to-be-overweight-in-japan/

^^^ Japan's Metabo-law, extra taxation for overweight employees, whose waists are checked annually by the government.

Likewise tattoos are for criminals, Operating broken rides, which is an acceptable standard in Florida, will go so far as make Ops lose face in Japan.

 

[Lilofan]

No? Continuing the theme of the importance of cultural norms rather than ownership for the difference in Disney resorts. In Japan, you can't be overweight or tattooed, whereas in America it is felt discriminatory not to be hired, the very thought being felt offensive.

Asia is not America: http://wafflesatnoon.com/illegal-to-be-overweight-in-japan/

^^^ Japan's Metabo-law, extra taxation for overweight employees, whose waists are checked annually by the government.

Likewise tattoos are for criminals, Operating broken rides, which is an acceptable standard in Florida, will go so far as make Ops lose face in Japan.

That’s not what the article said. If one is overweight in Japan working for a particular company the company has to pay higher insurance premiums.

 

[NickMaio]

As many know, Tokyo Disney Resort isn't run completely by Disney. Due to it, Tokyo Disney Resort is often regarded for the quality it provides compared to any other Disney park in the world.

If Disney were to sell park operations to another company would you embrace that? As the parks continue to decline it is something I have thought about.

YES........AND YES.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Just 3 short years ago I would have 100% said no, now I’m a yes, the Disney parks would be better without the current Disney running them. It’s amazing what a couple years can do.

 

[ladybat2]

There will never be another Walt Disney. I don't care who is in charge. The one and only is gone for ever. And what remained in the parks of his spirit, style and imagination are vanishing more and more each year.

 

[marni1971]

Look at Disneyland Paris, the EuroDisney company was a third party and look how they ruined the place.

How did they ruin the place?

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

How did they ruin the place?

I assumed that they were referring to the somewhat notorious maintenance issues that seemed to plaque the park from some time.

"Ruined the place" seems a strong way to put it, especially since the park is making such a lovely comeback, but that seemed to be what they were intoning.

 

[Heppenheimer]

There will never be another Walt Disney. I don't care who is in charge. The one and only is gone for ever. And what remained in the parks of his spirit, style and imagination are vanishing more and more each year.

However, the salad days of Disney World occurred long after Walt died. Other CEOs added and expanded the brand very admirably. Its just the current management that seems so far adrift from the company's traditional culture. It really shows you how far standards have declined that some would even contemplate Disney's crown jewel being in better hands with an outside company.