A Spirited 15 Rounds ...

[njDizFan]

Iger also is quite the double edged sword. He came in as a stabilizing element and proved that by making very conservative business decisions that would ensure a steady rise in revenue and the stock price. But the conservative nature of his tenure lead to some serious miscalculations along the way. Seeing the parks as a mature business led to stagnation, allowing UNI to close the gap. And when he finally realized that capital expenditures are required to keep the parks profitable he went all out with the Magic Band and Avatar(neither brought in the revenue that was expected.) Carsland in Anaheim was not a choice but a necessity.

The Marvel/SW/Pixar acquisitions, as stated many times before were no brainers. But again he is treating these IPS so delicately, in my opinion they have become stagnant. The MCU has had huge success but the endless formulaic eye candy for me have become unwatchable. Pixar has decided to go on a sequel rampage (7 of the last 10) that seems to me show lack of vision. SW, ugh they are treating the canon with such kid gloves that the storytellers and directors are so handcuffed to tell an original story. The tentpole strategy so popular in the industry today requires that every single movie must be a box office smash and outperform even the most lofty expectations or it could effect the stock price. There was a day when singles and doubles were acceptable.

Media has fallen horribly behind in their streaming services. And the writing was on the wall for cordcutting for years. ESPN is suffering an identify crisis and the holistic approach to business means that the cash cow (P & R) is again getting used like an ATM while gutting the goodwill built up for decades.

Iger has done well for the investors for many years, but I think there is a tipping point that may loom in the near future.

Eisner's reign= DAK, MGM, DCL, game set and match

 

[floridagirl57]

The Marvel/SW/Pixar acquisitions, as stated many times before were no brainers. But again he is treating these IPS so delicately, in my opinion they have become stagnant. The MCU has had huge success but the endless formulaic eye candy for me have become unwatchable. Pixar has decided to go on a sequel rampage (7 of the last 10) that seems to me show lack of vision. SW, ugh they are treating the canon with such kid gloves that the storytellers and directors are so handcuffed to tell an original story. The tentpole strategy so popular in the industry today requires that every single movie must be a box office smash and outperform even the most lofty expectations or it could effect the stock price. There was a day when singles and doubles were acceptable.


Eisner's reign= DAK, MGM, DCL, game set and match

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I recall after reading Disney War, singles and doubles was Eisner's strategy at the box office. He was terrified of the studio spending too much money and forced directors and producers to do what they could with very little. He had a ton of missteps though along the way, declaring several movies and TV shows not good enough for Disney or ABC, that went on to be smash hits. There are so many examples of this, but one that sticks out was Survivor, which ended up going to CBS and becoming a huge hit for that network.

 

[ford91exploder]

Eisner was a mixed blessing from Day One.

His first major theme park decision in 1984 was to Jack up prices by double-digits for 4 consecutive years.

He was responsible for opening a half built Disney-MGM Studios in 1989.

He insisted on building EuroDisney near Paris, despite data showing that it would struggle for a large part of the year.

Eisner pushed out Parks and Resorts senior leadership, those who TRULY believed in the Disney Difference.

All this happened well before Wells died in 1994.

Eisner should be given credit for creating WDW as it exists today, but there also was a lot he did that was bad for us from the start.

Absolutely no question on those points he also grew Disney by 800% during his tenure largely through organic growth. As opposed to iger whose grown Disney 75% through stock manipulation and financial engineering

If I had to choose one of the two, id choose the 800%guy

 

[WDW1974]

Spirited Quickees (Because They are the Best Kind!):



Now back to business, been some interesting exec moves in the business that I doubt have even been mentioned, so here are the links to some releases:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...sident--ceo-of-crystal-cruises-300520586.html

and

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...-new-lead-independent-director-300519199.html

WDW apparently jumped the gun (it wasn't scheduled to come out this soon) on announcing the upcharge EMHs are coming back in 2018. Yes, this was a miserable failure. But they are committed to finding that perfect price point where rubes are stupid enough to pay for this. Sadly, they are getting closer.

