Why Hollywood Studios is being rebuilt

[The Jungle skipper]

Sure. It's loaded with stuff to do for everybody. But if you are looking at traditional gender roles, it's heavily skewed towards male interests.

And if you have a princess fan in the party, you used to limited to a scary dark ride, two decade-old stage shows and expensive princess meals and make-overs. Now at least, there is a little more for princesses to do. But there could still be more.

Correct, seeing as their are only some princess stuff and lots of male things, but, most of the disney experience is multi gender rides, so everyone likes the trip.

Wait, this is off topic

 

[Ignohippo]

I haven't been reading this thread, I just popped in.
So how do we know Disney execs are worried exactly?
Anyway, grandparents and families with little ones will always be going to DisneyWorld. They aren't hurtin.
Gawd, I'd love to be a Disney Exec.

The problem is the teenager that wants nothing to do with going to Disney World.

That may take a couple days out of a Disney vacation to appease the teen. That then makes it more likely the family will stay off-site.

That's what the executives don't want to see happen – and is exactly what is happening.

 

[ctxak98]

That people are willing to spend $90 to go to Islands of Adventure instead of $10 for a fifth day at Walt Disney World. The "Universal sucks and is only thrill rides" nonsense is a tired cliche that only the most delusional of Walt Disney World desperately hold onto.

I am not saying they are only thrill rides and there is nothing wrong with that either, But the theming of the thrill rides is what gets me. It feels like six flags when you can see the entire coaster in open sight! but some of there rides are GREAT! FJ is awesome even though most of it when the lights are on isn't even Themed, JP is an amazing area and the River Adventure is good but could be better if the Dinosaurs were more realistic. And Spiderman is beyond cool and fun. I think IOA is fun but still has flaws like every theme park in Florida.

 

[Ignohippo]

I disagree. Disney has pretty much ceded that demo to Universal and coaster parks. Let em go.

Why? Why concede ANY demographic, especially when it would be so easy to capture them as well.

That's incredibly short-sided and is why families are lopping off days of their Disney vacation to visit Universal (and staying off-site more and more as well).

That's also the thinking that got PI shut down.

 

[The Jungle skipper]

Regardless of what properties they include in the DHS makeover, I hope they identify how much WDW needs a "thrill" park. If TDO would just simply fill DHS with some cutting edge coasters and thrill rides, it'd probably be the resort's #2 gate.

No one wants Star Wars Land or CarsLand more than I do, but WDW desperately needs a park that will appeal to teens and thrill seekers.

And why on earth do they need that!? Universal is a thrill park and WDW is a family park.
Plus, you could really count DHS or DAK as their thrill park.

 

[lebeau]

I'm sorry, but I would question any survey that would put LOTR and Star Wars in even the same league of popularity. They aren't even close.

Can you walk into any home store and see LOTR decor? Do toy stores still carry LOTR or Hobbit toys? And that's even with LOTR/Hobbit movies currently being released!!!!

Yeah? What are you going to put your faith in? A scientific survey or kid's wallpaper?

 

[EsmeraldaLeGitanNotreDame]

The problem is the teenager that wants nothing to do with going to Disney World.

That may take a couple days out of a Disney vacation to appease the teen. That then makes it more likely the family will stay off-site.

That's what the executives don't want to see happen – and is exactly what is happening.

I'm the teen who loves disney. girly girl. lol I can't help myself. You're right. Lots of my peers hated Disney. They just are trying to be soooo old. ewww

 

[lebeau]

Why? Why concede ANY demographic, especially when it would be so easy to capture them as well.

That's incredibly short-sided and is why families are lopping off days of their Disney vacation to visit Universal (and staying off-site more and more as well).

That's also the thinking that got PI shut down.

I'm not sure you understand branding. A thrill park goes against the Disney brand. Sure, they should offer thrill rides. But they don't need a thrill park. For a lot of reasons actually.

 

[The Jungle skipper]

The problem is the teenager that wants nothing to do with going to Disney World.

That may take a couple days out of a Disney vacation to appease the teen. That then makes it more likely the family will stay off-site.

That's what the executives don't want to see happen – and is exactly what is happening.

Why does the teen want nothing to do with WDW? They have plenty of thrill rides to tide over the teen, while the little tyke goes to do peaceful rides, WDW is completely balanced.

 

[Ignohippo]

And why on earth do they need that!? Universal is a thrill park and WDW is a family park.
Plus, you could really count DHS or DAK as their thrill park.

DHS has one coaster and a drop ride; DAK has 2 coasters and a dark ride. How are those "thrill parks"?

So, a thrill park can't be a family park? Families with wide age ranges of kids would completely disagree with you.

Heck, Legoland is geared towards little kids and it almost has more coasters than the entire WDW resort.

