| # | Author | Message |
1
| AutoPost
Mon 5/5/2008 6:33p | This topic is for Discussion of: LP Column: 5/5/08 Greg Maletic: Disney's Biggest Theme Park Mistakes
From Disney Vacation Club to Same Pricing for All Parks to Epcot itself, Greg Maletic gives his list of Disney's Biggest Theme Park Mistakes. |
2
| Doobie
Mon 5/5/2008 6:59p | Just wanted to be the first to post...
I think your first point about Pirates and Mansion is a good one. Epcot's early attractions are similar but didn't really hit the mark in the same way.
The one I most disagree with is Same Price for all Parks. I think all parks give a full-day's entertainment and therefore should be the same price. All So Cal parks are pretty much the same pric and to have priced DCA much lower than Knott's and Universal would have been silly, IMHO. But that was debated like crazy way back in 2001.
Doobie. |
3
| kermit
Mon 5/5/2008 7:52p | Statler: I know what I consider to be the biggest mistake.
Waldorf: What's that?
Statler: Reading this article!
Both: Doh ho ho ho ho!
For once, I could agree with those two. Seriously what you said about EPCOT was worse than having the wand on Spaceship Earth stay after the Millenium year! Sure, it not really Walt's vision, but it was/is pretty good for it was/is. Brother... |
4
| mawnck
Mon 5/5/2008 8:30p | Interesting article, but ...
>>I mean, long, meandering, atmospheric rides.<<
Splash Mountain? |
5
| The Goddess Mara
Mon 5/5/2008 8:40p | The cost of building and maintaining a new attraction like Pirates of the Caribbean or Haunted Mansion is why Disney hasn't built any of these recently, and why two of the attractions that fall into this category (Horizons and World of Motion at Epcot) have been torn down.
The only place you'll see new attractions like this, right now, are in Tokyo Disneyland, where Pooh's Hunny Hunt and the 2009-opening Monster's Inc. ride are.\
The Oriental Land Company will spend the money, but the Walt Disney Company won't Pretty damn sad! |
6
| ToonKirby
Mon 5/5/2008 8:47p | >Hyper-Marketing, Part 2: Disney's Name on Absolutely Everything<
Probably THE most inane example of this was "Disney's Handwich", which was (and maybe still is) offered at the Sunshine Food Fair at the Land in Epcot.
What made it so unique? It was sandWICH you could hold in your HAND ...
- kch
|
7
| mawnck
Mon 5/5/2008 8:50p | >>What made it so unique? It was sandWICH you could hold in your HAND ... <<
Don't dis the Handwich, man. The Imagineers spent $9 million developing the bread for that thing. |
8
| leobloom
Mon 5/5/2008 8:52p | I agreed with everything you said, but especially enjoyed the bit about the Tree of Life. Unlike you, I actually think the Tree is pretty unimpressive. There's just something off with a structure built to replicate a living thing. SSE is impressive because is stands apart from its surroundings. The same goes for the other icons. Tree of Life just blends...except for the green of the fake leaves letting you know that you're looking at an artificial tree. |
9
| ryanbalas
Mon 5/5/2008 10:57p | Great article Greg. A couple notes. On the naming thingy - branding is soooo important today - if you repeat that brand over and over and over - it actually adds value to the product. Perceived value. You have no idea what that means to the bottom line.
The Disney name - that automatic attachment immediately adds value - even to a crappy product. Look at the stuff that shows up at the discount Disney warehouse stores (that is just the leftovers).
You saw how it didn't work when Disney sold their name to everything from breakfast cereals to 10% juice products and paper towels.
They realized they diluted the product and pulled back.
And, you see how it works on so many other levels. I gladly paid $110.00 dollars for a Swiss Army Mickey Mouse watch. Two excellent brands brought together.
On the naming thing too. Take Pizza Port. There was already a Pizza Port in Solana Beach, CA. Been around for years.
Instead of paying them for the name or choosing one of their own. They attached Redd Rockett's (in tiny letters) to the Pizza Port name and successfully and legally stole it.
I believe the original intention of EPCOT (the acronym for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow) was to cash in and help people experience what it is like to visit a World's Fair.
I even remember the references and articles.
I was fortunate enough to visit the World's Fair in Knoxville. It was amazing to see each country find a way to display a visual representation of themselves. I still remember the huge Rubix Cube rotating outside one of the buildings.
The Vancouver and Japan's World's Fair got world wide attention.
What Disney should do, is let each country represented, showcase their culture and country - World's Fair Style -365 24/7 at EPCOT. Imagine what the shows, displays and halls would look like. Bring in actual performers and such.
I have never even considered a visit to EPCOT. I would rather spend the airfare, hotel and visit at a real World's Fair somewhere on this planet instead of a fake one with Disney themed merchandise.
Don't mind the Disney Vacation Club. They are marketing to the people who didn't know about it or are on one and are having the time of their life.
People are being overwhelmed by TMI. If they can package everything together for one price - why not.
Lastly, never minded DCA. I have always found a way to package it with the better half. It was corporate greed that created the problems. DCA and Paris (built with American ego) and Hong Kong will eventually balance out as long as they learn from their mistakes.
DCA, Downtown Disney and resort improvements cost them 1.4 Billion at the time. DCA will come around - it has to - it could never become the 16,200 parking spaces it was. |
10
| leobloom
Mon 5/5/2008 11:16p | >>I have never even considered a visit to EPCOT. I would rather spend the airfare, hotel and visit at a real World's Fair somewhere on this planet instead of a fake one with Disney themed merchandise.>>
And here I thought you were going to say you'd rather spend the money to go to the actual countries! haha fooled me. |
