Storyliving by Disney - a Disney-branded, master-planned home community

[Disney Irish]

Yeah, I read that. It still sounds almost exactly like the same type of licensing deal they came up with 45 years ago to get Tokyo Disneyland open. But with less oversight initially from Disney, and no castles or riverboats to build.

Disney provides Imagineering input on design and "storytelling" , and then laughably trains the employees running guard gates and the community center in "guest service". The actual developers will build the homes, handle construction, and set pricing.

It's almost exactly like Tokyo Disneyland. Except it's a big housing community for upper-middle class snowbirds and retirees. But with far lower employee service standards than Tokyo has maintained since 1983.



They did that with Tokyo too, and it still exists. It's called Disneyland International. They've had many business units over the decades that have come and gone; Club Disney, DisneyQuest, ESPNZone, etc.

Well it still sounds more than just a licensing deal to me. At the very least its not just Disney stamping their name on something and calling it a day. So we'll see how it turns out in the future and how much involvement Disney really has in the project.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Well it still sounds more than just a licensing deal to me. At the very least its not just Disney stamping their name on something and calling it a day. So we'll see how it turns out in the future and how much involvement Disney really has in the project.

Even if Disney starts more involved, their history is to become less involved.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I guess it can be seen as a sequel of sorts to Golden Oak, but the scale, location, and target market are decidedly different. Among other issues, Disney's attempts at standalone properties beyond their existing footprints in Anaheim and Orlando (whether regional entertainment concepts like DisneyQuest; standalone DVC like Vero Beach, Hilton Head, Aulani, and National Harbor; or entirely new locales like Mineral King or Disney's America) have a remarkable tendency to underperform or die in development hell.

Agree with your entire post, but just wanted to highlight this as it occurred to me as well. What is Disney's obsession with creating standalone properties beyond the parks? They seem to always fizzle, if they get built at all. Even Aulani, which is from all indications a creative success, seems to have struggled to turn a profit.

It appears to me people either want the whole Disney theme park & resort experience or they want to go to, say, Hawaii or Chicago. Disney hotels aren't generally that great value for the price, so I can understand why someone who might splurge on Grand Floridian if they were going to WDW might look elsewhere if they were going to Hawaii or Hilton Head and there was no lure of a short hop on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom to help them mentally justify the cost. I also suspect the Disney brand is not as much of an asset as they think it is outside of the parks. Staying at a Disney resort anywhere other than a Disney theme park complex sounds a little like going to Paris and eating every day at McDonalds.

I do love Palm Springs and I guess this could work as a one-off retirement/resort community. As a new business unit for Disney, though? I suspect it will be like all those Disney Vacation Clubs that were supposed to pop up at various destinations outside of the existing park and resort complexes.

 

[Disney Irish]

Even if Disney starts more involved, their history is to become less involved.

And? I'm not saying that won't happen here either, just that it seems more than their traditional licensing deals from the past.

Since none of here are involved we don't know the specifics of the deal. So for all we know this might be something different for them, or it might end up being similar to other housing project deals they've been involved in in the past. Point is I wouldn't just write this off just yet as the "same old project different name" type of thing. Lets see how it plays out, they might just surprise everyone.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Agree with your entire post, but just wanted to highlight this as it occurred to me as well. What is Disney's obsession with creating standalone properties beyond the parks? They seem to always fizzle, if they get built at all. Even Aulani, which is from all indications a creative success, seems to have struggled to turn a profit.

It appears to me people either want the whole Disney theme park & resort experience or they want to go to, say, Hawaii or Chicago. Disney hotels aren't generally that great value for the price, so I can understand why someone who might splurge on Grand Floridian if they were going to WDW might look elsewhere if they were going to Hawaii or Hilton Head and there was no lure of a short hop on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom to help them mentally justify the cost. I also suspect the Disney brand is not as much of an asset as they think it is outside of the parks. Staying at a Disney resort anywhere other than a Disney theme park complex sounds a little like going to Paris and eating every day at McDonalds.

I do love Palm Springs and I guess this could work as a one-off retirement/resort community. As a new business unit for Disney, though? I suspect it will be like all those Disney Vacation Clubs that were supposed to pop up at various destinations outside of the existing park and resort complexes.

The big issue is Disney’s high costs that have only become absurd in the past decade. All of these other places there is a drive to keep costs as low as possible and Disney just can’t compete with that. As part of the tax incentive deals that we’re going to finance the new Disneyland Resort hotel numbers we’re released and Disney’s cost per room was something insane like four times what it was costing the J.W. Marriott to build a room. It’s not just going to Paris and only eating at McDonald’s, but also paying extra for McDonald’s.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

The big issue is Disney’s high costs that have only become absurd in the past decade. All of these other places there is a drive to keep costs as low as possible and Disney just can’t compete with that. As part of the tax incentive deals that we’re going to finance the new Disneyland Resort hotel numbers we’re released and Disney’s cost per room was something insane like four times what it was costing the J.W. Marriott to build a room. It’s not just going to Paris and only eating at McDonald’s, but also paying extra for McDonald’s.

