The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[jakeman]

I guess it's like @jakeman's new pal @flynnibus says when I criticize Twitter: it's not the medium, it's who's using it and how they are using it.

Swatting at low hanging fruit is cathartic at times. I'm sure you'll agree.

 

[WDW1974]

As much as Universal is doing fantastic things up the road, the fawning foaming fanboiz of Comcast have essentially done and killed my attention span when it comes to Uni v Disney. (I just dont care anymore because they're so **** insufferable.) Universal is doing some great work, I still think they have long strides to go when it comes to guest service.

On the one hand, I can't blame you. Hearing all the blather and foaming of the UNI fanbois is a bit much.

At the same time, they have every reason to be proud. They remind me of what I was like in the 80s and most of the 90s when it came to Disney.

I think what gets to some people is that ... well, these fans are right. And it also bothers them knowing that the Disney they loved, and most of those UNI fans did too, simply has no desire to compete. They just want to offer more upcharge events and sell you a timeshare (which was always considered an ugly side business to classy operators like Disney in the 70s, 80s and well into the 90s when DVC was just tiny).

Do I think some of the UNI fanbois are over the top? Hell yeah. But that's what fans are like. And ... well, I can't blame them for celebrating doing things (mostly) right and pushing the bar higher.

Gotta run ... have great weekends, y'all.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Can I just say, as much as Disney can be a corporate monster... I hate deadmau5, I'm glad the mega mouse is fighting with him. Lol

 

[aladdin2007]

No I meant where are they backstage.

I had heard right there in Mexico, but Im not sure I believe that. Interesting though.

 

[RSoxNo1]

So, let me get this straight (no fanboi jokes, please), but Disney is selling Pleasure Island and Adventurer's Club tees?!! Who the (blank) is buying this (other blank) and what the (blank) is wrong with them? ... How do you reward a company that destroyed what you love by giving them money for doing so?

We've had this debate previously. Nostalgia sells, and I think the way they're doing things like the Mr. Toad's shirts on a limited print run is smart. They're catering to the fanbois while not keeping an inventory. The 4-6 week delivery time is a bit much though and results in your Dreamfinder Christmas shirt arriving in February.

Is Adam Sandler's career over? Yeah, I sorta think so.

Adam Sandler is the white equivalent of Tyler Perry. They both make movies that target the ignorant/stereotypes of their fans. They both have talent, but it's largely wasted.

 

[Mike S]

There's nothing to clear up. GoTG can be used at WDW, which is why we had the preview. Captain America, for instance, can't be, which is why Disney couldn't have pimped that film at WDW.

Very simple. Doesn't reflect anything new or any changes. There are things Disney can do with Marvel in Florida, but they are extremely limited. And they can't advertise them as being part of MARVEL, which certainly doesn't make you think Disney will do much more than it currently has.

Well that's a big disappointment from the BRAND obsession if I ever heard one. Who cares if they can't say MARVEL if they could still say GAURDIANS OF THE GALAXY? Do they really think people wouldn't put two and two together in their heads? With the movie being the surprise hit it was and the miraculous coincidence that it can be used in WDW I'm shocked they wouldn't want to capitalize on it. Then again, TDO......... Since when do they use logic?

Rant over

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I think they would make sense at the attraction entrance or exit.

Or both if there's two sets.

 

[doctornick]

Well that's a big disappointment from the BRAND obsession if I ever heard one. Who cares if they can't say MARVEL if they could still say GAURDIANS OF THE GALAXY? Do they really think people wouldn't put two and two together in their heads? With the movie being the surprise hit it was and the miraculous coincidence that it can be used in WDW I'm shocked they wouldn't want to capitilise on it. Then again, TDO......... Since when do they use logic?

Rant over

Disney is specifically not using "Marvel" for Big Hero 6 though, which I find interesting.

Anyway, I agree with you -- a GOTG attraction in WDW (heck, it would be an easy thing to build simultaneously at WDW and DLR plus any international park you want) would make sense if they could use the franchise. If they were to work on it ASAP, they could actually get something developed around the time of the sequel in 2017 (yeah, yeah, Disney slow and all that but they could if they wanted)

 

[lazyboy97o]

Can I just say, as much as Disney can be a corporate monster... I hate deadmau5, I'm glad the mega mouse is fighting with him. Lol

He doesn't lose anything he already has if his registration is rejected.

