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[Tuvok]

The snow is something youd blame if your doing badly in a football kickabout.  
Was it really so bad on the continent that Eurodisney SCA can blame a poor quarter on it?
Maybe it was that bad, in just curious.

Poor quarter? Have you actually looked at the results? The results were good, better then expected. They would've been even better if it weren't for the snow and extreme winter conditions last year.
They even had to close down parts of the resort on several days, because of the extreme weather. Afterwards they had to keep parts op the parks closed, because the cast members weren't able to come to work due to the complete shut down of public transport. I watched Fantillusion during a snow blizzard in december, which was very magical, but this weather had a negative impact on attendance levels, thus less guest spending in the resort.

[pussinboots]

Where's the sense of fun? Desserts, maybe..? Your choice there: an Activia strawberry yoghurt or vanilla cornetto.

Yes, haha, Activia! Does anyone eat that because it tastes good? It's medicinal yogurt, a prescribed dessert, like Yakult.Why don't they just sell that Recette Crémeuse stuff that every other French person buys in bulk? That's also by Danone, and doesn't make you think of your lower intestines.

They could also invest in some soft-serve ice cream machines and serve milk-shakes, sundaes and even McFlurry-type desserts. That would be a fairly economical solution, and it it would be a lot less colorless and ordinary as prepackaged supermarket treats.

Auberge de Cendrillon by the way is €59 for an adult, not €53, which does indeed include drinks (doesn't say which) and a foie gras option. It still strikes me as a very odd offering, a combination of haute cuisine and a character buffet. Intriguing.

[dagobert]

The Annual Review is online now:

http://2010annualreport.disneylandparis.com/

http://2010annualreport.disneylandparis ... review.pdf

[Festival Disney]

It's a nice website, just for an annual report!
I'm suprised that the attendance has slumped 15.4 to 15.0, it could be due to that snow we had just before christmas? The parks were pretty dead during those times!

[dagobert]

It's a nice website, just for an annual report!
I'm suprised that the attendance has slumped 15.4 to 15.0, it could be due to that snow we had just before christmas? The parks were pretty dead during those times!

According to the report the first half of the financial year was very bad, due to the economic crisis. The second half was the best since the opening in 1992. So the snow was definately not a problem.

[davewasbaloo]

Interesting. Did you notice they are now only the 5th largest hotelier (they used to be the largest in 1992). Europa Park in 2 year's time will have the same number of hotel rooms. Interesting.

Also, almost all of the report is looking back, rather than looking forward. as an investor, this is worrisome. As a fan, even more so. What is the vision and blue print moving forward. Only one page plus the new Pierre and Vacance and Val D Europe developments are on the cards. Shame.

[dagobert]

Interesting. Did you notice they are now only the 5th largest hotelier (they used to be the largest in 1992). Europa Park in 2 year's time will have the same number of hotel rooms. Interesting.

Also, almost all of the report is looking back, rather than looking forward. as an investor, this is worrisome. As a fan, even more so. What is the vision and blue print moving forward. Only one page plus the new Pierre and Vacance and Val D Europe developments are on the cards. Shame.

Are the 8000 rooms only Disney hotels or does this number include the partner hotels? Is Europa Park that big to need so many rooms? Disney can hardly make more money without a new Disne hotel in the future. Hotel occupancy was always around 90% in recent years. There is no growth possible and I'm sure disney is losing a lot of money to the partner hotels. There are just too many of them. Two of those should be Disney hotels.

I thought the same about looking back, but if you look at the Annual Reports from 2002 until now, all of them just look back, but don't provide any informations about the future. Apple is another example for that, they just don't want to talk about what's going to happen after Steve Jobs.

[dagobert]

Did you take a look at the break down of attendance by country? Germany is the largest country in Europe in terms of inhabitants and only 2% of the guests are from there. There is definately something going wrong. DLRP is heavily promoted in the UK, France, Belgium, Spain or The Netherlands, but not in Germany. Since Germany, Austria and Switzerland are a single market, I can tell you there is no advertising over here.

[davewasbaloo]

I wonder if they decided not to compete with Germany given the high profile of Europa Park, Phantasialand, Holiday Park, Heide Park, Movie Park, and Legoland, coupled with the fact Space Park failed?

[Riebi]

I think they haven´t learned much from the past years. German visitors were once a big number over there at DLP. And I read somewhere that they are also now a big number for the tourist sector at paris - the city not the park (But they don´t come to disneyland cause they don´t know much about it)

During the financial crises we´ve seen that they had the focus on the wrong target group. They advertised sooo much in spain and UK, where people had bigger problems (loooose a house/job/family) then a trip to the magic.
The german  economy was on a better way and also the holiday planning of germans. It wasn´t the big gap like we saw it in other countries.

