More DVCs or More Parks?

[corpcomp]

I don't know about anyone else but with all the new DVCs that Disney keeps adding, the parks just seem to be becoming over crowded on a regular basis. I know the economy is bad and the crowds are down slightly but I would much rather see another park added on instead of another DVC at this point.

Question is, what theme could they use?

 

[La2kw]

I'd much rather see them add more rides to the parks they already have. AK deserves more than 6 rides and HS needs more than the 5 it currently has.

As far as DVC goes, I'd like to see some more of them located off WDW property. VGC and Hawaii are steps in the right direction, but there's lots of other destinations that would be nice. New York, Tahoe, San Diego, and more at Disneyland would all be at the top of my list.

 

[whitfamily]

I agree with the PP. Just add to what you have. The only park I'd like to see added is revival of the Disney America theme pitched in the Virginia area about 10+ years ago.

 

[tjkraz]

I don't know about anyone else but with all the new DVCs that Disney keeps adding, the parks just seem to be becoming over crowded on a regular basis. I know the economy is bad and the crowds are down slightly but I would much rather see another park added on instead of another DVC at this point.

Question is, what theme could they use?

If you poll 100 people you'll probably get 100 people agreeing with you about a new park. The problem is that Disney isn't going to spend $2 billion just to thin out the crowds a bit. You could count on one hand the number of times per year when the Magic Kingdom closes due to capacity limits (just a few days during Christmas and Easter).

Personally I'd rather see the current parks expanded first. Spend a fraction of that $2 bil on expansions for the Animal Kingdom and DHS. Still a lot of land out there.

A new park just means millions spent for underground infrastructure, roads, parking lots, gift shops, trams, security and so on. That's money wasted, IMO. YMMV.

 

[Chuck S]

If you poll 100 people you'll probably get 100 people agreeing with you about a new park. The problem is that Disney isn't going to spend $2 billion just to thin out the crowds a bit. You could count on one hand the number of times per year when the Magic Kingdom closes due to capacity limits (just a few days during Christmas and Easter).

Personally I'd rather see the current parks expanded first. Spend a fraction of that $2 bil on expansions for the Animal Kingdom and DHS. Still a lot of land out there.

A new park just means millions spent for underground infrastructure, roads, parking lots, gift shops, trams, security and so on. That's money wasted, IMO. YMMV.

And even if every onsite hotel (Disney & DVC) were filled to capacity, it wouldn't put the parks into overcrowded levels. Offsite guests and locals are what tip the scales. Given the current economy, I'm sure Disney is thrilled to have busy parks. Unfortunately, while people are still traveling, they aren't spending as much on food or in the gift shops.

Disney can't financially justify a whole new park without those support sales. And I agree, they really need to concentrate on improving the current parks before building another, anyway.

 

[gkrykewy]

Are there any rumors about incremental expansions for any of the current parks?

 

[Scraper]

I do not believe that more DVC will crowd the parks. Once you buy into DVC you are ready to spend more time at the resort. Crowded parks are full with people staying off site who do not care to head back to the hotel and fight traffic.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

I agree with the PP. Just add to what you have. The only park I'd like to see added is revival of the Disney America theme pitched in the Virginia area about 10+ years ago.

That could have been a special park and one that really involved people in American history. But the wealthy landowners weren't going to have anything to do with that and it is just that... history.

I for one would prefer to see another beach resort. Maybe on the Florida gulf coast. Yes, I like calm waters too.

 

[La2kw]

I would say that you can expect many more DVC units long before any new park gets built. I really doubt there will ever be a fifth park, since new parks just tend to canibalize attendance at existing parks.

 

[stopher1]

I would say that you can expect many more DVC units long before any new park gets built. I really doubt there will ever be a fifth park, since new parks just tend to canibalize attendance at existing parks.

Or are extremely poorly planned and executed, as was the case with the 2nd gate at DL - California Adventure. Even though it didn't cannibalize DL's attendance, it has severed as a very expensive "overflow lot" for the days that DL reaches capacity. And now, less than 10 years later, they're already pouring another $1.2 billion into it to revamp, redo and fix it. Hopefully that will make it truly a good 2nd gate, but only time will tell.

I agree that plussing the existing WDW parks - expanding what's already there would do a lot to improve it.

And I agree that more off-site DVC locations would be a good thing. It's too bad they never went ahead with the DVC Newport Beach like they were talking about a dozen or so years ago... that location was/is sweet. True VGC has a sweet location too - but had they done it and VGC - that would have been awesome. Oh well. Here's hoping Hawaii comes out right.

 

[ADP]

It's my personal belief that Disney is not doing enough to keep up with current capacities. If you take a look at park crowd averages (not the least or the most crowded times) you would see wait times are still high in the afternoons.

Also, resort amenities are stretched to capacities as well. Take Kidani Village for example. Because they haven't added a counter service location the Mara (Jambo House) was slammed at 8:00AM last Friday morning. I know it's prime time for breakfast, but considering the crowd in there another counter service option would be helpful.

 

[jco_direwolf]

Are there any rumors about incremental expansions for any of the current parks?

Always, and there is always a rumor about a 5th gate.

