Disney's California Adventure Project Tracker II

[DznyFan17]

Originally Posted by RocknGuitar

Update on World of Color from Screamscape. Looks like some of the holes and structures for the show elements and equiptment are being dug. Maybe we'll be seeing a giant hole soon for Zurg/Chernaborg.
http://www.screamscape.com/html/dca_...of_color_2.htm

I love me some construction shots! thanks for sharing!

[Quacky4Donald]

Originally Posted by ICe101

I assume so. Since TSMM has a small shop I can expect a little store like Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster's.

Originally Posted by disneylandfan95

From how the concept art looks, it looks like there will be enough room for one!!! But I really am not sure. I know there will be the attraction and then a new meet-and-greet area for Ariel. But as for a shop, I have no idea!!

Originally Posted by RocknGuitar

The entire building looks pretty sizable, so yeah, I assume there will be a built-in gift shop. Those are becoming a pretty much guaranteed occurrence in Disney attractions.

Originally Posted by k_peek_2000

I wouldn't be surprised. But a playground is expect at the end of the ride as well.

I was kind of thinking that a store was going to have to be a "must." I really hope, though, that Disney will sell some truly unique items regarding "The Little Mermaid." It would be kind of neat to be able to buy your very own, limited edition "dingle-hopper!"

[bfdf55]

Originally Posted by RocknGuitar

Not true. DCA was an ok park in my stance. Just not completely up to Disney standards. Take a look at Grizzly Peak... that's some real theming right there. Pacific Wharf, Soarin', Grizzly.... DCA was not a pathetic excuse. I would not go that far. If it was a pathetic excuse, it would not be fixable and/or not even be attempted to be fixed by Disney.

While DCA had SOME decent facades, it just contained no DEPTH. When you look at all the details that TDS contained, it just emphasizes how much DCA was lacking. Just the number of detailed boats in the TDS lagoon overwhelms everything at DCA.

[k_peek_2000]

Originally Posted by bfdf55

While DCA had SOME decent facades, it just contained no DEPTH. When you look at all the details that TDS contained, it just emphasizes how much DCA was lacking. Just the number of detailed boats in the TDS lagoon overwhelms everything at DCA.

Also the theater they have in the American Waterfront, it's soo beautiful.

[Quacky4Donald]

Budget question: Was the cost and budget for the new Tinkerbell float that's being added to Disney's Electrical Parade part of the DCA revamp Phase I budget?

[k_peek_2000]

Originally Posted by Quacky4Donald

Budget question: Was the cost and budget for the new Tinkerbell float that's being added to Disney's Electrical Parade part of the DCA revamp Phase I budget?

Nope, even if it was, it wouldn't be anything major. DCA is expected to get a new nighttime parade around 2011. My guess is that the float is just a preview/test of the new technology being used for the new parade.

[disneyfann121]

Originally Posted by shevys

Wow! I don't know you, but I have to ask...why do you bother? Reading your post makes me think that you must hate Disney. Do you? I'm confused.

Nope, on the contrary, I love the parks. That's why I feel so strongly about this. Anyone can see how the parks could be so much better, and the company has the resources to make it happen. That's why I'm sick of the skinflint penny pinching, how they consistently only do the minimum.

I ask again, where are the big project announcements for their five other U.S. parks?? They could easily allocate another billion for WDW. Lame attractions that most people hate should be replaced. Underused areas of the parks should be put to better use. Tomorrowland is begging for new investment. How come DCA is the only park to get new E tickets in the forseeable future? Why have all the new WDW rides been put on hold?

We shouldn't let a company worth tens of billions off the hook. There is no excuse for failing to reinvest properly in their parks.

[Emarc182]

I think the problem with all of the complaints on this thread is that people do not fundamentally understand that they are running a business. Disney parks are not your own personal fiefdoms that are designed, built and operated as YOU personally see fit. Disney is trying to balance out the need for capital investment to boost attendance with prudent spending. The problem, really, is all of the whining AP holders who act as if Disney is doing work on their own homes. It is a business, they are doing the best they can with the money they have. The very notion that we "can't let a company worth tens of billions off the hook" is a joke. It only showcases a lack of understanding about how companies work. Until you are a sizable shareholder, you are going to have to just go along with the flow.

