Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I was really disappointed with the repeat merchandise everywhere. And as much as I love PotC - does the same merchandise have to be in 46 of the 49 shops I walk into? >>> Repeat after me: "Reduce the SKU's! Increase Shareholder Value!" All of the increase in profit due to lowered design, manufacturing, and stockkeeping costs will be credited to the people that make the decision you talk about, and any reduction in overall profit due to reduced sales will be attributed to external factors. <<< To me , the merchandise at DL is far superior in quality as well as variety....they must have different purchasing departments. >>> Probably not for long. If you're paying attention to what's happening, Rasulo is leading the charge to consolidate many of the things that have historically been done at the resort level. Some of these things make sense: coordinated advertising campaigns (where appropriate), and things like entrance turnsile and admission media systems certainly don't need to be done by each park individually. But when it gets to the point of park-specific logo merchandise being replaced by "Disney Parks" T-Shirts, it seems to me that they've gone way too far. I think the proof will be in the pudding: if a year from now we still see Disney Parks T-Shirts everywhere, well then I guess I'll have been proven wrong. But I can't help but think that guests will be less inspired to buy this sort of generic merchandise. But what do I know.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< That's what I thought after reading Kevin Yee's article, and in my mind in order to differentiate it from the Value resorts, there would be no references to Disney at all. I am thinking they would just be regular motels with no Disney theming that Disney just happens to own and run. >>> I have absolutely no inside knowledge on this project, but what you said above is exactly what occurred to me. What if they built an area that was designed to serve the same market as some of the off-property areas, but without all of the blight? What I'm imaginging is something where none of the hotels, restaurants, or other businesses are Disney-themed, but where the overall design, layout, choice of tenants, and so on is controlled by Disney. Such an area could have recognized non-Disney brand budget motels, and food outlets such as Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster, and so on. But unlike DtD or CityWalk, it would be designed to look much like Suburbia USA, where the assumption is that everyone has a car and drives to each location they visit. In a way, it would be not unlike I-drive, but with Disney in complete control of tenant selection and layout, it could turn out better than some of the other areas near WDW. It might even be invisible to the customer that Disney was even involved - it may just look like an "off resort" area that happened to be really nice and not have blight. Again, I have no idea if this is what is actually planned, but I do think it's an interesting concept, and I'd be surprised if it had not been at least considered. It would offer Disney a lot of options that they don't have now with the resort properties, where they need to protect against "outside incursions" from non-Disney brands. And I don't mention Outback and Red Lobster by accident. When on vacation, I enjoy people-watching. One thing I've noticed when in Waikiki in Hawaii is how there's almost always a line out the door at dinnertime at the Outback Steakhouse and Red Lobster. I find it hard to imagine that people would come all the way to Hawaii and then want to eat at either of those two places. And it's not like they just loaded themselves into the minivan and drove two hours from home. Virtually all of the Waikiki tourists had to have flown at least 5 hours to get there, yet when presented with all of the wonderful food options available in Waikiki, a good many of them would rather wait for an hour for a table at Outback as a top choice compared to any other option. It's really quite amazing, and it teaches me two things: brands matter, and familiarity matters. Just judging from the looks of things, I would say there's probably quite a high correlation between the Waikiki Outback / Red Lobster demographic and the WDW demographic. Not that there's anything wrong with that - in fact, it's nothing other than good business sense for Disney to recognize that there's a good (and profitable) market out there to cater to this segment. <<< In the end we will have to wait and see what Disney will do. I do agree that Disney needs to be careful to protect its brand. If it buids budget motels it cannot allow them to become run down. >>> Less of an issue if the area doesn't appear to have anything to do with Disney. But I suspect they'd be able to keep things under control, especially in relative terms as compared to other "off property" areas.
Originally Posted By jmuboy "And I don't mention Outback and Red Lobster by accident. When on vacation, I enjoy people-watching. One thing I've noticed when in Waikiki in Hawaii is how there's almost always a line out the door at dinnertime at the Outback Steakhouse and Red Lobster. I find it hard to imagine that people would come all the way to Hawaii and then want to eat at either of those two places. And it's not like they just loaded themselves into the minivan and drove two hours from home. Virtually all of the Waikiki tourists had to have flown at least 5 hours to get there, yet when presented with all of the wonderful food options available in Waikiki, a good many of them would rather wait for an hour for a table at Outback as a top choice compared to any other option. It's really quite amazing" .....I too find it surprising that people do this on vacations as well.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>It's really quite amazing, and it teaches me two things: brands matter, and familiarity matters<< They do indeed. Which is why firms invest so much in branding. Your anecdote reminds me of a road trip we made a few years ago. Around lunchtime we came upon a small town. We saw a Subway and stopped to eat. Subway isn't our favorite place to eat (I think their product is quite mediocre). So why didn't we just stop at some local non chain eatery (the Subway was the only branded place in town). Familiarity! We knew what we would get at Subway. Even though we knew it would be mediocre, it was "safe".
