Are Disney parks overseas nicer than those in the States?

[civileng68]

I only ask this question because of a show I saw last yesterday on Disneyland Paris. The show talked about all of the things that the Paris site has, which in most cases was something that Disneyworld doesnt.

Disney, by the show's own admission, has catered to local cultures in various countries they are in overseason. However, it seems in the process, they have really sort of "forgotten" about those of us here.

I am completely aware that Disney is not supporting the major funding in these parks as the local governments are. However, Disney is still pouring in 100-200 million dollars in to Hong Kong's park. That money could be VERY well spent in Disneyworld, Fl.

Regardless, my initial eyebrows were raised when I saw the parade that is run in Disneyland Paris. 30 foot floats, which look much like that of the Macy's Day Parade. Incredible parade!

Space Mountain is MUCH more technically enhanced. Sure it is newer but the same money that Disney uses to help build these parks could be used to create a space mountain much more technically advanced. I dont really like the start "outside of the mountain" of that of Paris, but I think technical advances could be made in Tomorrowland.

Restaraunts: This is something that really grabbed me. They said that people in France like to sit down and eat (well so do I), so the MK in Paris there are more sit down restaraunts than in the US parks. This bothers me as it just seems there is a major cater factor towards the others around the world.

It's like Disney knows the anti-US sentiment across the world and wants parks in these countries so bad that they are willing to give anything for it, while the people in the US can just use what's there.

I'm not on a Disney bash session and LOVE our MK and think the new additions to the parks lately have been GREAT! I just wondered if anyone else has ever noticed, maybe through watching this show that was on yesterday how much more some of these parks have in terms of technology and "wow" effect.

 

[ReggieB]

Global product awareness....and also the lovely money, that's my best reasoning for it. Not everyone can afford to travel to the US, so spreading the magic around is a good way to get your brand name out there. There is a huge untapped potential market in China...it's not just Disney that are pushing to expand in that part of Asia, it's a huge growth area at the moment, lot's of money to make.

In terms of the rides being more advanced, they had the luxury of starting from scratch. Major rehabs on rides take a lot of time, to completely rebuild it would probably take them a couple of years, do you really want the ride down that long? I think it would cause a lot of guest issues. I do agree that Tomorrowland need some work, though.

The restaurants in DLParis are wonderful. Very expensive however. I think the fine dining arguement for MK at WDW is that if you want a gourmet meal, hop on the monorail to one of the hotels. I think there should be a better restaurant in the MK, the Walt Disney one in Paris was great, right on Main Street, you could watch the parade go by. Again they were able to start from scratch, put in things that they thought the potential market would be interested in, things they would have liked to do at the US parks. They probably spent a lot of money on research, which they have probably done in the parks over here too.

Why be selfish and keep all the Disney magic confinded to the US? Plus did I mention it's all about the money...untapped sources of revenue and all that..why do you think Iger was in India recently???

 

[mattr555]

I have been to DLP twice and WDW once.

DLP is a better looking park than MK in WDW. Its better landscaped throuout and tomorrowland looks 1000% better with a Jules Verne type future styling and Space Moutain looks like a giant gun that shoots you to the moon. SP itself is very similar to Rock n Roller coaster at MGM. Fast indoor coaster with inversions but not really that fast or frightening. Powered launch too. I actually prefer the WDW version. Sure its older and no inversions but the cars are smaller which gives a more personal closer to the action feel especially as you dont have any clunky shoulder restraints holding you down.

I like Big Thunder Mountain at both parks but the DLP is probably better simply because the whole thing is built on an island and the train goes thru a tunnel under the water at the start and end of the ride.

There arent any water rides at the Paris MK probably because it soooo bloody cold all the time. A damp foggy turnip field in Paris was a stupid place to build the park. Spain would have been a far better choice with a climate similar to Florida minus the hurricanes.

Instead of Splash Mountain, DLP's third big ride is Indy Jones. Its a small steel coaster with a loop where you ride in mine carts. Good ride, better than SM and the theming surronding the ride is tops.

I dont remember what the parades were like, fireworks were so-so, and I only ate at Pizza Planet in Paris (which was terrible) so cant comment on parades or food.

Maybe a one off, but on one trip to DLP, a number of women complained that Goofy had hugged them "inappropriatly" Maybe the same CM as played Tiger All the characters behaved themselves around my wife at WDW tho.

Oh and the DLP Cinderella's castle looks nicer than the WDW one but you cant go in it, only through it, so no Cinderella's table.

