The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[twebber55]

Who was the person here that said Planes 2 was going to destroy How To Train Your Dragon 2?

that would be ignohippo...we had a bet...

 

[PhotoDave219]

So you don't dine at any TS restaurants now? or just not often enough to justify the cost?

Well, not Disney TS restaurants. And I dine out less often. Cooking is fun.

 

[ford91exploder]

I hope Disney has bigger plans for Star Wars ...than this. This is sad.

(photo by MintCrocodile/Magic Eye)

Perhaps a Cantina restaurant - However this is what I expect a FINANCE guy to do with IP go with high markup low risk items. Those bears probably have a landed cost of perhaps $2.00 and pricing is probably 29.95 Until there is a powerful creative at TWDC you will not see anything better I think.

 

[ford91exploder]

Well, not Disney TS restaurants. And I dine out less often. Cooking is fun.

Cooking is indeed fun, I wish Alton Brown had kept the 'Good Eats' franchise growing and the cancellation of 'Emeril Live' was a crime by the so called 'Food Network' which started out well but is now a 'Lifestyle' network and not worth watching any longer.

Both Alton and Emeril showed advanced cooking techniques in an approachable fashion and how easy it is to cook with fresh ingredients.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Cooking is indeed fun, I wish Alton Brown had kept the 'Good Eats' franchise growing and the cancellation of 'Emeril Live' was a crime by the so called 'Food Network' which started out well but is now a 'Lifestyle' network and not worth watching any longer.

Both Alton and Emeril showed advanced cooking techniques in an approachable fashion and how easy it is to cook with fresh ingredients.

Im suddenly inspired. I should start a YouTube Channel. Cooking for the Disney Lifestyle(ers).

 

[ford91exploder]

technically , this is a SW "park presence"

Yes, Yes it is...

 

[John]

You are correct. They only reason why I do this is because 74 doesn't express himself as an opinion. He comes across as knowing all the facts. Many of the readers on this board take whatever he says as gospel. I never have an issue with the content of his posts. They are interesting and often factual, however, when he starts feeling the need to attack, insult and put down all those that disagree with him, then I take issue. Or as you say, get my panties in a wad. So I intend to call him on that crap. It is unnecessary, condescending and something that to me instantly detracts from whatever he says. If you have facts, state them, but, there is no need to dump on the things that others enjoy, just because he doesn't.

He hates it when I call it bullying, but, it is mental bullying in its purest form. How many are afraid to contradict him because they are "afraid" of his responses as well of those of his band of merry men? Even something as small as calling things "Walmarting" is another form of it. The message is that anyone that goes to Walmart is lower then a fossil fart. Somehow he manages to turn one of the most successful retail organizations in the world into something bad. I go to Walmart because I can save money there. If someone thinks that spending three times as much for exactly the same product, just to be seen as elite, to me are the ones worthy of ridicule. So, I will take your advice and leave this thread alone. Sure wouldn't want to offend the gods, but, it really is because I'm tired of beating my head against a wall, since no one seems to appreciate the effort.

I will basically refrain from responding. Not because I am afraid of the big bad wolf ( him and I have had our differences.....but I still like the guy). He doesn't need me to defend him. What I will respond to....is the prase "Walmarting" it has zero to do with people who go there or any reference there of. It is the way WDW has been discounted. The way it has been homogenized. The reason why the prices are so cheap is because there are no frills. Its basic....you get a price you stand in line you pay and you leave. There is very little customer service. I think even 74 might have shopped at a Wal-Mart once or twice. You are taking it way to personal. Is 74's delivery....not every ones cup of tea? No. It certainly isn't for the faint of heart. Yes he can be caustic....yes he can be divisive. But that's his schtick....even I raise an eyebrow at some of the things he says but I never take it personal.

 

[Nubs70]

Cooking is indeed fun, I wish Alton Brown had kept the 'Good Eats' franchise growing and the cancellation of 'Emeril Live' was a crime by the so called 'Food Network' which started out well but is now a 'Lifestyle' network and not worth watching any longer.

Both Alton and Emeril showed advanced cooking techniques in an approachable fashion and how easy it is to cook with fresh ingredients.