That's a very good point and these kinds of projects give the impression Disney doesn't realise they are able to charge such high prices not because they provide better service and facilities than other hotel operators, but because of the continued appeal of the parks. Take away the parks and you're left with the kinds of facilities other companies could build to the same or higher standards but paying a high premium for a brand built on something that isn't present.

 

[No Name]

The key part of the announcement to me is this: “As for the “Storyliving” name, the communities will capitalize on the company’s sense of storytelling and placemaking. Instead of telling Mickey Mouse tales, however, they will focus on the culture, history, experience, food, and other attributes of the places in which they will be built.”

I mean wow, they’re going to build a community that’s full of the attributes of the place it’s built in? They’re going to theme an area to its surrounding area? What a novel concept! Okay but seriously, the fact that places even have local attributes is a because that’s been going on since the beginning of time. What’s even more ironic is that the theme park business is founded on doing the opposite.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they’re not slapping characters all over, but what a bloated way to sell it.

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

I can barely tolerate spending $14 for a Mickey Ice Cream Bar from Disney, I don't see myself having to pay them an electric bill. And you thought a normal homeowner's association were controlling. Good luck if you move here.

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

The reason it’s called “real” estate is because the asset has stable, tangible value.

“investments” are speculative. It is a risk for reward.

Remember the last time we crossed the streams, Egon?

how’d that go?

That would have worked if you hadn't have stopped me.

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

Coming up next, Chapek and his team are expected to announce Walt Disney presents Ariel's "under the sea" gentlemen's club. Come for the character meet and greets, stay for the magic touch.

And the all you can eat Fish Fry Fridays!

 

[_caleb]

 

[PiratesMansion]

I'm glad he thinks he likes Disney and got to build a probably-very-special-to-him La Quinta, but...what???

 

[LovePop]

Why isn't this done close to Disney World or Disneyland? Building something like this in the middle of the desert is a waste. Disney, please remember what realtors say about "location, location, location."

 

[LovePop]

This is going to be so expensive that it will make a Disney stay at a deluxe hotel sound like pocket change. However, for the sake of argument, let's say it's priced such that the middle class can afford it to retire there. So which is better, to retire in Florida near a beach somewhere, and be able to hop to Disney World any time, or to live in a tiny town with a man-made pond in a California desert? Personally, my retirement plan is still aimed at Florida.

 

[lazyboy97o]

This is going to be so expensive that it will make a Disney stay at a deluxe hotel sound like pocket change. However, for the sake of argument, let's say it's priced such that the middle class can afford it to retire there. So which is better, to retire in Florida near a beach somewhere, and be able to hop to Disney World any time, or to live in a tiny town with a man-made pond in a California desert? Personally, my retirement plan is still aimed at Florida.

You don’t seem to know where this first one is located. It isn’t in the middle of nowhere. There’s a bunch of existing development surrounding it.

 

[DLR92]

Why isn't this done close to Disney World or Disneyland? Building something like this in the middle of the desert is a waste. Disney, please remember what realtors say about "location, location, location."

They have in WDW…Golden Oak luxury master plan community.

There isn’t much space in Anaheim for new single story development like of this. Maybe in the outskirts edge by Yorba Linda side.

 

[DLR92]

You don’t seem to know where this first one is located. It isn’t in the middle of nowhere. There’s a bunch of existing development surrounding it.

And Rancho Mirage is full of high end homes.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Why isn't this done close to Disney World or Disneyland? Building something like this in the middle of the desert is a waste. Disney, please remember what realtors say about "location, location, location."

It’s not in “the middle of the desert.”

This is going to be so expensive that it will make a Disney stay at a deluxe hotel sound like pocket change. However, for the sake of argument, let's say it's priced such that the middle class can afford it to retire there. So which is better, to retire in Florida near a beach somewhere, and be able to hop to Disney World any time, or to live in a tiny town with a man-made pond in a California desert? Personally, my retirement plan is still aimed at Florida.

Keep drinking the Kool-Aid in Florida then.

 

[No Name]

Why isn't this done close to Disney World or Disneyland? Building something like this in the middle of the desert is a waste. Disney, please remember what realtors say about "location, location, location."

Seems like a personal problem. In my opinion this is a pretty good location location location.

 

[Robbiem]

I wonder if there plans in place for more of these, like the abandoned DVCs for National Harbour, Newport Beach, DLP etc.

I could see a similar plan for somewhere in Florida, not WDW like celebration but just close enough to use it for marketing, or perhaps that long rumoured Texas project storyliving davy crocket style at the alamo!