Look for a noticeable reduction in one holiday tradition that Guests have become accustomed to over the last 15 years at WDW.

I see we are getting into another Eisner vs. Iger debate. For the most part, I'm going to stay on the sidelines and say simply that no one is more responsible for organic and quality growth of the company than MDE. (Yes, his last 5-7 years were largely a disaster, but they in no way wipe out the amazing run he had).

Let's just point out a few:

At WDW (Disney-MGM Studios, DAK, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, Pleasure Island and DD Westside, countless resorts that were themed, not decorated);

At DL (DCA, DD, Grand Californian, urban renewal of the area that led to unified resort area).

DLP resort;

TDS and Disney-branded hotels;

HKDL resort;

DVC;

DCL;

AbD;

Disney Stores;

Disney Theatrical;

exponential growth of Disney Channel and DCP worldwide;

ABC/Cap Cities (ESPN as part of deal);

Almost all of that was ORGANIC. Meaning it didn't come from buying the creative product of others while using shareholders money. It's great that The Weatherman is loved by Wall Street and people who only care about what they care about ... but there would have been nothing for Iger to exploit if Michael and Frank and Roy hadn't of stepped in back in 1984 and taken chances. Real chances. Not taking $4 billion and handing it off to George Lucas, which anyone here could have and would have done.

Yup. The O-Town bloggers are in Anaheim 'working' on 'covering' DLR's HalloweenTime. From Crazy Clickbait Corless to the Spandex Monster, they are there. ... I don't enjoy their Tweets like Daykota ... that boy is on SDL news like an Imagineer on a fa ... you know the rest.

Of course, they are missing real news, because they wouldn't know it if they sat on it. Supposedly, right now. Disney officials have been meeting with Anaheim politicos in an effort to hammer out some sort of agreement to breathe life back into the Eastern Gateway. Disney is even (really! ... yes, this news is buried at the bottom of one of my posts on page ... what page are we on?) considering holding back on opening SW: GE in Anaheim to match it with Florida IF it will be able to get a parking solution done by then. Time is truly of the essence here. They know they have a looming disaster here that has been building since 2005 and through the reigns of FOUR DLR Presidents that couldn't get anything done or, more realistically, didn't care enough to!)

 

[WDW1974]

I'll stop lighting my candles when you stop obsessively poking pins into your set of Iger and the Mrs. Voodoo dolls.

But thanks for the clarification.

I state facts. And opinions, strong and blunt, no doubt -- that I base on the facts and what I know.

I can't stand the Igers, and believe me, the feelings are mutual because they know who I am when I am not an online Spirit manifested because Old Dead Guy Walt disturbed ancient burial grounds when WDW was constructed!

No one wanted Bob to succeed more than I did. I still recall having such optimism at the 2006 Annual Shareholders Meeting (the only one he has held in Anaheim).

 

[bclane]

Spirited Quickees (Because They are the Best Kind!):

First, we should all welcome back @The Mom. I am glad she is well and escaped much of Irma's wrath. At least I assume as much because any post where a word that -- appropriately -- rhymes with Dump appears, it disappears. Gotta keep those snowflakes happy!

Now back to business, been some interesting exec moves in the business that I doubt have even been mentioned, so here are the links to some releases:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...sident--ceo-of-crystal-cruises-300520586.html

and

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...-new-lead-independent-director-300519199.html

WDW apparently jumped the gun (it wasn't scheduled to come out this soon) on announcing the upcharge EMHs are coming back in 2018. Yes, this was a miserable failure. But they are committed to finding that perfect price point where rubes are stupid enough to pay for this. Sadly, they are getting closer.

Look for a noticeable reduction in one holiday tradition that Guests have become accustomed to over the last 15 years at WDW.

