The Most Likely Announcement...

[Minnesota!]

After thinking about it, I would not like a 5th gate yet, either. I want the 4 they have to be top notch before a 5th is attempted.

MK is on the right track, FLE will be nice. Throw in some new things in Tomorrow Land (get rid of Stitch and Indy Carts to start!!!!),

Epcot sorely needs some new countries, some new future world attractions (umm....WOL pavilion, anyone?), just some general polishing all around,

HS is a mess. They need some stuff on the left and back sides of the park. New experiences. A Monster's Inc. coaster would be fabulous! Expand on the greatness they sit on (Muppets could do so much more than a 3-D movie!!)

And AK...it's getting there. I don't think Avatarland is going to be the salvation they need. It's too far off of what they have started. They need to continue with the continent theme. Go Oceanic. Or South American. So many options there. Make it a full day park. One that people aren't "just getting out of the way". One that they will come back to 2x in their stay!

 

[Disneymadhouse]

For the love of God just bring back Flynn Rider...that would be a fabulous announcement.





Sorry, it's been a while since I made a Flynn post, so y'all had it coming.

Yes congratulations I had noticed the absence of a FR post.

And I still think you are obsessed

Claire

 

[nkereina]

As I said on the other thread, it would have to be something to gain the attention of the general public. I doubt it's about Fantasyland because the general public (people who don't travel to WDW) don't even know what Fantasyland is. They could care less. Same goes for XPass. I don't think it would be enough to get people to book.

Since they are announcing this on New Year's, the leap year day thing makes sense since it's a unique year, but I still don't think it's this. Announcing a new theme but no promotions doesn't make sense because the general public most likely does not care about the theme. Plus they have never used NYE as an outlet to announce the themes before, why start now if there's no promo to go along with it?

I think it would have to be something to do with pricing because that's the main thing to draw people in. A promotion. Something to get people to want to book.

 

[princessbride6205]

After thinking about it, I would not like a 5th gate yet, either. I want the 4 they have to be top notch before a 5th is attempted.

MK is on the right track, FLE will be nice. Throw in some new things in Tomorrow Land (get rid of Stitch and Indy Carts to start!!!!),

Epcot sorely needs some new countries, some new future world attractions (umm....WOL pavilion, anyone?), just some general polishing all around,

HS is a mess. They need some stuff on the left and back sides of the park. New experiences. A Monster's Inc. coaster would be fabulous! Expand on the greatness they sit on (Muppets could do so much more than a 3-D movie!!)

And AK...it's getting there. I don't think Avatarland is going to be the salvation they need. It's too far off of what they have started. They need to continue with the continent theme. Go Oceanic. Or South American. So many options there. Make it a full day park. One that people aren't "just getting out of the way". One that they will come back to 2x in their stay!

ITA with all your points here!!

As for the announcement, I think it will be some sort of year-long promotion tied to all the new magical memories you can create when you visit Storybook Circus in the new Fantasyland on X date, Cars Land on Y date, Animation resort on Z date, etc. What will excite the viewing audience to book a Disney trip in 2012?
That's also why I don't think it's Avatar related - they did their early press run when they announced, no need to exhaust the media attention and public when it's not going to be open for a few years.

 

[heartse]

Maybe it's opening a new park somewhere else? Of course, not VA because that ship sailed long ago, but perhaps there is something somewhere else that they could capitalize on?

 

[chartle]

Maybe it's opening a new park somewhere else? Of course, not VA because that ship sailed long ago, but perhaps there is something somewhere else that they could capitalize on?

If it is, it would most likely be in another country like maybe Brazil.

 

[roxysmum123]

Tried my best to pry ANYTHING out of a CM today about this. Their guess was that it'll be something "bigger than a land" (my words not theirs). New park? New resort? New venture all together?

Not to quote my own post, but had a thought... new country at World Showcase? Technically a country is "bigger than a land"

 

[I Love Pluto]

As I remember the survey - it did NOT state that Fastpasses would not be available to all who are in the park. It DID state that perhaps a group of 3 would be made available to you BECAUSE you stayed at a Disney resort. You could pick up your 3 AT YOUR RESORT.

Disney would NEVER linit Fastpasses to on property only. The surrounding area with its many tourists who SPEND MONEY AT DISNEY could never be neglected. (I stay off property, then on - alternating.)

I have never been to Universal, but I have heard of the on-property "front of the line" thing. I'm not sure if I agree with this or not.

