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What will Disney do for DCA’s 20th anniversary?
- Thread starter Sharon&Susan
- Start date
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
A fun read regarding DCA's 6th Anniversary.
Celebrating Six Baffling Years: Disney's California Adventure
It's a very special day today. As you are probably well aware it's the 6th anniversary of Disney's California Adventure! You've no doubt been marking your calender, counting down the days to the celebration of the year. I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself! For six years DCA, as it's...
www.somethingawful.com
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
A Disneyesque Lesson: Failure Can Lead to Success!
When you hear the name Disney, the word ‘failure’ doesn’t pop into your mind. Read on to find this Disneyesque idea can turn failure into success!
www.leadonuniversity.com
That's right... 20% Though that is higher than SuperStar Limo, which came in at almost 0% satisfaction.
For those who weren't around 18 years ago, it is hard to drive home the point that version 1.0 failed, heck so did 1.1, 1.5, even 2.0 and 3.0, nothing worked in the first 3 years until Tower of Terror opened. But one good ride doesn't change a park, and it took Michael Eisner stepping down to allow folks to be honest internally and be able to say DCA SUCKED! And finally we got a decent park in 2012, 11 years after offering a half day park at a full day price.
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
Yesterland: X Games Xperience at Yester California Adventure
www.yesterland.com
Bummer, I can't find a video of this joke of an event, Check the link above for photos
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
Another new SaveDisney.com article released in 2004....
If This is Success, Who Needs Failure?
In Anaheim, there's still the issue of Disney's California Adventure, which, four years after its debut, is nothing if not a flat-out bomb. Nothing Disney has done has improved the performance of this $800 million + investment, which is wisely left out of the usual company discussion of performance. Still, it's a major problem that is soon to become the elephant in the room no one wants to acknowledge. If the theme-park chain is only as strong as its weakest link (and DCA is an extraordinarily weak link) we could be looking at a House of Cards.
The star attraction, Disneyland, has benefited from renewed capital investment to help right the wrongs of many years of mismanagement and neglect. But DCA continues to drag on the Anaheim resort's bottom-line to prevent additional reinvestment into the Company's still-popular flagship, Disneyland itself.
At all of the U.S. theme parks, there is a major issue that routinely goes unaddressed: Disney's once "cutting-edge" new attractions have become predictable retreads at best (another Tower of Terror anyone?) and under-funded embarrassments at worst (Winnie-the-Pooh, Stitch Encounter).
On an MBA level, Disney's decision to "harvest the brand" appears to be succeeding on the spreadsheets. The question is: For how long? The soul of the Company -- its very brand identity -- hangs in the balance.
What happens when the tank runs out of fumes?
WOW!
If This is Success, Who Needs Failure?
In Anaheim, there's still the issue of Disney's California Adventure, which, four years after its debut, is nothing if not a flat-out bomb. Nothing Disney has done has improved the performance of this $800 million + investment, which is wisely left out of the usual company discussion of performance. Still, it's a major problem that is soon to become the elephant in the room no one wants to acknowledge. If the theme-park chain is only as strong as its weakest link (and DCA is an extraordinarily weak link) we could be looking at a House of Cards.
The star attraction, Disneyland, has benefited from renewed capital investment to help right the wrongs of many years of mismanagement and neglect. But DCA continues to drag on the Anaheim resort's bottom-line to prevent additional reinvestment into the Company's still-popular flagship, Disneyland itself.
At all of the U.S. theme parks, there is a major issue that routinely goes unaddressed: Disney's once "cutting-edge" new attractions have become predictable retreads at best (another Tower of Terror anyone?) and under-funded embarrassments at worst (Winnie-the-Pooh, Stitch Encounter).
On an MBA level, Disney's decision to "harvest the brand" appears to be succeeding on the spreadsheets. The question is: For how long? The soul of the Company -- its very brand identity -- hangs in the balance.
What happens when the tank runs out of fumes?
WOW!
