Why DisneyQuest failed

[TwilightZone]

speaking of disneyquest, let's not forget philly's infamous "disney hole". I don't live there, but if my search results are true it's been there since at least 1999

the above is from 99

and here is what it looks like today

 

[POLY LOVER]

I beg to differ...the types of arcade games they play are just different (as much as I dislike them). We've been to Great Wolf twice in the past few months and both times the arcades were hopping busy. The same could be said for one of our local recreational park (it's not really a theme park...go-carts, batting cages, mini-golf, that sort of stuff). Their arcade is all brand new and was super busy while we were there.

I wasn't looking to see what was different, but from just a rough look around, it seems like most of the one-player games and the typical "classic" style of games are gone. Now there are games where 4 or even more can play at once. There were more "activity" based games, like skee ball, basketball, air hockey, etc.; and there were claw-based games and "get more tickets" games all over the place.

I used to love arcades as a kid - especially pin-ball, so I'm really, REALLY disliking the newer arcades, but kids seem to enjoy them, as cheesy as they are.

They would be hopping because there not much more to do there. They don't have 4 theme parks that they paid for to go to. I remember when we first came down with our kids the flex package included a visit to Disney quest option if you wanted it. But I could not see wasting a day there when I just paid for a days admission. It's was like being double charged.

 

[POLY LOVER]

Exactly! Every arcade that I remember allowed anyone to just walk right in. Imagine how much more business they could have gotten if people were allowed to come in and see what was inside. I'm sure a few of the things in DQ would have convinced some people to spend money there.

When Disney had the flex feature with your length of stay ticket , quest was an option you could select. I wonder what the attendance figures were then?

 

[POLY LOVER]

Yeah, there's some weird rule that can be invoked that if the video game involves any probability or chance then it falls under a gambling game.

For example, Street Fighter is considered a game of all skill and zero chance so you were able to have head to head games with the winner being able to play forever. But the basketball game "run and gun" involved a probability of chance in making the outside shot so was considered gambling and the whole head to head winner keeps playing aspect had to be modified when it came over to the States.

I think if it also spit out those coupons that you could use to get prizes.

 

[Pixieish]

They would be hopping because there not much more to do there. They don't have 4 theme parks that they paid for to go to. I remember when we first came down with our kids the flex package included a visit to Disney quest option if you wanted it. But I could not see wasting a day there when I just paid for a days admission. It's was like being double charged.

THAT I agree with 100%. DisneyQuest was included in our package on every trip we've taken, but I wouldn't pay to enter. We went to DisneyQuest once on our honeymoon in 2000, then we were super excited to bring our sons in 2013, and it was disappointing because the "good" stuff had height requirements they didn't meet and all the other stuff was just average arcade games. We stayed for a couple of hours and were pretty much all set because the nature of it required us splitting up into pairs so the boys could each do what they wanted.

 

[Graham9]

We went to DQ some years ago, driven by curiosity more than anything else. From the few hours we were there, I concluded it expensive for what it was, the games were old, retro and there was little that was up to date. I never found a reason to go back to it. However, I was saddened by its closure, as could have been a unique attraction and a potential showcase for all the latest in video games.

 

[Mickey's Angels]

I seemed to recall that Florida law changed and was not allowing them, I think they put them in the category of gambling? Google it, I do remember it was around the time they removed the arcades from magic kingdom etc.

LOL oh, Florida..
Yeah, I was in college around that time and wasn't paying attention to those things. At least in 2015 the governor passed another bill that clarified which types of arcade games are ok.

The arcades I was thinking of, though, closed long before those silly gambling laws, like around the late 90s. It happened around the time that game consoles made a comeback and all of the cool kids got things like the N64 and PS1. I was one of those brats.. er.. kids. One day I'm running around with my classmates in an arcades, the next we're sitting at home playing in front of the TV.

 

[POLY LOVER]

LOL oh, Florida..
Yeah, I was in college around that time and wasn't paying attention to those things. At least in 2015 the governor passed another bill that clarified which types of arcade games are ok.

