Why Hollywood Studios is being rebuilt

[Studios Fan]

Agreed. I hope they work on both planning for future expansion (don't cut off potential backstage areas or other expansion pads that could be used in the future). And work on making the layout of the park flow better and just beatify the sections.

I'd love to see them create some sort of connection between RNR and Animation Courtyard. Probably won't happen this expansion, but it would be really good for making it easier to get around the park. Otherwise, they are two dead ends.

I think that is an important part of the expansion. The current layout has a lot of things that feel like they were shoehorned into their location. Hopefully they make the layout much better and with less bottlenecks/dead-ends than they have now.

 

[willtravel]

I believe nothing until dirt starts moving. Lots of rumors on here for the last few years but I see nothing moving forward. FLE was or still is being built and Avatar while announced doesn't seem to be going any where. I just don't see this amount of building going on at DHS unless it's strung out over 20 years......Of course that's so much time that it would never be built.

I agree. And I am thinking, how old will I be when this gets done?

 

[JenniferS]

I agree. And I am thinking, how old will I be when this gets done?

I don't know. How old are you now?

 

[willtravel]

I don't know. How old are you now?

A little older than you. And there was sarcasm in my post.

 

[Californian Elitist]

A little older than you. And there was sarcasm in my post.

I think she knew you were being sarcastic.

 

[JenniferS]

I think she knew you were being sarcastic.

Yes, I knew he was being sarcastic.
I thought I was being mildly clever. Clearly not.

 

[The Jungle skipper]

Yes, I knew he was being sarcastic.
I thought I was being mildly clever. Clearly not.

Nope, you funny.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yes, I knew he was being sarcastic.
I thought I was being mildly clever. Clearly not.

I'm sure most of us got the joke!

 

[Texas84]

Is that a trick question? His younger sister is Sally. I don't believe there was a younger brother to Charlie Brown.

Probably meant Linus? Younger brother was Rerun.

 

[RSoxNo1]

You foolishly used domestic grosses instead of worldwide grosses in your example. Harry Potter films on average out gross all Star Wars movies when looking at Worldwide Totals instead of just America.

Even the top grossing Star Wars film comes in about 300 MILLION bucks below the top grossing HP film.

As much as we hate to admit it, Florida is part of this country.

 

[NoChesterHester]

You foolishly used domestic grosses instead of worldwide grosses in your example. Harry Potter films on average out gross all Star Wars movies when looking at Worldwide Totals instead of just America.

Even the top grossing Star Wars film comes in about 300 MILLION bucks below the top grossing HP film.

That is not correct, but Harry Potter does fare far better when worldwide box office take is accounted for.

http://www.federicopistono.org/blog...sing-films-of-all-time-adjusted-for-inflation

Star Wars = #4, 12, 13, 27, 34, 58
Harry Potter = #11, 14, 19, 28, 30, 36, 37

I don't know why people insist on arguing this. Who cares? Both are massively popular with great and loyal fan bases.

 

[danlb_2000]

That is not correct, but Harry Potter does fare far better when worldwide box office take is accounted for.

http://www.federicopistono.org/blog...sing-films-of-all-time-adjusted-for-inflation

Star Wars = #4, 12, 13, 27, 34, 58
Harry Potter = #11, 14, 19, 28, 30, 36, 37

I don't know why people insist on arguing this. Who cares? Both are massively popular with great and loyal fan bases.

Which is why people insist on arguing it.

 

[G00fyDad]

You foolishly used domestic grosses instead of worldwide grosses in your example. Harry Potter films on average out gross all Star Wars movies when looking at Worldwide Totals instead of just America.

Even the top grossing Star Wars film comes in about 300 MILLION bucks below the top grossing HP film.

I've also said that argument is stupid, and over. Its too much of "I like (this) so it must be better because I have better taste!" Nuff said.

 

[OSUPhantom]

After taking a brief look at what's going on at Universal Studios (the actual first park) it's becoming clearer why this was needed and that if Disney wants this to mean ANYTHING it's needs to be bigger than what has been previously described. I love Hollywood Studios but to keep up with USF Disney needs to gets off their rears and make this expansion count. A Star Wars kiddie ride won't cut it.

 

[NoChesterHester]

If Disney doesn't fix the generic merchandise issue of their parks then it doesn't matter if they add Star Wars or Lord of the Rings or GI Joe... Great experiences mixed with unique merchandise and food equals big profits. Good rides mixed with generic merchandise and good food equals underwhelming return. End of story.

 

[NoChesterHester]

As a society we have become very savvy consumers of stuffs. The proliferation of Amazon and Target and mobile devices... makes people not only more price sensitive, but more selective. The homogenization of the parks merchandise has not adapted to this trend yet and until they do people just aren't going to buy like they used to.

At least that is my theory.

 

[doctornick]

Great experiences mixed with unique merchandise and food equals big profits. Good rides mixed with generic merchandise and good food equals underwhelming return. End of story.

I'm not really convinced that this is true to the vast majority of the public who go to theme parks. I think a lot of people don't really care much about unique merchandise (which is why much of it has been phased out) and an even smaller subset would have the presence of unique and interesting merch color their impression of a theme park. Ultimately, the quality of the rides and the ambiance of the park is going to have significantly more impact on people's opinion than what stuff they can buy. IMHO.

I'm not saying that homogenized products don't lead to decreased sales of merch, but I don't believe that it has a significant impact on the impression of a theme park (or whether to return) for the vast majority of guests. It just impacts whether to buy something.

 

[NoChesterHester]

I'm not really convinced that this is true to the vast majority of the public who go to theme parks. I think a lot of people don't really care much about unique merchandise (which is why much of it has been phased out) and an even smaller subset would have the presence of unique and interesting merch color their impression of a theme park. Ultimately, the quality of the rides and the ambiance of the park is going to have significantly more impact on people's opinion than what stuff they can buy. IMHO.

I'm not saying that homogenized products don't lead to decreased sales of merch, but I don't believe that it has a significant impact on the impression of a theme park (or whether to return) for the vast majority of guests. It just impacts whether to buy something.

I agree and wasn't trying to say that great merchandise makes the experience, just that it increases the return because more is actually purchased.

We came to WDW as a family this year looking for good stuff to take home with us. Disney left at least $600 on the table because we didn't find as much quality stuff as we were hoping. I'm sure we aren't alone.

 

[EpcoTim]

I agree and wasn't trying to say that great merchandise makes the experience, just that it increases the return because more is actually purchased.

We came to WDW as a family this year looking for good stuff to take home with us. Disney left at least $600 on the table because we didn't find as much quality stuff as we were hoping. I'm sure we aren't alone.

Isn't this also a chicken/egg type thing?

A really good ride, one that really grabs you, one that you really connect to on some level--won't that make you more likely to want to buy something to remember it buy? And won't a unique, quality item help you remember it with more fondness?

Or can a high quality souvenir make a mediocre ride seem more memorable and therefore better?

Eh, not a good analogy but whatever, basically I'm saying that I don't see the need to sell nothing but generic garbage. Unique stuff can't be a total financial loss, even if it doesn't post the numbers the generic stuff does.

 

[Longhairbear]

I agree and wasn't trying to say that great merchandise makes the experience, just that it increases the return because more is actually purchased.

We came to WDW as a family this year looking for good stuff to take home with us. Disney left at least $600 on the table because we didn't find as much quality stuff as we were hoping. I'm sure we aren't alone.

Years ago they sold a splash Mountain table fountain/waterfall. I got one, and it was used a lot. Now since a move, it sits in a box in storage. But at one time Disney sold fabulous attraction specific items.