Originally Posted By davewasbaloo jonnyrzone420, we will not see a new park in WDW for some time (once the Western Beltway and the other half of POP opens we might talk then). The resorts around the globe do not really cater for us devoted fans, they are branches to draw in the local demographics. The middle eastern activities are not likely to be a full park, more of a themed locality (think DVC, meets DTD with some attractions). This is the model Jay Rasulo has been punting for a while in public and I think the Hawaii announcement a while ago shows the direction of travel. What is funny is this is not new - Walt was looking at this model at both Mineral King and Pyramid Lake. Personally, I would rather see them improve the quality at MK again, sort out the mess of Fantasyland, and continue to build out DAK and tweak DHS before they ever strike ground on another gate.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<However, after a while of coming down here and planning your seven days around four theme parks and the best way to tackle them becomes stale. I think disney recognizes this. They continue to open properties all over the world>> As davewasbaloo said, other resorts around the world basically cater to a local demographic. VERY few people visit parks other than their "home" parks. Have you ever been to Disneyland Resort in California? Chances are good that you'll say "no." So as I said before, building a fifth gate at WDW won't likely increase profits for the company, and therefore is also not likely being contemplated. They can just as easily satisfy current visitors by renovating and innovating at the parks they already operate.
Originally Posted By jonnyrzone420 I spent five days at disneyland and DCA this past July and I live in florida.
Originally Posted By jonnyrzone420 I agree that they should expand on AK, camp minnie mickey has no attractions besides the shows. I heard at some point that they were thinking of importing grizzly river run from DCA but that would conflict with kali river rapids. Also is it true that there was going to be a dragon themed land at Ak but it got scrapped?
Originally Posted By DVC_dad We don't even go into Camp Minnie Mickey anymore unless it is specifically to see the Lion King show, then it's in and out. There's nothing down there.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <Also is it true that there was going to be a dragon themed land at Ak but it got scrapped?> "Beastly Kingdom" was proposed for the park, where Camp Minnie-Mickie is now. It would have had a dragon themed coaster, as well as an attraction primarily based on a search for a unicorn, and some "Fantasia" elements.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss That you did visit DLR desn't disprove my point. Read LP long enough and you'll see that many DLers have not been to WDW, and vice-versa. Fewer still have been to DLP, TDR, and HKDL. <<is it true that there was going to be a dragon themed land at Ak but it got scrapped?>> The previews of DAK had a land known as Beastly Kingdom, which was to bring to life mythical creatures like dragons and unicorns.
Originally Posted By jonnyrzone420 I wonder if IOA took some of those unused ideas and put them into lost contient.
Originally Posted By jonnyrzone420 Trekker, thank you. Now I don't feel so bad when other people are saying that have been to every disney property a million times and have annual passes to every property mickey opened.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss There's only a handful of people here that have been to every resort. I was on that list until they opened HKDL. The only person here I can think of that can afford to visit all of them on a regular basis is TDLFAN, because he works the international routes of an airline and is always in and out of Tokyo and Paris. He's based in Orlando to boot, so WDW is in his backyard. He doesn't visit DLR much though.
Originally Posted By jonnyrzone420 Ahhh, works for an airline. That makes perfect sense. I was just wondering how people had the time to visit all of those locations. thats pretty cool. I agree with DVC dad about camp minnie mickey. The only cool thing about it is lion king. Did anyone notice that they give VIP seating to the little kid who volunteers to raise the curtain in front of the AK tips board at the park opening every day. I saw that the other day and thought that was very nice.
Originally Posted By DouglasDubh <I wonder if IOA took some of those unused ideas and put them into lost contient.> It's been reported that several Imagineers went to work for Universal when they were laid off after AK opened, and that heavily influenced IOA.
