The Spirit Takes the Fifth ...

[jakeman]

The children see the Star Wars characters as pitchmen for cars and phones.

I'm not sure that's accurate. While Star Wars maybe introduced by the parents it is ultimately up to the child as to what they prefer.

For example, I am pretty confident in wagering I'm probably one of the larger Star Wars nerds around here when it comes to EU material. My kid has seen all six movies and seen me put together countless Lego sets and log countless hours in SWTOR.

He has never watch Star Wars after that initial view...but he has watched the crap out of Back to the Future and Goonies.

So while the introduction may be based on nostalgia, eventually the child will gravitate towards their own interest.

 

[Lord_Vader]

You stumbled into my point. Children become aware of the Star Wars characters as their rabid fan boy and girl parents revel in the nostalgia. Of course, these young children use the terms "Light Saver" and "Dark Bader" to imitate their parents retelling of the Star Wars opera. The kids themselves have never seen one frame of a Star Wars film yet they've heard of the characters via the fan nerd pipeline. The children see the Star Wars characters as pitchmen for cars and phones.

It may sound bizarre, but rumors persist that Harrison Ford might play the part of Han Solo again. I can't think of a quicker way to end the franchise.

Could not agree less. Children today were introduced to Star Wars through the Clone Wars on Cartoon Network, games like Angry Birds - Star Wars and on DVD/Blu-ray copies their parents purchased and watched. Halloween in my neighborhood was full of little stormtroppers, Darth Vaders and even a Boba Fett this year. The Star Wars aisles in toy stores and discounters are picked clean for the most part proving Star Wars is very much an economic force in the toy market, just look at the revolving number of Lego sets avaialble at any given time.

 

[danlb_2000]

You stumbled into my point. Children become aware of the Star Wars characters as their rabid fan boy and girl parents revel in the nostalgia. Of course, these young children use the terms "Light Saver" and "Dark Bader" to imitate their parents retelling of the Star Wars opera. The kids themselves have never seen one frame of a Star Wars film yet they've heard of the characters via the fan nerd pipeline. The children see the Star Wars characters as pitchmen for cars and phones.

It may sound bizarre, but rumors persist that Harrison Ford might play the part of Han Solo again. I can't think of a quicker way to end the franchise.

This may happen in some families, but there are also plenty of families where the parents have introduced the kids to Star Wars, and the kids have also become fans. Bringing back the original main characters for the new movies is a very smart idea, since it will bridge the original movies to the new ones. If they do come back it's very likely that they will be supporting characters and there will be a new generation of characters that are the focus of the next three movies.

 

[flynnibus]

What did the facts say when you personally worked with them as I did? I am curious to know if the information changed between the time I saw it and when you did. Strange.

If you have the facts - lay out a justifiable argument and position that stands on its own instead of saying "I know I'm right" and turn to personally attacking anyone who doesn't blindly fall at your feet.

The only 'moving back and forth' is you trying to insert DVC into the discussion on your own. What you just replied to was talking about the idea of customer engagement and biasing.. not your DVC vs UNI vs whatever tangent.

 

[Clever Name]

Could not agree less. Children today were introduced to Star Wars through the Clone Wars on Cartoon Network, games like Angry Birds - Star Wars and on DVD/Blu-ray copies their parents purchased and watched. Halloween in my neighborhood was full of little stormtroppers, Darth Vaders and even a Boba Fett this year. The Star Wars aisles in toy stores and discounters are picked clean for the most part proving Star Wars is very much an economic force in the toy market, just look at the revolving number of Lego sets avaialble at any given time.

Good point. The children have been introduced to the cartoon versions and their parents DVD's. No doubt the toy market is big into such material because it's "parent approved" due to the aforementioned nostalgia factor. It's a sad commentary. The children in my neighborhood dressed as Na'vi and I thought they were dressed as the Blue Man Group.

 

[Funmeister]

If you have the facts - lay out a justifiable argument and position that stands on its own instead of saying "I know I'm right" and turn to personally attacking anyone who doesn't blindly fall at your feet.

