So yes. From the sounds of things, Disney is going to be opening a park in Shanghai, making it the second park in China.
You can read about it elsewhere so I won't bother to rehash links just give you a few thoughts. (I will have some essential links in the next News From Around The World, most likely.)
Do I think they should build another "Disneyland" style park? Absolutely not. Do I think moving into Shanghai is a bad idea? Absolutely not. It's an opportunity to reach a lot of consumers and, as much as I favor embargoes in some situations, I don't think this is a case where we should say that China is "bad" and Disney shouldn't be there. As the great and sadly fictional Albie Duncan said, Chinese political prisoners are going to be sewing soccer balls with their teeth whether we sell them cheeseburgers or not, so let's sell them cheeseburgers.
That having been said, with a Disneyland already in Hong Kong (albeit a crappy one) I think it is something of overkill to put another one on the main land in China. I think this is a great opportunity for Disney to develop a new theme park concept for the Chinese audience. This doesn't mean they have to re-invent the wheel. They can easily import some aspects of the Disneyland formula like the hub-and-spoke design only don't put a castle in the middle and revolve something different. Maybe bring over New Orleans Square or build a Caribbean land to give Pirates of the Caribbean a home in China. Maybe make the "Studios" concept smaller and turn it into a land for Tower of Terror, Rockin Roller Coaster, and Lights Motors Action. For as much as I hate it, even bring Pixie Hollow over.
My point is, this does not have to be over-saturation for Disney, it can simply be an extension and evolution of a popular concept.
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Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com
Showing posts with label outside the world. Show all posts
Showing posts with label outside the world. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Disney Dream Announcement
Disney Cruise Line released details on their new ship, the Dream, set to launch in 2011. All Ears Net has coverage. Highlights include a ROLLER COASTER, a "nightlife district" (new home of the Adventurer's Club? I doubt it but how sweet would that be?) and more of the usual stuff: kid and teen areas, the usual art deco design, and Palo again.
Don't get me wrong, I love Disney (obviously) and these ships look nice enough but they've yet to do anything that makes me feel like I really NEED to take a Disney cruise. Sure the water coaster is enticing and I would certainly consider a 3 or 4 night Bahamas sailing if the price was right but it's just not something on the top of my "to do" list.
~~~~~
Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com
Don't get me wrong, I love Disney (obviously) and these ships look nice enough but they've yet to do anything that makes me feel like I really NEED to take a Disney cruise. Sure the water coaster is enticing and I would certainly consider a 3 or 4 night Bahamas sailing if the price was right but it's just not something on the top of my "to do" list.
~~~~~
Feel free to re-post anything from WDWorld Traveler but please link back to http://wdwtraveler.blogspot.com
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Manta Opening Coverage
Lots of coverage around the internets of this weekend's grand opening of Manta at SeaWorld Orlando.
We've got articles from:
We've got articles from:
- Jack Spence at All Ears Net
- John Frost at The Disney Blog
- Walter Echols at DisUnplugged
- Barbara Neffer at the Philadelphia Examiner
- Central Florida News 13
- My Fox Orlando
- Dewayne Bevil at the Orlando Sentinel
- Jason Garcia at the Orlando Sentinel
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Disney's America Lives?!?!
ZapperZ at My Disney Mania is reporting on Disney purchasing land near Washington, DC for a potential Vacation Club resort.
Initially I was thinking this was craziness and rumors run wild but it's being reported in a number of places and could be the real deal. Disney is, of course, not commenting yet. I could be a really cool idea yet with a DVC resort already in Hilton Head and with how easily these things get blown out of proportion I'm holding off any judgment until Disney says something official...and that could just as easily be a year or two down the road as it could be a week. So let's wait and see.
Initially I was thinking this was craziness and rumors run wild but it's being reported in a number of places and could be the real deal. Disney is, of course, not commenting yet. I could be a really cool idea yet with a DVC resort already in Hilton Head and with how easily these things get blown out of proportion I'm holding off any judgment until Disney says something official...and that could just as easily be a year or two down the road as it could be a week. So let's wait and see.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Outside the World Review - Harrah’s Atlantic City
From time to time I will travel to destinations besides Walt Disney World (hard to believe, I know.) When I do so, I will attempt to review them here as well.
Intro: Opened in 1979 in the “Marina” section of Atlantic City, Harrah’s is the modest and unthemed cousin of Harrah’s Atlantic City properties (Caesar’s, Bally’s, Wild Wild West, Showboat.) It is also the farthest removed of any property in the city, located a few minutes on either side of the highway from Trump Marina and the Borgata. It was recently remodeled to include one of the best pools in the city as well as boasting one of AC’s top buffets.
