Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << What else is bad about the design from a master planning point of view? >> I would say that it doesn't use the available expansion space built into the park already. HKDL doesn't draw big crowds already, and it's not really likely that these additions are going to significantly boost attendance. There will be a small boost, for sure, but nothing earth shattering. I would have considered adding attractions within the footprint already established for the park -- rather than sending the guests to the far-flung corners of the park. It's not like the current setup is overwhelmed with crowds or anything, why try to disperse people even more?
Originally Posted By SuperDry ^^^ It's very clear to me that the expectations are very much that attendance will be boosted significantly by these additions. I don't think Bob Iger would get out the Disney checkbook to the tune of nearly a half-billion dollars otherwise.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy ^^ I predict attendance doesn't change much at all. While Disney fanatics like to blame the park's small size as problematic, the real problem is that it is too expensive and out of reach for most Chinese families. Incomes in China aren't anywhere close to middle class incomes in the Unites States. Until that changes, the market for this park will not exist -- new attractions or not. Disney is only spending money to to keep the Hong Kong government from letting another entertainment company develope the remaining parcels of the reclaimed land in Penny Bay. It's the government's perogative to let someone else build a park or other attraction next door to HKDL if they want to.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I think these additions will significantly help attendance, whichs will in turn help perception. There are plenty of people with money in HK, so Disney isn't pricing the majority out of its park. They'd just rather go to Ocean Park, which keeps adding stuff, has a decades long rep and is still less expensive. Even the mainlanders that are coming are part of an ever-growing middle class with disposable income. I don't see that changing. But Disney can't open McDisneylands. They know that now. Amazing avarice and arrogance that they could have thought otherwise before. I'll bet you what's left of my savings that Shanghai DL will be amazing and a lot closer in scope to DLP on Day 1 than to HKDL.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << Even the mainlanders that are coming are part of an ever-growing middle class with disposable income. I don't see that changing. >> The global economic crisis will change a lot of things. It's not over.
Originally Posted By HongKongDisneyLand HK Ocean Park just raised their ticket price 20%. New HKOP Adult Ticket HK$250 vs HK$350 for HKDL. More than 50% of the visitors at HKOP come from Mainland China and the survey for mainland chinese guests still think it is affordable and reasonable for the recent price hike at HKOP.
