Why is TDS so much better than any other Disney Park?

[DisneyparkFreak]

I am curious to ask why TDS is so AWESOME, compared to every other park Disney has designed. I understand that the OLC is involved in both of Japan's parks, but seriously...

I've never been to Japan, but just looking at the website made me want to change my citizenship.

Why were the imagineers given the budget and the freedom to create such an emersive and visual experience, while here in the states we have rides that are almost 40 years old without any updates? From what i understand and have read both here and on other sites the $1 Billion dollar extreme makeover (abc plug) of DCA isnt even going to compare to what TDS offers.

With that said do we know how much it cost to build TDS? I'm just curious what a billion dollars buys in Japan versus here in the states. Because we know in Hong Kong it doesnt buy much.

6

 

[ChrisFL]

Estimates I've heard are between $4 Billion-$6 Billion U.S. to build it...so that's why.

Also, it seems like they were not going for the same 100% family/kid friendly market with the park and focused a bit more on teen/young couples crowd instead.

Edit: one other thing to add is that many of the designs in the park were going through imagineering for decades almost before finally being green-lit.

 

[Grim Grinner]

Take the wonderful attention to detail of Animal Kingdom and graft it with the imagination and innovation of the best rides.

I stopped there (very briefly, as I was in town for business) and saw how beautiful everything is.

It's hard to take a bad picture and the theming for each area is jaw-dropping.

Nothing looks rushed or corners cut.

 

[tomm4004]

Why were the imagineers given the budget and the freedom to create such an emersive and visual experience, while here in the states we have rides that are almost 40 years old without any updates?

One: plush toys
Two: Office girls

It's been said that TDR thrives on the thousands of office girls (young women with jobs who live at home and have tons of disposable income) that frequent the parks. It's customary (I understand) to bring gifts back to friends and family after a trip (even to a theme park for the day), so TDR tends to make a fortune in merchandise sales. Again, this is what I've heard.

TDS truly is astounding. I spent four days there and was still shaking my head at the end that any bean-counter actually let this place get built. And considering that plans are usually scaled back, it makes one wonder what the pie-in-the-sky plans looked like. Can hardly wait to go back, but it might be a while.

 

[EpcotServo]

It's because everything is much, much cooler in Japan.

To paraphrase an oft-used MST3K quote...

"Their Theme Park technology is years ahead of ours."

 

[totben]

Because Disney does not fully own those parks. Oriental Land Company owns most of it so they make most of the calls over there. OLC also has very very VERY deep pockets, so Disney Imagineers were basically given a "no holds barred" budget to work with.

Compared to here in FL and CA, everything is tight budget driven because Disney is the sole owner of the parks.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Every nation gets the theme park it deserves.

In Japan, one makes money with a top quality amusement park. In the States, flashy neon lights and American Idol attracts people. Too bad for the lovers of a more upscale Disney.


And let us not forget that the times have changed - Japan is more advanced than Europe or the US.
Japanese management is taught to manufacture quality. US management is taught marketing, and how to squeeze every last penny out of an investment. So DCA, character tie-ins, and the destruction of Main Street west for additional retail space is what America gets. :shrug:

 

[tirian]

Every nation gets the theme park it deserves.

In Japan, one makes money with a top quality amusement park. In the States, flashy neon lights and American Idol attracts people. Too bad for the lovers of a more upscale Disney.


And let us not forget that the times have changed - Japan is more advanced than Europe or the US.
Japanese management is taught to manufacture quality. US management is taught marketing, and how to squeeze every last penny out of an investment. So DCA, character tie-ins, and the destruction of Main Street west for additional retail space is what America gets. :shrug:

It's true that OLC's financing is the biggest reason for TDS' elaborate theming, but I think you explained the culture difference perfectly. :sohappy:

I'm probably the only person who finds TDS overdone. The theming is great, but a lot of it—especially the New York area—is more intricate than real life! I prefer the realistic detail found in WS at Epcot to the hyper-detailed exteriors at TDS. :shrug:

 

[wdwmagic]

The grass is always greener on the other side springs to mind.

