WDW Surveys Guests: Gambling!

[TTATraveler]

I cannot see Disney being associated with gambling. I think it would be a bold move to try and incorporate some gambling onto property. The only place I could see this happening is Pleasure Island, since it typically is billed as an adult entertainment complex.

Disney tries to bill itself as the place where magic lives and families gather. These two thoughs don't scream gambling to me. Where would the money collected go? New attractions? CMs? New slot machines?

 

[Gail Hayden]

But again you assume all families have children. WDW trys to offer something for everyone, not everything for everyone. Don't assume that if they tried to open a casino establishment, that slot machines and video poker would pop-up in every imaginable location. Building a small casino location on property would only be a plus for those who like to play the games, and to those who don't, they really would not need to go there, and therefore it would not effect them in the least.

EXACTLY!!!

 

[Gail Hayden]

First of all what kind of message are you sending kids if they are right on property and seeing gambling in a Disney hotel? I mean, I go to Atlantic City all the time so I have no problem with it but there are places for that and Disney should NOT be one of them. Secondly, The arcade thing, give me a break with that one. Don't even compare the two, that's crazy. There have been arcades around for decades and to see it's like gambling, NOT! People don't lose houses over arcade games. I think most people who go to Disney would hate that idea!~! :hammer:

The message is and should be that adults have things to do that do not revolve around children and when they get to be that magic legal age then they can do it also, if they want.
What kind of a message is sent to the children at PI, with shots being sold on the street? What kind of message is sent to the children when people use foul language in the parks, spit on the walk, etc. etc. etc.

I am one of the millions who goes to Disney and I love the idea and I have yet to lose my house playing blackjack.

 

[SirNim]

Really, even though you could choose to avoid the casino, not ever going near it.....just the thought of being within a few miles of a casino would ruin everything for you.....really?

The idea of a casino even a few miles from the MK (on Disney property) cheapens the magic. In fact, the magic dissipates. Instead, it all comes back down to money. Disney becomes just another entertainment complex. Downtown Disney satiates the whims of adult/young adult Guests who are visiting without children. But in the daytime, children can enjoy DD too! Even at night, they can enjoy it. Perhaps not Pleasure Island, but the overall gist of DD is that all age groups are satisfied. Not everything satisfies everybody, but the complex as a whole satisfies everybody. This just does not extrapolate out to gaming. No matter how lavish the interior, you know what the sole purpose of a gaming facility is: to rob your purse or wallet cold. No magic can mask that.

 

[Gail Hayden]

Yes, because if kids see things, they may ask questions, and then the parents will actually have to parent.

Possibly a casino would work well on the Empress Lilly, kind of like the old Riverboats.

OMG!!! Parent, you mean where they actually take responsibility for their offspring and not expect others to tow the line they cannot? That will never happen.

 

[Ringo8n24]

This is one of the few threads that absolutely made me cringe. I work for a major casino and go to WDW to get away from the sight, sounds, and lingo of a gaming facility. That kind of atmosphere is just WRONG for Disney. I could also see lots of parents arguing more because one parent gambled all the money away one night or one parent always wanted to hit the casino as the other parent entertained the kids at the park leaving the vacation to be less of a family thing. Ugh, I cannot stand thinking about that idea.

 

[NemoRocks78]

I would not oppose a casino on property....in fact, I think it'd be kinda nice to build a resort featuring one (they should do a Las Vegas-style resort with a roller coaster, shops, restauraunts, etc). It would give the older crowd something else to do instead of PI, which in comparison to Universal CityWalk, seems to be lacking as of late...

 

[Gail Hayden]

So there shouldn't be gambling but it is okay to head off to Pleasure Island and get smashed and "make a right a$$ out yourself"?

It is okay to go out while on vacation, drink some, and then pick your kids up from a Kid club/DisneyQuest (yep, they see you like that, they aren't stupid) and go back to the hotel with you slurring and telling them how wonderful the vacation is going. Then the next day, you wake up feeling like crap and you can't give 100% to your kids while in the park. This is good and gambling is bad?

Loosing a little money playing blackjack isn't going to offend the kids as much as missing breakfast with the princesses because you're praying to the porcelin god in the morning.

Sure, most of us don't get drunk enough to put a damper on our vacation, but we have the option too which is the point. :sohappy: and i have yet to hear anyone complaining that pleasure island is a bad bad place.

