Cash-Strapped Disney

[Jon81uk]

Immersion

But they look so wide and open, where is the immersiviness?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I haven't vsited yet but from what I've seen there is a lot of strange design choices for Star Wars land on both coasts as well as DHS sepcifically. There are huge walkways, but only one smallish cantina that is overbooked, so plenty of room outside, but not enough capacity for the actual experiences. Should have built 2/3 cantina rooms.
When the initial hype dies off, what's the use of the large outdoor walkways? Also they should have built differently for both coasts to give DHS the option of expanding easier, right now Muppets would probably need to go to expand at all.
Toy Story land should have factored in an expansion pad and the new restaurant being built landlocks it even further as that would need to go/change to expand out that direction.

I haven’t been to the wdw version...but BS aside it’s exactly the same.

But the Anaheim version gave me the same impressions.

It’s “big” as far as their minilands goes...but it’s really a lot of empty space. Well done - from a quality/construction perspective...but overall not incredibly useful for crowds when the shine has dulled off it.

I’ll try to be reserved...but I still (opinion) assess it as Iger believing he could sell Abramsland based off an artificial box office result in 2015 and that the standard “a ride and a diversion” attraction scheme they used in NFL and Carsland would do...

But that’s underestimating Star Wars and the needs of DHS.

 

[Jon81uk]

I’ll try to be reserved...but I still (opinion) assess it as Iger believing he could sell Abramsland based off an artificial box office result in 2015 and that the standard “a ride and a diversion” attraction scheme they used in NFL and Carsland would do...

Of course Diagon Alley at USO is also only one major ride, a transport ride and some shops, but the alley and the exteriors all feel correctly scaled. Same goes for Carsland really, the main street is about the width it needs to be for the Cars to drive down. Whereas StarWarsland just looks sparse in photos.

 

[asianway]

What about stuff from the 70s that's barely represented at the parks? Robin Hood gets some attention from the US parks occasionally, while the non-US Disney Parks (such as Paris and Tokyo) give more attention The Rescuers, The Aristocats and other obscure characters/films from the company.

Rescuers should get more Disney+ sequels.
What if Zootopia retconned Robin Hood into a ZCU? Next sequel includes both?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Of course Diagon Alley at USO is also only one major ride, a transport ride and some shops, but the alley and the exteriors all feel correctly scaled. Same goes for Carsland really, the main street is about the width it needs to be for the Cars to drive down. Whereas StarWarsland just looks sparse in photos.

I was gonna use diagon as the antithesis argument...but I didn’t want to soapbox

 

[WDW Pro]

Well mgm was done “on the cheap” as a “feeder park”. That’s the history of it. TWDC was in a very different place when they pushed for its construction in 1986...is was a gamble to push for complex expansion at that time. Eisner was right as it turns out.

But since? That feeder model stopped making sense 20 years ago...

All the issues - both for Disney and the customers - would have been mitigated had they not done another half committed expansion project in 2015.

They can’t grow overall attendance without more park space longterm...and the parks will be heavily skewed toward magic kingdom forever at this rate. The only park that tried to fix this problem under Iger has been DAK. The other two haven’t been very well designed in this building “boom”

You can blame that on Chapek who moved the expansion away from where the parking lot expansion went, away from the hotel that was to be connected, and instead bulldozed part of the park.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You can blame that on Chapek who moved the expansion away from where the parking lot expansion went, away from the hotel that was to be connected, and instead bulldozed part of the park.

Not interested in blame...

It was a huge, catastrophic mistake.

Taking up the entire backlot to put in a bad concept “exclusive” hotel next to it that few will want...barring some miracle of reverse in course with Star Wars

 

[Horizons '83]

Not interested in blame...

It was a huge, catastrophic mistake.

Taking up the entire backlot to put in a bad concept “exclusive” hotel next to it that few will want...barring some miracle of reverse in course with Star Wars

Was that a pun or node to Catastrophic Canyon/Back lot tour?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Was that a pun or node to Catastrophic Canyon/Back lot tour?

Unintentional...I’m just THAT GOOD

 

[WDW Pro]

Not interested in blame...

It was a huge, catastrophic mistake.

Taking up the entire backlot to put in a bad concept “exclusive” hotel next to it that few will want...barring some miracle of reverse in course with Star Wars

It's much, much worse in DLR. That was the last significant expansion pad.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It's much, much worse in DLR. That was the last significant expansion pad.

I assess that as a different scenario...

They had no reason to believe they wouldn’t “fully resurrect” Star Wars at that time...they just pooched it.

So using that “bullet” made sense. But I’ll never understand why they they didn’t do it in California adventure? Were they really worried that people wouldn’t go to Disneyland??

I think not...even with the marvel plans, it was Iger BS to stockholders. If they “rationed” new investments in both parks, then they’d both make tons of billions and then all their shares would be worth Trillions.

Greedy people are predictable...predictably stupid.

