A Spirited 15 Rounds ...

[UpAllNight]

Disney are dropping news bombs left right and center. In the past such announcements would only be made at D23 and even then it was sparse. They dropped the WDS update out of nowhere, and this tonight’s, along with many other smaller projects. There’s a lot of negativity floating around but there’s never been a period like this, where every single one of their resorts are working on major major expansions. Every time I log in now I expect some new news.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Disney are dropping news bombs left right and center. In the past such announcements would only be made at D23 and even then it was sparse. They dropped the WDS update out of nowhere, and this tonight’s, along with many other smaller projects. There’s a lot of negativity floating around but there’s never been a period like this, where every single one of their resorts are working on major major expansions. Every time I log in now I expect some new news.

Back in the late 90's/early 00's, every resort got a new gate, look how that turned out.

 

[AEfx]

I guess you haven't experienced the briefing rooms in Flight of Passage, because not only does it talk about keystone species, but it references specific animals on Earth and habitat destruction.

Oh, my mistake. Yes, that completely connects the theming of the entire $1.5B dollar land, and the first E-ticket in a dozen years, to AK. LOL.

Look, I'm not knocking Avatar being there - personally, I think it was the wrong IP to build something off of, but I have no problem with it "fitting" into AK if that's what they went with. But clearly, the "theme" of AK is being stretched as time goes on and they focus less on real and/or live animals, it is more of an "exotic lands and the creatures that inhabit them" enviornment.

That's why I am in the camp of Indy could very easily fit in, with a connection no more artificial than a pre-show queue spiel, as Avatar has.

I wouldn't be surprised if he had, but had forgotten about it.
The environmental messaging of the entire "Avatar" area is of the blink-and-you'll-miss-it variety. There's a word or two in the queue rooms about contaminant cleanup and species introduction, but you're ushered past the "good" part of the queue so fast that there's little time to read it. The "keystone species" talk in the preshow you mentioned, combined with some stock footage of strip mining, takes up all of 4 seconds, and they don't even have time to explain what a "keystone species" is.

For what it's worth, I didn't think the Banshee even was the keystone species of Pandora's skies- isn't that the Leonopteryx?

Yeah, that was my point that others seemed to miss - no one walks into Pandora, does both the attractions, and walks out thinking "That was about conservation!" It's a tenuous example, and one that seems most pushed retroactively by people who want to give it a pass in spite of it being a) an Iger product, b) IP-based, and c) 3rd party IP based, no less - because, let's face it, it's really well done and it does feel like it fits. Just not for the reasons people want to make it fit, so it back fits into a narrative that it doesn't actually support.

 

[AEfx]

Back in the late 90's/early 00's, every resort got a new gate, look how that turned out.

But at least we are getting more stuff to do, LOL.

A lot of the projects may not be my cup'o'tea or anything I would have picked in a hundred years - I mean, Tron at MK? Another indoor-ish coaster right next to Space Mountain? As the first E-ticket at MK in more than 30 years? Ehhhh...but, at least stuff is getting built. Decent stuff.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

But at least we are getting more stuff to do, LOL.

A lot of the projects may not be my cup'o'tea or anything I would have picked in a hundred years - I mean, Tron at MK? Another indoor-ish coaster right next to Space Mountain? As the first E-ticket at MK in more than 30 years? Ehhhh...but, at least stuff is getting built. Decent stuff.

That’s correct, stuff is getting built instead of being filed away for coffee table books. But I’m concerned about the quality and thinking behind these offerings. Why spend money on Tron when SM needs to be rebuilt and the existing land needs a lot of love? Why tear out TGMR when that park needs capacity and serves as the park’s keystone?

An issue Disney struggles with is the idea of a consistently high quality product that doesn’t repeat itself. And it’s not just about having something for new’s sake. Newness fades fast and it’s super important to build something that grows better with age, as Animal Kingdom has, for example. Chapek, a retail guy, has no frame of reference for that kind of thinking and makes decision from his viewpoint. New product, yes, quality product, not so sure.

