A Spirited Perfect Ten

[PhotoDave219]

While we're talking ESPN, everyone caught that Grantland was shut down today as part of cost-cutting efforts, right?

 

[zweltar]

Maybe

Maybe a box?

 

[Next Big Thing]

I doubt there was a lot of unique design and detail work on an outlet mall.

Even still, extra detail shouldn't add such an extra amount of time to the project compared to one in a suburb.

 

[Cesar R M]

This might be interesting for fans of both WDW and Disneyland:
http://issuu.com/vaneatongalleries/docs/collectingdisney

wow! so much stuff!!

 

[Cesar R M]

 

[lazyboy97o]

Even still, extra detail shouldn't add such an extra amount of time to the project compared to one in a suburb.

Yes it could because there would be more labor intensive work involved. The scale might be similar but that doesn't mean everything else is also similar.

 

[Next Big Thing]

While we're talking ESPN, everyone caught that Grantland was shut down today as part of cost-cutting efforts, right?

Well, the grantland site is still active so unless it's shutting down at a later date, then no, it didn't shut down.

Even still, if Grantland WAS shut down, FiveThirtyEight is getting to be much more popular than it recently. As time moves on, things change. ESPN has changed drastically from 10 years ago and they haven't downsized in that time either. Sometimes shutting something down is just because it's not worth the venture anymore. Or maybe there was some issues with Bill Simmons.

There's so many things in play, yet you automatically make it out as Disney is being criminal here.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Well, the grantland site is still active so unless it's shutting down at a later date, then no, it didn't shut down.

Even still, if Grantland WAS shut down, FiveThirtyEight is getting to be much more popular than it recently. As time moves on, things change. ESPN has changed drastically from 10 years ago and they haven't downsized in that time either. Sometimes shutting something down is just because it's not worth the venture anymore. Or maybe there was some issues with Bill Simmons.

There's so many things in play, yet you automatically make it out as Disney is being criminal here.

When they're still throwing millions at Stephen A Smith and Curt Schilling instead? Then yes.

 

[Next Big Thing]

When they're still throwing millions at Stephen A Smith and Curt Schilling instead? Then yes.

They throw millions at them because they are figure heads. They've become ESPN staples for the most part and Steven A. especially has always been controversial, making for good TV. If you want your network to be successful, you need recognizable faces.

Why do you think NBC Sports or Fox Sports 1 haven't taken off?

 

[PhotoDave219]

They throw millions at them because they are figure heads. They've become ESPN staples for the most part and Steven A. especially has always been controversial, making for good TV. If you want your network to be successful, you need recognizable faces.

Why do you think NBC Sports or Fox Sports 1 haven't taken off?

Not sure you really wanna argue with someone who keeps havering friends lose their jobs because of "cost cutting" despite record profits.....

 

[wm49rs]

Not sure you really wanna argue with someone who keeps havering friends lose their jobs because of "cost cutting" despite record profits.....

And yes, Grantland was shut down, effective immediately:

http://espnmediazone.com/us/espn-statement-regarding-grantland/

 

[Next Big Thing]

Not sure you really wanna argue with someone who keeps havering friends lose their jobs because of "cost cutting" despite record profits.....

I'm sorry your friends lost their jobs, but that's life for you. & moaning about it does nothing. Acting like an adult and going out there and getting a BETTER job should be your mindset.

If the company was willing to lay you off despite record profits, that's not a company I want to work for.

 

[ford91exploder]

I'm sorry your friends lost their jobs, but that's life for you. ******** & moaning about it does nothing. Acting like an adult and going out there and getting a BETTER job should be your mindset.

If the company was willing to lay you off despite record profits, that's not a company I want to work for.

But that's Today's Disney who has legions defending it Cuz it's Diznee and we all know Diznee can do no wrong while the reality is Diznee is now one of the exemplars of what's wrong with US based multinationals

 

[gonzoWDW]

Grantland had/has significantly higher quality writing than ESPN, which I stopped using for anything but box scores years ago. ESPN did say "that all writer contracts will be honored" (http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/14010310/grantland-suspend-publishing-espn-stays-statement), but now it's probably gonna be excruciatingly more difficult to find their work on ESPN, which is a shame.

