Disney to expand into India!

[Figment632]

http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2011/09/editors-note-as-i-told-you-last-week.html?m=1

 

[ChrisFL]

That was the logical next step if you're a company considering expanding to all of the major markets around the globe (Brazil being the only other reasonable choice I think)

 

[Figment632]

That was the logical next step if you're a company considering expanding to all of the major markets around the globe (Brazil being the only other reasonable choice I think)

I also think Australia is an option as well.

 

[nytimez]

Australia just doesn't seem to be what Disney is aiming for. Shanghai and its suburbs has more people than all of Australia, by comparison. That's what Disney is aiming for...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

more good news

 

[Golf4food]

Australia just doesn't seem to be what Disney is aiming for. Shanghai and its suburbs has more people than all of Australia, by comparison. That's what Disney is aiming for...

I think Disney considers Australia part of the market for Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Anaheim, though plenty seem to come to Orlando, too. Just not enough population in the Land Down Under for a Disneyland Down Under.


They sure seem to be shelling out the benjamins now, don't they? Didn't realize Disney had so much capital to spend on so many expansion projects. DCA, Shanghai, Fantasyland, Avatarland, India...

And still the Yeti languishes.

 

[nytimez]

I think Disney considers Australia part of the market for Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Anaheim, though plenty seem to come to Orlando, too. Just not enough population in the Land Down Under for a Disneyland Down Under.


They sure seem to be shelling out the benjamins now, don't they? Didn't realize Disney had so much capital to spend on so many expansion projects. DCA, Shanghai, Fantasyland, Avatarland, India...

And still the Yeti languishes.

There actually is -- or at least was, I haven't lived in Tokyo for a while -- a flourishing two-way tourism trade between Japan and Australia, so I could definitely see the company thinking that Australians who want a Disney park experience will simply go to Hong Kong, Tokyo or (eventually) Shanghai.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I think Disney considers Australia part of the market for Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Anaheim, though plenty seem to come to Orlando, too. Just not enough population in the Land Down Under for a Disneyland Down Under.

Bingo....not enough people in Aussie or Zealie to justify this...and i don't see malaysians or indonesians flocking to sidney to see mickey.

Same thing about Canada....on the surface a park near toronto would be a surething...but not enough native population.

Though a winterland concept - if done right - could pull from all over the northeast and upper midwest and do very well.

They sure seem to be shelling out the benjamins now, don't they? Didn't realize Disney had so much capital to spend on so many expansion projects. DCA, Shanghai, Fantasyland, Avatarland, India...

yeah...but what stinks about this is that a heavy share is in china and india...and lets face it: those are heavily about trade deals and factories producing junk for walmart. Lets not be naive on this. The "global economy" is code for exploiting 19th century wages in "developing" countries to beat 21st century dollars outta consumers in western stores. Disney parks in repressive societies in india and china give their autocratic powerbrokers credibility at the Hague, The UN, the EU, The Whitehouse, the NYSE, Rupert Murdoch's jacuzzi, and everywhere else where the real power deals are made.
Nobody ever accuses Mickey of being evil...and everybody knows him. The worlds most likeable "guy".
And Disney gets cheap stuff that they can TM and Copyright.
Win/Win.

And still the Yeti languishes.

There's no solution...i think we can accept this now.

 

[Disco]

Yep,
It is only a matter of time. India is the perfect match. They have very close ties with the USA and are really very open to new things.
Frankly I was surprised Disney went with Shanghai and not India first. Corporate and government relations have to be far easier to navigate in India.
Of course, you just can't ignore the densest population of human beings on the planet. Almost a fifth of the total human population in one smallish country is just an immense opportunity.
Not to mention that I would like to visit India someday (China and Japan too (just not France )…. Win, win…

 

[Oglet]

I personally feel that India is a bad move if they are considering a park for several reasons.

I personally would not call India stable, without going into politics there are very high tensions between India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Much of India lives in severe poverty, the threat of terrorism is also very real.

You would also need to look at who would be coming to the park, much of the country would be unable to afford to visit and many people have reservations about visiting India in general.

One thing I would say about Australia is while it does not have a huge population, it is surrounded by many countries that have a large enough population to sustain a park down under. If a park were to be constructed in Queensland, it would be close enough for many Asian countries that it wouldn't be a whole lot different than people traveling from any northern state here in the US to Florida.

 

[ChrisFL]

I personally feel that India is a bad move if they are considering a park for several reasons.

I personally would not call India stable, without going into politics there are very high tensions between India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Much of India lives in severe poverty, the threat of terrorism is also very real.

You would also need to look at who would be coming to the park, much of the country would be unable to afford to visit and many people have reservations about visiting India in general.