 

[Mike S]

Disney is specifically not using "Marvel" for Big Hero 6 though, which I find interesting.

Anyway, I agree with you -- a GOTG attraction in WDW (heck, it would be an easy thing to build simultaneously at WDW and DLR plus any international park you want) would make sense if they could use the franchise. If they were to work on it ASAP, they could actually get something developed around the time of the sequel in 2017 (yeah, yeah, Disney slow and all that but they could if they wanted)

I think the absence of "Marvel" from Big Hero 6 is just as simple as it being made by WDAS and not Marvel, and yes Disney probably could fast track a GotG ride to open in time for the sequel or some time after it if they wanted to but I guess they don't. Flipping morons.........

 

[Disneyhead'71]

UGH!!! Tron Legacy was many things ... a good film wouldn't be one. What a boring, incoherent mess ... sure it looked good. But I've seen plenty of beautiful people that have nothing beyond their looks.
Hell, it made the original film look great by comparison.

So, Tron Legacy is the Kim Kardasian of Disney films? Fitting since NFL is the Kim Kardasian of theme park lands.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I did somewhere. So, short version here:

But I loved the film. Most fun I've had the movies in a long time. Just a general great way to spend a summer night.

Great characters. Pratt was terrific (as anyone who has watched him on Parks and Rec would expect). The soundtrack couldn't have been better if I picked it (I need to get it ... you know on an actual compact disk like we did in ancient times when records and cassette tapes became as passe as an iPhone3 today). And I even loved the spoiler at the end that some dolt here ruined for me.

One minor quibble: the Marvel cliche of a final drawn out, fake looking due to CGI, massive battle in the sky above a cityscape where thousands of people would have died as a result of massive ships smashing into structures ... but beyond that, the film was fantastic and I am looking forward to a sequel.

The only reason I have any interest in the new Avengers film is because (being a network teevee guy and all) I realize what an amazing actor James Spader is.

I enjoyed GotG, but there were certain points that I felt really didn't hit the mark and felt....off. Like at the beginning where "Starlord" grabs a rodent and uses it as a "microphone". I got and enjoyed the joke, but the scene felt awkward to me. And there were several others I can't quite remember.

I do think it was a big batch of summer popcorn film fun. Good laughs, tons of lovable characters, and fun quotable quotes. Score one for the mouse!

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I'll try... NextGen has allowed Disney to remain competitive with Universal without having to get into a costly attraction building war.

That sounds lovely............but makes no sense.

Did you get that from a stockholders brief?

 

[Gabe1]

I don't know enough to comment beyond saying I know people who have written textbooks too ... and they are of varying intellectual and social levels.



Ah, but you can't skip the personality when his personality is so much a part of his schtick ... and I know my schticks (just ask Andy Castro!)

Anyone who is a good self-promoter like Lou has a degree of snake-oil salesman in them. Selling himself doesn't look like it's ever a problem. Not saying he is a con man, just that he's good at convincing petople that he is an expert on a subject that, quite frankly, I don't think he knows much more about than any other Lifestyler out there. The fact he was trained as an attorney means he is a skilled liar. Point blank. He knows how to twist things to get an outcome that may well not be just.

When he was first brought to my attention (in 2011 on a wonderful thread on Social Media and Disney on anotherdisneyplace) I looked him up and one of the first things I saw was him walking around MSUSA's shop with a box around his neck and two individuals in his posse of regulars (I believe a Scott Otis was one and a Beci something was another ... I'm quite sure they are regulars in the Lifestyler circles). ... He oozed slimebag to me, but I have had many dealings with PR people, lawyers, Disney execs, Hollywood players and, even, a few government officials, so I can smell the type coming from miles away. He walked into the Cinema Shop on MSUSA and started interviewing a CP CM, who very obviously had no idea what to make of him, and was making her very uncomfortable. Now, CMs are not allowed to speak to 'media' under threat of losing their jobs and media aren't generally allowed to simply start interviewing people in the parks (I KNOW this and I KNOW people who have gotten around this and then had to deal with Disney Legal making all sorts of threats ... it's why you'll never see an O-Sentinel Disney beat writer simply buy an AP and spend time in the parks. Almost everything they do is coordinated with Dr. Blondie's cohorts at CP, which makes breaking any real news about the company virtually impossible.)

