Disney Theme Parks

As its U.S. theme parks struggle to attract visitors, Disney has

expanded to Asia seeking growth opportunities. Its first park, Tokyo
Disneyland, has been successful until recently. Opened in 1983,
attendance peaked in 1998.
Disney’s plan in the region include a $2.8 billion Disneyland
Hong Kong. To be opened in 2005 on Lantau Island, the park will be
modeled after the original Anaheim facility. Its estimated visitors
would reached to 5.6 million in the first year. Foreign tourists are
expected to account for two-thirds , and eventually three-quarters of
the visitors.
Problem Statement
Will the new Disney theme parks continue to be profitable in the
Asian region?
SWOT
Strengths
•Unique theme park experience offering
•Global image
Weaknesses
• Divided market share of Disneyland and Disney Sea
Opportunities
•Positive growth within the region
•Increased on the number of wealthy Asians as potential customers

Threats
• Expansion of other Western theme parks within the region (e.g.,
Universal Studios)
•Cannibalization among Disney theme parks within the region

Marketing Concepts Applied

• Consumer buying characteristics – this covers the factors
influenced by cultural, social, personal and psychological factors.
• Consumer buying decision process – this covers the buying
decision, types of buying decisions and steps in the buying decision
process.
Answers to Discussion Questions
1. How do cultural, social, personal and psychological factors
impact consumer behavior towards Tokyo Disneyland and
Disney Sea?
 Cultural, social, personal and psychological factors influenced
the consumer behavior of possible guests of Disneyland. For people
belonging to the Asian region, cultural, social and personal factors are
fundamental characteristics of consumers towards buying a certain
product.
Japanese people in particular are collectivistic in nature. They
have a strong family tie and they are very aware of their social
behavior. The impact of these factors toward the behavior of
consumer for Tokyo Disneyland depends on the overall acceptance of
the Japanese consumers to the theme park.
2. Characterize the stages of the buying decision process of
consumers for Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea?

The characterization stages of the consumers for Tokyo

Disneyland involves: problem recognition – this recognizes the need
for entertainment; information search – this stage directs the
consumer to search more available information either from marketer
dominated source or from personal sources such as families and
friends.
The next stage is the evaluation stage which the consumer
evaluates the possessed attributes of Tokyo Disneyland compared to
other theme parks. This will be followed by purchase decision - if the
consumer had found that Tokyo Disneyland offers the characteristics
and attributes that he is looking for, he would buy a ticket to that
theme park.
The last stage will be post purchase behavior, that is evaluating
the experience gained from Tokyo Disneyland. Though this may be a
passive stage at the buying decision process, this is very crucial
stage because this would determine the repeat purchase of the
product.
3. Visit the web sites of Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney
Sea. Based on their contents, are the parks sufficiently
differentiated to attract the different target markets that Disney
hopes? Explain.

Yes. None of the theme parks built in Asia offered the same
way and experience that the Disneyland is offering to their customers.
Universal Studios, Ocean Park and Disneyland will always
differentiate themselves from one another by way of offering a distinct
experience to its guests.
4. Visit the web site of the proposed Hong Kong Disneyland. Will
this park draw attendance away from the two Tokyo parks or
would it serve to attract new markets? Justify. Will the park be
successful?

Partly it may take away visitors that would come from

neighboring nations that would supposedly the market of Tokyo
Disneyland. However, the Japanese market would always be a
market for Tokyo Disneyland. Hong Kong Disneyland will cater to
other Asian nationalities belonging to middle class status that want to
avail the experience Disneyland offer.
5. What marketing efforts can Disney conduct prior to the park’s
launch to raise consumer awareness, interest and intention to
visit Hong Kong Disneyland?

Intensive advertising will raise the consumers awareness for

Hong Kong Disneyland.
Co-branding with other popular products such as Coke or
McDonald by offering promotional prizes of free visit upon winning the
mechanics of the partner product would also help raise the
awareness of the consumers.