Originally Posted By leemac <<And could the 2% drop be related to the end of the 20th?>> It is down to two facts: 1) Fall in southern Mediterranean visitors - economy is killing tourism from Spain, Italy and Greece 2) Easter was entirely in Q3 this year compared to being in Q2 in 2012 - I'm surprised that this wasn't mentioned - Easter always makes comparatives very difficult.
Originally Posted By leemac ^^ Ugh. Got my dates the wrong way around. Easter was entirely in Q3 in 2012 - this year it fell in Q2. So 2012 would have benefited from Easter being in Q3 whereas it was post-Easter in 2013.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>The land being sold will never be developed - ED SCA needs the cash proceeds from the sales more than the unused land.<<< Good to know. I guess Disney will not develop any land soon. No new hotels and definitely no third park in the next years. I guess the land iportant for DLP is the area inside the huge circle that can bee seen on Google Earth.
Originally Posted By dagobert The French Disney Gazette has posted a new update about DLP. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.disneygazette.fr/gazette-santa-fe-ratatouille-lego-store-cars-news-1309.html">http://www.disneygazette.fr/ga...309.html</a> It seems Main Street USA is in a terrible condition. Now they use nets to prevent parts of the buildings falling down. I guess that has something to do with the Space Mountain incident a few weeks ago. There parts of the roof fell down, but luckily no one was hurt. I think today Disney regrets using real wood for Main Street instead of artificial materials like they did in Florida. At least the Santa Fe hotel looks nicer than expected, but I still hate the Cars layover.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros That's a shame that they have nets up on Main Street. I'm not sure what they use in WDW with the extra heat and humidity, but I'm surprised that they didn't do the same thing for DLP. Hopefully they can get the problem properly fixed, rather than relying on the nets like at DAK I also agree about the Cars theme at the Santa Fe. I guess it's what people want, but I really don't like it
Originally Posted By leemac <<I think today Disney regrets using real wood for Main Street instead of artificial materials like they did in Florida.>> I don't know why they opted for so much wood in the MSUSA facades at DLP. You might want to ask Eddie on WDWMagic! Hong Kong also used the Unplasticized polyvinyl chloride approach for facades. The HKDL Hotel still looks fantastic thanks to the more expensive material selection. That stuff will last a lifetime as it is resistant to water, wind, insects and mold. You can blast it with high pressure hoses and it is clean.
Originally Posted By leemac <<At least the Santa Fe hotel looks nicer than expected, but I still hate the Cars layover.>> I gather it might even get a name change soon too - to make it more marketable as a character-themed hotel. Santa Fe has always suffered with occupancy rates as the price differential between the Cheyenne and Santa Fe has been so negligible over the years.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>I gather it might even get a name change soon too - to make it more marketable as a character-themed hotel. Santa Fe has always suffered with occupancy rates as the price differential between the Cheyenne and Santa Fe has been so negligible over the years<<< A name change? Really? I always loved the American themes of the hotels and now all the DLP hotels are getting a stupid chracter overlay. With the name change it wouldn't fit the American theme anymore. Disney is so much more than the charcters, but unfortunately the majority thinks otherwise. You just have to look at the European Disney fanboards.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>I don't know why they opted for so much wood in the MSUSA facades at DLP. You might want to ask Eddie on WDWMagic!<<< I guess I should do that. I'm sure the material changed over the last 20 years, but DLP's Main Street looks so much better than WDW's and in my opinion one reason is the use of natural materials like stone, bricks and wood. Unfortunately DLP is always short on money and these materials need a lot more maintenance than the ones used in Florida.
Originally Posted By u k fan I have absolutely no problem with the Santa Fe layover. The hotel's theme wasn't great in the first place and it always looked a mess. As Lee said, Santa Fe was where you stayed when the Cheyenne was full and now it has a draw in it's own right. The guests staying at Santa Fe tend to be young families who this will appeal to and I don't have a problem with them cartooning their budget accommodations. Traditionalists, like us will lament the name change, but something like "Disney's Route 66 Cars Motel" sounds as American as Uncle Sam to me so still stays cohesive with the other hotels, drop the word Cars (which they wouldn't) and it sounds like it could have been there from day one!!!
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>Traditionalists, like us will lament the name change, but something like "Disney's Route 66 Cars Motel" sounds as American as Uncle Sam to me so still stays cohesive with the other hotels, drop the word Cars (which they wouldn't) and it sounds like it could have been there from day one!!!<<< That'S true, but they will not drop Cars from the name and that's why it will not stay cohesive with the other hotels. We have stayed three times at the Santa Fe and always enjoyed it there.
