The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[Ignohippo]

I don't know about the near term impact. I may be only a 5 person single sample, but I am diverting 20% of my upcoming trip to UNI.

And we are choosing to not renew our APs to WDW after this year. A family of four, with an 8 and 1 1/2 year old will choose to spend their money this year at Uni instead of WDW.

That means not only do they lose out on our Annual Passes, but all food and merchandise (probably 30 days a year) and, more importantly, at least 4 – 4 day stays at one of their resorts each year.

 

[Ignohippo]

While Potter 2.0 will bring in crowds for Disney initially, you are correct about long-term impact. Comcast also shows no sign of stopping their bold construction. Kong might be completed by July/August of next year, KidZone is supposed to close this fall for a demolition of everything except Animal Actors and E.T. That opens summer 2016. Add the small additions over the next two years, the whole Citywalk remodel, the new waterpark, the 5th hotel, and whatever big 2017 addition is added... Disney's got Pandora and Disney Springs. IMO, that's too little over that amount of time. Star Wars Land, Pixar Place expansion, GMR & Everest refurbs, a Tomorrowland redo, and an overhaul of Epcot should have opened from 2010-2020 along with New Fantasyland and Pandora. A Frozen dark ride should also be fast-tracked in whatever space remains in Fantasyland (perhaps behind B&TB).

The more capacity and guest spending Universal gets, the lower attendance WDW's other 3 gates will receive. Magic Kingdom will always be a top-tier park due to its history and admittedly solid theming. However, by 2021, I see both Universal parks getting as many visitors as Epcot or even more. They could reach 12 million potentially. With 3 theme parks getting 10-13 million in guests and a water park that gets 2-4 million guests a year. You're near Disney's levels... not quite to 47 million but still.

Most importantly, it makes people who go to WDW go home with the thought "we should have gone to Universal" and saved the money of staying at a WDW resort. What's worse is that they will then tell their friends.

It will take time, but WDW will soon not be known as "THE" family vacation destination any longer. That designation is now shifting to Orlando, rather than WDW. With UNI, Coquina Key, the Poler Coaster, the Orlando Eye, etc. there are simply too many things for a stale and over-priced resort to compete with.

 

[Ignohippo]

Hopefully the Hogwarts Express looks more impressive in person, because the video makes it look like you are watching a small TV. I was expecting full scale large windows like they have in the movie.

Agreed. I wish the walls at the entrance of Diagon Alley had movement along the edges as though the walls were opening up as well.

 

[Mike S]

For the poster saying that Universal will surpass Epcot in attendance over the next few years: Kong vs. Frozen will be a blowout on the Disney side. I love King Kong, but he peaked in the 1930's, Frozen is hot now.

You are absolutely right Frozen is hot right now. In fact, I'm hoping it gets so hot the plans for Epcot melt away

 

[SJN1279]

Just watched the trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy. If it ends up being the hit I think it will be, it would make a great replacement for Stitch in Tomorrowland.

 

[Kman101]

If TWDC had just TRULY invested in Epcot and DHS between 2006 and 2014, they really wouldn't be in any situation to even have to worry about the state of their parks. Even though they seem to still want to insist everything is just wonderful, and despite frequently hearing sometimes that they know they have to do SOMETHING, they still remain totally unwilling to actually really invest.

 

[Mike S]

Serious additions to Pixar Place (Incredibles Ride, Monsters Door Coaster, Bug's Life playground, Toy Story makeover of the Catering Co. and Toy Store, CarsLand) as well as Star Wars would make that park not only the second best park at WDW, but one of the very best parks in the world and suddenly a huge destination for people and families all over the world.

I like your ideas. But instead of a new Toy Store and Toy Story restaurant why not the Ratatouille ride and a full Gusteau's restaurant?

 

[tamotu99]

Because that is a new thing for WDSP, that is going to be the big drawere there hopefully for the next 5 years you dont need to canabilise a new ride from one park, Disney has so much unused IP its laughable

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Has anyone read the new article on ...MC titled "Spectatorship and Experientialism in Disneyland: Rethinking Story” ? It's quite good, but I wish he would have went a little deeper in his comparisons. Still, a good read.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

If TWDC had just TRULY invested in Epcot and DHS between 2006 and 2014, they really wouldn't be in any situation to even have to worry about the state of their parks. Even though they seem to still want to insist everything is just wonderful, and despite frequently hearing sometimes that they know they have to do SOMETHING, they still remain totally unwilling to actually really invest.

Welp, it's well past time to vote with your dollars and stop attending the parks. Even if you go for just a few hours, you're supporting the lack of investment and saying that it's ok, because you'll still show up for those handful of rides. (and not you specifically!)

Just watched the trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy. If it ends up being the hit I think it will be, it would make a great replacement for Stitch in Tomorrowland.

I'm in favor of just about any attraction replacing that one.

 

[suburbianj]

Yeah but WDSP sucks and isnt at the level of a Disney Park, (my understanding is that it was rush built, at a budger price, to comply with the deal they made with french/parisan government) ratatouille will help a bit, but to be honest in needs probably double what DCA did, it is by far the worst laid out theme park (well at least Disney theme park)



New fantasyland is alright, but it by no way has the pulling power of Harry Potter, the theming level of harry potter is a step above fantasyland, it is a step above any land in WDW.

has anyone seen the latest pics of potter 2.0,my god it blows the first one right out the water,plus it was built quicker than it took Disney to do the SDMT...........my question is,why the hell does it take Disney so long to build things?dont get me wrong, new fantasyland looks amazing,but so does anything universal has done,and it usually is done in half the time Disney does it in.........im honestly sure universal built the whole transformers ride quicker than what it took Disney to build those tangled bathrooms? but boy oh boy they are NICE bathrooms!

