Wow...just wow...500 million a year for the foreseeable future...

Padraig

Padraig

Well-Known Member
OFTeric said:
The Children of this generation are falling in love with Universal. Their "magical" memories will be at Universal. When they met Spiderman, or talked to Optimus Prime, or danced in the streets with Sponge Bob, Gru, and E.B.

Their memories are going to be that of these two enchanting parks where things change all the time, paintings talk, and you can ride a magical train from one park to the next.

Their grandparents will go and fall asleep on the Carousel of Progress, talking about the the good ol' days.
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I agree to an extent, but the one major thing in Disney's favour are the TV channels. This is only something I've realized lately - as my social group only started having children about three years ago- but those kids are sold on the Disney dream through the Disney channel from minute one. Disney are instilling the magic and grooming their audience with images of the characters and quite brilliantly the castle logo. Their ever-green characters will maintain and stay with them in a way that Sponge Bob, Michael Bay's OP and Sophia the First (only Disney one I can recall now) never will.

I totally agree with Dog Ate Mouse, this whole new system Disney is introducing feels awful to me. I feel people will be wandering around the parks asking What's the next actionable item on todays agenda?
 
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Disneyhead'71

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
Really 2.33 years construction build out for Potter 2.0.

And the FLE is looking at a 4.66 construction build out.

But the proof in the pudding is going to be the compare/contrast of the 2 projects' "family coasters". They are both opening in 2014.

Disney has set up those poor dwarfs for an MMA style beat down by some pretty nasty Goblins.
 
Glasgow

Glasgow

Well-Known Member
Quite frankly, I'm glad to see spending, no matter which entity is doing it. It's good for competition. It's also another reason we're going to UNI on Thurs for our family trip this time, instead of WDW ;)
 
HTF

HTF

Well-Known Member
Glasgow said:
Quite frankly, I'm glad to see spending, no matter which entity is doing it. It's good for competition. It's also another reason we're going to UNI on Thurs for our family trip this time, instead of WDW ;)
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We said this 5 years ago and I'm not sure about anyone else but I know I'm still waiting for another fighter to at least enter the arena let alone the fight. That being said I wish their would be some real competition but as of right now, its all Universal being scored 10-0 in the first 11 rounds with one hell of a hay maker coming in less than 9 months.
 
Glasgow

Glasgow

Well-Known Member
You have to take into account the size discrepancy at WDW .. Obviously it would be difficult to grow at a similar rate as UNI, plus as I noted in a different thread, I believe they have largely exhausted their new visitors so they don't have new income to support expansion without lowering profits. The main problem? Someone up high has to convince execs that large capital expenditures won't drive away share holders due to lower profits. It's so mind-bogglingly complex. I have to think that if UNI is able to add a third gate then that will be the catalyst that WDW needs to add a fifth gate. Adding a third gate and a couple of hotels would really start to cannibalize visitors. Until that time, just look at the crowds at WDW. As an exec, would you upset the apple cart, the cash cow, for a possible future gain? It's easy to play with other peoples money. Here's to hoping WDW sees the long term effects of stagnation though .. They've lost a few thousand from our family, anyway.
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
Glasgow said:
You have to take into account the size discrepancy at WDW ..
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I think Carsland and WWoHP show that a small area, but one done 'completely' with the full range of things that can occupy a half day in itself of new things to see and do... is enough to radically impact a much larger being.

DLR is massive... yet Carsland and WoC could turn the entire ship.. including influencing how DL is visited. Something that before was thought to require an entire park.

Putting out a new attraction like Transformers can spur short term growth.. but it alone doesn't alter perception or change how people visit a park. But a true 'land' done properly has the critical mass needed to alter perceptions and behaviors.

Where am I going with this? I believe even tho WDW is so big... if you had something of the quality of Carsland or WWoHP... that is big enough to make even the supertanker shutter and alter course.

To think Mickey finally has that nuclear option available with Star Wars in front of them... IMO that opportunity is the true measure of what Disney is aspiring to be.
 
danpam1024

danpam1024

Well-Known Member
OFTeric said:
The Children of this generation are falling in love with Universal. Their "magical" memories will be at Universal. When they met Spiderman, or talked to Optimus Prime, or danced in the streets with Sponge Bob, Gru, and E.B.

