A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[brb1006]

This doesn't surprise me - when I visited, all the 'western' food restaurants were practically empty, with Wolfgang Puck desperately cobbling together a special Asian menu to try and draw in the punters. More concerning though, it was a complete ghost town during the day, on a day when the parks themselves were packed.

Seeing Buzz and Woody standing around doing nothing at the Toy Story Hotel (the M&G opportunity) was also bizarre - I have never seen anything like it anywhere, even at DL where character fandom is relatively low. I wasn't sure whether to ascribe this to the hotels being vastly underpopulated, or a Chinese mentality to get every second of value out of their Park tickets as possible.

More interesting is the determination of SDL to hide its serious operational issues from those outside the resort. My visit saw POTC down for two days running, TRON suffering from serious problems reducing it to one loading area for much of the period, and most bizarrely issues with peeling paint and rotting wood in the Winnie the Pooh queue line, indicative of rushed initial construction. I had a good time, but I don't think that was the case for most visitors.


I saw this at HKDL, and was seriously unimpressed. The most feeble of overlays, and seemingly permanent. Also, Stitch Encounter (arguably an innovative attraction) has been replaced with a Chewy M&G - I didn't bother going inside, but what a waste of technology. The remaining 'Space Mountain' elements looked completely out of place (and very recognisable). Given how intricately DLP's SM is themed (to the original theme), it'll be even more disappointing there.

Are meet and greets at SDL that empty? How many characters are out at SDL so far?

 

[Chef Mickey]

The deal was 2.21 Billion in Cash and 37.5 Million disney shares on checking SEC records, But I don't think that includes voting rights or that little tiff over TFA would have gotten ugly.

I also think he still owns his shares, which have doubled since he received them. That makes the deal worth over $6b for Lucas...not bad.

 

[cdd89]

Are meet and greets at SDL that empty? How many characters are out at SDL so far?

I'm ashamed to say I didn't really notice - it wasn't something I was looking out for. The only one I noticed inside the park (Meet Mickey) had below-average crowds. The listless Toy Story clan were at the Toy Story Hotel - a bus ride away and itself abandoned during the day.

If anyone is interested in longer thoughts on SDL, I posted them here.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

The deal was 2.21 Billion in Cash and 37.5 Million disney shares on checking SEC records, But I don't think that includes voting rights or that little tiff over TFA would have gotten ugly.

All DIS shares come with voting rights, whether the shareholder chooses to use them to participate in shareholder votes is another issue entirely.

 

[NearTheEars]

NYT on the Guardians Tower.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/18/u...neyland-marvel.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur

 

[Jon81uk]

I don't mind the 3D on Spider-Man but is it really necessary on the other Motion Simulator attractions?

I think it works perfectly on Escape from Gringotts, everything felt right and well synced. Transformers is effectively the same ride as Spider-Man so needs it. Kong, Skull Island also uses the 3D effects very very well.

But I don't think 3D glasses would work on forbiddon mound key as the movement isn't as smooth as Gringotts.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Are you intentionally ignoring Pixar's sudden love of sequels? The very thing Disney was hell bent on continuing with or without Pixar.

There is little doubt in my mind that the sequels were largely a function of Disney mandate.

 

[ford91exploder]

All DIS shares come with voting rights, whether the shareholder chooses to use them to participate in shareholder votes is another issue entirely.

Common stock has voting rights, preferred usually does not however Dividends are paid first to preferred stockholders. The public sources do not state which type of stock was issued. I expect preferred was issued to negate any possible influence by Lucas or his heirs.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

There is little doubt in my mind that the sequels were largely a function of Disney mandate.

A quick Pixar sequel recap. When Disney established Circle 7 Animation in the wake of Steve Jobs and Pixar walking away from their deal, the following films were put into pre-production. (Disney has the sequel rights to all Pixar films up to Cars.)

• Toy Story 3
• Monsters Inc. 2: Lost in Scaradise
• Finding Nemo 2

Since the Pixar acquisition, they have made (or are making) the following sequels.

• Toy Story 3
• Cars 2
• Monsters University
• Finding Dory
• (Cars 3)
• (Toy Story 4)
• (Incredibles II)

Pixar has stated in the press that there are no sequels in development post Incredibles II; which means no sequels beyond Bob's sphere of influcence as CEO. Who knows who will succeed Bob, but you could say Pixar has paid its dues.

From the New York Times article on the acquisition

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2006/01/2...es-to-acquire-pixar-in-a-74-billion-deal.html
Both Mr. Iger and Mr. Jobs said Pixar's animators would create their own sequels. That calls into question what Disney will do with a unit in its own animation group that has begun making sequels, including "Toy Story 3." Analysts expect the moneymaker at Pixar, for Disney, at least in the short term, to be sequels.