Originally Posted By jkayjs <<In short, I think we will see a WDW in the future that only say the top 20% of people can afford to visit. Who knows?>> I hope you are wrong about this. The prices are indeed going from the sublime to the ridiculous but I don't see WDW getting enough traffic if they rely only on the top 20%. Folks who can afford to go most anywhere will do just that they are not going to spend all their vacation time/dollars @ WDW. Another park? Let me get in line with the no vote as well. Refurb, reinvent, create and just get out extra mops & brooms. That's money much better spent. Give us more, better and new animatronics brought to life in an engrossing and timeless story. Give us quality over quantity. I'm getting older I'm way past wanting more, more, more. I just want better, better, better.
Originally Posted By Brian Noble >>>Ultimately, it isn't a good business move and that's why it won't happen.<<< I want to expand on this a little. In the US, a one-week vacation is pretty much standard. A few people take longer trips, but not many. Seven nights, eight days. Consider that two of those days are travel days, and so are really only half days, or maybe no days at all. So, you've got Joe Sixpack and family, with about 6-7 days to spend. They really can't do much more, or then they are taking more than 5 vacation days---not common. Let's suppose you spent only one day in each park, plus one day in one waterpark. That's already 5 of those 6-7 days. Most people will want to visit MK more than once. Now you are at 6 of those 6-7 days. There's no reason to build another gate, because people are already "maxing out" their available trips. Another water park, maybe, but that's due to capacity issues, not length-of-stay issues. Likewise, the West Side development is more about DTD capacity than it is length of stay. In the US market, given current leisure habits, 7 days length-of-stay is the best you can do. I suppose if they really wanted to focus on growing foreign travel, then and only then would a fifth gate make sense. For example, the Brits often come for a couple weeks, or sometimes even longer. That's why the 14- and 21-day ultimate tickets are sold into that market. But, the question is: does that market, by itself, have a large enough upside to justify ROI on a 5th gate? Maybe, but it's very risky; if international travel gets complicated again, then that market dries up in a very big hurry. If the dollar ever recovers, then that also puts downward pressure on the foreign market. *That's* what people mean by "it isn't a good business move."
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Indeed Brian. And due to the current security processes, international travel is even more unpleasant, especially with little ones these days.
Originally Posted By jonnyrzone420 Bottom line at the end of the day, I know they are making a fifth gate. My only question is, did they start it yet?
Originally Posted By jonnyrzone420 If there were forums like this 12 or 13 years ago, I think everyone would be chiming in that there shouldn't be a fourth gate. Everyone would be against the idea of disney making an animal park or even the idea of a water park that looks like a melted ski resort.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Now I don't feel so bad when other people are saying that have been to every disney property a million times and have annual passes to every property mickey opened.<< Jonnyrzone420, I already offered an apology to you and I garranty you there is no need to be offended. I actually like you because it reminds me of me when I first started posting on LP some few years ago. Your enthusiasm for the Disney brand is evident, reason why I felt at ease to joke with you. But enough about me and my job (as much as some of them other posters love to talk about me) and if you happen to be around WDW and want to meet, let me know. I can even give you guidemaps from the international parks for your enjoyment. Just ask Spirit of 74... he *loves* receiving those when we get together.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Bottom line at the end of the day, I know they are making a fifth gate. My only question is, did they start it yet?<< Well.. do you mean did they start construction? The answer is NO as far as I know, but I have to agree with most others here and believe that a 5th park won't happen anytime soon, due to the saturation point. Some even argue about Disney building yet another water park. I don't see that happening either, especially with Sea World opening Aquatica Park this summer.
Originally Posted By jkayjs <<Bottom line at the end of the day, I know they are making a fifth gate. My only question is, did they start it yet?>> Well one would wonder "at the end of the day" if you know for a fact the answer to IF(which obviously would be inside info)why you wouldn't have the answer to WHEN. When you use words like "gate" straight out of the chute it implies you are an industry insider(even if you aren't). It's certainly not a term I haven't heard but it's not the common nomenclature either. Most folks even the insiders on LP use "parks" not "gate". I guess my point is if you have some interesting and amazing info it might be better to just tell us as opposed to toying with us. Not that I'm completely adverse to being toyed with.
