"What's Next?" presentation December 7th

[menamechris]

Is menamechris part of the Empire then?

SSSHHH!!! But is Chris my REAL name?? Mwahahaha...

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Is menamechris part of the Empire then?

Silence, rebel scum! Your mind tricks have no effect on me!

 

[lazyboy97o]

IMO, the one property that can battle HP is StarWars.

Can it? Disney already gets the Star Wars faithful with Star Wars weekend. There is no lack of merchandise. There may be some interesting food concepts that could be created, but will that drive more spending? Will a new ride drive spending more than Star Tours: The Adventures Continue? I don't doubt that Star Wars would be popular, I know I'd b there, but just don't see the incentive for Disney.

 

[doctornick]

Can it? Disney already gets the Star Wars faithful with Star Wars weekend. There is no lack of merchandise. There may be some interesting food concepts that could be created, but will that drive more spending? Will a new ride drive spending more than Star Tours: The Adventures Continue? I don't doubt that Star Wars would be popular, I know I'd b there, but just don't see the incentive for Disney.

Couldn't the same be said for Potter? UO already has Potter, so does adding more make a difference?

I'd say it makes a big difference for both franchises. And, in terms of Star Wars, while there is a nice ride and cute themed weekends, there's not an organized immersive "land" to visit which is what would really bring in crowds (even more casual fans) and what is missing from the "competition" with Potter.

 

[menamechris]

Couldn't the same be said for Potter? UO already has Potter, so does adding more make a difference?

I'd say it makes a big difference for both franchises. And, in terms of Star Wars, while there is a nice ride and cute themed weekends, there's not an organized immersive "land" to visit which is what would really bring in crowds (even more casual fans) and what is missing from the "competition" with Potter.

I think the motivation behind HP 2.0 is the demand for more HP experiences and attractions, as well as the resort's need to drive those spiking attendance numbers over to the Studios, not just Islands of Adventure. When HP 2.0 is opened, it could mean double-digit attendance increases for both parks, not just one. And that is huge...

 

[doctornick]

I think the motivation behind HP 2.0 is the demand for more HP experiences and attractions, as well as the resort's need to drive those spiking attendance numbers over to the Studios, not just Islands of Adventure. When HP 2.0 is opened, it could mean double-digit attendance increases for both parks, not just one. And that is huge...

You don't think there is a demand for "more Star Wars experiences or attractions"? If you don't, then we'll just have to agree to disagree because I think there is a huge pent up demand for the ability to "visit" and experience Star Wars first hand. I don't think Star Wars weekends really do that.

Furthermore, I would think that adding more Star Wars to DHS (the least attended WDW park right now) would certainly help to up that attendance, maybe by a significant amount. Especially if done in concert with building Cars Land.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Couldn't the same be said for Potter? UO already has Potter, so does adding more make a difference?

I'd say it makes a big difference for both franchises. And, in terms of Star Wars, while there is a nice ride and cute themed weekends, there's not an organized immersive "land" to visit which is what would really bring in crowds (even more casual fans) and what is missing from the "competition" with Potter.

I think the difference with Harry Potter is that it has not been exploited in so many other mediums. And in Disney's view that Walt Disney World is a real estate development, that the theme parks are marketing platform and I think its a recipe for not too much being done. Remember, the success of the Marvel films as a franchise was not proven to Disney until The Avengers. None of the other successful films in the series were enough, only the mega-blockbuster. I think Star Wars will also have to prove itself to Disney with Episode VII.

 

[lazyboy97o]

You don't think there is a demand for "more Star Wars experiences or attractions"? If you don't, then we'll just have to agree to disagree because I think there is a huge pent up demand for the ability to "visit" and experience Star Wars first hand. I don't think Star Wars weekends really do that.

But why pay $100 for theme park admission when I can get more and varied experiences through new books, comics, video games, television shows and now films again?

 

[WED99]

Your behavior is near perfectly in-line with teenage stereotypes regarding arrogance and an unwillingness to listen. For awhile there your attitude was inspiring, now its just upsetting that your ing away good advice, some of which is coming from people who know Imagineers. While you still have time, you're current hostility towards different ideas is what would kill your dreams. But you don't care, you've figured it all out. I truly hope some if the posts found some little place in your head for when you do care.