Gambling is the same. Pleasure island exist for those who wish to use it. As a mature adult you should be able to monitor gambling as well. If you don't like either of them that is okay. There are many other venues of entertainment available.

That is why I like my disney gambling after hours cruise. Kids won't see it and adults can play until their hearts content

Well put!!!!!

 

[Gail Hayden]

I live not far from Atlantic City in NJ and I see the types of people that gambling has brought to that area and it is not good. Not all of the people are bad, but I feel like I need a shower after I leave the place. The problems are not just in the casinos, this environment invites criminals and these people know that many vacationers are out at the parks all day, so the rooms are empty and vacationers usually carry a fair amount of cash. The crime rate on the property would skyrocket. There is just to much space for the unarmed security staff to patrol.

Before the casinos went up in AC it was a dump. Go off the boardwalk and it is still a dump. It has always been a high crime area and I doubt the casinos brought much with them.

I live within 60 minutes of the largest casino in the world and the Mohegan and the crime rate has not risen in the least. There are no hookers, the place is totally safe and monitored constantly.

Crime will always be around, but using the casino as an excuse for the criminal eliment is not washing for me. NYC has a very high crime rate and no casinos, how does that figure?

 

[Gail Hayden]

Disney does not need gambling. That would ruin alot of the magic for me.

Disney needs whatever Disney needs for revenue. There are a lot of things that ruin the magic for a lot of people. But, you know what, they get over it and go on. If it is out of your sight, I cannot believe it would have an effect on you at all.

 

[SirNim]

If Disney is suffering from such an attendance problem, such a lack of revenue, that they have to stoop to creating a gaming facility, why don't they just use the capital they have and build a very beastly land (just an example folks! let's not bring this up) to occupy Guests for an additional night stay adding to more all-around hotel revenue and food service revenue and merchandise revenue and extra ticket sales? Why "flush" it all down with a "royal flush"?

 

[Siege898]

i would not be against seeing a small gaming building at pleasure island which is only open certain hours; many kids do not go to pleasure island, and by limiting the gaming hours, it would send any addicts back to their hotels. now what i have just described would be about the ONLY type of gambling that i would like to see at disney world. i would not like to see WDW, the happiest place on earth, turn into to a southeast las vegas.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Have any of you ever been to the Mohegan Sun in CT? It's amazingly theme-parkish. and I was quite surprised by the array of companies willing to set up shop in their mall. I dunno, call me odd, but the casino itself doesn't disturb me. What concerns me more is seeing Starbuck's and supposedly moral comapanies like Ben and Jerry's there, and I somehow can't help but wonder if the Native Americans' ancestors aren't looking down with concern. It's kind of like building a shopping mall at the former sight of Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin. I bet Disney would be shaking his head in Heaven, but I suspect the current Disney owners wouldn't have a problem with it.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I wouldn't want to ever see gambling at WDW. It just isn't the place for something like that. Disney is supposed to be a place where families can do things together. Even though there are places like Pleasure Island that aren't totally accomodating to families, they at least don't exclude anyone. Gambling would add an element of age that would keep members of the family disconnected. I for one am not supportive of anything that does that, that was not the purpose of WDW.

 

[niteobsrvr]

Ok, i didnt read every last post here so forgive me if I say something that has already been said.

What I did read here makes the assumption that gambling would be of the casino style, slots, card games etc. However, as of yet, all of that is illegal in Florida. The only thing that was passed in the last election was to allow slots at par-mutuel type places in Miami-Dade County only, I beleive.

Here is how I think gambling would most likely be integrated at Disney. ESPN Zone would have betting on Horse races and the like, that can be viewed on large video screens, just like at Horse tracks. Of course this would mean a greatly expanded ESPN Zone. My guess would be that it moves to Downtown Disney and replaces DisneyQuest as that building would require the least modification to build a large sports oriented club.

I would bet this would be very popular with our sports fans out there and Disney could up the profit on the real estate that DQ sits on tremendously.

I have a feeling Disney Quest isnt exactly raking the visitors in like it did when it first opened.

 

[Lynx04]

I wouldn't want to ever see gambling at WDW. It just isn't the place for something like that. Disney is supposed to be a place where families can do things together. Even though there are places like Pleasure Island that aren't totally accomodating to families, they at least don't exclude anyone. Gambling would add an element of age that would keep members of the family disconnected. I for one am not supportive of anything that does that, that was not the purpose of WDW.

