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Disney to try tours in Hawaii, Wyoming

The company will test 30-person tours this summer that could become part of its vacation business.

LAKE BUENA VISTA- Disney will test an expansion of its vacation business later this year, offering weeklong guided tours through the wilds of Wyoming and Hawaii.

Disney will run 15 tours this summer at a "test" cost of between $5,600 and $7,800 for a family of four, airfare not included. If the 30-person group tours prove popular, they could become a fixture and could be expanded to other destinations, the company said.

Details are still being worked out for the tours, titled "Escape to Paradise" and "Quest for the West." But promotional materials promise surfing lessons and volcano tours on the islands of Oahu and Kauai, Hawaii, and horseback rides through Wyoming's cowboy country of Jackson Hole, Grand Teton and Yellowstone.

If Disney's costumed characters make an appearance, they would only do so in a very controlled setting, said Lisa Haines, a vice president in Disney's parks and resorts division.

Ted Eubanks, a Texas-based outdoor and eco-tourism consultant, said Disney could find it tough to break into the market.

"It's not that Disney can't do it. My word! They seem to be able to do whatever they set their mind to," Eubanks said. "I just wonder how well their brand will translate to these tours.

"Disney is in the business of virtual reality, fabricated reality. My clients are trying to escape that."

Still, Eubanks said, a big market exists for families who want to get close to nature - but not too close. Disney could make an outdoor vacation attractive to that group, he said.

[Last modified February 20, 2005, 00:52:14]