A long time Disney fan turns sour!

[Bullseye1967]

I know...but it never had to be that way.

Nobody (should be ) is naive enough to believe that bucks aren't of a concern. Of course...

But disney management up until bout 2000 had a pretty good grasp of planning for the long haul. It's quite impressive when you research their history...particularly the 60's though the 90's...highly recommend reading what you can...

However...it's a misconception to think that disney is completely secure. Lots of volatility is present under their corporate structure. Tv has completely changed and it's blown a hole in their portfolio...the theme park business is facing a bit of uncertainty too - as the middle class background that the parks were built on is drying up in the traditional sense.
Marvel has been successful - but all the actors are out of contract and some (notably Chris Evans and RDJ)...are likely to walk away when disney doesn't bring the Depp offers...which don't seem to be coming.

More recently...we
Had our slugfest about the crown jewel
Of western IP: Star Wars

For every Johnson defender (pretty much exactly the same as all things disney defenders) who patronizingly said "oh...it's only gonna make $1.7...1.6...1.5...1.4...1.3 (pattern)...what will they do?"...
I respectfully submit they missed the point and real strength of Star Wars. The direction and the story approach disney has taken is not good...it's not leading to a lasting franchise of new characters that resonate the way the old ones did. Things change...but re-invention of the "spirit"
Is a bad move...as is moving the goal posts on the core philosophy...

So there...disney is a business...peel skin and we can all discuss the apple underneath.

I have seen you call The Last Jedi a flop in six or seven different replies to different posts. I am curious how you came to this conclusion? There is no questioning the money it made, did sales go up and down? Yes but so not a great time for any movies during that period of the downswing due to the time of year, and the nasty weather that hit the US that week. Movies sales will be down last weekend overall in comparison to other years due to the weather. You can quote rotten or IMDB, but the polls I really trust are when they talk to the people after they saw the movie. I look here and other similar sites when I want to know if a movie is worth seeing. They tell it like it is.

http://pro.boxoffice.com/breakout-backlash-social-media-taught-us-star-wars-last-jedi/

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have seen you call The Last Jedi a flop in six or seven different replies to different posts. I am curious how you came to this conclusion? There is no questioning the money it made, did sales go up and down? Yes but so not a great time for any movies during that period of the downswing due to the time of year, and the nasty weather that hit the US that week. Movies sales will be down last weekend overall in comparison to other years due to the weather. You can quote rotten or IMDB, but the polls I really trust are when they talk to the people after they saw the movie. I look here and other similar sites when I want to know if a movie is worth seeing. They tell it like it is.

http://pro.boxoffice.com/breakout-backlash-social-media-taught-us-star-wars-last-jedi/

Well the problem is I did not call it a flop...not once.

I've been consistent in saying that the movie is not what Disney needed to do from a longterm perspective. That's my opinion and it's align with a lot of those that have had issue with it.

I do think it "underperformed" in a crazy, big money, modern Hollywood sort of way.

If you analyze the trends...there is a lot of concern. One being how quickly it went to nothing on daily take...much faster than 7 or R1...international was soft compared to other tentpoles...the director has done NOTHING but make one excuse after another since it was released...the main 2 actors have publically attacked the character development and story choices...not to mention lots of behind the scenes creative problems at LFL That have hit the press...

...it's a list, for sure. We'll have to watch closely and see what happens next.

 

[ThistleMae]

Being dragged, I did cut 2 days off the parks.

Oh, you're just the kind of person I'd want to go to Disney with. Not.

 

[ThistleMae]

I love Disney...I don't care how crowded it gets....I use my FP's and use my time to enjoy other things, like the shows. I like the idea of a Gondola system, it sounds cool! I think there are still many Disney die-hards out there like me, and no matter what changes and how I may not like all of those...I'm still going to go!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I love Disney...I don't care how crowded it gets....I use my FP's and use my time to enjoy other things, like the shows. I like the idea of a Gondola system, it sounds cool! I think there are still many Disney die-hards out there like me, and no matter what changes and how I may not like all of those...I'm still going to go!

There are legions of you...and there's no problem with that.

Except...if you don't hold them accountable for them pricing decisions and offerings, they will price you out.

All consumers need to be fair, responsible ones.

 

[Hayley In Wonderland]

I've never understood how people don't enjoy themselves on vacation. As a child, vacations came maybe once every 4 years. It could've rained every day and been crowded, but if I was at Disney I was happy. I'm not saying OP is this way, but I think some people are much too privileged for their own good. Seriously, enjoy the fact that you're on vacation with loved ones. There are a lot of children who's parents can't afford a trip to Disney.

Nowadays, going on holiday twice a year is the norm. Everyone expects a 5 star experience even when booking a value resort. People take the fact that they can even afford to go to Disney every year for granted, completely. I returned to WDW last year for my first time since I was 5 years old. I am also returning this year. I am SO grateful that I have the money to do it, because I know for sure a lot of other people don't. Disney will ALWAYS be magical. It's the attitude people have whilst on holiday. If you're constantly looking for bad stuff, you're going to constantly find the bad stuff. Sure there were glitches whilst I was away and sometimes I wasn't happy with food, but at the end of the day, I was at fricking WDW.

 

[Hayley In Wonderland]

There are legions of you...and there's no problem with that.

Except...if you don't hold them accountable for them pricing decisions and offerings, they will price you out.

All consumers need to be fair, responsible ones.

You should come to theme parks in the UK. £50 for a ticket for one person inside one park for one day, no parades, no shows, burger king is around £15.00 a head, a bottle of water is £3.00... Their pricing decisions in comparison with other places really is not that bad.

