There is no higher potential for disappointment than combining two of your most favorite things.
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| Hawaii/Disney kitsch - What could be better? |
Anyone who knows much about me, knows that I am a huge Disney fan. I'm an annual pass-holder (despite living 1,176 miles away from the Main Gate). The choice of having my kids attend classes or go to Disneyland is considered a topic worthy of strenuous debate. I have read over 10 volumes on Walt Disney's life and the creation of what I consider a magical place. I even honeymooned at Disneyland with an equally enthusiastic fan. But when I heard that Disney was opening a resort on Oahu, I paused. I'll get back to why in just a minute.
Disney's Aulani Resort is scheduled to receive its first guest on August 29th of this year (2011 in case someone is reading this post far enough in the future). They are well into construction and as with any project of this magnitude, the decisions have all been made. John Heckathorn at
Hawaii Magazine wrote a fantastic
behind-the-scenes article on the progress of the construction and intimated at some of the overall structure of the resort.
At first glance, the aesthetics are at the same level as other higher-end resorts on the islands. As with other Disney resort properties and their wildly successful cruise line, Aulani is family friendly. The pool area is carefully designed to progress from toddler through adult areas so a family can choose the amount of interaction they want with each other at any given time. Other Disney properties provide very professional and high quality youth activities, so you don't have to worry about taking some time out from keeping the kids close at hand. I'm sure that will be the same at this resort. In fact, I am sure that they will exceed the expectations of most resort guests - that's what Disney is famous for.
The pause I wrote about earlier comes from feeling very protective of my adopted home and the intense inspiration I draw from Disney. There may be no way that the two can successfully coexist in my expectations. It's a little like introducing the love of your life to the group of friends you've known all your life. It's a potentially life-changing risk that has a huge upside if it succeeds.
At the root of it all Disney is a corporation. It has shareholders, investors and sometimes unreasonably high expectations of earnings growth. At this level, the temptation to go for short-term growth is excruciating.
To many Hawaii is paradise. It's appeal lies in its laid back approach. It is still possible to take a trip to some beaches, stay all day and never see another soul. It has a genuineness about it that is becoming harder to find in other corners of the world. There are many times when I meet people whom I honestly believe that profit is the last thing on their mind.
That's the conflict. Can Disney enhance the Hawaii experience, protect the uniqueness of what makes Hawaii - Hawaii? Or does it remake the culture in its own image? It remains to be seen, but if anyone can do it, the people at Disney have the best shot. And maybe the potential risk is worth the potential reward.
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What do you think? Is it an impossible dream? What does Disney have to do to ensure it remains true to the spirit of the islands? What's the possibility that they will succeed?
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