Originally Posted By planodisney But DCA is a lesser park darkbeer. Just as MGM and Animal Kingdom are far lesser parks than MK, yet the park tickets are the same price. Also, I am not completely sure, but I believe that MGM and AK have much shorter hours throughout the year, I know for sure AK does, and I am pretty sure MGM does as well. I think it is fairly obvious that Disney isnt completely satisfied with DCA and its current attendance rates, thus the upcomming Placemaking and future attractions. I think the popularity of Monsters shows that DCA's final grade is far from given. there is so much that can be done to make this park popular, even for locals. And I think that time is coming soon. I think DCA's future looks very brite, but discounting and 2fer's and 1 day park hoppers are just plain good business and smart for of fseason. Look how crowded DCA has been lately. My gosh, they had 90 minute waits for Monsters last weekend, and 75 minute waits for the other major attractions. Sounds like good business to me. DCA has a ways to go, but, like it or not, it is inching closer and closer and I think it is going to to take some huge strides in the next few years.
Originally Posted By ni_teach > Just as MGM and Animal Kingdom are far lesser parks than MK, yet the park tickets are the same price. Yes, but MGM and AK were parks 3 and 4 (not counting the water parks). Also these parks are designed to keep people there for days 3-5 of their vacation, not day 2. It’s a subtle difference, but an important one. > I think the popularity of Monsters shows that DCA's final grade is far from given. there is so much that can be done to make this park popular, even for locals. Yes, I agree. The DCA can be fixed! They need improve what they have and add new and original attractions. > Look how crowded DCA has been lately. But that has all been a combination of marking and 1 new good attractions (2fer's and 1 day park hoppers). Without those the park would be a ghost town.
Originally Posted By planodisney Of course it is because of the 2fers coupled with a new attraction, I thought everyoneunderstood that by now. But, it shows that people arent dead set on staying away, and it looks like the crowds this weekend were, last weekend of the 2fer type crowds. Realy large. 2fer or no 2fer, you cant argue that DCA is beginning to carve out an ever increasing fan base. What with the popularity of BPB, TT and Monsters, it waas inevitable. Add good attractions, and more people will enjoy it. DCA has a ways to go as I said, but things are looking brighter ni teach. I dont realy think that can be argued, against.
Originally Posted By danyoung >But that has all been a combination of marking and 1 new good attractions (2fer's and 1 day park hoppers). Without those the park would be a ghost town.< You may or may not have intended this, but I've always found it funny that the DCA naysayers seem to have a problem with any improvement that happens in the park, and continue to compare it back to the park's condition on opening day. Things like "yeah, the new ride is good, but they didn't have it before so DCA still sucks!" At least give credit to DCA being able to draw a crowd, whatever the reason.
Originally Posted By woody "At least give credit to DCA being able to draw a crowd, whatever the reason." DCA is drawing a crowd, but I'm not sure which deserves the credit. Is it the 2Fer or the Monster's attraction? What happened to Tower of Terror or the Block Party? I think the 2Fer is the deal maker. There's nothing wrong with the improvement of the park. I don't think anyone is criticizing it, but the improvements are largely superficial. DCA is still the same park that debuted in 2001. Even then, the free admission worked. Free tickets work for DCA. It's the same with the multi-day, mult-park hopper passes. The park improvements are only moderately successful. As Darkbeer pointed out, they don't advertise DCA anymore. No one knows Monsters is in DCA, but I'm sure the Monsters fans won't mind finding the attraction in Disneyland RESORT on a 2Fer DCA day.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Things like "yeah, the new ride is good, but they didn't have it before so DCA still sucks!" At least give credit to DCA being able to draw a crowd, whatever the reason." It all started waaaay back before the park even opened, and the arguments mostly appear to be stuff started by a handful of local people who seemed to have it out for Eisner, Pressler, et al. The naysayers were justified when the crowds didn't materialize which sent DLR's then inept management defense mode leading to a series of quick remedies. The outcome, though mixed in my opinion, has resulted in park that is a somewhat different place today (for better or worse). Attendance has increased steadily since the slow start at a time when the industry was down. Meanwhile, many of those old critics are still stuck in 2001.
Originally Posted By leemac planodisney, so much of hours is driven by new attractions. DAK is about to hit 12 hour days again (8am-8pm) for the first concerted effort since the park opened. Why? Everest. Plain and simple. It is a big enough draw to warrant the new hours.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer I want to see the crowds in May, after the "Pay for Disneyland, get DCA for FREE!" and the out of towner specials, whcih are the Adults at the Kids Price or the Kids free deals.... Lets see what a month that has no major discounting, and that the parks have to sell themselves does to attendance.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer >>Lets see what a month that has no major discounting, and that the parks have to sell themselves does to attendance.<< For all parks? Not just DCA?
Originally Posted By disneywatcher >> For all parks? Not just DCA? << Well, at least for parks that enjoy the advantage of having the "Disney" name attached to it and being located next to the most famous theme park in the world.
Originally Posted By woody >>Attendance has increased steadily since the slow start at a time when the industry was down. Meanwhile, many of those old critics are still stuck in 2001.<< You're wrong. The critics are in 2006, just like DCA circa 2006 isn't significantly different than DCA circa 2001. DCA will always be a park in search of improvement. "DCA: A Spectacular Journey."
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "The critics are in 2006, just like DCA circa 2006 isn't significantly different than DCA circa 2001." This statement only underscores my point. The park's performance is certainly different, just as it's offerings. SSL is gone and has been replaced by an attraction that has gotten a general "thumbs up". There are now solid attractions (with good Disney theming) specifically for children. There is a signature character parade in true Disney fashion, and we have ToT, a bona fide Disney "E" ticket. But obviously, in your never ending quest to bash the place, you probably can't take the time to acknowlege any of this.
Originally Posted By Blacksheep Uncle >>Lets see what a month that has no major discounting, and that the parks have to sell themselves does to attendance.<< and as long as many other of the local parks are offering such as "buy and day and get a year for FREE" Disney would be remiss if they didn't offer discounts also... you can't have it both ways, if you want to discredit DCA attendance because of discounts you must also discredit the other local parks attendence since for the most part they offer discounts year round...
Originally Posted By speedygenie I love how the DCA naysayers seem to forget about how DCA is in the top ten of most visited Parks in the Country, and CLIMBING. Anyone got a list? I've always thought of DCA as the baby Grizzly bear dumped off at Dland's doorstep. It's gonna grow up and kick some a$$. I'm sure even Woody had and/or has a difficult puberty too. It comes down to this, If they never announced a little something called WESTcot, I think DCA would have been more successful from the get-go, at least with the diehards. We all know that's the exact reason why even Imagineers have a hard time with it. Give it some time. ToT, Monsters, Block Party Bash mixed with Soarin, Screamin, GRR. Not bad at all.
Originally Posted By planodisney I do however believe that they should have opened with a better attraction lineup than what they had. If they had, upon opening, what they have now, I think it would have been a little different.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<they should have opened with a better attraction lineup than what they had.>> They probably could have had the same lineup if they were executed to a higher degree of "Disney."
Originally Posted By gadzuux >> I love how the DCA naysayers seem to forget about how DCA is in the top ten of most visited Parks in the Country, and CLIMBING. << In all fairness, any park located on the doorstep of DL is going to place in the top ten - the park admission is bundled in with DL as part of the multi-day hoppers. DCA could offer pony rides and a tire swing and still get 'some' business.