[brandond6]

Originally Posted by Emarc182

I think the problem with all of the complaints on this thread is that people do not fundamentally understand that they are running a business. Disney parks are not your own personal fiefdoms that are designed, built and operated as YOU personally see fit. Disney is trying to balance out the need for capital investment to boost attendance with prudent spending. The problem, really, is all of the whining AP holders who act as if Disney is doing work on their own homes. It is a business, they are doing the best they can with the money they have. The very notion that we "can't let a company worth tens of billions off the hook" is a joke. It only showcases a lack of understanding about how companies work. Until you are a sizable shareholder, you are going to have to just go along with the flow.

Best first post ever. Welcome to Micechat, I like you already haha.

[MissPlaced]

Originally Posted by disneyfann121

I ask again, where are the big project announcements for their five other U.S. parks?? They could easily allocate another billion for WDW. Lame attractions that most people hate should be replaced. Underused areas of the parks should be put to better use. Tomorrowland is begging for new investment. How come DCA is the only park to get new E tickets in the forseeable future? Why have all the new WDW rides been put on hold?

Funny. A few years ago I seem to remember people lamenting that WDW seemed to get everything while Disneyland languished in relative anonymity. I just think that it's Disneyland's "turn" right now.

[disneylandfan95]

Originally Posted by disneyfann121

Nope, on the contrary, I love the parks. That's why I feel so strongly about this. Anyone can see how the parks could be so much better, and the company has the resources to make it happen. That's why I'm sick of the skinflint penny pinching, how they consistently only do the minimum.

I ask again, where are the big project announcements for their five other U.S. parks?? They could easily allocate another billion for WDW. Lame attractions that most people hate should be replaced. Underused areas of the parks should be put to better use. Tomorrowland is begging for new investment. How come DCA is the only park to get new E tickets in the forseeable future? Why have all the new WDW rides been put on hold?

We shouldn't let a company worth tens of billions off the hook. There is no excuse for failing to reinvest properly in their parks.

Well, the reason that Disney is investing all of their money in DCA/Disneyland Resort is because they want it to be a multi-day tourist destination. Everybody that goes to Walt Disney World already spends a few (2-3 at least) days at the resort, while the Disneyland Resort is a maximum of 2 days. Usually we go to Disneyland, for lunch go to DCA and ride 2-3 rides and then head back over to Disneyland. Disney doesn't want this. They want DCA and Disneyland to be 2 seperate days of fun. Once most of the DCA expansion is done around 2013-2015, Walt Disney World will get some attention. It is not that they asren't investing their moneu unwisely, it is just that they want the Disneyland Resort to be a multi-day destination, while Walt Disney World already is one!!! Whew!!!

[mycroft16]

Originally Posted by Emarc182

It is a business, they are doing the best they can with the money they have.

No, they aren't. If they were doing the best with the money they had they wouldn't be in the situation they are currently in. NOW they are doing much better, but whether or not it is the best that they can remains to be seen. Disneyland was build with a significantly less equivalent of money and THAT is the best that they can.

Originally Posted by Emarc182

Until you are a sizable shareholder, you are going to have to just go along with the flow.

This is a rather flawed understanding of businesses. Any business that thinks this way soon tanks and fades from memory. Businesses exist in order to generate income. They do this by creating "fans" of their product or service, retaining these fans and inducing them to return repeatedly. The ONLY way to do this on a massive scale for long periods of time is to insure that your product is the best. You insure this by listening to your fans. Not your casual visitors, but the people who have stuck with you the longest. They have been around and can see the changes in quality and they will let you know, often vocally, when you suck and when you rock. Listening to your fans, taking their "temperature", seeking to please or appease them is SMART business.

Originally Posted by disneyfann121

I ask again, where are the big project announcements for their five other U.S. parks?? They could easily allocate another billion for WDW. Lame attractions that most people hate should be replaced. Underused areas of the parks should be put to better use. Tomorrowland is begging for new investment. How come DCA is the only park to get new E tickets in the forseeable future? Why have all the new WDW rides been put on hold?

Economic slumps make banks nervous. Banks lend companies money. If the banks are nervous, they don't lend. If the banks aren't lending, companies don't have the money to expand and grow and in some cases even operate.