So, what Lou did that very first time I 'tuned' into him was something that would have gotten most REAL reporters, or even Lifestylers, in very hot water with Disney, possibly resulting in a Tresspass Warning issued. Yet, with Lou, it is a complete hand's off policy. He acts like he owns the place and the CP staff facilitate his every whim or need. He plays top BRAND advocate and they contribute to building the Lovable Lou BRAND. Quid pro quo and all that stuff.

I think he is quite genuine when with people. When they are supporters or can help him, he is as nice as can be and will spout whatever Waltism he pulled up that morning while sitting on the toilet. ... But if you are critical of him or want to simply know why the staff at Dixie Landings will comp a $400 bar tab for his group without blinking, well, send an email to Dr. Blondie, which she'll ignore.



You misunderstood. I had no desire to write about Lou (and he'd come after me with Disney's aid if I attempted to on my own). I was trying to figure out his game. I have lots of information on Lou. But I was interested in knowledge. How did he get in with Disney? Who greased the wheels? What exactly is his arrangement with them? Why can he do things that would get my pal Jim Hill arrested (any opinion @lentesta since you are pals with Jim ... wondering if you guys ever run into Lou and have thoughts ... oh, and feel free to send them privately if you don't wish them to wind up in public)? And how come for a guy that is married and has kids do you never see them at WDW with him? (seems a bit bizarre unless he's into fanbois on the side)

You seem to have that same curiosity that I do about the man. I just seem to believe he is more intelligent than your take on him. I find him to be a very calculating and seems to have a well thought out business plan for all of his business ventures and they all seem to work out extremely well for him. He rises to the top and quickly with these and I am impressed and ponder often how he pulls this off so often. There are countless podcasts out there, how does he win year after year? I tripped across his tiny empire back in 2004 so I've been curious over stuff like this for a while and the empire just seems to have multiplied many folds over the years. I've never met the man but I've seen him in the parks over the years and does have that bigger than life persona.

I'm not even a little surprised Disney would comp a $400 bar bill for his group when he does a live show from the POR lounge and packs the place beyond capacity, then puts it out on YouTube for future guests to watch him sing the praises of a moderate resort he would not likely stay in at this point in his life. (you will see his children in that youtube playing along with Bob.) $400 most of which is mark-up is cheap marketing for Disney of a Resort. Then guests will see the same man appear in all sorts of news media and news programming. Golden for Disney. He managed to have his books sold on property unlike most lifestylers. I agree he has the finesse of good attorney and knows how to sell himself and his wares. My curiosity is the hows and whys he left his corporate life up east and managed to pull off all he has done from the time his boots hit the ground when he moved to Orlando. My guess is he knows as much or maybe more than most lifestylers with his contacts yet keeps his mouth shut until the all clear is given. He seems to know the perimeters granted to him and I've never seen him cross those or even speculate or rumor. It sets him on a different plain than a good chunk of lifestylers. I don't get the groupies though. I don't get the draw for them. He needs them, they don't need him. I follow a great deal of lifestylers but for the most part there are not groupies. What's with that? The whys of meeting somewhere on property to queue up and shake his hand is puzzling to me.

I presume the man shelters his young children from most of these events as they are part of his business and having children I know I could not split myself between children and attend to business at hand. I never took my kids to business events so I can't fault him for that. Most people do not mix their business days with their families by their side. I know his wife attends to many of details of their charity, Dream Team to raise funds for Make a Wish. You will find her running in the events and him cheering on those runners on their team. I can't fault the wife for not attending these never ending functions either or chit chatting with the groupies and being smiley. It likely got old fast.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Here's another photo
View attachment 64832

Those AAs have more articulation than the animated figures in the mine train that got everyone hot and bothered earlier this year.

 

[ParentsOf4]

The climate still appeared fine when the funds were allocated back in 2007. I was told by someone VERY high up the food chain that if Disney had waited another 6-8 months to make that allocation that we'd still be entering DCA through those giant letters while listening to "Do You Know The Way to San Jose?'' and ''I Love LA'' blasting near the giant sun hub.

The wheels came completely off on the economy in September of 2008 so, yes it was after the project was approved but well before main construction started. It still could have faced cutbacks or I guess more cutbacks then it had.

