Friday, October 28, 2022

The Sweep Spot - Disneyland Current Events as of October 28, 2022

We catch up on the latest at the Disneyland Resort. Once per month, you can join a live chat as we record these episodes by joining the Patreon for The Sweep Spot. We chat about the holiday celebrations coming to the Resort, MagicBand+, and more!

The Sweep Spot is a podcast focusing on the Disneyland Resort, now weekly, with a Topical Episode every two weeks, alternating with a Current Events Episode the other weeks.
Lynn Barron and Ken Pellman, former Disneyland Day Custodial Foremen, are your hosts.
For more information and to order books, visit our official website: 
http://www.TheSweepSpot.com

There are many easy and free ways to listen to The Sweep Spot in addition to clicking below.

Monday, October 24, 2022

What Should a Third Disney Theme Park Resort in the USA Have?


This depends on many different factors, including where it is built. If it is built close to the coast in Texas it might have certain things, but if it is built in an area of Colorado where there is typically snow skiing for a good portion of the year, it is likely to have certain other things. A resort in Colorado might redeem some of the the concepts from the "Mineral King" project Disney considered for California.

Previously, I wrote about why there needs to be a third Disney theme park resort in the USA, and where it should be.

Specifics of what would be there will depend on location (due to weather and local competition) and what the Company sees as enduring in popularity to the point it gets people to want to enjoy the experiences and buy the associated food and merchandise. So not all specifics would be pinned down before the land is acquired and the necessary investment and approvals are lined up so that construction would be begin soon.

However, there are some overall principles that should be almost certain.

1. It would be meant to be a place people would be willing to travel to, stay overnight, and spend a day or two when it is first opened, and several days after more is added.

2. It would draw from what the Company owns and sees as successful and continuing to be compelling. For example, the Disney Princesses.

3. It would have a large variety of experiences, including diverse rides, shows, spectaculars, character encounters, dining, shopping, and lodging.

4. It would have to be different enough from the Company's other domestic resorts to encourage people to who have visited the others to visit this one, and vice-versa.

5. It would have enough "castle park" elements to help satisfy the domestic demand for those theme parks, which are the most popular.

There needn't be a traditional gated Magic Kingdom that's 70-100 acres in size. If the Company determines that is what would be best, sure, but I'd like to see concepts at least explored that organize a entire resort as a cohesive whole that integrates everything instead of separating the elements. Imagine, for example, fully integrating the hotels into the "park" so that what results is more like a small city with parks in it, rather than a mere park, with transportation that is true transportation, rather than merely a ride for amusement. Perhaps there would be shows that would be "feature length," like Broadway-style. The iconic castle itself could be a large hotel, complete with dining, shopping, show elements, even ballroom dancing. Certain things would need to be addressed with such an approach, such as the traditional gate revenue and security.

The point is to make money, give more children the opportunity go visit a "Disney castle park," entertain people of all ages, but not be redundant to the existing domestic resorts.

Depending on which location would be picked, it might have much more indoors than the existing domestic castle parks, which were built before massive malls and other developments that proved Americans would enjoy and spend money in such massive indoor places, and that such places could effectively handle crowds.

I realize that the financing and cooperation needed for a project like this is why it hasn't been done already. Instead, the Company has taken advantage of interest and support in foreign markets.

As I said, the specifics of what would actually be there wouldn't be pinned down until the project is already going forward, and every armchair Imagineer out there would have their own ideas. The Company has an entire subsidiary dedicated to making these decisions. But if you're interested, I discuss some elements below.

The Sweep Spot Ep. #345 - Disneyland Roles with Nathan Eick

Nathan Eick, a Disneyland Cast Member from December 2000 to January 2022, chats about his various roles, including staffing the Disney Gallery, being a Tour Guide, vetting prospects in Live Entertainment, and more!

The Sweep Spot is a podcast focusing on the Disneyland Resort, now weekly, with a Topical Episode every two weeks, alternating with a Current Events Episode the other weeks.
Lynn Barron and Ken Pellman, former Disneyland Day Custodial Foremen, are your hosts. Once per month, you can join a live chat as we record Current Events episodes by joining the Patreon for The Sweep Spot..
For more information and to order books, visit our official website: 
http://www.TheSweepSpot.com

There are many easy and free ways to listen to The Sweep Spot in addition to clicking below.

