Disney plans themed hotels for major U.S. cities

[Chuck S]

I feel that the reason DTD "works" is because it's on resort property and used by tourists. I know that the locals go to Pleasure Island on the weekends, but how many of them regularly shop at DTD Marketplace?

Plus, there will always be people that would never go to a "Disney" place near their town because it doesn't belong. I love Disney but even I don't think that I'd shop at a DTD-type place near my home. There's too many other shopping places to choose from. Although, I'm sure that I would hit World of Disney once a month or so.

Really, they should have kept up the original selection and quality of the Disney store chain. I don't see stand alone centers and small parks making it.

 

[DancingBear]

FWIW, DisneyQuest is already in Chicago.

FWIW, DQ failed in Chicago--it closed in 2003.

 

[scauzilloc]

Here is the link from the Orlando Sentinel

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...s020707,0,5603094.story?track=mostemailedlink

 

[daannzzz]

Are these hotels that are themed like those at WDW. Dixie Landings, Caribbean Beach, Wilderness Lodge and Grand Floridian etc. Or are these hotels themed to Disney such as partnering with Comfort Inn or Hilton with a somewhat standard look on the outside and bunch of Disney references inside?

 

[dmk1021]

I can say one place I feel this would definitely work:

Niagara Falls.

I live in Buffalo (just 20 minutes from Niagara Falls), and Niagara Falls USA is woefully underdeveloped, yet still receives millions of visitors each year. For fun (and to spend all their money), they all go over to Niagara Falls, Canada, which has "Clifton Hill," with themed attractions, rides, and shopping - basically a cheesy (although getting better) version of WDW or DL. These "attractions" in Canada do extremely well.

If Disney purchased land in Niagara Falls, USA and developed it, they would have a built-in audience of millions who are looking to spend money in Niagara Falls, year-round (despite our winter weather). I think this would be an absolute win-win situation here.

Just a thought.

 

[raidermatt]

FWIW, DQ failed in Chicago--it closed in 2003.

Yes, the WDW site is the only one open, and rumors abound that its not long for the world. Certainly most agree it hasn't been getting much in the way of TLC.


Taken separately, the resort hotel idea seems the least likely to work. A "Disney-type" hotel in the middle of Manhattan just seems out of place, and they'd have to compete with all of the other quality hotels already there.

DVC could work as well as any other company's timeshare I suppose, provided Disney competes in substance with the established companies out there, like Hilton, Marriott and Starwood/Westin. Certainly the existing DVCs do not compare well as standalone units. They have a monopolistic location that makes up for that. Disney will have to significantly upgrade what it offers if its going to sit side-by-side with those other companies in places like Hawaii and the Caribbean.

The thing with the DTD's is that the existing DTDs are essentially dressed up strip malls, especially the DLR location. They are littered with brands that are pretty common in other areas of the country. So Disney would be coming in and essentially being just another mall developer. I suppose if they are smart about it, it could make money, but is being a mall landlord really the best use of Disney's resources?

If the idea is to combine all of this, then they are essentially building minature WDW's and DLRs without the parks. They'd be banking on the parks not really being the thing that draws people to WDW and DLR. I think that logic is flawed to the core, but certainly I've been wrong before.

The idea of them building small standalone parks, as some have suggested, is truly scary. The thought of a DCA anchoring some kind of urban or suburban resort should cause any Disney fan/stockholder to shudder.

In short, I think that with better execution, they have a far better opportunity to grow their business through the existing resorts than they do going out into the "real" world.

 

[MJMcBride]

FWIW, DQ failed in Chicago--it closed in 2003.

the whole project failed miserably. I'm kind of surprised they are revisiting it

 

[disaddiction828]

Chicago wasnt the only ne. Philly was suppose to get it as well but when the nw mayor stepped in and the site was all prepped and the huge ditch was dugged the DQ project was cancelled for some reason so it was never built so since then it has just been a ditch fenced off

 

[EUROPACL]

Chicago wasnt the only ne. Philly was suppose to get it as well but when the nw mayor stepped in and the site was all prepped and the huge ditch was dugged the DQ project was cancelled for some reason so it was never built so since then it has just been a ditch fenced off

Wait are you sure you're not talking about DCA?

 

[disaddiction828]

I am postive that it was Disney Quest. Believe me when I was very excited to here and see it on the nes that it was comming to center city. THen very pissed that it got cancelled.