Disney as a company and P&R in particular is in much better shape today than it was in 2007 which was only several years removed from the tourism downturn after 9/11. Investing heavily in a major theme park expansion today would be a much less risky decision.

P&R’s combined domestic & international revenue and capex under Iger has been:

Disney’s fiscal year begins in October. So, the “wheels [coming] completely off on the economy in September of 2008” would be reflected in FY2009.

What you’ll notice is that capex didn’t start to trend up until FY2010, and didn’t really kick in until FY2011. (Remember, this spending includes Cars Land, 2 DCL ships, the New Fantasyland, and parts of MyMagic+.)

A project such as Carsland could have be OK’ed before September 2008 and been allowed to remain in the concept stage with relatively low costs as the economy headed south in FY2009 and FY2010.

The big spending didn’t kick in until FY2011 (i.e. October 2010), at which point Disney’s revenues were on the way back up.

To @GoofGoof 's point, if revenue had not recovered in FY2011, there’s a decent chance that Cars Land could have been delayed or downscaled.

To @WDW1974’s point, it would have been much more difficult (perhaps even impossible?) to get the project approved after P&R revenue headed south.

Timing is everything.

Based on the numbers, this seems particularly true for Cars Land.

 

[lentesta]

(any opinion @lentesta since you are pals with Jim ... wondering if you guys ever run into Lou and have thoughts ...

I have nothing but love and respect for Lou and his family. I really, really like them, down to a personal level. His work ethic is incredible - dude, *I* don't work that much, and I have a problem. And I really think he loves Disney that much. Plus his wife is a saint. Lou won the m************ lottery there.

Same thing with Jim. Genuinely loves Disney, especially seeing how the corporate side works. Incredible work ethic. And a really nice guy.

As far as different levels of access go, I couldn't care less. Knowing the amount of work Lou does, if Disney wants to treat him special, I say God bless him.

 

[GoofGoof]

P&R’s combined domestic & international revenue and capex under Iger has been:

View attachment 64892

Disney’s fiscal year begins in October. So, the “wheels [coming] completely off on the economy in September of 2008” would be reflected in FY2009.

What you’ll notice is that capex didn’t start to trend up until FY2010, and didn’t really kick in until FY2011. (Remember, this spending includes Cars Land, 2 DCL ships, the New Fantasyland, and parts of MyMagic+.)

A project such as Carsland could have be OK’ed before September 2008 and be allowed to remain in the concept stage with relatively low costs as the economy headed south in FY2009 and FY2010.

The big spending didn’t kick in until FY2011 (i.e. October 2010), at which point Disney’s revenues were on the way back up.

To @GoofGoof 's point, if revenue had not recovered in FY2011, there’s a decent chance that Cars Land could have been delayed or downscaled.

To @WDW1974’s point, it would have been much more difficult (perhaps even impossible?) to get the project approved after P&R revenue headed south.

Timing is everything.

Based on the numbers, this seems particularly true for Cars Land.

Nice graph. This makes sense. They probably did delay major construction on Carsland some.

The red bars should be growing following the blue bars up. Times are good. Reinvest. How much of the 2014 Capex is China and/or Paris? They put the finishing touches on Mine Train and broke ground on Avatar in 2014, but other than that is there anything Domestic going on? Paris got Rat ride and there's the whole park in China being built.

 

[Next Big Thing]

I find it interesting that Iger has gravitated towards the blockbuster movies and has shown a willingness to be bold on that front with flops like Mars Needs Moms, John Carter, Tron and Lone Ranger, yet in theme parks he is 100% risk averse. Aside from Mission: SPACE, what was the last $100 million theme park failure? Even that attraction has some value, it just didn't get subsidized with clones around the world.

The thing about movie studios is that they put out a set amount of movies a year. It's not uncommon for some movies to flop, so a one happening here or there isn't something that hurts the studios all that much when they consistently have had movies bringing in billions.

Theme park attractions are much different, especially with how Disney goes about them. Disney hedges their bets all on one new attraction/featured opening (FLE Expansion for example), but the build out is ridiculous. So if that attraction "flops", it's a much bigger deal than if a big budget movie flops.

 

[PeterAlt]

I'll try... NextGen has allowed Disney to remain competitive with Universal without having to get into a costly attraction building war.

Wow. That's really stretching it!