New AK Ride In The Works

[mauijim]

Found this news item on www.mouseplanet.com ==>


At the March 19th, 2003 Walt Disney Company Annual Meeting in Denver, during the Question and Answer section, somebody asked what is Disney planning to do to improve Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Michael Eisner responded with the fact that a ride dealing with Climbing Mt. Everest and "is the biggest, and the best, and the most amazing ride thru the Himalayas..." is "on the boards and has been approved"... "A Testosterone driven ride for the boy in the family..." Then Michael turns to Bob Iger to ask when the ride should be completed, and Bob says "You just made a couple of hundred people on the internet happier than they ever been in their life." Basically confirming Michael let the cat out of the bag before the official announcement.

Source: The Walt Disney Company Annual Shareholder's Meeting Audio replay. (Approximately at 1 hour and 48 minutes into the presentation)

 

[d-r]

Micheal's just ticked off because I said April 22, and he is trying to show me up now.

"a couple of hundred people on the internet" I think they have us pretty much pegged.
DR

 

[airlarry!]

I listened to the audio show, and did a quick transcript. I think it is pretty accurate...but the MP report seems to be in error. It was the questioner (IMO) who replied to Ei$ner with the "Happy Internet People" remark...we can't hear Bob's reply on the audio portion because he didn't seem to have his microphone on:

http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=12939

Q: It’s like the only park that you haven’t built a moat around is the Animal Kingdom…are you guys going to do anything there any time soon…like Beastly Kingdom or something like that?”

A: We have on the boards and approved…and I don’t know whether we’ve announced it so I’m always in difficult territory here…but an attraction called something Climbing Everest…or…Mt Everest is in the title…and it is the biggest, and the best, and the most amazing ride through the Himalayas, (and it is) consistent with the topography and the spirit of the Animal Kingdom..We want the Animal Kingdom to be an equally attractive park to our guests as the other 3 parks in Florida and even though it is so unique and so swonderful having a testosterone driven ride for the boy in the family that finds himself in the ak with his sister and his parents is something that has been approved and is on the agenda to open…to begin construction actually… to begin, when do you think?

Q: You just made a couple of hundred people happy on the internet then they’ve ever been in their life.

a: Don’t tell them…don’t tell them (because) I don’t think we’ve announced it yet

 

[Eyesnur]

I believe you questioned my sanity recently over my belief that this would be built. Is this enough of a positive indicator for optimism or do you stilll need more?

 

[larworth]

Airlarry you beat me to the punch. Your account is accurate.

It was the questioner, not Iger, who made the "happy" comment. I could not tell if anyone tried to answer Eisner when he asked when it was to be open? Too bad, I guess we will get the full details in April.

The guy got to ask a second question and he wasted it on some nonsense about Kimmel and Mickey Mouse???

It appears Forbidden Mountain was just a working title.

Any comment on Eisner's framing this as something needed to appear to the boy that finds himself in the AK... the connotation being he doesn't really want to go there?

 

[KNWVIKING]

By "he" are you refering to ME or young boys in general. If you mean ME, I didn't get that impression. If you mean boys in general, I think that's an accurate statement on his part. There have probably been enough surveys taken that show that young boys/teens don't like AK because it's lacking in thrills. Count Down and River are all they offer.

 

[larworth]

The "he" is the yound male. We've talked about this demographic many times. It just got me thinking about segmentation and guest percpetion.

Is it the lack of rides with a thrill component that is the issue, or is the quality of these rides (Dino, Kali, PW) the problem. On a percentage basis they represent a high percent of DAK's attractions.

Everest does sound like it will be a notch higher on the thrill scale. If will be interesting to see if this helps or hurts the parks identify problem.

 

[crusader]

The AK needs more thrill in general. Disney needs more coasters. If the AK puts in a coaster, the attendance figures will instantly climb. It makes sense and it will work.

 

[raidermatt]

Anything of quality will help AK, whether its a coaster or a show, or whatever.

As larworth pointed out, on a percentage basis, AK is actually thrill-heavy. The problem isn't that there are only three thrill rides, its that the three thrill rides (out of something like 6 total rides, + 6 or 7 trails/shows), aren't very good. The highest praise from anyone on PW is that its fun, and we know how many negative comments have been made. The attendance figures tell us that the addition of PW, TS, and re-institution of a parade, did very little to help AK's drawing power.

Kali has the automatic appeal of being a water ride in a hot park, but most feel it is weak when compared to other rapids rides.