I see we are getting into another Eisner vs. Iger debate. For the most part, I'm going to stay on the sidelines and say simply that no one is more responsible for organic and quality growth of the company than MDE. (Yes, his last 5-7 years were largely a disaster, but they in no way wipe out the amazing run he had).

Let's just point out a few:

At WDW (Disney-MGM Studios, DAK, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, Pleasure Island and DD Westside, countless resorts that were themed, not decorated);

At DL (DCA, DD, Grand Californian, urban renewal of the area that led to unified resort area).

DLP resort;

TDS and Disney-branded hotels;

HKDL resort;

DVC;

DCL;

AbD;

Disney Stores;

Disney Theatrical;

exponential growth of Disney Channel and DCP worldwide;

ABC/Cap Cities (ESPN as part of deal);

Almost all of that was ORGANIC. Meaning it didn't come from buying the creative product of others while using shareholders money. It's great that The Weatherman is loved by Wall Street and people who only care about what they care about ... but there would have been nothing for Iger to exploit if Michael and Frank and Roy hadn't of stepped in back in 1984 and taken chances. Real chances. Not taking $4 billion and handing it off to George Lucas, which anyone here could have and would have done.

Yup. The O-Town bloggers are in Anaheim 'working' on 'covering' DLR's HalloweenTime. From Crazy Clickbait Corless to the Spandex Monster, they are there. ... I don't enjoy their Tweets like Daykota ... that boy is on SDL news like an Imagineer on a fa ... you know the rest.

Of course, they are missing real news, because they wouldn't know it if they sat on it. Supposedly, right now. Disney officials have been meeting with Anaheim politicos in an effort to hammer out some sort of agreement to breathe life back into the Eastern Gateway. Disney is even (really! ... yes, this news is buried at the bottom of one of my posts on page ... what page are we on?) considering holding back on opening SW: GE in Anaheim to match it with Florida IF it will be able to get a parking solution done by then. Time is truly of the essence here. They know they have a looming disaster here that has been building since 2005 and through the reigns of FOUR DLR Presidents that couldn't get anything done or, more realistically, didn't care enough to!)

Holy cow, possibly holding back SW:GE until a parking solution is found is huge news! That new land is gonna be a money printing press once open and thus you know they want to get it open asap. Let's hope they do the right thing here though and really do wait until they are prepared for the crush of people headed their way.

 

[WDW1974]

Lucky you, you get an answer before I go back to work:

Bob took a lot of risk too. He spent, what, $17 billion acquiring Pixar, LucasFilm, and Marvel? Those aren't the type of spending practices that wall street favors in their quarterly earnings reports. The wall street complex doesn't incentivize those types of long-term investments and CEOs don't typically make them, despite their long-term earning potential and the potential to create jobs and innovation.

Nope. Nope. Nope. ... Wall Street has lauded him for those moves. They were not seen as risky at all because they weren't. A few questioned the prices. That was about it. They were no-brainers (even with Marvel, a bad fit and tied up in all sorts of contracts that hamper Disney's ability to fully leverage the BRAND the way it would want to).

His successor too could and will be a risk-taker. I'm merely defining "risks" in that case as "any interest in or understanding of the Disney Parks division whatsoever." Iger is setting up the company nicely through acquisitions, saving of their film divisions, embracing technology, and setting up the company for a more successful navigation of the technological storm/disruption in cable chord cutting/digital streaming/box office slumps. Who is to say that Parks or Disney Consumer Products, with their Disney stores in shopping malls that are closing by the thousands as people shop online, won't need some life support between 2019 and 2029?

I largely agree ...

 

[ford91exploder]

I state facts. And opinions, strong and blunt, no doubt -- that I base on the facts and what I know.

I can't stand the Igers, and believe me, the feelings are mutual because they know who I am when I am not an online Spirit manifested because Old Dead Guy Walt disturbed ancient burial grounds when WDW was constructed!

