It’s no secret that Walt Disney World is going through a lot of changes right now, as the resort prepares to reinvent itself for its 50th anniversary. However, with Toy Story Land now open, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge on the horizon, and Epcot on the cusp of its own reinvention, we thought we’d examine something you might not have considered: what kind of effect these changes will have on Disney Vacation Club. We’ve asked the experts, so you don’t have to!
How much of an attendance boost do you expect Disney to receive from Toy Story Land? Will it be as big as Pandora — The World of Avatar?
Image: DisneyMelissa Mullett, David’s Vacation Club Rentals: Like with any opening, crowds will be drawn to the new kid on the block. I think that Hollywood Studios will see a considerable increase in their attendance levels. Because Toy Story speaks to such a broad audience and so many generations have been exposed to Toy Story, I think it will appeal to all families young and old. I don’t know if it will be as big as The World of Avatar, but I can tell you as a grown woman I am incredibly excited to visit and ride the Slinky Dog Dash. Although it’s not as richly themed as Pandora, I do think that it will draw higher than usual crowd levels.
Marissa Vallotton, DVC Resale Market: I do think that there will be a massive attendance boost with Toy Story Land, especially since there is such an affinity for the characters of Toy Story. Also, it seems that any time Disney adds something new, there is a bump up in attendance.
It’s hard to say how it will compete with Avatar, as adding Avatar came along with the addition of nighttime events at Animal Kingdom, which was once considered a half-day park. So, not only did they add a new land there, but Disney also did a good job of marketing the nighttime experience of Animal Kingdom, which helped play to the attendance boost.
Image: DisneyAdding things like a night show and nighttime safaris made people want to come back to WDW just to experience that. With Hollywood Studios, the difference is that it already has strong attendance. Still, I do think Toy Story draws more Disney fans overall, and being a mom of a one-year-old, I can imagine my family will be spending a lot of time at Hollywood Studios soon!
Paul Little, The DVC Rental Store: I expect the attendance boost for Toy Story Land will be larger than that for Pandora. Many guests do not have an emotional tie to the Avatar movie in the manner that they do for Disney/Pixar movies or the Harry Potter movies. Because of this, Pandora needed to establish its own identity via the beautify, technology and ride features that it provides. In comparison, the Toy Story movies pulled the viewer into the toys’ world and have become classics. Guests of all ages are looking forward to experiencing the world of these iconic characters.
Kristen Tutas, ResalesDVC: The longevity of the Toy Story franchise coupled with the target audience being younger should bring a much larger crowd than Pandora brought in during its launch. Customers are talking a lot about Toy Story Land and planning vacations around it. I can see this summer being a record-breaker for Disney World and Hollywood Studios.
What are your thoughts on the evolution of Disney California Adventure into a Pixar/Marvel park?
Image: DisneyKristen: I think it’s important that Disney keeps evolving and updating to bring new life to its theme parks. Don’t get me wrong, I love the “classics” but I like to see new experiences offered that are more in line with our current generation. Since there are some limitations for the Orlando parks due to licensing agreements with Universal, it only makes sense to bring that fandom to California. I already have plans in the works for my FIRST Disney California trip in 2019 so I’ll let you know what I think then!
Melissa: I think that it is a very exciting time for Disney California Adventure! In the past, DCL has struggled with strong theming and suffered from criticism and comparison to other Disney Theme Parks. I think that by focusing on building up the brand of Pixar and Marvel, they will begin to see an increase in crowed attendance and satisfaction.
I have heard amazing feedback from the beloved Cars Land as well as the Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Break Out (even though people were hesitant at first). Thus, with this positive feedback, it makes sense that they would expand Pixar/Marvel theme.
Image: DisneyPersonally, I love seeing original characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck; however, Pixar is beginning to have a stronger presence in what Disney means to me. I can imagine that future generations are also more heavily exposed to Pixar and Marvel, so this integration will be very exciting for them.
On a personal note, I think the revamp of Paradise Pier with all of the bright colors, the Pixarmonic Orchestra, and the introduction of some pretty fun food items is going to make for an amazing experience.
Paul: I think Disney is making a great strategic move in making these changes at DCA. Marvel is all the rage at the movies and Disney would be foolish to not leverage the brand. The Marvel additions will help draw a demographic away from Universal that is looking for an edgier experience than classic Disney can provide. At the same time, Pixar Pier draws those that are looking for a more classic experience.
Image: DisneyMarissa: Being from California, I can remember the day that DCA was opened. It was exciting to have a brand new park added within walking distance of Disneyland. I was younger and personally I LOVE being able to walk through and see all the different areas of California and being from Northern California one of my favorite parks was walking into the Golden Gate Bridge at the front entrance. On top of all of that, my favorite ride was The Tower of Terror. So, I am sad to see DCA go away as it has some fun memories for me.
With that said, I was able to go back a few years ago when Cars Land was added and it was AMAZING – the land, the ride, and the attention to detail were incredible. I think if Disney is going to continue the same quality style transformation of Cars Land to the rest of the Pixar/Marvel upgrades, then it will be an extremely exciting transformation. Being a “boy mom,” I can’t wait to go back and bring my son with all the fun Pixar and Marvel additions.
Finally, what are you expectations for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge? What do you tell members/renters and potential members/renters that they should do to plan ahead for its opening?
Image: DisneyKristen: With Toy Story opening this year and Star Wars following next year, it’s going to be a very busy couple of years to come, with record-breaking crowds. That means it is extremely important for current DVC members and potential members to be utilizing the seven-to-11 month home priority booking windows when planning their upcoming vacations. If you are planning to vacation during the opening months (“late fall” of 2019), you need to be ready to book your trip this November or December (11 months in advance).
Paul: The popularity of Star Wars Land will be off the charts! It should match the popularity of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal on day one. We are telling our guests to book their accommodations well in advance and to expect capacity crowds for quite some time.
Melissa: I hate to admit this, but I’m not a huge Star Wars fan. That being said, I think it is going to be one of the most breathtaking lands Disney has designed. I have spent a lot of time reading up on the new Star Wars Land-Galaxy’s Edge, visiting the 3D model located in Hollywood Studios, and I am completely in awe. I think that it is amazing that the Imagineers and Lucasfilm Story Group could create this brand new land with its own story but also visualize it and lift it off of a page and into our reality. I think that Galaxy’s Edge will be a fantastic visceral and immersive experience. I might not have been a knowledgeable fan of Star Wars before my visit; however, I think that I will probably turn into a huge fan after my visit.
Image: DisneyAll we can do is advise our guests to be prepared. We need to make sure that they have an itinerary planned and that they are ready for the booking windows to open up for their stay, Advanced Dining Reservations and Fast Passes. We don’t have a lot of information with regards to timelines, so we are trying to prepare our guests the best that we can. Most importantly we prepare our guest to HAVE FUN!!!
Derek: Enormous. It makes me wonder how they can’t have that same feeling that Universal did with Harry Potter – “Why did we only do part of an existing park when we have more than enough content to do a WHOLE THEME PARK?!” It will no doubt be incredible – and leave people wanting way more than what is currently on the books. I tell families every day that are looking to purchase at the Boardwalk/Beach Club they picked a great time to do so. We DVC members know that the Epcot DVC resorts can be “challenging” to get into at seven months or less. With the opening of Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land, let alone everything new coming to Epcot, having that “home resort priority” and owning points at those resorts if that’s where they want to stay is going to be even more important (so call me ASAP if you want some Epcot DVC Resort points!).