Originally Posted By dagobert I don't mind Disney references in the rooms, like they did at the Sequoia Lodge with Bambi, but they kept the Sequoia nationalpark theme. If I'm not mistaken Newport Bay Club will get a similar treating. I think the rooms will feature Donald Duck while the rest of the hotel sticks to the current theme.
Originally Posted By u k fan I stayed at the Santa Fe once and it was adequate, but that's about as far as I'll go. I always thought the theming made it look dirty and there are much better budget options on both sides between the Cheyenne and the good neighbor hotels across the way. For me this is an upgrade whether it features characters or not!!!
Originally Posted By dagobert It seems Pin Traiding is still popular at DLP. The French Disney Gazette site has posted an article, in French, about the recently held Indiana Jones pin trading event. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.disneygazette.fr/pin-event-indiana-jones-2013-news-1315.html">http://www.disneygazette.fr/pi...315.html</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert Here's a new update by the French Disney Gazette website. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.disneygazette.fr/gazette-esplanade-ratatouille-gaumont-villagesnature-merchandising-news-1319.html">http://www.disneygazette.fr/ga...319.html</a>
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Looks like they have a lot of pavement projects going on right now! The Ratatouille stuff looks really nice, but I'm starting to worry that it won't actually feel like you're there. The buildings only occupy one side of the space, so any illusion will be broken when you turn around. WDSP really needs some immersive themed environments, where you feel like you've been transported somewhere else, but all of these mini-lands fail to do that since they're so small
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>Looks like they have a lot of pavement projects going on right now!<<< And it was about time. The area around Disney Village looked terrible. If I'm not mistaken Disney hired a German company to do all the pavement projects. Instead of concret they are using coble stones, because they are lasting longer. The company did a fantastic job in Fantasyland and around DV. >>>The Ratatouille stuff looks really nice, but I'm starting to worry that it won't actually feel like you're there. The buildings only occupy one side of the space, so any illusion will be broken when you turn around. WDSP really needs some immersive themed environments, where you feel like you've been transported somewhere else, but all of these mini-lands fail to do that since they're so small<<< I'm not sure about that, because one side is blocked with a small forest and on the other side there are the PArisian buildings. The former costume department will also be transformed into Parisian buildings.
Originally Posted By dagobert It seems DLP is getting a new hotel and convention centre. You have to scroll down to see the blueprint. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2013/09/disneyland-paris-update-dlp.html">http://disneyandmore.blogspot....dlp.html</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert For those whoe are interested in DLP. Today Euro Disney SCA is hosting another fan event. They have invited European Disney fan sited to share informations about the future of DLP, new projects and attractions. The event started with informations about the hotel refurbishment project that started in 2009. HEre are some basic informations. Thanks to Magicforum (<a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/magicforum">http://twitter.com/magicforum</a>) and Designing Disney (<a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/designingdisney">http://twitter.com/designingdisney</a>). - free wi-fi in Disney hotels - No Vacation Club in DLP for now - The amount of investment in updating the hotels was big - Disney's Hotel New York will be completely redone - Refurbishment of Disney's Hotel New York will start after refurbishment of Disney's Newport Bay Club has been completed. - Disneyland Hotel and Cheyenne will be treated too in the future, but no details. - Djuan (American who works in DLP's hotel department) wants the Disney experience from the States come to DLP. - Hotel new york experience will change completely. - H2O+ amminities are coming to DLP, same as in WDW, DLR, DCL? - NPBC: Every part of Disney's Newport Bay Club will be redone. Rooms, roof, windows, restaurants, parking.. - NPBC: Rooms will get Mickey touches. Colors will be warmer. Colors look a bit like the new Disney Cruise cabins - NPBC: Restaurants will improve. Lobby will entirely be redone - NPBC: The facade will be completely stripped and replaced as well as all new rooms. New materials that are environmental friendly. - NPBC: Rooms will get an infrared sensor that cab arrange temperature when a guest leaves fore example a door open. - NPBC: East wing will go first. Pool will be touched up too. - NPBC: Refurbishment of the Disney's Newport Bay Club will start in just a few weeks. - SF: Question: Will Santa Fe change name? Sylvie: Now, it's still Route 66. It's not a Cars hotel, there are just Cars elements. Sequioa Lodge: New Golden Forest Lounge: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BVErfKYCAAAOb3U.jpg">http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BVE...Ob3U.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert Here are a few pictures of the refurbed Santa Fe hotel: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/magicforum/status/383158842491547649/photo/1">http://twitter.com/magicforum/.../photo/1</a> <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/designingdisney/status/383154475352850432/photo/1">http://twitter.com/designingdi.../photo/1</a>
