A Spirited Perfect Ten

[kagacins]

When he's gone for months at a time and then comes out cannons blazing, I picture @WDW1974 holed up creating a Starkiller base and training some sort of group of rabid followers (a 1st Order of some type?) ready to attack. Then he sucks up the nearest star and starts firing on the WDWMagic message boards. What makes you decide it's time to triumphantly return?

 

[Smiddimizer]

This actually has me wondering something for anyone who has been there- how has maintenance at Disneyland been lately? Are they keeping rides and attractions in good shape (along with general cleanliness) or have things started to slip up since his appointment?

Last summer Splash Mtn was looking dire, and RSR wasn't exactly in its prime (although it's been worse). Some stiff animatronics on Pirates. That's about all I can think of. No pendulum swinging just yet.

 

[rael ramone]

Between Iger’s unwillingness to defend MyMagic+ technology against a specific question by a well-known financial anchor, my repeated poor first-hand experiences, and comments I continue to hear from those using the technology every day, it appears that WDW still requires significant capital investment and software development in order to get its MyMagic+ technology working properly.

Or perhaps it's working as good as they want it to. If it gives them what they want from it (manipulating guest traffic, harvesting data to look for ways to cut back CM hours even more, etc) then they may see it as 'mission accomplished'...

 

[Cesar R M]

I appreciate that. I am done arguing about NGE and MM+.

But I will say that MAGIC Bands and much of the initiative was designed for Disney Parks globally. And we all knew that was never going to happen two years ago. Even the 'parts' of NGE that were to be exported have been scaled way back. OLC told them no, flat out. HKDL isn't buying. ... and what will happen in Anaheim and Paris are a tiny fraction of what Disney intended.

This was a huge tech boondoggle sold to the TWDC BoD and Wall Street and the general public as something that would revolutionize the theme park going experience. It didn't. It hasn't. And it won't.

​

technically, My Magic DID improve the theme park experience (when it works) thanks to being able to pretty much reserve everything and see everything on your cell phone or device.
The Magicbands? not so much.

 

[Cesar R M]

But but but.... It's shiney! And we used an outside contractor! From San Francisco!

and the NSA might love it really well!
Just they loved that backdoor in all networks (including the new exposed hole in Juniper firewalls)

 

[BrianLo]

How is OLC's expansion sluggish versus anything DIS has done stateside in the last decade?

It isn't - that was in context of the post I replied to in which there was a rant against how terrible TWDC was. OLC is not infallible and does not always deserve the ever so high pedestal we set them on, but they are still much better than people's ever so low expectations of TWDC. The fact that OLC is being as sluggish as DIS is a slight cause for concern.

I'm generally irked at TWDC's building speed as well obviously.

 

[ChrisM]

I propose the next thread be titled, "Disaffected anonymous message board poster wages social media campaign decrying multi-national media conglomerate's social media campaign: sycophants rejoice."

With no malice intended. The psychology of these threads is wildly entertaining.

 

[Phil12]

I propose the next thread be titled, "Disaffected anonymous message board poster wages social media campaign decrying multi-national media conglomerate's social media campaign: sycophants rejoice."

With no malice intended. The psychology of these threads is wildly entertaining.

You left out the conspiracy part. There is always a sinister conspiracy at the foundation of these threads.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I propose the next thread be titled, "Disaffected anonymous message board poster wages social media campaign decrying multi-national media conglomerate's social media campaign: sycophants rejoice."

With no malice intended. The psychology of these threads is wildly entertaining.

There's a lot of charged words in there for "no malice intended".

I'd expect little blowback.

 

[ChrisM]

You left out the conspiracy part. There is always a sinister conspiracy at the foundation of these threads.

A quality insight, but since the sinister conspiracy is always just formulated around someone's (or some group's) base self-interest, I don't really find it particularly notable. Someone is acting in a self-interested, possibly egotistical, manner? To quote Casablance, "I am shocked—shocked—to find that gambling is going on in here!"

Physician, heal thyself.

 

[BrianLo]

I'm sure the land will be amazing. That's not the issue for me.

Thematically, meh. It's not great, but could be worse.

I hate that it's displacing part of the river, but the biggest problem for me is that the park can't handle it.

DL is bursting at the seams, with walkways designed for way smaller groups of skinny people from the 50s. There are now millions more visitors per year than the park was ever designed to handle and most of those guests...take up more space, if for no other reason than strollers and ECVs.

DL has become an operational nightmare, and it has more attractions than any castle park. Meanwhile, even after its refresh, DCA sits mostly empty with wide walkways and half of the attendance annually of its big sister.

Star Wars Land will be insanely popular, and while it will add capacity, it's not enough. The park is now guaranteed to be insufferable for everyone for many years to come. Yay!

DL needs guests pulled away from it. DCA needs two or three life changing headliners, and Star Wars needs to be a third gate that pulls its own weight.

Putting Star Wars in DL is thematically controversial, but beyond that, it's going to make Disneyland a dismal experience, even moreso than it is now.

Thank you, this is actually a great answer I was hoping someone would put together to sway me. Too many have been loaded with people's (right or wrong) opinions - whether they are nostalgia laden or a disdain of theme. As well as prognostication (again rightly or wrongly) about the actual finalized execution.

Ideally, since we are fairly set in stone at this point, someone hopefully realizes this. Whether it be the parking garage, a possible Marvel expansion, Downtown Disney or what have you... These things better be done before grinding DL to a halt with Star Wars. That's what really worries me, if they march ahead with Star Wars at the behest of everything else that needs to be desperately dealt with first.

Again, I'd love Star Wars in a third gate (which is still not precluded), but I can only imagine the whining that would inevitably take place until 2025 (when it would open) about how they totally missed the boat on Star Wars.

