I may not have a STEM background but I can say that whether or not the river can be salvaged, the fact is every extra dollar in maintenance costs that goes to the ROA complex is a dollar “wasted” when churned through a modern MBA mindset which working in corporate America I can help recreate.
Assuming a modern corporate KPI checklist using following metrics, spending maintenance costs to maintain “free” RoA attractions is actually a problem and one any corporate business analyst would likely balk at. The problem is whether this is the right way to run a theme park… but it’s definitely predictable.
Metrics like:
- increasing per capita, per person spending when individuals are in the park. This is driven by LL sales and food/merch. Massive fail. Because the RoA draws people away from spending money its existence actually hurts this metric. In fact even just mothballing it would at least push people to be forced to go back to Main Street to eat/shop or go to other IP based attractions.
- Optimizing Disney+ and existing Disney licensed IP synergies. The RoA fails here as well. There is really nothing on D+ that is tied to Tom Sawyer directly and it’s not a known franchise.
- Promoting the marketability of the parks segment - issue here is corporate sees “new” and “recognizable IP” as more marketable, goes with the last One.
- Increasing on property sales for deluxe resort rooms and amenities; including DVC - Fail here too. Why would I go to the hotel to get some R&R when I can just go unwind at RoA for an hour or 2? Again - in TDO’s mind - you want a “chill” place to unwind - that’s not covered in your standard admission, you should pay extra. Also deluxe resorts sell lightning land reservations which brings me back to our first point.
- Making the parks more safe and inclusive - This is a lesser direct risk since I’m not sure the properties are as problematic as they are considered “non-contemporary”. However safety means large bodies of water and play structures are legal liabilities, including OSHA, ADA, etc. Inclusive means properties that are not perceived as nationalistic and fit generic themes.
