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

#	Author	Message
411	Darkbeer Fri 10/28/2005 7:31a	Another issue is the mix of guests, the DLR in Anaheim has a much higher percentage of locals and AP holders, and movie based attractions in general do not have the same repeatability as actual rides. But the "mix" is a problem for DCA in general, as the DLR gets a lot of one-day folks, and there is NO reason to go to DCA, when you can get a lot more for the same money by visiting Disneyland. And as for park-hoppers, why spend the extra $15 or $20 when you can't get everything done at Disneyland in one day.
412	idleHands Fri 10/28/2005 9:12a	"Another issue is the mix of guests, the DLR in Anaheim has a much higher percentage of locals and AP holders, and movie based attractions in general do not have the same repeatability as actual rides." Absolutely true. Which points out the one major failing of DCA, that it will most likely never recover from: heavy dependence on non-local DINK tourists as a target audience. You know, all those hard-working "dot com" professional yuppie couples in Silicon Valley, Multimedia Gulch, and Silicon Forest, with money to burn and no place to spend it, thanks to their "terrific" startup stock options. That's the group DCA and the Grand Californian were primarily created for. Now that we're in the post-"irrational exuberance" era, the original target audience for DCA has evaporated. But the overall design is still with us, "Disney's Universal Mountain Berry," as Ward Kimball supposedly referred to it. Therein lies the problem. Local visitors have these other SoCal parks at their fingertips, and do not need to be "enticed" to stay on property one extra day. They're not staying on property to begin with! Then DCA ends up "cannabilizing" DL's attendance with the locals, which doesn't add to the bottom line, given the operational costs to keep DCA open. A large segment of non-local visitors are tied to convention activity, and do stay on property. However, the attendees and their families don't need to be "enticed" to stay on property an extra day, since they're already here for several days on a pre-determined schedule, because of the convention. Whether they visit DL and/or DCA is irrelevant, since they're basically held captive on property for the duration of the convention, which typically is long enough to double as a mini-family vacation to the DLR. Precisely the same type of 3-day weekend mini-vacations those DINK professional yuppie couples would take every now and then as their work schedules would permit. Once the "dot com" era became "dot gone," DCA's original vision flew out the window. This is why the park needs the extreme makeover. It needs major retooling, to become more appealing to the repeat local visitor with a family and particularly young children. "DCA: Dot Com Antiquity"
413	dshyates Fri 10/28/2005 11:58a	davewasbaloo, I noticed that you included Star Tours on the DL, DLP, and TDL "Must Do" lists, but not at MGM which has a better fascade and placement and wasn't it put in MGM first? And although obviously not as good as DLs, Fantasmic for me is a must do at MGM. So wouldn't MGM be around a 9.5. And as for DCA, for me GRR and Screamin' would have to be on the list I would probably knock of a half a point each for the lack of "Disney Magic". But thats just my opinion.
414	planodisney Fri 10/28/2005 1:25p	It's not like Muppets, Animation at MGM, ITTBAB at AK have huge lines of people to get in. Heck, the last 4 times i have been on ToT, the line was almost non-existant. Those attraction have more attendees because those parks are filled with more people. DCA's lack of huge numbers doesnt prove it is a "sucky" park. I think it was too light on attractions for a second gate in Anaheim, and it seems like everybody expected it to be on par with DL. If the DLR got half as many destination visitors as WDW, then DCA would be just as crowded, probably more , than MGM or AK. I still believe that the DLR is marketed miserably. Most americans dont even know about the DLR or DCA. It is actually cheaper to visit the DLR from Dallas, with airfare, than to go to WDW. Nobody here is aware of that, because DLR vacations are not marketed here at all. That is CRAZY. When I went to DLR in July, my wife and I met 2 sets of parents, traveling with their children,from Dallas, who have started going to the DLR instead of WDW, because of the convenience of staying at the GC with their kids and in-laws, and because of the weather. More people need to be made aware of this option.
415	Hans Reinhardt Fri 10/28/2005 2:12p	"..and wasn't it put in MGM first?" Disney/MGM's is a clone: DL had it first.
416	scottie Fri 10/28/2005 2:54p	I'm beginning to think they should have just scaled down the DisneySea idea or Westcot. Even a scaled back DAK or Studios would have been a better idea. At least you could start out small like HKDL and build out as you go. It would have been easier for Disney fans to swallow if they said this is just Phase one and this is what we're looking towards in future phases. As long as they had a plan to build out, people would be much more optomistic than they are with DCA.
417	davewasbaloo Sat 10/29/2005 12:48a	"davewasbaloo, I noticed that you included Star Tours on the DL, DLP, and TDL "Must Do" lists, but not at MGM" -apologies, oversite on my part, yep add it to the MGM count. "And although obviously not as good as DLs, Fantasmic for me is a must do at MGM." I am afraid I find the WDW version so inferior to DL's that I prefer to go to Illuminations time and time again, skipping Fantasmic at MGM.
418	disneywatcher Sun 10/30/2005 1:24p	>> Nobody here is aware of that, because DLR vacations are not marketed here at all. << There's an ongoing ad campaign for Disney World in Orlando that really attempts to glom onto the 50th birthday of Disneyland/Anaheim, by making it appear as though Walt Disney, in 1955, was dedicating the premiere of the Magic Kingdom in Florida, not the one in California. However, I think there may be even less enthusiasm by the DisCo for hyping their operations in Anaheim after dealing with almost 5 solid years of embarrassing word-of-mouth and publicity of DCA---for example, the very negative reviews of the 2nd park found in various travel guides on the Disneyland Resort.
419	dshyates Sun 10/30/2005 1:40p	I wonder what the 50th marketing campaign would have looked like if DLR had gotten a kick-a$$ second gate. Disneyland might have actually been in the Disneyland's 50th Anniversary Celebration commercials.
420	BrnardM Mon 10/31/2005 2:23p	WoW, a sad but valid point. This is off the wall but it just occurred to me as I was thinking about Splash Mountain and just how well executed that attraction is. What makes it so great? The music was how I first answered, but beyond the score it occurred to me that the cast of AA animals really made it something else. Beyond hopper there really aren't any AA figures in DCA (I think there are a few more). The more that I thought about it, AA's really do enhance the ride experience with a capitol E. I know they're expensive, but I really think DCA needs them. Thoughts?

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

Disneyland Attraction Posters at
The LaughingPlace Store
The LaughingPlace Store now carries a Disneyland Attraction Posters from Sanders CC Gallery

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