A Spirited Perfect Ten

[GoofGoof]

Actually my list is @ParentsOf4's list with a couple of additions

Shark Reef
The re theme of PoTC to Cap'n Jack minor quibble I preferred the Pirates chasing the women
Bay Lake Tower they did a nice job in matching styles and creating a smooth transition between Contemporary and BLT
Festival of Fantasy parade - as a Scot how could I not like a parade with a bagpipe and a dragon

I don't know why people think I don't enjoy my visits to WDW I enjoy them very much but I've been going for a long time and I remember when the place was dripping with magical touches not so much today though

Nah, I know where you are coming from. Just messing with you. As the self proclaimed resident curmudgeon it's only fair

I agree on BLT. For me personally it's a positive since I like staying there. I know for a lot of others who aren't DVC owners and are unlikely to stay there it's not making the list of positives.

 

[asianway]

As far as I know, if you "donate" a certain amount to his website, you are given access to exclusive content.

Sort of like premium members here, but for this it sounds like you are paying for more interaction with Lou.

A social media Disney lifestyler GH. Nice

 

[Nick Pappagiorgio]

No doubt KI is not what it once was. My point, although simple, is that it has no problem supplying a day full of fun or an evening if that is what our schedule allows. As for the Reds themed Bar and Grill, yes it does not fit theme wise but it is still a decent place with decent food offerings.

So a Staggs replacement. . . I nominate @WDW1974 with support from @ParentsOf4 on the financials. . .

Agreed.

 

[Gabe1]

Hmm ... I hate to have to break out my tinfoil hat. But it's long been speculated Lou was directly or indirectly on the Disney payroll in some capacity. Odd he suddenly loses his love of Disney within a week or two of the head of Disney Social Media being wished well in his future endeavors.

Kind of like when that one Imagineer got reprimanded and suddenly Jimmy Thick quit posting here ...

- 71Jason (Bringing it back for the Thick One!)

I don't take a lot of stock in speculations of who Disney may or may not employ. Usually these type of rumors are tagged with sour grapes and gossip vs hard facts. Lou love him or hate him has been in Speaking engagements for over a year teaching the business of podcasts. This dude jumps around from business venture to business venture annually it seems. Pretty well documented though from his own posts it has not been as short as a week or two, more a year, year and half. He still seems to keep dipping his toe into Disney though, seems to be more of a hobby now over a lifestyle. Maybe even he has bored with it all since moving his whole family down into the thick of it from New Jersey.

 

[flyerjab]

Actually my list is @ParentsOf4's list with a couple of additions

Shark Reef
The re theme of PoTC to Cap'n Jack minor quibble I preferred the Pirates chasing the women
Bay Lake Tower they did a nice job in matching styles and creating a smooth transition between Contemporary and BLT
Festival of Fantasy parade - as a Scot how could I not like a parade with a bagpipe and a dragon

I don't know why people think I don't enjoy my visits to WDW I enjoy them very much but I've been going for a long time and I remember when the place was dripping with magical touches not so much today though

Aside from almost every post, I have no idea why people would think that you don't like WDW.

Two things I would need to add:

1) Villas at the Grand Floridian - biased as we bought there and I think that they have the nicest room design of any DVC or WDW resort hotel.
2) Just thought I would throw in the new Peter Pan queue. I know it's just a queue, but it is exquisitely done. Now let's get the ride refurbed!

 

[ThemeParkJunkee]

Received my TWDC Annual Report and Proxy information today. Read the stockholder meeting info and submitted my votes but haven't completely digested the annual report yet. It's tax season. I work six days a week. I'll keep it handy waiting for @ParentsOf4 to give updated analyses.

 

[The Duck]

I agree, but after all they have a former TV weatherman running the show now. They may wish to move up to full-fledged TV anchor. I hear Brian Williams might be looking for a new job.

Don't worry about Brian Williams. At least he has his NASA career to fall back on.

 

[Gabe1]

So am I understanding correctly, Joe Rohde will volunteer tomorrow at the University of Iowa to have a MRI so a doctor there who studies brains of geniuses can take a look into his creative genius brain? *phew*

That should be an interesting speech he presents in April at that University. Either it will be captivating or I'd need to walk out. Wonder which.

