An Idea for DCA.....

[CWIPPERMAN]

OK... first.... I have never been to DCA - and don't anticipate going anytime soon. The last time I was a Disneyland was my 10th Birthday (18 years ago) when I had relatives in San Diego. Since discovering the thrills of WDW - I can never see myself skipping a vacation opporutity to go to WDW- in favor of the West Coast.

Over the last year and a half (since I started planning last years WDW trip) I have been a regular visitor to this forum. I have also been a regular reader of JimHillMedia.com, Mouseplanet.com, MiceAge.com, and several other "Disney Column" websites. I have seen lots of talk about the struggles that Disney's California Adventure has gone through.

The most recent item I read was about the lack of interest sparked by the "X-Games Xperience" at DCA. This got me thinking.... what would make someone like me (someone that would much rather spend a week at WDW then a few days Disney's California Parks). I also looked at it from the perspective of "What if I lived in California.... what would make me drive to Anaheim?".

First... I should mention... I live in Kansas City Missouri - the "Heart of America". We have a "local" theme park (Worlds of Fun & Oceans of Fun), plus a couple of other "major" parks a 3-4 hour drive away (Six Flags in St. Louis, and Silver Dollar City in Branson). Both of these other parks are places I have visited several times over the last decade. Usually these are "Long Weekend" trips (spend a couple days at the parks) - and are made with myself and either my girlfriend or a couple friends.

Now... on with the "meat" of what I have to say. From what I gather - DCA's biggest downfall is that they tried to cater to the "California" natives - by doing attractions that celebrated California Living. This has apparently fallen flat because folks would rather go to a beach - then to see one on a screen. It also sounds like the park's only real assets are the 3 or 4 "e-ticket" rides it has. From what I read many folks "hop" to the park just to do the "big rides" - and then they leave.

So... here's what needs to be done. The park needs to focus on bringing folks in from the other local California parks - by trying to create a better selection of thrill rides. For a park to repeatedly attract "local" visitors - it needs rides that are fun to ride over & over again. Not "Kiddy" rides - but stuff like Tower of Terror (which is being built), and more thrill rides. I also think that a "Hollywood" section should include something like the proposed motor-stunt-show that is under construction at MGM.

It is easy to spend other peoples money, and say "spend 100 million on a couple big rides", but as a "consumer" from the Mid-West - there is nothing exciting about California that makes me want to take a trip out there to visit their theme parks.

Honestly... the only place I can see myself planning on visiting in the near future besides WDW - is Cedar Point in Sandusky OH. And why.... Thrill Rides.... Thrill Rides.... Thrill Rides!

The common arguement is "Disney is for families and kids". Well sitting 100 yards from the enterance to DCA (maybe more... maybe less.... I've never been there) is Disneyland. Where a plethora of "Kiddy-Rides" await. Give families with "teens" an option to spending a whole day at Universal or Knotts Berry Farm - by letting the Teens go to DCA while the youngins go to Disneyland.

Now.... If DCA had some stuff like a couple of monster coasters, a high energy stunt show, and some real e-ticket attractions.... I would seriously consider it a "Destination" - rather than the "Old Uncle" (sorry - that's how I see it) of WDW.

This is of course.... just my opinion.

 

[EUROPA]

Yeah..but Uncle Eisner is not going to pay for any of that. He has blown his wad on ABC, Old Cartoons, Go.com, Ovitz, Sports Teams and anything other then Disney's core business.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Originally posted by CWIPPERMAN
So... here's what needs to be done. The park needs to focus on bringing folks in from the other local California parks - by trying to create a better selection of thrill rides.

Actually, a major reason for building DCA was to turn Disneyland into a multi-day destination for out-of-town/out-of-state guests — people like me (I live in the Chicago area).

There are already dozens of regional thrill ride parks throughout the United States and around the world. Various parks from Six Flags, Cedar Fair, Paramount, and other companies cater to a limited demographic that loves thrill rides. Such parks each draw a small fraction of the attendance that any of the world's "Magic Kingdom" type of Disney parks draw.

DCA's big problem today is that it is essentially yet another regional thrill ride park, but not even a particularly good one as far as real thrill ride fans are concerned.

So, yes, Disney could try to make DCA into a better thrill ride park, but given the limited amount of land in comparison to parks like Six Flags Magic Mountain, DCA would be destined to remain a second rate thrill ride park. Is that what we really want? Playing the "our new roller coaster's first drop is bigger than their biggest roller coaster's first drop" game would forever sentence DCA to be a second-rate regional theme park.

Or Disney could bite the bullet, work with the best Imagineers, spend some real money, and turn DCA into a true Disney park by replacing much of what's currently there with "lands" that take you to another place and time, shows and rides that you can enjoy whether you're 3 or 103, and real reasons to visit the park (whether you live in Anaheim or thousands of miles away).

DCA, today, tries to some degree to be a Disney park. DCA has some nicely designed pieces, but, overall, the park lacks charm, lacks the immersive attractions, and lacks the sense that you're someplace really special.

Disney needs to turn DCA into a true Disney park with a wide appeal, not into yet another regional thrill ride park the appeals only to a limited demographic.