Spooky hotel and 5th Gate

[larworth]

The following involve both hotels and a 5th gate. Why don’t we see if we can discuss this without any mention of Pop Century, or without the need to proclaim “they should finish the current half parks first before they even think about…”. Willpower, my friends.

On another board someone claimed to have participated in a market study. Here were two interesting questions they were reportedly asked:

The researcher pulled out a sheet and asked us how we would feel about possible upcoming hotel ideas, and if we would be inclined to stay in one. The ideas mentioned were hotels that were "spooky" themed. One was a Haunted Mansion themed hotel another was a Hollywood Tower hotel

We’ve all heard about the once proposed hotel inside ToT, but this is the first time I’ve heard mention about a resort hotel with this type of theme. An interesting concept, but would there be a big enough market and could it be done with the younger set in mind?

Now, the second:

The researcher then asked us, based on a the name alone, which theme park would you be most likely to visist. Rank 1-5:

1. Mickey's Scary Adventureland
2. Disney's Villian Kingdom
3. Disney Excite
4. Disney's Excitement Kingdom
5. Mickey's Nightmare Adventureland

1,2 & 5 seem like a play on the same Villains theme. 3 & 4 have an Excite? theme. Should we assume this is a “thrill park” reference? What other ideas would go along with an excite concept?

 

[d-r]

Well, the thing is, if they wanted to add a thrilling park, one would think that it would be aimed at the tweens and teens, right? So I hope they have some better names to play with than those five dorky ones. Can you just see some teens trying to be cool and saying "hey, let's go to Mickey's scary adventure excitement kingdom!!"

I think this is blue pie in the sky anyway, or course.

 

[toefungus]

6. DisneySea!

 

[hopemax]

I agree with d-r, what is up with those names?

If Disney is working on scary/thrill, I don't think they can use "Mickey." And I'm not sure how much they could even get away with using "Disney." Those terms envokes a set of certain expectations in the marketplace, the primary one being "appropriate for 3-7 year olds." And if they are going for thrills and chills, I don't think they are going to convince the bulk of people who like those things to come. They'll thumb their noses up at the first mention of Mickey or Disney. I think this is one of the problems with Disney's California Adventure. The families with small children came because it was "Disney," then were disappointed with the park options. The people who might have liked those options didn't come because it was "Disney." (i.e. it was for little kids).

If they are going to step outside the Disney box, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, they need to come up with a new name, like they did with EPCOT. And if Disney isn't brave enough to go it without some sort of "branding" they should use on of the other properties, like Miramax, ESPN, Touchtone. But I would try to come up with something entirely new.

 

[Walt's Frozen Head]

I still think "Shadow Kingdom" is the only appropriate name for the kind of thing that appears to be augured, here.

-WFH

 

[EUROPA]

5TH GATE ???!!! THEY SHOULD FINISH....



Sorry forgot...

I've always liked the idea of a Villan/Thrill park....not to sure about the hotel though. I don't think I would get any sleep in a place like that. The names are bad though...

 

[larworth]

I assume they are not only testing names, but the type of attractions/experience it implies.

Three are clearly built on an attraction/aversion to the negative - Villains, Scary, Nightmare. However, the age appropriateness of these three parks sounds very different. Villains might still be a family park, but with a modest edge (low). Scary clearly evokes issues for the wee one (medium), and Nightmare even more (high).

The other two are built on a positive, excitement. Now, I assume everyone wants a little excitement. Parades can be exciting, shows can be exciting, rides can be exciting, so these could still be family parks. I was wondering if in Disney's mind excite isn't meant to be a euphenism for thrill? What other images might it evoke?

 

[WDWHound]

There were rumors that California Adventure's Tower of Terror was going to include a small hotel when it was first proposed and that the plans later fell victem to cutbacks.

I would enjoy a haunted hotel theme for a few nights. It might get a bit old after a few days though.

As for the fifth gate, a villian based park has always seemed like a good idea to me.

 

[Lesley]

Watched Stephen King's Rose Red on tv last night.....I don't think I'll be wanting to stay in anything reputedly "haunted" any time soon. And a big "NO WAY" from the kids on that one.

Those names suck....I don't think I'd be interested in any of them.

As others have said, I don't think this is anything real anyway....

 

[phillybeth]

The Haunted Hotel theme sounds really cool to me, sort of like a Gothic GF. Dark woodwork, dark wallpaper, like the load area for HM. Peeling paint, hanging shutters, dead plants.... oh wait, that's the MK.

