WDWHound
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2000
- Messages
- 5,895
Why is attendance up at Universal and Down at Disney? This is a question Disney had better learn to answer soon if they want to turn their attendance numbers around. I believe there are several reasons for the phenomenon.
First, Universal gives its audience what it wants, rather than what they want them to want. Universal understands its core audience (teens and young adults) and has been consistently delivering attractions that keep them happy. Many, but not all of these are attractions are thrill rides. All of their new attractions are cutting edge and exciting. Spidey is not a thrill ride, but it delivers a real punch none the less. There are a few attractions for the very young, but 90% are aimed at their core and nearly all of those are aimed at satisfying their desire for thrills and adnventure.
Disney on the other hand seems to be giving us what they want us to want, rather than what we want. Their core market is families. Families want attractions the entire family can enjoy. This is a more challenging nut to crack than Universal faces, but Disney used to do an outstanding job of meeting these expectations by creating 5 star theatrical rides that tell a story (otherwise know as dark rides). Sure, they have always had some family level thrill rides (The famous Disney Mountains spring to mind), but when most people think of Disney, they think of attractions like Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Winnie The Pooh (though I'd still rather have Toad), Snow White, Peter Pan, Spaceship Earth, etc). many of Disneys dark rides are actually low tech (this is true for virtually all of Fantasy Land), but all of them told a story better than anyone else in the industry. Now Disney seems very reluctant to build dark rides. With the closing of Superstar Limo. California Adventure had only one (Soarin) and even it can be argued to be a theatrical experience (more on this growing category in later thread). The Magic Kindom hasn't seen a new dark ride in years, and we had to give up the wildly popular Toad to get the last one. In the place of dark rides, we are getting movies and "lightly themed" (Eisner's own words) carnival rides. This is not what most families want because parents dont tend to enjoy them. It is however what Disney wants families to want because they are much less expensive.
Another problem is theming. Disney and Universal are the blue ribbon products of the theme park market. What separates them from Six Flags is that they aim to deliver an experience above and beyond just rides. Disney used to understand this better than anyone else. Actually, I think they still do, they just aren't willing to do it as often or in the right places. In stores, and restaurants, theming abounds. In new attractions and lands, theming is tacked on with scotch tape. Look at all of California Adventure, Dinorama, Innoventions Or JIYI 2 (thankfully, they fixed this one) for examples .
Ironically, theming used to be Universals biggest problem. They tried, but for some reason the Theming at Universal Studios Florida just didn't work when it was opened. Well, I can say this for Universal, they learn from their mistakes. When IOA opened, it was themed at a level that only Disney had been capable of before that time. My wife and I wandered into the lost Continent before anyone else had arrived one morning and were awestruck. We literally felt we had been swept away to some lost city forgotten by time. I cant think of anything Disney has built since the Tower of Terror area that was so completely emursive in terms of theme.
I know all these things have been said before on this board (many, many times), but I think they stand out particularly well when looking at Universal and Disney together. Just after it opened, many people pointed to IOA as proof that the expensive, heavily themed them park concept was not longer valid because IOA was losing money. But wait, look at whats happening now. In the middle of a flat economy and a time when tourists are afraid to travel. IOAs attendance actually went up 11 percent while Disney's went down 6%. This is the first time in the history of the Disney parks that a recession has actually impacted their attendance so heavily, yet Universal is actuall growing. IOA should be teaching Disney a lesson right out of Disney's own play book, but Disney isn't listening.
I actually fear the rumors that Disney is looking into buying Universal's Florida parks. Once they fall into Disneys hands, say goodbye to the innovation bread by competition. If Disney owns the entire theme park market in Orlando, they could see it as free license to continue to deliver the mediocre because they will think no one will notice. There would be nothing left to compare it to. In the end though, it would hurt them badly, because customers always notice when you stop giving them what they want.
First, Universal gives its audience what it wants, rather than what they want them to want. Universal understands its core audience (teens and young adults) and has been consistently delivering attractions that keep them happy. Many, but not all of these are attractions are thrill rides. All of their new attractions are cutting edge and exciting. Spidey is not a thrill ride, but it delivers a real punch none the less. There are a few attractions for the very young, but 90% are aimed at their core and nearly all of those are aimed at satisfying their desire for thrills and adnventure.
Disney on the other hand seems to be giving us what they want us to want, rather than what we want. Their core market is families. Families want attractions the entire family can enjoy. This is a more challenging nut to crack than Universal faces, but Disney used to do an outstanding job of meeting these expectations by creating 5 star theatrical rides that tell a story (otherwise know as dark rides). Sure, they have always had some family level thrill rides (The famous Disney Mountains spring to mind), but when most people think of Disney, they think of attractions like Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Winnie The Pooh (though I'd still rather have Toad), Snow White, Peter Pan, Spaceship Earth, etc). many of Disneys dark rides are actually low tech (this is true for virtually all of Fantasy Land), but all of them told a story better than anyone else in the industry. Now Disney seems very reluctant to build dark rides. With the closing of Superstar Limo. California Adventure had only one (Soarin) and even it can be argued to be a theatrical experience (more on this growing category in later thread). The Magic Kindom hasn't seen a new dark ride in years, and we had to give up the wildly popular Toad to get the last one. In the place of dark rides, we are getting movies and "lightly themed" (Eisner's own words) carnival rides. This is not what most families want because parents dont tend to enjoy them. It is however what Disney wants families to want because they are much less expensive.
Another problem is theming. Disney and Universal are the blue ribbon products of the theme park market. What separates them from Six Flags is that they aim to deliver an experience above and beyond just rides. Disney used to understand this better than anyone else. Actually, I think they still do, they just aren't willing to do it as often or in the right places. In stores, and restaurants, theming abounds. In new attractions and lands, theming is tacked on with scotch tape. Look at all of California Adventure, Dinorama, Innoventions Or JIYI 2 (thankfully, they fixed this one) for examples .
Ironically, theming used to be Universals biggest problem. They tried, but for some reason the Theming at Universal Studios Florida just didn't work when it was opened. Well, I can say this for Universal, they learn from their mistakes. When IOA opened, it was themed at a level that only Disney had been capable of before that time. My wife and I wandered into the lost Continent before anyone else had arrived one morning and were awestruck. We literally felt we had been swept away to some lost city forgotten by time. I cant think of anything Disney has built since the Tower of Terror area that was so completely emursive in terms of theme.
I know all these things have been said before on this board (many, many times), but I think they stand out particularly well when looking at Universal and Disney together. Just after it opened, many people pointed to IOA as proof that the expensive, heavily themed them park concept was not longer valid because IOA was losing money. But wait, look at whats happening now. In the middle of a flat economy and a time when tourists are afraid to travel. IOAs attendance actually went up 11 percent while Disney's went down 6%. This is the first time in the history of the Disney parks that a recession has actually impacted their attendance so heavily, yet Universal is actuall growing. IOA should be teaching Disney a lesson right out of Disney's own play book, but Disney isn't listening.
I actually fear the rumors that Disney is looking into buying Universal's Florida parks. Once they fall into Disneys hands, say goodbye to the innovation bread by competition. If Disney owns the entire theme park market in Orlando, they could see it as free license to continue to deliver the mediocre because they will think no one will notice. There would be nothing left to compare it to. In the end though, it would hurt them badly, because customers always notice when you stop giving them what they want.
) and therefore Universal was doing just fine. The construction of IOA and other universal parks isn't what is causing Vivendi's problems.
