Originally Posted By Darkbeer Chuck Oberleitner over at o-meon.com has some interesting thoughts in his article today... <a href="http://www.o-meon.com/pages/columns/col_2007/04-24_Rumor_Roundup.htm" target="_blank">http://www.o-meon.com/pages/co lumns/col_2007/04-24_Rumor_Roundup.htm</a> >>At the company’s 2007 Investors Conference, held in February at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Parks and Resorts chairman Jay Rasulo openly speculated about expanding Disney’s hotel operations to cities around the country. A transcript of his presentation shows that he never mentioned DCA during his presentation. The following month in New Orleans at the company’s 2007 annual shareholders meeting—aside from noting that division’s profitability—there was barely a mention of Parks and Resorts, and Rasulo did not address shareholders. Analysts and sources close to the company, faced with a sudden dearth of news about DCA, have begun offering their own theories as to why the Mouse has gone mum about plans for Disneyland’s former parking lot. Several have suggested that the final plan for DCA’s resurrection has cleared budgetary approval, and that the powers that be are just waiting for the right event to make the big announcement. A contrary theory holds that some Mouse House managers are fearful that such an announcement would be an acknowledgement of failure and, therefore, might jeopardize the company’s share price. Supposedly, these folks are advising that DCA be remade slowly over the course of the next several years, rather than all at once. Additionally, others are suggesting that in light of the challenges presented by outside developers trying to rezone the Anaheim Resort District, Disney may have to switch gears and commit to some form of development on the Harbor Blvd. property before it can go forward with plans to revitalize DCA. Virtually everyone with an opinion as to what’s going to happen next with DCA agreed on one thing: barring a messy campaign by conservatives to get Rosie O’Donnell fired from ABC’s The View, the future of the Disneyland Resort could turn out to be the Mouse’s biggest PR headache this year!<< Much more at the link...
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Wow, interesting if true. Look, we ALL know DCA is in big trouble, but personnally I don't think they should go with the "renovate the entire park at once and make a big deal about it" plan. Besides the share price issue, I think it would stop a lot of people from experiencing the park now. I think most wouldn't bother going and will just wait until this brave new world takes hold---but, yeah, I guess not many people are paying full price most of the time now, so maybe it won't matter all that much. But, I think the "build it slowly and they will come" approach is just fine IMO. Where I could see them using the big renovation as an entire relaunch of the park (like they were trying with JUST TOT lol), I think as long as they are adding SOMETHING every year, it will keep people coming and more as time goes on. Just as long as DCA is getting BETTER and giving people a reason to come more, I don't see it as a problem. Throw in a few E-tickets in the next 5 years while 'place making' other area's, DCA might actually be where they thought it would be in 2001 at least.
Originally Posted By Moon Waffle DCA has already taken several big steps forward with the additions/changes since the park opened. Overall, I think the average guest is enjoying it more and more each visit. The "slow and steady" revamp of the park is a much better approach than the "do it all at once" method. Before we know it, DCA will have come miles from where it was in 2001.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>the future of the Disneyland Resort could turn out to be the Mouse’s biggest PR headache this year!<< LOL! I love Internet hyperbole. Of course, for the past 50 years Disneyland has set a precedent of replacing whole sections of the park, individual attractions, etc. None of these is seen as an admission of "failure" or anything else. Instead, stockholders see this as reinvestment and freshening up the park, a cost of doing business in the theme park industry. It is no surprise, nor "a PR headache" that DCA would add or change out attractions from its original lineup. That's to be expected -- but it's wishful thinking that these changes can somehow be twisted into an 'embarasment' to the people who originally designed and built the place.
Originally Posted By disneysnout Lets all cross out fingers and hope for the best. We all know, no matter how much you love DCA; the bottom line is that it needs more work and more attention.
Originally Posted By jmuboy The DCA fix?!?!?!? All at once or spread out over 3-4????...........Personally I wish they would just get it done with and quit talking about it already!
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Look, we ALL know DCA is in big trouble >>> Apparently, even 6+ years after it opened, not all of us have accepted this. This continues to amaze me.
Originally Posted By spacejockey I agree with jmuboy. I'm going to turn grey before they do somethnig.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<<<< Look, we ALL know DCA is in big trouble >>> Apparently, even 6+ years after it opened, not all of us have accepted this. This continues to amaze me.>> And what would you base that on? U.S. Disney Park attendance increases... 2001 - 2005 DL 17.9% DCA 16.0% MK 9.5% EP 9.5% MGM 10.0% AK 6.5% DCA doesn't appear to be in big trouble to me. Source: <a href="http://scottware.com.au/theme/images/thmattnd.gif" target="_blank">http://scottware.com.au/theme/ images/thmattnd.gif</a>
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt <<< Look, we ALL know DCA is in big trouble >>> "Apparently, even 6+ years after it opened, not all of us have accepted this. This continues to amaze me." What exactly does "big trouble" mean anyway? From what I can tell the park seems to be doing okay. But, of course, there is no need to travel down that well worn road again. In regard to Darkbeer's post, the article is an interesting read, yet it sounds like the standard Internet speculation and spin. The writer's statement that, "A contrary theory holds that some Mouse House managers are fearful that such an announcement would be an acknowledgement of failure and, therefore, might jeopardize the company’s share price", doesn't make any sense.