 

[hull327]

Why does the teen want nothing to do with WDW? They have plenty of thrill rides to tide over the teen, while the little tyke goes to do peaceful rides, WDW is completely balanced.

They have enough thrill rides to keep teens entertained for a day, not a 7 day vacation that DW is trying to keep them on the grounds for. My niece and nephew (ages 16 and 14) want nothing to do with DW because "it's for little kids and boring." Anecdotal I know but I fear that sentiment is more widespread. More thrill rides in DHS could do a lot to curb this.

 

[Ignohippo]

I'm not sure you understand branding. A thrill park goes against the Disney brand. Sure, they should offer thrill rides. But they don't need a thrill park. For a lot of reasons actually.

You're right, I don't understand branding. I only own an advertising agency.

Adding more thrill rides does absolutely nothing to change the "brand" – it only makes the product more appealing to a wider audience.

The last thing WDW needs is to ignore a huge segment of the "family" audience. Saying that adding theme rides would go against the "brand" is not only wrong, it's myopic to the core.

 

[Ignohippo]

They have enough thrill rides to keep teens entertained for a day, not a 7 day vacation that DW is trying to keep them on the grounds for. My niece and nephew (ages 16 and 14) want nothing to do with DW because "it's for little kids and boring." Anecdotal I know but I fear that sentiment is more widespread. More thrill rides in DHS could do a lot to curb this.

Exactly. Very well put.

 

[lebeau]

You're right, I don't understand branding. I only own an advertising agency.

Adding more thrill rides does absolutely nothing to change the "brand" – it only makes the product more appealing to a wider audience.

Clearly you know better than Disney.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Disney is willing to right off the teen demographic because, as a group, they do not have enough disposable income. That's it. They're not the ones driving the growth at Universal Orlando Resort, particularly the explosion in merchandise sales. With families, the parents really are the key, regardless of if they have toddlers or teenagers. Entertaining them directly, not vicariously, and their children of many ages and you'll loosen up their wallet.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

But do they really?

I know a lot of geeks. I know very few who visited an amusement park because of an IP. Most Star wars fans I know have never even heard of Star Tours much less ridden it.

I'm just looking at Harry Potter. Islands of Adventure got a HUGELY SUBSTANTIAL increase in attendance when that land opened up...that's not all theme-park goers...those are a lot of people that are just interested in Harry Potter and probably never would've gone to Universal had it not been for it.

It didn't get that bump because a good ride opened...it got a huge bump because of the IP.

 

[twebber55]

I'm sorry, but I would question any survey that would put LOTR and Star Wars in even the same league of popularity. They aren't even close.

Can you walk into any home store and see LOTR decor? Do toy stores still carry LOTR or Hobbit toys? And that's even with LOTR/Hobbit movies currently being released!!!!

it was all in fun dont get so upset.....it was about 200 kids ranging from 12-17 years old..trust me i have dog in the hunt

if we go only by merchandise hello kitty is a heck of a lot more popular than HP or LOTR

 

[EsmeraldaLeGitanNotreDame]

I do think they need to add some Pirates of the Carribbean themed stuff. And where did Capt. Jack Sparrow go? I've read you can't meet him anymore. He better be there for Halloween, or I'll cry. ='(
I think some thrill coaster named after some of their teen flicks would be fine. They should make a park or land that is more for an older crowd. Well, not old, but teens - young twenty somethings.

Disney as a park overral is just ahmazing and defintely more impressive than Uni to me.

But yeah, things can always be improved. Disney and ABC along with a lot of other companies are like one in the same. Disney owns so much. They have plenty of movies, not just little kiddy stuff, that they could work with. I'm sure they will. Disney loves me, so they will.

 

[The Jungle skipper]

DHS has one coaster and a drop ride; DAK has 2 coasters and a dark ride. How are those "thrill parks"?

So, a thrill park can't be a family park? Families with wide age ranges of kids would completely disagree with you.

Heck, Legoland is geared towards little kids and it almost has more coasters than the entire WDW resort.

I meant DISNEY'S thrill park! And how does LEGOLAND come into this? Most littler kids DO NOT like thrill rides and would much rather ride a family ride, not splash mountain. Lets say there are 2 children (3 and 11)and 2 adults. The 11 year old and dad like thrillers and the 3 year old and mom like less thrilling ride they go to Tommorowland and they split up, both sides meeting up at the same area later. They both have good times, and what is there for kids at DHS (I'm not even bringing up DAK) in terms of rides? The one with a 120 min. wait?

 

[George]

Clearly, you've never heard of the Brony phenomenon.

I encountered one on real life, early morning, free comics day at a local comic book store. This middle aged man came up to me and began to babble about how cool my 7 y/o daughter was for liking My Little Pony. I slowly backed away and kept him under surveillance....In the car, I told my wife about this and she knew all about bronies.