 

[Hayley In Wonderland]

It's all about perspective. Gone are the days in January-February and October-early December where you pretty much had the park to yourself. The addition of the Brazilians, South American and Australian summer vacation from December-March killed that.

September-October is British term vacation or something, so that's a big time for them to go. Basically every single time period is maxed out now to make money for Disney. It's great for them.

The world has become an international place. Even Universal fills up and before that always seemed to be empty.

But you compare that to Tokyo Dinseyland where you have 3 hours waits for rides and 1 hour waits for popcorn and you realize we still don't have it that bad.

British summer holidays are end of July to early Sept (6 weeks usually). As the cost for us goes down throughout Sept/Oct, a lot of couples and families with younger or older kids will use the opportunity of a lower cost holiday during that time

 

[RustySpork]

I love Disney...I don't care how crowded it gets....I use my FP's and use my time to enjoy other things, like the shows. I like the idea of a Gondola system, it sounds cool! I think there are still many Disney die-hards out there like me, and no matter what changes and how I may not like all of those...I'm still going to go!

Spoiler

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You should come to theme parks in the UK. £50 for a ticket for one person inside one park for one day, no parades, no shows, burger king is around £15.00 a head, a bottle of water is £3.00... Their pricing decisions in comparison with other places really is not that bad.

Many things are different in los estados unidos...

You have thousands of years of history and culture...we like reality tv buffoons...

Different strokes for different folks

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Many things are different in los estados unidos...

You have thousands of years of history and culture...we like reality tv buffoons...

Different strokes for different folks

Reality TV was big in Europe first. We stole it.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

Oh, you're just the kind of person I'd want to go to Disney with. Not.

Just Epcot, that's all I really care for

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Reality TV was big in Europe first. We stole it.

Did you miss me buzzing the tower, maverick?

 

[ThistleMae]

There are legions of you...and there's no problem with that.

Except...if you don't hold them accountable for them pricing decisions and offerings, they will price you out.

All consumers need to be fair, responsible ones.

I don't think we can hold them accountable...we would need masses of people to stop going. Are you going to organize a protest? I do get your point, just don't know how we would make that happen.

 

[RustySpork]

I don't think we can hold them accountable...we would need masses of people to stop going. Are you going to organize a protest? I do get your point, just don't know how we would make that happen.

A protest would be pointless. The only path at this point is to sit back and watch Disney continue to annoy their consumers more and more until they're no longer worth it for the majority of them. For some, that bar has already been reached. For others, it may never be.

 

[Disneyworld_here_we_come]

Nowadays, going on holiday twice a year is the norm. Everyone expects a 5 star experience even when booking a value resort. People take the fact that they can even afford to go to Disney every year for granted, completely. I returned to WDW last year for my first time since I was 5 years old. I am also returning this year. I am SO grateful that I have the money to do it, because I know for sure a lot of other people don't. Disney will ALWAYS be magical. It's the attitude people have whilst on holiday. If you're constantly looking for bad stuff, you're going to constantly find the bad stuff. Sure there were glitches whilst I was away and sometimes I wasn't happy with food, but at the end of the day, I was at fricking WDW.

This is how I feel. This last October was the first vacation I could afford to take in 7 years. It honestly blows my mind how many people have the privilege of being able to go multiple times a year and then complain!!! I'm hoping and I mean HOPING that I can afford to go again in 2020. Then when I say how great a time I had and that I had no problems, I get told I'm snorting pixie dust. Well at least I had a good time!

Also the other day I was at lunch with co workers at Chipotle, just a regular Chipotle here in Denver and I order 3 tacos with guac and a drink. 13.12 and all I could think about was this thread and how people said the food costs are sooooo much higher at Disney. 13 bucks for 3 tacos and a drink.

 

[ThistleMae]

Just Epcot, that's all I really care for

I do love Epcot, could spend all day there eating in the countries and people watch. I'm going to play the Easter Egg Hunt thing when we go in March.

 

[ThistleMae]

A protest would be pointless. The only path at this point is to sit back and watch Disney continue to annoy their consumers more and more until they're no longer worth it for the majority of them. For some, that bar has already been reached. For others, it may never be.

More and more people born all the time to take the place of the disillusioned. Our only choice is to either stop going, or roll with the changes.

 

[RustySpork]

This is how I feel. This last October was the first vacation I could afford to take in 7 years. It honestly blows my mind how many people have the privilege of being able to go multiple times a year and then complain!!! I'm hoping and I mean HOPING that I can afford to go again in 2020. Then when I say how great a time I had and that I had no problems, I get told I'm snorting pixie dust. Well at least I had a good time!

Also the other day I was at lunch with co workers at Chipotle, just a regular Chipotle here in Denver and I order 3 tacos with guac and a drink. 13.12 and all I could think about was this thread and how people said the food costs are sooooo much higher at Disney. 13 bucks for 3 tacos and a drink.

In Epcot at La Cantina de San Angel representing least cost.

You were saying?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don't think we can hold them accountable...we would need masses of people to stop going. Are you going to organize a protest? I do get your point, just don't know how we would make that happen.

It's not as hard as you think...

Don't pay $300 for pop century in 2019

Don't buy cabanas.

Don't buy Halloween tickets in august

Don't buy "after hours magic"

Don't buy "the ultimate AK tour"


...none of those things affect anyone's vacation happiness except in the most marginal of context. Not one bit. Hold the line.

And if you need a protest, the line can form on my six. That's not the way, however.

But what you really shoudn't do...is kinda what you hinted at:
"Oh well...I'll just pay"

I ask you to make intelligent choices on a case by case basis...not boycott. It's not that hard.