Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt I find it hard to believe that these projects are being canceled because of the economy. First, things haven't really tanked yet, and second, most of this stuff isn't scheduled to open for several years and the economy will likely be on the upswing by then.
Originally Posted By dshyates I don't think anything big is really supposed to start until after the summer. So we will see then what Disney has in store for us.
Originally Posted By bean "40 NEW! Skellington88 Fri 6/6/2008 5:26p bean is it true that most projects at WDI are now postponed or suspended due to concerns over the growing economic crises? Does this mean the return of the pressler era of very few new additions and the few that do make it are underfunded? I am really concerned but I need to know the truth. " NO
Originally Posted By ryanbalas Oh my Hans. You don't think the economy hasn't already been tanking? You believe a little too much of what Satan in the WH is saying on a daily basis. Since all these projects are budgeted based on money/attendance projections that go several years into the future - just follow the progression of the upgrades and watch what happens in and around the park to see how the economy's health is viewed/progressing. They can't spend a dollar without assurance that it will have a return within a certain amount of time. The DCA changes will take place (they have to) but, how long it takes - Well, now - at least for the short term - that remains a mystery. If we get the right person in charge and they get people's hopes up - happy people tend to spend more freely. I'm one person and I have already shown the economy has hit me. I haven't renewed my pass and I haven't been in or near the park since September 2007.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>You believe a little too much of what Satan in the WH is saying on a daily basis.<< Regardless of one's opinion on this particular topic, let's keep such talk safely quarantined to World Events, please.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "They can't spend a dollar without assurance that it will have a return within a certain amount of time." We are in an economic slowdown that some might view as part of a cycle. Our economy is not tanking. The new attractions and so forth announced for DCA are not being built as a band-aid to boost attendance temporarily. Like the resort expansion itself, these future developments indicate that Disney is interested in reinvesting in Anaheim for long term growth. The economy will rebound, and when it does Disney will be ready with lots of new additions in Anaheim. To stop the 1st phase of the DCA expansion project now would be incredibly short sighted of them.
Originally Posted By ryanbalas I just wanted you to know that I agree that I should have left the political comments on the cutting room floor. I typed that very early this a.m. - long before my first cup of coffee. It will be interesting to see what happens at DCA - personally - I am very excited with any change or improvement. And, I love so much of the park as it is.
Originally Posted By ArchtMig >>>To stop the 1st phase of the DCA expansion project now would be incredibly short sighted of them.<<< Like building a badly designed 2nd gate to begin with was.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<bean is it true that most projects at WDI are now postponed or suspended due to concerns over the growing economic crises? Does this mean the return of the pressler era of very few new additions and the few that do make it are underfunded? I am really concerned but I need to know the truth. >> I'm not bean (or AM I?) but since I think you're referring to something I wrote on the WDW Board, I'll just try and clarify what I said based on what I've heard. And that is NOTHING has been cancelled. BUT that many projects that aren't either in construction now or heavily down the pre-production pipeline have gone into what I (for lack of a better term) call creep mode, due to the GREAT economic uncertainty (I believe it's damn near a disaster, but I don't want to get into a huge political debate ... and I also realize that many people only see the world through a very limited prism so if their economic needs are being met, then everything being said by others is met with skepticism). I'm hearing that things may well be pushed back yet further ... and how many times have we seen dates pushed back and things cut so far? So bean, does this mesh with what you've heard/seen or am I reading too much into some dire comments I've heard?
Originally Posted By EighthDwarf A couple of points: 1 - we are feeling some recessionary forces but we are not in a recession yet (technically) 2 - certain industries feel recessions more accutley than others. Restaurants feel recessionary spending more than most and everyone I have talked to recently in that industry has made it sound like they are really feeling it right now; other industries that feel recessions rather accutely are amusement parks (when people don't wanna spend much money they opt to buy food at grocery stores rather than churro carts in the magic kingdom). 3 - So far, Disney has not felt anything this go-round. So they are riding out the "recession" (if there is one) quite well. Just try to book at room at the GCH in June....