The only 'moving back and forth' is you trying to insert DVC into the discussion on your own. What you just replied to was talking about the idea of customer engagement and biasing.. not your DVC vs UNI vs whatever tangent.

Who else have I attacked? My DVC argument was that there was no flexibility built into the business model. It was under heavy assumption that meals, merchandise, etc. would be purchased by the guests who bought into DVC. The lost meals, merchandise, shows....UPSELL POTENTIAL would be lost by them visiting other off-property venues.

If you are staying at a DVC and go to Gaylord Palms ICE then you are NOT sitting in Pioneer Hall watching the Hoop-dee-doo. If you are watching Blue Man group at Universal then you are NOT wathing La Nouba. If you are eating at City Walk then you are NOT eating at Olivias (whose numbers are way down btw). What is it about this that you do not understand?

The business model for DVC DID NOT TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION!!!!!!

 

[flynnibus]

The business model for DVC DID NOT TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION!!!!!!

And how is the ongoing business of DVC dependent on those dollars? The few hundred million dollars up front in sales weren't enough to offset the construction? Is there some revenue stream funneling back into the annual DVC budgets needed to keep them afloat?

 

[Funmeister]

And how is the ongoing business of DVC dependent on those dollars? The few hundred million dollars up front in sales weren't enough to offset the construction? Is there some revenue stream funneling back into the annual DVC budgets needed to keep them afloat?

Please pay attention. I am tired of repeating myself. For once put your ego down and listen. I am not talking about ongoing. They could not change the business model of DVC resorts that were already built and still get the same expected result prior to them being built. The model for those was/are flawed when guests began venturing off property. Once again...please pay attention.

 

[flynnibus]

Please pay attention. I am tired of repeating myself. For once put your ego down and listen. I am not talking about ongoing

I'm really getting close to stepping off the high road with your pathetic personal attacks.

"I'm not talking about ongoing" - what freaking business model do you define that doesn't include ONGOING operation? And if you aren't talking about ongoing - what the frak does things that happen in the FUTURE have to do with what you keep berating me is only about the past.

Once again...please pay attention.

Once again - lay out a justifiable argument and position that stands on its own

We're talking about future customer behavior.. and you're arguing about 'business models' that some how only include the past for an operation that is intended to run for 50+ years?

Maybe when you say 'business model' maybe...

 

[lazyboy97o]

Who else have I attacked? My DVC argument was that there was no flexibility built into the business model. It was under heavy assumption that meals, merchandise, etc. would be purchased by the guests who bought into DVC. The lost meals, merchandise, shows....UPSELL POTENTIAL would be lost by them visiting other off-property venues.

If you are staying at a DVC and go to Gaylord Palms ICE then you are NOT sitting in Pioneer Hall watching the Hoop-dee-doo. If you are watching Blue Man group at Universal then you are NOT wathing La Nouba. If you are eating at City Walk then you are NOT eating at Olivias (whose numbers are way down btw). What is it about this that you do not understand?

The business model for DVC DID NOT TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION!!!!!!

That is why the Disney Vacation Club was an attractive prospect for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, but it does not relate to the actual business of the Disney Vacation Club. The Resorts don't get a cut of business transactions at the parks or other resorts.

 

[doctornick]

Could not agree less. Children today were introduced to Star Wars through the Clone Wars on Cartoon Network, games like Angry Birds - Star Wars and on DVD/Blu-ray copies their parents purchased and watched. Halloween in my neighborhood was full of little stormtroppers, Darth Vaders and even a Boba Fett this year. The Star Wars aisles in toy stores and discounters are picked clean for the most part proving Star Wars is very much an economic force in the toy market, just look at the revolving number of Lego sets avaialble at any given time.

My 5 year old's favorite character is Ashoka. I sure as hell didn't inspire that -- it happened from him watching the Clone Wars cartoon.

 

[nytimez]

Don't infer I think this 'pays for it all' - I was pointing out the value prop that so many forget here when they are fixated on FP+ and nothing else. The idea of funneling people through a reservation system is more than just the difference between 'walking to a terminal and doing it ahead of time'. This is about customer engagement, product positioning, marketing, and shaping customer behavior.

