News 2021 Theme Index

[Sirwalterraleigh]

In 2020 and most of 2021 they would have been turned away

And now? Since the marching narrative from the sundial apparently is using the same recycled excuses?

Labor…right

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yes. But it’s also important to realize that for much of the post pandemic period, park attendance was capped at a number below pre-Covid daily averages.

That works from March 2020 through perhaps April of 2021…

We’ll see how it plays going forward.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Yes. But it’s also important to realize that for much of the post pandemic period, park attendance was capped at a number below pre-Covid daily averages.

Why was this one pandemic policy, the one that theoretically cost Disney the MOST while being the least likely to be appreciated by Covid-conscious guests, the one that was continued far longer then any other?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Tourism over the past decade grew at astonishing rates. Podunk towns and tiny villages saw record tourism.

Just at the basic “Disney is a business level” while it’s true there are scenarios where you can make more money from fewer customers spending more, more customers spending more is even more money. Even after it opened and was a huge success, and remained a success, Iger couldn’t understand why Disney wasted money on Expedition Everest. He didn’t see a future in the parks which is why he tried to offload them. Just imagine how much more money Disney could have made if they actually sought to take advantage of the booming interest in tourism and themed entertainment.

This is important…so listen up everyone:

Tourism has increased on steady, predictable curve since NAGASAKI!!

Recessions dip…but they gain it back and grow.

So as your 40,000,000 late 90’s crowd heads toward 60,000,000 (barring recession) in the next few…remember an important fact:

You want to know why they can’t handle their crowds? Two fools have not added park ride capacity (the Stuff that matters) Anywhere near the rate needed for steady, predictable rise for 18 years.

They added timeshares and introduced block pricing as a way out of “discomfort”

Those two:

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Why was this one pandemic policy, the one that theoretically cost Disney the MOST while being the least likely to be appreciated by Covid-conscious guests, the one that was continued far longer then any other?

Because it served a long term agenda more.

Several, actually

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I think the current implementation is more about pushing people to go to what would not have otherwise been their first choice more so than capping in the way most of us are thinking of it.

I think there’s near zero amount the reservations are to backfill parks not as well in demand and extract the blood of each cm (down to the genomes)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

While I agree for the most part. For me, at least, the Star wars IP is more in my wheel house but the lands and attractions for potter are better, especially Hagrids. That ride is just perfect.

The lands are spectacular…on the whole.

Need another Diagon attraction…but that’s my only complaint.

It’s by far the most interesting, “get lost in it” park lands I’ve been too…

And that’s to say nothing of how efficient and dedicated they were to getting them up and improving the older of the two.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

We are practically neighbors.

Oh do tell where you live in Medford?

(That’s a joke, everyone…don’t report…no meet ups (without beer) are happening)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Losing ground how? Their attendance went up every year until they said they needed to stop it. You don't raise prices, remove discounts and add reservations from a place of desperation. Disney still has all the power here.

In Orlando? Market share.

Same thing as before…so I’m gonna deduct points now. Universals share of Total travelers has risen compared to wdw…

Both have gone Up. Both can and are true.

But Bob has a foolproof way of making sure this doesn’t matter: don’t build jacksheet and overstuff your antsy customer base @ much higher Prices.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

In Orlando? Market share.

Same thing as before…so I’m gonna deduct points now. Universals share of Total travelers has risen compared to wdw…

Both have gone Up. Both can and are true.

But Bob has a foolproof way of making sure this doesn’t matter: don’t build jacksheet and overstuff your antsy customer base @ much higher Prices.

I have no doubt Disney is kicking themselves for not expanding more to capialize on the current growth but I don’t think they’re losing any sleep over a 1% market share loss when they've got 64% of the growth over the last 5 (precovid) years without much effort on their part.

2015 - WDW guests = 53.9 million, Universal guests = 18.4, combined = 72.3 million, Disney market share = 74.5%

2019 - WDW guest = 58.7 million, Universal guests = 21.2, combined = 79.9 million, Disney market share = 73.5%

My guess is Disney is going to watch Epic Universe very closely to see if the market will bump up or if it maintains 2% annual growth. I hope Epics a huge success to show Disney it’s worth opening their wallet to try to grow the market still, if the market continues to grow at existing rates I think Disney will see it as proof Orlando has peaked and it doesn’t justify spending billions expanding for another percent or 2 of growth a year.

 

[Tha Realest]

Like every major US auto maker, AOL, BlackBerry, MySpace, PanAm, etc.? I doubt they did it happily, and there are always various reasons, but they did it.

