A Spirited Perfect Ten

[WDW1974]

Is it correct when it says Shanghai Disneyland park will be 225 acres? If so, woah. Biggest DL style park ever.

That could be everything that is being developed, including the hotels and shopping area outside the park.

That is it. And accurate.

 

[71jason]

I'd love to see it. I thought someone here commented about seeing that happen on a DCL voyage recently ...
My take is they'd not know how to deal with it, like if Bob Iger had to answer a question he didn't know was coming ... it would be like a naked person running thru a church during a service (not that I'd know what that's like, just thought the analogy worked!)

Not exactly the same, but for a brief time a friend of mine was the MC/face of "Disney Live" (basically "Disney on Ice" without an ice skating). Part of his job was to make the rounds to the local morning shows--"Wake Up Wichita!" or whatever--to promote that the show was in-town. He always had Mickey waiting right off camera so that if an uncomfortable, non-Disney approved question came up, he could cut the host off and say, "Hey, look who just arrived!!! My good friend Mickey!!!" Interview over.

 

[WDW1974]

Glad to hear you enjoyed Jingle Cruise, we did have a pretty decent group of CP's working for us this season. Sorry to have missed you but this guy doesn't go out into the river at night. Although, I may have been running the ride that night.

Did it three times, all at night, and totally forgot to see if you were around. The skippers were terrific (I had all gals, btw).

 

[ford91exploder]

That's a good read on what China does well: BUILD, BUILD and BUILD BIG!

I do worry about where it all is going. The whole Ghost City deal isn't a joke. You can't just build it and hope they will come. Doesn't work that way. But since I wish to work there again, that's really all I intend to say about this.

Indeed - I also don't want to say much as I've got a business multiple entry visa... So I'm very familar with China and I DO admire them.

 

[ford91exploder]

Did it three times, all at night, and totally forgot to see if you were around. The skippers were terrific (I had all gals, btw).

Did you get the one (Hannah I think) where the boys have waterbeds on the first floor and the girls have air mattresses on the second. I really liked the Jingle Cruise this year.

 

[Nemo14]

The pricing tactics may have changed, but the sell at any cost 'tude has been there for at least 15 years. It was about that long ago when my brother and I took a tour at the BW (they were selling Beach Club which hadn't opened yet) and in those days they actually gave a free lunch for two at Spoodles after the tour.

When I made it clear to Bruce (who claimed he sold the very first DVC at OKW, no likely BS sales story there) that we just wanted to see the model, get the sales materials and get our free lunch, he became borderline belligerent turning red and asking why anyone would take a tour just 'for a free lunch'' ... well, gee, maybe it's because you offered that in order to waste our time viewing your product.

He then left us in the room to get the meal voucher for 20 minutes (I kid you not, I had to go interrupt another sales presentation to demand our voucher, which definitely put the other tour folks in a less than wanting to buy mood.)

That kind of reminds me of our experience way back when Old Key West was the only DVC. The first year it opened we were saying at CBR and had a message on our room phone inviting us to tour the new resort in exchange for a $50 meal voucher which we could use at a choice of restaurants on property (this was back in the day when an ADR could be had without 6 months notice). We did the tour, used the voucher and continued our magical vacation. The next year we got the same offer and we did the same thing. We had no intention of purchasing, but enjoyed checking the place out. The following year we got a similar offer, and when they went to start the spiel, we told them we had seen and heard it before and were just there for our voucher. Our friendly DVC guide instantly turned into the a very unmagical CM and reluctantly gave us our voucher but told us we would never be invited to one of these again.

We enjoyed our dinner anyway...

 

[the.dreamfinder]

The pricing tactics may have changed, but the sell at any cost 'tude has been there for at least 15 years. It was about that long ago when my brother and I took a tour at the BW (they were selling Beach Club which hadn't opened yet) and in those days they actually gave a free lunch for two at Spoodles after the tour.

When I made it clear to Bruce (who claimed he sold the very first DVC at OKW, no likely BS sales story there) that we just wanted to see the model, get the sales materials and get our free lunch, he became borderline belligerent turning red and asking why anyone would take a tour just 'for a free lunch'' ... well, gee, maybe it's because you offered that in order to waste our time viewing your product.

He then left us in the room to get the meal voucher for 20 minutes (I kid you not, I had to go interrupt another sales presentation to demand our voucher, which definitely put the other tour folks in a less than wanting to buy mood.)



Agreed.

I can't wait for the groundbreaking journos at World News Tonight to cover manipulative DVC sales tactics.

 

[DisneyElephant]

I put a post on that thread. But I am not impressed. They will be nice enough, I'm sure. But it isn't like DVC has improved its product as far as design, size, materials used, furniture etc with each new resort. Just look at the size of a studio at OKW if you need to know what direction Disney has gone in. Or take a look at the plain white plates at the DAK Lodge Villas because guests allegedly stole the nice themed plates (that we saw for sale as Cast Connection).