One thing I would say about Australia is while it does not have a huge population, it is surrounded by many countries that have a large enough population to sustain a park down under. If a park were to be constructed in Queensland, it would be close enough for many Asian countries that it wouldn't be a whole lot different than people traveling from any northern state here in the US to Florida.

yes, but people in those Asian countries will already have choices between Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai

 

[Oglet]

yes, but people in those Asian countries will already have choices between Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai

And yet they still flock to WDW.

 

[nytimez]

And yet they still flock to WDW.

I wonder what percentage of overseas visitors to WDW visit from Asia -- and I mean fly from Asia to Florida specifically to visit Disney World, not folks who live or study here and happen to visit while living in the U.S.

I'd bet it's not as high as you think. It's a VERY long set of flights from anywhere in Asia to Florida, plus you have to stop over somewhere -- there's nothing direct. They're more inclined to visit the Disney parks there and, for the overseas trip, Disneyland in California.

 

[Oglet]

I wonder what percentage of overseas visitors to WDW visit from Asia -- and I mean fly from Asia to Florida specifically to visit Disney World, not folks who live or study here and happen to visit while living in the U.S.

I'd bet it's not as high as you think. It's a VERY long set of flights from anywhere in Asia to Florida, plus you have to stop over somewhere -- there's nothing direct. They're more inclined to visit the Disney parks there and, for the overseas trip, Disneyland in California.

I work with Characters (which Japanese people seem to love!) and honestly it's like anything else it has ups and downs.

I wouldn't say its as many as we get Brits or South Americans however there are some periods where there are very very large spikes in the numbers of Asian visitors. I would be curious as to how many Asian visitors hit Disneyland compared to WDW.

They quite often take pictures of characters from Tokyo and bring a picture to WDW and have them sign, they often come with gifts from Tokyo as well and give them to many of the characters.

 

[nytimez]

I work with Characters (which Japanese people seem to love!) and honestly it's like anything else it has ups and downs.

I wouldn't say its as many as we get Brits or South Americans however there are some periods where there are very very large spikes in the numbers of Asian visitors. I would be curious as to how many Asian visitors hit Disneyland compared to WDW.

They quite often take pictures of characters from Tokyo and bring a picture to WDW and have them sign, they often come with gifts from Tokyo as well and give them to many of the characters.

Yes, they love characters -- and not always they same characters. They're crazy for Marie the cat, for example. And Stitch is huge there, he even has some kind of girlfriend over there. They actually even have merch of the doll Lilo had in the movie -- Scrump, I think is the name.

I know when I lived there I knew plenty of people that had been to Disneyland in Calif. but pretty much no one who had been to WDW. That's just anecdotal, of course, but like I said it's really hard to get to Florida from there so it makes some kind of sense anyway.

 

[ChrisFL]

off the wall note....I saw a japanese game show (one of the obstacle course ones) and one of the guys was wearing a figment T-shirt....totally cool

 

[diamondpixienc]

I don't think India would be a good place for a Disney theme park but maybe an Aulani type destination for their Adventure by Disney trips or a Disney Cruise Line retreat?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Maybe in the far term future India would be a good fit for a Disney park, but as it stands right now, there are a million and one reasons it would not work, from the governmental issues (yes, there are many to opening a business in India, similar to China in some respects), political issues with neighboring countries, import issues with certain countries (you'll never get something made in Pakistan in India), income levels (even in the major cities, the incomes are very uneven), cultural issues, inflationary costs, etc.

 

[SmilingGrump]

India makes perfect sense. It's the world's largest democracy and has 1/5 of the world's population. Construction and operating costs will be far cheaper then another park in North America and therefore admission costs will likely be far cheaper too. India's trying to rival China industrially and even though it lags behind, it's workforce is much better educated and speaks english.

People have mentioned stability ... well India has it's issues, but in many ways it is much more stable then the US. It's economy is booming and it has a rapdidly growing middle class, both great enticements for Disney.


As for Australia, not in the near future. Aside from the population being too small (at least in comparison to other markets), Australians are far too willing to travel. I think the three most travel savvy socieities in the world are Australians, Germans, and New Zealanders ... they go EVERYWHERE so why should Disney go to them? Personally, I love the "travelness" of Aussies and Kiwis. Once you start travelling internationally a lot, running into some Aussies or Kiwis is like a slice of home

 

[Disco]

India makes perfect sense. It's the world's largest democracy and has 1/5 of the world's population. Construction and operating costs will be far cheaper then another park in North America and therefore admission costs will likely be far cheaper too. India's trying to rival China industrially and even though it lags behind, it's workforce is much better educated and speaks english.

People have mentioned stability ... well India has it's issues, but in many ways it is much more stable then the US. It's economy is booming and it has a rapdidly growing middle class, both great enticements for Disney.

Right on the nose. Besides their terrorism issues are probably less per population capita than our own. Not to mention Pakistan is on thin ice with us as well. Like we would care how negative their relationship is with them. An attack on a Disney theme park by Pakistan would be a suicidal error in judgment.