 

[dhall]

Comcast is the worst. But I have a system of going straight to the retention department every year to make sure they retain me as a customer.

We have the same system with Time-Warner, but only for one (two, max) cycles. Google''s a-comin'.

 

[Progress.City]

Keep in mind though that we aren't talking about being CEO of Comcast vs being CEO of TWDC. Comcast may be a bigger company, but the P&R segment of Disney is significantly larger than Universal Parks. It is a much more high profile role that will now report to the COO but has historically been a direct report to the CEO. The head or parks at Universal reports first to the president of Universal Pictures who then reports to Steve Burke (remember him?) who is the CEO of NBC Universal who then reports in to the actual Comcast CEO. And I thought Disney had an unnecessary web of beaurocracy.

Speaking of Steve Burke, I know there was some bad blood when he left Disney, but he could be an external candidate to run TWDC should Staggs not get the nod. He is too high up the food chain to want the P&R job, but CEO might be tempting. He has some theme park experience and has run 2 major networks now (ABC and NBC). I think his falling out was more with Eisner and that crew who are gone now.

The Disney BOD will need to try to lure in Steve Burk. They will need a multi-million bonus carrot to do it, which would be money well spent. I now believe Burk would be the perfect choice. Stags will only be selected if the BOD is lazy and just votes on the successor without going the extra mile to search externally. I don't believe this BOD will be passive when the time comes, but I've been disappointed before.

 

[Rodan75]

The Disney BOD will need to try to lure in Steve Burk. They will need a multi-million bonus carrot to do it, which would be money well spent. I now believe Burk would be the perfect choice. Stags will only be selected if the BOD is lazy and just votes on the successor without going the extra mile to search externally. I don't believe this BOD will be passive when the time comes, but I've been disappointed before.

Well Burke has next to no chance at rising to the big chair at Comcast, so it may not take as big a carrot as you are thinking. TWDC is pretty much the only CEO position of the size and scope Burke would likely be interested in.

 

[Progress.City]

Well Burke has next to no chance at rising to the big chair at Comcast, so it may not take as big a carrot as you are thinking. TWDC is pretty much the only CEO position of the size and scope Burke would likely be interested in.

But it will require a sign on bonus in the millions nonetheless, I would imagine. I don't think he would be too fussy about executive pay as long as it is more or matches what Comcast has him pinned for.

 

[GoofGoof]

The Disney BOD will need to try to lure in Steve Burk. They will need a multi-million bonus carrot to do it, which would be money well spent. I now believe Burk would be the perfect choice. Stags will only be selected if the BOD is lazy and just votes on the successor without going the extra mile to search externally. I don't believe this BOD will be passive when the time comes, but I've been disappointed before.

Iger made $47M last year. That's a pretty big carrot. If the board decides to pursue him it won't be money that holds things up. I think Burke had some kind of falling out with Eisner over micromanaging or something so that shouldn't be an issue.

Unfortunately I still think Staggs is plan A. If things go south over the next 3 years that could change, but it's not likely. ESPN's contracts are largely locked in for the next 3 years. If/when the 21 tentpole films (including 3 StarWars, multiple Marvel films and a few Pixar sequels) make billions and if the economy stays healthy driving P&R growth, TWDC should be flying high in 2018. The street will want Iger to stay. The best alternative the Board will have is offering up his #2. It will be a less risky transition at least in the eyes of Wall Street. Now if some of those films bomb and/or there is a sudden downturn in P&R then maybe some will be looking for a change and an external leader.

 

[ScoutN]

@WDW1974 Just got around to picking through this thread gradually over the last 10 days. Great posts and information as always! Glad to see a lower number of tangents than usual. I also noticed a resort with the RFID mug fill nonsense powered off.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Iger made $47M last year. That's a pretty big carrot. If the board decides to pursue him it won't be money that holds things up. I think Burke had some kind of falling out with Eisner over micromanaging or something so that shouldn't be an issue.

Unfortunately I still think Staggs is plan A. If things go south over the next 3 years that could change, but it's not likely. ESPN's contracts are largely locked in for the next 3 years. If/when the 21 tentpole films (including 3 StarWars, multiple Marvel films and a few Pixar sequels) make billions and if the economy stays healthy driving P&R growth, TWDC should be flying high in 2018. The street will want Iger to stay. The best alternative the Board will have is offering up his #2. It will be a less risky transition at least in the eyes of Wall Street. Now if some of those films bomb and/or there is a sudden downturn in P&R then maybe some will be looking for a change and an external leader.

