Oct 1st - special surprises at MK?

[Tigger1988]

But.... at least TDO is thinking. I can imagine that someone in TDO thought that was clever, and it doesn't cost them anything. It's just a shame that early 70's isn't more in fashion now. I wonder who they'll get to play along?

Pretty sure the "Retro Day" thing is a fan made campaign.

 

[njDizFan]

I recently heard an analysis of expansion ideas at WDW and it raised an interesting point. WDW is full. (Wait, don't hit reply yet!) They are getting over 40 million people a year. It would take a lot, I mean a huge lot to improve that number. Disney is trying to grow their business, and I honestly think that there is some merit to the idea that WDW has started to peak. Double the number of cruise ships and you could easily double the number of people cruising. Bring an entire new park to a foreign country, you could ad 15-20 million new guests each year. Even a 5th gate would not move the WDW attendance numbers much. You would have to spend 2 - 3 billion, and then only get a jump up from 40 million to 43 million?

Lets say for example that they added a 5th gate, and they do get 5 - 10 million more people a year... I wouldn't want to go. Any idea how packed the MK would be. Sure people might skip AK, of DHS, but every one of those addition people would spend at least 1 day at MK. Could MK add 20% to its crowds and not crumble under the extra pressure. Adding to another park other than MK might add days to average stay, or (more importantly) spread the crowds throughout the resort. We will see an AK expansion, redo, when they get to the point where they are desperate to draw attendance off MK.

They are so saturated now, that most people who have any interest in going and are financially capable, go. There are some fence sitters, maybe considering other places for a year, or maybe think that they have seen it and don't need to go back. Those people are the increase that FLE will bring in. A single new awesome ride might not be as successful at driving the numbers in the same way.

(don't click reply yet!) There is an argument that to stay at the top WDW has to grow, or it will lose those who already go, they get bored, or lose interest, and decide to try something else. They could actually shrink and lose some of that 40 million. Your right! BUT from the way that Disney is acting, they don't yet seem to feel that is an issue right now... and I sort of agree, but the day will come when they build to keep the crowds, rather than grow the crowds.... you may now flame away.

Actually that all makes a lot of sense and I'm sure TWDC has run the numbers and agree. How many more people can Disney actually attract? based on travel and park expense, the people who can and want to go...go. Especially if you add the 10s of millions that go to Disneyland each year.

And spending billions to enhance or add parks will takes years if not decades to actually recoup those funds.

Disney needs to keep what they have pristine and alive. Enhancing and adding to keep things fresh and more importantly maintaining the current attractions.

 

[Lee]

Pretty sure the "Retro Day" thing is a fan made campaign.

Yeah.
The person who told me about it made it sound official.
It isn't. Good.

 

[jt04]

I recently heard an analysis of expansion ideas at WDW and it raised an interesting point. WDW is full. (Wait, don't hit reply yet!) They are getting over 40 million people a year. It would take a lot, I mean a huge lot to improve that number. Disney is trying to grow their business, and I honestly think that there is some merit to the idea that WDW has started to peak. Double the number of cruise ships and you could easily double the number of people cruising. Bring an entire new park to a foreign country, you could ad 15-20 million new guests each year. Even a 5th gate would not move the WDW attendance numbers much. You would have to spend 2 - 3 billion, and then only get a jump up from 40 million to 43 million?

Lets say for example that they added a 5th gate, and they do get 5 - 10 million more people a year... I wouldn't want to go. Any idea how packed the MK would be. Sure people might skip AK, of DHS, but every one of those addition people would spend at least 1 day at MK. Could MK add 20% to its crowds and not crumble under the extra pressure. Adding to another park other than MK might add days to average stay, or (more importantly) spread the crowds throughout the resort. We will see an AK expansion, redo, when they get to the point where they are desperate to draw attendance off MK.

They are so saturated now, that most people who have any interest in going and are financially capable, go. There are some fence sitters, maybe considering other places for a year, or maybe think that they have seen it and don't need to go back. Those people are the increase that FLE will bring in. A single new awesome ride might not be as successful at driving the numbers in the same way.

(don't click reply yet!) There is an argument that to stay at the top WDW has to grow, or it will lose those who already go, they get bored, or lose interest, and decide to try something else. They could actually shrink and lose some of that 40 million. Your right! BUT from the way that Disney is acting, they don't yet seem to feel that is an issue right now... and I sort of agree, but the day will come when they build to keep the crowds, rather than grow the crowds.... you may now flame away.

This may well be right but I have developed a different theory lately. I think they could very well add to the 4 parks and if done correctly, they could absorb the crowds while increasing the numbers by a large percentage. EPCOT and DAK can expand substantially.

But I have begun to think that Disney believes WDW will canabalize from the DLR and that is THE major reason new addtions at WDW are so slow. If DCA is a major success and the numbers hold I think it is much more likely WDW would be allowed to grow the theme parks much more agressively.

Just a theory.

 

[Communicore]

Agreed. I think I'll go with my new Serenity Valley shirt.

I think I will dress up as the Contemporary Resort.

 

[TP2000]

Mad Men is getting closer to 71. It's in 66/67 right now.

Well, not quite yet.

As an amateur Mad Men fan, I have to point out that Season 4 of Mad Men began in 1964 and ended in calendar year 1965. Season 5 does not premiere until Winter, 2012 and it is widely assumed they will jump forward at least six months and begin the new season in calendar year 1966.