 

[BrianLo]

Disney are dropping news bombs left right and center. In the past such announcements would only be made at D23 and even then it was sparse. They dropped the WDS update out of nowhere, and this tonight’s, along with many other smaller projects. There’s a lot of negativity floating around but there’s never been a period like this, where every single one of their resorts are working on major major expansions. Every time I log in now I expect some new news.

I was just about to post the other day that we finally have 3 resorts with somewhat clear 5 year plans (WDW/Hong Kong/Paris), albeit not every single detail, but obvious plans. That's better than any timepoint in Iger's tenure. With two other resorts at least with an upcoming major project (DLR/Tokyo) leaving Shanghai a bit overdue. Even better now we've shifted to 4-1-1 in terms of breakdown.

I figure we're just due for Iger to outline his Shanghai plans, probably post-Toy Story Land. Maybe timed with the 2 year anniversary. I say Iger and not Chapek on purpose... something similar to his meeting with the French president.

Tokyo of course will operate at their own pace, but we've been spoiled in the last calendar year.

 

[Nmoody1]

I was just about to post the other day that we finally have 3 resorts with somewhat clear 5 year plans (WDW/Hong Kong/Paris), albeit not every single detail, but obvious plans. That's better than any timepoint in Iger's tenure. With two other resorts at least with an upcoming major project (DLR/Tokyo) leaving Shanghai a bit overdue. Even better now we've shifted to 4-1-1 in terms of breakdown.

I figure we're just due for Iger to outline his Shanghai plans, probably post-Toy Story Land. Maybe timed with the 2 year anniversary. I say Iger and not Chapek on purpose... something similar to his meeting with the French president.

Tokyo of course will operate at their own pace, but we've been spoiled in the last calendar year.

Shanghai plans are there... it's just a hurdle to get anything done delis to the way the government works.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

What happens to the Fox acquisition if Rupert dies before it’s approved?
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/n...ds-worried-his-health-i-m-doing-great-1096041

 

[disnyfan89]

What happens to the Fox acquisition if Rupert dies before it’s approved?
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/n...ds-worried-his-health-i-m-doing-great-1096041

Maybe he can leave it to iger in his will

 

[ford91exploder]

What happens to the Fox acquisition if Rupert dies before it’s approved?
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/n...ds-worried-his-health-i-m-doing-great-1096041

Then his sons do a hostile takeover of Disney, During this Iger will be wearing his patented 'deer in headlights' expression that last was on public display at the NFL LA ownership presentation.

 

[UpAllNight]

Back in the late 90's/early 00's, every resort got a new gate, look how that turned out.

It’s just a very negative outlook. Look at what they’ve built with Pandora and are building with Star Wars alone and compare it to the early noughties where you had an Aladdin spinner in MK and nowt else. This is a golden age, and if it can’t be enjoyed for what it is, I don’t think Disney Parks are for you anymore.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

It’s just a very negative outlook. Look at what they’ve built with Pandora and are building with Star Wars alone and compare it to the early noughties where you had an Aladdin spinner in MK and nowt else. This is a golden age, and if it can’t be enjoyed for what it is, I don’t think Disney Parks are for you anymore.

Perhaps Disney Parks™ aren’t for me, but folks need to be capable of critical thinking. If you knew what WDI really spent on Pandora, you’d know they had enough money, in theory, to do a Pandora E Ticket and pad out the rest of the park with the attractions it needs. A similar case with Galaxy’s Edge, a billion dollar land UNI could do for half that, as the clearly inferior TSL goes up alongside it without more net capacity added. Iger and Chapek may have recently opened the wallet, but his blind alligience to Brands/Franchises over the theme model and WDI’s utter failure to build on a budget and actually design consistent, quality work suggests we’re still in the dark ages, not unlike the Pressler years.