Originally Posted By fkurucz ^^On the other hand, when many of us on this board go to DLR or WDW we tend to patronize restaurants that we know.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<"That's why I'm actually looking at DVCers (don't fall down) as maybe WDW's best hope to get fresh again" "I've fallen and I can't get up">> Get off the floor (especially if you're at a WDW resort since they don't vacuum regularly!) and you'll get that DVC polo and Ariel mini-skirt all dirty ;-) But I really have started to look upon DVCers as WDW's best hope for a fresher product in the parks and higher standards at the resorts. Now, I still am not a fan of WDW becoming the Timeshare Kingdom of the World, but the cow's out of the barn and is procreating like a bunny! If the majority of DVCers are smart, caring, discerning guests (as a few folks who post here might be!), I can't see them accepting the status quo from TWDC much longer. That goes for everything from more frequent rehabs and better quality furnishings to new things to see and do in the parks to new and more diverse dining options. I realize some DVCers are simple folks who view WDW as near perfect and don't want any change at all. But I'm going to believe there are far more of the other ilk ... folks who obviously love Disney, but didn't buy into DVC to watch the same parade in 2012 that was running in 1994 or to see parks go a decade without a major new E-Ticket etc ... because I've got to believe many wouldn't have bought if that were the case. Oh well, there goes my DVC Hater label ...
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<FWIW, I've seen more damage done at the Disney Resorts by the spoiled brats being allowed to run loose and out of control by their well-to-do parents than I have seen similar behavior from less well-heeled guests. Sometimes I think the people with the big bank accounts think they have the right to run roughshod over the hotels they are staying at and they let their children get away with murder. I think it is painting with too broad a brushstroke to paint less well-heeled guests as a demographic that will lead to damage at the Disney properties. Disney resorts take quite a beating from the demographic that already goes there -- regardless of income. Families with young children are very hard on hotels.>> Agreed. But it isn't just children, it's people ... tonight I witnessed a family from some 'red state' that obviously had money ... father/grandfather was a minister ... well dressed ... etc ... they had no manners whatsoever. A very sweet CM was trying to answer their questions while they dined at Flame Tree BBQ and they just acted like she was not there at all ... so rude I wanted to say something. They made quite a mess for six people ... food and napkins everywhere (and it was the adults not the brats). Then the capper, they get up and leave all their trash at the table. Total pigs. So no, it isn't a money issue at all. I've said this over and over again. Trash smells like trash whether it's at the Grand Flo or the Pop Century.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<But when it gets to the point of park-specific logo merchandise being replaced by "Disney Parks" T-Shirts, it seems to me that they've gone way too far. I think the proof will be in the pudding: if a year from now we still see Disney Parks T-Shirts everywhere, well then I guess I'll have been proven wrong. But I can't help but think that guests will be less inspired to buy this sort of generic merchandise. But what do I know.>> A lot. The generic Disney Parks merchandise is NOT selling at all in Florida. I have seen ONE person wearing a tee since October. That stuff will be at the outlet stores very, very soon. The whole 'Disney Parks' branding is so insipid it's amazing that anyone allowed it to go this far. People don't DREAM of going to 'Disney Parks' ... they dream of going to DL ... or DAK ... or Epcot ... or the MK. Trying to bland down and homogenize the 'brand' under the umbrella Disney Parks label makes no sense because most folks will only ever visit one Disney destination, or possibly two. People care about where they are going. They want merchandise that symbolizes that. Rasulo is desperate to hold on to his job, and this Dreams campaign is a large part of that. It ain't happening. Feature Animation has been cleaned out, so have the Studios. Parks and Resorts and WDI are next up on the reorganization plan.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<One thing I've noticed when in Waikiki in Hawaii is how there's almost always a line out the door at dinnertime at the Outback Steakhouse and Red Lobster. I find it hard to imagine that people would come all the way to Hawaii and then want to eat at either of those two places. And it's not like they just loaded themselves into the minivan and drove two hours from home. Virtually all of the Waikiki tourists had to have flown at least 5 hours to get there, yet when presented with all of the wonderful food options available in Waikiki, a good many of them would rather wait for an hour for a table at Outback as a top choice compared to any other option. It's really quite amazing.>> The Spirit bows his head in shame because he has indeed eaten at the very Red Lobster, SuperDry speaks of.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Trying to bland down and homogenize the 'brand' under the umbrella Disney Parks label makes no sense because most folks will only ever visit one Disney destination, or possibly two. >>> As I mentioned before, I can see *some* merit in it, such as coordinating back-end work or possibly advertising. Another example besides TV advertising is something that was in the insert of the POTC 2 DVD that I recently purchased: "Order your FREE Vacation Planning DVD and get away to a magical place, where dreams come true! Disney Parks" According to the accompanying picture, the DVD features both Disneyland and WDW. <<< People care about where they are going. They want merchandise that symbolizes that. >>> But as you point out, this sort of consolidation makes no sense when it comes to park merchandise. It was bad enough when as of a few years ago some merchandise was branded with both the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World logos. But for an item like a T-Shirt where the logo is the main reason for buying the item, it makes no sense. I really hope that whoever was responsible for this is actually held responsible, if in no other manner than in what else they are allowed to decide going forward. This ranks up there right alongside the short-lived decision at DL to close Main Street retail at park closing instead of leaving it open an extra hour, thinking that the reduction in labor would create net savings as people would just move their shopping to earlier in the day. It's as if the people making these decisions had no personal experience as a guest in a theme park (which in the case of many of the bad decisions DL was quite literally the case at the time).
