A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Just an FYI, but am trying to confirm some information I've been told and when I get that ... well, you'll get more news and Disney Twitter will all be acting insane as it usually does ... and people will simply borrow the information and claim they had it first or knew all the time.

If/when I get it, I will not place it here because I am not burying big picture stuff in a 300-plus page thread with a lot of garbage in between.

But I'd get ready ... and, no, I don't imagine that most of the info will make you happy or fill you with MAGIC. I don't make the news, I just tell it.

You could always start another spirit thread?

 

[WDW1974]

Out here in the desert, the bloggers are calling themselves "influencers", among other terms, such as a "maker", and "purpose dinners" that makers get to meet the influencers.

So scary. Here we are moving in on a good decade of social media existing as we know it ... and still, despite insane madeup valuations for things like FB and Twitter, there are no good and truly accurate ways of measuring just who influences what. None. Unlike all forms of traditional advertising. And we have self-proclaimed experts who tell companies how important they all are ... WDW just emailed me an AP note about staying at its resorts with a link to Mommy Bloggers telling me why it's a good idea. So scary. I know why THEY think staying at Disney Resorts is a good idea: they get free stays for telling others to pay $$$ to do so!

 

[Disneyhead'71]

None of the above? Honestly, Snapchat is a fad, Netflix is massively overvalued, and Twitter is about the dumbest acquisition anyone outside of Facebook would ever consider. Sigh... The Justice Department needs to grow a pair, and block these mergers.

I suspect Comcast would love to buy Netflix, but the Fed would shut that down faster than a lifestyler can snort a cupcake.

 

[WDW1974]

So instead of learning from the GotG backlash that the fans don't want any of it, they take away that they need to shove it down their throats differently.

In one word: yes!

 

[WDW1974]

You raise a valid point but it's also true for many (most?) hotels; discounts account for a large percentage of bookings. Frankly, it's a business model adopted by many (most?) consumer-based industries.

Disney used to be different. At WDW, the room price was the room price. Period. There never was a discount. However, this was back in the day when a tower room at the Contemporary could be booked for today's equivalent of about $200-250 per night.

Disney abandoned this many years ago. Blame Eisner and Wells.

Largely, but not completely, true.

I can tell you in the early-mid 80s (definitely starting pre-Eisner/Wells) that rooms were very occasionally discounted for FL residents (sometimes GA residents as well). I recall specifically $99 rooms at the Contemporary Garden Wings, Poly and Golf resorts usually in May and September.

 

[DDLand]

Hey @WDW1974, do you have anything about Hong Kong Disneyland Phase 2, or have those talks stalled? The quiet and the "resignation" of their leader seem troubling after the government was taking every chance they could to hype it up. Last we word we got was Juneish in a response to a government query about the plans being shelved; something along the lines of "we're still in discussions and have nothing to announce." By early next year they won't be building anything, which seems like a poor place to be.

 

[WDW1974]

True, Do you think he will make some sort of big move if the AT&T/Time warner deal goes through? Buy/merge with some other big name company?

Iger wants one more 'buy' before he attempts politics or something else. He was strongly interested in both Twitter and Netflix, but all of the hate spewed on Twitter turned him off (and likely didn't make DIS Board member Jack Dorsey happy) and the price valuation of Netflix didn't show enough value.

His favorite analyst Richie G keeps pushing this agenda that media and entertainment companies need to own distribution channels and tech themselves and The Weatherman agrees. I think they are both nuts. Disney is the largest media and entertainment company in the world. Yes, PURE media and entertainment. It isn't like those businesses are going to go bust because Disney doesn't have a tech component.

As a shareholder, I don't want him buying another damn thing and I wouldn't be opposed to selling a few things if the price was right.

 

[WDW1974]

Hey @WDW1974, do you have anything about Hong Kong Disneyland Phase 2, or have those talks stalled? The quiet and the "resignation" of their leader seem troubling after the government was taking every chance they could to hype it up. Last we word we got was Juneish in a response to a government query about the plans being shelved; something along the lines of "we're still in discussions and have nothing to announce." By early next year they won't be building anything, which seems like a poor place to be.

Not so much stalled as the CCP is ordering more expansion for SDL (I will comment on this further soon). A second gate for HKDL was pretty much ready to move and ... and ... it is in deep freeze right now.

But they are about to open the first true Marvel attraction in a Disney park on the heels of adding the three mini-lands with two world-class E-Tickets in the last five years. And they do have what should be a great new resort hotel opening in the spring of next year. ... I think they are OK for the next 2-3 years if their seasonal events remain top notch. But, yeah, at some point there needs to be a plan for the future.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

As a shareholder, I don't want him buying another damn thing and I wouldn't be opposed to selling a few things if the price was right.

A&E Networks would be a good choice.

Selling the Miramax library was still a mistake though.

 

[WDW1974]

To be fair though, it doesn't seem to me that the backlash is "we don't want GotG in the parks" but "why are we replacing a good ride with GotG?" I suspect if they announced a new build for a GotG ride, most people would praise it, especially if it is in a thematically appropriate location.

Replacing Energy is an interesting test because it's not nearly as popular a ride as ToT. I think folks will be more accepting of the change, but a sizable number will (understandably) be upset about the location. If Disney were to build a GotG ride new in a "superhero" oriented land in DHS, most people would be totally on board.

That is true. I think the Guardians Tower will be a fun ride at DCA, but not at the expense of ToT. Just no ... never.

But Energy is not happening for GotG (oops, did I say that?) ... it wasthisclose ... but not now.

 

[WDW1974]

The fried chicken at Homecoming was excellent. The doughnut it was paired with was nothing spectacular and presumably a gimmick.