In fact, now I'm wondering if ESPN is doing this since they figure that, without Bill Simmons to appease, they might as well use these articles to drive clicks on their main site, and cut costs by relegating a site to the archives.

 

[Nubs70]

If the company was willing to lay you off despite record profits, that's not a company I want to work for.

And the HR department is going to be understanding of this, how???

 

[Next Big Thing]

And the HR department is going to be understanding of this, how???

What the hell are you saying? I was being metaphorical. If a person is layed off, what do they care about an HR department.

It doesn't change my stance that it's not a company if it were me in that situation, I wouldn't be trying to get back in. I'd try to knock them in the teeth and get an even better job as I said.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Next Disney Kingdoms series is Haunted Mansion. Surprised they waited this long.
http://www.comicbookresources.com/a...ion-comic-series-under-disney-kingdoms-banner

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I have been taking a break from these MAGICal parts for the past month, and likely won't come back full time until we're 10-14 days out from "The Force Awakens", but I thought I would share this from CNBC. No Disney, I don't want to wear a plastic tracking bracelet and plan my entire vacation 60-180 days out, but I would appreciate if you say... didn't send my La Nouba tickets to an address that doesn't exists and not ask if there was a clerical error made when those tickets were ordered over the phone.*
*To the credit of the excellent CM who fixed the problem, they told us Disney sent out tickets to the incorrect address THREE times or month and half after the tickets had been ordered; standard delivery for La Nouba tickets is 7-10 days.

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/30/technology-spending-isnt-all-its-cracked-up-to-be-study.html
Why technology spending isn't all its cracked up to be: Study
Large companies often spend a good deal of money on cultivating their technology, but a new study suggests nearly 70 percent of what they spend may be misallocated.

In a study, Genpact Research Institute recently found that, of nearly $600 billion spent on digital projects, almost $400 billion of it was invested in projects that fall short of expectations and returns on investment (ROI). In fact, much of what companies invest in technology sustains existing, or "legacy" systems, rather than new technology, the report found.

In a global market for technology spending estimated at $4 trillion, an amount that research firm Gartner expects to shrink by nearly 5 percent this year, the wasted money can be significant. It suggests companies will be operating from a smaller pool of money, and will need to invest it wisely.

Out of a host of technology that includes cloud computing, big data and social technology, "at least 67 percent of those efforts are either scrapped, or end up being underwhelming," Gianni Giacomelli, Genpact's senior vice president of product innovation, told CNBC in an interview.

In a world where research and development spending is perceived as a hallmark of product innovation, the study's findings could have competitive implications, Giacomelli added.

"It's important that [companies] get better … otherwise we're not going to get the impact of productivity and technology and competitiveness," he said. "New technologies are not going to get an impact."

Based on that benchmark, companies that spend a lot on technology — such as Silicon Valley tech titans and big banks — are often seen as leaders of their sector. In some regards, Genpact's findings were bolstered somewhat by a separate study that suggested tech spending may not be as efficient as some would believe.

Last year, Bernstein Research analyzed historical R&D spending as a percentage of sales, and drew a correlation to the stock performance of 68 large-cap technology companies. In many cases, those that shelled out the most actually saw a decline in their share prices after five years, while those that spent less performed better, suggesting that R&D isn't an ideal benchmark of stock performance or innovation.

The idea that companies could throw substantial amounts of cash, and get diminishing returns for their efforts, suggests that companies tech priorities are misplaced, Genpact's Giacomelli. It reinforces the belief that far too much money is spent on existing infrastructure rather than new breakthroughs, he added.

"You spend a lot on technology, now you're sitting on old things," Giacomelli said.

"For all the fascination we have with Silicon Valley … they are not finishing the job. They rarely bother with the question of how [new technology] will fit with older stuff, and the solution to that is left to other people," he added. "To get that done at scale is a big issue."

