Is EuroDisney even still open?

Disney considers stand-alone urban hotels

Aim to reach parents with young kids; small theme parks also eyed

'LOS ANGELES - The Walt Disney Co. is considering 'blue sky concepts' of creating smaller theme parks and stand-alone hotels, retail, dining and entertainment centers, Jay Rasulo, chairman of Disney's Parks and Resorts told analysts at a conference on Wednesday.

Building stand-alone hotels in urban areas where families already travel would give Disney the chance to reach out to parents who feel their children are still too young to appreciate a trip to a Disney theme park, Rasulo said.

Along those lines, Disney could locate versions of its Downtown Disneyland, a high-end retail, dining and entertainment district, in urban areas far from its parks, he said.

The company also was exploring alternatives to full-size theme parks, including 'a smaller, deeply immersive park' that would offer consumers a more interactive experience at higher prices.

These ideas are 'blue sky concepts' that will not be executed unless the new businesses could achieve a high return on invested capital, Rasulo said.

Disney also was looking into expanding its water park offerings beyond Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach and possibly adding ships to its two-vessel cruise lines, Rasulo said.

Rasulo had little to add about the lackluster performance by Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened in September of 2007, and failed to meet first-year attendance target of 5.6 million.'