News SWL Is Proof That Disney Has Lost Its Way

[Model3 McQueen]

https://thefederalist.com/2019/09/04/star-wars-land-proof-disney-lost-way/

I also posted this article in the WDW General Discussion: https://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/disney-has-lost-its-way-an-article-from-the-federalist.958438/

The reason why i'm duplicating the post is to highlight some of Christopher's main points that pertain to Disneyland park, which are just SPOT-ON.

"In 2012, Disney officially completed a relaunch of its California Adventure theme park. The company spent more than $1 billion completely renovating its second California park to compensate for a cheaply built and incoherently themed park that scarred the Disney brand. Yet five years later, the company replaced its Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride, which perfectly fit the Art Deco motif in the renovated park, with new “Guardians of the Galaxy” theming, because Marvel. Methinks the late Roy E. Disney, nephew of founder Walt, who twice during his lifetime helped oust CEOs of the company that bears his family name, might look askance at the way Iger has attempted to shove its new brands into every corner of the Disney parks."

"In the past decade, the company has evolved from a content-generating organization focused on creating new stories to a marketing monolith singularly focused on milking every last dollar out of the brands it already owns, many of which Disney played no part in creating."

"Seeing Disney’s California parks (Disneyland and California Adventure) would realistically require an outlay of at least $500, including park tickets, parking, meals, and MaxPass for two days. All that to wait in line for a Star Wars Land I care little about seeing? No, thanks."

"In his 14-year tenure as CEO, Iger has vastly expanded the Disney company’s empire. But as the underwhelming launch of Star Wars Land in California indicates, the continual acquisitions may have given the company a case of indigestion, and an identity crisis to boot."

 

[Figments Friend]

The Disney organization stopped being a full blown creative organization some time ago.
Today, 'Disney' is a multi-media conglomerate that is focused far more on acquiring branded product then producing it's own content.

This can have mixed results, but to me, it is a disturbing and unfortunate trend.

-

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Well this is certainly going to go to “the bad place”...

But to be fair to Disney...all large creative companies/studios have a lot of missteps. So they would never not have some black eyes.

To me...here’s what I perceive as the scenario on Iger:
1. He rode the free money of espn too long. That was their easy profit for 20 years and he hasn’t adjusted to cable cutting and decline of advertising revenue fast enough.
2. That decline made the parks have to bare too much of the profit pie. The way to use parks for profit is to simply charge a ton more. Mission: accomplished.
3. He had done a horrible job of finding a successor - I believe to allow him to serve only his agenda as he attempts to make himself a Wall Street legend and cash out. Roy would have him fired for that...which was a main reason he gave Eisner the heave.
4. Iger is bleeding the brand for his stock walk away. There is little question. Look no further than live action remakes. That is blatant erosion of the classics for flash in the pan modern look cash in. Nothing new here but profits.
5 they’re also “overloading” their Ip to the same end. 10-12 big name tent poles a year??? Why?
Quarterlies. 60 Halloween events? Why? Quarterlies. Pixar sequels every year? Why?
...I think you can fill in the gaps.

 

[Phroobar]

Disney is cursed. They try to open SWL in Florida and they get a hurricane. Disney should have moved the bodies and not just the head stones.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Well this is certainly going to go to “the bad place”...

But to be fair to Disney...all large creative companies/studios have a lot of missteps. So they would never not have some black eyes.

To me...here’s what I perceive as the scenario on Iger:
1. He rode the free money of espn too long. That was their easy profit for 20 years and he hasn’t adjusted to cable cutting and decline of advertising revenue fast enough.
2. That decline made the parks have to bare too much of the profit pie. The way to use parks for profit is to simply charge a ton more. Mission: accomplished.
3. He had done a horrible job of finding a successor - I believe to allow him to serve only his agenda as he attempts to make himself a Wall Street legend and cash out. Roy would have him fired for that...which was a main reason he gave Eisner the heave.
4. Iger is bleeding the brand for his stock walk away. There is little question. Look no further than live action remakes. That is blatant erosion of the classics for flash in the pan modern look cash in. Nothing new here but profits.
5 they’re also “overloading” their Ip to the same end. 10-12 big name tent poles a year??? Why?
Quarterlies. 60 Halloween events? Why? Quarterlies. Pixar sequels every year? Why?
...I think you can fill in the gaps.

What's the bad place

 

[KBLovedDisney]

What's the bad place

Probably meant the Political Section of the forum if this thread gets out of hand.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

5 they’re also “overloading” their Ip to the same end. 10-12 big name tent poles a year??? Why?

Ya know, this got me thinking. I recently saw a documentary on the Barnum and Bailey Circus. As big as the Circus was, it died. Is TDC inadvertently headed down a dark path unknowingly? I know the two mediums are minimally similar if even that, but I wonder if Disney isn't slowly dying and "losing" in a way.

(This is what I get from watching too many abandoned urban exploration type stuff on YouTube and then dreaming about a deserted Epcot)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney is cursed. They try to open SWL in Florida and they get a hurricane. Disney should have moved the bodies and not just the head stones.

