Disneyland's 3rd park to be a "boutique" park?

[Sir Clinksalot]

http://www.miceage.com/allutz/al032707a.htm

 

Basically there are rumors that the 3rd Disneyland park will be along the lines of Discovery Cove, but a theme park.

 

Personally, I don't think this would work. The reason Discovery Cove works is because that's an experience you can't get anywhere else in Orlando. Why spend $250 per day on an upscale park when you have Disneyland 1/2 a mile away?

[robbalvey]

I dunno, this quote right here from Al's article:

 

And since the admission would be something decidedly north of the regular Disneyland day ticket, (along with premium pricing for everything else that would purchased during a visit), that will weed out a lot of the more casual tourists or AP holders anyway.

 

Sounds pretty inviting to me!

 

I think without getting ANY details at all as to what the park is, it's completely impossible to make a judgement call as to if it would interest anyway.

 

I can totally see why people go to Discovery Cove, and honestly, if there was a DC next to Sea World, I could see it doing VERY well.

 

The question really is "What kind of $200 per person park" would Disney build? IMO, it would have to be something *SPECTACULAR*, and if that's the case? Hell, I might be willing to shell out that kind of money!

 

I mean, think about it. People pay EASILY $100 per person for your average 2-3 hour show in Vegas. So if there was an interactive park that you could spend all day in that had multiple times the "WOW" factor of your average Vegas show....HELL YES people would go!

 

For me personally, I'm not a fan of Disneyland. It's my least favorite "Magic Kingdom" and one of my least favorite overall Disney parks. So if there was something down the street BETTER...I'd go. No question!

 

I'm the type of person who will buy an "upcharge" park experience, even when you don't really need it. For example, I couldn't imagine going to Universal Orlando or Six Flags Great Adventure and NOT buy their "express pass" options. Even if the lines are only 15 minutes, why wait in a 15 minute line when for $50 extra per person you can wait in zero line? I think it's all about what you want to get out of your day and what the value of that is to each individual person.

 

There are a LOT of people out there like me who obviously take advantage of these options, otherwise parks wouldn't offer $50 to $200 "VIP" experiences.

 

--Robb "Gotta think about the bigger picture here..." Alvey

[Sir Clinksalot]

^ Totally.

 

If it's that far "above and beyond" what you would be getting at Disneyland, then sure.

 

But if it's just the same type of experience, but with less crowds then I'm not so sure.

[robbalvey]

I didn't read it as "the same type of experience you can get at Disneyland." You even said it yourself. "...the 3rd Disneyland park will be along the lines of Discovery Cove, but a theme park."

 

Discovery Cove is a place that goes WELL "above and beyond." OMG, that place treats you like ROYALTY! If there ever was an ultimate theme park VIP experience that had to be it!

 

Now granted, it's not really something I would do again, because I'm not really into animals, but if there was a theme park that gave you the same VIP treatment with unique attractions, that would be AWESOME!

 

--Robb

[Sir Clinksalot]

From a business perspective though, I just don't know if the clientelle is there to support a park like this for 365 days per year.

 

Not sure if most people who would be able to do this park are really "Theme Park" people.

 

But Robb, you do make some very good points. And I'm all for Disney making money as it helps my stock.

[jackskellington101]

It's an interesting idea. However, I don't know weeding out the locals and APs at Disneyland is quite the smartest path to go down. That's the bread and butter of Disneyland, from what I have come to understand. That's the market they've come to cater. Weeding them out seems to be counter productive. That "catering to locals"/different market reasoning is also the reasoning I always got when I asked why Disneyland received certain things, especially the holiday attraction overlays, and why Disney World didn't. Disneyland has locals and AP holders who visit repeatedly, so an attraction being closed for a little bit to install an overlay or little month rehabs are not that big of a deal. Disney World gets first time and possibly only time visitors who would be, and are, hopping mad if certain attractions, like Haunted Mansion and Small World, were closed for any period. So the overlays, and in turn little pick me ups, are just not feasible.

 

Making a new, almost personalized experience and unique attraction base would be a huge draw. I almost want to call it Park 33. However, I don't think Disneyland is the best placement for this idea. Disney World, however, just might be. They can create a feeling of special treatment and isolation from the masses. Almost a second Magic Kingdom concept in entry where you park away from the park itself and take special transportation to the main gate. It would be down the street from Discovery Cove, but these experiences are not competitive. It's two very different worlds.

