A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[sporadic]

Im sure its been discussed but has the company announced any plans to prevent the Shanghai park from being trashed and literally deficated on by guests aain after they officially open? Or were they somewhat aware of the culture and prepared to continually clean up after them? The picture where someone carved graffiti (or whatever you wanna call it) into a light pole is puzzling. It must have taken at least a minute or two. Did a CM or a guest (that cares) not see them doing it?
View attachment 141666

Same thing happens in Orlando. I've witnessed a family have their kid pee behind a planter on the asphalt while in queue for the Cars meet and greet at DHS. And they were 'Mericans! is wrong with these people?

 

[ford91exploder]

More than anything else, the execs seem to be using Shanghai and NGE as scapegoats for their poor management during the last 20 years, and their inability to deliver the incredible lands they promised when they tried to cover their failures.

I'm more interested in the recently overinflated ticket, resort, and food prices. Who's the imaginary demographic Disney is pursuing? A Disney vacation will soon be too expensive for an average upper-middle-class family, and wealthy people won't be impressed when they show up and their $800/night room is closer to a Courtyard Marriott than a Ritz.

The new targeted demographic is now the "Wall Street Dads" according to a few insiders. All your comments apply in spades

 

[Lee]

I really don't know. I have hoped to run into Joe Rohde and ask, but it hasn't happened. @Lee once said it had to do with proper lubing ... and I am firm believer in the power of proper lubrication for maximum effect.

Kinda regret passing on that lube info. Its validity is questionable, at best, and further clouded an already confusing topic.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

There's rumour and there's guessing.

I'd still bet on late 19 maybe into 20 for WDW.

This really makes me want to bash my head into the wall.

But you know that? It's all good. Really. It's ok. If I can still afford Disney in a few years (at the way they're raising prices, I don't know if my meager paycheck will suffice) I'm fully planning on a California vacation anyhow.

They don't wanna speed it up in WDW, fine. I'll go elsewhere.

 

[Andrew C]

This really makes me want to bash my head into the wall.

But you know that? It's all good. Really. It's ok. If I can still afford Disney in a few years (at the way they're raising prices, I don't know if my meager paycheck will suffice) I'm fully planning on a California vacation anyhow.

They don't wanna speed it up in WDW, fine. I'll go elsewhere.

I think the 2019/2020 is sped up...hahaha...geez, it is almost 2017 right?

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

I think the 2019/2020 is sped up...hahaha...geez, it is almost 2017 right?

God. True.

Still, 2020 sounds SO FAR away. Especially with a major money-printing machine like Star Wars... there should be construction 24/7 to get that on line.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

They're absolutely not the same. Look at the size and scale of the two properties if nothing else. 4 parks, 2 (formerly 3 water parks), monorails versus 2 parks.

Universal had dark days but was never in the shape that WDW is in today.

I never said they were the same. WDW was always known for a quality, uncompromising, second-to-none experience that started a decade-long gradual decline to where it is now. UO was largely irrelevant, always measured itself to the competition down the street and very rapidly let things go after opening a somewhat revolutionary park in IOA.

If anything, UO's size relative to WDW makes their "dark days" worse to me. With an operation as large as WDW's, it's understandable things start falling through the cracks here and there, or small cuts made, all piling up over time. UO had no excuse with much newer and smaller parks.

Once again, I saw UO's "dark days" with my own eyes, experienced the turmoil behind the scenes. While the size of the operations can't be compared, the overall state of WDW is very similar to the way UO was pre-WWOHP and Comcast.

 

[monothingie]

God. True.

Still, 2020 sounds SO FAR away. Especially with a major money-printing machine like Star Wars... there should be construction 24/7 to get that on line.

Don't worry, by 2020 Disney will have run the SW franchise into the ground and squeezed every last exploitable cent out of it.