 

[Mainahman]

It's much, much worse in DLR. That was the last significant expansion pad.

That is why I'm not a fan of clones. It creates the why go to DLR we have the same things. Keeping cars land out there, keeps us on this side of the mighty Mississippi wanting to make it out there to experience. The fact that Kevin Rafferty built it, is enough of a draw for me, but still. Disney needs to be better about certain things not being cloned.

 

[WDF]

What DO you want, then?

I want it to remain the way it is, the recent update is very good. I only mentioned it because it was listed by someone as an attraction that was potentially going to be updated.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That is why I'm not a fan of clones. It creates the why go to DLR we have the same things. Keeping cars land out there, keeps us on this side of the mighty Mississippi wanting to make it out there to experience. The fact that Kevin Rafferty built it, is enough of a draw for me, but still. Disney needs to be better about certain things not being cloned.

They thought it was “irresistible”...had to clone it.

Don’t want to go on another Star Wars retrospective...but they didn’t understand it and completely misread the $2 bil in 2015. It was a mirage to their coffers.

Discuss amongst yourselves

 

[Jon81uk]

That is why I'm not a fan of clones. It creates the why go to DLR we have the same things. Keeping cars land out there, keeps us on this side of the mighty Mississippi wanting to make it out there to experience. The fact that Kevin Rafferty built it, is enough of a draw for me, but still. Disney needs to be better about certain things not being cloned.

Yep both coasts should have got a Star Wars land, but not the same Star Wars land.

Although even back in the seventies everyone was asking why there wasn't a Pirates of the Caribbean in Florida so by cloning Disney I suppose they just doing what many people want.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yep both coasts should have got a Star Wars land, but not the same Star Wars land.

Although even back in the seventies everyone was asking why there wasn't a Pirates of the Caribbean in Florida so by cloning Disney I suppose they just doing what many people want.

Well...that goes back to “creative choices” then

 

[_caleb]

Can’t agree more.

The sad reality is that those original movies - including Jedi before people get revisionist and stoopid - were actually much more than the sum of their parts to the audience. Whether they realize it or not.

The problem for Lucas and then disney is that the more they try to “adapt” the pathos...the farther they drift from it. And the money that created that is tied to Gen X. And we’re not dead yet or close.

The Disney “trilogy” has a large box office number...but yet still couldn’t have gone worse. In a weird way. Only Star Wars can do that.

I can’t stress how right this point is.

Disney has NEVER had a situation this bad that will impact their business like this. This tears at the very fabric of the consumer model Disney has lead the world in developing for 100 years.

The only...and I mean only...comparison is when they had to basically shutdown during ww2...that’s the only one close and it isn’t that close.

Yes. And this brings us back to the topic of "Cash-Strapped Disney." I still don't see the sort of radical measures that a company facing imminent demise might make. Tightening belts is one thing (layoffs, cutting Executive salaries, cancelling/mothballing projects), but no diversification, no acquisitions (and at this rate, not looking like a great buy for anyone else). Disney is still, in the face of the worst situation they've ever been in, just doing what they do- entertainment (theaters/parks) and media- which are now inherently risky. It doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Lilofan]

Yes. And this brings us back to the topic of "Cash-Strapped Disney." I still don't see the sort of radical measures that a company facing imminent demise might make. Tightening belts is one thing (layoffs, cutting Executive salaries, cancelling/mothballing projects), but no diversification, no acquisitions (and at this rate, not looking like a great buy for anyone else). Disney is still, in the face of the worst situation they've ever been in, just doing what they do- entertainment (theaters/parks) and media- which are now inherently risky. It doesn't make sense to me.

August 4 is the TWDC quarterly earnings report. Iger and Chapek will discuss company plans and update Wall Street on current state of company followed by Q&A. I suggest you listen to it.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yes. And this brings us back to the topic of "Cash-Strapped Disney." I still don't see the sort of radical measures that a company facing imminent demise might make. Tightening belts is one thing (layoffs, cutting Executive salaries, cancelling/mothballing projects), but no diversification, no acquisitions (and at this rate, not looking like a great buy for anyone else). Disney is still, in the face of the worst situation they've ever been in, just doing what they do- entertainment (theaters/parks) and media- which are now inherently risky. It doesn't make sense to me.

An important note: the covid bailout programs restrict corporations that received funds from layoffs/reductions through 9/30/20.

We don’t know who that is...and won’t find out. Chance the Walt Disney company is one?

Just saying...there is a game here. If you watch financials talk about “10/1” being a big date...they’re not telling you why.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I think it's required to tag @MisterPenguin whenever that dance at 4:33 is played...

When they asked me to perform for that piece of trash I swore up and down Disney HQ that I don't dance for a song written by the clowns in marketing (fun fact: they are actual working circus clowns). But Dick asked me as a personal favor so I held my beak and did it. Felt dirty for months afterwards.