IMHO, Disney would pursue an expansion in South America if there was a deep-pocketed local sponsor willing to foot the bill. The decision likely would come down to what would be most profitable as a whole, not specifically what's best for WDW individually.
Just search thru the many various threads involving the conference calls and shareholder meetings. There are quotes from Iger and the like involving what I referenced. Im not searching thru the whole forum for things that have been discussed and confirmed as nauseum. Sorry. It's common knowledge at this point.
That could very well be true, but it is just slight of hand. The discounted rates are still higher then what can be found just a few feet off the property. They just charge so much to begin with that they can slash prices by large percentages and still be more expensive then the competition. How long will it take to get that to sink in to everyones head. Who knows? But it will eventually.
It's like furniture. They can "sacrifice" and slash prices by 50% because they already raised them by 75%. Hey, maybe WDW can have a going out of business sale and miraculously be able to recover and stay open until the next going out of business sale.
It's one of those "lets talk positive for the shareholders" but acknowledge we have some problems in private type of things, I believe. But the gist is the expected NFE to provide a Carsland type bump but the thing is NFE simple isn't Carsland on any scale. It's nice but not quite the crowd drawer they expected or wanted it to be. Think it was Rasulo who acknowledged that WDW attendance has been fairly minimal. Though I guess some people consider 1% growth good... I simply don't, especially not in comparison to its main competitor. And that is a definite reflection of the offerings Disney has put out in the past few years.
I don't know if poor showing is the exact right word for it but my impression has at least been that NFE is not performing to the level they expected... Though I guess when you expect Carsland level numbers for not even a full land where the biggest thing is a restaurant you set yourself up for disappointment. I seriously don't get it. For months to years, people have been saying that on here and yet the people who run the company couldn't figure it out. And the slow role out was an extremely poor choice. 2015... Agree on that one. I don't see anything built before 2017/2018z
I hear what you are saying, and I agree. That's because, those that are enormously rich wouldn't dream of staying at a "lesser" hotel. It's a status thing, don't you know! What bothers me are the people that really cannot afford it pay those inflated prices but do because they have been sold on the idea that the only way to get the full dose of magic is to stay on site. I'm sure that staying at a place like GF or the Contemporary would be a nice experience, but, is it worth it? Certainly not to me. I'd rather have that extra money to still be in my possession when I get home and not in Bob's savings account. I will bet that I enjoy visiting WDW as much as anyone, because the experience, to me, is actually in the parks, not in a hotel room where the vast majority of my time is spent washing the days activities off my body and then with my eyes closed sound asleep. The last part I could do in my car.
To be fair...which a lot of us will never be accused of...the place isn't finished yet. Those that have seen it, I believe, were going to make the trip anyway. The real proof will be when it is 100% complete, then see what it does. I saw it in January, but, I didn't go there to see it, I saw it because I was there anyway.