In general, WDW MK is better, the weather is much much better but there are areas where serious renovation is needed <cough>Jungle Cruise,TomorrowLand</cough>. Better landscaping, Swap over Tomorrow Land and swap BTM and the WDW MK would be perfect.

Hotel wise, i havent stayed in the WDW hotels but stayed at Hotel New York and the Newport Bay Club in DLP. Both were a waste of money, general theming was good but the rooms were small and like motel rooms.

 

[ReggieB]

A damp foggy turnip field in Paris was a stupid place to build the park. Spain would have been a far better choice with a climate similar to Florida minus the hurricanes.

Before they finally settled on the site in Paris, there used to be a big sign up in Corby, Northamptonshire, UK that said EuroDisney coming here soon...so it could have been worse! (Sorry no offense to all you Northamptonshire people out there, my husband included!)

 

[mattr555]

Northamptonshire??? How did that even get considered?

 

[ReggieB]

No idea, I guess they looked at sites in most European countries. I think this sign was up in the seventies, I'll have to check with my husband. He used to get very excited going past that sign in hope that it would have an opening date on it!!

 

[LukenDC]

I have never been to WDW (first trip will be in September), but I have been to Disneyland Paris and Disneyland in California. I prefer the California park. I visited DLP in early March and it was cold and not very crowded. The lack of leaves on the trees made the park seem somewhat barren. I would love to see the park when it is in full bloom. The rides at DLP were also a bit darker in nature. The Haunted Mansion and Pirates were much more macabre than their California counterparts. DLP has many more open spaces than the California park and just did not seem as intimate.

What really struck me was how American the DLP park is. It's the American flag, not the French, that flies over Main Street. While I did not stay in any of the DLP hotels, I noted that most of them had a strong American theme. People clearly visit DLP for an American-style vacation experience. Love it or hate it, Disney is truly a significant American cultural contribution to the world.

Many people claim that the Disney Sea park in Tokyo is the best Disney park in the world. The pictures that I have seen are incredible and the theming is exquisitely detailed.

 

[civileng68]

Many people claim that the Disney Sea park in Tokyo is the best Disney park in the world. The pictures that I have seen are incredible and the theming is exquisitely detailed.

I agree. Also, they have the Pooh ride but theirs is a track-less system.

 

[civileng68]

Why be selfish and keep all the Disney magic confinded to the US? Plus did I mention it's all about the money...untapped sources of revenue and all that..why do you think Iger was in India recently???

While I do think a "limit" of sorts should be put on park production (think 50 Six Flags Parks), after a while, each one loses some of it's "luster". I would have a major problem if another one was ever built in the US.

I'm not however, about keeping it all for us in the U.S. I'm simply saying that something isnt right when the new parks are much better (only from what I've seen on TV and photos) than those originals in the US.

 

[scrump]

I've been to Tokyo Disneyland a couple of times, but I haven't been to their newer Disneysea. I think in terms of park maintenance and quality, their MK is much better. The Orlando rides are pretty much all enhanced a little bit ( Splash Mountain), or a lot (Pooh's Hunny Hunt). Other rides are sort of the same (Small World, Haunted Mansion), but their Toontown blows Orlando's away as well. I've heard that Tokyo's Disneyland is modeled after LA, and I have never been to that one, so perhaps it would be more accurate to compare them to LA for the "domestic v. abroad" argument. I feel that a lot of attractions probably start out in Orlando, and by the time they get to other countries, they have the luxury of adding in improvements and enhance them visually as well.

That being said, despite what I've said above, Orlando is the better park. I think the CMs "get it", and the place to me is much more magical. The Japanese CMs are courteous, efficient and professional, but they are "Customer Service Representatives" and not quite "Cast Members". Perhaps that is a cultural thing, I don't know, but when I read some of these fabulous stories of CMs going out of their way to make a day special for us, I never witnessed it in Tokyo. Again, that could be a cultural thing, not many children or guests may be able to interact as freely with the characters when there isn't a strong commong language, but even the restaurant or shop CMs struck me as business-like. I remember we were there at the turnstiles right as they were about to open the park and you could see all the CMs in their uniforms forming a wall, neatly lining up with their corresponding turnstiles, hands locked in front of them, heads down, not even talking to the little kids who are excited to get in. That struck me as very "un-magical" and I was rather disappointed to see that.

Dining is pretty similar, they put a lot of "show" in their park restaurants, while as another poster noted, we can go to our resorts as well.

So for me, sometimes I am disappointed that Orlando seems so 2-D sometimes when the international parks seem so 3-D, but at the end of the day, it's still the best park for the overall experience. At least, for now.