 

[exDS vet]

I think a DTD in any place that does not have a Disney theme park would fail miserably. One exception and it is probably something that would never happen would be for Disney to build a resort in Las Vegas with a casino and a DTD type thing. This could work, but Disney would never get into the casino business. Would they?

Of all of Disney's attractions, etc. The one concept that I think would work outside of Anaheim or Orlando would be a Blizzard Beach-style water park. They could easily duplicate this format and put them in several metro areas. I'm actually surprised that they haven't tried this yet.

 

[Mickmse2002]

I think trying to replicate DTD in a regional setting would fail miserably. Heck, I wouldn't miss the one at WDW if they closed it down. I think what would have an opportunity for success is expanding the Disney themed hotel/dvc concept combined with the tourist offerings of different areas. There is certainly the conceptual foundations for this i.e. the idea of a Disney ski resort out west, the failed run at building a theme park in Virginia. If Disney Resorts/DVC focused on providing superior accomodations paired with Disney run "adventures", tours, activities, etc. then there is a reasonable chance for success.

 

[Jason71]

I think a DTD in any place that does not have a Disney theme park would fail miserably. One exception and it is probably something that would never happen would be for Disney to build a resort in Las Vegas with a casino and a DTD type thing. This could work, but Disney would never get into the casino business. Would they?

IIRC, Disney is one of the big spenders AGAINST gambling whenever anyone tries to legalize it in Florida. So I don't see them looking toward Vegas.

Re: the topic as a whole, the problem I see is that most cities with any sort of tourist base already have a DTD/CityWalk-like area, with some kitschy little shops and a Polly Esther's and a Howl-at-the-Moon (or similar places, you get the idea). DTD works in Orlando because so many people are on-site anyway it gives them a built-in audience. Not sure how well a stand-alone DTD would do if it had to compete with Channelside in Tampa or Beachwalk (?) in Fort Lauderdale or any of the other "adult" nightspot districts around the country.

Unless, of course, they planned to clone (or expand on the idea of) the Adventurer's Club...

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

The only reason Disney is against gambling in Florida is because it is seen as competition. Disney has no moral or ethical issues at work, purely money. If Disney believes a Casino complex in Las Vegas would be profitable they'd do it. Problem is they'd be going up against people who've already done "it" better.

This DTD/Resort hotel idea smacks of guys who think they've got vision, kind of like Paulie boy, but really it's just indigestion.

Hey Voice, I though you said Eisner was the shopping mall King. It look like Bob "I love the Mall of the America" Iger will be the new crown wearer. Mickey must be thrilled.

 

[EUROPACL]

I am postive that it was Disney Quest. Believe me when I was very excited to here and see it on the nes that it was comming to center city. THen very pissed that it got cancelled.

...No I really think I'm correct....DCA is a big empty hole in the ground with a fence around it.

 

[pamlet]

when i saw it on money watch it seemed like they were going to do more then just a dd type of thing it will be interesting to see what happens. One of my coworkers saw it and thought the same thing the impression the news here gave was that it would have smaller parks like a sea world or sixflags type thing

Laugh ... are you in San Antonio? That's the impression I got from our local news this morning!

 

[pamlet]

the whole project failed miserably. I'm kind of surprised they are revisiting it

I truly believe the reason the project failed was because they placed it downtown ... I think they thought the tourist traffic would bring folks in. Parking was non existant (or VERY pricey) ... it was a pain in the neck to get to..

If they had put it out in the suburbs I bet they could have made it on local traffic alone... It was fun... indoors ... had they placed it further out with a huge parking lot - it would have made it...

 

[erikthewise]

These ideas are "blue sky concepts" that will not be executed unless the new businesses could achieve a high return on invested capital, Rasulo said.

Translation: It's an idea we're considering. Nobody said it's a GOOD idea.

 

[Paull117]

I could see this working in Wisconsin Dells or around the Mall of America in this neck of the woods.

Chicago it was a great idea just the wrong place if they would of put it in the shomburg(forgive on the spelling). At the time instead, the area was just starting to boom, it would have been a success.

I kind of like the idea, on a small scale. If it was the size of DTD that would be too much. I could see them joining or attaching to some shopping areas instead of building there own.

Paul

 

[*Robin*]

We've got indoor water parks with hotels attached popping up all over here in the midwest. I just got an invitation from King's Island's Great Wolf Lodge in Ohio for the grand opening. I know there are at least 2 more of the same type of parks within a days driving distance.

I was wondering if Disney was going to answer with an idea of their own. Could this be that idea?