MK Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[plutofan15]

Define "losing money."

You mean "profiting less" or "net loss"?

Net loss. While MDE did have subscriber growth, the cost of the streaming service launch netted out to an overall loss.

 

[Incomudro]

It was not about Iger's ego not allowing him to see issues with the sequels, it was about Iger forgetting that the Star Wars fanbase is notoriously impossible to please and full of some deeply, deeply rotten people (and I say this as a member of said fanbase) and that even if the sequels were the best films ever made in the history of cinema, there'd be a line out the door of people with lists of reasons they hated them as long as my forearm.

It was perfectly reasonable to design the land with the sequels in mind, especially when the reception to the first of them was massive enthusiasm. Very few could've predicted what was going to happen culturally around those movies. By the time people started acting stupid, it was way too late for them to change course on that.

You really, really cannot blame everything you don't like on Bob Iger and/or his ego. Issues run much deeper than Iger as a lone figure, and in some cases you're drawing a connection to Iger that just isn't even really even there.

Let's critique Bob Iger for real, tangible reasons (there is no shortage of proven things to call him on) instead of the fan fiction you write about him.

The Star Wars fanbase is indeed difficult, and in many ways impossible to please.
Still, Disney could have done a much better job in pleasing the existing base.
Rather, they alienated them and tried to court a new base.
I don't know how much of that was on Iger.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Net loss. While MDE did have subscriber growth, the cost of the streaming service launch netted out to an overall loss.

The TV segment wasn't in the red. It was still profiting throughout the pandemic covering the net losses from the other segments.

 

[HMF]

The Star Wars fanbase is indeed difficult, and in many ways impossible to please.
Still, Disney could have done a much better job in pleasing the existing base.
Rather, they alienated them and tried to court a new base.
I don't know how much of that was on Iger.

It was a coordinated hit job by Iger and Kennedy. They were deliberately trying to appeal to the Gen Xers who whined about the Prequels and hate original ideas and just want to rehash their childhoods. Alienate the Millennials and early Gen Z,ers' who grew up with and enjoyed the Prequels, maybe attract a new audience, throw as much passive aggressive shade at George Lucas as possible and betray him and hire Hack director JJ. Abrams known for his anti-prequel sentiments and hope enough of a new audience would by their paint by numbers re-make of A New Hope known as The Force Awakens and then of course it's creatively and emotionally bankrupt follow-ups.

 

[lazyboy97o]

It was a coordinated hit job by Iger and Kennedy. They were deliberately trying to appeal to the Gen Xers who whined about the Prequels and hate original ideas and just want to rehash their childhoods. Alienate the Millennials and early Gen Z,ers' who grew up with and enjoyed the Prequels, maybe attract a new audience, throw as much passive aggressive shade at George Lucas as possible and betray him and hire Hack director JJ. Abrams known for his anti-prequel sentiments and hope enough of a new audience would by their paint by numbers re-make of A New Hope known as The Force Awakens and then of course it's creatively and emotionally bankrupt follow-ups.

Not everything is a conspiracy. Incompetence is real.

 

[BrianLo]

Net loss. While MDE did have subscriber growth, the cost of the streaming service launch netted out to an overall loss.

Nope. Media operating income kept the company afloat during the pandemic. They restructured segments the next fiscal year and again the one after.

Even Q3 2020- the absolute pinnacle of global closures; the company was somehow in the black on the fumes of an absolutely blow out 2019 studio year and media kept trucking.

 

[Jedi14]

It was a coordinated hit job by Iger and Kennedy. They were deliberately trying to appeal to the Gen Xers who whined about the Prequels and hate original ideas and just want to rehash their childhoods. Alienate the Millennials and early Gen Z,ers' who grew up with and enjoyed the Prequels, maybe attract a new audience, throw as much passive aggressive shade at George Lucas as possible and betray him and hire Hack director JJ. Abrams known for his anti-prequel sentiments and hope enough of a new audience would by their paint by numbers re-make of A New Hope known as The Force Awakens and then of course it's creatively and emotionally bankrupt follow-ups.

 

[plutofan15]

The TV segment wasn't in the red. It was still profiting throughout the pandemic covering the net losses from the other segments.

I beg to differ. Disney+ costs were a net loss.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I beg to differ. Disney+ costs were a net loss.

TV and streaming are separate entities. Streaming is under "Direct to Consumer." Media minus Streaming was still *profiting* billions.

Disney was still airing TV shows and getting ad revenue from TV shows (ABC, FX, Disney, Disney Jr., etc...). Broadcast and Cable TV didn't go dark during the pandemic.

 

[Disstevefan1]

TV and streaming are separate entities. Streaming is under "Direct to Consumer." Media minus Streaming was still *profiting* billions.

Disney was still airing TV shows and getting ad revenue from TV shows (ABC, FX, Disney, Disney Jr., etc...). Broadcast and Cable TV didn't go dark during the pandemic.

Unprecedented demand

 

[BrianLo]

I beg to differ. Disney+ costs were a net loss.

They were, but linear (and studios at the time) were making enough to more than cover for it within the segment. You can’t really beg to differ, the financials were posted for you.

Only once in modern history has Disney’s entertainment sector as a whole not been profitable. That was Q1 2023 when it lost 10million, following a near escape Q4 2022. It rebounded to more significant profitability in Q2 ‘23.

Coincidentally the CEO was turfed towards the end of Q1 2023.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

I beg to differ. Disney+ costs were a net loss.

How can you beg to differ about math? The financial statements/figures are posted. Are you claiming the math is wrong? Or do you have a second set of books?

 

[Incomudro]

As Han Solo said: "It's true, all of it."

 

[HMF]

Not everything is a conspiracy. Incompetence is real.

That is also a major factor.

 

[The Mom]

Please get back on topic. Thank you.

 

[Dreamer19]

Moving back to topic - The fact remains that the same thinkers that gave us Deadbeat Dad Solo and Loser Luke Skywalker ripped out ROA to present us the answer to a question no one was asking:

“IF there were talking cars in the Frontier, would they drive past the mountains of the Bayou to get to the old Mine Train?”

Kachow!

 

[TheRealSkull]

Would Hollywood Studios have benefited more from a straight Cars Land (Radiator Springs) clone rather than introducing Piston Peak? Given how Galaxy’s Edge struggles with brand recognition, I really think Disney is repeating the same mistake. Granted what they are building better fits into Frontierland than a Radiator Springs clone would have, but the point is there were certainly better choices For that area.

Not to get too off topic, but I've always said DHS would have benefitted best with a Star Wars Land replacing the Echo Lake Indiana Jones area, Muppets remaining, Cars Land where Galaxy's Edge sits today, Toy Story Land as is, and then Monstropolis in the Animation Courtyard.

This would have freed up the space in Frontierland for a better IP.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Not to get too off topic, but I've always said DHS would have benefitted best with a Star Wars Land replacing the Echo Lake Indiana Jones area, Muppets remaining, Cars Land where Galaxy's Edge sits today,

I believe this was basically the plan at one point - with a few minor differences of course. I think lights motors was going to stay and be part of cars? Etc.

 

[James Alucobond]

This would have freed up the space in Frontierland for a better IP.

I don't think there really is a good IP for it in the modern Disney canon, which is part of the problem given the current mandate.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

which is part of the problem given the current mandate.

Is the current mandate only for WDW? California and Paris don’t seem to have a problem.