Does Disney deliberately downplay Tokyo Disney in the United States?

[Spokker]

Hmm...I think there actually are books and other promotional materials for non-US parks in the US, but space aliens are shielding our vision and preventing us from seeing them.

Not non-US parks, Tokyo. I have an English promotional guide that I ordered from Disneylandparis.com years ago when Indiana Jones was the newest ride. I put my information in and they sent one over for free.

Can't do that with Tokyo as far as I know. Does Disney not allow it or does OLC just not care? Or is it neither or both? That's what I'm asking here.

But I knew it was the space aliens. Did aliens publish the Hong Kong Disneyland book? The only demand for that tome must exist in another dimension somewhere where HKDL was built right.

[Scott in LA]

Did aliens publish the Hong Kong Disneyland book?

Nope, Disney Enterprises. I can give you the ISBN number if you'd like.

[Spokker]

I can give you the ISBN number if you'd like.

No thank you.

[Sir_Cliff]

It's the satisfaction of seeing people experience a wonderful theme park and hopefully demanding that same kind of quality from the American parks.

New social movements are not going to arise around improving the quality of US Disney parks. The only people who might 'demand the same kind of quality' are those of us who already know about TDL because we take these things far more seriously than most people who just go to the parks to have fun.

Anyway, as people have already said, the question is really whether Disney would have anything to gain from promoting/allowing the promotion of a Disney park they don't own so it could compete with parks they do own. It makes perfect sense that under their licensing agreement with OLC they would restrict promotion and it would really have been a pretty big oversight to allow them to compete directly with DL and WDW for US visitors.

Also, TDL is already packed day in day out with people from Japan. The US simply is never likely to be a big market for the resort, in part because it has two Disney theme park resort complexes already. American tourists may go to Tokyo for many reasons, but it's never going to be to go to Disneyland. As has also been mentioned, HKDL and DLP, while perhaps more well-known in the states, are not exactly advertised nor sold as package holidays from the US as far as I am aware. There may be some truth in Disney giving them more emphasis in their books due to the fact that there may be some money in it for them, but that's as far as any 'conspiracy' goes.

[Spokker]

American tourists may go to Tokyo for many reasons, but it's never going to be to go to Disneyland.

I agree with you here. I would never advise someone to go to Japan just to visit Tokyo Disneyland. It's just not worth it unless you are a diehard Disney fan and care about the differences between the various Magic Kingdoms. I only spent half a day at Tokyo Disneyland.

However, I believe, if marketed correctly, Tokyo DisneySea could be popular with American travelers. DisneySea could be a part of a larger Tokyo vacation. I don't expect people to stay for a week at TDR, but a day trip to DisneySea without visiting TDL is entirely reasonable.

The key is making sure that people are aware that TDS is just not another Disney park, but a wonderful showcase of a near unrestrained group of Imagineers can accomplish. It's truly a work of art, something you can't see anywhere else in the world, which is the reason people travel internationally is it not?

[Goin2Disneyland]

The problem is that TDR doesn't need American business. They have a hard enough time dealing with the throngs of Japanese people who go bat-dookie over TDR. Why spend money on a market that as an overwhelming majority could care less? Most Americans can barely afford to get to WDW or DLR, let alone fly overseas for any vacation whatsoever.

[Spokker]

The problem is that TDR doesn't need American business.

Agreed. They could survive without the 3 percent of overseas visitors, which also includes visitors from countries other than the US.

But they DO care about English-speaking guests. Every sign is in Japanese as well as English. They have an English web site. English maps and entertainment guides are readily available at both parks. If there wasn't a market for it those things wouldn't exist.

Most Americans can barely afford to get to WDW or DLR, let alone fly overseas for any vacation whatsoever.

While it's probably accurate to say that a significant percentage of Americans can't afford to visit another country, people do travel. It's a viable market. There are many services dedicated to world travelers.

Millions of Americans visit Disney World every year, and not all of them are staying at the value resorts. A lot of money is spent and all things considered, a Tokyo vacation isn't THAT much more expensive, especially for people who travel from the west coast or even another country.

All I'm saying is that, all things being equal, if DisneySea were more well known outside of Japan among people who are willing and able to travel long distances to WDW, DL, or DLP, it would drive a significant amount of people away from Anaheim, Orlando, and Paris and into Tokyo.

[dlfreak]

Not to join the proverbial angry mob against your Spokker but I don't think comparing the parks has any bearing on why the overseas parks aren't promoted in the states. Paris isn't marketed out here either. It comes down to the average American and most do not travel overseas to Paris or Tokyo or Hong Kong much less do so simply to visit Disney Parks. Disney knows that and so does OLC so they don't have the same marketing tactics when advertising the overseas resorts to the US. I'm willing to bet that they promote heavily in places where people who are already deciding to travel to these places are going to look though... where that is exactly? I'm not sure but it's not on billboards and television spots.

Also, while a trip to WDW could surely cost the same or more as a trip to TDR (and certainly cost is probably the biggest influence) but you have to throw in Passports, travel bothers, currency exchange, language barriers, and the insecurity of knowing that you're not in English-speaking America and those are other worries that you don't have to incur to plan a trip to a US Disney Park. I don't know what my point with that is but there you go, lol.

Another great post, btw. Good job!

[Spokker]

Not to join the proverbial angry mob against your Spokker but I don't think comparing the parks has any bearing on why the overseas parks aren't promoted in the states.

Oh, I don't expect many people to go along on this one. In fact I welcome any posts calling me a nut for even bringing it up.

But I am sincere in my belief that there is something going on. And I believe that behind closed doors sometime during the editorial process, some TDR material was cut from American Disney books. I don't think it's the most far out thing someone could say.

[1FoolishMortal]

^ It's definitely a possibility. I don't know if I personally believe it's happening, but I wouldn't rule it out.