EricsBiscuit
Well-Known Member
Post more Al Lutz! I love his articles but can't find very many.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
I don't think I've ever seen Steps in Time. Interesting they used a child actor in the show. I don't think they ever did that before.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
I don't think I've ever heard someone say that on a Disney forum board. When someone posted an Al Lutz article, it usually ended in bloodshed.
EricsBiscuit
Well-Known Member
Im serious though
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Totally agree. It's refreshing. I've always been pro Lutz and Hill.
Nobia Williams
New Member
I went to DCA for the first time in 2004. Neither me or my high school aged son was that impressed with it. We had planned a full day there. We stayed a few hours and went over to DL and spent the rest of the day there. We spent all of our 2nd day at DL.
In 2014, my husband and I spent 3 days at the DLR. We spent most of one day at DCA. We both loved Carsland and some of the other rides. In 2017, my now adult son and I spent a week at the DLR resort. We park hopped every day. We loved CarsLand, Soarin', Toy Story Midway Mania, and California Screamin' (Incredicoaster), Guardians of the Galaxy was not open yet. We enjoyed the characters, and the Green Army Men show, and some other street shows. We ate at the Mermaid themed restaurant for the Princess Character Breakfast and saw World of Color that night. Overall, we really enjoyed our time at DCA during our 2017 trip. It is not DL, but then what is. I would not hesitate to spend time there again if I take another DL trip. We have also been to WDW nine times.
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
You had two main camps.
The Disney can do no wrong folks, aka the apologists. It was fun to see them try and justify DCA version 1.0, they were in the minority.
Then you had those who realized what a pile of manure SoCal got. Most just saw the parks in many weeks of previews and didn't go back, though some folks upgraded their AP's in late 2000 before they realized the DCA was so bad. Thankful Disney refunded the payment in an extension of your AP. Yes, it was that bad that Disney had to address all the AP holders demanding refunds. I will see if I can find the history on that story.
The Disney can do no wrong folks, aka the apologists. It was fun to see them try and justify DCA version 1.0, they were in the minority.
Then you had those who realized what a pile of manure SoCal got. Most just saw the parks in many weeks of previews and didn't go back, though some folks upgraded their AP's in late 2000 before they realized the DCA was so bad. Thankful Disney refunded the payment in an extension of your AP. Yes, it was that bad that Disney had to address all the AP holders demanding refunds. I will see if I can find the history on that story.
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
And a 2000 article regarding trying to get CM's to work at the new park
Disney's Casting Adventure
www.mouseplanet.com
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Don't cast members hate working at anything new because nothing works? They get comfortable at their current positions.
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
One more
articles.latimes.com
Overcrowding Concerns Moot, Disney Restores Annual Passes
Annual passes have gone on sale again for Disneyland and the new California Adventure, now that a much-feared attendance crush has failed to materialize during the new park's first weeks in business.
articles.latimes.com
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
And from the infamous Marcie, who worked at Disney's PR department, aka spin city. June 2001
Now, here is the reality of this news. DCA is not suffering from attendance. This move is designed to head off any further negative image this park is getting that it does not cater to the kids. So, for Southern California kids, they get to come free with a paid admission of an adult. Now, kids ages 3 to 9 can't come without an adult, so guess what, to further entice the adults they get a discount too. While the execs know that one of the perks out of this will be an attendance increase, the first and foremost reason for this offer was to drive family and more importantly kid business. This offer coincides with the latest marketing message about "Being Kid Enough" to visit.
If the park was really suffering and they needed to drive up even more attendance that what they are already experiencing, the discount would have been directed to the adults like every other Resident Salute offer from the past several years. This offer was to get the kids in the park and then have them go back to their friends and tell them what fun they had at DCA.
DCA's attendance has beens steadily going up over the past 2 weeks and there is no doubt once DEP opens that the attendance will climb even further. Plus, the booking trends at the Walt Disney Travel Co. are still record breaking, so there is no truth to any claims that will be posted that this offer is proof that attendance is bad at DCA.
