After a number of months of rumors, Walt Disney World has revealed that the most recent personal lounge for Disney Trip Membership members is coming to Frontierland in Magic Kingdom. This put up shares particulars of the controversial affirmation, together with primary background data and our commentary in regards to the good and unhealthy of this determination.
For starters, unique DVC Member areas have lengthy been a part of what Disney Trip Membership calls “Membership Magic.” From the Prime of the World Lounge, which reopened with villainous new choices atop Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Up to date Resort, to the colourful Member Lounge within the iconic glass pyramid of the Creativeness! pavilion at EPCOT, these unique enclaves are amongst Disney Trip Membership Members’ favourite locations at Walt Disney World.
Final 12 months, Disney Trip Membership opened its first Member Lounge at Disneyland Resort in California. Referred to as Star View Station, the brand new lounge is positioned within the coronary heart of Tomorrowland at Disneyland within the house on the second ground of the Star Wars: Launch Bay (previously Innoventions) constructing. The sleekly designed “house” is house to a devoted Disney Trip Membership Member Companies workforce, loads of indoor and outside seating (sure, outside–everybody appears to overlook the large views from the balcony!), free Wi-Fi, device-charging stations, and self-service beverage station.
At the beginning of this 12 months, Walt Disney World teased that development on a brand-new Disney Trip Membership Member Lounge would start later in 2024 at Walt Disney World. No location was shared or the rest, resulting in numerous hypothesis about the place it might be. Our hope and prime prediction was Magic Kingdom–largely by advantage of demand, lack of areas elsewhere, and an abundance of them at Magic Kingdom.
Effectively, immediately DVC has made that official, confirming to journalist Scott Gustin through Twitter {that a} members-only lounge will exchange the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade in Magic Kingdom. Building is ready to start later in 2024 with no opening time frame revealed. Disney Trip Membership or Walt Disney World will launch further particulars at a later date.
Disney signifies that the brand new Frontierland DVC lounge will likely be a “pioneer-inspired house” designed within the spirit of the “the bygone period of exploration and journey.” In line with aerials, the house they’re working with is round 2,500 sq. ft., however there’s no assure that they’ll use all of that. The upstairs Creativeness lounge at EPCOT solely makes use of a portion of the previous ImageWorks space.
Given the scope and scale of the work wanted to be executed to reimagine the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade right into a lounge and the tempo of tasks, we don’t anticipate this new DVC lounge in Magic Kingdom opening till 2025. Even when development began immediately–and there’s no indication it’ll regardless of a allow already being filed–I don’t suppose they may have it executed this 12 months. So I assume someday in 2025 on the earliest, relying upon when work will get began.
Turning to commentary, I knew this was coming however didn’t need to imagine it. After expressing (let’s say) delicate skepticism about this in a latest put up, I acquired some (let’s say) concrete reassurement that, truly, that is the plan. Nonetheless, I used to be nonetheless skeptical.
It looks like lots is in flux at Magic Kingdom on this facet of the park and the eating/lounge scene (extra on that tomorrow), and there are such a lot of different areas that would’ve been used for this as a substitute. A number of of those different areas, I would add, are vacant, closed, or used for storage and are not at present accessible to all company.
Significantly, if I shared a full listing of in all places that’s at present closed in Magic Kingdom, it might blow some minds. (Together with mine, in all probability, since I all the time overlook simply what number of spots are unutilized…and this isn’t only a COVID factor! A lot of them have been closed for years earlier than that.)
Personally, I’ll be unhappy to see Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade go. I’ve childhood nostalgia for it and have executed it greater than ever in the previous couple of years because it went to free play. It’s a simple little diversion that enables children (or adults in my case) to have a little bit of enjoyable with out ready in line. Spots like this are wanted counterprogramming and reprieves from the crowds. Plus, I take pleasure in displaying off my sharp capturing abilities to Sarah. She pretends to not be impressed, however I do know she is (secretly).
Truthfully, I’m much less unhappy to see this go on a private degree than I’m a “discourse” one. The responses to this information amongst Walt Disney World followers are going to be fairly predictable, and proceed a story that I actually hoped the corporate was making a concerted effort to interrupt.
Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade has been on borrowed time for some time. I don’t suppose that’s actually a provocative or contestable assertion. Walt Disney World eliminated nearly all ‘authentically-presenting’ weapons from the parks again in December 2015. This included the whole lot from the gun utilized by the Jungle Cruise skippers to toy weapons being offered within the present outlets.
I keep in mind again on the time, there was widespread hypothesis that the capturing galleries in Florida, California, Paris, and Tokyo would additionally shut. That didn’t occur, maybe as a result of they’re all opening day sights at their respective parks, and there would’ve been backlash consequently that wouldn’t happen to the identical depth as eliminating toy weapons and different smaller-scale tweaks.
Nonetheless, that time nearly a decade in the past is once we began viewing these sights as on life help. In the event that they weren’t changed outright, they’d in all probability get the boardwalk video games remedy, rethemed to Woody’s Roundup or one thing, and made inauthentic. The blaster and boardwalk model video games have all been deemed acceptable, in order that made sense. In all probability would’ve been the good factor to do, in hindsight!
As an alternative, what’s occurring is a double-shot of (arguably) detrimental information. First, Walt Disney World is changing a gap day attraction that anybody can play (and totally free now!) to 1 that’s unique and reserved for company who spend big-money on timeshares.