Dinosaur is OK, but lacks the scope and effort of comparable rides like Indy.

Its the quality that counts, not the quantity.

So, if this new coaster is really a quality effort in terms of story and themeing, then yes, it will help.

But of course, so would a quality family ride.

Is this enough of a positive indicator for optimism or do you stilll need more?

Similar to M:S, I think we have to see the results before we make that call, don't you? We know that Disney has to build SOMETHING every few years...even Eisner knows that.

So until we see more details on this, and consider what else is being planned for the resort, its difficult to draw any real conclusions.

 

[KNWVIKING]

"Is it the lack of rides with a thrill component that is the issue, or is the quality of these rides (Dino, Kali, PW) the problem. "

I don't think that age group cares about quality,theming,etc. They want to have their guts ripped and ready to puke. I think a lot of the success of IOA is due to this.

 

[raidermatt]

I don't think that age group cares about quality,theming,etc. They want to have their guts ripped and ready to puke. I think a lot of the success of IOA is due to this.

And therein lies the problem with trying to provide for every conceivable market segment...sometimes what they want is mutually exclusive.

 

[kenman]

I hope this ride isn't to WILD! There is getting to be way to many rides my family don't go on, It soon don't pay me to take them to Disney any more, including myself!

 

[KNWVIKING]

"And therein lies the problem with trying to provide for every conceivable market segment..."

This is a fairly sizeable market segment. If you lose the kids now, you may not get them back when they get older. I think WDW could stand to have a few rides for these kids.

 

[crusader]

Its the quality that counts, not the quantity.

No, it's both - neither of which the AK has.

This is a fairly sizeable market segment. If you lose the kids now, you may not get them back when they get older. I think WDW could stand to have a few rides for these kids.

This is exactly true. Once an initial impression is made it is hard to convince someone otherwise. The young person attending WDW grows up and considers their particular experience when weighing the decision to revisit.

There is plenty of room for this "market segment". There has to be more thrills at WDW to liven up a young audience and help justify the price of this trip to the average family.

 

[All Aboard]

Crusader, why then am I a captive WDW customer? My first experience (as a 12 year old) there was with just a single thrill attraction - Space Mountain. I lost some interest in WDW in the intervening years, but it was restored whole hog as I moved into early adulthood and then burst wide open when I became a parent.

That's the kind of appeal WDW needs to retain. The segment that keeps getting described above is fickle and fleeting. One day they like you, then they look to the next guys whose is taller and faster than yours.

Cedar Point customers decided that 100mph and 310feet is neither tall enough or fast enough. Hence, Dragster. What's it's shelf life?

 

[crusader]

gcurling -

I know it may sound as if I am only describing someone having a negative experience and not returning but I am speaking of everyone here.

You losing your appeal as a young person and then regaining it is probably similar to most of us. I myself loved space mountain and rode it over and over again with my brother when it was literally the only thrill going at the parks. I have often felt that invisible appeal to go back! But it really is an illusion anymore.

Today what I see are alot of parents raising their children as participants in the decision making process. What often happens is that young man or woman will whine and complain that they are bored more often than not and won't willingly participate in a vacation. This is where the "magic" becomes work. Relaxation is gone and you start to rethink the cost.

Put in a few more thrills more in line with todays standard and you have something to offer your entire family.

 

[airlarry!]

M. Curling is correct.

Why go for bigger, faster, stronger? That's not Disney's niche and its not their market.

Go for longer lasting, better show, widest possible ridership. Family rides...with an occasional teen ride to get big bro or big sis about the family trip.

 

[crusader]

The parks are loaded with large capacity rides and shows already. They need more thrills. It does not mean they need to build an "X" or "Top Thrill Dragster" (although it sounds good to me!).

The themed rides eventually lose thier luster if there is no thrill element. For example, look at the draw for PoTC today compared to Space Mountain. Which ride continues to generate lines? The one with more thrill - the coaster.

 

[KNWVIKING]

"Go for longer lasting, better show, widest possible ridership. Family rides...with an occasional teen ride to get big bro or big sis about the family trip."

Your agreeing with Curling, but your quote is exactly what me and Crusader have been saying. guess I'm misreading something ?!?

 

[KNWVIKING]

"Go for longer lasting, better show, widest possible ridership. Family rides...with an occasional teen ride to get big bro or big sis about the family trip."

Your agreeing with Curling, but your quote is exactly what me and Crusader have been saying. guess I'm misreading something ?!?