On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace

[RaiseTheShields]

Don’t be afraid to get up and walk. Last yearI nearly bought an Audi A6, but when they started to play with the numbers at the F&I office, I got up and walked.

They had already detailed the Audi and moved my license plate and personal belongings over. I made them put everything back.

I got up and almost got away. A few manager types stopped me in the middle of the showroom to find out what happened. I also didn’t have keys to either car, so I’m not sure what my plan would have been had they not stopped me

 

[mkt]

I got up and almost got away. A few manager types stopped me in the middle of the showroom to find out what happened. I also didn’t have keys to either car, so I’m not sure what my plan would have been had they not stopped me

Make a scene until you get your keys back.

 

[Absimilliard]

It’s used to be 5...that was like 5 years ago. That goes to my point.

The reality is Tanning Booth Bob sees anything less than $100 per head per day collected as a “loss”

Which is silly for an amusement site in theory and practice. So they scare people away and actually lose profit at the expense of revenue. That’s dumb.

It was brought up earlier...but I warned this for years in another digital playground: when this “luxury” label was starting to get tossed around (no doubt started by the Burbank puppetmasters)...it was a huge warning sign to the consumers. They were lining us up as a group.

And now we’re 500 miles further down that road.

“Luxury” is an overwater suite at the Mandarin in Bali...
...not port orleans. The Iger regime has tried to drag us all “out of our lane”...and been far too successful already.

Shields up.

Anyway...I digress.

I lost my rose colored glasses for Disney resorts in Florida when I started travelling in Asia. I stayed at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay on my first visit to Tokyo Disney in 2007 for 150$ US. My sister talked the front desk person into putting us on the Concierge level, which was absolutely amazing. Our room was huge, we had a balcony overlooking Tokyo DisneySea on on the second highest floor and the lounge spread counted as a full buffet with liquor and beer.

Meanwhile, for 600-700$ US, I get a room that appears in many cases as generic as an airport hotel at the Polynesian Village or Contemporary Resort in Florida. When I stayed at the Intercontinental Tokyo and I checked in at 3, I said I would like steak... they called the teppanyaki restaurant on the 36th floor and kept a chef there for me so we could have a steak dinner. At WDW: even if you're staying on the concierge level of a deluxe, the "concierge" can't do anything.

Last year, I returned to Singapore. I used points to stay at an Intercontinental in Singapore and it was amazing. Oops, your significant other need a wheelchair due to a small accident? The concierge arranged one and brought it to our room. Oh, thank you for being an ambassador member! You have resort credits, get points on the purchases and free drinks at the bar. If Disney wanted to really go into the luxurious hotel game, they need to offer a loyalty program with real perks, have concierges with real power and go above and beyond.

 

[mkt]

Exactly. But in my experience this only works with used vehicles.

I arranged my financing through a credit union recently at 1.99 % for 48 months or 2.25 % for 60 months before stepping foot in a dealership. Went to a dealership to look at a specific truck who then attempted to coerce me to take on their financing at 5.95 % interest for 84 months AFTER I told them I already had approved financing and didn't want to talk about financing. They then refused to negotiate any price on a new vehicle below MSRP but would negotiate on a used vehicle. The discounts were only available through their financing. This happened at two more dealerships after this.

Car companies make MSRP on a car whether through the loans they give out on the vehicles after the discounts or by having someone pay MSRP at 0% interest. The company will get their MSRP one way or another. Ford, GM, Chrysler, Nissan, etc have their own finance companies.

It works with new as well, but I prefer to buy 1 year old with under 5k miles. Let someone else eat the depreciation.

 

[Absimilliard]

It works with new as well, but I prefer to buy 1 year old with under 5k miles. Let someone else eat the depreciation.

The depreciation varies a lot per vehicle. In Canada for example, any decent two years old Subaru with 30-40K kilometers will only eat 3000$ to 4000$ in depreciation. If I can buy a new Subaru Crosstrek for 27000$, what's the use in going back two years and paying 25000$?

On the other hand, I was looking at a Buick Envision for my parents and given that the truck is made in China and unknown in general, the depreciation is INSANE. Like a model a two years old Envision with 40000 kilometers won't be 30000$ while new, its almost 50000 $.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I lost my rose colored glasses for Disney resorts in Florida when I started travelling in Asia. I stayed at the Sheraton Grande Tokyo Bay on my first visit to Tokyo Disney in 2007 for 150$ US. My sister talked the front desk person into putting us on the Concierge level, which was absolutely amazing. Our room was huge, we had a balcony overlooking Tokyo DisneySea on on the second highest floor and the lounge spread counted as a full buffet with liquor and beer.

Meanwhile, for 600-700$ US, I get a room that appears in many cases as generic as an airport hotel at the Polynesian Village or Contemporary Resort in Florida. When I stayed at the Intercontinental Tokyo and I checked in at 3, I said I would like steak... they called the teppanyaki restaurant on the 36th floor and kept a chef there for me so we could have a steak dinner. At WDW: even if you're staying on the concierge level of a deluxe, the "concierge" can't do anything.

