Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[Disneyhead'71]

It's been 5 years since PI closed, and they just broke ground on the new Disney Springs parking garage. And it's going to be a while before we see anything new open at "Disney Spings". We most likely are looking at 8 years from the closing of PI to the first stuff opening in "Disney Springs".

 

[doctornick]

Certain things that are coming will be very welcome and possibly well executed but they are what's absolutely essential, not whats needed to help plus the resort.

You've gotten my attention... Any details you might be able to add?

 

[luv]

6.) The handling of Future World in Epcot. Universe of Energy is an aging attraction, Innoventions is much worse compare to 15 years ago,Imagination is a mess, but TDO has no problems of adding food places in World Showcase.

Food places that cause a great deal more congestion while walking through the countries and are ruining what were gorgeous views around the WS.

It makes a difference.

It's been 5 years since PI closed, and they just broke ground on the new Disney Springs parking garage. And it's going to be a while before we see anything new open at "Disney Spings". We most likely are looking at 8 years from the closing of PI to the first stuff opening in "Disney Springs".

Bold new vision!

 

[Tim_4]

It's been 5 years since PI closed, and they just broke ground on the new Disney Springs parking garage. And it's going to be a while before we see anything new open at "Disney Spings". We most likely are looking at 8 years from the closing of PI to the first stuff opening in "Disney Springs".

There's plenty of fair criticism to lay down in this thread but that ain't it. The economy absolutely TANKED virtually immediately after the clubs closed and Hyperion Wharf was scrapped because it wasn't thinking big enough. I have no beef about how DTD has been handled, given the circumstances.

 

[Horizonsfan]

It is easy to see why Comcast is spending so much money in the Parks. Comcast saw what Harry Potter did for IOA at a time that WDW is under terrible management.

Yes, I called TDO terrible Management for a reason. Problems at WDW started either at Enchanted Tiki Room under new Imagination or under the first replacement of Imagination. TDO has no problems adding restaurants and DVC's, but they don't like to Spend money on attractions without Burbank forcing them to.

Here is 6 examples of bad management by TDO:

1.) AK having no new attractions after Expedition Everest and nothing announced from Everest opening in 2006 to Avatar announced in 2011. That is a big problem for a park that was only 8 years old in 2006 with a lot of land.

2.) The handling of the Imagination Pavilion since the original Imagination was closed.

3.) TDO didn't green lit Monster Inc. Door Coaster in 2008 because it was too "expensive" for them, but has no problems spending 3 billion dollars and more on Nextgen currently. That meant TDO hurt DHS long term.

4.) The Handling of Downtown Disney. Pleasure Island was closed in 2008 and Hyperion Warf was announced. Hyperion Warf was canceled due to factors like not able to find venders. almost 5 years after Pleasure Island was closed, Disney Springs was announced. The fact it took 5 years to put stuff in an area that was closed proved that is was a sign of poor management.

5.) TDO not doing anything to fix major problems at DHS before this year. Backlot Tour has been a problem for a very time. Fantasmic didn't get any upgrades unlike the Disneyland version due to cost. There also is TDO not addressing attractions that need to be updated like the Great Movie Ride also.

6.) The handling of Future World in Epcot. Universe of Energy is an aging attraction, Innoventions is much worse compare to 15 years ago,Imagination is a mess, but TDO has no problems of adding food places in World Showcase.

This is a good list. Add on top of that WDI's politics & obscene budgets, things are certainly in a rough spot for the vacation kingdom. We've got two areas of WDC that need some serious clean-out.

 

[Lee]

There's plenty of fair criticism to lay down in this thread but that ain't it. The economy absolutely TANKED virtually immediately after the clubs closed and Hyperion Wharf was scrapped because it wasn't thinking big enough. I have no beef about how DTD has been handled, given the circumstances.

I do.
The clubs could have been open and entertaining guests right up until now.

But that would have been the right thing to do. Can't expect anything crazy like that...

 

[Funmeister]

You would think Disney would have learned from the Leave a Legacy debacle when guests information was compromised during 2000.

 

[Tim_4]

I do.
The clubs could have been open and entertaining guests right up until now.

But that would have been the right thing to do. Can't expect anything crazy like that...

PI couldn't sustain itself. Adventurers and Comedy were the worst offenders. Their performers were way too expensive for it to work long term.

 

[Computer Magic]

PI couldn't sustain itself. Adventurers and Comedy were the worst offenders. Their performers were way too expensive for it to work long term.

I think what doomed PI is removing the entrance fee. That cost offset some of the cost of people not spending money in the clubs. You can't sustain the cost by serving cola to guests

 

[ParentsOf4]

Pool and hotel were both amazing. My Disney exec friend put it quite simply ''We have nothing that can compete with that product, just as we can't compete with the new Bonnet Creek resorts or the Ritz.".

DW thinks Portofino Bay is better than any WDW resort. (I'm still partial to Animal Kingdom Lodge.) If it were a Disney hotel, pixie dusters would rant that Portofino is the best hotel ever.

Haven't been to the Ritz but the Waldorf at Bonnet Creek is, well, a Waldorf. Of course Disney can't compete with a true luxury hotel that's essentially located on its property. And starting at under $200/night. The Waldorf Astoria can do everything right for $200/night but WDW can't fix the defining feature at the Polynesian for $600/night? They must be saving up to fix the Yeti.

