Originally Posted By HMButler79 "...and throw our hands up and give up on the parks." What people like Spirit have warned and what we've been seeing for 10 years happening is at hand... <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/the-daily-disney/os-cfb-tourism-disney-0418-20110417,0,3205325.story" target="_blank">http://www.orlandosentinel.com...25.story</a>
Originally Posted By Longhorn12 Egads.... This doesn't seem to bode well for WDW. But Aulani and the Cruise will be FANTASTIC
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Nothing new. Walt Disney World: Coasting Off Of Goodwill Since 2001!
Originally Posted By leobloom New customers will "experience Aulani [and] they'll realize, 'You know what, I didn't think a Disney vacation was quite like this,'" Weiss said. "It's got a great spa. It's got great restaurants. It's got great entertainment throughout the resort. It's got programming that is unparalleled, that they haven't seen in other places before. And so I think when they see and experience that in a high quality way, I think they're going to say, 'You know what, I'm going to go do Walt Disney World' or 'I'm going to go do Disneyland' or 'I'm going to go do [Disneyland] Paris.' And I think that keeps them not only with Disney, but I think it also motivates others to come that maybe didn't consider a Disney vacation." I hate to tell him, but I suspect a vacation to Disney's Hawaii resort will pale in comparison to a vacation to Disney's Timeshare Kingdom. Just a hunch.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer It's easier and less risky to run a hotel chain than a theme park, guys.
Originally Posted By leobloom Except eventually people will realize there are better places to vacation if all you're going for is the hotel.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I have found that I can get "more" hotel for my money off property. So, not surpisingly I stay off property.
Originally Posted By Tony C I've stayed off site the last few times just because of the cost and the fact I spend so little time at my hotel.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer I'm a off site guy, too... but, if I were to stay onsite, I would definitely spend more time in and around my resort.
Originally Posted By -em >>Especially if that place is *just* a few mins up I-4....<< And in 6-ish months you will be able to travel in either direction on I4... Not that Legoland will be much of a total competition it will definitely have the "new" factor that may get guests away from WDW for a day or two... -em
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<I've stayed off site the last few times just because of the cost and the fact I spend so little time at my hotel.>> Tony C, I could not agree with you more! <<I'm a off site guy, too... but, if I were to stay onsite, I would definitely spend more time in and around my resort.>> I use to think that as well or would think that I would stay onsite to take advantage of the Extra Magic Hours. But, my experience has been that I typically spend little time at the resort. And I have been to WDW so many times, it's not going to kill me if I can't ride Pirates or Splash Mountain! There will always be another trip! I'm not one to get up in time for the rope drop at the MK. And in the evenings once the parks have closed I enjoy ending the night over a chocolate fudge sundae at Ghirardelli in Downtown Disney.
Originally Posted By HMButler79 ""I hate to tell him, but I suspect a vacation to Disney's Hawaii resort will pale in comparison to a vacation to Disney's Timeshare Kingdom"" Cause a classy. pampered, ADULT stay at Aulani or DCL is totally gonna compare to tromping around WDW and being treated like arube off the street. See, this is thier mindset. They are think the guests are thinking what THEY (from lower frontline managers all the way to Great and Power Full Oz-ger) are thinking. And that is why we've had disastrous folly decicions over the past 15yrs.
Originally Posted By TP2000 >>Weiss said, "It's got a great spa. It's got great restaurants. It's got great entertainment throughout the resort. It's got programming that is unparalleled, that they haven't seen in other places before."<< What the heck is "great programming"? Is that like all of the entertainment and resort amenities? Water slides, dinner show, kiddy classes, etc.? What a silly interview for Weiss to do. He really comes off as a corporate drone here, sticking to his Burbank approved talking points and with his head stuck in the swamp out there in Orlando. Funny thing is that he probably has no idea how ridiculous he sounds, and his communications director probably tells him he did great and really got his point across after interviews like that. Blech. So very pathetic to see Disney theme parks being run by drones like that. Double Blech.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Except eventually people will realize there are better places to vacation if all you're going for is the hotel." And that seems to be the point: If you aren't going to our theme parks we'll get your family's money at some other destination and vice versa. Though it's strictly business, and the commercialized nature of Disney Parks & Resorts business is irritating, it is a very logical brand building strategy.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "So very pathetic to see Disney theme parks being run by drones like that." You didn't think it was pixie dust, dreams and wishes that ran the place did you? Seriously, exactly how would you expect a corporate executive to speak in a story in a business section of a local newspaper?
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<And that seems to be the point: If you aren't going to our theme parks we'll get your family's money at some other destination and vice versa. Though it's strictly business, and the commercialized nature of Disney Parks & Resorts business is irritating, it is a very logical brand building strategy. >> I don't fault them for building hotels, but when a high ranking executive of the company claims that WDW's primary growth will come from adding hotels, that certainly is worrisome.
Originally Posted By standor Too bad there is no one from the Disney family to run the organization. When Roy died so did their theme parks and resorts.