The Rooms: The rooms here are nicer than many of Harrah’s other Atlantic City properties. My guest room overlooked the inlet and Trump Marina (by way of a parking lot and highway.) As with any property at the shore, rooms on the higher floors are better. Our standard room had two double beds, sofa, chair, desk with desk chair, small fridge, and average size television with the usual video game and WebTV accessories. The bathrooms were very nice, larger than average, but with only one sink. The rooms also had a full length dressing mirror, which was a nice touch.
The front desk had one feature, aside from the fish tank, that I have never noted in Atlantic City before (and think we will be noticing almost everywhere very soon): self serve check in kiosks. Just like the boarding pass machine’s in the airport, you swipe your credit card or type your confirmation number and you can select the number of beds, smoking preference, and floor (very nice feature) as well as add a credit card for room charging privileges.
The Restaurants: Harrah’s is certainly not the place for five star dining like the Borgata or Caesars, nor is it the place for the brand name establishments of the Tropicana. The two showcase restaurants are the Casino Player Magazine’s 2008 “Best Buffet” award winning Waterfront Buffet and the nationally popular seafood establishment McCormick & Schmick’s.
The Waterfront Buffet (which new Total Rewards members receive a “buy one, get one free” coupon among the many deals in the current “Passport” promotion) offered an excellent selection of fresh foods in an inviting setting near the resort’s pool. They offer a number of unique sections including a Brazilian rodizio featuring prime rib, turkey, chicken drumsticks, and ribs. The Brazilian section also included a “seafood pudding” which was about a million times better than the name suggests. The Asian section featured a few dim sum selections as well as fresh sushi (there was a sushi chef on hand) in addition to the usual teppanaki wok, lo mien, and General Tso chicken. Another unusual ethnic offering was a Middle Eastern station that is not even mentioned in promotional materials, so it may change regularly. The buffet also included made to order steaks and pasta, crab legs, a fresh fish carving station, and an extensive dessert area including a “cold stone” ice cream station and made to order flambé.
Harrah’s also offers an Italian restaurant, Steakhouse, and raw bar on it’s second floor dining area along with two American family restaurants, a deli, a food court, and a coffee shop.
The Pool: In addition to boasting Atlantic City’s top buffet, Harrah’s also has Casino Player’s 2008 “Best Pool” award winner, simply named The Pool. It is a large in door free form pool surrounded by hot tubs, cabanas, and a small bar and restaurant. It’s an amazing area and well worth spending the day at, especially for members of your group that aren’t into (or not old enough for) gambling in the casino. With the beach only steps away from most casinos and the clientele comprised almost entirely of senior citizens and day trippers, Atlantic City has never been big on the pools. Harrah’s tries their best to change this. While it is definitely not as “hip” as the pool at the Borgata, it’s definitely closer to the pool experiences of Vegas or the Caribbean than anywhere else on the Jersey shore.
Next door to the pool is the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa which I’m fairly certain is the only spa in Atlantic City themed after a perfume brand.
The Nightlife: And then, in another unusual move, at night the pool is transformed into the resort’s nightclub. One of the more unusual nightlife spots in Atlantic City, The Pool After Dark, is open Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday, with Saturday being it’s most popular night. The cabanas double as VIP booths and the pool in the middle of the club makes for an interesting atmosphere. It’s not as trendy as the Borgata’s mur mur but it ranks up there with it, the Taj Mahal’s Casbah and Tropicana’s Providence.
Aside from the nightclub, Harrah’s also has usual nighttime entertainment in the Eden Lounge and the 24-hour Xhibition Bar (which is themed after, I’m not kidding, dizziness.)
The Casino: The casino is fairly traditional with the usual slot machines and video poker machines as well as some newer multi-game machines and virtual roulette. The virtual blackjack and virtual roulette are great choices for newer players who may be intimidated by playing at a table with a dealer and other players. They also have the usual table games with a few variations that you don’t see as often like four card poker, “bonus” blackjack, single deck blackjack, “speed’ roulette, and a number of Asian games that I’ve never heard of. The cocktail waitresses were not as prompt as I’ve seen at other casinos but, then again, I was mostly looking for drinks late at night on a Sunday and Atlantic City is getting tighter with the recession so maybe I was asking for too much.
Thoughts: Harrah’s is a perfectly run of the mill casino. Nothing is going to knock your socks off (aside from the pool) but everything is clean and appears far younger than its 1979 birthday would suggest. Probably because not as many day guests come milling in and out of the casino but the whole property seems much less “run down” than parts of Bally’s or Resorts. Harrah’s is definitely geared towards older guests but there is enough here to attract families and twenty-somethings for a night or two. It’s not the best resort in Atlantic City but I can’t imagine anyone leaving disappointed.
Overall Rating: *** ¾
Intro: Opened in 1979 in the “Marina” section of Atlantic City, Harrah’s is the modest and unthemed cousin of Harrah’s Atlantic City properties (Caesar’s, Bally’s, Wild Wild West, Showboat.) It is also the farthest removed of any property in the city, located a few minutes on either side of the highway from Trump Marina and the Borgata. It was recently remodeled to include one of the best pools in the city as well as boasting one of AC’s top buffets.
