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[DopeyDad]

I think this could make very good business sense all round, the 2 resorts could have some synergies and it might make it possible for people wanting a longer vacation that includes centre parc type days, days out at DLP and around the Paris area from a more affordable location than staying at a Disney or partner hotel.

[Adam]

This may sound silly, but one of the reasons they don't want to call it Center Parcs could be the word "parcs." This could confuse the new development with DLP and the parks there.

I think it needs a better name for sure!

[Riebi]

Why should they name it center parks? It´s a joint venture between P&V and Euro Disney S.C.A. with a disney manager as general manager. So if they want to name that thing like a part of their company it would be more fitting to call it disney´s les villages natures resort. Like they name other hotels and centers around the world.

But I don´t think that we get a disney brand name or a P&V brand name for the resort (remember P&V has also other brands for this like sunparks).

For me that whole project is just a simple (and THE next) step to rise the resorts room capacity. They need this hardly.
And they planned this since years. Normal master plan step. Nothing to be surprised. The only intresting thing is the point anthony makes clear:

"will be launched depending on market conditions"

That could be tomorrow or in 10 years. For P&V it seems a bit clearer they mention the project in their anual reports since years. And that with more information about it as disney would do.

[dagobert]

Is ED SCA an equal partner in this joint venture?

I do understand that DLP needs more resort hotels, but all the new hotels aren't owned by Disney. So they will lose a lot of money in the long term. In the future the whole resort will start to make money and ED SCA will not profit from the new hotels, becuase the money goes to third parties. It's time for Disney to build their own hotels. At the moment their hotels have an occupancy rate around 90%, so there is no space for growth.

[Anthony]

I suspect that Center Parcs would be a little upset if another company was to use their name for an unrelated project!

The European side of Center Parcs is owned by Pierre et Vacances, isn't it? Their logo is on the press release, so it's not unthinkable they might use this very well-known brand (in thinking how to describe the project to people, I can only say "Center Parcs on a bigger scale"...)

Why should they name it center parks? It´s a joint venture between P&V and Euro Disney S.C.A. with a disney manager as general manager. So if they want to name that thing like a part of their company it would be more fitting to call it disney´s les villages natures resort. Like they name other hotels and centers around the world.

...But good point, even if Center Parcs is the best known brand for this kind of venture, this should probably be something totally different, standing on its own. It's a shame there can't be some arrangement to make this a Disney resort at least in name and branding.

I suppose another question to ask: If they're developing in phases, what will come first? I presume the lagoon and the water park, but then that's a far larger investment than the organic farm or "forest" areas. Or will there be a bit of each "land" developed first, a kind of core area, and then they'll gradually grow outwards with more accommodation, etc?

[never2old]

The European side of Center Parcs is owned by Pierre et Vacances, isn't it? Their logo is on the press release, so it's not unthinkable they might use this very well-known brand (in thinking how to describe the project to people, I can only say "Center Parcs on a bigger scale"...)

Yes, Centerparcs Europe is owned by Pierre et Vacances (the UK branch is totally separate)

[dagobert]

Does someone know how much Walt Disney Imagineering is involved in planning the resort, including the waterpark?

[Riebi]

For the involving of Euro Disney S.C.A.:

Complementary expertise on a shared project

Euro Disney and Pierre & Vacances have studied together the Villages Nature project. The two Groups have common values and complementary expertise, which serve as the foundation of their partnership.

Villages Nature is a resort concept designed to appeal to European consumers, offering them a unique experience based on connecting with nature. As a short and medium?break vacation destination, Villages Nature will provide a relaxing and immersive experience in the heart of nature – with 90% of the resort retained as green space. The destination will offer a number of recreational and learning activities that will inspire future generations to value conservation.

For this project, the partners have created a 50/50 joint?venture, with Companies' respective CEOs, Gérard Brémond and Philippe Gas, acting as co?Chairmen of the managing entity, and Dominique Cocquet as General Manager.

I think it should be a win-win for both sites.

The anual report 2009/10 of P&V name the partnership also:

Partnership in city residences (Adagio) with Accor in the Villages Nature project with Eurodisney and in
Morocco with Caisse des Dépôts et de Gestion du Maroc,

[davewasbaloo]

Hmmm, I am quite excited if it is well themed and well executed (and let's face it, most developments in Val D'Europe are. wouldn't it be lovely if there was a canal with boat transport to the parks, or at least a tram? Also if the waterpark uses Disney imagineering to get results and day passes are available, that would be fantastic too. But let's wait and see what happens with this. If it does come to pass, Disney desperately need to refurb their own hotels. They are already very average for the area at a high price due to proximity to the parks.