So it is not lack of maintenance, it's a "Spooky Theme". What a spin.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Gee, wouldn't you want to stay INSIDE the ToT and hear screaming all the time?
Maybe they could revamp PC into this theme, then everyone would stop saying what an eyesore it is.
Take off the gawd awful letters that 99% hate anyway.
Keep the over sized Disney characters, as everyone seems to like those. But move them to one side and have a wonderful, sweet fairy tale ending. SO sweet its syrupy.
The other side bring in the dark side of Disney. Make it Halloween ALL year around!
It could work -- the battle between good and evil throughout the resort --
MAWAhahahahahaha .....
Oops -- got carried away.

 

[Captain Hook]

The villian character breakfasdt never took off, correct? I dont think we could put any stock into a hotel or a 5th gate. Maybe a villian land within a park.

 

[Planogirl]

I think that a spooky hotel would be great! And if it's done in a humorous way, I can't see it being scary.

But I agree that with all that needs to be done that this seems very unlikely. A Villains "land" might be appropriate though. Where DO they go at night?

 

[Amphigorey]

This wasn't in the original plans, of course, but I always thought that the Hollywood Tower Hotel should be in two parts: the first, as it was in the 1930s, a jewel in Hollywood, glittering, glamorous, and elegant. The second, other half of the hotel should be as it is now - dark, spooky, and mysterious. The bellhops would be reluctant to talk about the incident that left the hotel half light and half dark, and they should delicately mention things they have seen in the dark half.

There should be a jazz and swing club in the hotel, complete with lessons given by people in period costume. There should be a restaurant on the veranda, and the dishes should be named after famous horror stars and themes: the Boris Karloff is the eggplant parmigiana, the Tod Browning is the salad with goat cheese, and the H.P. Lovecraft is, of course, the calamari.

I would SO stay there. You couldn't get me to leave!

 

[SpecialFXKid]

I've heard rumors of a Haunted Mansion esque Hotel for several months now, but neglected to mention anything, so as to see if it was truly rumor or if something actualy came from Disney....

As for a hotel being to scary, keep in mind that the hotel wouldn't have to be scary, just dark and dingy, especialy if they do it with The Haunted Mansion themeing in mind. Haunted Mansion is more dark humor then it is scary. Id stay at that resort every time I go... (well, as long as it's not at Deluxe prices.. lol)

As for the the Horror theming... I really can't see Disney and HP Lovecraft being mentioned in the same sentence...

"Come to Disney's brand new HP Lovecract character breakfast, where you devour your food, then Cthulu devours you."

It just dosen't seem to work.

Plus, Universal has rights to the classic monster horror films.. tho I don't know who Disney would have to get ahold of to use the names of some of the greats, such as Boris Karloff and Lon Changny.

 

[Jjacqjob]

I'd give a whirl staying at a "haunted" hotel theme- sounds right up my alley!

 

[Wantogo]

I personally would like a Florida Seas theme park like Tokyo Seas.

 

[The Duchess]

You can definately have a "spooky" themed hotel without it having to be dusty and dark. Think "The Shining." A 1920's decor would be very cool.
Just theme it with the Disney Villains and add a few sound effects,mysterious doors, weird mirrors and flickering lamps in the hallways.
There are millions of ideas. And for WDW visitors like us who only visit every two years, it would not get boring.

Also, I think the idea of a Disney "Thrill Park" is excellent. Leave out "Disney" or "Mickey" in the name. There must be some encompassing Villain theme they can use for a name that isn't too "scary." They could name it after the most famous Disney Villain (not sure who that would be?) A section of the park for younger kids in the same location would compete with IOA.

 

[anim8or98]

I remember a while ago (possibly 8 to 10 years ago), there was a guide book to Orlando that stated that Disney was going to be building a haunted hotel. I'll have to check and see if I still have that book. I'll scan the page in and link it if I find it. I just remember being disappointed that there was no such thing the next time I visited or the time after that. I always thought it was a great concept. Here's hoping it happens.

 

[roymccoy]

could bang us out a 5th gate in about 6 months...just give em' a couple hundred thousand and watch him go! Now....let's see....we'll need balsa wood...a jigsaw...paint....VOILA! A 5th gate!!

Roy

(Oh, did you hear that Pressler got all excited when he heard that they were talking about a 5th gate? he thought "Wow, think of all the money were going to make!"...yeah, but then he heard that they were planning more than just a gate...)