Imagine if WDW put in a restaurant in DTD and called it "In Residence". Where celebrity chefs would periodically set up for a week or two at a time.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I will basically refrain from responding. Not because I am afraid of the big bad wolf ( him and I have had our differences.....but I still like the guy). He doesn't need me to defend him. What I will respond to....is the prase "Walmarting" it has zero to do with people who go there or any reference there of. It is the way WDW has been discounted. The way it has been homogenized. The reason why the prices are so cheap is because there are no frills. Its basic....you get a price you stand in line you pay and you leave. There is very little customer service. I think even 74 might have shopped at a Wal-Mart once or twice. You are taking it way to personal. Is 74's delivery....not every ones cup of tea? No. It certainly isn't for the faint of heart. Yes he can be caustic....yes he can be divisive. But that's his schtick....even I raise an eyebrow at some of the things he says but I never take it personal.

The Big Bad Wolf?

 

[RSoxNo1]

For the record, I am not starting or resurrected a "pandas to DAK" rumor. That's just not reasonable with current management.

I *AM* saying that giant panda's at DAK would bring a boatload of attendance & much needed revenue.

It won't happen tho.

I actually had the good fortune of asking Joe Rohde about this at last year's D23 Expo. What he told me is that the biggest hurdle for them is that the Chinese government has never given Pandas to a for profit facility.

 

[Cesar R M]

Walt Disney wanted to provide world class service and make a buck by doing so.

Michael Eisner wanted to make a buck by providing world class service.

Bob Iger wants to make a buck.

you should have finished the sentence.

Bob Iger wants to make two bucks by providing STANDARD TO MEDIOCRE service.

 

[Cesar R M]

You are correct. They only reason why I do this is because 74 doesn't express himself as an opinion. He comes across as knowing all the facts. Many of the readers on this board take whatever he says as gospel. I never have an issue with the content of his posts. They are interesting and often factual, however, when he starts feeling the need to attack, insult and put down all those that disagree with him, then I take issue. Or as you say, get my panties in a wad. So I intend to call him on that crap. It is unnecessary, condescending and something that to me instantly detracts from whatever he says. If you have facts, state them, but, there is no need to dump on the things that others enjoy, just because he doesn't.

He hates it when I call it bullying, but, it is mental bullying in its purest form. How many are afraid to contradict him because they are "afraid" of his responses as well of those of his band of merry men? Even something as small as calling things "Walmarting" is another form of it. The message is that anyone that goes to Walmart is lower then a fossil fart. Somehow he manages to turn one of the most successful retail organizations in the world into something bad. I go to Walmart because I can save money there. If someone thinks that spending three times as much for exactly the same product, just to be seen as elite, to me are the ones worthy of ridicule. So, I will take your advice and leave this thread alone. Sure wouldn't want to offend the gods, but, it really is because I'm tired of beating my head against a wall, since no one seems to appreciate the effort.

the "lower than a fossil fart" is going to be my favorite PG13 rated insult from now on

 

[rael ramone]

Now I really don't understand you.

Every change starts with one voice, with others joining in until the sound cannot be ignored.

Some times it takes years, even decades.

So, when you write "you and your pack of whiners should get through yours that no matter what you say, or how long you complain nothing, no matter how much influence you think one person has, is going to change it until it all comes to a head", exactly how is it supposed to "come to a head" if everyone remains silent?

Successful business don't wait for customers to leave before listening. Successful businesses listen to paying customers before they become former customers.

Corporate Disney would be wise to pay attention to what's being written, especially on threads such as these which contain some of WDW's most faithful customers.

When loyal customers start to complain in large enough numbers, it's time for change.

In WDW's case, the change doesn't have to be some earthshattering event like a 5th Gate. Sometimes the change is a bit more subtle, like ticket prices going up only 4% this year (instead of the 7% from the last 3 years), like Disney Dining Plan increasing 4.6% (instead of the 20% in 2012/2013), like Iger stating that an expanded Star Wars presence is coming to the parks, like credible rumors that the Yeti is finally going to get fixed.

Sometimes change is slow but it seems to me that corporate Disney is listening.

'If You Can Dream It, We Can Do It'.

Besides being from Horizons (RIP - and will never buy a tshirt for it), one could say it was the mantra for WDP (Walt Disney Productions, what the company was called under Walt's watch).

The mantra for $DIS (and really, that's the abbreviation that best describes the company as it's currently run) is:

'If You Maintain A Vice-Like Command of the Narrative, You Can Do What You Want, Take As Long Time As You Want, And As Cheaply As You Want, And Wait for The $$$ To Come In'.

To me that seems the primary goal of $DIS. Whether it's in Social Media, or when 'Uncle Bob' has his quarterly chat with the folks in Englewood Cliffs, or even responding to an Official Congressional Inquiry - they want to control the narrative.