[ford prefect]

Yes, Centerparcs Europe is owned by Pierre et Vacances (the UK branch is totally separate)

I stand corrected on that!

[Martyn]

This seems a bit odd to me.... its like Alton Towers opening a garden centre, but on a much bigger scale.

Is this the first time Disney are building something this big that isn't a theme park?

[davewasbaloo]

Oh my Martyn, Disney have built many non theme park projects:

Besides DVC (including Hilton Head, Vero Beach and Aulani in Hawaii), there is the City of Celebration in Florida, Val De Europe in France, Cirque du Soliel theatres in Japan and WDW, Cruise Ships, the Amsterdam Theatre restoration in New York, the Disney Stores, they also used to own the Spruse Goose and Queen Mary in LA, as well as the Anaheim Angels Baseball Team and the Mighty Ducks Ice Hockey team.

This is a joint venture, which frankly so was DLP itself. And Disney used to be so much more creative - their advances to Audioanimatronics were used to enhance false limbs for parapalegics. And the Hyacynth project was a water recycling scheme of human waste in WDW, that in the 1970's aqnd 80's, Disney made a fortune selling the technology to Scandenavian governments. Then there has been joint R&D with NASA in the Land Pavillion and with computer companies over the years.

Also, Disney of course built 4 significant attractions for the 1964 New York World's fair (resulting in the Dinos, Carousel of Progress, It's a Small World and Great Moments with Mr Lincoln coming back to Disneyland). They also built the Encounter Restaurant in LAX Airport, and were involved in buidling the American National Western Museum in LA as well, and WDI also build a peoplemover in Houston Airport matching the one at DL and WDW. And in's Walt's time, he did the opening for the Winter Olympics in Lake Tahoe, as well as wanting to build a ski resort in Mineral King Bowl (where Country Bears were designed for), and the environmentalists kicked him out and made the land into a national park. He also wanted a water sports resort in Pyramid Lake.

when Walt purchased the property in Florida, he had little interest in building another theme park, but felt he had to to appeal to the East coast (but he largely left the design and build to his imagineers). He was far more interested in building EPCOT, not a theme park, but a real Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, bringing in new Urban design features, technology, environmentalism and industry. In some respects, this development, like Celebration and Val D Europe are true to Walt's vision.

This is why I say, there is far more to Disney than cartoons. There pretty much always has been, but average person is not aware.

[davewasbaloo]

This seems a bit odd to me.... its like Alton Towers opening a garden centre, but on a much bigger scale.

Alton Towers and Disney could not and should not ever be compared. They are leagues apart. Even if the monorail at AT is more efficient than WDW or DL's, and the Alton Towers hotels offer better value than the DLP hotels. :oops:

[Anthony]

This is an add-on to the post in Val d'Europe developments.

A magazine published today also gives a few details about Villages Nature:

• They hesitated between traditional and contemporary architecture, appear to have found a balance with styles such as Arts & Crafts, Art Nouveau and Japanese Zen gardens. They've been inspired by Krawina Haus in Vienna.
• The architects are: Jaques Ferrier for the water park, Jean-Loup Patriarche and Jean de Gastines for the accommodation; whilst the artistic vision is being controlled by Tierry Huau and Walt Disney Imagineering - and their Californian director Joe Rohde (am I reading this right?! wow!), known for Animal Kingdom - and also perhaps notably the new Disney resort in Hawaii
• First phase: €700m investment, 4500 jobs, 1600 direct
• Work "could" begin in the first half of 2013, for an opening in 2015

Link: http://business-immo.valdeurope.net

[dagobert]

Thanks for the infos Anthony. I'm happy to read that WDI is involved, although I'm disappointed that they are not involved in the water park. It's also great that Joe Rhode is responsible and not someone from DLP-I. He did some great things in recent years.

I also like that the Krawina-Hundertwasser House inspired the architects. I like Hundertwasser's buildings. He designed many buildings in Vienna and around the world:


http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rogner_Bad_Blumau


http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCllv ... _Spittelau


http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_McDonald_Haus