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< The Spirit bows his head in shame because he has indeed eaten at the very Red Lobster, SuperDry speaks of. >>> I've eaten there too, but it was against my will (and I've been teased mercilessly by some ever since). I bring it up not so much to make fun of it or look down on it, but to point out that there's a demographic out there that given choices, actually feels more comfortable with such offerings. It certainly wouldn't make business sense to build out WDW based on what SuperDry personally wants. I think that what I've see in Waikiki is an example of a demographic that could be taken advantage of by Disney at WDW. Again, I have no idea if what I described is actually what's being planned for the new development, but I think it's an interesting idea. One reason it could work financially is that Disney has a huge advantage that nobody else in the area does: they have no cost for the land. They could lease out the land to outside properties for market prices similar to what the off-property hotels, restaurants, and retail now pay, pocketing the land use money as profit, and still allowing the outside operators to price their product the same as the other off-site properties, and still be able to maintain a somewhat controlled development.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy << Familiarity! We knew what we would get at Subway. Even though we knew it would be mediocre, it was "safe". >> I understand what you're saying, but I like some adventure when I do my small share of travelling. When my business partner and I went to Tokyo for 10 days a few years back we made a point of eating EVERY meal out with the locals. Not the American eateries, and not the business traveller hotels. We tried to order something new each meal, even if we didn't know what it was or much of the language. We ate all 10 days of meals with chopsticks, too. << The Spirit bows his head in shame because he has indeed eaten at the very Red Lobster, SuperDry speaks of. >> But then I did notice while in Hawaii once that the McDonald's menu included at least one local, Hawaiian style fast food. (I forget exactly, but it was a meat you wouldn't get in the US, and had lots of rice)
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy Oooops. On #72 << bullet proof glass >> I should have added the emoticon. I was (mostly) joking. -------------- I like SuperDry's notion of "non-Disney," but actually under Disney control. Celebration is at the opposite end of this. It's clearly "Disney," but is no longer under full Disney control?
Originally Posted By Mr X ***One thing I've noticed when in Waikiki in Hawaii is how there's almost always a line out the door at dinnertime at the Outback Steakhouse and Red Lobster. I find it hard to imagine that people would come all the way to Hawaii and then want to eat at either of those two places.*** This from a guy who travels all the way to ASIA only to breakfast at the Sheraton hotel buffet and dinner at PLANET HOLLYWOOD!!!!???? j/k bro.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***People care about where they are going. They want merchandise that symbolizes that.*** I could be seen as a prime example (or, an obsessive idiot, you be the judge )... Whenever I pick out stuff at TDR to send to family/friends, I always make sure it says "TOKYO Disneyland...Sea...Resort etc...)", and I've been known to chose one item over the other simply because one said "Disney" and the other said "Tokyo Disney". Heaven knows my family/friends probably couldn't care less, or even notice, but it's important to me for some reason. Why? I dunno. Same reason I'm sitting here enjoying wearing my "Disneyland" (traditional graphic...gotta love it!) sweatshirt that I picked out with Tiggirl and Mark that night in Anaheim when I was cold. I love it cause it says "Disneyland" and nothing else. To me, that signifies I've been THERE (not DisneyWORLD, not Tokyo Disney or Paris (oh, and the whole Paris "Disneyland Park" thing really pisses me off too for similar reasons...there is only ONE "Disneyland"), or Hong Kong). Oh crap...you know, I don't think I have any Hong Kong Disneyland merchandise! :O Gotta go back lol.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< This from a guy who travels all the way to ASIA only to breakfast at the Sheraton hotel buffet and dinner at PLANET HOLLYWOOD!!!!???? >>> Hey, there were good reasons for both! I was freeloading for the breakfasts at the Sheraton. And beer was mainly what was for dinner at the Planet Hollywood, along with some bar food (although you put back some shots of something as appetizers IIRC ). Plus we knew the bartender.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> And beer was mainly what was for dinner at the Planet Hollywood << M-m-m-m-m-m-m....beeeeer! Beer is good.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<The Spirit bows his head in shame because he has indeed eaten at the very Red Lobster, SuperDry speaks of.>> You certainly should bow your head in shame. If you had any taste you'd have joined me at The Outback down the street! ;-)