The place is overrated. I had the chicken salad and moonshine cake. The former was good, but not great and the size was on the small side for $16. The latter was probably the best item at the table but most fanbois won't touch it since it has alcohol in it.

Having said that, I've eaten at Morimoto Asia, Homecoming and BOATHOUSE and would actually put them in that order. All three are pricey though so just singling out Homecoming isn't fair.

I think Morimoto and Boathouse are wonderful and worlds better than Homecoming. I've been to Boathouse probably five times now and never had less than very good food and excellent service. Been to Morimoto 3-4 times now and enjoy it quite a bit as well. They both are in another league than Homecoming, which is comfort food at crazy price points for simple palates.

Captain America Civil War is a great addition to the MCU. I've come to find your opinions on movies largely contrarian so with that in mind, you'd probably hate it. I felt it was a better successor to the original Avengers than Age of Ultron.

I don't care to discuss the merits of Marvel films in my limited time here. Get your tix online for opening night of Dr. Strange. I wonder if Dr. Blondie is having a cupcake party for her Orlandowhores?

 

[WDW1974]

Might it be that Spirit loves Disney as it was run for decades before Iger and his minions started running the company into the ground for personal profit.

It's possible to love the Disney experience but utterly despise the way company is being run.

I don't understand why this point is so difficult for people to understand. You can love Disney parks and much of the company's creative product and HATE the management of the company. It really is possible!

 

[WDW1974]

Here is a prime example from local burger place compare to deluxe burger joint.

Here is a picture of the fries from a local burger joint that I go to once in a while with them costing $2.10:

If you are wondering a small order of fries at the deluxe burger joint at Disney Springs cost $4.99.

That burger in the picture actually cost much less than the burgers at the deluxe burger joint also.

I know multiple friends who have tried the Disney burger joint. They have said the burgers are tasty, but they all complained about the obscene add on for a small order of fries. Some had issues with the dipping sauces as well.

If I want a good burger at a fair price when I am at DS, I'll drive five minutes to Fuddrucker's at the Crossroads, which always seems to give me the cast discount even though I am not Cast!

BTW, has anyone reported that a Five Guys is opening at Disney Village in Paris?

 

[FigmentForver96]

That is true. I think the Guardians Tower will be a fun ride at DCA, but not at the expense of ToT. Just no ... never.

But Energy is not happening for GotG (oops, did I say that?) ... it wasthisclose ... but not now.

Hmmmm do tell

 

[WDW1974]

It's odd to me that DCL can charge beyond premium rates* from ports within a 3-hour drive of WDW, but can't seem to get customers elsewhere. It's an Achilles heel that I would think would limit their long-term growth.

* Royal Caribbean tweeted at a blogger friend of mine this morning--same itinerary as a DCL boat, one week earlier in 2018, is $1,000 cheaper on their newest boat.

Yup. I wonder what will happen down the line when the Spirit and Imagination come online. I know Disney has long term plans for Asia, but they are soooo behind there.

I still am amazed that people will spend as much or more for a 4-night Bahamas cruise on the Dream, then I can pay for a two-week transatlantic cruise on other lines.

DCL is a great product, no denying that at all. But the premiums are outrageous.

 

[No Name]

But Energy is not happening for GotG (oops, did I say that?) ... it wasthisclose ... but not now.

Just to clarify before I comment... you are saying that a GotG ride is not replacing Energy?

 

[WDW1974]

The only DS places that seem to get unanimous raves from the fan community are Boathouse (well deserved) and Jocks (I suspect more for the atmosphere and friendly staff than the drinks).

Opinions on Homecoming seem decidedly mixed, tho you can't be surprised a large percentage of people who uprooted their lives to live near a theme park are big on a place that makes comfort food seem fancy.

Blaze is a novel concept new to the area (unless you visit Artegon, and no one does). Also the closest thing to a new, affordable fast food spot in DS in a decade. Earl of Sandwich had the same cult fandom 10 years ago.

STK was just an obvious mistake (no pun intended). An expense account steakhouse that turns into a nightclub after 10, they were genuinely surprised when the stroller brigades showed up for dinner at 5, ordered dessert, then cleared out by 8:45,. with no late night party crowd wandering in after from, I don't know, Uniqlo or the Marvel Superhero Store. Even bloggers, maybe especially bloggers, love to feel smugly superior--in this case, it's fun to dogpile STK corporate for being so clueless. (I mean, come on, did they even walk around the area before signing a lease? Or did they just look at convention-goer numbers on paper.)

The real star this year has been Toothsome over at CityWalk. Unique, striking design + good and reasonably priced food = 3 hour waits for a table. But the days of Disney Imagineering designing a signature restaurant are long past.

All very good points. It does make one ponder how many of these places will be operating in a year, 18 months, 36 months time. Too many food locations competing. And how many are going to pull in locals? I love some of the new places, as I just posted, but they can't all be successful, let alone with those onerous lease agreements. ... And the retail will be worse. How long before empty storefronts dot the place and then have Disney crap outlets move in, lowering the value for the tenants who remain?

 

[WDW1974]

Just to clarify before I comment... you are saying that a GotG ride is not replacing Energy?

Yeah, oopsy ... I may have said that ... such a naughty Spirit ... someone should spank me!

 

[WDW1974]

Im still shocked Earl didnt build a second location, or at least a larger more centrally located one out of all this.

I still find Earl's vastly overrated. I only eat at the one in Paris regularly. But about the only thing I can say about Earl's is their sandwiches are better than Subway. That's not high praise.

 

[Nickels5]

Yeah, oopsy ... I may have said that ... such a naughty Spirit ... someone should spank me!

Should we expect a guardians attraction somewhere else? And will we be seeing a replacement for energy?