Most resent one that has been getting press is the Villain's Park. Sometimes it's a whole new park, sometimes, it's a party, sometimes it's a night time AK thing. Disney is always bouncing ideas around, and apparently off of Bus drivers (I always thought it would be insidious if the bus drivers really where how Disney did the blue sky opinion polling.)

Truth is this post might as well be "More DVC or a new highway between Flagstaff and Santa Fe."

While there is more central planning that, that is about how tightly the two things are coupled. From what I know about the layout of Disney. They are different branches, I don't think the two are in way competing for funding. The only thing they could be competing for would be land, if there was some juicy chunk that they both wanted.

johno

 

[efinn88858]

Always, and there is always a rumor about a 5th gate.

Most resent one that has been getting press is the Villain's Park...
johno

That would be a great park! Maleficent's castle, Ursulla's grotto, and finally Captain Hook can get his own place and leave the the Pirates of the Caribbean alone!

 

[rwss711]

For those whose drive to WDW from either the Great Lakes area or even the New England area DollyWood is not far from RT 75.

A 22 hour straight shot from Chicago leave us exhausted for 2 days - it would be great if Dis and Dolly started talking merger.

Throw in a DVC resort in Pigeon Forge and BAM!! I would drive every trip and extend the trip by a couple of days each way.

The kicker would be combining a World wide Disney Park and more annual pass that could be used at DisneyLand, WDW, and whatever ? -- do I hear Branson, MO for midwest Disney?

 

[HayGan]

I don't know about anyone else but with all the new DVCs that Disney keeps adding, the parks just seem to be becoming over crowded on a regular basis. I know the economy is bad and the crowds are down slightly but I would much rather see another park added on instead of another DVC at this point.

Question is, what theme could they use?

You do know there is more to Orlando/Central Florida than just WDW, right

I would like to see the addition of a few rides in AK and HS as well as the addition of one or two countries in EP-WS (I would love to see Thailand and Brazil added.) But, we have begun to realize there is more to our trips to Florida than just WDW (GASP!) While I think there are some improvements that could be made to the parks, I do not see the need for a 5th theme park. There are so many other parks and activities in the area to explore. The only additional significant investment I would like them to make is a Poly DVC. That is something that I think would be a very good move for the company (and us shareholders )

 

[corpcomp]

You do know there is more to Orlando/Central Florida than just WDW, right

I would like to see the addition of a few rides in AK and HS as well as the addition of one or two countries in EP-WS (I would love to see Thailand and Brazil added.) But, we have begun to realize there is more to our trips to Florida than just WDW (GASP!) While I think there are some improvements that could be made to the parks, I do not see the need for a 5th theme park. There are so many other parks and activities in the area to explore. The only additional significant investment I would like them to make is a Poly DVC. That is something that I think would be a very good move for the company (and us shareholders )

You are right and when we go back next April we hope to visit the new Harry Potter World park at Universal.

 

[rigsby25]

I've never seen this addressed here, but truthfully, the year my husband and I went to WDW 4 times to really take advantage of the annual pass, we got Disney'd out. We didn't feel like there was anything new for us to experience. We've been going lately to Vero Beach and we really like it there. Now we have scheduled a visit to Kidani in October because the resort is new. I don't know how sure we are that we'll even be going to the parks. I was thinking maybe for MNSSHP, but I've done that twice and it cost extra if we buy passes. Besides that, when I've gone previously, I've seen all kinds of people in costumes. Now I'm reading 12 and under. Is this a change?

 

[jco_direwolf]

We didn't feel like there was anything new for us to experience.

Sorry you feel that way. Every time we go, typically 3-4 times a year. We do something new. Eat somewhere we've not eaten before, spent real time getting the perfect shot of the monorail in front of SSE, talked to a cast member in depth about something... Just experiencing the parks or the resorts without the feeling that we need to pack every second is wonderful. Even getting to a park, walking around do some people watching, and grab some fish and chips and head back to the resort for the pool...

We'll be back... we even know when... no need to rush...

I've done pin chases before... which I NEVER would have done if I didn't have an AP, and DVC.

okay now on this grey NE Spring day I wish I was at WDW.... *sigh* back to taking the plow blade off the tractor....

johno

 

[Alexander]

We were told absolutely will there be no more ticketed parks in Florida. We took several tours last July (sans kids trip) and the expansions that Disney is working on are global. They will continue to add new attractions to the existing parks, but no new parks will be built.

 

[tjkraz]

We were told absolutely will there be no more ticketed parks in Florida. We took several tours last July (sans kids trip) and the expansions that Disney is working on are global. They will continue to add new attractions to the existing parks, but no new parks will be built.

I don't know if I'd be quite that absolute--anything could happen to change that philosophy in the decades to come. But I do think it's highly doubtful that there will be a traditional "fifth gate" in the same vein as MK, EP, DHS and DAK.

About 8-10 months ago there were a lot of rumors swirling that Disney was on the verge of announcing a boutique park to compete with Sea World's Discovery Cove. DC has VERY limited daily attendance, some once-in-a-lifetime activities and a daily ticket price of about $300 per head. If not for the stock market collapse, Disney could be building that park right now.

I do think there will eventually be more development at WDW outside of the current 4 parks but it will have to be a new and different concept than what we have seen thus far. Disney has a pretty big sandbox to play in down there. But hopefully the traditional theme park attractions will be funneled into the current parks.