 

[SYRIK2000]

When he's gone for months at a time and then comes out cannons blazing, I picture @WDW1974 holed up creating a Starkiller base and training some sort of group of rabid followers (a 1st Order of some type?) ready to attack. Then he sucks up the nearest star and starts firing on the WDWMagic message boards. What makes you decide it's time to triumphantly return?

1st Order Minions

 

[Disneyhead'71]

1st Order Minions

Is that The Minions sequel?

I live those guys!

 

[doctornick]

Been watching a fair bit of CNN International this week and they have had lots of Star Wars coverage. But I doubt they showed the report in the US of the Chinese premiere (Sunday night in Shanghai, I am sure the talent loved flying to China on Christmas weekend) and talked about how SW has no history and no reference points for the average person over there ...and how its success will all fall to marketing because of that. If you don't know who Han Solo is, then why would his dying resonate with you?

That has not been my experience. Generally, the puff pieces I've read in regards to Star Wars in China have pointed out that the franchise is not well known there...

Like this:

In the meantime, the studio is doing all it can to bring the Chinese masses up to speed on the adventures of Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and Lord Vader. None of the first three installments in the space saga screened in Chinese cinemas. When Star Wars: A New Hope premiered in 1977, China was just emerging from the ravages of the Cultural Revolution — Western entertainment was neither allowed nor of particular interest to most of the country's shell-shocked and impoverished population.

and this:

Disney has had to work hard for its "Star Wars" buzz in China. Though the franchise launched in 1977 - a year after the end of the Cultural Revolution and the death of China's founding leader Mao Zedong - the original films weren't shown in movie theatres until this June.

and this:

The world's most famous movie franchise is also surprisingly unknown in China. The original three films never received a wide theatrical release in the country, meaning Chinese movie fans of all ages harbor little of the Star Wars nostalgia that lurks in the hearts of millions of filmgoers elsewhere.

and this:

Disney has been pulling out the stops to raise awareness for the film, from creating a local digital hub for the franchise, to planting 500 Stormtroopers on the Great Wall, and inviting popular singer Lu Han as its China ambassador. With the movie-going demographic in China becoming increasingly younger, the former member of boy band EXO has got a social outreach that includes nearly 12 million followers on micro-blogging site Weibo.

I don't think either the media or Disney is ignoring the potential challenges for success of Star Wars in China. That said, they seem to have methodical in introducing the franchise there and IMHO I think they are prepared for the long game -- it seems to me that they want The Force Awakens to be the "intro" for the Chinese to Star Wars, so they get exposure to the franchise and learn more about it. But Rogue One is probably the one they expect/hope to be a biggest sell which is why they've put two Chinese stars in the movie. With the success of TFA, any money they get form China is gravy, but they surely hope that the huge hype of the film will lead to many Chinese being curious and to learn more about the film or, of course, go and see it in theaters -- and then hopefully get hooked and be interested in more of the product.

 

[Phil12]

That has not been my experience. Generally, the puff pieces I've read in regards to Star Wars in China have pointed out that the franchise is not well known there...

Like this:

and this:

and this:

and this:

I don't think either the media or Disney is ignoring the potential challenges for success of Star Wars in China. That said, they seem to have methodical in introducing the franchise there and IMHO I think they are prepared for the long game -- it seems to me that they want The Force Awakens to be the "intro" for the Chinese to Star Wars, so they get exposure to the franchise and learn more about it. But Rogue One is probably the one they expect/hope to be a biggest sell which is why they've put two Chinese stars in the movie. With the success of TFA, any money they get form China is gravy, but they surely hope that the huge hype of the film will lead to many Chinese being curious and to learn more about the film or, of course, go and see it in theaters -- and then hopefully get hooked and be interested in more of the product.

I see what you're trying to do. You're trying to confuse us all with facts!

 

[Disney Analyst]

Really good rebuttal of all these Star Wars critiques.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkai...of-the-most-disappointing-movies-of-the-year/

 

[Hakunamatata]

Really good rebuttal of all these Star Wars critiques.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkai...of-the-most-disappointing-movies-of-the-year/

Interesting info. I'm sure there will be those to come along and rip it to shreds, but good none the less.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Interesting info. I'm sure there will be those to come along and rip it to shreds, but good none the less.

Of course there will be... As everyone is entitled to their opinion, and everyone takes different things from movies. I completely agree with the points that article makes, and think it really shows the strength of the film....

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

It isn't - that was in context of the post I replied to in which there was a rant against how terrible TWDC was. OLC is not infallible and does not always deserve the ever so high pedestal we set them on, but they are still much better than people's ever so low expectations of TWDC. The fact that OLC is being as sluggish as DIS is a slight cause for concern.

I'm generally irked at TWDC's building speed as well obviously.

In this case, OLC is not to blame. WDI literally has not designed their expansions yet, which is why the "review period" has to be extended. There's nothing for OLC to review and sign off on. Everyone is being pulled to finish Shanghai, resulting in delays to every single other project on WDI's plate. And since WDI moved to project-based employment instead of just having a staff that stayed on no matter what, there aren't enough people to get the job done in time. WDI is great! The model works perfectly!

 

[Mike S]

In this case, OLC is not to blame. WDI literally has not designed their expansions yet, which is why the "review period" has to be extended. There's nothing for OLC to review and sign off on. Everyone is being pulled to finish Shanghai, resulting in delays to every single other project on WDI's plate. And since WDI moved to project-based employment instead of just having a staff that stayed on no matter what, there aren't enough people to get the job done in time. WDI is great! The model works perfectly!

So the concept art of Tokyo's expansions meant nothing?