This isn’t fairly on par with Membership 33 or different personal areas when it comes to the “issues just for the rich” narrative. (Most DVC members we all know are usually not wealthy, however higher center class does appear acceptable.) It’ll nonetheless be comparable sentiment, although.
Second, they’re doing so at a time when Disney is already being accused of being hyper-sensitive about the whole lot, not understanding what makes the parks particular, an energetic participant within the tradition wars, and many others.
I’ve already heard various these remarks, and so they’re pretty wide-ranging in nature. For those who’ve learn the feedback sections in response to different controversial adjustments, you in all probability get the concept with out additional clarification.
None of that is any secret or would’ve been troublesome for Disney to anticipate. The fan response to this information won’t be in the least stunning. Even Bob Iger is aware of this has been a problem, and has stated that he’d “quiet the noise” and step again from sizzling subjects and tradition wars and refocus on respecting the viewers. He’s made feedback like these on a number of events now, courting again a couple of 12 months.
To some extent, that has began to occur within the parks. Portraits of Braveness by President George W. Bush within the American Journey and Tiana’s Bayou Journey honoring navy service had been savvy strikes from this angle. Little issues, however that ship the correct sign. (At the very least, in my opinion.)
I don’t need to go too far down this rabbit gap as I don’t see it ending properly, however the issue might be that choices like this DVC lounge conversion are properly beneath Bob Iger’s pay grade. There are nonetheless loads of folks on the firm making lower-level choices which might be at odds with Iger’s mandate (or no matter you need to name it). This isn’t to absolve him from blame–adjustments in route like this are top-down and will/must be clearly communicated. Plus, the buck stops with Bob (and Josh).
In fact, this is just one facet of the story. The opposite facet is that Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade has low visitor satisfaction scores. It’s not fashionable, even after going free. (A part of that’s in all probability attributable to many longtime followers not understanding it’s free and actively avoiding it as a result of they don’t need their children to spend a bunch of cash enjoying there.)
As talked about above, I’ve made a degree of the other–doing the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade rather more because it’s gone free. In my anecdotal expertise, the ‘core’ demographic of Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade at this level is South American tour teams. I’m not even kidding. These teams appear to flock to it, and in my expertise, the one time it’s even remotely busy is once they’re round. (I can’t clarify this…however I can also’t clarify why they’re additionally huge followers of walkaround Large Al. Once more, not kidding!) Regardless, one thing tells me these teams are usually not going to be on the vanguard of complaints about Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade closing.
I’d be rather more receptive to the attitude that Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade is being transformed attributable to lack of recognition and never a lot else however for the truth that so many options that aren’t used in any respect can be found. Certain, Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade isn’t placing up gangbuster numbers…however closed venues aren’t placing up numbers in any respect.
With that stated, if Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade is the one model of the attraction to shut–and those at Disneyland and Disneyland Paris keep open (Tokyo is irrelevant as a result of OLC marches to the beat of their very own drum)–then that may seemingly verify that is solely occurring attributable to a scarcity of recognition and never in opposition to the backdrop of the rest. So I assume we will see about that.
Selfishly, despite the fact that I’ll miss Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade, I will even use a DVC lounge in Magic Kingdom rather more. Having a spot to cease for a fast break and free Coke Freestyle or espresso is big. I might hazard a guess that our #1 “attraction” at each EPCOT and Disneyland final 12 months was the respective DVC lounges. However I additionally perceive that I’m one of many fortunate few who could have entry, and what’s good for me–personally–isn’t all the time the identical as what’s good for the park-going public as an entire.
For anybody questioning in regards to the motivation for this, the corporate additionally has good purpose for creating extra Disney Trip Membership lounges. The EPCOT lounge is extremely fashionable, and infrequently makes use of a waitlist throughout busier occasions of 12 months. Greater than that, the rationale for an additional lounge is to extend gross sales.
Now, you would possibly suppose that certainly a lounge in Magic Kingdom isn’t going to maneuver the needle on a $20,000+ buy. That may be very irrational, to place it mildly. And also you’re in all probability right about that, fortunately and for essentially the most half. The place it does transfer the needle is on the resale vs. direct dilemma. We’ve heard from many potential purchasers who’re keen to pay a bit extra due to FOMO related to lacking out on present and potential future Membership Extras.
I might additionally hazard a guess that the totality of the Disney Trip Membership perks–the Moonlight Magic events, lounges, reductions, and many others–truly does transfer the needle on promoting memberships. Disney Trip Membership is the closest factor that Walt Disney World and Disneyland should loyalty applications that make followers truly really feel valued (at the very least in some methods–and typically), and lots of people actually respect that. I do know we do.
For those who’re fascinated by becoming a member of DVC, make sure you learn our Final Information to Disney Trip Membership. This covers the professionals & cons, resale v. direct, how a lot cash you’ll save, and different essential issues to know earlier than taking the plunge. For those who nonetheless can’t determine whether or not membership is best for you, “strive before you purchase” with the suggestions in Learn how to Save BIG on Deluxe Disney Lodging Renting DVC Factors.
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the brand new DVC member lounge changing Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade at Magic Kingdom? Disenchanted in regards to the location given all the unused areas within the park, or do you not likely care? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? For those who’re an present Member, what do you suppose? Share any questions, ideas, or further ideas you’ve got within the feedback!