The arcades I was thinking of, though, closed long before those silly gambling laws, like around the late 90s. It happened around the time that game consoles made a comeback and all of the cool kids got things like the N64 and PS1. I was one of those brats.. er.. kids. One day I'm running around with my classmates in an arcades, the next we're sitting at home playing in front of the TV.

Sad that the arcades met their end, I really miss shaking, banking, and the body English to direct the ball out of the gutters to save it, and the possibility of the TILT that ended your play because you shook the machine to hard. Least I forget hitting a FREE game especially when you were out of money made it extra special. I predict they will make a comeback just like vinyl albums.

 

[GenerationX]

I don't know what DQ's attendance numbers were, but it always seemed crowded when we were there. Even when one of the counter service restaurants closed, the Genie was turned off, and some attractions were shuttered, it was still full. We went to DQ every trip, nearly every year from 2001 - 2017. We used it as a Water Parks & More option ... even in June, 2017. I grew up in arcades and my boys (now 22, 20, and 18) always had video games at home, but we loved going to DQ.

DQ didn't fail. Disney's marketing team failed.

Had DQ been priced and marketed as the largest arcade at Disney (and not as a step below a theme park), it could have survived without upgraded games. Why? Because the games were fun. Pac Man, Defender, Galaga ... fun. Air Hockey, Guitar Hero, Fruit Ninja ... fun. Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold ... incredibly fun.

Wreck-It-Ralph 2 is out in a year. If only Disney had a large arcade it could use as a tie-in to the movie ...

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

just wondering, what did it get replaced by? I want to see if there's any photos of the inside of this place. sounds nuts

It's a Room & Board furniture store..I mentioned it in my post...

Closest thing I had found of a video is one of the Elevators which I want to say is the interior elevator that was closest to the exit..It's not a great video tho as it doesn't show much...

 

[ChrisFL]

I think there are several reasons for its failure:

1.) Not large enough for what they tried to put into it...the building should have been a lot bigger and less claustrophobic, though i understand their business model was trying to add it to cities where they would have less space to work with.

2.) Tourists just didn't understand what it actually was. The exterior of the building was very plain, and they eventually added a few things to the building like the large screen TV and even one of the Cyberspace Mountain capsules outside for a while, but still wasn't enough.

3.) It wasn't marketed as well as it could be. With a larger building and more virtual attractions, they could have referred to it as their "fifth gate" almost.

4.) It wasn't updated...similar to what Epcot faced, after it first opened it seemed Disney lost interest in keeping it fresh and modern. It would probably work better if it was a new concept today with the improvements in VR, etc.

5.) On that note, DQ was a bit ahead of its time. the VR experiences were wonky with very heavy headsets and low quality graphics (I recall the Aladdin one was better than the generic comic-book hero one).

 

[Pixieish]

I think there are several reasons for its failure:

1.) Not large enough for what they tried to put into it...the building should have been a lot bigger and less claustrophobic, though i understand their business model was trying to add it to cities where they would have less space to work with.

2.) Tourists just didn't understand what it actually was. The exterior of the building was very plain, and they eventually added a few things to the building like the large screen TV and even one of the Cyberspace Mountain capsules outside for a while, but still wasn't enough.

3.) It wasn't marketed as well as it could be. With a larger building and more virtual attractions, they could have referred to it as their "fifth gate" almost.

4.) It wasn't updated...similar to what Epcot faced, after it first opened it seemed Disney lost interest in keeping it fresh and modern. It would probably work better if it was a new concept today with the improvements in VR, etc.

5.) On that note, DQ was a bit ahead of its time. the VR experiences were wonky with very heavy headsets and low quality graphics (I recall the Aladdin one was better than the generic comic-book hero one).

Agreed on all points.

 

[TwilightZone]

It's a Room & Board furniture store..I mentioned it in my post...

Closest thing I had found of a video is one of the Elevators which I want to say is the interior elevator that was closest to the exit..It's not a great video tho as it doesn't show much...

that was so weird to watch. it's the same elevator, minus all the magic. plus creepy voice.