 

[Phil12]

Speaking of technology: http://gizmodo.com/the-secret-tech-...eed&utm_campaign=Feed:+gizmodo/full+(Gizmodo)

 

[ParentsOf4]

I stumbled across an interesting article this morning on The Motley Fool.

Epcot Will Be Disney World's Least Visited Park by 2020

Disney's second most popular Florida park is showing signs of fatigue.

Disney (NYSEIS) is likely to announce record results for its theme parks division on Thursday, but it's easy to wonder if the family entertainment giant is doing enough to earn those record turnstile clicks.

I'm at Disney World this weekend, and some things are pretty embarrassing. Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios closed at 6pm and 7pm, respectively, on Friday night. They didn't shut their doors early for a hard-ticket Halloween event the way that rival Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) (NASDAQ:CMCSK) did to make way for its Halloween Horror Nights. The parks are closing early -- even on a weekend evening -- because there just isn't enough at the parks to keep folks entertained.

Animal Kingdom has been trying to shake the common complaint that it's not a full-day park, but it's hard to offer up much of a fight when you're operating on bankers' hours. Disney's Hollywood Studios is a different story. It's been closing attractions, giving folks less to do at the park than they did a couple of years ago.

However, as bad as things may be at Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios -- Disney World's two least-visited parks -- at lest we know that things will get better soon.

Take a trip to Animal Kingdom, and from the parking lot you see gargantuan cranes helping to piece the heavily themed Avatar section of the park together. A huge ride building and the early construction of the area's floating mountains are clearly visible from the lot. Head inside to the Asia section of the park, and you'll see crews busy building permanent seating around the lake for the upcoming Rivers of Lights nighttime show.

A trip to Animal Kingdom will be a completely different experience in two years from what it is right now. Between Avatar's two new rides and the Rivers of Light ritualistic tribute to animals, you won't be seeing the park close at 6 p.m. before long. You need darkness, after all, for something called Rivers of Light to shine in more ways than one.

We know why Disney's been carving out Disney's Hollywood Studios. Pixar Land and Star Wars Land are coming. There haven't been any definitive opening dates revealed, but Pixar Land doesn't seem like it will take too long to get ready. Star Wars Land is far more ambitious, but it would be a shock -- and heads will probably roll -- if at least the initial phase of the 14-acre project isn't open for fans of the iconic sci-fi series in five years.

This brings us to Epcot. It's Disney World's second most visited Florida attraction at the moment, but the attendance gap between the park and both Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios is narrowing. Going back to 2006, just before the recession rocked the travel industry, it's the only Disney World park that hasn't grown its attendance in the double digits through 2014, according to industry tracker Themed Entertainment Association.

As bad as the situation may be at Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios, Epcot is the one that has struggled the most. Every other Disney World park -- and Comcast's two Universal Orlando theme parks -- is growing in the double digits.

Epcot has an identity problem. The park traces its roots to Walt Disney's vision of a planned community, but that is not what the park turned out to be. It's a park that's always trying to manage the delicate balance between edutainment in the front of the park and foodie-centric country pavilions in the back. It's a beautiful park, but it's lacking in the personality department. There's no shortage of people who love the park, but the attendance numbers don't lie.

The near-term plan to spruce up Epcot isn't very exciting. It's adding a new theater to expand the capacity of its popular Soarin' attraction, and it's changing up the video to feature the entire world instead of just California. There's also a Frozen boat ride opening next year, but let's face it: Even your Anna- and Elsa-loving daughter has been over Frozen for a few months now.

I predicted a few weeks ago that Epcot would be Disney World's least visited park by 2020, but I simply left it at that. I figured that's a bold forecast that needed to be fleshed out, and until Epcot proves otherwise, I'm going to stick to that prediction.
​

Whether or not you agree with the writer's conclusions, it's interesting to read a business article about WDW from someone who actually seems to know what they are talking about.