 

Overall, it's a rumor of something that I'm sure is just being pushed hard by the blue-sky teams. It probably will change 50,000 times from now to if it ever happens.

[thecoasterkid]

I like the idea, but I don't know the Anaheim area market nearly enough to try to judge how it will do.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing some more information about this, and the potential of something similar becoming the "5th gate" at Disney World.

[Wes]

This is Al Lutz. For every one thing he gets right, he gets six things wrong.

[jackskellington101]

^ Very true. Very very true. Now, tell me, what are the odds of Jim Hill getting something right?

[Jew]

Not sure if most people who would be able to do this park are really "Theme Park" people.

 

Making the huge assumption that this rumor is true, that is exactly why they would want to build and operate the park in a "botique" manner. To say "hey...this is not your normal theme park experience, that's why you should spend your money here!"

 

But I highly, highly, highly, highly, doubt the rumor is true.

[Wes]

^ Very true. Very very true. Now, tell me, what are the odds of Jim Hill getting something right?

 

When he stops. Writing incomplete sentences. With breaks in the middle. Like this.

[BarryH]

^Also, Jim ill will get something right when he stops writing "'What do you mean,' you ask."

 

No really, a "boutique park" is an interesting idea. I've been to Discovery Cove and boy, they do treat you like royality. Man, if I paid $200+ a day for that experience, I'd want to be treated rather well too! I wonder if Disney's park will have all the churros you can eat, exculsive rides on roller coasters, a bed and breakfast, or a dolphin encounter.

[ginzo]

^Also, Jim ill will get something right when he stops writing "'What do you mean,' you ask."

 

No really, a "boutique park" is an interesting idea. I've been to Discovery Cove and boy, they do treat you like royality. Man, if I paid $200+ a day for that experience, I'd want to be treated rather well too! I wonder if Disney's park will have all the churros you can eat, exculsive rides on roller coasters, a bed and breakfast, or a dolphin encounter.

 

$200 for churros! Sign me up!

[metrock]

^ Screw the churros. For $200, I would expect unlimited BJ's

[arrowfanman]

However, I don't know weeding out the locals and APs at Disneyland is quite the smartest path to go down. That's the bread and butter of Disneyland, from what I have come to understand. That's the market they've come to cater. Weeding them out seems to be counter productive. That "catering to locals"/different market reasoning is also the reasoning I always got when I asked why Disneyland received certain things, especially the holiday attraction overlays, and why Disney World didn't. Disneyland has locals and AP holders who visit repeatedly, so an attraction being closed for a little bit to install an overlay or little month rehabs are not that big of a deal.

 

I see what you're saying, but dont necessarily agree. At least from growing up in a local family, this is my take...

 

Every year, my family would take an annual trip to Disneyland. When they opened up DCA, we wanted to do both parks annually, but upon not being too impressed with DCA, simply timed our visits to match the TwoFer promotion (by 1 get 2). But I digress.

 

Point being, is that the locals aren't going to start treating the DLR as a "vacation". They're going to always treat it as a "1-day family treat"...2 maybe, if they really want to indulge.

 

I honestly dont think the local market here would care to absorb a 3rd Disney park! Locals here dont want to vacation in their own backyard--they just want a 1-2 day break every now and then. And the fact that they'd now have to pay $63, for 3 parks, for 3-5 family memebers! No way!

 

 

 

At least a botique park would appeal to a different market, willing to absorb the park into their expenses.

 

I still personally think a waterpark would be the best match for the property. Frankly, all the waterparks out here are mediocre! A Disney waterpark would be so out of their league, it would literally establish its own market! It would also appeal to a slightly different audience and quench different desires than a theme park, allowing a steady flow of guests.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway. Yeah. I dont see this happening. I honestly dont see anything happening with the 3rd property for at least a decade.

[ginzo]

^ Screw the churros. For $200, I would expect unlimited BJ's

 

Unlimited for $200? Those are crack whore prices. Does Disney have plans to make a crack whore princess after Maddy?

[metrock]

^ Well the trailer park/low-cost housing would be right next door!

[Gnome]

I wouldn't mind paying some where between $150 - $200 for a park experience in its own league.

 

Of course the only problem is I wouldn't get to do it very often.

 

But also note that Al Lutz only reports what is coming out of burbank/TDA. These are just ideas about what they could do. It doesn't mean it's true or false, it is what it is: just an idea. As to what will actually happen, nobody knows for sure, but they're working towards something.