Germans are BIG theme park fans. They love to visit several  theme parks in one year. Yes we haven´t a problem to visit phantasialand, europa park and movie park in one year (the space park was simply dull). But over there we haven´t one big advertising campain. SOMETIMES you see something little and not very creative. But nothing that make you wanna see Disneyland. The germans even don´t know about a second park. They don´t know about a resort. They think that DLP is a tiny childish little park out there near paris. Maybe like Park Asterix.

DLP hasn´t invite germans for years now. So why should they come to this place? To realize that it´s hard to find a german speaking person at the hotel desk? To see all the spanish signs that they can´t get cause we are not in california here in europe? (That´s the point: where´s the international flair that the resort had 10 years ago, europe isn´t Spain, UK, France)
To see that the Disney hotels haven´t the same standard as the  luxery Europa Park Hotels?

So if you want that germans take dlp on their theme park list just say "hello, we are out here and we have a lot to do for you" (at germany) and "Willkommen" (at the resort). That´s all they want.

Should I be sad/upset cause there (spanish) marketing guy only see 3 lands in whole europe as market place? Should I wondering about the decrease of visitors from countries that have also at the moment BIG economic problems? Should I feel commiserate for DLP? Sorry, no. It´s their own managing fault. Solution: "Hello! Willkommen."

[dagobert]

Very well written Riebi. You made some very good points. I consider Austria as part of Germany, but only as a market, not as a single county, that could bring me into troubles :lol: , and our economies weren't in such serious conditions like in Spain. There people couldn't afford going on vacation, while over here people still spent a lot of money. DLRP really needs to rethink their advertising strategy over here.

[lil-shawn]

i argee with you riebi, i always shaked my heads when reading they want more german visitors but somehow they don´t come to the parks, uhhhm sorry but who should know about disneyland paris, some people i know think that the park don´t exicst anymore, cause in the past was this rumour it has to close.

next is, with a few brochures they don´t get the people from germany, they need to make a big advert in different ways, first for the kids, one for the whole family and for teens, show the trills this park have. and putting in just characters don´t make it better at all... no wonder a lot of peeps think its a little kids park..

attendance could be 16-17 millions if they would promote the park the right way and not just think of the 3 lands they do now.
also the park could make more money, right now the germans are willing to spend every money they have on vacations, and other stuff, because they´re scared in a few years the euro is at the end. so why not taking the chance and try to get as many germans as possible. i know a lot of people and i could bring everyone to this park, but i don´t do it because am not getting payed for it.  :lol:

[Maarten]

I agree with you guys. Obviously I am not from Germany, but even I am bothered that EuroDisney doesn't see the potential of the German market. From what I have heard, Germany has the largest economic sector of Europe, and the infrastructure between Germany and France shouldn't be a problem either (haven't they built a TGV connection between Paris and Frankfurt a few years ago?)

The 20th anniversary should be taken as an opportunity to re-launch Disneyland Paris once again. Think of a campaign along the lines of "NeedMagic?"... EuroDisney's marketing department has focused on the themed years and rubber heads for a few years now. Even the 15th anniversary celebration focused on a new parade instead of Crush's Coaster, Tower of Terror or Stitch Live. Especially Tower of Terror should have been launched in a big way like Space Mountain was marketed back in 1995. And what about Walt Disney Studios Park in 2002? No wonder the general public isn't aware of the second park.

It doesn't make a lot of sense not to advertise you newest assets like a big e-ticket (Tower of Terror) or even an entirely new themepark (Walt Disney Studios). So bring on a Resort-wide campaign to market Disneyland Paris and focus on the newest additions of the last 10 years, especially in Germany (and some other countries wouldn't hurt either I guess).

[lil-shawn]

I argee, but that leaves another question, if they wanna make money and want visitors from whole europe, why cuting money on advertisment and spending it on (TSPL and the themed years) with this money they easily could have made realy good adverts to promote the park in a big way... seems like disney realy have no money for important things and just for this crap happend the last couple of years besides the 15th...

right, the 20th would be a way to make something they didn´t in years, promote the park all over europe and try to get everyone into the parks. but somehow i have a bad feeling that they don´t learn anything, and more characters will come in very bad promotion. in this case, new management in every section is needed...  
there is no way to say mr. gas did a good job, because he didn´t. am afraid, if mr. staggs didn´t visit disneyland paris, the park would be in a more horrible state. the good hopes i had in the beginning for mr. gas are not here anymore, i want hime retire from the company and someone realy good needs to come, and if he is from the team disney anaheim, because here they know what to do...

[dagobert]

Due to the bad BTM accident, some people accused DLRP because of bad maintenance. Disney and More has posted an interesting article about DLRP's management and the problems the management has to deal with:

http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2011/ ... te-on.html