A Spirited Perfect Ten

[Longhairbear]

As do I. I understand there are recreational activities at WDW, but 2-3 WEEKS? What are guests doing that entire time? I'd really love to know because I can't fathom the idea. Seriously, for those who spend 2-3 weeks solely at WDW, how do you spend your time? I'm curious.

The way you feel about the Everglades is the way I feel about Hollywood. I recommend tourists go there because there are some pretty neat things to see, but it's not on my list of top favorite hangout spots.

I agree, and whenever we go back to FLA, it will be to see the sites my parents brought us to back in the late 1960's. I'll use my DVC as a home base, and see the things within driving distance. I don't need WDW anymore, there is nothing new, or anything I can't already get in my own back yard at DLR.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I just want to be clear that unless you are taking only a DLR trip and won't have a car (a huge mistake )that staying in Anaheim isn't the best idea. Parking and/or resort fees will add considerably to even a 'deal' ... and I know as I've stayed at most places that are 3-star level or better and have been there at least five years. I only stay in Anaheim now when using DVC points!

Before you even get to pay the resort fee (which should be illegal IMO... any mandatory "fee" should be part of the room rate) or parking fees, Anaheim currently has a 17% bed tax! Ridiculous! Makes the 13.5% at Pop in Osceola County look like a steal!

 

[Longhairbear]

Before you even get to pay the resort fee (which should be illegal IMO... any mandatory "fee" should be part of the room rate) or parking fees, Anaheim currently has a 17% bed tax! Ridiculous! Makes the 13.5% at Pop in Osceola County look like a steal!

DVC members get free parking when using points at a DLR hotel, or DVC Villa, except for valet parking.
I don't know what the bed tax is here in Palm Springs, but I do know it's filling the city coffers, and making life better for we residents. Vacation homes, are the big thing here, and adding to improvements we are getting to city streets, new brick paved crosswalks, and a general upgrading of how the city looks in general. When you live in a tourist destination, you understand things like this.
The transient tax, as it is called here benefits all the local businesses, and helps bring in more events, and tourists. Splash House was this past weekend, and helps to extend the vacation season here, which was traditionally over for us 2 weeks ago. Last weekend 4 couples rented the vacation home on our street, and we saw their Splash House wristbands.
Short Fest, a film fest for foreign film makers is going on now, and that fills hotel, and vacation home beds. The "taxes" from these bed filling events is used to revitalizing the city to draw even more tourists, something WDW is not doing.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Clearly there's only one way to make Disney behave ethically these days, and that's
shame... shame... shame.... ding-a-ding

Early in my career, ethics was considered an essential part of every executive's training. Being a good "corporate citizen" meant treating customers, employees, and the community with respect.

Current ethics training focuses on not breaking the law. Any behavior beyond that is fair game.

Ethical behavior is more than just not breaking the law.

Today's corporations no longer can be counted on to behave ethically.

 

[BrerJon]

There was a lot of inside-baseball theme-park references. That stuff plays well in Orlando. It's funny to think about that park stuff being part of the biggest opening weekend in history.

If nothing else it should put the idea into people's heads that a good theme park company should 'spare no expense' when it comes to delivering on new attractions.

 

[Mike S]

If nothing else it should put the idea into people's heads that a good theme park company should 'spare no expense' when it comes to delivering on new attractions.

Yeah. I also just found an interesting quote made for a 2013 fiscal year report of Masrani. It can be found as my new signature

 

[alphac2005]

WDW1974s posts are unbelievably pathetic and filled with demagoguery. Disney uses the same strategic planning and revenue management techniques that you can learn in any thorough business program - the difference being they are really good at it (as evidenced by their performance the past 5 years). Just because they provide a lot of low-wage jobs does not mean they are doing anything unethical, that's just the nature of the tourism business. It doesn't take a whole lot of professional training to operate a ride or sweep the grounds and smile.

Now here come the inevitable "all people with MBAs are evil, everyone deserves a living wage, Bob Iger doesn't care about black people, Disney is purposely trying to condition their customers to have lower standards" posts from all the experts

His posts are incredibly insightful and provide insider information.... and they have for years. Many would argue that paying such low wages is unethical, it's just that what the vast majority of our business programs now teach prepping the future profiteer that makes decisions taking out the human condition and realities. I went to business school, I know it, I heard it, it's a joke.

 

[alphac2005]

Early in my career, ethics was considered an essential part of every executive's training. Being a good "corporate citizen" meant treating customers, employees, and the community with respect.

Current ethics training focuses on not breaking the law. Any behavior beyond that is fair game.

Ethical behavior is more than just not breaking the law.

Today's corporations no longer can be counted on to behave ethically.

Thank you.

Today's ethics is how to do something that in any other age was considered to be unethical, but now it's taking a team to exploit a loophole and as long as they've navigated things "legally" then it's fine. I don't know how so many of these people sleep at night.

 

[ford91exploder]

So you're saying the ChiComs are going to usurp SDL with no recourse available to TWDC?

There is NO recourse to any non-chinese entity in China,

There is no concept of the 'rule of law' as we know it in the west, The law is what the CCP says it is TODAY, It was the same before the Revolution when it was the Emperor and the Mandarin's who decided what the law was when they were in charge.