Fashion-wise, even 1966 had much more in common with 1961 than it does with 1971. Things didn't get really crazy with Middle Class fashion until 1968-70.

Back OT, is this Retro Day thing for October 1st an official TDO invention, or is it a fan-based grass roots invention?

If it's grass-roots, it likely was influenced by the recent Dapper Day at Disneyland events, when SoCal Hipster APs get all dressed up and hang out at Disneyland looking like the perfectly attired fictional people that inhabited most Imagineering sketches of Disneyland in the 1950's and 60's.

Dapper Day at Disneyland just had its last event a couple weeks ago, and it looks like the next one is scheduled for February. And now they are trying to get it to spread from Disneyland to the rest of the Disneyland-style parks around the world with this next one! http://www.dapperday.com/

 

[Lee]

Back OT, is this Retro Day thing for October 1st an official TDO invention, or is it a fan-based grass roots invention?

Fan-based, I believe. I heard something about it, and assumed it was official. Then I read about it over on Discussion Kingdom, where they link to a Facebook page. Pretty clearly fan-based, and sort of clever, but I don't see myself taking part.

 

[DisKid]

Here is one thing they have finally officially announced:

http://psc.disney.go.com/eventservices/artofdisneyparks/event/wdw_40thanniversarysignings.html

Artist signings and meet and greets...all about the merchandising...

 

[bjlc57]

well today I happily stand corrected.. Good Move Disney company.. Good move.. whether I will see it or not.. its a good, good move..

 

[RSoxNo1]

Really odd timing on the Avatar announcement, it could have been at D23, but it probably wasn't ready, so why not wait 11 days for the 40th? I'm not complaining, I'm just confused.

 

[twilight mitsuk]

new imagination ride?

 

[jt04]

Really odd timing on the Avatar announcement, it could have been at D23, but it probably wasn't ready, so why not wait 11 days for the 40th? I'm not complaining, I'm just confused.

My guess is the news was about to leak and they had to get ahead of it. There is a picture of Iger and Cameron at the presser and they look a bit stressed. In the long run I don't think it is a big deal they announced it now rather than the 1st. It could even lead to bigger crowds on the 1st hoping for artwork and some hints.

 

[Communicore]

Is the artist thing and new monorail Peach the only announcement for the 1st so far?

 

[boufa]

Is the artist thing and new monorail Peach the only announcement for the 1st so far?

Just to your left is the door that will lead you out of your cave. The avatar thing cannot be any bigger. Maybe they missed the exact date by a few days, but close enough. And if the avatar deal is not big enough then you certainly have to re-evaluate your standards.

Even if you don't like avatar, it is still a significant addition, and a significant announcement. 5 years from now we will be discussing what they are going to do for the 45th, since they announced Avatar at the 40th (it might even be under construction by then)

 

[jt04]

Just to your left is the door that will lead you out of your cave. The avatar thing cannot be any bigger. Maybe they missed the exact date by a few days, but close enough. And if the avatar deal is not big enough then you certainly have to re-evaluate your standards.

Even if you don't like avatar, it is still a significant addition, and a significant announcement. 5 years from now we will be discussing what they are going to do for the 45th, since they announced Avatar at the 40th (it might even be under construction by then)

This timing sets things up perfectly for more adds going into the 50th anniversary. I know I am projecting way ahead but the indications are this has always been the plan.

I have speculated that they first had to build plenty of hotel capacity before they could add to the parks when responding to all the whining about DVC investments. But technology for theme park design evolves rapidly. So investing and getting the hotel capacity in place first was the only way to go.

Iger fooled me when he said they were going to be cutting back on capital projects which made no sense for WDW. Glad to see he was bluffing. I'd imagine he is a decent poker player.

 

[MotherOfBirds]

Lee said the reason Avatar wasn't announced at D23 was because the ink was still wet.

 

[Lee]

Lee said the reason Avatar wasn't announced at D23 was because the ink was still wet.

Yes. The deal wasn't final in time for D23. Wasn't even final a week ago.

As I said in the other thread, insiders have offered me two explanations for the timing of the announcement, both likely true.
-It was about to leak, and they wanted to get out in front of it.
-Fourth quarter numbers are coming out soon, and are likely to be rather soft. This will give something positive to Wall Street.

 

[roadtripper]

I posted about 4 months ago that there was talk of an Australia addition to DAK based on some info given to my friend while at DAK. Perhaps that had to do with the Avatar thing but some info was confused along the way. Seems odd that there was a rumor circulating about a new land in DAK and now it's happening. Also recall being told I was dead wrong by someone who works in Imagineering, maybe I wasn't.

 

[Master Yoda]

I posted about 4 months ago that there was talk of an Australia addition to DAK based on some info given to my friend while at DAK. Perhaps that had to do with the Avatar thing but some info was confused along the way. Seems odd that there was a rumor circulating about a new land in DAK and now it's happening. Also recall being told I was dead wrong by someone who works in Imagineering, maybe I wasn't.

Not really. The rumor for a new land at AK has been circulating almost since day one. Given the parks young age, huge availability of land and lack of attractions a new land was all but inevitable.

 

[wdwmagic]

October 1 line-up

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...gdom-40th-anniversary-events-on-October-1.htm