When you are doing marketing.. it's about moving the needle.. not just wishing for 100% attachment. You never get 100%.

The idea 'some people will still goto UNI' is not reasoning to paint a program a failure. That's wishing for 100% - something that is unobtainable when you are influencing behavior - not directly limiting it.

I don't infer that you think it pays for all or that it is supposed to bring 100% attachment. I agree that as a marketing tool it exposes Disney customers to options they may not have been aware of. I agree it is a tool of engagement.

Where I disagree is on how meaningful - how valuable - it is as a tool.

 

[ParentsOf4]

There is some "crazy guy" around these parts that bought a stack of 10 day no expiration passes like 10 years ago for a fraction of what they cost today. I bought my tickets a year in advance this year and saved whatever the increase in ticket prices was (8%?).

It's 8 years later and I still have 28 days left per person.

That's for a family of six.

You can imagine how much I spent back in 2005.

Our 10-day tickets were $378 back in 2005. Those tickets are $748 today. Doubled in only 8 years.

A better rate of return than many other investments.

It's nice having a little birdie telling me what to expect under Iger.

I just wish my little birdie also told me that Iger intended to let WDW grow stale.

Of course, we are getting MyMagic+.

While the folks up I-4 get just about everything else.

 

[Nemo14]

It's 8 years later and I still have 28 days left per person.

That's for a family of six.

You can imagine how much I spent back in 2005.

Our 10-day tickets were $378 back in 2005. Those tickets are $748 today. Doubled in only 8 years.

A better rate of return than many other investments.

It's nice having a little birdie telling me what to expect under Iger.

I just wish my little birdie also told me that Iger intended to let WDW grow stale.

Of course, we are getting MyMagic+.

While the folks up I-4 get just about everything else.

We still have 4 days left on ours...

 

[PeterAlt]

I just want to through an idea in the air and see what you all think of it.

Disney should sell off the monorail system to an outside company and include expansion airspace within WDW as part of the deal. The company buying it could then modernize the system and expand it, and even bring it outside the gates of WDW. They could convert it to a maglev relatively easy, as a maglev is also a monorail and is structurally similar. They could extend it to International Drive, Orlando International Airport, the Florida Mall, downtown, etc. There are companies with money that already want to build maglevs in Orlando.

 

[GoofGoof]

I just want to through an idea in the air and see what you all think of it.

Disney should sell off the monorail system to an outside company and include expansion airspace within WDW as part of the deal. The company buying it could then modernize the system and expand it, and even bring it outside the gates of WDW. They could convert it to a maglev relatively easy, as a maglev is also a monorail and is structurally similar. They could extend it to International Drive, Orlando International Airport, the Florida Mall, downtown, etc. There are companies with money that already want to build maglevs in Orlando.

You buying???

 

[Voxel]

at ~$100 Million a Kilometer I will not be buying into the Maglev. Not yet.

 

[PeterAlt]

You buying???

I would buy stock in a company that was doing this. That's a great idea of how to raise cash for it… Make it an IPO!

 

[GoofGoof]

I would buy stock in a company that was doing this. That's a great idea of how to raise cash for it… Make it an IPO!

My guess is that the only monorail WDW will be selling is the plastic model one they sell in the gift shops.

I hate to say it, but I could see them closing the monorail before selling it to a 3rd party.

Then again, technically the DVC owners are footing part of the bill for the current monorail's operating costs so they have technically sold a piece of it already.

 

[PeterAlt]

My guess is that the only monorail WDW will be selling is the plastic model one they sell in the gift shops.

I hate to say it, but I could see them closing the monorail before selling it to a 3rd party.

Then again, technically the DVC owners are footing part of the bill for the current monorail's operating costs so they have technically sold a piece of it already.

Why would they close it when they can make money on it if they sell it? Or they can spin it off as an independent division that is free to collect fees from it, make a public offering, take bank loans, enter into partnerships, etc.

Please explain how DVC owners are footing part of the operating bill. I didn't know about that.