Their memories are going to be that of these two enchanting parks where things change all the time, paintings talk, and you can ride a magical train from one park to the next.

Their grandparents will go and fall asleep on the Carousel of Progress, talking about the the good ol' days.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more- since we started taking DS (now 11) to Universal (about at age 7), all he wants to do is go back- he wants NOTHING to do with Disney. Disney is for little kids and mostly little girls. In addition, he now compares EVERY hotel we stay at to the HRH. Even Boardwalk loses out in his eyes (and he's right-especially when comparing the cost vs room size). DH and I see his point-we grew up Disney because there was nothing else. He had a choice and chose Universal :)
 
Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Look, I am one of those people who loves Universal Studios and Disney. Obviously Disney is #1 here for me, but I'm not one to ever bash Universal. They do a great park. That being said, I didn't think Transformers (in Universal Hollywood) was better than Spiderman at all. The whole movement towards simulator rides means the character can be taken out of an attraction. Jaws had character. E.T. has character. Jurassic Park has character to it. So if they add these new rides I hope at the very least that they don't continue to cut into the heart of what once made the park special. Because what makes Disney special is that there are attractions that are 40 years old that your parents rode at the same age. Universal is missing out on that piece of nostalgia. But its good they maintain some competition for Disney. It reminds me of political parties and the other one always trying to make the other party honest and on their toes (lol, somewhat). But right now Universal has a long ways to go in order to be the #1 attraction in Orlando. I don't think it happens in our lifetime at all, if ever. Here are the attendance figures for 2012:

Magic Kingdom - 17.5 million
Disneyland - 15.9
Epcot - 11.0
Animal Kingdom - 9.9
DHS - 9.9
Islands of Adventure - 7.9
Universal Orlando - 6.1
Sea World 5.3

So in all fairness, Universal - either park in Orlando - isn't even close to the least attended WDW park let alone Magic Kingdom. MK triples the attendance of Universal Studios and has well more than double the attendance of Islands of Adventure. Sea World is comparable to Universal Studios right now. Sometimes instead of going big and pouring a ton of money into things you have to ensure that the experience is worth it. No one does this better than Disney when it comes to the experience of a park.
 
IAmFloridaBorn

IAmFloridaBorn

Well-Known Member
Big Phil said:
Look, I am one of those people who loves Universal Studios and Disney. Obviously Disney is #1 here for me, but I'm not one to ever bash Universal. They do a great park. That being said, I didn't think Transformers (in Universal Hollywood) was better than Spiderman at all. The whole movement towards simulator rides means the character can be taken out of an attraction. Jaws had character. E.T. has character. Jurassic Park has character to it. So if they add these new rides I hope at the very least that they don't continue to cut into the heart of what once made the park special. Because what makes Disney special is that there are attractions that are 40 years old that your parents rode at the same age. Universal is missing out on that piece of nostalgia. But its good they maintain some competition for Disney. It reminds me of political parties and the other one always trying to make the other party honest and on their toes (lol, somewhat). But right now Universal has a long ways to go in order to be the #1 attraction in Orlando. I don't think it happens in our lifetime at all, if ever. Here are the attendance figures for 2012:

Magic Kingdom - 17.5 million
Disneyland - 15.9
Epcot - 11.0
Animal Kingdom - 9.9
DHS - 9.9
Islands of Adventure - 7.9
Universal Orlando - 6.1
Sea World 5.3

So in all fairness, Universal - either park in Orlando - isn't even close to the least attended WDW park let alone Magic Kingdom. MK triples the attendance of Universal Studios and has well more than double the attendance of Islands of Adventure. Sea World is comparable to Universal Studios right now. Sometimes instead of going big and pouring a ton of money into things you have to ensure that the experience is worth it. No one does this better than Disney when it comes to the experience of a park.
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For some reason you sound upset people have a much better theme park experience at Universal than Disney. I know I do.
 

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