So let see if I understand, Disney is only a place for families, if you don't have a family then WDW is not for you. WDW suppose to be for everybody not just family. The park provides a family attractions, teen thrills, and adult night life. Or as Speck puts it, Disney has something for everyone not everything for everyone. (Speck, correct me if I said it wrong.) There seems to be this taboo about casinos, it might pollute the Disney experience. Well if you feel that strongly about Casinos, don't visit them. The resort area is large enough where you could have the resort and never see it or here about it. If you are afraid that robbery and burglery might increase, you might find it interesting to know that Orlando has a higher rate of burglery and larson per 100,000 people then NY or Detriot.

 

[longfamily]

If you are afraid that robbery and burglery might increase, you might find it interesting to know that Orlando has a higher rate of burglery and larson per 100,000 people then NY or Detriot.

We are so intoxicated by Disney magic, no one notices

 

[Lynx04]

We are so intoxicated by Disney magic, no one notices

I was surprised when I first heard that. But here are the figures from City-Data.com

Crime in Orlando (2002):

• 15 murders (7.7 per 100,000)
• 121 rapes (62.2 per 100,000)
• 1,034 robberies (531.7 per 100,000)
• 2,449 assaults (1259.4 per 100,000)
• 3,710 burglaries (1907.9 per 100,000)
• 11,602 larceny counts (5966.4 per 100,000)
• 2,202 auto thefts (1132.4 per 100,000)
• City-data.com crime index = 948.3 (higher means more crime, US average = 330.6)

Crime in Orlando (2001):​

• 15 murders (7.9 per 100,000)
• 135 rapes (70.8 per 100,000)
• 1,086 robberies (569.3 per 100,000)
• 2,449 assaults (1283.8 per 100,000)
• 3,529 burglaries (1849.9 per 100,000)
• 12,842 larceny counts (6731.7 per 100,000)
• 2,307 auto thefts (1209.3 per 100,000)
• City-data.com crime index = 984.1 (higher means more crime)

Crime in Los Angeles (2002):

• 654 murders (17.1 per 100,000)
• 1,415 rapes (36.9 per 100,000)
• 17,197 robberies (448.9 per 100,000)
• 32,429 assaults (846.6 per 100,000)
• 25,374 burglaries (662.4 per 100,000)
• 79,813 larceny counts (2083.6 per 100,000)
• 34,110 auto thefts (890.5 per 100,000)
• City-data.com crime index = 556.5 (higher means more crime, US average = 330.6)

Crime in Los Angeles (2001):​

• 588 murders (15.6 per 100,000)
• 1,409 rapes (37.4 per 100,000)
• 17,166 robberies (456.1 per 100,000)
• 33,080 assaults (879.0 per 100,000)
• 25,695 burglaries (682.7 per 100,000)
• 79,521 larceny counts (2113.0 per 100,000)
• 31,819 auto thefts (845.5 per 100,000)
• City-data.com crime index = 553.3 (higher means more crime)

I did LA cause the figures were not up for NY. But as you can see shocking.

 

[Gail Hayden]

I wouldn't want to ever see gambling at WDW. It just isn't the place for something like that. Disney is supposed to be a place where families can do things together. Even though there are places like Pleasure Island that aren't totally accomodating to families, they at least don't exclude anyone. Gambling would add an element of age that would keep members of the family disconnected. I for one am not supportive of anything that does that, that was not the purpose of WDW.

Not everyone that goes there is a family. Not everyone has children. It is for all ages, not just the elite with children.

It would be wonderful to have an all adults only place to go. Not everyone enjoys children all day and all night, many have been there, done that and wish to have childfree fun at Disney.

PI was intended to be for adults only, but, somehow that became "we must bring our kids, they may miss something". Now that it is open to all without charge unless you want to go into the clubs, it is a totally unpleasant place to be. Tripping over strollers in the daytime is one thing, but, at night it is absurd. I don't think bringing children into a venue where there are drinks being sold in the open air is good, seeing people under the influence is not a good thing, and in general, I don't understand why a parent would want to bring a child to an open air bar or any bar for that matter.

However, I have to deal with my own morals or lack thereof and it would be really wonderful if the rest of the world would tend to their own knitting and realize if something bothers you, no one is going to hold a gun to your head and force you to do something you don't want to do.

Next thing you know, people will be having fits because couples enjoy "couple things" in their rooms. Hopefully you won't have to explain the noise to the little ones.

 

[Gail Hayden]

We are so intoxicated by Disney magic, no one notices

You sniffing the shampoo again?