Your the same age as me, I'm sure you've got it all figured out don't you. Almost no one has given me any advice without leaving an insult. Why would I listen to some old guy on a forum anyway. I didn't come here for life lessons. I was having a friendly debate, then I revealed my age and suddenly everyone turned to a heroic philosopher telling me how to live my life. Then when I tell them no, I get attacked? I already said I don't want to hear it any more so how about you just leave me alone?

 

[Jakester]

Can it? Disney already gets the Star Wars faithful with Star Wars weekend. There is no lack of merchandise. There may be some interesting food concepts that could be created, but will that drive more spending? Will a new ride drive spending more than Star Tours: The Adventures Continue? I don't doubt that Star Wars would be popular, I know I'd b there, but just don't see the incentive for Disney.

If WDI invented a ground-breaking ride on the scale of HPatFJ and the Soon to be Announced Grignotts ride (which I cant wait to experience in 2015), then they can.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Your the same age as me, I'm sure you've got it all figured out don't you. Almost no one has given me any advice without leaving an insult. Why would I listen to some old guy on a forum anyway. I didn't come here for life lessons. I was having a friendly debate, then I revealed my age and suddenly everyone turned to a heroic philosopher telling me how to live my life. Then when I tell them no, I get attacked? I already said I don't want to hear it any more so how about you just leave me alone?

We are not the same age. Closer than some of the other posters here, but not close enough to be near the "same" category. I will not at all claim to know it all, but I do know a few things. Being told you are wrong is not an insult. You're going to get a lot worse if you want to get into a creative field. People were being nice to you.

 

[doctornick]

But why pay $100 for theme park admission when I can get more and varied experiences through new books, comics, video games, television shows and now films again?

Because actually physically being in a themed land is dramatically different from all those things? The reason why WWOHP is so successfully is because people feel like they are actually visiting Hogsmeade/Hogwarts. Being able to walk around and physically be a part of an imaged world that you are a fan of can be a very moving experiencing for many.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting anything from TDO in the near term and probably relatively little in the long term with regards to Star Wars. They might not view the investment as "worth it". But I'm absolutely certain that if they built an immersive Star Wars land (or lands) that it would be extremely popular and easily rival if not surpass the reaction to WWOHP.

 

[lazyboy97o]

If WDI invented a ground-breaking ride on the scale of HPatFJ and the Soon to be Announced Grignotts ride (which I cant wait to experience in 2015), then they can.

Something on that scale may well work, but when was the last time Disney had such ambition in Florida?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Because actually physically being in a themed land is dramatically different from all those things? The reason why WWOHP is so successfully is because people feel like they are actually visiting Hogsmeade/Hogwarts. Being able to walk around and physically be a part of an imaged world that you are a fan of can be a very moving experiencing for many.

Hogsmead is a small village. Diagon Alley is an alley. Star Wars is on a far more massive scale. You'll be able to do specific locations, but never that same level of completeness. That's why Star Tours works so incredibly well, because it allows you to experience the vast of size of the Star Wars universe without trying to physically build it.

 

[WED99]

We are not the same age. Closer than some of the other posters here, but not close enough to be near the "same" category. I will not at all claim to know it all, but I do know a few things. Being told you are wrong is not an insult. You're going to get a lot worse if you want to get into a creative field. People were being nice to you.

Ok lazyboy, ok. You just know it all don't you.

 

[doctornick]

Hogsmead is a small village. Diagon Alley is an alley. Star Wars is on a far more massive scale. You'll be able to do specific locations, but never that same level of completeness. That's why Star Tours works so incredibly well, because it allows you to experience the vast of size of the Star Wars universe without trying to physically build it.

Yeah, and? Even if they just recreate one world of the large SW universe, it would still be a huge draw. It's not like someone is not going to "visit" Tantooine because they can't be in Hoth as well. (As an aside, that's kind of a cool thing is that they could put totally different Star Wars "lands" in different Disney Parks world wide if they wished. Which would be a nice unique draw to each resort.)

It's not like you will be able to visit Number 4 Privet Drive or the Weasley house in UO either.

