Disney to Expand to Stand-Alone Hotels and Parks?

weluvmovies.com · Post by **weluvmovies.com** » Feb Fri 09, 2007 4:51 pm

smaller parks? is this the future? after comparing DL to WDW, I was understanding the "bigger is better," concept was working for them. Sounds like they want to turn it into a Starbucks or something. Now, another park in the vicinity of DL resort would be much better. Just have the shuttle system like WDW. I don't think putting hotels in urban areas would help reach out for unappreciative children, I think it will desensitize the parents and take away from the MAGIC of visiting the parks.

Esmeralda · Post by **Esmeralda** » Feb Fri 09, 2007 5:33 pm

Hmm, I'm not real fond of this idea. I can't imagine the finance people or travel agencies like it much either. I can just hear the parents now, "Hey kids, instead of going to Disney World this year, we'll just head to our very own Downtown Disney!"

I agree that it would take some of the magic away from the parks. I would love to have a World of Disney Store (like the ones in Downtown Disney) in the Twin Cities though!

borjoyzee · Post by **borjoyzee** » Feb Fri 09, 2007 7:48 pm

Yeah, if they have some land, I rather see another big park close by. And do a monorail system to it or shuttles. But the idea right now sounds a little iffy so far.

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » Feb Sat 10, 2007 10:59 am

I'm all for it! When we travel to other destinations in the US I would much prefer to stay in a Disney property than say a Marriott or Hyatt. Loews resorts do a great job of this at Universal and elsewhere.

Cheshire Cat · Post by **Cheshire Cat** » Feb Sat 10, 2007 11:52 am

I wouldn't mind more downtown disney complexes being built or even some hotels in big tourist destinations, but if they start building mini-disneylands, it would destroy the magic and become just like Six Flags.

slotofkit · Post by **slotofkit** » Feb Sat 10, 2007 3:24 pm

They've already tried some regional Disney places in the forms of Disney Quest and ESPN Zones and it seems the only problems with Quests is the places they had them in. The Zones do well, I think. I went to the Quest in Chicago and it felt like I was in the FL one, except less busy. The quality was Disney quality.

I don't think having regional parks would detract from the Disney magic. I also think of non-park related sites like the El Capitan Theater and Disney Stores and they still have the Disney magic with them.

Sarah Turp · Post by **Sarah Turp** » Feb Sun 11, 2007 12:36 pm

I just seems to me that none of the Disney Parks outside of America have been huge sucesses. It took Paris a long time to start making profits and Hong Kong had a much slower start than hoped. It aeems to me that people dont dont like the small parks, they would rather travel further and go to WDW. I tend to go in to Disneyland Paris for the odd day trip, but it is nothing like the American quality!

Post by **rdeacon** » Feb Sun 11, 2007 12:50 pm

This sounds like another d-quest thing. They were supposed to roll them out across the country and it didn't pan out that well.

I think it would depend on the scale and location of these new parks, stores, hotels, etc.

I don't think parks that would cannibalize DL and WDW are a good idea. Possibility a water park might prove successful.

As for shopping the Disney Store in NYC is crazy busy, so a shopping outlet might work, but hey didn't they just have a chain of "Disney" store that they just sold...hmm

The hotel idea I think carries the most weight. Be cool for example to go to NYC stay in a Disney hotel, then see a Disney show on Broadway. Or go to Aspen and stay at a Wilderness Lodge type ski resort.

Rich

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » Feb Mon 12, 2007 7:35 am

rdeacon wrote:The hotel idea I think carries the most weight. Be cool for example to go to NYC stay in a Disney hotel, then see a Disney show on Broadway. Or go to Aspen and stay at a Wilderness Lodge type ski resort.

Rich

That is where I think they're sitting on a gold mine.

Post by **rdeacon** » Feb Mon 12, 2007 3:22 pm

Here some more details on the "Blue Sky Ideas"

MousePlanet.com wrote:Rasulo offers a peak at "blue-sky" ideas

In an address to Disney investors last Wednesday night, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts chairman Jay Rasulo gave a glimpse into what the future might hold for Disney's theme parks division. Rasulo started by talking about expanding the existing businesses with "investment in exciting new attractions and entertainment, innovative new services, and consumer-focused pricing" and entering emerging international markets such as the Asian travel market, where the Chinese market is expanding at an enormous rate. He then moved on to how Walt Disney Parks & Resorts would broaden its footprint in the travel & leisure market.

He stated that he was going to "pull back the curtain and share some of the ideas our business team and Imagineers are thinking about" while noting that all ideas discussed were in the "blue-sky" stage (the brainstorming phase of planning where anything goes and everything might or might not see the light of day). While he noted that "clearly, we're not going to do all of them, or maybe even any of them", Rasulo painted an intriguing portrait of the future might hold for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts.

