Mouse Extra

Well yesterday we told you that Jim Hill would be discussing in detail the future of what will happen to the famous Adventurer’s Club as Disney reinvents Pleasure Island into something that would leave the quirky club out of place.  What we didn’t know yesterday is that the Adventurer’s Club would only be a small afterthought in today’s piece and that instead Mr. Hill would be talking rather seriously about plans for Disney World’s fifth theme park.

The rumor is that Disney is looking to produce something along the lines of Sea World’s Discovery Cove, a high-end ultra interactive and inclusive experience.  And that idea is one that has been gaining steam at WDI recently to be sure.  For a long time people assumed the next Disney park would be thrill-ride related, but many things have changed in recent years.  For one thing the bad press at Mission:Space has geared Imagineering back towards what they truly do best, immersing people into a truly sensory experience.

According to Mr. Hill, what we will have is basically a more in-depth and personal extension on the best of the Animal Kingdom.  It is called Disney’s Night Kingdom, and it will take people into the world of the wild after dark. 

Speaking of arriving … Guests will enter DNK through a new, super-sized version of the Adventurers Club at Pleasure Island. As you & your family are registering for that night’s activities, the club’s members will entertain as well as offer hints about the extraordinary adventures that await you.

After you’ve finished checking in, there’s a whole new world to explore. Have you ever dreamed of acting like Indiana Jones and riding a zip line over a pool full of hungry crocodiles? Or hand-feeding a hippopotamus? Well, here you can.

Mind you, Disney’s Night Kingdom will have no traditional theme park rides per se. But you’ll still be able to get your fill of excitement & adventure as you strap on a pair of night vision goggles and then wander out into a pitch-black African savanna. Where you’ll then be able to observe up-close lions & hyenas as they go through their nocturnal hunting routines.

You’ll also be able to try your hand at spelunking as you explore a cave full of bats. Or — if you’re not a big fan of bats — how about rock climbing? Does that sound too much like work? Then why don’t you head on over to that South American-themed enclosure where you can frolic with some penguins?

Here is where I would like to hear from Disney’s guests.  The price tag for this park will be like that of Discovery Cove, easily over $250.  To be fair, that will probably include food and you may be able to save some money by adding it to a WDW package.  But either way, it will cost about as much as a four-day park hopper.  Does this description truly entice you to double your park ticket costs for your trip? 

I guess my point is that I am never too excited about something I probably can’t afford to do more than once if even that often.  But I would try to my best to afford it if it truly sounded amazing.  I hope there is a lot more to come than this explanation.  This does not sound like something that has as much value for my dollars as a multi-day park hopper.  I mean hiking into fiberglass caves to see bats?  Smelling a hippo’s breath up close??  Am I alone on this???

Jim Hill Media begins a two part story today with an article about the apparently eventual dismantling of what we now know of as Pleasure Island.  This is a topic that has been discussed for quite some time as this very slow process of remaking the entertainment complex crawls along.  But what will become of it in the end?  Here’s what Mr. Hill has to say…

These days, PI’s remaining clubs are on the endangered species list. As Mickey whittles away at what once made Pleasure Island unique so that this area can then conform to Downtown Disney’s new battle plan. Which calls for this faux big-city environment that’s ” … alive with excitement, unique shops, restaurants and entertainment!”

So where once WDI’s main concern was making sure that this Disney Village Marketplace expansion area was as quirky as possible (hence the Island’s whole Merryweather Pleasure backstory), now Disney’s goal for PI is improve its sightlines & flow-thru. Which is why a footbridge to the West Side as well as a water taxi dock were added to this section of Downtown Disney early last year.

This may not be a very popular opinion, but I like this idea.  I know the original Pleasure Island was an imaginative, offbeat and funky place to go after the parks closed, but I just found it a poor value for the money.  Paying the nearly $25 per person to enter the bars just made it too expensive to go more than once a trip.  When it was part of your multi-day pass, perhaps we didn’t notice as much, but now it is not hard to see how much you are spending to go to a bar.  Meantime, there are other good places to drink, like Raglan Road or the House of Blues, which do not charge a big cover.

If Disney expands on the West Side theme with another cool spot with lots of shops and bars, I will be there often.  It may not be full of the over-the-top themed establishments that the original Pleasure Island had, but what good are they if I can’t afford to go?

Mr. Hill will continue this story tomorrow when he talks about the fate and potential relocation of the beloved Adventurer’s Club.  Mouse Extra will of course be ready to offer our take and what the future holds for this famous drinking hole.

