Might not see new attractions until 2018-20? Wall Street wants to scale back park investment?

[Darth Tater]

As much as I would like new things at Epcot, DHS and AK. They just reported record attendance. This is why they never need to be in a rush to add new things. As long as attendance is going up they can relax.

^Exactly. This is also probably why the "big announcement" rumored for this D23 Expo was pushed back. No need to invest heavily if you're already on top.

DCA had to have a major overhaul & spawn new additions such as Cars Land due to the horrible lacking condition it was originally in. The park was slumping heavily, and changes had to happen.
Epcot, DHS, and DAK, on the other hand, are riding high (well above any of Uni's offerings) without investing heavily in new products. The 2012 attendance figures said it all. Now is not the time to invest in what is already working just fine.

 

[Gabe1]

Wonder how this is going to affect Imagination Pavilion closure in Epcot?

Wol 2.0?

 

[Tim Lohr]

Star Wars Teased...

The guy in this Star Wars interview is Jason Surrell, he's one of the top show writers in Imagineering and has written several books about the parks, as well as stuff for Star Tours 2 and the Star Wars Weekends... so if he's not talking bout Star Wars at D23 then I doubt anyone else will either

 

[CinematicFusion]

^Exactly. This is also probably why the "big announcement" rumored for this D23 Expo was pushed back. No need to invest heavily if you're already on top.

DCA had to have a major overhaul & spawn new additions such as Cars Land due to the horrible lacking condition it was originally in. The park was slumping heavily, and changes had to happen.
Epcot, DHS, and DAK, on the other hand, are riding high (well above any of Uni's offerings) without investing heavily in new products. The 2012 attendance figures said it all. Now is not the time to invest in what is already working just fine.

I agree, why do anything when people flock into the parks.

For a family of four: 540 dollars for a one day park hopper! After fantasyland expansion...everything in all the parks are exactly the same. 540 dollars to do the same thing!
I guess I'm just one of the few that wants to see something new.
Maybe these numbers are all first and second time visitors, so why ever build something new when its always new for most of the masses.

 

[cheezbat]

As much as I would like new things at Epcot, DHS and AK. They just reported record attendance. This is why they never need to be in a rush to add new things. As long as attendance is going up they can relax.

They reported record attendance?

I know the US Disney parks as a whole did last year, but not those three parks. You do know the TEA numbers are just estimates...and from what I've heard, the numbers are wrong.

Aside from that, the company isn't making profit margins as high as they'd like. How do you solve that? Get new worthwhile attractions in your parks...ones with merchandise people cant resist spending money on!

If we have to wait another 4 or 5 years for new attractions, I honestly hope their park numbers drop drastically. Maybe then well actually get our own DCA 2.0 style makeovers to our parks.

 

[CinematicFusion]

They reported record attendance?

I know the US Disney parks as a whole did last year, but not those three parks. You do know the TEA numbers are just estimates...and from what I've heard, the numbers are wrong.

Aside from that, the company isn't making profit margins as high as they'd like. How do you solve that? Get new worthwhile attractions in your parks...ones with merchandise people cant resist spending money on!

If we have to wait another 4 or 5 years for new attractions, I honestly hope their park numbers drop drastically. Maybe then well actually get our own DCA 2.0 style makeovers to our parks.

"Attendance at the Anaheim and Orlando, Fla., parks increased 3 percent, with both resorts setting attendance records for the quarter, said Jay Rasulo, the company’s chief financial officer, in a conference call with investors."
It's what the financials are stating. It's what the board at Disney believes. If Disney can still increase the numbers this year after the Harry Potter expansion, man that would be a a huge win for Disney.
Maybe Harry Potter expansion brings more to the Disney Parks and Disney doesn't have to build anything.
How great would that be!

 

[mahnamahna101]

"Attendance at the Anaheim and Orlando, Fla., parks increased 3 percent, with both resorts setting attendance records for the quarter, said Jay Rasulo, the company’s chief financial officer, in a conference call with investors."
It's what the financials are stating. It's what the board at Disney believes. If Disney can still increase the numbers this year after the Harry Potter expansion, man that would be a a huge win for Disney.
Maybe Harry Potter expansion brings more to the Disney Parks and Disney doesn't have to build anything.
How great would that be!

Terrible because Disney has been providing subpar product in Orlando for the last 20 years. There's been Test Track, ToT, and Everest - 3 great E-tickets within 4 parks in the last- 20 years. Mission - SPACE is a solid D-ticket, while Midway Mania is C-ticket along with Little Mermaid.

When Comcast opens a water park, a 3rd gate, a few more hotels, buys more land, completely removes all of the subpar parts of USO, along with the E-tickets every year for the whole decade - resulting in 3 to 5 day Universal vacations with 2 days for Magic Kingdom, maybe TDO will wake up...

 

[CinematicFusion]

Terrible because Disney has been providing subpar product in Orlando for the last 20 years. There's been Test Track, ToT, and Everest - 3 great E-tickets within 4 parks in the last- 20 years. Mission - SPACE is a solid D-ticket, while Midway Mania is C-ticket along with Little Mermaid.