No one wanted Bob to succeed more than I did. I still recall having such optimism at the 2006 Annual Shareholders Meeting (the only one he has held in Anaheim).

Many of us active in 'Save Disney' shared that optimism for Iger's leadership when he healed the rift with Pixar. Eisner was insulting the 'long haired hippie whos company made the only theatrical hits Disney had at the time'

But it was not a good ride after that.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Hi @The Mom Hope you are all doing well!!!
@WDW1974 Can you elaborate on the missing Holiday item??
Marie

 

[ford91exploder]

Gingerbread houses ?? - they were lame in dec 2015 - did not see in 2016/2017

 

[peter11435]

Gingerbread houses ?? - they were lame in dec 2015 - did not see in 2016/2017

Christmas 2016...
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...works-of-art-across-walt-disney-world-resort/

 

[GoofGoof]

Christmas 2016...
https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...works-of-art-across-walt-disney-world-resort/

Those look totally lame

 

[peter11435]

Holiday illuminations would be my first guess.. but it premiered in current form in 2004, so not quite 15 years.

 

[GoofGoof]

Holiday illuminations would be my first guess.. but it premiered in current form in 2004, so not quite 15 years.

According to Steve's update on the main page Illuminations will have a holiday ending. Not sure if that's the same thing or not.

 

[peter11435]

According to Steve's update on the main page Illuminations will have a holiday ending. Not sure if that's the same thing or not.

He said there would be a reduction not an elimination, so it still could be there just cut back.

 

[2351metalcloud]

The Marvel/SW/Pixar acquisitions, as stated many times before were no brainers.

What evidence is there for paying 4 billion for Marvel being a 'no brainer'? Disney had already purchased another comic book company (CrossGen which also had a group of separately published lines of comics that had a variety of comic characters living in a shared universe) prior to that. There were also likely other comic book companies and/or super hero media and merchandising rights that they could have purchased from some companies.

Universal/MCA produced the old Hulk tv show and NBC had previously aired some of the tv shows with Marvel characters in the past, although seemingly not as many as ABC had. If it was an obviously good idea, why didn't Comcast/Universal buy Marvel given that they had sections of three theme parks featuring characters owned by the company and already had the movie rights to a handful of characters owned by the company? Did Marvel not want to be purchased by Universal? Why didn't Paramount purchase Marvel rather than just distribute some of their films?

Here are some threads from this forum from around when Disney announced they were going to buy Marvel for consideration:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/disney-to-buy-marvel-entertainment.483762/
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...-park-in-wdw-will-be-impacted-by-this.484449/
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/no-marvel-in-orlando.486642/

 

[WDWTank]

So...its just gonna be a bunch of kids taking selfies and talking about their youtube channels...great!

Here's how Disney can fix this: eliminate the stereotypes of typical modern day kids; Not every school-aged child is interested in selfies and talking on YouTube.
Give actual character and imagination to the television child. Never forget to talk TO children, not DOWN to them....

 

[WDWTank]

Also when I was a little younger and to this day I'm not interested in modern day trends. I don't care much for Marvel, the "new" Star Wars trilogy is unimaginative, and I personally prefer some older things over newer agenda. My favorite films are: Men in Black, Toy Story 1,2,3, TRON (1982), Terminator 1 and 2, Starship Troopers, Dead Poets Society, ROBOCOP, Super Mario Bros, Back to the Future Part 1 and 2.

 

[IanDLBZF]

Look for a noticeable reduction in one holiday tradition that Guests have become accustomed to over the last 15 years at WDW.

I know what it is, Happily Ever After replaces Holiday Wishes 12/23-12/29. I'd assume in part this is due to either 1). Happily Ever After officially replaced Wishes and WDW does not want to bother showing an older show during regular hours or 2). Disney wants to make Holiday Wishes MVMCP exclusive just like how Happy HalloWishes is MNSSHP exclusive.

 

[IanDLBZF]

And IYCMI, Ellen had a few words to say about UOE on her show.