Eurodisney

EuroDisney

Disney exhibited a serious lack of forethought and planning when opening EuroDisney. The problems ranged from poor financial decisions to location decisions to a general disregard for the audience they were trying to obtain. Though many of these problems are intertwined some were more grievous than others.

1. Disney did not focus it's attraction towards it's potential guests, rather the focus was on maintaining the image of Disney. It is essential to keep the target audience in mind. This affected not only the reception of EuroDisney but also financial decisions.

2. Disney had so much confidence, or arrogance, that it accepted financial terms that the firm would be unable to meet. Disney overleveraged itself so that it could control all aspects of the park.

3. Spain would have been a better fit for EuroDisney versus France. Traditionally the French often mock things "American". American tourists in Paris are usually treated with disdain. In addition, the warmer climate of Spain is a better fit for an outdoor amusement park. In addition to warmer weather the cultural climate in Spain is more relaxed.

4. Disney did not focus enough on the types of vacations that Europeans take. Disney assumed that Europeans would want to adapt to the American custom of taking long weekends.

5. Disney was not aware of what was happening in the European economy. At the time residents of France had less disposable income than residents of the U.S. or Japan.

6. Disney's emphasis on details, or lack thereof, is amazing. That stairs would be removed so that a view would remain uninterrupted, yet breakfast not available due to poor research, is implausible. It's as if Disney was really not focused on the business, just on the entertainment.

7. Disney ignored some early warning signs, in particular the French hostility. Disney had been described as a "cultural Chernobyl". It would have been advantageous for Disney be proactive regarding this reputation. For example, it should have been very obvious that alcohol should be allowed in the park as that is part of French culture. This should not have been changed as an afterthought.

8. Disney should have considered that many guests would not want to stay the night since so many potential guests lived within a two hour drive from the park.

9. Disney