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theme park industry

Dreams of Orlando Theme Parks that Died on the Drawing Boards

Roy Rogers Western World, Six Flags, Paramount Orlando, Blockbuster park… the list of theme parks that have been announced for Orlando, but were never built is long. We excitedly reported on the announcement of Paidia back in 2005. In 2010 there was the Orlando Thrill… Read More »Dreams of Orlando Theme Parks that Died on the Drawing Boards

Risk and Reward, is Disney Parks & Resorts on the Right Track?

With the recent announcement of an Avatar themed land and attractions coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdoms and the troubled opening of Disney’s first Hawaiian resort, Aulani, a lot of the conversation has settled on the types of risks the Walt Disney Company’s parks and resorts division has been taking lately.

It’s a bouillabaisse of different complaints:

  • The monorail and bus system is no longer inpsiring, future world has stagnated, Tomorrowland is now toontown, with the result that Disney’s position as a company with vision has been lost.
  • That Disney should believe in its own artists to come up with compelling stories and themes instead of buying properties like Avatar or Prince of Persia. Franchising is fine, but it shold be ‘Disney’ franchises, not Fox.
  • That building in Hawaii will not pay off for DVC. Either no one will buy it, or they’ll be using those points on the mainland anyway leaving Aulani an empty shell much of the year.

You can see why the Disney company may be confused. One one hand they get attacked for not doing enough on the other for doing too much. That’s true, but the general theme is Disney needs to take more risks when it comes to its parks and resorts.

Read More »Risk and Reward, is Disney Parks & Resorts on the Right Track?

Wonderland – China’s Magic Kingdom Ghost Park

If Disney has any concerns about the viability of its theme parks in China, you need look no further than Wonderland. Construction on Wonderland, located outside of Beijing, started in 1998 but was never finished. Instead all that’s left is a shell of a Magic… Read More »Wonderland – China’s Magic Kingdom Ghost Park

Does Disney World have a LEGOland problem?

A column in the Motley Fool insightfully points out that Walt Disney World has a problem. LEGOLAND Florida’s arrival will be a mixed blessing for Disney (NYSE: DIS). On the one hand, the new park should bring more tourists to central Florida. Travelers coming down… Read More »Does Disney World have a LEGOland problem?