Originally Posted By mtq2223 Obviously the time for action is now. DCA shoulf be re-imagineered all at once. Like Kar2oonMan said Disneyland has changed and added new lands over its 52 years and attendance has not slipped. Re-imagineering DCA should only increase shareholder confidence that Disney is honest about their obvious mistake and is willing to fix it. DCA was an imagineering mistake plain and simple.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer So you had a park with poor attendance the first year, and it went up a bit due to Disney having to totally change the ticket structure and Annual Passholder pricing and policies, and now it is the "Pay for Disneyland, get DCA for FREE!" 2fer tickets that bring in the highest attendance levels... I think I will listen to the Walt Disney Company CEO, he should know what is really going on... >>Disney's chief executive officer, Robert Iger went on record during the company's annual stockholder meeting on March 10th, 2006, when someone asked about a potential third park being built in Anaheim. "We're still working to assure the second gate is successful", Iger said, referring to California Adventure. "In the spirit of candor, we have been challenged."<<
Originally Posted By mtq2223 Looking at your graph RoadTrip, you can obviously see that DCA has the lowest attendance totals, lower than Disney's Animal Kingdom, even though it is increasing by the 16% you stated. Also its attendance seems to have leveled off over the years. Not a good sign if you ask me.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip << "We're still working to assure the second gate is successful",>> Is a WHOLE LOT different than: <<Look, we ALL know DCA is in big trouble>> As for... <<So you had a park with poor attendance the first year, and it went up a bit due to Disney having to totally change the ticket structure and Annual Passholder pricing and policies>> The primary problem with DCA out of the gate was pricing. You would think they would have learned from WDW that Hopper Passes are the way to go -- that you have a hard time selling single park tickets for the secondary parks. I think someone got greedy figuring opening year crowds would pay the high price. They were wrong. But I don't know that you can blame the park itself for someone's bone-headed pricing decision. Now that the park is priced properly (and attractions are being added) attendance is increasing every year. Does Disney still need to work to assure success? Yes. Is the present park in big trouble? No.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Let's assume it is in trouble. How can announcing adding new attractions or revamping whole sections possibly be considered "a PR nightmare"? That makes no sense whatsoever, yet it's what the article suggests. Announcing new attractions generates excitement and anticipation, always has.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Now let's assume it is not in trouble. How can announcing adding new attractions or revamping whole sections possibly be considered "a PR nightmare"? That makes no sense whatsoever, yet it's what the article suggests. Announcing new attractions generates excitement and anticipation, always has.
Originally Posted By disneysnout ok, maybe not in Big Trouble, but Trouble, how is it that people look the other way when it comes to DCA; Disney is taking forever to take care of the Problem, Look at WDS, two projects going on at the Same Time TOT and Toontown Fair...why cant DCA have two at a time.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney <<What exactly does "big trouble" mean anyway? From what I can tell the park seems to be doing okay. But, of course, there is no need to travel down that well worn road again.>> LOL SD, I guess this is what you meant . I guess the term "big trouble" is a little too offensive for some here still(I'm feeling like Don Imus ;D), but I mean the fact they are still debating what they are doing with this park in the long term IS a major issue in my book. Sure I understand what some of you are saying, attendance seems to be okay, then obviously it can't be in BIG trouble can it? I guess it just depends how you look at it. Like my mother told my brother once when he was in high school, "Either she's pregnant or not, she can't be a little!!" For DCA, sure, it SEEMS like its doing ok and I agree certainly better, but the question is can it KEEP doing what it's doing (discounts, multi-passes, 2fers) and etc to sustain itself. IF it can, then no, I guess it's fine, BUT if this is something Disney not sure it can sustain itself on forever, then yes, its in BIG trouble IMO. Listen, this park has been debated for 7+ years now. Everyone seems to agree that the park could be better. Everyone seems to agree that Disney DOES have bigger plans to change it. In my view, you don't make extensive changes for a 'little' problem. We're not talking about basic additions and simple aesthetic changes like most Disney parks as we seem to be talking about as we seem to be talking about fundamental shift to the look, image and perception of the park. Hell, even Iger is on record saying DCA has been 'a challenge'. What does that mean??? If attendance is doing fine now, what exactly is this 'challenge' he's referring to? I mean, IF Disney is willing to go that distance of retooling this park that is already 6 years old not to mention to spend the hundreds of millions of dollars in the process, that signifies a lot to me. What else could it mean? They are just doing it to create a better park? (as much as I would LOVE to believe that, we all know better ). These things are at play for a reason. Yes, DCA is doing 'fine' now, but because it's life support is coming from Disneyland basically and I think they want to severe those ties a little more or at least don't think it's financially feasible for DCA to keep going the way it's going for another decade. Could be completely wrong on this assumption, but LP is one of the few places I been proven right over and over again, so I'm keeping it . I don't think that DCA could keep doing what it's doing forever and if it DOESN'T change, it is in trouble for the long term. That's what I meant in the long winded way (don't you guys just miss my long winded anti-DCA posts???? Somebody?) (Everytime I think I'm out, they pull me back IN!!!--I think this might be my new signature )