The Rooms: The rooms here are nicer than many of Harrah’s other Atlantic City properties. My guest room overlooked the inlet and Trump Marina (by way of a parking lot and highway.) As with any property at the shore, rooms on the higher floors are better. Our standard room had two double beds, sofa, chair, desk with desk chair, small fridge, and average size television with the usual video game and WebTV accessories. The bathrooms were very nice, larger than average, but with only one sink. The rooms also had a full length dressing mirror, which was a nice touch.
The front desk had one feature, aside from the fish tank, that I have never noted in Atlantic City before (and think we will be noticing almost everywhere very soon): self serve check in kiosks. Just like the boarding pass machine’s in the airport, you swipe your credit card or type your confirmation number and you can select the number of beds, smoking preference, and floor (very nice feature) as well as add a credit card for room charging privileges.
The Restaurants: Harrah’s is certainly not the place for five star dining like the Borgata or Caesars, nor is it the place for the brand name establishments of the Tropicana. The two showcase restaurants are the Casino Player Magazine’s 2008 “Best Buffet” award winning Waterfront Buffet and the nationally popular seafood establishment McCormick & Schmick’s.
The Waterfront Buffet (which new Total Rewards members receive a “buy one, get one free” coupon among the many deals in the current “Passport” promotion) offered an excellent selection of fresh foods in an inviting setting near the resort’s pool. They offer a number of unique sections including a Brazilian rodizio featuring prime rib, turkey, chicken drumsticks, and ribs. The Brazilian section also included a “seafood pudding” which was about a million times better than the name suggests. The Asian section featured a few dim sum selections as well as fresh sushi (there was a sushi chef on hand) in addition to the usual teppanaki wok, lo mien, and General Tso chicken. Another unusual ethnic offering was a Middle Eastern station that is not even mentioned in promotional materials, so it may change regularly. The buffet also included made to order steaks and pasta, crab legs, a fresh fish carving station, and an extensive dessert area including a “cold stone” ice cream station and made to order flambé.
Harrah’s also offers an Italian restaurant, Steakhouse, and raw bar on it’s second floor dining area along with two American family restaurants, a deli, a food court, and a coffee shop.
The Pool: In addition to boasting Atlantic City’s top buffet, Harrah’s also has Casino Player’s 2008 “Best Pool” award winner, simply named The Pool. It is a large in door free form pool surrounded by hot tubs, cabanas, and a small bar and restaurant. It’s an amazing area and well worth spending the day at, especially for members of your group that aren’t into (or not old enough for) gambling in the casino. With the beach only steps away from most casinos and the clientele comprised almost entirely of senior citizens and day trippers, Atlantic City has never been big on the pools. Harrah’s tries their best to change this. While it is definitely not as “hip” as the pool at the Borgata, it’s definitely closer to the pool experiences of Vegas or the Caribbean than anywhere else on the Jersey shore.
Next door to the pool is the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa which I’m fairly certain is the only spa in Atlantic City themed after a perfume brand.
The Nightlife: And then, in another unusual move, at night the pool is transformed into the resort’s nightclub. One of the more unusual nightlife spots in Atlantic City, The Pool After Dark, is open Friday, Saturday, and Wednesday, with Saturday being it’s most popular night. The cabanas double as VIP booths and the pool in the middle of the club makes for an interesting atmosphere. It’s not as trendy as the Borgata’s mur mur but it ranks up there with it, the Taj Mahal’s Casbah and Tropicana’s Providence.
Aside from the nightclub, Harrah’s also has usual nighttime entertainment in the Eden Lounge and the 24-hour Xhibition Bar (which is themed after, I’m not kidding, dizziness.)
The Casino: The casino is fairly traditional with the usual slot machines and video poker machines as well as some newer multi-game machines and virtual roulette. The virtual blackjack and virtual roulette are great choices for newer players who may be intimidated by playing at a table with a dealer and other players. They also have the usual table games with a few variations that you don’t see as often like four card poker, “bonus” blackjack, single deck blackjack, “speed’ roulette, and a number of Asian games that I’ve never heard of. The cocktail waitresses were not as prompt as I’ve seen at other casinos but, then again, I was mostly looking for drinks late at night on a Sunday and Atlantic City is getting tighter with the recession so maybe I was asking for too much.
Thoughts: Harrah’s is a perfectly run of the mill casino. Nothing is going to knock your socks off (aside from the pool) but everything is clean and appears far younger than its 1979 birthday would suggest. Probably because not as many day guests come milling in and out of the casino but the whole property seems much less “run down” than parts of Bally’s or Resorts. Harrah’s is definitely geared towards older guests but there is enough here to attract families and twenty-somethings for a night or two. It’s not the best resort in Atlantic City but I can’t imagine anyone leaving disappointed.
Overall Rating: *** ¾
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