Friday, October 14, 2022

The Sweep Spot - Disneyland Current Events as of October 14, 2022

We catch up on the latest at the Disneyland Resort. Once per month, you can join a live chat as we record these episodes by joining the Patreon for The Sweep Spot. Our Patreon supporters join us for this episode. We chat about Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Disney100, price increases, MagicBand+, and more!

The Sweep Spot is a podcast focusing on the Disneyland Resort, now weekly, with a Topical Episode every two weeks, alternating with a Current Events Episode the other weeks.
Lynn Barron and Ken Pellman, former Disneyland Day Custodial Foremen, are your hosts.
For more information and to order books, visit our official website: 
http://www.TheSweepSpot.com

There are many easy and free ways to listen to The Sweep Spot in addition to clicking below.

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Where Should the Third Disney Theme Park Resort in the USA Be?

I previously explained why there is a need for a third Disney theme park resort in the USA.

But where should it be?

Disneyland and Walt Disney World were built where the weather makes year-round outdoor activities easy and common with little hassle or preparation. Yes, sunblock, shade, and air conditioning have been musts. But guest never need a parka. Walt Disney World gets frequent rain, and Disneyland has, over the years, become more and more tolerant of rain instead of needing to close early. Plastic ponchos are a big help.

This is one of several reasons I have long thought of Texas as ideal for a third Disney theme park resort in the USA. But there are other possibilities.

Since the the first two, Disney theme park resorts have been built in places that regularly have an annual season that incudes snow. Tokyo gets a little snow. Paris gets a lot. Hong Kong usually doesn't. Shanghai gets a little. So, "It gets cold there" or "It snows there" isn't a reason to rule out a location as a possibility. Disney parks can function with snow. Some people would say regular snowfall can be used to the Resort's benefit. Consider the project Walt Disney had proposed that never came to be, Mineral King. Also, the Company did consider Virginia for the Disney's America project.

So, in addition to Texas, where else should the Company consider as a possible location?

Discussing this on Twitter, Rod Trett mentioned Branson, Missouri and Kirk Hanson mentioned a few places, including the state of Colorado. I think both could be great possibilities.

I know Branson has been mentioned over the years by people who want to see the Company have additional theme park resorts in the USA. It does seem like a good idea based on it already being a family entertainment draw. Geographically, it is roughly near the center of the contiguous 48 states, and not close to either Disneyland or Walt Disney World, which is my original goal: have a third resort that makes it easier for more people to have visit to a Disney theme park.

Colorado could mean a significant change in overall design to capitalize on snow, rather than merely deal with it. And again, it's very roughly central in location.

There are professional agencies which can explore the feasibility of these three options (somewhere in Texas, somewhere in Colorado, or in or around Branson, Missouri). Among other things, studies of this sort consider the business climate, where enough suitable contiguous land can be purchased for prices that make it worthwhile, likely customers within the right distance, local workforce (there's a reason WDW relies so heavily on the College Program and staffing World Showcase with people from the countries represented), infrastructure and supply chains, competing and complimenting businesses nearby. Some people say it isn't feasible to build another site in the USA. Maybe they're right, maybe they're not. After all, it was already a major undertaking to acquire the land for Disneyland and then later Walt Disney World, and that was half a century ago. Things have only gotten more formidable since. But the resorts seem to be a a major gold mine.

As I was writing this, the Company boosted prices yet again at the domestic theme parks. Supply and demand. The demand is there. It would be great to have more supply.

The Sweep Spot Ep. #344 - Disneyland Haunted Mansion with Jeff Baham

Author Jeff Baham of DoomBuggies.com joins the show to talk about Disneyland Haunted Mansion merchandise, books, and collecting.

The Sweep Spot is a podcast focusing on the Disneyland Resort, now weekly, with a Topical Episode every two weeks, alternating with a Current Events Episode the other weeks.
Lynn Barron and Ken Pellman, former Disneyland Day Custodial Foremen, are your hosts. Once per month, you can join a live chat as we record Current Events episodes by joining the Patreon for The Sweep Spot..
For more information and to order books, visit our official website: 
http://www.TheSweepSpot.com

There are many easy and free ways to listen to The Sweep Spot in addition to clicking below.