Burke was being groomed by Eisner to be his successor. Bob did the end around and schmoozed the BoD. It was this BoD that passed on Burke causing him to leave. They will not get him back.

Burke as CEO and Ouimett as head of P&R would be a dream team. It's a shame both will refuse any offer from The Mouse House.

 

[GoofGoof]

Burke was being groomed by Eisner to be his successor. Bob did the end around and schmoozed the BoD. It was this BoD that passed on Burke causing him to leave. They will not get him back.

Burke as CEO and Ouimett as head of P&R would be a dream team. It's a shame both will refuse any offer from The Mouse House.

I had to go back and re-read that chapter from Disney War. The story from the book is that Burke reported to Iger at ABC before he left. He was first upset when Eisner decided to move the ABC headquarters and his job from NY to Burbank to be closer to Eisner. Eisner wanted a more active role in managing ABC. The final straw was when Eisner and the strategic planning group decided to sell ABC radio which was a division Burke ran without even talking to him. He bacame disillusioned with Eisner who he had considered a mentor and a friend. Then he took the Comcast job which most people considered a lesser position with a smaller company at the time. He had no love for Iger who he reported to at the time he left. He felt that Iger should have stood up to Eisner on both the headquarters move and radio station deal and pushed for things that were in the best interest of ABC.

Even if he had bad blood with the Board too, there is nobody left from the BOD from when Burke left in 1998 (except Iger who wasn't on the Board yet and we are assuming he steps down when he retires from the CEO job). I agree it's unlikely to happen, but it's not because he has bad blood with members of the Board.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

If anyone is interested, Google has updated the satellite imagery of Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland. The outlines of HK's Explorers Lodge are visible as well as work on The Iron Man Experience. Thanks to the local TV report and Theme Park Guy's photo update, you've seen the current state of the resort. However, there is an interesting series of buildings in the southeast corner of the resort which I hope @WDW1974 could possibly shed some light on given it's location on land that is supposed to be for "Future Development".

Also, Google could you please, please realign the road maps with the satellite imagery for the Chinese maps.

 

[RandySavage]

If anyone is interested, Google has updated the satellite imagery of Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland. The outlines of HK's Explorers Lodge are visible as well as work on The Iron Man Experience. Thanks to the local TV report and Theme Park Guy's photo update, you've seen the current state of the resort. However, there is an interesting series of buildings in the southeast corner of the resort which I hope @WDW1974 could possibly shed some light on given it's location on land that is supposed to be for "Future Development".
View attachment 82203
Also, Google could you please, please realign the road maps with the satellite imagery for the Chinese maps.

Nice find. That's a bit of shocker because it looks like the announced shopping village being developed by Value Retail and Shendi:

When I heard about this I never thought it would be inside the Shanghai Disney Resort proper, but it is and linked directly to the lake. I guess DLP's Val d'Europe shopping district is a similar idea. Very interesting.

As an aside, Google Maps for me is still showing the older imagery. How does one view the updated stuff?

 

[Smiddimizer]

If anyone is interested, Google has updated the satellite imagery of Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland. The outlines of HK's Explorers Lodge are visible as well as work on The Iron Man Experience. Thanks to the local TV report and Theme Park Guy's photo update, you've seen the current state of the resort. However, there is an interesting series of buildings in the southeast corner of the resort which I hope @WDW1974 could possibly shed some light on given it's location on land that is supposed to be for "Future Development".
View attachment 82203
Also, Google could you please, please realign the road maps with the satellite imagery for the Chinese maps.

"Take next exit to Bazao Port and say your last words."

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Nice find. That's a bit of shocker because it looks like the announced shopping village being developed by Value Retail and Shendi:

When I heard about this I never thought it would be inside the Shanghai Disney Resort proper, but it is and linked directly to the lake. I guess DLP's Val d'Europe shopping district is a similar idea. Very interesting.

As an aside, Google Maps for me is still showing the older imagery. How does one view the updated stuff?

I pulled up the new images on my iPad in the app.