 

[Giddy Kipper]

We have been to Disney in Paris and Florida, and I cant say I have good memories from Paris. Bitterly cold, two pairs of trousers and three jumpers type of weather. It was every man for himself to get into the Character tea, very chaotic and disorganised. At meet and greet areas, grown men and women were pushing and shoving to get to the characters, Knocking children over. We stayed on disney property which was again every man for himself at meal times..Never again. But our friends go every year and love it! Each to their own

 

[Paisleyjane]

I have been to DLP two times, DL three times and countless times to WDW. I have to say that the landscaping at DLP is lovely! I really enjoy the more open spaces with water features, etc. The castle too, is very delicate, and love the way the stones come up to it, like it was built on bedrock. I like that you can go under the castle and see a dragon. That all being said, my teenagers said the rides were rough, slammed you around a lot, (SM and Indy). We did not eat at TS in the parks and the rest of the food we found terrible! My kids were very disappointed with the Confectionery, the candy was just not like ours. I am sure it is made to appeal to the French or Europeans, but no Rice Krispie Treats??!!! We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, their premier hotel, and it was beautiful - on the outside - well, no the inside was beautifully built, but the upkeep was no where near what we are used to. Dinged walls, peeling wallpaper, etc. Regarding the other hotels, we did not go in them, but we saw them from the outside and they just appear to be "cheap" versions of our beautiful resorts. Of course you have the weather too, like the pool at the Disneyland hotel is a very small indoor pool. Hey, like Dorothy said, there' no place like home! Weren't we all lucky to have Walt as an American!

 

[VSL]

My BF has been to DLP twice.
His words: 'No one can do Disney like the Americans'

The parks in Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo may be newer, but it's just something about America that makes it better I guess

 

[edingerc]

I've done DLP three times in their first year of operations. Two things are important here:

1. Remember that the park came incredibly close to closing perminently. It wasn't profitible at all and didn't cater to Europeans. After a LOT of money and redesign, it's making a steady profit and has been accepted by the same farmers that spent days blockading the park with their farm equipment.

2. I have yet to hear a single person who's seen both DLP and WDW say that they prefer Eurodisney. The park is pared down to its essentials and even though it looks nice, it doesn't have the number of things to do that MK does, let alone EPCOT, MGM, AK, the two water parks, DTD, Pleasure Island, the Boardwalk, Disney Sports and the miniture golf courses.

BTW, I liked the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show (DLP) more than the Hoop de Doo (WDW)

 

[Tancread]

I enjoyed Disneyland Paris, but would rate it behind California and Florida. The rides in Paris were very well done. Great theming and nice details, but the park is very spread out, you really need a plan to get around the park because doubling back to an area can take forever.

The food at the sit downs was good, but not Paris good. All the resturants were jammed to the gills, they really pack a lot of people into smallish dining rooms. As someone mentined the western dinner show was great, one of my son's favorite things there by far. The walk around food in the parks was good, but odd to Americans, like the sugared popcorn.

The cast members we pretty good all around, but only the front line had real Disney attitude. The back up staff and staff outside in the hotels and shopping area were not Disney like, they were grumpy Parisian like. I had several other visiting couples lecture me, as one of the few American accents in the park that day, that the French just don't get customer service. I find that to be untrue, the ride operators and costumed staff were great, but Paris is hard place to find perky Disney folk.

So could some of that money been used to make Florida or California better? Maybe, but I think they did a pretty good job with what they did. It is still a Disney park with all that entails. That said, one visit was enough, I would just stay in Paris next time, while WDW never gets old to me.

 

[missypie]

DLP is a truly beautiful park. The castle is lovely. You go upstairs inside the castle, and the story of Sleeping Beauty is told in stained glass windows...quite special. And a dragon lives downstairs in the castle dungeon.

As for food...the counter service restaurants were pretty darned bad. I admit that we didn't eat at any table service restaurants....we were there for only two days and were spending the rest of the time in Paris, so I didn't want to spend the time at TX restuarants there.

The shopping is also bad. I've heard that Europeans don't like to buy souvineer items with the name or logo of the place all over it, so consequently, there is little "Disneyland Paris" merchandise to buy.

 

[minnie61650]

I only ask this question because of a show I saw last yesterday on Disneyland Paris. The show talked about all of the things that the Paris site has, which in most cases was something that Disneyworld doesnt.

Disney, by the show's own admission, has catered to local cultures in various countries they are in overseason. However, it seems in the process, they have really sort of "forgotten" about those of us here.