I think picking up a Fastpass at my resort would be fun. If I stayed off property, then I would pick up my Fastpass AT THE PARK .

 

[916chipndale]

maybe they are building a park in the DMZ.

 

[HeatherLassell]

Tried my best to pry ANYTHING out of a CM today about this. Their guess was that it'll be something "bigger than a land" (my words not theirs). New park? New resort? New venture all together?

Hmmmmm. I just read into that a hint from the CM that the announcement is NOT about Avatarland as so many people are guessing it might be. lol Thank goodness! Wouldn't make sense since it doesn't open for a few years and this announcement has to be something to entice people to book trips in 2012! Right?

 

[f19810]

If it is, it would most likely be in another country like maybe Brazil.

The way that the Brazilian teenagers act at WDW, I am more likely to go to a park in Tokyo or HK before I go to Brazil. On the other hand, maybe it would stop all of the groups from coming here!

 

[sissy_ib]

Has the announcement been advertised on tv? Someone mentioned ABC. We don't watch tv, don't even have local channels set up so I'm always out of the loop on these sorts of things! Did they say it is about WDW or Disney Parks? Thanks!

 

[conniehar90]

After watching the Disney parade yesterday, I am convinced it is going to the 24 hour leap year announcement. They talked about it on the parade and said it would be something never done before and it was mentioned in relation to the extra day, which is apparently the new theme this year - One more Disney Day.

 

[hushupu]

Maybe it will be the year of the Brazilian teenager.

 

[Asellus]

I had to look up the avatarland thing....all I can say is EWWWW! Yuck!!!!

I think it will be a yearly promotion for 2012.

 

[SiAmCrAzY]

Maybe it will be a buy one day/get one free thing Or (dreaming a little here...) a pay for this vacation get your next one free type promo

Seriously, it has to be a year long promotion they are anouncing. Given our current economic climate it has to be something involving Ticket priceing/discounts or bonus days. As others have stated here~ why else would the general population even care? I can't imagine any of my non-Disney geek friends gathering around the tv on NYE to hear about some amazing new expansion/ edition/ restoration/ change in the FP system at a theme park they just cannot afford to take their kids to right now.

The goal is to get more people there. Once there they will spend money and everyone knows the longer you are there the more you will spend so giving a "free day" or bonus day would make sense. Somehting to entice people who otherwise may not be visiting the parks this year.

I do not think this announcement is going to be for those of us who flock there yearly or quarterly like it is Mecca. For the record this is probably the most logical and least magical post I have ever put on the DIS... my pixie dust must be running low

 

[nicki.momof3]

The option was new ticket pricing not necessarily that they would go up.

Something akin to when they introduced the MYW tickets though I don't see it happening.

Months ago I was sent a WDW survey about new pricing options. The big option they kept asking about was "pay by teh hop" pricing. You only pay on the days you hop. I personally hated the option and hope it is not that.

 

[Magalex]

My thoughts on this secret announcement is why on the NYE show when teens & adults are the ones watching that show. They probably did some segment about AOA & Fantasyland when they broadcast the Disney Christmas parade for the people who would be future visitors to Disney. Why would they make a big announcement grand for the new year of Jan. 2012 when Fantasyland will not be completely finished this year anyways. There will be many grumpy visitors thinking it will be "all" finished in Oct. 2012. We know that as DISers. But I would feel bad for the "once in a life time guest".

 

[DavidNYC]

It's got to be more than just 24 hours on Feb. 29. That would be completely not worth the hype and the way the annoucement is being made. Would be something that only a small number of peeople would be able to take advantge of and this sort of announcement has to be something that would be available to a wider group.

I think that 24 hours will happen but will only be part of the announcement - the bigger part being something akin to adding a fre day to any vacation package you book. I'm going to guess that there will be a minimum purchase needed to get this, most likely 3 days to get 4, possibly 2 to get 3. I think they'd lose too much money on a buy 1 to get 2.

 

[wbeem]

After watching the Disney parade yesterday, I am convinced it is going to the 24 hour leap year announcement. They talked about it on the parade and said it would be something never done before and it was mentioned in relation to the extra day, which is apparently the new theme this year - One more Disney Day.

That would mean their annual promotion would end only two months into the year. Doesn't seem to me like Disney would bet its annual marketing strategy on something that ends before the first quarter of the year.