Somehow I missed this great article from Lou Mongello on DisneyWorldTrivia.com, but I think it is fun enough to look at now and discuss the possibilities it brings out.  Here is a short excerpt from the “Rumor Mill” section of the site that talks about a survey one of Mr. Mongello’s readers reported taking…

There was no indication that this was a survey actually commissioned by Disney, but some of the questions on it were very interesting. Besides asking about frequency and  reasons for a guests visits, it asked specific questions about things the guest might like to see happen. Examples: Would the guest be interested in after hours, limited attendance events for an additional charge? Guaranteed discount prices for round trip airline flights when you book a Walt Disney World vacation package at least 6 months in advance? 50% off park admission tickets during select times of the year? How about VIP treatment for an extra cost - including front of the line access at attractions, a personal concierge, private poolside cabanas, complimentary snacks and drinks at a suite in the parks, and a guaranteed maximum 20 minute wait time for up to 5 pre-selected attractions in a park each day? Other questions asked about the free dining plan option, lines for the attractions being turned into “unique entertainment experiences using state-of-the-art technology and Disney magic” (a la Soarin’), kids programming such as arts and crafts at the resorts, to give parents time to themselves, at an extra fee, and up to 4 hours a day of free babysitting services a day for Walt Disney World hotel guests.

If this is true, it does confirm that at least Disney is considering some of the things that have been rumored recently.  We have heard that more hard-ticket parties or events are certainly being considered, and this article also seems to hint to the “premium FastPass” idea that is being tossed around.  Also, we have heard a lot recently about Disney taking their high-end accommodations to a new level and that seems to be part of this as well.

But what really intrigues me is the idea of 50% off park tickets during certain points of the year.  Disney has often toyed with ways to drive attendance during the off-season, but discount tickets have not been a part of that.  If they go through with this, I would imagine it would be a huge success.  Offering the dining plan for free was a good idea, but people coming in on a budget can always find a way eat cheaply.  But swallowing nearly a thousand bucks on tickets for a family of five is making it very difficult for some families to attend.  Offering this discount can get some of those people their while driving up off-season attendance.

Now don’t get me wrong.  Disney has priced their tickets way to high in my opinion.  And forcing people to pull their kids out of school to come to Disney World is not nearly the perfect remedy.  But it is a good idea nonetheless. But having said that, I will be stunned if they do it.

This interesting and unsual guidebook comes from Original Press in Lakeland, Florida and is written by Aronda Parks (get it, “around the parks”). Ms Parks is joined in this effort by a 20+ member team of Memories Experts. These experts are quoted throughout the book on every topic, attraction, hotel, and restaurant. And at over 380 double-columned pages, there is plenty of quotes and information to go around.

This guide does do somethings better than others in the field. For one, it is an excellent source on shopping in the “World.” A whole chapter is dedicated to the subject. In fact, it may well be the best guidebook for shoppers. Many travel guides on WDW treat the subject as an afterthought with just a few blurbs at the end of a parks’ description. Not so here. Whats even better is that shops from resorts are described for that growing population of guests who tour the resorts themselves.

This book also does a fine job on the subject of planning. Various worksheets are provided to help plan out your park touring, your dining options, your hotel, etc. There is also plenty of information on booking your vacation which is suprisingly not a strong point for many of these guides. Plus, the restrooms for each park are listed- now thats helping out your readers.

Of course, the book is far from perfect. The overall quality of the product is not up to the level of say, the Unofficial Guide or Birnbaum’s. Its also difficult to find, with the best place being ebay or the book’s (useful) website. Although the quality is subpar, I do like the spiral binding a lot. The pictures are also subpar, but the idea of placing pictures of sample room cards and Rider Switch passes is useful to the novice visitor. My book is a little behind the times with nary a mention of the new Italian eatery or the not-so recent changes to Mexico. Still, it is my understanding that a Winter 2008 edition is on the way. Plus, the aforementioned website keeps you up-to-date.

The book also has many unique features that will appeal to Disney enthusiasts. For starters, there is an entire chapter dedicated to collecting Disneyana. I would like to have seen more information directed at the popular park items like pins, autographs, photo passes and animation cells, but its a nice overview. There is also a chapter deidcated to theming your vacation. Various topics ranging from holiday touring to backstage events to even more obscure ideas are covered. I may not want to take a shoppers’ paradise vacation, but this chapter can help you create some interesting diversions.

The authors also have come up with their own acronyms, VABS and C-Melts. This section helps you avoid vacation burnout and meltdowns from your little ones, two very common problems encountered at Walt Disney World. The book is especially thorough at pointing out the many ways to keep the little ones entertained not only at the parks but also the non-park offerings.

Now for my favorite part of the book- the “Imagineering for a Day” chapter. Each member of the “team” throws out an idea on how to improve each park and Disney World in general. These imagineering suggestions run the gamut from changing the hand grips at Splash Mountain to what new countries should be represented in World Showcase ( as a side note, I disagree with the expert). I would love to see this expanded in future editions to include the top readers’ suggestions. But, like the book itself, this section is both unique and charming.

