A Spirited Perfect Ten

[HolleBolleGijs]

Another good example of the lost capacity: in Europe, it is nearly standard for spinning coasters to have continuous loading similar to Omnimover attractions. When Hersheypark installed a spinning coaster this year, it use 3! stops loading for "safety". An hour line would have been 30-40 minutes in Europe.

This. The line for Laff Trakk at Hershey is unbelievably slow compared to Crush at DLP. The difference in capacity must be astronomical.

 

[Mike S]

Let's take a moment to reflect on how much Iwata cared about games, his employees, and Nintendo's identity. Having started out as a programmer, he actually stepped up to bat to fix quite a few games having issues over the years, including Earthbound, Pokemon Stadium, and Gold and Silver (He's why Kanto is even still playable on there, was better at compressing stuff then GameFreak's programmers). Even when he stepped into a more managerial position, he took time off to help troubleshoot Super Smash Bros Melee in the months before release.
While so many other gaming companies are obsessed with brown graphics, "cinematic experiences", and generic serious business, Iwata and the rest of Nintendo's bigwigs always kept a distinctive sense of play. Iwata was also one of the main factors keeping Nintendo from diluting their brand with mobile shovelware until recently and when the Wii U underperformed and shareholders were getting frustrated, he cut his own pay to keep programmers from getting laid off.

A lot of modern executives could learn from him. You could say that they must please understand.

Not to go off the topic of Disney too much with this, but the WSJ seems to believe Miyamoto will take over. http://www.wsj.com/articles/mario-creator-tops-list-of-contenders-to-lead-nintendo-1436785556?

I'll tell you one thing though, Nintendo Directs will never be the same without Iwata

 

[WDWdream97]

Burbank just upped its share in Euro Disney SCA to 79%.
Via Salon Mickey

Are they gonna keep going until they reach 100%, or is there some French law that prevents that from happening?

 

[Lee]

Woody's Roundup?

Possible.
It's still a valid concept, and as much as I'm sick of seeing IP based rides at ?MK it would provide a kid-friendly option over there.

I'm predicting a Grizzly River Rapids type of attraction replacing the back half of Tom Sawyer Island.

Given the fact that I have no idea what @whylightbulb is hinting at, this would be my first guess. Mostly because I know the concept exists and has previously started down the path a few years back before ultimately going nowhere. (Deja vu, huh 'bulb?)

I suppose that old Geyser Mountain plan could be dusted off, too.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Possible.
It's still a valid concept, and as much as I'm sick of seeing IP based rides at ?MK it would provide a kid-friendly option over there.


Given the fact that I have no idea what @whylightbulb is hinting at, this would be my first guess. Mostly because I know the concept exists and has previously started down the path a few years back before ultimately going nowhere. (Deja vu, huh 'bulb?)

I suppose that old Geyser Mountain plan could be dusted off, too.

Is Grizzly River extremely "plussed"? I'd be pretty bummed if a raft ride was classified as an "E-ticket and land expansion."

 

[britain]

I personally really like Grizzly River. If they had added only a few AA wildlife vignettes, I'd call it an E.

 

[Bairstow]

Is Grizzly River extremely "plussed"? I'd be pretty bummed if a raft ride was classified as an "E-ticket and land expansion."

Grizzly River could be plussed. It's a handsome-looking attraction, to be sure, but not exactly overflowing with carefully-designed details.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Are they gonna keep going until they reach 100%, or is there some French law that prevents that from happening?

Their plan is to buy out all of the outstanding shares of ED SCA until the only shareholders are The Walt Disney Company, the French Government, and Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I thought the rapids ride once proposed for FL was an updated version of the Lewis and Clark ride for Disney's America? The same project which would later spawn Grizzly and Kali.

http://2719hyperion.blogspot.com/2008/08/lost-imagineering-lewis-and-clark.html?m=1

 

[Katie G]

http://thedisneyblog.com/2015/07/13/teaser-trailer-for-shanghai-disneyland-pirates-of-the-caribbean/

The Disneyblog has a different shanghai video than the one posted by Spirit. This showcases some of the Pirates stuff we have seen before. I wonder if they are planning on releasing a video for each land?

 

[truecoat]

Another blog that I've never heard of is suggesting it.

Don't take this the wrong way but Dave you need to get out more. It was the Disney Blog.

http://thedisneyblog.com/2015/07/13/teaser-trailer-for-shanghai-disneyland-pirates-of-the-caribbean/

The Disneyblog has a different shanghai video than the one posted by Spirit. This showcases some of the Pirates stuff we have seen before. I wonder if they are planning on releasing a video for each land?