Last year, I returned to Singapore. I used points to stay at an Intercontinental in Singapore and it was amazing. Oops, your significant other need a wheelchair due to a small accident? The concierge arranged one and brought it to our room. Oh, thank you for being an ambassador member! You have resort credits, get points on the purchases and free drinks at the bar. If Disney wanted to really go into the luxurious hotel game, they need to offer a loyalty program with real perks, have concierges with real power and go above and beyond.

Well...the sycophants would argue it’s 100% about “location”...

...but at some point the lack of potential service for the cost does beat back the allure of creaky train on spare parts and the view of a Fiberglass castle from a 10 person hot tub with 32 people in it...if we’re talking poly.

 

[Absimilliard]

Well...the sycophants would argue it’s 100% about “location”...

...but at some point the lack of potential service for the cost does beat back the allure of creaky train on spare parts and the view of a Fiberglass castle from a 10 person hot tub with 32 people in it...if we’re talking poly.

Next to the river in a country where land is at an absolute premium versus a swamp with the view of a castle in the distance. Which one is more valuable?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Next to the river in a country where land is at an absolute premium versus a swamp with the view of a castle in the distance. Which one is more valuable?

...but what about magic??

 

[RaiseTheShields]

Which model, and in which market.

Florida.
What I want is an S series, what I can afford is an A series. Maybe a small SUV.

 

[mkt]

Florida.
What I want is an S series, what I can afford is an A series. Maybe a small SUV.

So, an A3 or a Q3.

There should be plenty of good deals on those, just search outside of corporate owned dealers.

 

[mkt]

The depreciation varies a lot per vehicle. In Canada for example, any decent two years old Subaru with 30-40K kilometers will only eat 3000$ to 4000$ in depreciation. If I can buy a new Subaru Crosstrek for 27000$, what's the use in going back two years and paying 25000$?

Subaru is weird on how well they hold their value. I bought a 2017 WRX with 4k miles in 2018 for $24k. Traded it in a year later with 18k miles for... $24k!!!

Zero complaints. I got to enjoy that car for the cost of gas, three oil changes, and keeping it insured.

 

[RaiseTheShields]

Make a scene until you get your keys back.

That was the problem - I was making a scene and was really embarrassed. Of course it was a bigger problem for them since all of the other customers were watching and listening.

I’ve paid cash for my last three cars and it’s nearly worse negotiating those deals. I assume it’s to get the finance deal.

Anyway, thread totally high-jacked. Sorry. Back to Disney.

 

[larryz]

They are similar in Florida. Honestly, a court of law never holds NDAs from former employers with much power or regard.
Think of it more as the industry being a smaller circle than many realize, and if you break one with another, it will not bode well for those you run into in the future. The ultimate goal is to be hired again.

In breaking an NDA -- a contract to keep your mouth shut in exchange for receiving a more generous severance plan -- the threat is always there; make it worth your while to keep quiet, and pound you with a room full of lawyers if you don't, ostensibly for breach of contract.

 

[larryz]

A nda would not require you to lie about your employment. It may require you to limit what you say - but would not require you to lie where you are working now.

You aren't lying if you don't broadcast that you've just been laid off.

 

[RaiseTheShields]

So, an A3 or a Q3.

There should be plenty of good deals on those, just search outside of corporate owned dealers.

Or 4. Or 7.

I’ll take a look. Actually I shouldn’t. I don’t drive nearly enough to justify a new car...

 

[RaiseTheShields]

Subaru is weird on how well they hold their value. I bought a 2017 WRX with 4k miles in 2018 for $24k. Traded it in a year later with 18k miles for... $24k!!!

Zero complaints. I got to enjoy that car for the cost of gas, three oil changes, and keeping it insured.

Changed my mind. Think I want a Subaru.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I’ll repeat my post and suggest you read it in full

Just because I don’t agree with you doesn’t mean I can’t read.

I will say that the parking fee was probably developed to charge folks who come over to the resorts just to watch HEA from the sand of Poly.

The parking fee is only for overnight hotel guests, you can still visit the hotel for shopping and dining and park for free. (Space available of course just like always).

If Disney wanted to really go into the luxurious hotel game, they need to offer a loyalty program with real perks

Totally agree. I was intercontinental platinum and Hilton diamond in the past - a little goes a long way in loyalty. The Disney cruise line seems to understand this.

 

[mkt]

Changed my mind. Think I want a Subaru.

It was kind of an odd situation - I expected to take a hit, but Carmax offered me $22k, and Carvana offered me $23k. So when I showed up at a dealer to buy my current car and showed them the competing trade-in offers, they offered me an extra grand.

 

[Lilofan]

What's the margin on a parking spot at the Grand Floridian?

To park your Lamborghini or Ferrari right in front of the Grand Floridian lobby is VIP status.

 

[Capsin4]

These programs are a marketing ploy to get people who can't afford the passes (or the cars) to buy them anyways.

You mean mean people who can’t afford or don’t want to prepay for a park visit 10, 11, 12 months from now. There’s a certain amount of cynicism in thinking it solely markets to those that can’t afford to prepay. I can certainly afford to prepay our Uni passes, but there’s no reason to.