I think sometimes people forget the sheer size and magnitude of WDW as an entire resort. I think WDW is looked on with envy from the other resorts, just as those here look to Tokyo in awe.

 

[kingslyZISSOU]

Every nation gets the theme park it deserves.

In Japan, one makes money with a top quality amusement park. In the States, flashy neon lights and American Idol attracts people. Too bad for the lovers of a more upscale Disney.


And let us not forget that the times have changed - Japan is more advanced than Europe or the US.
Japanese management is taught to manufacture quality. US management is taught marketing, and how to squeeze every last penny out of an investment. So DCA, character tie-ins, and the destruction of Main Street west for additional retail space is what America gets. :shrug:

wow, that's just so sad to read. It makes me want to change my citizenship.

that sad part is how true it is.

 

[kingslyZISSOU]

I think it's funny that the Disney company was so famous for taking things that were ok, and could still be acceptable, but than they spent the extra money just to make it spectacular. That "extra" money that made it unnecessarily better was almost always a great investment.

now its the opposite, they are dragging the name into the ground with crappy unoriginal television, and cheap theme parks.

they are compltely reversing walt's golden formula.

 

[TrojanUSC]

Disney owns NO stake in TDL or TDS. They are simply paid a royalties (around 5-10%) for character/name licensing. They are also paid consulting fees for the development of attractions. However, because the Oriental Land Company is not a publicly traded company and they have TONS more capital laying around, they can afford to spend more in the parks, hoping for a greater return on the investment.

There are deals in place that prevent Oriental Land Company from advertising the parks in certain countries that Disney specifies, as they don't want such an immersive park to detract from the Disney-owned offerings.

 

[TP2000]

I think sometimes people forget the sheer size and magnitude of WDW as an entire resort. I think WDW is looked on with envy from the other resorts, just as those here look to Tokyo in awe.

The size thing at WDW has been over-rated for years. And in recent years the tide has been turning with many DVC members realizing that the Disneyland Resort offers more quality and nearly more attractions in a smaller and hipper property. And Tokyo is even better than Anaheim!

The size is nice, if WDW would take advantage of it. But really, how much can you market acres and acres of open swamp when the rides and shows that are there are falling apart and falling in number compared to Anaheim or Tokyo?

 

[Fun2BFree]

I suppose that TDS is Disney's IoA equivalent:
1-Nautical theme;
2-Series of high-octane thrill attractions;
3-High budget;
4-Acclaimed;

The only difference is that TDS has a higher proportion of family friendly rides than IoA (and adds new attractions a little more often).

 

[Disneyfanman]

The size thing at WDW has been over-rated for years. And in recent years the tide has been turning with many DVC members realizing that the Disneyland Resort offers more quality and nearly more attractions in a smaller and hipper property. And Tokyo is even better than Anaheim!

The size is nice, if WDW would take advantage of it. But really, how much can you market acres and acres of open swamp when the rides and shows that are there are falling apart and falling in number compared to Anaheim or Tokyo?

I guess I am in a different camp. I visit both both the resorts frequently and think that WDWs size DOES make it a whole different and more satisfying experience. But I haven't ever seen the Tokyo resort. It always looks stunning in pics.

 

[wdwmagic]

The size thing at WDW has been over-rated for years. And in recent years the tide has been turning with many DVC members realizing that the Disneyland Resort offers more quality and nearly more attractions in a smaller and hipper property. And Tokyo is even better than Anaheim!

The size is nice, if WDW would take advantage of it. But really, how much can you market acres and acres of open swamp when the rides and shows that are there are falling apart and falling in number compared to Anaheim or Tokyo?

Each to their own I guess

I dont think the size is over-rated at all. The sheer size of WDW makes it an international resort that none of the others will ever be.

I visit both WDW, DL and DLP. While I obviously like DL and DLP a lot, if I had to choose, its WDW every time.