DCA, Future Expansion
Topic: Why is Disney's California Adventure a failure?

#	Author	Message
261	RoadTrip Wed 8/3/2005 10:39a	DCA is not a failure. The original attendance projections of Disney execs were failures. All they had to do was look to Florida and see what a park with a limited number of attractions (DAK) drew in comparison with the "parent" park. They also should have learned from the Florida experience that Hopper passes are necessary to get people to visit multiple parks. I don't think ANYONE dnies the fact that DCA did not meet the planners expectations. I just happen to think the expectation were out of line and unrealistic. DCA a failure? It is the 8th most visited Theme Park in the United States. I wouldn't call that a failure.
262	WorldDisney Wed 8/3/2005 10:46a	^^^Hey, that's a nice new little spin on it :). Rejected DCA tagline- DCA: Oh like YOU don't have issues??
263	RoadTrip Wed 8/3/2005 11:06a	Have you ever used tripadvisor.com? I've found it to be a very reliable source of information about hotels and attractions with ratings provided by "real people" who have been there. Under the Anaheim Attractions category, Disneyland Park averages 4.5 out of 5 and DCA averages 4.0 out of five. While DCA does not rate as highly as DL (no surprise there), a 4.0 would have to be considered a good rating. Hardly a failure. (Just to provide a bit of comparison; the Trip advisor average rating for Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando is 3.61.)
264	WorldDisney Wed 8/3/2005 11:19a	....And yet, with all the good buzz, it can't seem to get people more interested in the park since it's RARELY filled to capacity with all the park hoppers, multi-passes, CM comps and oh yeah, an 18 month celebration that are bringing the people out like never before?? See, this is the problem when I start hearing all the 'praises' of this park and the 'failure' issues is just overexaggerations of us geeky Disney obsessed fanboys. Like it or not, hardly anyone is taking advantage of that park the way it SHOULD. DCA should be RIGHT BEHIND DL in attendance (I'm talking percentage wise) if it was performing up to the high buzz that the Anaheim thingy you sighted is saying. Seriously, the park will be celebrating it's 5th anniversary in 6 months time, but YET we are STILL talking attendance issues for it all these years later. I mean, c'mon, there seems to be a HUGE gap between one's perception of what the place is doing and reality. I guess we just can't agree on whose perceptions and whose reality is ultimately right ;). But, I was at the park last week and for at leat a few days, the reality was the park was basically EMPTY for a sunny mid-July week while you could barely breath in DL. I guess its all the extra wide paths in DCA that's creating that perception, huh? Rejected DCA tagline- DCA: Better here than prision!!
265	disneywatcher Wed 8/3/2005 11:26a	>> the reality was the park was basically EMPTY for a sunny mid-July... << "You're lying!!!," retorted Michael Eisner. "DCA is hardly a failure," snorted Barry Braverman. "DCA is actually quite popular and beautiful," said Tim Delaney. The three gentlemen then were wheeled into the operating room for major brain and eye surgery.
266	fkurucz Wed 8/3/2005 11:28a	>>Walt Disney really had his Imagineers working in the right direction with Old New Orleans Square as an example. Even though it is a stylized and not realistic recreation of the actual French Quarter,<< What do you mean not realistic? The restrooms reek!
267	RoadTrip Wed 8/3/2005 11:45a	<< an 18 month celebration that are bringing the people out like never before??>> Yes, but it is primarily a Disneyland Park celebration, not a DCA one. During 2000 when Epcot was running the Millennium Celebration attendance was up a half million even though MK attendance was only up 200,000. Big celebrations help the park where it is centered more than the surrounding parks. That doesn't seem like much of a surprise to me.
268	ModHatter Wed 8/3/2005 12:15p	A quick word about subjective ratings... Let's keep this hypothetical. If you ask a bunch of people who have gone to the Spatula Store how they rate the Spatula Store, odds are they will give it a decent rating, since they are the type who would be attracted by a spatula store. However, if the Spatula Store doesn't draw enough spatula enthusiasts, it doesn't matter if the customers who DID go rate it 10 out of 10. It's not ATTRACTING ENOUGH BUSINESS. So, maybe the Spatula Store is an artistic success and a customer satisfaction genius, but years in the red will make it a clear failure. Obviously, DCA is like that Spatula Store. People that look at DCA and decide it offers enough for them to want to visit... ALREADY have given the park a certain rating. But by the same token, the vast number of people who have not gone have also given it a rating. And it's a bad one.
269	Hans Reinhardt Wed 8/3/2005 1:30p	"It's not ATTRACTING ENOUGH BUSINESS". Enough business? What is enough business? Are you saying it isn't attracting enough business to be profitable? The way I see it is that DCA doesn't attract strong repeat business (the locals) and doesn't retain guests (specifically parkhoppers) while they are visiting the park. These are two important revenue driving points where Disneyland excels. "But by the same token, the vast number of people who have not gone have also given it a rating. And it's a bad one." And that's unfortunate, since there's no reson why anyone should believe reviews and critiques from people who haven't been are reliable.
270	ModHatter Wed 8/3/2005 1:50p	Actually... reviews by people who haven't been there are incredibly valuable... to the company running the park. Right now, the park is building an attraction that's likely to please the people who are already happy when they go to the park. What they SHOULD be doing is looking at trends for both parks, seeing what has and has NOT increased attendance at the resort, and determining what additions might make the park more attractive to those previously mentioned vast numbers of people who aren't currently going to the park. Here's another analogy... Say you make a car. And it's a decent car. But it's twice as expensive as it should be, only seats two, gets bad mileage, is only sold in rust brown, and is called the Junker. Well, you can do one of two things. You can shake your fists at the American consumer and bluster that the car is just dandy. Or, you can do a little rethinking and figure out what the CONSUMER wants, even if it means changing your product. You know, a recent political poll made an important point more salient. Rather than arguing whether or not the park is a success, let's argue the actual definition of success/failure. It's still subjective, of course, but if you look at all the levels DCA fails at, or at least dramatically underperforms, I certainly don't see any way to call it a success.

All times are Pacific Time (US)

Note: Information on the discussion boards is sometimes based on rumors or incorrect information and should not be assumed true. Messages do not necessarily reflect the opinion of LaughingPlace.com or its editors.

More messages:	1-10	11-20	21-30	31-40	41-50
	51-60	61-70	71-80	81-90	91-100
	101-110	111-120	121-130	131-140	141-150
	151-160	161-170	171-180	181-190	191-200
	201-210	211-220	221-230	231-240	241-250
	251-260	261-270	271-280	281-290	291-300
	301-310	311-320	321-330	331-340	341-350
	351-360	361-370	371-380	381-390	391-400
	401-410	411-420	421-425

< Previous Topic

Next Topic >

You must be a registered user to post messages.
Click here to register.
After registration you will automatically be brought back to this topic

Now Playing
Aquasphere Plaza Night
Tokyo Disney Sea 5th Anniversary (2 of 2) (Aquasphere)

What's on
The Latest
Original Mouseketeer Cheryl Holdridge passes away
Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience pictures
Tales from the Laughing Place author featured on the Disney and More blog
Participants and Spectators to Experience More Magic At Largest Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend Ever
American Idol Experience details
Single-Game Tickets for Expanded Braves Spring Training Slate At Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex on Sale Jan. 10
NFFC All Disneyana Show and Sale to be held on January 18, 2009
New Bedtime Stories clips
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Announces Exciting New Blu-ray Options
Walt Disney World Co. and Environmental Tectonics Corporation Announce the Settlement of All Litigation Relating to Mission: Space

Click here for The Latest