 

[ford91exploder]

Thank you.

Today's ethics is how to do something that in any other age was considered to be unethical, but now it's taking a team to exploit a loophole and as long as they've navigated things "legally" then it's fine. I don't know how so many of these people sleep at night.

Correct, My early management training was the same, Now the so called 'ethics' training is how to navigate the 'letter' of the law. I'm always surprised by my annual ethics training I have to really concentrate on the 'letter' of the law as opposed to my early training as many of the scenarios presented my early training says are unethical but they 'pass' the letter of the law test and are deemed 'ethical' today.

 

[ford91exploder]

If people are seriously suggesting that China is going to simply take over SDL, that's like World War 3 material.

No it's not, Because other executives will say they are 'smarter' than the ones who lost it all over there.

 

[ford91exploder]

So Disney focusing on stock prices, like every other major corporation of the world, is the issue. It's the "Disney should be different" thing. I get it. I do. And it's mostly around us being theme park fans and wanting them to spend more money on the parks when it looks like on paper that the resort is doing pretty fantastic without major investments. I too think that the new standard in O-town is not the E-ticket, but the U-ticket - and why Universal is making such gains and that it's short-sighted.

But I also think that most of the same folks would be complaining that Disney's stock were lagging if it weren't doing so well, using that are direct evidence that Darth Iger was doing a poor job (as they should, because he would be). The biggest "thing" we have on him is that he hasn't spent lavishly on the parks, but I don't think a single other CEO would have done any different (and if they did, the current corporate climate would not have kept him in the job).

By all financial measures, he's doing a fantastic job for the company. That's not because I "like" him (does anyone actually "like" Bob Iger? He has no personality, there isn't much to like or dislike, IMO), but because all indicators are that he has saved the feature film business of the company. There is such a parallel to politics it's unbelievable - those out of office get romanticized to such a point that it's difficult to believe anyone says what they do with a straight face, and whomever is in office, no matter what messes they are left clean up (and make no mistake, Disney's film business was a massive mess in 2005), are the devil incarnate because they don't have our same personal pet causes.

But I get it. I think it's just as crappy we don't have new stuff to talk about at WDW, I think it's crappy how stale the parks have become - but I just can't focus that all on one person who by most measures available is doing very well otherwise and try to pretend they are doing a horrible job overall because I don't like the way they run one thing.

Darth Iger has grown the company approximately 60%, Eisner grew the company by nearly 600% One did financial engineering the other INVESTED in the company. Which executive did better for the stockholders. Hint it's not the 60% one.

 

[culturenthrills]

http://news.yahoo.com/5-things-skip-disney-world-cut-costs-130600676.html

I love these little internet click bait articles. #1 on the list, bring your own food. Well, yeah that will save you a ton of money, duh.

 

[Rteetz]

http://universal.wdwinfo.com/news/wet-n-wild-orlando-is-closing-december-31-2016/

 

[Funmeister]

http://universal.wdwinfo.com/news/wet-n-wild-orlando-is-closing-december-31-2016/

I guess "plans" are finally going to be put into motion?

Nothing concrete here. Just speculation.

 

[cba]

http://universal.wdwinfo.com/news/wet-n-wild-orlando-is-closing-december-31-2016/

Boy, what a surprise!

 

[George]

Probably about as significant as the "cheaters" who took advantage of DAC by faking/overstating disabilities...

As I've pointed out before, I made sure that I was afflicted with explosive diarrhea before getting a card. The only lie, and I consider it a small one, was the use of the word "chronic".

 

[Katie G]

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/wet-n-wild-orlando-closing-2016/nmfNY/

Totally expected this after they announced Volcano Bay opening 2017. Wet n Wild set to close end of 2016. I wonder what they will do with the property? Perhaps all those rooms in their 10YP.

 

[nor'easter]

Disney uses the same strategic planning and revenue management techniques that you can learn in any thorough business program - the difference being they are really good at it (as evidenced by their performance the past 5 years). Just because they provide a lot of low-wage jobs does not mean they are doing anything unethical, that's just the nature of the tourism business. It doesn't take a whole lot of professional training to operate a ride or sweep the grounds and smile.

Now here come the inevitable "all people with MBAs are evil, everyone deserves a living wage, Bob Iger doesn't care about black people, Disney is purposely trying to condition their customers to have lower standards" posts from all the experts

The old saw of short term "shareholder value" as the ultimate measure of performance has been used over the years to justify environmental contamination, child labor, hazardous workplace conditions, and assorted other atrocities. Unfortunately,too many greedy corporate executives still use it to justify their bonuses, despite the fact that well-placed capital spending and employment/customer satisfaction result in long-term growth, corporate prosperity, and yes, increased shareholder value that is real and sustainable....much more so than share buy-backs.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Early in my career, ethics was considered an essential part of every executive's training. Being a good "corporate citizen" meant treating customers, employees, and the community with respect.

Current ethics training focuses on not breaking the law. Any behavior beyond that is fair game.

Ethical behavior is more than just not breaking the law.

Today's corporations no longer can be counted on to behave ethically.

Of course not, not in the era of deregulation. Not in the era of spreadsheet culture. Not in the era of union-busting.

There's no one to try and keep any company's behavior in check except the consumer... and thats simply not going to happen.