They opened it in California when it was 78 and sunny...

Perhaps...the problem is Star Wars?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Ya know, this got me thinking. I recently saw a documentary on the Barnum and Bailey Circus. As big as the Circus was, it died. Is TDC inadvertently headed down a dark path unknowingly? I know the two mediums are minimally similar if even that, but I wonder if Disney isn't slowly dying and "losing" in a way.

(This is what I get from watching too many abandoned urban exploration type stuff on YouTube and then dreaming about a deserted Epcot)

Well what we need to look at is the residuals of ZERO family influence for the last ten years since Roy and Diane went. They set the executives...but had tremendous monetary and legacy influence behind the scenes.

Bob has nobody to serve but himself. And that makes him the first ceo in that perch. Why would he leave anything just the shelf?

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Well what we need to look at is the residuals of ZERO family influence for the last ten years since Roy and Diane went. They set the executives...but had tremendous monetary and legacy influence behind the scenes.

Bob has nobody to serve but himself. And that makes him the first ceo in that perch. Why would he leave anything just the shelf?

That sounds somewhat unstable.

 

[Phroobar]

They opened it in California when it was 78 and sunny...

Perhaps...the problem is Star Wars?

And no one showed up. (just like Solo)
There is a great disturbance in the Force.

 

[Br’er Rabbit in the briar]

"Seeing Disney’s California parks (Disneyland and California Adventure) would realistically require an outlay of at least $500, including park tickets, parking, meals, and MaxPass for two days. All that to wait in line for a Star Wars Land I care little about seeing? No, thanks."

Then don’t go into Galaxy’s Edge. It’s not like it’s essential to the park experience.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Then don’t go into Galaxy’s Edge. It’s not like it’s essential to the park experience.

Welcome to the forum/internet/Disney fandom cray cray

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Then don’t go into Galaxy’s Edge. It’s not like it’s essential to the park experience.

I think the point he's trying to make is that Disney's newest offerings aren't all that compelling, nor do they justify the increased prices.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Then don’t go into Galaxy’s Edge. It’s not like it’s essential to the park experience.

This also got me thinking, aside from SWGE, what makes the essential parts of DHS the main park experiences? Is it the last of the old rides and shows that play on nostalgia or the things that may come?

I got a lot of questions today.

 

[Br’er Rabbit in the briar]

I think the point he's trying to make is that Disney's newest offerings aren't all that compelling, nor do they justify the increased prices.

I mean, I think that in its current state, GE doesn’t justify the increased prices—but for a huge Star Wars fan, it was definitely compelling. The Falcon, all the little details, and other things made it awesome for me. But I do think that if ROTR delivers on its promises, it’ll justify the price increases. However, I do think it was a mistake to theme it to the sequel trilogy; Disney did that to promote the new films, and they’ll be outdated within 15 years. The original films are the ones people show their kids first, not the sequels.

 

[Mac Tonight]

Disney lost their way long before SWL.

 

[Br’er Rabbit in the briar]

This also got me thinking, aside from SWGE, what makes the essential parts of DHS the main park experiences? Is it the last of the old rides and shows that play on nostalgia or the things that may come?

I got a lot of questions today.

With the closure of the Great Movie Ride, I think now Disney is trying to make the new experiences essential parts. Toy Story Land, Galaxy’s Edge, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway...but I also think they’re trying to throw some—however small—bits of nostalgia in. Indiana Jones is still around, one of the last things from the park’s “how the movies are made” years. Chinese Theater facade’s still kicking. Tower of Terror’s surviving, so is Fantasmic. Really, it’s just a hodgepodge of nostalgia and relevant IPs.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Then don’t go into Galaxy’s Edge. It’s not like it’s essential to the park experience.

You need to spend that much to get to Disneyland...what’s in it is irrelevant. I think the point is Star Wars has to be exceptional for it to drive people there

I mean, I think that in its current state, GE doesn’t justify the increased prices—but for a huge Star Wars fan, it was definitely compelling. The Falcon, all the little details, and other things made it awesome for me. But I do think that if ROTR delivers on its promises, it’ll justify the price increases. However, I do think it was a mistake to theme it to the sequel trilogy; Disney did that to promote the new films, and they’ll be outdated within 15 years. The original films are the ones people show their kids first, not the sequels.

This is what I can’t comprehend...”huge Star Wars fans” don’t seem to be compelled to mob the place...

So I’ve been wondering for months if maybe those fans are vastly diminished??
And that’s a story that goes back to 1999

 

[KBLovedDisney]

This is what I can’t comprehend...”huge Star Wars fans” don’t seem to be compelled to mob the place...

So I’ve been wondering for months if maybe those fans are vastly diminished??
And that’s a story that goes back to 1999

I just read somewhere in the forum (forgot where) that there may be some thing doing with comic fans/Star Wars fans not being big park goers? But that is just speculation.