Originally Posted By Skellington88 Eightdwarf its pretty obvious at this point in time that we are now facing a serious economic problem, recession is all but a certainty and there will be lots of families and poor people destryed because of the greedy. That isnt to say that things will be bad forever. Eventually the market will recover but right now we are absoluetly in a severe economic downturn with the spiriling housingmarket at the center of it all.
Originally Posted By dshyates "Just try to book at room at the GCH in June...." First off the folks staying at the Grand are the last to be effected by an economic downturn. Check the ressies at the HoJos on Harbour. I bet they have a room. And those folks staying home impacts Disney also. And DLR will be less effected than WDW because of the nature of the Demo. The recession numbers are calculated with GPD verses Unemployment. Well the administratration has been dicking with teh unemployment numbers since the war started. Now buger flippers are counted as manufacturing jobs. George did this because of the manufacturing jobs going overseas. So instead of creating more manufacturing jobs he reclassified current workers to "fluff" the numbers. As if a McDs burger flipper is economically equivilent to a unionized Auto Worker. But thanks to W. The numbers show no problem. Now he brags bout creating 1.2 million manufacturing jobs. And Douglas, Woody, and Plano parrot it like clockwork. They believe it in their hearts. God Bless them.
Originally Posted By planodisney I dont parrot anything. I am genuinely worried about the economy. I don't believe it all rests on Bush's shoulders or that it is because of the "GREEDY," but I am worried. Some countries are beginning to set oil prices by the Euro instead of the dollar. Gas prices are completely out od control. Inflation is realy starting to have an impact. Half our nation hates and despises the other half. What is there not to be worried about. There seem to be other factors at work here besides typical recessions. There is plenty of blame to go around. The Democrats not allowing us to drill for oil where we need to drill for the last 10 years is realy killing us right now, and noone is holding them accountable yet. Problem is, McCain can't. he has been right there with them. France and others are building nuclear power plants, but we are so beholdant to the left wing conservationists that we are paralized from doing ANYTHING.
Originally Posted By BigJim89 <<BUT that many projects that aren't either in construction now or heavily down the pre-production pipeline have gone into what I (for lack of a better term) call creep mode>> Other than TSMM, does any of the expansion fit into this category? Is WOC heavily down the pre-production pipeline? I remember hearing it along with TSMM was approved before the rest of the makeover.
Originally Posted By oc_dean >>Most of those areas don't need to be made over. The Wharf and Grizzly Peak areas are highly themed and fine just as they are.<< HA! Sorry .. gonna have to disagree with you on that. There's PLENTY that should be done for those areas ... I just hope they don't wait an eternity on it.
Originally Posted By planodisney After my last post, I completely forgot this wasn't WE. Sory about that. I don't usually like to post anything about current events in the park sections.
Originally Posted By disneywatcher >> And DLR will be less effected than WDW because of the nature of the Demo. << I wonder about that since a regular ticket to Disneyland/DCA currently is $66.00 while I understand it's considerably more in Florida, or $80.00 to enter the parks of Disney World. I've heard that tourists from Europe in particular, with the dollar being so weak against the Euro, are giving East Coast destinations such as New York City and Orlando a recession-proof advantage. That's even more suprising since the great, wonderful publicity and word-of-mouth for DCA should have provided more of a boost to the resort in Anaheim (I guess someone like Barry Braverman wouldn't take that as a sign of sarcasm).
Originally Posted By bean Spirit, projects for DCA are pretty much still moving full steam. Many of the changes of existing attractions and additions of new attractions are already deep into design. Even projects like the removal of Muppets is still being worked on and that is a fairly new idea. Once you get passed the intial influx of DCA's changes things might be slowed down a bit but there is plenty of people within the halls of Burbank and WDI see the need for the continued future of the resort.
Originally Posted By BigJim89 Good to hear bean, thanks for the info. <<Even projects like the removal of Muppets is still being worked on and that is a fairly new idea>> If one project gets canceled I hope this is it. Just not a big Narnia fan.
