here goes the neighborhood

[Disneyfreak1990]

you know that nicklodeon hotel near WDW? well disney is responding to it now by wanting to do a hotel-water park-E-ticket combo hotel in cities around the country and then the world. a couple places are rumored at this time. they are Chicago, Boston, and NYC. would you want to go to a city just for disney or not? you can discuss other things that'll relate to this subject.

[Daisy Duck]

I'm not familiar with the Nickelodeon hotel, but I don't like the idea of Disney doing these hotel/water park/E-ticket type of places in various cities. If Disney franchises are all over the place, I'm afraid that the Disney parks would feel less special when you're there. So, no, I wouldn't go to a city just to go to that type of Disney hotel.

[Disneyfreak1990]

me either. you might've seen the nick hotel on tv but don't remember it. and why would anyone want to go to a city just for a water park and an e-ticket anyway? unless they're desperate and live there.

[Loomis]

I'm not sure what it is you are talking about exactly, but if it is what I think, then Jay Rasulo, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, has been talking about for some time. Indeed, it was something we spoke about in a column as far back as February 12.

Basically, Rasulo spoke then of "blue sky projects" with the future of Disney Resorts being in smaller parks, stand-alone hotels and “blue sky” projects such as dining and entertainment centres.

At the time, we agreed that this was actually a good idea and I still do. It would be insane and risk diluting the brand to start building more theme parks at this point, especially when many consider DCA and Hong Kong Disneyland far from being 'finished'. Further, the Disney hotels would allow families all over to have at least a tiny bit of the Disney experience in various cities around the world. Can't afford to fly to Anaheim, Miami, Tokyo, Paris or Hong Kong? Maybe your state's capital city has a Disney theme hotel that is a few hours drive away. Maybe you can walk there. Cheaper for the whole family, and specifically geared towards holiday makers.

Disney theme parks do draw in interstate and international travellers specifically to go to their parks, and they all engender multi-day visits. A theme hotel may not do this, but if it was something on the scale of a Las Vegas hotel, you may actually be able to spend days in there without ever seeing the light of day. If not, Disney hotels would allow Disney to set up shop around the world and foster an income through a different demographic.

[Disneyfreak1990]

i read about it on miceage Loomis. and for all we know if its popular they might actually try to add dozens of rides soon afterwords. and they would have to make it huge if people want to spend time there for days. and basicly what i heard it'll mostly be for people taking trips there or for covention people.

[Daisy Duck]

Hmm, I still don't like the idea. I'd prefer that Disney concentrate on improving its current theme parks and not branch out into the theme hotel business. I don't mind a good theme hotel (I've stayed in several in Las Vegas ), but Disney hotels spreading across the continent/world has me worried about overexposure and the potential for Disney to lose its quality image if these hotels weren't on par with the quality of their current theme parks and resorts (which of course I'd hope they would be).

[Disneyfreak1990]

i know it just makes the parks less magical and less special. if walt was alive i doubt he would do this.

[jwa1107]

A hotel or a resort/hotel combo will never top the full-blown theme park resort. I imagine in most cases that the hotel concept wouldn't be about getting tourist on property for more then 3-5 days, whereas WDW presents a slew of things to do both park-based and non-park-based.

I wouldn't think you'd get much beyond something like a campus that included a hotel, golf course, a few restaurants, and some theme stores/activities.

If you look at the Gaylord Texan resort as a potential model, you've got a hotel with a golf course, spa, indoor swimming areas, shops, etc. And the beauty about this is it is in Dallas-Fort Worth, so they can attract local vacationers looking for a weekend getaway or pull in people from more rural areas, or even have enough space to host conventions. (It is also likely to be a part of the 2011 Super Bowl plans) http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylordtexan/

Now a Disneyfied version of the Texan would interest me, especially since I cannot afford to fly to California or Florida (much less international destinations) all the time. Maybe spend a long weekend, take my daughter to breakfast with Belle, something like that.

But that would never replace a visit to WDW, with its castles and rides and magical experiences. in fact, the regional resorts might influence people to plan their next trip to WDW.

And it wouldn't be something to flood the marketplace - it's not Motel 6 with one in every city that has a population of 100,000 or more. I think we're looking at maybe 10-15 I'd say: NY, Chicago, Boston, Branson, Dallas and/or Houston and/or San Antonio, New Orleans perhaps, Balitmore/DC, Philadelphia, Las Vegas(after all these years of staying away)... major population and/or tourist centers not close to WDW or DLR.

I think there is some merit to the idea if done right that would not detract from the theme parks.

[Disneyfreak1990]

i've been to the gaylord too. if they did it internationaly what cities would they do? for me they would do:
Asia: Tokyo, Shanghi, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpor, Bombay, Dubai, and Instanbul and probably Jerusalm.
Europe: Paris, London, Roma, Madrid, Monaco, and Athens.
Africa: Cairo and a city in South Africa.
South America: Rio.
North America: Quebec, Vancover, Mexico City, and one more city in latin america.
Austrailia and New Zealand: Sydny, Auckland, Fiji, and Honalulu.

[Prince Charming 12]

Disney did enter into the resort business a few years ago. They opened Disney's Vero Beach Resort, which is about a two hour drive from WDW, situated along the Atlantic Ocean. I have never stayed at this resort so maybe another memeber could fill us in on the details.

After briefly thinking about this proposed Disney venture, I am not sold on the idea. The company's direction over the past seven years has been more in park expansions in the USA and Paris and new development projects in Asia. I agree with a previous statement that capital expenditures could be put to better use in this arena or as was reported a few months ago into the cruise business. Although, I would be interested in reviewing Disney's market and financial analysis on this project.

[Disneyfreak1990]

i just thought of one good reason for them to build these hotels, Adventures By Disney that way they can get it advertised more and get the other hotels emptyier

[Princess Stitch]

Disney did enter into the resort business a few years ago. They opened Disney's Vero Beach Resort, which is about a two hour drive from WDW, situated along the Atlantic Ocean. I have never stayed at this resort so maybe another memeber could fill us in on the details.

After briefly thinking about this proposed Disney venture, I am not sold on the idea. The company's direction over the past seven years has been more in park expansions in the USA and Paris and new development projects in Asia. I agree with a previous statement that capital expenditures could be put to better use in this arena or as was reported a few months ago into the cruise business. Although, I would be interested in reviewing Disney's market and financial analysis on this project.

There's also another one. Disney's Hilton Head Island resort. It's in either north or south carolina.. can't remember! Both Hilton Head and Vero Beach are Disney Vacation Club resorts. They are studio, 1 and 2 bedroom rooms with kitchenettes and a "home away from home" theme. Although part of the resorts are owned by the DVC members, Disney still retains partial ownership and will rent out rooms nightly to guests. These resorts have no rides or waterparks attached to them and are not typically "Disney". You will not find Mickey Mouse or Pluto in the room or resort decor.

THese new hotels sound like they're going to be more character themed. They sound really neat and I hope they build one in Toronto! Or at least close enough so I can visit more often..

[Disneyfreak1990]

that's what i got from that article. it's supposed to be like the hotels at the parks in other cities pretty much but with an indoor water-park, because of winter, and an E-ticket like Splash or Kali River Rapids.