2.1 billion investment coming to Disneyland Paris but is it enough?

[Dingdingding]

After the Disney takeover of the park, Disney will invest 2,1 billion euros in the Eurodisney parks according to this document http://timon.disneylandparis.com/corporate/en-2017-03-30-draft-response-document-ed-sca.pdf.

"A major investment programme relating primarily to the renovation of hotels and
attractions, the development of a major new attraction in 2024 and bringing the IT
infrastructure up to standard, representing a total of €2.1 billion up to 2016."

In total close to 1.1 billion will go to the hotels and village (including the renovation of New York and Disneyland hotels), 233 million will go to IT and 754 million to attractions and events.

I'm very afraid this will not be enough. These renovations are long due, but the problem remains that Studios is still a half-day park and a lot of the rides of the Disneyland Park have gotten old and clunky. All major European themeparks are expanding, Disneyland Paris seems to lag behind a bit. There have been some rumors that most renovations in Studios will be Marvel refurbishments of existing rides. I'm afraid that won't be the most efficient use of the investment. Superheroes just aren't that big of a deal here as they are in the US and Asia. Why don't they do anything with the Disney comics that are very popular in Europe (and failed in the US) in the parks?

To put it in perspective: DLP will spend about 50 million euros a year on attractions and events (including renovations). A much smaller park like The Efteling in the Netherlands (close to 5 million visitors a year) is spending more than that this year (42 million on a new attraction, 10 million each year on renovations), Europapark is too (building a waterpark and Soarin-clone), Port Avontura is too (opening an extra theme park this year), Phantasialand (only 2,5 million visitors a year) is probably close to it (built a new themed area with two rollercoaster last year, is building a new themed area at the moment for next year). All DLP's European rivels are investing heavily. It's true that the gap between hem and DLP is still massive (although Studios is already behind Europapark, Tivoli and almost The Efteling), but those parks are increasing their attendance rates consistently for the last ten years while DLP is stagnating.

 

[Minniesgal]

Increased staffing and staff training is what it needs more than anything.

 

[zavandor]

754 million probably means 1-2 E-tickets and a few refurbishments, non that exciting.
The studios would need alone a full rework, California Adventure style. And the main park has already waited for a new attraction for years. It's not going to change the resort drastically.

And please please please do not touch the Tower of Terror to fit it into a Marvel land!

 

[tennisfan]

Its a start, one of the big things to come out of it should be that DLRP won't have to pay licences for the characters as WDC will be the main owners, that used to amount to Hundreds of millions euros a year, so in theory that can be plowed back into the parks and hotels.

 

[zavandor]

Disney doesn't work like that. It is made up of a number of divisions and each work like a company. Of course they do some sinergy and high level strategy, but only up to a point. So I think that also for the american parks, the Theme Parks and Resorts division pays I don't know what other division for the royalties. The Movies studios pays the Theme Parks and Resort division a fee when they want to adventise a new film in the parks (for example, on the monorail). Each division must/should be profitable.
For sure, it is well known that DVD (the company who creates and sells DVC) pays the Theme Parks and Resorts division for the special events they do for DVC members (like the Magic Kingdom parties).
Disneyland Paris will have to be profitable on its own even accounting for the royalties.

 

[aprincessatlast]

In total close to 1.1 billion will go to the hotels and village (including the renovation of New York and Disneyland hotels), 233 million will go to IT and 754 million to attractions and events.

I'm very afraid this will not be enough. These renovations are long due, but the problem remains that Studios is still a half-day park and a lot of the rides of the Disneyland Park have gotten old and clunky. All major European themeparks are expanding, Disneyland Paris seems to lag behind a bit. There have been some rumors that most renovations in Studios will be Marvel refurbishments of existing rides. I'm afraid that won't be the most efficient use of the investment. Superheroes just aren't that big of a deal here as they are in the US and Asia. Why don't they do anything with the Disney comics that are very popular in Europe (and failed in the US) in the parks?

When i first read 2.1 billion I thought wow perhaps DLP would get a "Carsland" type makeover as that and other facets of DL Anaheim was over 1 billion but after seeing the breakdown I have to wonder as you said if it would be enough. Then again Avatarland I think is roughly 500 million and Fantasyland is similar in price. So it looks like maybe a land or just serious refurbs. Then again I wonder if DLP would just get some carbon copies of what is already out there like Toy Story Mania, Mine train etc as I would imagine that is much cheaper than coming up with something new.

We live in the US and I am not so sure the Superheroes are as big of a deal as Disney wants to make them out as. They obviously do well at the box office but outside of that I wonder. They do what they want and hope the masses come. Avatar land is an example of this as the mass majority were shocked they invested in it. Sure they do well at the box office but I am not so sure how well they do in sales etc outside of that.

I thought this was an interesting read to see how Disney invested in different areas in the past at the other parks. http://www.parkjourney.com/disney-parks/category/seven-dwarfs-mine-train

 

[anthony2k7]

I bet this will include star wars land for DLP.

I hope 233mil on IT isnt being wasted on magicband though.

I'm intrigued by the money for Village more than anything else I think.

 

[Dingdingding]

I bet this will include star wars land for DLP.

I hope 233mil on IT isnt being wasted on magicband though.

I'm intrigued by the money for Village more than anything else I think.

They have been testing a magic band like system in DLP in the last couple of months and they are strongly considering implementing it within the year (according to a DLP-employee I spoke last week).

I also hope there will be a Disney Springs like upgrade to Village. But don't forget a large part of the money will go to the two most luxurious hotels.

