DISNEYLAND RESORT EXPANSION 10George A. Kalogridis ... · Disneyland President 10 George A....
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questions for Disneyland President George A. Kalogridis 10 We caught up with Disneyland Resort President George A. Kalogridis to get some insight into the thought behind this enormous expansion project, as well as some challenges and surprises over the last five years. Here’s what he had to share. 1. Why did Disney make such a large investment to change Disney California Adventure? Since opening in 2001, Disney California Adventure has been the second most-visited theme park in the Western United States, behind only Disneyland. Though many of the highest-rated attractions are in California Adventure, our guests told us they didn’t have the same emotional connection that they had to Disneyland. They wanted more heart, more fantasy and more immersive experiences. 2. How will you connect guests emotionally to Disney California Adventure? As guests enter, they will be transported to the 1920s Los Angeles that greeted Walt Disney when he arrived as a young animator. What Main Street U.S.A. is to Disneyland, Buena Vista Street will be to Disney California Adventure, with Carthay Circle Theatre as the focal point, much like Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. 3. You mentioned the highest-rated attractions are at Disney California Adventure. In fact, six of the 10 most popular Resort attractions: World of Color, Toy Story Mania, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, California Screamin’, Soarin’ Over California, and Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular. I expect Radiator Springs Racers will join that list very soon! 4. You’ve referred to this as a Resort expansion, but isn’t the expansion only at Disney California Adventure? While Disney California Adventure experienced incredible growth with the addition of World of Color, Little Mermaid and now Buena Vista Street and Cars Land, we also added 200 rooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, as well as 50 Disney Vacation Club villas, the first on the west coast. In addition, we recently completed a major renovation at the Disneyland Hotel. 5. What does the expansion mean for the community? When we opened Disney California Adventure, we created a multi-day, world-class resort destination, complete with two theme parks, three hotels and a retail, dining and entertainment district. Today, Anaheim is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the west. Since we began our expansion, the Resort has generated $19 billion in economic activity, with almost 75% realized here in Orange County. 6. You previously said that one of the things that had been missing from Disney California Adventure was nighttime entertainment? True. The park didn’t have a nighttime spectacular and World of Color has provided that one last memory as guests leave our park. World of Color has entertained more than 5.5 million guests in just two years, and it has resulted in increased park operating hours each evening… along with sparking the addition of our nightly family dance parties. 7. What’s the concept behind the family dance parties? We created GlowFest to keep our guests engaged before and after World of Color shows. We used the concept to create ElecTRONica, a tribute to the movie TRON. Both were widely successful, so we’ve just kicked off Mad T Party, which is inspired by the whimsical world of Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.” 8. What’s been the biggest challenge? Operating a theme park while undergoing a project of this magnitude has been unprecedented. Although our expansion efforts were clearly visible in the park, we were able to keep the vast majority of our entertainment offerings and attractions open. We appreciate our guests’ understanding throughout the process. 9. Have there been any surprises? It’s been interesting to see how involved our guests have been in tracking our progress. They’ve watched World of Color and the mountain range in Cars Land materialize before their eyes. And while there have been construction walls up around the park, our imagineers made them fun and we were surprised at how popular they were as photo opportunities. 10. What are you most looking forward to with the completion of the expansion? I can’t wait to celebrate this amazing accomplishment with everyone who, over the last five years, had a hand in ensuring our success…our partners at Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar, the construction workers and vendors, our community neighbors who have worked with us through the expansion, and most of all the 23,000 Disneyland Resort cast members who make magic every day for our guests. Thank you all!. DISNEYLAND RESORT EXPANSION www.disneyland.com • www.disneyparks.com/blog • www.facebook.com/disneyland • www.twitter.com/disneyland
Transcript of DISNEYLAND RESORT EXPANSION 10George A. Kalogridis ... · Disneyland President 10 George A....
questions for Disneyland President George A. Kalogridis10
We caught up with Disneyland Resort President George A. Kalogridis to get some insight into the thought behind this enormous expansion project, as well as some challenges and surprises over the last fi ve years. Here’s what he had to share.
1. Why did Disney make such a large investment to change Disney California Adventure?Since opening in 2001, Disney California Adventure has been the second most-visited theme park in the Western United States, behind only Disneyland. Though many of the highest-rated attractions are in California Adventure, our guests told us they didn’t have the same emotional connection that they had to Disneyland. They wanted more heart, more fantasy and more immersive experiences.
2. How will you connect guests emotionally to Disney California Adventure?As guests enter, they will be transported to the 1920s Los Angeles that greeted Walt Disney when he arrived as a young animator. What Main Street U.S.A. is to Disneyland, Buena Vista Street will be to Disney California Adventure, with Carthay Circle Theatre as the focal point, much like Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland.
3. You mentioned the highest-rated attractions are at Disney California Adventure. In fact, six of the 10 most popular Resort attractions: World of Color, Toy Story Mania, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, California Screamin’, Soarin’ Over California, and Disney’s Aladdin – A Musical Spectacular. I expect Radiator Springs Racers will join that list very soon! 4. You’ve referred to this as a Resort expansion, but isn’t the expansion only at Disney California Adventure?While Disney California Adventure experienced incredible growth with the addition of World of Color, Little Mermaid and now Buena Vista Street and Cars Land, we also added 200 rooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, as well as 50 Disney Vacation Club villas, the fi rst on the west coast. In addition, we recently completed a major renovation at the Disneyland Hotel. 5. What does the expansion mean for the community?When we opened Disney California Adventure, we created a multi-day, world-class resort destination, complete with two theme parks, three hotels and a retail, dining and entertainment district. Today, Anaheim is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the west. Since we began our expansion, the Resort has generated $19 billion in economic activity, with almost 75% realized here in Orange County.
6. You previously said that one of the things that had been missing from Disney California Adventure was nighttime entertainment?True. The park didn’t have a nighttime spectacular and World of Color has provided that one last memory as guests leave our park. World of Color has entertained more than 5.5 million guests in just two years, and it has resulted in increased park operating hours each evening… along with sparking the addition of our nightly family dance parties.
7. What’s the concept behind the family dance parties?We created GlowFest to keep our guests engaged before and after World of Color shows. We used the concept to create ElecTRONica, a tribute to the movie TRON. Both were widely successful, so we’ve just kicked off Mad T Party, which is inspired by the whimsical world of Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.”
8. What’s been the biggest challenge?Operating a theme park while undergoing a project of this magnitude has been unprecedented. Although our expansion efforts were clearly visible in the park, we were able to keep the vast majority of our entertainment offerings and attractions open. We appreciate our guests’ understanding throughout the process. 9. Have there been any surprises?It’s been interesting to see how involved our guests have been in tracking our progress. They’ve watched World of Color and the mountain range in Cars Land materialize before their eyes. And while there have been construction walls up around the park, our imagineers made them fun and we were surprised at how popular they were as photo opportunities. 10. What are you most looking forward to with the completion of the expansion?I can’t wait to celebrate this amazing accomplishment with everyone who, over the last fi ve years, had a hand in ensuring our success…our partners at Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar, the construction workers and vendors, our community neighbors who have worked with us through the expansion, and most of all the 23,000 Disneyland Resort cast members who make magic every day for our guests. Thank you all!.
DISNEYLAND RESORT EXPANSION
Disneyland President George A. Kalogridis
6. You previously said that one of the things that had been missing from Disney
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