The DCA budgets were approved and released before the slump. Other budgets were not. Disney doesn't have it's 32 billion dollars. The bank does. And banks invest and reinvest and loan. Disney can't simply walk up to a teller and withdraw their money. It doesn't work that way. It's not like a personal checking/savings account. So when the economy tanked and the credit market froze up, Disney's money froze with it and they don't really have much access to it right now for huge loans like that. It's not that Disney doesn't want to go ahead with it... it's that they more or less can't right now with any degree of certainty of financial stability backing it. WDW still pulls in VAST crowds each year. DCA never has. DCA is they weakest link in their chain right now. There are indeed plans for all 5 of their other parks... but until credit eases a bit, they will be on hold.

[flynnibus]

Originally Posted by mycroft16

This is a rather flawed understanding of businesses. Any business that thinks this way soon tanks and fades from memory. Businesses exist in order to generate income. They do this by creating "fans" of their product or service, retaining these fans and inducing them to return repeatedly. The ONLY way to do this on a massive scale for long periods of time is to insure that your product is the best

Not really - that is just ONE business model. Not the only. You can also build around convenience (do your consider your local 7-11 or gas station the BEST store?) or on cost (WalMart) or on quality, or any other number of factors. 'best' is a relative thing and lies in the definition of the customer's needs. You can cater to many different types of customers. The market and needs of even the different Disney Parks are different.

Originally Posted by mycroft16

The DCA budgets were approved and released before the slump. Other budgets were not. Disney doesn't have it's 32 billion dollars. The bank does. And banks invest and reinvest and loan. Disney can't simply walk up to a teller and withdraw their money. It doesn't work that way. It's not like a personal checking/savings account. So when the economy tanked and the credit market froze up, Disney's money froze with it and they don't really have much access to it right now for huge loans like that

This is a generalization you can't apply blindly. First, TWDC has 3 billion in liquid assets as of their last report. That's not 'loans' - that's cash equivalent. Second... budgets and funds are completely separate things. Budget is just your plan - and says nothing about if and how the funds are secured. But people don't start projects until you have secured the funding. One a contract is in place.. the bank can't just pull out. The projects underway now aren't waiting for loans to be granted - those were done before the project was mobilized. Where the credit crunch comes into play is phases that were planned, but not actually put into motion yet.. so funding wasn't secured or if the company decides to 'rob peter to pay paul' by dipping into assets available now to pay for things that were relying on future funding that isn't available.

In short.. unless we know exactly how Disney was funding the projects (which they didn't announce from what I can find) or specifically where they were drawing their boundries for stop/start points between projects... its all just internet speculation.

But sound logic says Disney financed most of it as its a better way to manage cash flow... and that since the projects were put into motion almost a year and a half ago... that funding was secured long ago. What would be at risk are projects that did not need secured funding to progress to this point.. like projects in design/concept phases that have not needed to contract outside resources at large enough costs that would require specific funding beyond what they normally have access to.

Originally Posted by mycroft16

It's not that Disney doesn't want to go ahead with it... it's that they more or less can't right now with any degree of certainty of financial stability backing it

They have enough cash to do whatever they want - its just if the company is willing to part with cash and see it as a smart business decision.

[AaronInCal]

Originally Posted by disneylandfan95

Does anybody know if DCA will get any Celebrate Today decor??? It doesn't look like it as of right now, but everthing seems to come together for the campaign in March, so it could happen then???

Just like with Year of a Million Dreams where DCA really only had some banners up in the Sunshine Plaza and along the parade route, that is all DCA will likely get for the Celebrate promo. New banners were finally put up this week in DCA for the Celebrate Today! promo, finally removing the last signs of YOMD in the Resort. Most of the focus is over in Disneyland on Main Street.

[HMF]

Originally Posted by mycroft16

This is a rather flawed understanding of businesses. Any business that thinks this way soon tanks and fades from memory. Businesses exist in order to generate income. They do this by creating "fans" of their product or service, retaining these fans and inducing them to return repeatedly. The ONLY way to do this on a massive scale for long periods of time is to insure that your product is the best. You insure this by listening to your fans. Not your casual visitors, but the people who have stuck with you the longest. They have been around and can see the changes in quality and they will let you know, often vocally, when you suck and when you rock. Listening to your fans, taking their "temperature", seeking to please or appease them is SMART business.
.

In retrospect Walt should have kept the company' private.