Disney simply wants to avoid what Island of Adventure has been unsuccessful in shaking since opening day over two years ago and that is the Florida park is not kid friendly. That has hurt their attendance badly and they have not been able to recover since that stigma has been attached to the park. Disney is doing everything in their power to keep that stigma from being permanently attached to DCA, thus killing the family market visitation.
Please don't fall into the negative trap of the Al Lutzs on the Internet or in the news media that is going to jump all over this press release as DCA's failure. That is simply not true, there is no evidence of that. This offer targeted at the kids. <<
Interesting news, but nothing new as to what is going on behind-the-scenes at Disneyland. For anyone who hates DCA and more importantly Paul Pressler and Co., they will eat this news up as proof the park is suffering in attendance. In fact, I'm sure Al Lutz is having a field day today. To Al, Happy Poo-Poo DCA Day to you!
Now, here is the reality of this news. DCA is not suffering from attendance. This move is designed to head off any further negative image this park is getting that it does not cater to the kids. So, for Southern California kids, they get to come free with a paid admission of an adult. Now, kids ages 3 to 9 can't come without an adult, so guess what, to further entice the adults they get a discount too. While the execs know that one of the perks out of this will be an attendance increase, the first and foremost reason for this offer was to drive family and more importantly kid business. This offer coincides with the latest marketing message about "Being Kid Enough" to visit.
If the park was really suffering and they needed to drive up even more attendance that what they are already experiencing, the discount would have been directed to the adults like every other Resident Salute offer from the past several years. This offer was to get the kids in the park and then have them go back to their friends and tell them what fun they had at DCA.
DCA's attendance has beens steadily going up over the past 2 weeks and there is no doubt once DEP opens that the attendance will climb even further. Plus, the booking trends at the Walt Disney Travel Co. are still record breaking, so there is no truth to any claims that will be posted that this offer is proof that attendance is bad at DCA.
Disney simply wants to avoid what Island of Adventure has been unsuccessful in shaking since opening day over two years ago and that is the Florida park is not kid friendly. That has hurt their attendance badly and they have not been able to recover since that stigma has been attached to the park. Disney is doing everything in their power to keep that stigma from being permanently attached to DCA, thus killing the family market visitation.
Please don't fall into the negative trap of the Al Lutzs on the Internet or in the news media that is going to jump all over this press release as DCA's failure. That is simply not true, there is no evidence of that. This offer targeted at the kids. <<
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
Here is a good thread from 2002
What has the media said about DCA this week
Provides information on the Disney Resort in California including every attraction, and offers up-to-date news, construction pictures and information. Other theme park discussions including Universal Studios, Knott's Berry Farm. Disney Movie Information, Movie Reviews, Movie Guides
www.mouseinfo.com
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
An 11-21-2001 company e-mail...
Dear Disneyland Resort Guest:
Thank you for your recent letter to the Disneyland Resort.
Disneyland Resort Annual Passports will now include a most sought-after benefit
- park hopping between Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure theme parks.
The new Two-Park Annual Passports start as low as $99 per person for the year
for Southern California residents (living within zip code ranges 90000 to
93599). The Two-Park Deluxe Annual Passport for all guests is $149 and the
Two-Park Premium Passport is $199. Guests, who had previously purchased a
2-Park Annual Passport after July 31, 2001, can either upgrade to the next
package level, or extend their Passport by 90 to 120 days. Options vary
depending on the level currently held. Please inquire at the Guest Services
Window or the Passport Processing Center for more information.
Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. We hope you will have the
opportunity to visit the Disneyland Resort in the near future and trust your
visit will be pleasant in all regards.
Sincerely,
Diane Elizabeth
Disneyland Resort
Guest Communications
Dear Disneyland Resort Guest:
Thank you for your recent letter to the Disneyland Resort.
Disneyland Resort Annual Passports will now include a most sought-after benefit
- park hopping between Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure theme parks.