 

[TwilightZone]

that was so weird to watch. it's the same elevator, minus all the magic. plus creepy voice.

found some images of the interior, here's some that just scream disneyquest leftovers to me

 

[c-one]

Sad that the arcades met their end, I really miss shaking, banking, and the body English to direct the ball out of the gutters to save it, and the possibility of the TILT that ended your play because you shook the machine to hard. Least I forget hitting a FREE game especially when you were out of money made it extra special. I predict they will make a comeback just like vinyl albums.

To some extent I think that's happening with the rise of arcade bars in hip city neighborhoods. Same thing with bowling alleys, where the small rural ones are all dying out at the same time trendy, retro-styled clubby ones are popping up (including at Disney Springs, which says a lot).

 

[POLY LOVER]

I don't know what DQ's attendance numbers were, but it always seemed crowded when we were there. Even when one of the counter service restaurants closed, the Genie was turned off, and some attractions were shuttered, it was still full. We went to DQ every trip, nearly every year from 2001 - 2017. We used it as a Water Parks & More option ... even in June, 2017. I grew up in arcades and my boys (now 22, 20, and 18) always had video games at home, but we loved going to DQ.

DQ didn't fail. Disney's marketing team failed.

Had DQ been priced and marketed as the largest arcade at Disney (and not as a step below a theme park), it could have survived without upgraded games. Why? Because the games were fun. Pac Man, Defender, Galaga ... fun. Air Hockey, Guitar Hero, Fruit Ninja ... fun. Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Buccaneer Gold ... incredibly fun.

Wreck-It-Ralph 2 is out in a year. If only Disney had a large arcade it could use as a tie-in to the movie ...

Maybe Disney quest should have been refurbed into a Wreck-it-Ralph arcade.
Did Disney miss an opportunity here? Can anyone comment on the NBA experience, have you been in one?

 

[TwilightZone]

Maybe Disney quest should have been refurbed into Wreck-it-Ralph world.
Did Disney miss an opportunity here?

probably not. I'm betting wreck it ralph world would've had the same fate as disneyquest. plus wreck it ralph was about the world of the games rather then the games themselves, so it would be false advertising somewhat. Or at least that is how I like to look at things.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Maybe Disney quest should have been refurbed into a Wreck-it-Ralph arcade.
Did Disney miss an opportunity here? Can anyone comment on the NBA experience, have you been in one?

This is the first NBA Experience.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Maybe Disney quest should have been refurbed into a Wreck-it-Ralph arcade.
Did Disney miss an opportunity here? Can anyone comment on the NBA experience, have you been in one?

probably not. I'm betting wreck it ralph world would've had the same fate as disneyquest. plus wreck it ralph was about the world of the games rather then the games themselves, so it would be false advertising somewhat. Or at least that is how I like to look at things.

They were trying to when the Genie was removed from the Cyborlator they decided to have Wreck-It-Ralph become the "Unofficial" Mascot of Disneyquest as the screens outside would play clips of Vanellope & Ralph plus what was inside the complex....And with the Ralph Statue plus the Fix It Felix Game it was trying to keep it going for a little longer..They could have easily changed the name to incorporate the film as Disney's Game Central Station...Seeing that the Springs Railcar track also gives that nod to the railcar theme and how it fits WIR and gaming..


Again if they refurbed the building they could have upgraded a bunch of stuff including the old Ride The Comix as a Bar area and have better food options instead of the Generic food sold in the parks...It could have stuck around Much longer...IMO...

 

[KINGLOUIS1993]

At the end of the day it was an Arcade which had a pretty high entrance fee (for what it was) on top of people having to buy Park Tickets. Add to this that like many of you have said it wasn't updated to add anything spectacular then I can fully see why it didn't work. If it was free to Disney Ticket Holders then I am sure that may have helped somewhat if they were passing through Disney Springs. It just wasn't really an attraction you'd go out of the way for with all of the fantastic things you can do in Orlando and the surrounding areas, I liked Downtown Disney and like Disney Springs so would be there anyway but if eating and shopping isn't your thing then you probably wouldn't.