 

[flynnibus]

I'm moreso sick and tired of #thanksshanghai and "oh, the cuts are because of blank." It's giving an excuse to something that doesn't deserve any justification. Did Disneyland become crap in the late 60s because WDW was being built? No. Did MK become crap when Disney spent 90% of their theme park profits on Epcot? No. But today, when the company has billions of dollars in the bank, their capex % of whatever (have no idea of the actual number, maybe @ParentsOf4 knows, but less than the majority of their history) is enough to suddenly warrant cuts? Why the excuse now? Thank you for at least partially agreeing with me there, but everyone else is still putting blame on project or situtation X rather than on the execs making the decisions.

Do you seriously not understand that #thanksshanghai' is SARCASM?

 

[flynnibus]

Why do people complain about research trips for theme park design as being this unnecessary flourish when you see plenty of film production crews doing the same thing?

As with most things.. its not what they do in itself, but to what excess they do..

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Don't worry, by 2020 Disney will have run the SW franchise into the ground and squeezed every last exploitable cent out of it.

That's a very real fear I have.

 

[flynnibus]

Was talking to a good friend earlier tonight and the subject of Shanghai Disneyland came up. We went back and forth and came to the same conclusion: that SDL, despite all the glowing praise for its attraction menu, really doesn't have more to do than HKDL does (now).

But since HKDL is opening park + some expansions.. does that make SDL the 'right size' for a new park? Not overbuilt, not under built ?

 

[flynnibus]

Someone at the fool has been reading these threads

That's pretty much been the prime source of anything Disney related at the fool for 12m now. That site has gone the way of businessinsider and other junk sites.

 

[flynnibus]

And Andy seems so angry and burnt out (I truly feel bad for the kid as I admire his passion.) I think within a year he'll be gone from that site and another kid who doesn't care so much about how things should be will take over. A kid that TDA likes better.

The machine that created him no longer exists... he was a pawn from the start.. and it's run its course. Miceage will be the next laughingplace in the next 3-5 years.

 

[xdan0920]

That's pretty much been the prime source of anything Disney related at the fool for 12m now. That site has gone the way of businessinsider and other junk sites.

Motley Fool is a click bait site now. Simple as that. Using it as a credible source is comical at best.

 

[ford91exploder]

4-5 years for DHS SWL?!?!?! I thought the recent rumors said it was 6 months to a year behind DL!!!!!!!

Lol, you got me there

And people mocked my estimates.... Trouble is I was saying 5 years from LAST year, Now it's 5 years from THIS YEAR so 6 years or so total, By then Disney will have sucked all the value out of the franchise...

 

[StageFrenzy]

But since HKDL is opening park + some expansions.. does that make SDL the 'right size' for a new park? Not overbuilt, not under built ?

Depends on their attendance estimates, If CCP wants the park to be a success it is underbuilt. If they are invested into the success of SDL it is probably underbuilt.

 

[Bocabear]

And people mocked my estimates.... Trouble is I was saying 5 years from LAST year, Now it's 5 years from THIS YEAR so 6 years or so total, By then Disney will have sucked all the value out of the franchise...

So then SWL is going to be the big thing for WDW's 50th Anniversary....which means they will be able to get away with doing a lot less everywhere else in the parks... Sad.

 

[ford91exploder]

So then SWL is going to be the big thing for WDW's 50th Anniversary....which means they will be able to get away with doing a lot less everywhere else in the parks... Sad.

IF it's even ready by then, How much do you want to bet that Iger and company will use Brazil as another excuse why DHS projects in Orlando will be DELAYED, Just like 2008 when the financial crisis hit, WDW still had a record year and construction and materials were at rock bottom cost but Iger is fixated on the STOCK not the BUSINESS.

 

[DVC91]

I was, briefly. I was in town to photograph Pole Fitness. Then I went to Philly for a cheesesteak. Now I'm back home.

Dalessandro's? One of maybe 3 places I can respect people choosing. Don't insult me with Geno's or Pat's...