I want Disney theme parks, not Disney Parks™. They will come back one day, I’m a long term optimist on this one.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

DIsney is trying to seal documents regarding Weinstein....

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...-in-harvey-weinstein-sex-assault-lawsuit.html

I don't want to do business with a corporation that shields serial rapists.

Disney still trying to hide information means that, A) Disney knew about Weinstein's sexual predation, B) that they accepted it for financial gain, and C) that Disney is still unwilling to cooperate with full disclosure and is hence willing to perpetuate a system of rape for financial gain.

This then, is America's largest family values company. Every time you let your daughter watch a Disney movie you are financing rape.

 

[brb1006]

Frank Oz Thinks Disney is Mishandling The Muppets

http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/03/21/frank-oz-thinks-disney-is-mishandling-the-muppets?

 

[AEfx]

That’s correct, stuff is getting built instead of being filed away for coffee table books. But I’m concerned about the quality and thinking behind these offerings. Why spend money on Tron when SM needs to be rebuilt and the existing land needs a lot of love? Why tear out TGMR when that park needs capacity and serves as the park’s keystone.

An issue Disney struggles with is the idea of a consistently high quality product that doesn’t repeat itself. And it’s not just about having something for new’s sake. Newness fades fast and it’s super important to build something that grows better with age, as Animal Kingdom has, for example. Chapek, a retail guy, has no frame of reference for that kind of thinking and makes decision from his viewpoint. New product, yes, quality product, not so sure.

Definitely can't disagree with any of that. Particularly the GMR example. To me, there is now a third pyre next to the two that will forever burn for Horizons and WoM as the most tragic losses in theme park history.

That said - I think I'm just looking on what is a brighter side - at least they seem to be doing what they are doing in a decent quality, and we are past that place where SGE and MILF are the best we can get.

 

[AEfx]

I don't want to do business with a corporation that shields serial rapists.

Disney still trying to hide information means that, A) Disney knew about Weinstein's sexual predation, B) that they accepted it for financial gain, and C) that Disney is still unwilling to cooperate with full disclosure and is hence willing to perpetuate a system of rape for financial gain.

This then, is America's largest family values company. Every time you let your daughter watch a Disney movie you are financing rape.

Take a deep breath, please...

If you actually read about this, you will find out that Disney is not in any way "shielding" Weinstein. The court will have full access to these documents. What they are asking for is that all of the details about their contracts with Miramax/etc. not be made public record, just like any corporation would do in protecting itself. Because Weinstein and Miramax were completely intertwined, it basically would mean that mass amounts of agreements would be affected.

For the record, Disney's lawyers have said they did not have knowledge of the allegations in question. Should you, or anyone else, have evidence of that not being true - I'm sure it will come out and will be dealt with. But this is nothing more than what any company would do in this situation to protect itself, "guilty" or not.

 

[brb1006]

More news related to the parks
https://www.laughingplace.com/w/new...iences-consumer-products-announces-structure/

 

[the.dreamfinder]

More news related to the parks
https://www.laughingplace.com/w/new...iences-consumer-products-announces-structure/

Bad news for WDI

Walt Disney Imagineering, under the leadership of Bob Weis, will take on the responsibility of developing consumer products such as merchandise, games, publishing and apps. This is a big growth of WDI’s responsibility and he will be supported by several executives moving from Disney Consumer Products & Interactive Media.

 

[truecoat]

Bad news for WDI

Walt Disney Imagineering, under the leadership of Bob Weis, will take on the responsibility of developing consumer products such as merchandise, games, publishing and apps. This is a big growth of WDI’s responsibility and he will be supported by several executives moving from Disney Consumer Products & Interactive Media.

Set up to fail? How can WDI bring a game or any merchandise in under a budget?

 

[ford91exploder]

Set up to fail? How can WDI bring a game or any merchandise in under a budget?

Who needs WDI, Disney can outsource all of this. The only thing that matters is acquring more overpriced IP to stash under the 'Disney' label.