Dave's never heard of that site so I think it's a fake.

 

[DocMcHulk]

Not from lack of income, but because of the soaring costs of broadcast rights.

Bingo. the next NBA contract is going to be MASSIVE.

 

[doctornick]

Bingo. the next NBA contract is going to be MASSIVE.

The next big broadcasting contract coming up for US sports is the Big Ten (current contract ends with the 2016-17 season). I know the conference has been projecting a massive jump in revenues from it and multiple networks will be bidding.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

First, nice to see @whylightbulb 's return here. I was afraid he had burned out or something!

As to his information, I don't have first-hand knowledge of what may be happening in Frontierland. I know lots of ideas have been tossed around for expanding the area over the last decade. This sounds like it is VERY pricey. Much more so than what I was told the BoD had approved at their Orlando meeting. That isn't to say I don't buy it. It's possible that the capital for this is being allocated separately from the Studios makeover/rebranding and it is making its way thru the process.

I would hate to lose TSI, even if (as I told a friend today) it's been at least a decade since I've gone over there (more due to weather and being in the MK at night than lack of interest), so I would hope that idea has been quashed. I can't imagine having Frontierland sans the RoA. I don't wish to see that.

Then the question is ''If they're doing this, what IP are they tying this to?'' as it seems like only IP-connected properties are getting the greenlight. Lone Ranger would have been perfect, but we saw what happened there (to a good film, no less). .... I would absolutely hate if the major E-Ticket was a raft ride. I don't care how pretty they are (and we should hear about SDL's dino-themed Roaring Rapids this week), to me, they'll always remind me of a Six Flags type park. I just have never really enjoyed the idea of getting soaked while dressed in a theme park. I know, I'm strange!

This is certainly intriguing. And I'll look into it. But the source is quite good and any regular here should know that!

This is what all the quick dry stuff is for these days. Besides, they have a raft ride at AK that needs love and plussed.

I'm shocked we haven't seen something like this. Higher cap boats, dual channels. Might just be too common now. Certainly would be popular on warm and hot Florida days.

As for Disney resorts and parks, I would love to see not full blown parks but hotel/timeshare resorts that incorporated an indoor waterpark off Nemo,ect and indoor ride park like the carny like Toy Story Playland and Dino land along with themed rooms.

I view it as a perfect filler to milk the masses out of more dollars between their every 5 year trips or once in a lifetime trip to a Castle Park. I sure don't think it would hurt the big parks, it's updale, upsale, upsale. If Great Wolf can get 400 a night during peak seasons, think what the mouse could get.
Just a thought

 

[JediMasterMatt]

Nah. Couple of sources within WDW actually...

I should say the test is coming one way or another....

It's important to remember that FP+ technology by itself is benign. If used on attractions that currently have regular FP and uses the same number of reservations per hour, the only side effect to park operations is the potential increase of no-shows for reservations (since they can be made in advance or at least from far away from the attraction).

It's only when FP+ is used as an attempt to steer crowds around that it has a negative impact.

From what I understand, the FP+ test in Anaheim will simply be a test if tech would significantly alter the Disneyland experience in terms of crowd control. The thought is it would be used only as a replacement for existing paper FP and not added onto every attraction. They do understand that Anaheim can't afford to pull more guests out of stand-by lines and dump them into Disneyland's already congested streets.

 

[misterID]

So I am hoping I am not slaughtered for writing this with so few posts (but, I have been a member - and actively reading - for more than a year now)...

I have been wondering, and really have not seen any in-depth discussions, about the story behind the current story of (as Articos stated) us getting "excited" now. When you look at PhotoDave's capacity analyses for the past few years (which I am sure TDO is doing regularly), what changed?

If WDI is constantly working on concepts, was this driven more by Iger or Staggs? Could Iger be legacy shopping right now with the spending split between his last few years and Staggs/CEO To Be Named? Or, could this be Staggs making his case to Wall Street now he's COO that he can expand capacity responsibly --- which, of course, will drive increases in gate, average room rates, and profits? Would love to learn more about the motivations, since the likely Wall Street short term reaction when announced will be a reduction in share price?