When Comcast opens a water park, a 3rd gate, a few more hotels, buys more land, completely removes all of the subpar parts of USO, along with the E-tickets every year for the whole decade - resulting in 3 to 5 day Universal vacations with 2 days for Magic Kingdom, maybe TDO will wake up...

It might take that, it might take Comcast winning and bringing in better numbers then a park at WDW.
It's just sad because there was a time Walt Disney was pushing to develop amazing experiences using state of the art tech just because he wanted to ride that amazing thought running through his mind. It was his company and he could do what he wished yet because of that attitude his Haunted Mansion still might be the greatest dark ride ever created...and it was made in th 60's.
You build something amazing...and it will be amazing for 40 years.

 

[mahnamahna101]

It might take that, it might take Comcast winning and bringing in better numbers then a park at WDW.
It's just sad because there was a time Walt Disney was pushing to develop amazing experiences using state of the art tech just because he wanted to ride that amazing thought running through his mind. It was his company and he could do what he wished yet because of that attitude his Haunted Mansion still might be the greatest dark ride ever created...and it was made in th 60's.
You build something amazing...and it will be amazing for 40 years.

I truly believe Spidey and FJ, as long as Comcast gives them some love and TLC every 5 to 10 years, will be POTC/HM level classics one day.

Walt Disney was adding new rides left and right for Disneyland's first 10 years. Comcast is doing the same with Universal right now - adding new stuff left and right, fixing the areas (IFFF, Soundstage 44, San Francisco, soon to be KidZone, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park and Lost Continent) that are underwhelming or need some TLC. If you rest on your laurels, eventually the fans will stop coming.

 

[CinematicFusion]

I truly believe Spidey and FJ, as long as Comcast gives them some love and TLC every 5 to 10 years, will be POTC/HM level classics one day.

Walt Disney was adding new rides left and right for Disneyland's first 10 years. Comcast is doing the same with Universal right now - adding new stuff left and right, fixing the areas (IFFF, Soundstage 44, San Francisco, soon to be KidZone, Toon Lagoon, Jurassic Park and Lost Continent) that are underwhelming or need some TLC. If you rest on your laurels, eventually the fans will stop coming.

Can't argue with that!

 

[tare]

Don't believe everything you read

True

 

[CinematicFusion]

For quite a while, that was indeed the likely plan.
Then....change. Can't say it's surprising.

I'm hearing not. Way I hear it, the Studios Star Wars additions will be further out with construction not even starting for quite a while. Possibly not opening until 2017-18.

But again, all of this is still awaiting final approval and could all change.

That news is disappointing.
But, I know it's true. Disney announces they are going to build an Avatar Land at Animal Kingdom in 2011...fast forward to 2013 and we see that Disney told the imagineers to visually interpret the announcement of 2011 at D23. No big reveal, no look behind the scenes of the creative process...just a visual interpretation of the announcement in 2011. Sad.

 

[CinematicFusion]

Don't believe everything you read

Do you mean this...
‘‘We’re going to continue to invest in Disneyland,’’ Iger said. ‘‘We’ve got some pretty exciting things that we’ll be announcing over the next couple of months.’’
So, don't believe that. I think I'm starting to agree with you.

Iger announces Avatar Land in 2011 and here we are in 2013. D23 has just ended, the biggest Disney convention in the World, and Disney shows us a desk with Avatar props.

Meanwhile Disney buys Lucasfilm in Oct. 2012 and will have a new movie out in 2015. Wow that was fast!
They sure aren't that fast with the parks. Disney announced New Fantasyland in Sept. of 09 and it will be completed in 2014. 6 years later.

In that amount of time Disney will have already released 3 Star Wars movies (spinoff Han Solo adventure and Chp. 7&8) and in production on the thrid and final act of trilogy (chp.9).

If Disney wants to move on something, they can. Stock is at an all time high and the parks are kicking butt. I think they could find a little wiggle room to green light a project or two at WDW this year.

 

[WDWDad13]

Do you mean this...
‘‘We’re going to continue to invest in Disneyland,’’ Iger said. ‘‘We’ve got some pretty exciting things that we’ll be announcing over the next couple of months.’’
So, don't believe that. I think I'm starting to agree with you.

Iger announces Avatar Land in 2011 and here we are in 2013. D23 has just ended, the biggest Disney convention in the World, and Disney shows us a desk with Avatar props.

Meanwhile Disney buys Lucasfilm in Oct. 2012 and will have a new movie out in 2015. Wow that was fast!
They sure aren't that fast with the parks. Disney announced New Fantasyland in Sept. of 09 and it will be completed in 2014. 6 years later.

In that amount of time Disney will have already released 3 Star Wars movies (spinoff Han Solo adventure and Chp. 7&8) and in production on the thrid and final act of trilogy (chp.9).

If Disney wants to move on something, they can. Stock is at an all time high and the parks are kicking butt. I think they could find a little wiggle room to green light a project or two at WDW this year.

I agree

 

[CinematicFusion]

I agree

Yeah...I'm just frustrated on the park front.
Excited about the new Star War movies though!