 

[Mike S]

Because that is a new thing for WDSP, that is going to be the big drawere there hopefully for the next 5 years you dont need to canabilise a new ride from one park, Disney has so much unused IP its laughable

I don't understand how it would cannibalize if it was built in Orlando. The vast majority of people going to WDW probably aren't planning trips to Paris and probably wouldn't just because of Ratatouille. To me Ratatouilles addition in Paris is more to get the people already going to also go to WDSP and not just DLP. Not really a huge draw like Cars Land for DCA (which I think should stay there as exclusive, cause if THAT was cloned it would be cannibalization).

 

[jdmdisney99]

Disney created the commando mentality with FP. It's had nothing but a negative effect on their parks. If you can appreciate UOR with the same mentality guests had in 1970s-80s WDW, you'll get much more out of your visit.

Wouldn't they make more money without FP? People would take their time, waiting in longer lines, and thus forcing them to spend more days to see all that they want. Right?

 

[suburbianj]

if both Universal parks go above 10 million a year, what will the parking situation be like??

wont be an issue,if they need it they will build the extra garages,plus with this third park supposedly breaking ground 2018,along with an all new waterpark and a supposed new monorail connecting them all,parking might be the least of their worries!

 

[Goofyernmost]

Disney created the commando mentality with FP. It's had nothing but a negative effect on their parks. If you can appreciate UOR with the same mentality guests had in 1970s-80s WDW, you'll get much more out of your visit.

When will that message ever get across. The need for detail and perfection flew out the window when they started providing jet packs with admission tickets. WDW is no longer an amazing place with thousands of things to see and do, it is now a track and field event where the winner has the highest kill rate for attractions. I hate that!

About two months after FP was first introduced, I had a long phone conversation with Disney (the company not the man, that would be crazy) in response to an e-mail I had sent. In that conversation, amongst other things, I said that very same thing to them. Why do you want to make going to WDW a contest to see who could run to the FP Kiosk the fastest? Why are you insisting on making a few deliriously happy, while ing off the majority, I asked. They either couldn't see that possibility or refused to acknowledge it.

In my opinion, they have reduced that 800 pound gorilla in the living room down to 400 pounds with the introduction of FP+.

 

[Rteetz]

Not necessarily Disney wants guests in the shops spending money. Less time in line more time in stores equals more money. A disney guest is going to end up spending more in a store than just adding another day to their tickets because by that point if its after five days your adding what $10 for another day. Disney would rather spending $50+ in stores than $10 for a sixth park day.

Wouldn't they make more money without FP? People would take their time, waiting in longer lines, and thus forcing them to spend more days to see all that they want. Right?

 

[Lord_Vader]

I guess we are now busy with chapter 7,897,505. I think @WDW1974 would think the same about that as he did of chapter 7,897,504...

Peat and Repeat were sitting on a fence, Peat fell off...

 

[SJN1279]

When will that message ever get across. The need for detail and perfection flew out the window when they started providing jet packs with admission tickets. WDW is no longer an amazing place with thousands of things to see and do, it is now a track and field event where the winner has the highest kill rate for attractions. I hate that!

About two months after FP was first introduced, I had a long phone conversation with Disney (the company not the man, that would be crazy) in response to an e-mail I had sent. In that conversation, amongst other things, I said that very same thing to them. Why do you want to make going to WDW a contest to see who could run to the FP Kiosk the fastest? Why are you insisting on making a few deliriously happy, while ing off the majority, I asked. They either couldn't see that possibility or refused to acknowledge it.

In my opinion, they have reduced that 800 pound gorilla in the living room down to 400 pounds with the introduction of FP+.

FP+ has changed the commando mentality quite a bit.

 

[tamotu99]

I don't understand how it would cannibalize if it was built in Orlando. The vast majority of people going to WDW probably aren't planning trips to Paris and probably wouldn't just because of Ratatouille. To me Ratatouilles addition in Paris is more to get the people already going to also go to WDSP and not just DLP. Not really a huge draw like Cars Land for DCA (which I think should stay there as exclusive, cause if THAT was cloned it would be cannibalization).

http://corporate.visitorlando.com/r...s/orlando-visitor-statistics/visitor-volumes/

1.5 million visitors a year from Western Europe (DLP main catchment area) begs to differ, now that number is to Orlando but you can bet at least the high 90% visit WDW at least one day, and many for multi day visits, we are one of those people and although DLP is closer we actually go to WDW more often, if DLP had more unique offerings, and was better maintained then it is likely we would go to DLP more regularly as well

 

[baymenxpac]

Not necessarily Disney wants guests in the shops spending money. Less time in line more time in stores equals more money. A disney guest is going to end up spending more in a store than just adding another day to their tickets because by that point if its after five days your adding what $10 for another day. Disney would rather spending $50+ in stores than $10 for a sixth park day.

i don't necessarily think you're wrong, and i think this is a good example of disney's thinking, and how they (very likely) skew their internal metrics to get them to arrive at a conclusion such as this. i don't know if there's really any evidence that suggests if people wait on fewer lines, they'll spend more time browsing for merch. anecdotal, i know it's not true of my family. but i'm sure, to justify the FP system, they've run some kind of ROI model that suggests of flat out says this is the case.