When you control the narrative, you can make people get a 'Standby Fast Pass' for a fast food eatery. You can deferb a legacy deluxe resort and call it an upgrade. In dealing with the problem of the empty deluxe room, you can treat the thought of actually having the amenities match the rack rate as a non-starter. You can sell 'Vintage Former Ride' T-shirts before the ride gets closed for a cheap overlay - and you can place that Kiddie Franchise Ride in a park that's known to people who don't go to the swamps at all as a place to get drunk. You can label a 13 year old incapable of being alone in the park but a 14 year old, in just one year, gained the maturity to not only be there without someone older but he can supervise younger guests (and say Mr. Markey had nothing to do with it). And when you control the narrative, even though $DIS has a 21+ P/E for a DJIA Large Cap that has it's largest footprint desperately needing capital to fix many things, you can say the stock is too cheap to not back up the Brinks truck to use shareholder money to load up on buybacks AND it's far too expensive for the executives to buy the shares with their own money on the open market (and of course can't afford to pay First World Wages to the CM's - gotta share an old Best Western room with 4 others down in the Igervilles). And you can sell all of the above as a positive. A reason to 'Show Your Disney Side'.

To see a current example of what can happen when a greedy company loses control of the narrative, Google "Market Basket". Or if they lose the narrative for other reasons just look at Sea World.

Or you can look back in DLR's recent history.

The narrative can change.

No theme park resort in the U.S. can touch The Vacation Kingdom if it was firing on all cylinders.

Bad things need to be pointed out so they can be changed.

Good things need to be as well, both to keep them, and to have more things like them. (Don't assume that anything you like can't be gone tomorrow).

In it's prime, WDW was Aspirational, yet Accessible across the board. In it's Attractions, Dining, Shopping, Lodging, Atmosphere, and other diversions. A lot of that is still there - enough for some of us to keep visiting (even if not as often and/or not spending as much) - they won't have to start from scratch (outside upper management that is).

Many of us are here because 'We Want Our WDW Back'.

 

[CinematicFusion]

Maybe we should thank Universal for waking Disney up some.
Universal announces in 2007 Potter is coming to Florida.
Since then:

Disney announced New Fantasyland in 2009
Disney announced Avatar Pandora in 2011
Disney announced Downtown Disney Expansion in 2013
If every two years holds true...Disney is about to announce a Major Major addition:
Disney will announce Star Wars at DHS in 2015

I would then assume Disney will announce in 2017 something with Epcot.

Slowly Disney is stepping up their game. WDW in 2020 will be awesome!

 

[Cesar R M]

DisneyToon Studios is almost dead.
http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/2014/08/layoffs-at-toons.html

I love these commenters doing the classic RIAA maneouver, of blaming everything on "pirates".

Who was the person here that said Planes 2 was going to destroy How To Train Your Dragon 2?

probably hiding.
I seen planes 2.. the movie looked way too similar to planes 1 in every aspect.
(the fangirl/boy, the strong adult/leader guy who sacrifices himself, the "problem" with Dusty..etc..etc..)
the movie honestly was direct to dvd material with more reasons than planes 1.

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

Slowly Disney is stepping up their game. WDW in 2020 will be awesome!

Isn't that the problem though? They don't have time for slowly. I can only imagine how UOR will look if they get their way by 2020.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I actually had the good fortune of asking Joe Rohde about this at last year's D23 Expo. What he told me is that the biggest hurdle for them is that the Chinese government has never given Pandas to a for profit facility.

You mean the Atlanta Zoo charges $22 dollars and is technically a non-profit?

One would think that given all these exclusivity deals, Pandas could be arranged.

 

[CinematicFusion]

Isn't that the problem though? They don't have time for slowly. I can only imagine how UOR will look if they get their way by 2020.

It is what it is...but they are building and it looks like they do have a plan.
It's exciting to me. Star Wars, Avatar, Harry Potter. These crazy worlds we see on film are being created for us to explore.

Hope Universal and Disney continue building the imaginations of some very creative talent!

 

[marni1971]

I'd be pleasantly surprised if anything substantial Star Wars was finished in Orlando before 2020.

 

[Cody5242]

that would be ignohippo...we had a bet...

Haven't heard from him about this subject. I wonder if he will keep his end to the bargain. Didn't he say Planes 2 will almost double the amount of money that Planes made? Sure HTTYD2 didn't live up to its expectations domestically but it's going to make more than the original worldwide