After Shanghaî, what other destinations for future Disney theme parks?

[ChrisFL]

ok, so apparently the Universal and Busch plans have been cancelled in Dubai...I'm not surprised

[TimmyTimmyTimmy]

Originally Posted by ChrisFL

And I think they should be changing the formula for the Shanghai park because not everything is going to "translate" well.

Another thing to note is how the other big theme park chains are expanding to many parts of the world and Disney may feel the need to stay with it....Universal is opening parks in Singapore, South Korea and Abu Dhabi (I think? it's next to Dubai), Six Flags and Busch had plans in Dubai though I don't know if those are being cancelled.

There was always parks all over the world. Disney should stay put and invest more money into the parks that are running today. They need to come up with rides that make it worth a visit even if you are travelling far to get there. Let Universal, Busch and Six Flags run all over the world making thier rides feel more and more bland.
There was a time when people travelled from far beyond to visit Disneyland. It was a one of kind thing. That time can come again.

[hkdlfan]

Originally Posted by TimmyTimmyTimmy

There was always parks all over the world. Disney should stay put and invest more money into the parks that are running today. They need to come up with rides that make it worth a visit even if you are travelling far to get there. Let Universal, Busch and Six Flags run all over the world making thier rides feel more and more bland.
There was a time when people travelled from far beyond to visit Disneyland. It was a one of kind thing. That time can come again.

In those days, going to Disneyland was like WOW I am so lucky to come here, now people can just take a 1-6 hour flight to the nearest Disney

[tasman]

Originally Posted by hkdlfan

In those days, going to Disneyland was like WOW I am so lucky to come here, now people can just take a 1-6 hour flight to the nearest Disney

Still...a very small percentage of the world's population can afford that 1-6 hour flight and other expenses associated with a DL trip. IF you can get a visa to your destination, which is denied to people of most countries (a problem most Americans never have to deal with).

[TimmyTimmyTimmy]

Originally Posted by tasman

Still...a very small percentage of the world's population can afford that 1-6 hour flight and other expenses associated with a DL trip. IF you can get a visa to your destination, which is denied to people of most countries (a problem most Americans never have to deal with).

Most of those who are poor wouldn´t go to Disney no matter how close it was. Imagine a poor Indian family booking a room in a Disneyland Hotel in Disneyland Mumbai. It would still be a very expensive thing to them. Disneyparks are not built for everybody, nothing is and will be.
Disneyland should always feel special. Today Disneyland is built just to make alot of cash. When Walt was alive there was a deeper idea behind the moneymaking. That is now lost. HKDL did Disney more harm than good... so far.

[tasman]

^^ I wasn't talking about poor people booking rooms at Disneyland Hotels.

I don't buy the notion that the decline in quality is related to an expansion in the number of resorts. The decline in quality IMO has more to do with Disney's desire to maintain its historic standards (or lack thereof). Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating that Disney have any other resorts beyond China at this time. There simply isn't a suitable location. But an Indian or Brazilian park might be a good idea in three or four decades...and only a foolish company would not take advantage of the opportunity. No one wants Disney parks to proliferate like Starbucks...but half a dozen or even ten resorts does not equate that for me.

[TimmyTimmyTimmy]

After having been in China I simply can´t see something like a Disneyland there. Hong Kong is very different from the mainland.
But I don´t think that Disney is about to stop building parks. I am sure there will be one day that we have some kind of resorts in all parts of the world. That is the only natural thing.

[tasman]

^^ China is developing very rapidly. The level of sophistication of the people will increase rapidly as well, though it can't possibly keep pace with the frenetic rate of economic progress. Disney is smart to invest in the mainland now, when labor costs are still relatively low. In a few decades that savings will no longer be around.

[TimmyTimmyTimmy]

If... WHEN they build in Shanghai they will have to make it better than what they did in HK and they have to make something that will be availible to the poor masses. If the Shanghai park becomes a hit the one in HK has to be remade. There is a risk they will build another cheap park with out any rides. That would kill.

[tasman]

^^ There have been some bumps but so far the Iger era has not disappointed overall. They didn't go whole hog with the DCA makeover but 1.2 billion is nothing to frown upon either. From what we've heard so far the park in Shanghai will be built for about three billion dollars and now 900 million is rumoured for HK's expansion. Compared to the initial outlay for WDS, DCA, HKDL or even AK...those are vastly different numbers we are talking about.

[ChrisFL]

Originally Posted by TimmyTimmyTimmy

Let Universal, Busch and Six Flags run all over the world making thier rides feel more and more bland.
There was a time when people travelled from far beyond to visit Disneyland. It was a one of kind thing. That time can come again.

Well the difference is that Universal is putting unique parks everywhere and not just clones of half (or less) of what they have at existing parks...something Disney hasn't seemed to learn yet.

[tasman]

^^ Agreed. Universal may not be as good as Disney when the Mouse is at its best, but they have yet to plan or build a new park that is smaller or cheaper than the parks they built their reputation upon.

[stevo505]

Originally Posted by ChrisFL

Well the difference is that Universal is putting unique parks everywhere and not just clones of half (or less) of what they have at existing parks...something Disney hasn't seemed to learn yet.

Maybe that's because people around the world want to experience THE Magic Kingdom but aren't able to come to America to visit it? Have you ever considered that's why they built Magic Kingdoms around the world?

[tasman]

^^ I don't think you understood what he was saying.

[stevo505]

Originally Posted by tasman

^^ I don't think you understood what he was saying.

I do understand what he is saying. He said Disney makes too many clones and I believe they do that for a good reason as I stated above.