The new Two-Park Annual Passports start as low as $99 per person for the year
for Southern California residents (living within zip code ranges 90000 to
93599). The Two-Park Deluxe Annual Passport for all guests is $149 and the
Two-Park Premium Passport is $199. Guests, who had previously purchased a
2-Park Annual Passport after July 31, 2001, can either upgrade to the next
package level, or extend their Passport by 90 to 120 days. Options vary
depending on the level currently held. Please inquire at the Guest Services
Window or the Passport Processing Center for more information.
Once again, thank you for taking the time to write. We hope you will have the
opportunity to visit the Disneyland Resort in the near future and trust your
visit will be pleasant in all regards.
Sincerely,
Diane Elizabeth
Disneyland Resort
Guest Communications
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
A very good LA Times from August 24th, 2002
August 24, 2002|BONNIE HARRIS | TIMES STAFF WRITER
Eighteen months after its grand opening, Walt Disney Co.'s California Adventure is struggling more than its counterparts, still trying to find an audience at a time when the nation's theme parks are grappling with how to attract patrons in a weak economy.
Figuring that Americans would take more driving vacations and shorter trips closer to home and thereby boost attendance, many theme parks confidently headed into the summer--only to realize the anticipated throngs of local visitors didn't fully materialize and heavy discounting would be needed to keep turnstiles cranking.
Nationwide, attendance this year at theme parks is expected to be down about 15%, analysts said. At Disney's California Adventure, attendance is forecast to be off 20%, while its companion park, Disneyland, probably will see no change in attendance figures.
At California Adventure, which has never reached its original target capacity of 30,000 guests in one day, a summer promotion touting free admission for Southern California children was rolled out for the second year in a row.
"People still don't get what [California Adventure] is about," said Tim O'Brien, a senior editor at Amusement Business, which tracks attendance and other industry trends. "And that's an extra dose of hurt on top of all the external factors everyone else is dealing with, like Sept. 11 and the weak economy."
The 55-acre park opened in February 2001 as part of Disney's $1.4-billion expansion of its Anaheim property around Disneyland. Beset by the recession, the tourism slump after Sept. 11 and some problems of its own making, California Adventure has yet to come close to meeting original attendance projections of 7 million visitors a year.
Disney executives quickly made changes to the park by removing some of the edge from what was billed as an edgier, hipper alternative to Disneyland and making Disney characters more visible--something they originally said they wouldn't do.
Answering Complaints
Paul Pressler, chairman of Walt Disney Co.'s Parks & Resorts Division, said California Adventure has responded to some visitors' complaints, including that there isn't enough for small children to do and that it is short on thrills. Four kiddie rides will debut in October, and a Tower of Terror attraction--copied from the popular ride at Walt Disney World in Florida--will arrive in 2004.
"We didn't anticipate some of the changes we'd need to make, but we've listened closely to our guests," Pressler said. "We had some perception problems in the beginning, and we're still trying to overcome them."
Now almost through its second summer season, the cost cutting at the park, spurred by low attendance, is more apparent than ever. The largest food court there has been closed since Christmas, as have one other food area and a restaurant. Hours have been cut at other restaurants, with some open only on weekends, making it difficult to find places to eat.
Pressler said a lack of demand this summer has prompted the closures of some restaurants inside California Adventure, which also has shorter operating hours than Disneyland and tends to clear out after the Main Street Electrical Parade as guests flock back to Disneyland for an additional two or three hours. The wildly popular event was pulled from retirement last year; park sources said the initial boost in attendance it garnered has begun to taper off.
'Go in, Get out'
"If we come over here for anything, it's just to see the parade and then we're out of here," said Tony Quinn, a longtime annual passport holder who lined up for the nightly show in California Adventure with his wife and two small children. "They don't have the big family rides, the fireworks or anything close to the Fantasmic [light show] that we can get over at Disneyland. Here, it's go in, get out. Disneyland still holds us all day long."
Pressler blames some of the attendance issues on the drop-off in international tourists--which make up 20% of the two Disney theme parks' overall visitors--and guests being more careful this summer with their spending.