I am completely aware that Disney is not supporting the major funding in these parks as the local governments are. However, Disney is still pouring in 100-200 million dollars in to Hong Kong's park. That money could be VERY well spent in Disneyworld, Fl.

Regardless, my initial eyebrows were raised when I saw the parade that is run in Disneyland Paris. 30 foot floats, which look much like that of the Macy's Day Parade. Incredible parade!

Space Mountain is MUCH more technically enhanced. Sure it is newer but the same money that Disney uses to help build these parks could be used to create a space mountain much more technically advanced. I dont really like the start "outside of the mountain" of that of Paris, but I think technical advances could be made in Tomorrowland.

Restaraunts: This is something that really grabbed me. They said that people in France like to sit down and eat (well so do I), so the MK in Paris there are more sit down restaraunts than in the US parks. This bothers me as it just seems there is a major cater factor towards the others around the world.

It's like Disney knows the anti-US sentiment across the world and wants parks in these countries so bad that they are willing to give anything for it, while the people in the US can just use what's there.

I'm not on a Disney bash session and LOVE our MK and think the new additions to the parks lately have been GREAT! I just wondered if anyone else has ever noticed, maybe through watching this show that was on yesterday how much more some of these parks have in terms of technology and "wow" effect.

It is much easier with a new park and plenty of land. I too think MK should have more sit down restaurants. Sit down restaurants have become much more popular in last 20 years. When the MK was built in 1971 more people would opt for counter because they were only going to the park for one or two days and did not want to take the time out for a sit down meals. Also it was a whole different era where familys only ate out once a month or so.Mk does not have the extra land because the railroad surrounds the MK. MK also needs more HA bathrooms, more room for larger crowds,and better queing for some of their rides but the room is just not there. We need some new Imagineers who are able to figure out a way to add more land to the MK. In Disneyland in California they were able to tunnel under the railroad for their Toon Town the MK however has the utilidores that must be avoided. I really do not see much more room for expansion at the MK. They would need to build a while new MK on another area of their property and tear down the existing one. I just do not see that happening. The monorail and the monorail hotels were too big an investment. Would you spend all that money to stay at a monorail hotel if the monorail just took you the other monorail hotels and the TTC?

 

[disneyholic family]

we didn't like Disneyland Paris at all (the second park only opened the following year).

I haven't been to Disneyland Tokyo in 21 years, but at that time it was almost identical to the Magic Kingdom.
However, the new park, Tokyo DisneySea is supposed to be phenomenal...but the money invested there is from Japanese investors, not Disney....Disney's only involvment there is its Imagineers and Disney also runs the entertainment side of things...but the money decisions are made by the japanese owners....

 

[Condorman]

I have been to every Disney park with the exception of their latest, Hong Kong. Most posters have it right: Building parks from the 1990s and beyond, from scratch, affords the latest and greatest technology. Most American Disney parks were built in the 50s and 70s. They are showing their age and it is time to renovate nearly all of them. I agree the money Disney is spending overseas would be better put to use here at home. With Robert Iger in charge, maybe it will.

DisneySea is without hesitation the most beautiful park of all. The attention to detail is second to none. However, there aren't many attractions so you'd better pay attention to that detail. Disneyland Paris was the prettiest Magic Kingdom I've ever seen. Still, my fondness will always be towards WDW. You can spend a week there -- you can't do that anywhere else. You have so much to choose from with regards to restaurants, resorts, etc. Remember this: Disney built those other parks around the world to take advantage of a growing market. But those are merely cathedrals. WDW is the Holy Land.

 

[DrTomorrow]

First, I bet that there's a whole lot more TS restaurants at WDW than at any other Disney resort. FWIW, if we eat at Disney, it's usually counter service; TS at Disney just isn't worth the $$$.

Second, even if Disney had the $$$ rebuild MK from the ground up, there would be A LOT OF ANGRY PEOPLE, myself included. Part of the joy and wonder of the MK is revisiting old friends like the Jungle Cruise, the Tiki birds, Tom Sawyer Island, the TTA, etc - I'd hate to see these old favorites torn down (like 20,000 Leagues) or rebuilt beyond recognition (like Stitch).

Finally, I politely suggest that your frame of reference needs expanding. Don't just think of MK, think of WDW. Disney is building one heck of a ride in ExEv, they just opened Soarin'. Whenever some serious $$$ is going to be spent, they have the happy dilemma of deciding what park to spend it in - and though I don't have the data to prove it, I bet that the MK is in a better place attendence-wise than EPCOT or AK....

IMHO - YMMV.