What is the plan for Innoventions East and West?

Rodan75

Rodan75

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
Interesting, because the word I get is that TDO believes -- and has sold Chappie on the idea -- that EPCOT is fine with a few small additions and some cosmetic fixes.

Hence, the latest food festival in winter now.

I know plans exist for all sorts of dramatic stuff ... but I would be very, very, very cautious jumping on the 'this is what is going to happen bandwagon' unless you have proof positive, my friend.
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I have to be believe, that regardless of what TDO says. Chapek sees and opportunity to further squeeze revenue and margin out of guests by adding 'Disney' IP that comes along with more merch sales and corporate synergy opportunities within Epcot. He has gotten to be in charge of Parks because he knows how to sell things...and if you can sell booze...you can sell merch.

The only reason I believe Epcot will get work done on it, is not because of surveys or non-event attendance, but because there is the ability to expand Epcot's money generating capability.
 
OvertheHorizon

OvertheHorizon

Well-Known Member
Rodan75 said:
The only reason I believe Epcot will get work done on it, is not because of surveys or non-event attendance, but because there is the ability to expand Epcot's money generating capability.
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As a Disney stockholder, I say amen to that. :) Epcot, based on its size, could handle a lot more people and more people will come when they add more attractions. Last year, the Magic Kingdom drew 19 million visitors. The other three parks were in the 10 to 11 million range. Making Animal Kingdom a full-day park will help boost its numbers. Star Wars and Toy Story Land should be a big boost to Hollywood Studios, and now it's time to bring Epcot into the 21st Century.

As I said on another thread, I don't mind Disney using IP if they think it will make Epcot a more family friendly place. Epcot has always been my favorite park, but I've had friends tell me that they can't persuade their kids to spend much time there. But let the IP serve the story lines of Seas, Imagination, Energy, etc. rather than simply using those Future World pavilions to re-tell the Nemo story, or the Inside Out story, or the whatever story.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
OvertheHorizon said:
As a Disney stockholder, I say amen to that. :) Epcot, based on its size, could handle a lot more people and more people will come when they add more attractions. Last year, the Magic Kingdom drew 19 million visitors. The other three parks were in the 10 to 11 million range. Making Animal Kingdom a full-day park will help boost its numbers. Star Wars and Toy Story Land should be a big boost to Hollywood Studios, and now it's time to bring Epcot into the 21st Century.
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The jury though is still out or if WDW has reached a plateau. Can they add substantially more people or will it just shift a finite number of guests around the four parks like in 1998?
 
Rodan75

Rodan75

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
The jury though is still out or if WDW has reached a plateau. Can they add substantially more people or will it just shift a finite number of guests around the four parks like in 1998?
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That is a great question! I know folks utilize Universal as an example that Orlando still has growth ability, however, there may be a finite ability to draw guests into the Disney parks...and even a more finite ability to draw guests into parks that aren't MK. If Pandora and SWL don't create sustained increases in attendance as well as increases in spending, we could be in for a new long drought.
 
Jones14

Jones14

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
That is true. But would more more people add certainly time to WDW or would it just be the same amount of people who'd be going anyway but spread out more?

I'm not making much sense here am I?
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You're making sense! I agree with you on the point that to an extent, Disney's overall yearly visitor count won't increase by that much (comparatively speaking). However, I don't think that's what Disney is concerned about at this moment. I think they're looking for more guests to spend more in more places, and I think that if the other three parks manage to cannibalize some of MK's attendance and begin pulling their own weight, Disney will be happy. They'll be over the moon if the other three parks manage to increase their attendance without cannibalizing each other and/or causing the MK to get even more crowded.

But, if attendance doesn't jump up with Avatar and Star Wars, and MK remains horribly crowded, and the other three cannibalize each other with each new expansion, then I think the brakes will get thrown on. I have faith in Star Wars to yank in the crowds for extended vacations, but I worry that the opening of Avatar will lead to two days at the MK, one at Epcot, one at Animal, and 0 at Hollywood "until all that new stuff gets done" for the average guest.

The constant stream of minor additions to the three younger siblings makes me think Disney has the same fear. People will flock to the castle park forever, but can they grow specific parts of the resort fast enough to keep people away from MK (and without pulling from the other parks) while drawing new people in at the same time? That I don't know.
 
Daveeeeed

Daveeeeed

Well-Known Member
Orlando's attendance is growing, but due to Harry Potter and other additions Universal is growing super rapidly. Most teens/College aged people prefer to go to Universal over Disney, or spend half and half. Meanwhile Disney is growing too, because Orlando's market is growing. SeaWorld though like Universal used to be an add on to a Disney vacation, and since Universal is a place you can go for a 4 day vacation now, SeaWorld has lost people for that reason. They've been adding things and will continue to under Manby, but they still have a lot of catch up to do.

It's going to be interesting, between Animal Kingdom receiving Pandora, Hollywood Studios Star Wars Land, Epcot what seems like an overhaul, Universal adding a water park, and multiple attractions, and possibly a 3rd gate at some point, and Sea World trying to get its name back, which they are doing well, we are in for a wild ride!
 
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U

UpAllNight

Well-Known Member
We're not the standard case....but we extended our time in Orlando next year to accommodate all the new stuff. Didn't want to miss out on Volcano Bay etc. But last year we did do Disney more than Universal, but we did 5 of 17 days at Uni, and 4 of them at Seaworld/Busch/Aquatica.

Uni will proportionally get a bigger % of our time next trip due to Volcano Bay...which on reflection is probably a day we would have gone to Disney.
 

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