Of those companies you listed, they have either ceased to exist, were bought for pennies on the dollar, or have consistently gotten their clock cleaned by foreign auto manufacturers (between bailouts).

 

[Tha Realest]

What is going to be the most successful animated film of 2023?

- Pixar’s Elementals
- Disney’s Wish
- Universal’s Super Mario

Which park is poised to capitalize on that?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have no doubt Disney is kicking themselves for not expanding more to capialize on the current growth but I don’t think they’re losing any sleep over a 1% market share loss when they've got 64% of the growth over the last 5 (precovid) years without much effort on their part.

2015 - WDW guests = 53.9 million, Universal guests = 18.4, combined = 72.3 million, Disney market share = 74.5%

2019 - WDW guest = 58.7 million, Universal guests = 21.2, combined = 79.9 million, Disney market share = 73.5%

My guess is Disney is going to watch Epic Universe very closely to see if the market will bump up or if it maintains 2% annual growth. I hope Epics a huge success to show Disney it’s worth opening their wallet to try to grow the market still, if the market continues to grow at existing rates I think Disney will see it as proof Orlando has peaked and it doesn’t justify spending billions expanding for another percent or 2 of growth a year.

Indeed.

What was the market share around 2008?

I’ll answer. It was 75% Disney, 16% uni and 9% sea world


So that’s up about 10% for Comcast since. Disney hasn’t lost raw numbers…Comcast has gained a lot.

Now…that doesn’t mean much now. But what if the single largest expansion since the Epcot/studios build (when finished) pulls people in? It can only come from one place now.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Like every major US auto maker, AOL, BlackBerry, MySpace, PanAm, etc.? I doubt they did it happily, and there are always various reasons, but they did it.

Those aren’t even the biggest on the list

Try Kodak, Sears and General Electric

Humans tend not to believe that Rome could ever fall. Bad decisions and crappy product beg to differ.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

What is going to be the most successful animated film of 2023?

- Pixar’s Elementals
- Disney’s Wish
- Universal’s Super Mario

Which park is poised to capitalize on that?

I don’t think that’s the angle…

They’re just building better parks and new hotels.

And I really like guardians…for sure. And the avatarland land…but not enough.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Indeed.

What was the market share around 2008?

WDW 47.5 million, Universal 9.9 million, total 56.4, Disney market share = 85%

Kind of doubt they’re too worried about that market share loss either since they grew by 11.2 million guests over the decade and their gross profit grew from $5.7 billion in 2009 to $27.5 billion in 2019.

(Pretty disgusting to see how much they’ve increased profits while penny pinching at the parks and gouging us more and more every year.)

My guess is they are more excited to see (free) growth in part based on the billions Universal is spending in the area more than worried Universal is eating into market share.

I’d rather have 50% of the guests in a neighborhood with 2 restaurants attracting 500 people than 100% of the guests in a neighborhood where I’m the only restaurant that only attracts 100 people. Market share only matters if theres a limited number of guests, as long as the growth attracts new guests it’s irrelevant.

 

[UNCgolf]

What is going to be the most successful animated film of 2023?

- Pixar’s Elementals
- Disney’s Wish
- Universal’s Super Mario

Which park is poised to capitalize on that?

I'm curious to see how it does. I'm not sure that franchise transfers well to film (or anything outside of video games, really -- it's not exactly known for narrative or characterization), although CGI animation makes a lot more sense than the live action flop they released 30 years ago. I'm sure the new movie will perform much better than the original at the very least.

Either way, I don't think the film is going to have a significant effect on the success of the theme park land. The film could flop completely and it likely wouldn't make much difference to attendance, and even if the film is a big success it's probably not going to create a bunch of fans who now want to visit the land that weren't interested before.

 

[peter11435]

And now? Since the marching narrative from the sundial apparently is using the same recycled excuses?

Labor…right

And now they would still be turned away if all four parks were still at capacity. It’s just highly unlikely given the increased attendance caps currently utilized

 

[DonniePeverley]

Why have they listed the rank from 2019 - stupidly confusing and nonsensical.

So was there an explanation why they put the ranking in such a way, as to make out Universal was 10th when infact it was 2nd.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

And now they would still be turned away if all four parks were still at capacity. It’s just highly unlikely given the increased attendance caps currently utilized

Good news they’re not drawing that much, huh?

And the ops are still kinda a mess.

Well done, Bobs