"While Disney can make them," Mr. Iger said, "Pixar making them is totally different."

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Common stock has voting rights, preferred usually does not however Dividends are paid first to preferred stockholders. The public sources do not state which type of stock was issued. I expect preferred was issued to negate any possible influence by Lucas or his heirs.

Disney has no preferred stock.
If you don't believe me, ask @ParentsOf4

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Nothing like SYNERGY being shoehorned into your ABC afternoon soap!
http://hitfix.com/harpy/marvels-doctor-strange-crossover-with-abcs-general-hospital-is-so-bad

 

[lazyboy97o]

A quick Pixar sequel recap. When Disney established Circle 7 Animation in the wake of Steve Jobs and Pixar walking away from their deal, the following films were put into pre-production. (Disney has the sequel rights to all Pixar films up to Cars.)

• Toy Story 3
• Monsters Inc. 2: Lost in Scaradise
• Finding Nemo 2

Since the Pixar acquisition, they have made (or are making) the following sequels.

• Toy Story 3
• Cars 2
• Monsters University
• Finding Dory
• (Cars 3)
• (Toy Story 4)
• (Incredibles II)

Pixar has stated in the press that there are no sequels in development post Incredibles II; which means no sequels beyond Bob's sphere of influcence as CEO. Who knows who will succeed Bob, but you could say Pixar has paid its dues.

I also don't think it is coincidence that Andrew Stanton and Brad Bird both committed to doing sequels following their respective live action box office disappointments.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I also don't think it is coincidence that Andrew Stanton and Brad Bird both committed to doing sequels following their respective live action box office disappointments.

To be fair, Brad Bird was planning Incredibles 2 before Tomorrowland even came out and has been saying for years he was wanting to do it when he had a good story for it.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Nothing like SYNERGY being shoehorned into your ABC afternoon soap!
http://hitfix.com/harpy/marvels-doctor-strange-crossover-with-abcs-general-hospital-is-so-bad

There are so many commercials for other Disney products shoved into Disney movies and shows. It is a breach of the fourth wall. It hurts the eyes and senses.

 

[jt04]

Rumor has it that Disney has broken it's own box office overseas record even before the holiday features. Which, oh by the way, includes the highly anticipated Rogue One. Notaprequel, wink wink. And it has Darth Vader voiced by JEJ.

How did we get here? I am sure it will all be in the book.

 

[ford91exploder]

Disney has no preferred stock.
If you don't believe me, ask @ParentsOf4

No reason to doubt you - just really weird that any modern corporation would NOT have common stock.

 

[ford91exploder]

To be fair, Brad Bird was planning Incredibles 2 before Tomorrowland even came out and has been saying for years he was wanting to do it when he had a good story for it.

Heck even the ENDING of 'The Incredibles' set up a sequel with the appearance of 'The Underminer', Sequels are not inherently bad look at Toy Story it took 3 movies to complete the story arc which completed when the Toys got played with one last time by Andy and then they were passed to Bonnie to love and cherish.

 

[JoeCamel]

No reason to doubt you - just really weird that any modern corporation would NOT have common stock.

Well they have common stock just not prefered

 

[Cesar R M]

I was referring more to things, like, other writers. Reading Rinzler's exhaustive accounts of the story meetings you can see how little George's initial outlines/drafts actually made it to the screen as they progressed. This is the opposite of how he wrote the prequels, which was to lock himself in a room and not show anyone until the last possible moment before shooting. It was worst with the final prequel, where it literally was days before they were shooting and no one (cast or crew) had even read it before he finally finished it.

That's just one example. Like a lot of geniuses, you need a strong framework of people around to help channel the flow. It's the difference between a relative mess and brilliance in many cases. A lot of the same can be said for Gene Roddenberry.

I still remember the interviews.. where George's ideas actually were books filled with literal scribbles and nosense that took the writers a ton to actually edit and make it shine.

Same the reason of why the prequels sucked. It was almost everything Luca's.

 

[Rodan75]

There are so many commercials for other Disney products shoved into Disney movies and shows. It is a breach of the fourth wall. It hurts the eyes and senses.

I don't think we can criticize these synergy items as harshly anymore. Not when NBC is driving their news, entertainment divisions and the affiliates to plug every NBCUniversal project possible in increasingly hamhanded ways. Makes Disney look elegant. (And I question if everyone is getting promotional payment for their efforts. I think Comcast is gonna get themselves in trouble. )