But Disneyland continues to perform solidly. Last weekend, Disneyland's attendance topped 50,000 on Saturday, while California Adventure's skimmed the 17,000 mark, said management sources. Disneyland has never discounted admission during the summer, nor has it offered free admission for children.
"We're still struggling with getting awareness up" for California Adventure, Pressler said. "Once people go, our feedback is always very positive. We just need to bring in some added horsepower, and I think the new things we're doing like Tower of Terror will really help get us where we want to be."
New Attractions Key
Especially in tough economic times, industry experts said keeping new attractions brewing is the key to strong attendance--a lesson Six Flags Inc. learned the hard way this summer. The company's chief executive last week said sagging attendance at the company's three biggest parks in New Jersey, Texas and Ohio--where no new attractions debuted this summer--reduced revenue by $25 million in the second quarter compared with a year earlier.
Confident that the summer would be brighter for the company, which operates more than 30 parks worldwide, Six Flags also cut discounts that probably contributed to the 11% drop in attendance, said Glen Reid, an analyst with Bear Stearns in New York. Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia enjoyed slightly better attendance over last year, mostly because of the opening of X, an extreme roller coaster.
"Everyone was a bit surprised at the poor performance because we all thought being in the regional theme park market, Six Flags would be more insulated from this kind of economic downturn," Reid said, noting that the company's stock tumbled 57% after its earnings announcement. "Everyone was wrong, and now it's a matter of waiting it out."
Deep Discounts
Other theme parks have kept attendance somewhat steady this summer by offering deep discounts. Sea World in San Diego and Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., for example, have offered free admission for the rest of the year to guests who purchased one full-price ticket in the spring.
At Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, where healthy crowds are turning out for a new roller coaster, discount coupons routinely are offered through grocery stores and fast-food chains. At times, Knott's gives discounts to guests who bring a Coca-Cola product.
Similar offers have helped boost attendance by as much as 28% at Universal Studios, which since mid-June has allowed kids 15 and under free admission with a paying adult. Spokesman Eliot Sekular said the summer has been one of the strongest as a result, with the park also opening two attractions, including one featuring Spider-Man.
"When you see such large-scale campaigns for discounts to locals, you know there's still plenty of room to fill inside that park," said Carl Winston, director of the hospitality and tourism management program at San Diego State University. "They simply wouldn't be giving away free tickets if they didn't have to, and this summer they all pretty much had to."<<
Theme Parks Still Looking for Visitors
August 24, 2002|BONNIE HARRIS | TIMES STAFF WRITER
Eighteen months after its grand opening, Walt Disney Co.'s California Adventure is struggling more than its counterparts, still trying to find an audience at a time when the nation's theme parks are grappling with how to attract patrons in a weak economy.
Figuring that Americans would take more driving vacations and shorter trips closer to home and thereby boost attendance, many theme parks confidently headed into the summer--only to realize the anticipated throngs of local visitors didn't fully materialize and heavy discounting would be needed to keep turnstiles cranking.
Nationwide, attendance this year at theme parks is expected to be down about 15%, analysts said. At Disney's California Adventure, attendance is forecast to be off 20%, while its companion park, Disneyland, probably will see no change in attendance figures.
At California Adventure, which has never reached its original target capacity of 30,000 guests in one day, a summer promotion touting free admission for Southern California children was rolled out for the second year in a row.
"People still don't get what [California Adventure] is about," said Tim O'Brien, a senior editor at Amusement Business, which tracks attendance and other industry trends. "And that's an extra dose of hurt on top of all the external factors everyone else is dealing with, like Sept. 11 and the weak economy."
The 55-acre park opened in February 2001 as part of Disney's $1.4-billion expansion of its Anaheim property around Disneyland. Beset by the recession, the tourism slump after Sept. 11 and some problems of its own making, California Adventure has yet to come close to meeting original attendance projections of 7 million visitors a year.
Disney executives quickly made changes to the park by removing some of the edge from what was billed as an edgier, hipper alternative to Disneyland and making Disney characters more visible--something they originally said they wouldn't do.