Today’s merchandise review is from Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra

Disney has announced that they are not only bringing an “American Idol” style show to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, as has been rumored for weeks, but they are actually bringing the “American Idol” brand as well.  Here is the entire press release for you to read…

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Feb. 7, 2008) — Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will create an “American Idol” attraction that will bring the television and pop culture phenomenon to life at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, it was jointly announced today by Jay Rasulo, chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts; Simon Fuller, CEO of 19 Entertainment; and Keith Hindle, executive vice president of FremantleMedia Licensing.

The attraction, slated to debut in late 2008, will be located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park and will follow the model of the high-energy show. Disney guests will be able to experience the challenge of auditioning, the rush of performing on stage in competition, or the thrill of judging the performances in a live interactive entertainment setting with all the glitz and glamour of the distinctive “American Idol” set.

That experience will include an audition process, open to all who register, where guests perform “live” in front of a Disney’s Hollywood Studios producer to be cast in a theme park show. After backstage preparation — working with a vocal coach, hair and make-up — it’s lights up and showtime in front of a “live” audience and a panel of judges.

Guest performers with the highest votes will compete in an end-of-day Grand Finale show at Walt Disney World, and the winner of the Grand Finale show will receive a guaranteed reservation for a future regional stadium audition — to ensure no waiting in long lines. But when it comes down to the television show auditions, everyone is treated equal.

“Millions of people have imagined themselves standing on the ‘American Idol’ stage,” said Rasulo. “We’re excited that we will be bringing this dream to life every day at Walt Disney World.”

Added Fuller, “One of the most remarkable elements about ‘American Idol’ is that for a brief moment each week, we can provide TV viewers the opportunity to imagine life as America’s next superstar. Disney’s new attraction perfectly captures what we at ‘American Idol’ feel is the heart and soul of this brand, real people getting a shot to make their dream a reality.”

“This partnership,” noted Hindle, “brings the number one show on television, watched in over 100 countries, to the number one theme park destination in the world. It’s a perfect combination and opportunity to offer everyone a taste of the ‘American Idol’ experience.”

The coming “American Idol” attraction will reflect the best and brightest of the TV show, giving starry-eyed park guests a chance to become a star on the attraction’s stage. It joins an all-star lineup at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, a celebration of today’s Hollywood in movies, television, music and theater. Among the new adventures debuting in 2008 is the just-opened “Playhouse Disney-Live on Stage!” plus coming attractions “Block Party Bash,” an interactive and moving Disney-Pixar spectacle filling the theme park streets; and Toy Story Mania! immersing guests in a 3-D interactive ride-through video game starring popular Disney-Pixar “Toy Story” characters.

We wondered whether something like this would be a success, but that was before we knew that the actual name was going to be used.  Now there is little doubt as to how big this will be.  Using the show’s set, logo, and all the recognition that comes with it pretty much ensures this will be immediately popular. 

I was also struck by them amazing turnaround time they have placed on this project.  It says that it is slated to debut later this year, which means we are only a few months away.  Between the Toy Story Mania and American Idol, this is set to be a banner year for Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

And let me also say that it will fit in great with a Hollywood theme.  It has been a long time since an attraction has come to the Studios that truly fits in, but nothing says glitz and glamour these days like “American Idol”.

It appears the Disney Company is doing better than perhaps expected only a few days ago.  According to this morning’s Orlando Sentinel, the theme parks are once again helping to the move the company in the right direction.

Disney reported a strong quarter in its parks-and-resorts segment, where revenue totaled $2.77 billion, up 11 percent from a year earlier, and operating profit reached $505 million, up 25 percent.

Staggs (Chief Financial Officer) said Disney World’s attendance for the quarter was up 4 percent, leading to a record combined attendance for the company’s American theme parks. Disney World also saw hotel-occupancy increase to 89 percent, and per-guest spending increase 3 percent.

This seems to be a familiar story these days.  The parks in America really seem to be heading in the right direction as far as attendance is concerned.  We can not deny that as a result the parks have also grown and that growth appears to be far from slowing. 

But this paragraph below brings up a subject that I still scratch my head over…

Still, Disney executives entertained the prospect of more economic pressures coming to bear on the company. Staggs noted that Disney’s experience with the 2001 recession showed it can adjust theme-park hours, entertainment offerings and other labor-related costs to “dial up and down” the parks’ expenses. He also noted that the parks-and-resorts division is more buffered now by a larger offering of less-expensive hotel rooms, and the resiliency of its cruise-ship and time-share sales. And, he noted, advance hotel bookings are running ahead of last year’s pace — a good sign.

“Adjust theme park hours” means cutting theme park hours, and that is a major change that has largely gone unnoticed over the last few years.  As attendance and booking levels continue to increase, one has to wonder when these hours will “adjust” their way back to the pre-2001 levels. 

Today, the Magic Kingdom closes at 8pm, yesterday it closed at 7.  The Studios closes today at 7pm, as does Epcot’s Future World.  This means that every customer who has paid for a “full day” is told to leave hours before nearly every shopping mall in the country closes, and people don’t pay loads of cash to get into a shopping mall.  It is time for these cost-cutting measures to change.  These hours must be increased.