Wyndham Bonnet Creek is an interesting beast. I can get a very nice 2-bedroom villa from WDW for about $1000/night or a good but nothing special (except location) large 2-bedroom villa at Wyndham Bonnet Creek for about $100/night. Or I can stay in WDW's "Motel 6" Art of Animation "suite" for $350/night.

 

[willtravel]

DW thinks Portofino Bay is better than any WDW resort. (I'm still partial to Animal Kingdom Lodge.) If it were a Disney hotel, pixie dusters would rant that Portofino is the best hotel ever.

Haven't been to the Ritz but the Waldorf at Bonnet Creek is, well, a Waldorf. Of course Disney can't compete with a true luxury hotel that's essentially located on its property. And starting at under $200/night. The Waldorf Astoria can do everything right for $200/night but WDW can't fix the defining feature at the Polynesian for $600/night? They must be saving up to fix the Yeti.

Wyndham Bonnet Creek is an interesting beast. I can get a very nice 2-bedroom villa from WDW for about $1000/night or a good but nothing special (except location) large 2-bedroom villa at Wyndham Bonnet Creek for about $100/night. Or I can stay in WDW's "Motel 6" Art of Animation "suite" for $350/night.

Wyndham Bonnet Creek I thought was a timeshare? Do you get pressure for there timeshare spiels?

 

[Cody5242]

I wanted to take my brother to see the The Lone Ranger tonight, but sadly it has already ended its run at my local AMC It's sad to see a movie with so much potential for a trilogy bite the dust like this...

 

[Funmeister]

I really believe the fundamental problems at WDW go much deeper than rundown parks, resorts and other amenities. It is broken. I truly believe they have no idea how to fix the resort.

Imagine if they would have invested the $2.?b+ next gen into transportation infrastructure. Expand some monorails and add light rail. Buses are eating the company up in maintenance and fuel costs. Buses are also an easy fix that do not cost a lot in the short term. Not to mention the constant road improvements because some of the roads cannot handle the amount of traffic. All about service? BS! Making people wait hours to transfer to more buses is an atrocity. Not to mention if they could get people to their destinations faster they could possibly spend more money. How much money can a guest spend sitting on a bench waiting for a bus.

Invest in and build a third water park. WDW routinely had to close water parks...all three...due to capacity summer after summer. That included the sub par River Country.

Upgrade the amount and quality of park content to justify the outrageous resort prices. Had a DIsney leaders class at one of the DVC conference center and seeing guests walking through with Universal merch bags and ponchos was an eye opener. Not that it has not happened before. I think it is a sign of the fundamental difference that has been and will take place in the near future.

Next Gen is/was a neat concept...as an amenity. Yeah it is cool but not an attraction for me to base my vacation. You utilize Next Gen TO GO on vacation...it is not THE vacation.

Clean, fix and maintain. Whatever happened to Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency? Four basic principles the resort stood and operated by for years. How about re-establishing them and enforcing them? Remember the days when an attraction went "101" because a major show element went down? I do.

Quit cloning everything. Remember what made you unique. Be unique again.

I would love to be optimistic about WDW as I am about Universal but I like others can not. Some on here say they are optimistic about the future of WDW.

My question to you is...based on what?

 

[Funmeister]

PI couldn't sustain itself. Adventurers and Comedy were the worst offenders. Their performers were way too expensive for it to work long term.

Well do not forget the clubs, especially the two you mentioned, were also overrun with non-paying groupies. No offense to those who hung out just to hang out but it is a business. It's great that you know all the actors by name but you should have bought drinks. That was a HUGE part of why they closed. It became a hang out for non buying customers and the square footage was/is worth more than that.

WIth that said...I still have not seen or remember any announcements of what is taking its place. Go figure!

 

[CDavid]

There's plenty of fair criticism to lay down in this thread but that ain't it. The economy absolutely TANKED virtually immediately after the clubs closed and Hyperion Wharf was scrapped because it wasn't thinking big enough. I have no beef about how DTD has been handled, given the circumstances.

Something could - and should - have been done in the interim, even if it were just some temporary Disney-operated storefronts in the clubs (and, come on, they could do better than that).

 

[flynnibus]

It became a hang out for non buying customers and the square footage was/is worth more than that.

Yeah, it's been raking in the dough since they made the changes!!

 

[Funmeister]

Yeah, it's been raking in the dough since they made the changes!!

How ironic huh? It was used as partial justification to close the clubs...it is a shame and a disgrace what the company did to the area.

 

[devoy1701]

PI couldn't sustain itself. Adventurers and Comedy were the worst offenders. Their performers were way too expensive for it to work long term.

Sure, so closing the Island and letting it sit empty for 5 years was the best solution. No way to re-invent what what already there.

 

[Lee]

PI couldn't sustain itself. Adventurers and Comedy were the worst offenders. Their performers were way too expensive for it to work long term.

The problem was the financial model being used. Cover charges for each club would have done wonders.

Oh, and SHOW > EFFICIENCY.

 

[Tim_4]

Yeah, it's been raking in the dough since they made the changes!!

Empty buildings are more profitable than PI's later years were.