 

[Dingdingding]

When i first read 2.1 billion I thought wow perhaps DLP would get a "Carsland" type makeover as that and other facets of DL Anaheim was over 1 billion but after seeing the breakdown I have to wonder as you said if it would be enough. Then again Avatarland I think is roughly 500 million and Fantasyland is similar in price. So it looks like maybe a land or just serious refurbs. Then again I wonder if DLP would just get some carbon copies of what is already out there like Toy Story Mania, Mine train etc as I would imagine that is much cheaper than coming up with something new.

We live in the US and I am not so sure the Superheroes are as big of a deal as Disney wants to make them out as. They obviously do well at the box office but outside of that I wonder. They do what they want and hope the masses come. Avatar land is an example of this as the mass majority were shocked they invested in it. Sure they do well at the box office but I am not so sure how well they do in sales etc outside of that.

I thought this was an interesting read to see how Disney invested in different areas in the past at the other parks. http://www.parkjourney.com/disney-parks/category/seven-dwarfs-mine-train

I share your worries about Avatarland and Marvel. And don't forget a large part of the money will go to ordinary renovations. (although most attractions have already been renovated, they have neglected maintenance for a long, long time, they can't do that again). To put it in perspective: a smaller park nearby where I live, The Efteling, is spending 10 million euros a year on maintenance and renovations of attractions. The replacement of Cinemagique is also part of the investment. I am wondering how much money there will be for new attractions. Don't forget this is the budget for the next 13 years which means they will spend about 50 million a year on attractions (including renovations). That really isn't that much considering the investments other European themeparks are doing at the moment (a much smaller park in the Netherlands is spending 42 million on one attraction this year (and said it has plans for a couple of rollercoasters in the next few years), Europapark is building a Soarin-clone and waterpark for tens of millions, Phantasialand (only 2,5 million visitors a year) just build two rollercoasters last year and is building a new themed area, Port Avontura World will open a new theme park this year, etcetera. All major European themeparks are expanding heavily with similar investments. It seems DLP is still lagging behind.

Tony Baxter said just a couple of days ago that the Studios Park needs an overhaul like California Adventure. I hope they'll listen to him. Studios is still the ugliest Disney theme park and one of the few Disney Theme Park (the only one?) that isn't in the regional top in attendance numbers. (about five European themeparks have higher attendance rates than Studios) They can use the area that is now being used by Studio Tram Tours for an expansion (I think they didn't cancel that overhaul of the attraction for nothing).

I hope Studios will get that refurbishment (please don't change Tower of Terror) but I hope they won't forget to add new attractions instead of renovations. The Disneyland Park has less attractions nowadays than when I visited the park as a small child...

So I would be very happy if they just put some copies of existing attractions in the park, at least that would be a real expansion.

 

[A Small World]

Studios is still the ugliest Disney theme park and one of the few Disney Theme Park (the only one?) that isn't in the regional top in attendance numbers. (about five European themeparks have higher attendance rates than Studios) .

As a matter of interest does anyone know how they count attendance figures? If you park hop do they count both parks or just the park your ticket is first used in that day?
This would definitely mean lower figures in Studios as more people start off in Disney park and then hop to Studios rather than the other way round. In WDW and DL California I don't think you get this distinction as much.

On the same note if I start in DL then hop to Studios and back to DL does this count as 3 lots of attendance? Am i counted 3 times or just 1?

 

[norhel]

As a matter of interest does anyone know how they count attendance figures? If you park hop do they count both parks or just the park your ticket is first used in that day?
This would definitely mean lower figures in Studios as more people start off in Disney park and then hop to Studios rather than the other way round. In WDW and DL California I don't think you get this distinction as much.

On the same note if I start in DL then hop to Studios and back to DL does this count as 3 lots of attendance? Am i counted 3 times or just 1?

From what I have read and understand, the number of visitors are based on a first click visit. Ie if you first go to WDS, and then to Disneyland Park, you are only counted as one visitor at WDS. And not at DP. If you go to DP, then WDS, and then back to DP you are only counted as on visitor to DP.
At least that's my understanding.

 

[A Small World]

From what I have read and understand, the number of visitors are based on a first click visit. Ie if you first go to WDS, and then to Disneyland Park, you are only counted as one visitor at WDS. And not at DP. If you go to DP, then WDS, and then back to DP you are only counted as on visitor to DP.
At least that's my understanding.

Thanks - thats the way Id imagined it to be as well.
That will definitely account for the attendance at the studios being so low as not many people go to DLP and only get a 1 park ticket - most have hoppers but the majority probably start in Disney park due to EMH and then go across to the studios or have some days they don't go to the studios at all.

There has been a lot of improvement in the studios in the past few years - my first visit was 2006 and since then they have built Tower of Terror Ratatouille land, Toy Story land, Crush and the Cars ride. The theming in these areas is really good and a lot of though has been put into it. However Im really disappointed that they are closing Cinemagique and changing it into something to do with Marvel characters- not everyone is obsessed with Super heros and I really hope they leave TOT as it is and don't change it like in California.

 

[Torchy]

Increased staffing and staff training is what it needs more than anything.

15,000 cst members and 400,000,hours training per year isn't enough ?
(http://www.dlptownsquare.com/30-years-convention-disneyland-paris/)

Money needed for the Village first and Studios second.

 

[Minniesgal]

15,000 cst members and 400,000,hours training per year isn't enough ?
(http://www.dlptownsquare.com/30-years-convention-disneyland-paris/)

Money needed for the Village first and Studios second.

In mo opinion no it is always understaffed and has the rudest staff I have ever seen in a Disney park