Say it ain't so Al; BK delayed?

[YoHo]

On the other hand, They could try to capitalize on the situation. A PR blitz soon with the basic message of Hey, look what we are building in the face of this economy and these terrors. Who knows that could turn some heads on Wall street and some heads of vacationers.


The biggest concern for the economy right now in my mind is the tellcom sector. Specifically capital purchases of that sector. Ironically, it makes me hope that Vivendi starts making some equipment purchases soon. That will drive companies like Cisco and Motorola back to better positions and take the tech side with them. considering that's where this collapse started, it might be the best place to be looking for a recovery

 

[Another Voice]

From the company’s point of view – the attendance problems are happening NOW, there’s a big celebration happening NOW, they want people to travel NOW, there’s a big press event to hype what’s happening NOW, and the company’s financials are hurt NOW.

Why would you announce a lot of wonderful additions to convince people to visit LATER?

That doesn’t mean the plans won’t happen, just that The Company may not spend a lot of resources getting the word out. In the current situation, you don’t want to encourage people to postpone their trips. Remember how quiet they kept Animal Kingdom and even California Adventure before they opened? The company has dealt with lesser degrees of this problem before.

 

[lrodk]

Why would you announce a lot of wonderful additions to convince people to visit LATER?

Hi AV. Bear in mind that the reason they're hurting "NOW" is a direct result of not developing enough innovative projects over the past two years. That should not preclude them from taking appropriate action today that would 1) satisfy the demographic group outside of Florida that they so coveat and need to win back, and 2) correct the current short-comings at the parks for the rest of us who have high expectations. It's far too late to correct things in time for the current celebration, but today's announcements will be tomorrow's windfall. I went on record some time back, as did many here, that this celebration would be the weakest to date, and unfortunately it seems that's the way things are playing out. I'm hopeful and fairly confident that they've learned a valuable lesson and will do whatever it takes to create the type of buzz that has kept WDW at the forefront of the tourist industry for so many years. I suspect we'll find out soon enough one way or the other.

 

[larry_poppins]

I just wanted to thank Another Voice for posting on this thread and on other threads. I really enjoy his comments. Not only does he seem to have some inside knowledge on Disney, but his opinions are well written and give me food for thought.

While I'm at it I should say that I enjoy most of the posts here on the Rumors and News Boards.

Thanks again

Larry

 

[JeffH]

They HAD to realize that this year would be a 'let-down' after the 'end' of last years 18 month Millenium Celebration (which was extremely successful), because after it was over it left a pretty big void (Millenium Village gone along with some of the 'spirit' of the new Millenium). Now since Disney didn't plan anything for this void, they basically should have planned on the let-down. In fact their promotion "asked" for it...urging you to visit during the Millenium celebration, so it you couldn't visit (or visit again) until a month after it was over, why go (you missed it, dummy), it's like getting to a movie late and missing most of it. And then there were those who planned a vacation for 2001, and pushed it up to 2000 to catch the MC.
Who ever though of the current cycle of closed ended 'celebration' promotions is a narrow minded idiot. Instead they should promote the following new 'stuff' in celebration of this-and-that. 'Stuff' that doesn't go away, but 'stuff' that gives you a good excuse to visit.
Jan 1, 2001 should have offered something new to fill the void left when the MC ended.

As far as increasing attendance beyond the general fan base...
When AK opened, attendance increased slightly overall at WDW, and AK attendance was great, but most of it was pulled from the other parks, not additional (spanking new) visitors.
The fact is, Disney fans like us return to WDW over and over again because of what it 'has' and 'is' not because it added a new E attraction. Yes, we like to see new stuff and a degree of change (for the better and not at the expense of our old favorites), but we go to see Mickey, ride the classics, enjoy the shows, and just 'be there'. Sure, a new E attraction (or celebration) can be a good 'excuse' to plan a vacation around, but nobody goes for the 1 new attraction alone. When AK opened it was great for us, lots more to do, but there was no big 'signature' attractions to pull in new people, just existing WDW fans coming back again.
Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who resist going to WDW, even if they can afford it...sort of a stubborn resistance against being brainwashed by or giving their money to the Mouse (my x-in-laws are like that...they went once way back when, so why go again?), or a simple adversion to happiness (some people just like to be miserable...like my mom). The only way to get these people to go is to make a specticle of yourself by opening an insane new ride...a ride that makes the kids beg the anti-Disney parents to go or is just so big they want to go themselves to see what the big deal is. Universal did it with IOA (the x-in-laws went for a 1 day trip, and will probably never return), Sea World did it with Atlantis and Kracken, Busch Gardens with several new big rides in the last 5 years. WDW has only added Test Track and Rock and Roller Coaster, neither of which are big splashy attractions due to their ho-hum themes (driving a car and listening to Aerosmith, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZz), neither of which would appeal much to stubborn old Dad.

As far as I'm concerned, they've been adding a lot of Disney touches since my daughter was born, making every trip more magical and special than the last and gave us a bevy of new stuff to enjoy (from AK and character meals, to Fantasmic), but from a promotional perspective, nothing to convince a stubborn old Dad to go for the first time.

Since they can't instantly add a new E attraction, they need a gimmick, like replace the wand in Mickey's hand with the WORLDS LARGEST UNITED STATES FLAG waving proudly over Spaceship Earth.

 

[Another Voice]

Hello Mr. Lrodk. In normal times I would completely agree with you. The results of the past summer at WDW and the opening of California Adventure have taught the Company a rather harsh lesson, and is the primary reason why you’ve heard a lot less from a certain high-level Corporate Vice President recently. And I have posted several times about the internal debate that’s been going on inside the Company between those who have and those who haven’t learned the lesson. That debate was being won in our favor.

We are, sadly, in a much different world now. No one can tell what next week will bring, let alone what the next few years will be like. There are growing indications that people’s travel patterns have been permanently changed; Hollywood is convinced that our entire culture will undergo a dramatic shift. I have never seen the entire entertainment industry so unsure of itself and so self-reflective. And that’s a good thing in my opinion.

Disney is rightly trying to figure itself out at the moment. There are several immediate problems that need to be addressed – attendance at the parks, The Disney Stores, the declining ratings and advertising at ABC. The costs for ABC News, a division the Company was working to outsource all this summer, have been staggering and are only going to grow from here. It does not make sense to continue to spend money on items for the parks that couldn’t draw attendance before the world changed. The goal for the parks has shifted from getting people to come back every year, to getting people to come at all.

I am not saying that there won’t be any additions to the parks. You probably won’t be seeing the small annual “additions” – the Aladdin spinners, parades, and Din-O-Rama stuff done on the cheap. My guess is that additions from now on will be larger, better thought out and more Disney than those in the recent past. A Beastly Kingdom with but one ride will not be a draw in the current environment – it would be much better in the long term for the Company to wait and create the full Beastly Kingdom area (and a another area as well).

A lot of planning and prep work can be accomplished before any public announcement is made. Every time Disney has created a major expansion, there has been a balancing act between the possibility that people would postpone trips and the need to get people who hadn’t planned on visiting interested in the new sights. This balance is so much more difficult at the moment and Disney will struggle with it for a while.

 

[YoHo]

So, If I read you right Another Voice, your saying, We will see what we want to see, but we won't hear much about it for various reasons, AND it will take a long time, because they are doing it right?


Now if only they'd have that revelation about the animation department (Where is Roy E. when you need him?)

Personally, I'm willing to wait. And I'll still go.