Answering Complaints
Paul Pressler, chairman of Walt Disney Co.'s Parks & Resorts Division, said California Adventure has responded to some visitors' complaints, including that there isn't enough for small children to do and that it is short on thrills. Four kiddie rides will debut in October, and a Tower of Terror attraction--copied from the popular ride at Walt Disney World in Florida--will arrive in 2004.
"We didn't anticipate some of the changes we'd need to make, but we've listened closely to our guests," Pressler said. "We had some perception problems in the beginning, and we're still trying to overcome them."
Now almost through its second summer season, the cost cutting at the park, spurred by low attendance, is more apparent than ever. The largest food court there has been closed since Christmas, as have one other food area and a restaurant. Hours have been cut at other restaurants, with some open only on weekends, making it difficult to find places to eat.
Pressler said a lack of demand this summer has prompted the closures of some restaurants inside California Adventure, which also has shorter operating hours than Disneyland and tends to clear out after the Main Street Electrical Parade as guests flock back to Disneyland for an additional two or three hours. The wildly popular event was pulled from retirement last year; park sources said the initial boost in attendance it garnered has begun to taper off.
'Go in, Get out'
"If we come over here for anything, it's just to see the parade and then we're out of here," said Tony Quinn, a longtime annual passport holder who lined up for the nightly show in California Adventure with his wife and two small children. "They don't have the big family rides, the fireworks or anything close to the Fantasmic [light show] that we can get over at Disneyland. Here, it's go in, get out. Disneyland still holds us all day long."
Pressler blames some of the attendance issues on the drop-off in international tourists--which make up 20% of the two Disney theme parks' overall visitors--and guests being more careful this summer with their spending.
But Disneyland continues to perform solidly. Last weekend, Disneyland's attendance topped 50,000 on Saturday, while California Adventure's skimmed the 17,000 mark, said management sources. Disneyland has never discounted admission during the summer, nor has it offered free admission for children.
"We're still struggling with getting awareness up" for California Adventure, Pressler said. "Once people go, our feedback is always very positive. We just need to bring in some added horsepower, and I think the new things we're doing like Tower of Terror will really help get us where we want to be."
New Attractions Key
Especially in tough economic times, industry experts said keeping new attractions brewing is the key to strong attendance--a lesson Six Flags Inc. learned the hard way this summer. The company's chief executive last week said sagging attendance at the company's three biggest parks in New Jersey, Texas and Ohio--where no new attractions debuted this summer--reduced revenue by $25 million in the second quarter compared with a year earlier.
Confident that the summer would be brighter for the company, which operates more than 30 parks worldwide, Six Flags also cut discounts that probably contributed to the 11% drop in attendance, said Glen Reid, an analyst with Bear Stearns in New York. Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia enjoyed slightly better attendance over last year, mostly because of the opening of X, an extreme roller coaster.
"Everyone was a bit surprised at the poor performance because we all thought being in the regional theme park market, Six Flags would be more insulated from this kind of economic downturn," Reid said, noting that the company's stock tumbled 57% after its earnings announcement. "Everyone was wrong, and now it's a matter of waiting it out."
Deep Discounts
Other theme parks have kept attendance somewhat steady this summer by offering deep discounts. Sea World in San Diego and Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla., for example, have offered free admission for the rest of the year to guests who purchased one full-price ticket in the spring.
At Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, where healthy crowds are turning out for a new roller coaster, discount coupons routinely are offered through grocery stores and fast-food chains. At times, Knott's gives discounts to guests who bring a Coca-Cola product.
Similar offers have helped boost attendance by as much as 28% at Universal Studios, which since mid-June has allowed kids 15 and under free admission with a paying adult. Spokesman Eliot Sekular said the summer has been one of the strongest as a result, with the park also opening two attractions, including one featuring Spider-Man.
"When you see such large-scale campaigns for discounts to locals, you know there's still plenty of room to fill inside that park," said Carl Winston, director of the hospitality and tourism management program at San Diego State University. "They simply wouldn't be giving away free tickets if they didn't have to, and this summer they all pretty much had to."<<