EDIT: Interesting note that some Wall Street analysts are reducing TWDC's 3Q year-over-year comparisons (but think the 4Q will be strong): http://blogs.barrons.com/stockstowatchtoday/2015/07/08/tough-comps-ahead-for-disney-warns-nomura/

It's hard to tell, I was always hoping Staggs would be that "guy."

 

[PhotoDave219]

So I am hoping I am not slaughtered for writing this with so few posts (but, I have been a member - and actively reading - for more than a year now)...

I have been wondering, and really have not seen any in-depth discussions, about the story behind the current story of (as Articos stated) us getting "excited" now. When you look at PhotoDave's capacity analyses for the past few years (which I am sure TDO is doing regularly), what changed?

If WDI is constantly working on concepts, was this driven more by Iger or Staggs? Could Iger be legacy shopping right now with the spending split between his last few years and Staggs/CEO To Be Named? Or, could this be Staggs making his case to Wall Street now he's COO that he can expand capacity responsibly --- which, of course, will drive increases in gate, average room rates, and profits? Would love to learn more about the motivations, since the likely Wall Street short term reaction when announced will be a reduction in share price?

EDIT: Interesting note that some Wall Street analysts are reducing TWDC's 3Q year-over-year comparisons (but think the 4Q will be strong): http://blogs.barrons.com/stockstowatchtoday/2015/07/08/tough-comps-ahead-for-disney-warns-nomura/

Us excited as posters on a message board? Personally, its because after years of seeing money and expansion go to Paris, DCA, Hong Kong, Shanghai, finally it's Orlando's turn to get some love and love in a big way.

No, everything we've kvetched about wont be fixed. The corporate problems and issues we have wont magically go away just because theyre building a Star Wars expansion. But that Star Wars expansion sure helps.....

As for attendance? MK is still pulling a peak crowd 30% of the time.... which is above 2014's 14% of the year and 2013's 17% of the year. Its a statistical outlier... meaning its busy A LOT.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I put this here for three reasons

1) It's an interesting read that highlights not just how different generations look at a topic, but outlines HOW those thoughts have been steered over time
2) It's a common topic about WDW and interesting in speaking some what to the change that we've seen over time
3) It's just damn refreshing to find a news piece that is stimulating to read that isn't full of clickbait, sensationalism, and general extremism to generate interest. On top of that... it doesn't have anything to do with random people we shouldn't give a crap about!

An interesting read

We don’t trust drinking fountains anymore, and that’s bad for our health
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opini...eca9bc-15f0-11e5-9ddc-e3353542100c_story.html

Yet the splitting irony... this is in the Opinion section (mainly due to the title I suppose) -- yet is better rooted than the majority of news you read

Have you read "Bowling Alone" by Robert Putnam?

 

[asianway]

Their plan is to buy out all of the outstanding shares of ED SCA until the only shareholders are The Walt Disney Company, the French Government, and Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal.

Wow-there were that many Cheap Skate shareholders who didn't meet the capital call?

 

[Omnispace]

First, nice to see @whylightbulb 's return here. I was afraid he had burned out or something!

As to his information, I don't have first-hand knowledge of what may be happening in Frontierland. I know lots of ideas have been tossed around for expanding the area over the last decade. This sounds like it is VERY pricey. Much more so than what I was told the BoD had approved at their Orlando meeting. That isn't to say I don't buy it. It's possible that the capital for this is being allocated separately from the Studios makeover/rebranding and it is making its way thru the process.

I would hate to lose TSI, even if (as I told a friend today) it's been at least a decade since I've gone over there (more due to weather and being in the MK at night than lack of interest), so I would hope that idea has been quashed. I can't imagine having Frontierland sans the RoA. I don't wish to see that.

Then the question is ''If they're doing this, what IP are they tying this to?'' as it seems like only IP-connected properties are getting the greenlight. Lone Ranger would have been perfect, but we saw what happened there (to a good film, no less). .... I would absolutely hate if the major E-Ticket was a raft ride. I don't care how pretty they are (and we should hear about SDL's dino-themed Roaring Rapids this week), to me, they'll always remind me of a Six Flags type park. I just have never really enjoyed the idea of getting soaked while dressed in a theme park. I know, I'm strange!

This is certainly intriguing. And I'll look into it. But the source is quite good and any regular here should know that!

What IP would they tie a Frontierland expansion to? I hate to be cynical but considering some of the recent projects, theme seems to be interpreted very loosely when it comes to placing an IP.

I pretty much agree with your sentiments about the raft rides. They look fantastic but I hate riding them.