Anyhow, there seem to be two things being debated:
1. Will TDO build an expanded Star Wars land on the scale of WWOHP? I think the answer is certainly no in the short term and only a slight possibility in the longer term.
2. If TDO build a Star Wars land on the scale of WWOHP, would it draw extra fans of the franchises to the parks and create a significant buzz? I'd say the answer is an easy and certain "yes" and that it would have a massive impact in appeal of WDW to the general public.

 

[lazyboy97o]

2. If TDO build a Star Wars land on the scale of WWOHP, would it draw extra fans of the franchises to the parks and create a significant buzz? I'd say the answer is an easy and certain "yes" and that it would have a massive impact in appeal of WDW to the general public.

But then why not have done so in the past? Yes, there is licensing fees, but they apply to everything else that Disney has done with Star Wars, be it the attractions, Star Wars Weekends and merchandise.

 

[flynnibus]

Hogsmead is a small village. Diagon Alley is an alley. Star Wars is on a far more massive scale. You'll be able to do specific locations, but never that same level of completeness. That's why Star Tours works so incredibly well, because it allows you to experience the vast of size of the Star Wars universe without trying to physically build it.

Bah - lots of options out there... Inside ships.. Tatioine... Hoth base??

While hp was virgin ground.. No one has really done inclusive environments for sw. Sw won't get the merchandise boost hp did because sw is already mature in that space.

 

[doctornick]

But then why not have done so in the past? Yes, there is licensing fees, but they apply to everything else that Disney has done with Star Wars, be it the attractions, Star Wars Weekends and merchandise.

Well, TDO hasn't really done a large scale expansion of any sort. So, I don't think it says anything about Star Wars in particular as much as it says something about how TDO operates. They have probably felt that given their market dominance that a large investment in a "Star Wars Land" wouldn't bring in additional revenue to warrant it. But....

1. Their market dominance is eroding, so the "need" to have new popular attractions is greater now than it was at points in the last 10-20 years.
2. The dramatic success of WWOHP and, internally, of Cars Land might bring about a paradigm shift in how Disney manages the parks going forward given they've shown that dramatic investments in immersive "lands" can drive attendance and merchandise sales more than smaller scale tinkering.
3. The calculus changes with owning the IP. Maybe the return in investment in a larger scale SW land didn't make sense with paying a licensing fee to Lucas but does make sense with being able to collect all the profit. Furthermore, since they made with purchase of Lucasfilm, they may seek to justify that investment to their shareholders by monetizing it to as great a degree as possible which might include theme park additions.

We will see what happens, but given that they specifically mentioned using Star Wars in the parks in the announcement of the Lucasfilm deal, I think we'll definitely see something build somewhere. Whether that occurs at DHS or at WDW in general is simply a topic for speculation at this time.

 

[menamechris]

Well, TDO hasn't really done a large scale expansion of any sort. So, I don't think it says anything about Star Wars in particular as much as it says something about how TDO operates. They have probably felt that given their market dominance that a large investment in a "Star Wars Land" wouldn't bring in additional revenue to warrant it. But....

1. Their market dominance is eroding, so the "need" to have new popular attractions is greater now than it was at points in the last 10-20 years.
2. The dramatic success of WWOHP and, internally, of Cars Land might bring about a paradigm shift in how Disney manages the parks going forward given they've shown that dramatic investments in immersive "lands" can drive attendance and merchandise sales more than smaller scale tinkering.
3. The calculus changes with owning the IP. Maybe the return in investment in a larger scale SW land didn't make sense with paying a licensing fee to Lucas but does make sense with being able to collect all the profit. Furthermore, since they made with purchase of Lucasfilm, they may seek to justify that investment to their shareholders by monetizing it to as great a degree as possible which might include theme park additions

I definetly hope you are right as far as how Disney is operating their parks and their realization that they need to be building more popular attractions. I think the biggest roadblock is themselves - and the way they are structured. They are their own worst enemy. We seem to have a situation now where TDO doesn't want to be making these decisions, or take responsibility for them. So they are sitting on their hands waiting for CA to give them orders. This has to be causing a massive delay in any projects getting off the ground - as opposed to TDO proposing projects and getting the "yay" or "nay".