Disney's flagship hotels at each of its resorts were over 90 percent occupancy at rates of $350 per night and up, giving an indication that establishing Disney-branded hotels in other locations might be a profitable enterprise. Since the average theme park visitor returns every four years, this would give them a chance to have a closer, shorter, more convenient Disney resort experience. These could be regional resort properties located outside of metro areas, urban hotels in major family tourism destination cities, or destination resorts in exotic locations or boutique-branded hotels at various price points.

With the success of the two Downtown Disney retail, dining & entertainment districts, Disney has been considering creating high-quality centers in downtown areas of major cities, either as the master planner or as the lead tenant. They hope that this would create another entertainment destination.

Disney is also considering the creation of a unique brand of water park in new markets, including the possibility of indoor parks.

Finally, Disney is also considering the creation of smaller, deeply immersive "niche parks" that would provide a more intimate setting, high-end immersive theme park entertainment, more interactive shows, more one-on-one experiences and unique attractions for an "all-inclusive admission pricing that would be several times what our guests pay today." These parks could fit perfectly either into already-existing markets or even new markets.

In speaking later about the Disney Cruise Line, specifically as it related to the long-anticipated third ship, Rasulo said, "We have ongoing contact with the shipyards. If we can generate superior returns based, in part, on contract terms and pricing, then we'll pull the trigger."

The Disney Vacation Club also gained some notice as a money-generator, with Rasulo stating that Disney had "already recouped the entire investment for Saratoga Springs four months before the third phase ever opened." The fact that members are trading points for access to other destinations like Mexico, Hawaii or the Caribbean is helping Disney to identify potential off-property locations for expansion of the timeshare portfolio. Rasulo stated that the DVC will expand both at Walt Disney World and around the world.

Adventures by Disney has already sold out half of its trips for the 2007 season. Noting that the infrastructure is easily expandable, Rasulo reported that the concept would be well-positioned to expand to include international tourists visiting the U.S. and looking for guided tours.

Rasulo summed up by noting that "the possibilities to bring Disney entertainment to our guests around the world are almost endless. By continuing the entertainment revolution that Walt started 50 years ago, you can see why we believe the potential for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts is truly limitless."

While all of this sounds really intriguing, remember that this is all blue-sky stuff. In fact, it's quite possible that all of these were floated to put the idea out onto the Internet to allow Disney fans to discuss them and to help Disney figure out which ideas will gain traction in the community and which will meet with stiff opposition.

Rich

Post by **rdeacon** » Feb Mon 12, 2007 3:27 pm

Four things that really intrigued me:

Disney's flagship hotels at each of its resorts were over 90 percent occupancy

This is quite impressive

Since the average theme park visitor returns every four years

Four years?! 4... oh that would never work for me... lol

he Disney Vacation Club also gained some notice as a money-generator, with Rasulo stating that Disney had "already recouped the entire investment for Saratoga Springs four months before the third phase ever opened

Also very impressive and explains the expansion into AK and Contemp.

In fact, it's quite possible that all of these were floated to put the idea out onto the Internet to allow Disney fans to discuss them and to help Disney figure out which ideas will gain traction in the community

Hey, does that mean they actually listen to our rants

Rich

Post by **Dr. Ravenscroft** » Feb Mon 12, 2007 3:39 pm

I depends on the pricing, I don't really go to Disney for the hotels I go for the parks. When I travel to Europe I go to bed and breakfast type places or a small hotel. I don't like high rise hotels that much. I put up with them in Disney because I know they need the room for the amount of guests they get. Unless I was a DVC member or they themed it really really well I wouldn't stay there.

stinoi · Post by **stinoi** » Feb Wed 14, 2007 8:51 am

This is a natural next step for Disney to expand their reach, though if I were Iger (I'd be rich!) I would be very leary of any idea for further regionalizing the Disney brand particularly in the US. There would be a fairly high risk of cannibalizing their attendance at WDW and DL if they dropped another Disney park, say in the middle of the country (which I've actually wondered if they haven't seriously debated doing such a thing since there is so much space available in the Plains states to build a major park) since people from that region may be less likely to attend WDW/DL as regularly. However, if they utilized unique theming for any additional regional parks and invested the same quality on a smaller scale that they do with WDW/DL, the regional park idea may actually help attendance at their major resorts.

weluvmovies.com · Post by **weluvmovies.com** » Feb Wed 14, 2007 1:37 pm

Mostly I'm against this, but I may be a bit bias since I'm in So Cal, and can go to DL any day I want. I think a park smacked in the middle of the US wouldn't be a bad thing, but it couldn't be a "Magic Kingdom," park. It would have to be specifically themed so as to not drop sales from DL/WDW. A "Sea World," type resort in the mid-west would be nice, for people who never have seen the ocean, or an aquarium. Just come out with a bunch of original attractions that don't mimic DL or WDW and that way people on either coast would travel to the new park as well. Hotels?! BAH! The WDW resorts are very nice, but I go there to tour the parks, not hang out at the resort... plus what kind of a let down would that be to have this extravagantly themed hotel just to walk outside to any street USA, boring.

jd3921fl · Post by **jd3921fl** » Feb Mon 19, 2007 1:51 pm

I dont think i like this idea.