I find all Disney resort pricing to largely be in a range that starts at absurd and travels a short way to obscene. Are these priced any more crazy than $250 a night for Pop Century or $900 for a Grand Flo room at Christmas? I don't know. I do know the ONLY way I stay at any WDW resort now is with DVC points or a 50/60% cast discount during value season, so it's pretty obvious how I feel about pricing.

The bigger picture is what I talked about in the 8th Wonder thread and that is Disney's plans to remove more deluxe resort (and, possibly, moderate) inventory and convert it into timeshare. That simply tells you two things: 1.) Their pricing model no longer works and they can't fill rooms at those rates; and 2.) They are looking for a fast cash-grab that looks good in those earnings reports and covers other shortcomings.

I'm not sure where the pricing department lives in the greater overall Disney organization, but I have to wonder how long some of those people in that department and their marketing have been there. I say this because in the last year, we had a big change in our Marketing Department where I work (in the entertainment industry). We're a decent sized organization that has been around for 50 years. And you'd think we'd be able to capitalize on that, but our Marketing Director, who had been there for a good 10-12 years, was still convinced that her tactics were the right ones, the same ones that the organization and others like it have been using for 20 years that were no longer working. She blamed the public and that people simply weren't interested in our product, it wasn't her choices as a Marketing Director. Well, after the season, they fired her, sorry "decided to go in another direction with our marketing department" and so she was let go. About 2 months later, a woman (I could almost say girl because in the grand scheme she's on the young side), was hired as a Marketing consultant. Within 6 months, we are exceeding our sales goals by 10's of thousands simply because she has completely revamped the entire department, all of our marketing efforts, and our completely stale sales pitches that were clearly no longer effective (which was already true when I started there 6 years ago as a low-level sales person before I got my current job). And reaching a younger demographic as well, which is VERY hard to do in my line of work.

So if something like that is possible by bringing in new, possibly young, fresh blood to an organization like the one I work at, why on EARTH wouldn't it be true at Disney, a company that has SO much more clout. Why has no one at the top understood or seen this? Is it a Board/shareholder thing? They could be at risk of tipping over the line of a downward spiral. People in my generation aren't suckers, we're smarter than you think as and the same old sales pitches don't work on us. Not even with Disney.

Anyway...just sayin'...

 

[nor'easter]

It's all who you know and who you can influence and laws are malleable to say the least.

So....not that much different after all.....

 

[WDW1974]

Passport to Dreams has a really good retrospective on the bad stuff that happened this year (NOS, Poly waterfall, Maelstrom) and that previous loss of faith that occurred back in the late 90s.
http://passport2dreams.blogspot.com/2015/01/notes-on-time-that-was-not-happy.html

Foxxy does a generally good job out of all the fanboi bloggers (is she a she? a he? does it matter?) and I did read that column. I thought for someone basing the thing on emotion that she did a good job of articulating why there is such a huge divide between folks who are fans of Disney from before Y2K and those after.

It is something that I have been saying for years. Trying to explain why the BAH didn't belong to someone who has never known a Studios park without it ... trying to explain a WDW without FP or where you didn't have to make reservations to dine at quality full serve restaurants etc to someone who wasn't even born in 1974 or 1984, let alone have years of vivid memories as well as photos and marketing materials from those days is a recipe for an online circular argument.

WDW wasn't about the Disney BRAND for its first quarter of a century plus. It was about creating immersive themed environments that transported you to a different time or place or an idealized version of a place that may have existed or not. But it wasn't all about the BRAND.

What these people ... these fans don not realize is that just because a giant media corp uses Walt Disney's name or like ness or his creations does not mean this was his vision or that he'd support it in any way. Now, maybe I need to accept that Walt Disney was dead before I was even born ... and that he was dead decades before many of today's fans were. Maybe that's why it's so easy for them to think that Darth Vader and the Incredible Hulk are as Disney as Mickey or Donald. But they're not. Not even as Disney as Buzz or Kermit (creations that have Disney DNA in them). And at the end of the day (and post) you have to decide are you more a fan of Walt Disney's 'Disney' or even Card Walker's (no, not Michael Crawford and Andy Castro's imaginary friend) and Ron Miller's 'Disney' or Michael and Frank's 'Disney' or are you a fan of Bob Iger's 'Disney' .. of his vision (such as it may be). I am not. Not at all.

And that's where the online battles rage.

 

[WDW1974]

@WDW1974
Doesn't seem like Sandra is trying to stay on Disney's good side with this:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-animal-kingdom-elephants-20150112-story.html

One story doesn't mean much ... the Sentinel did much worse on poor Sea World.

You have to do something like that every so often for appearance sake ... kind of like when your parents have a marriage in name only yet show up together at a family gathering just to keep the tongues wagging.

 

[Goofyernmost]

That's a good read on what China does well: BUILD, BUILD and BUILD BIG!

I do worry about where it all is going. The whole Ghost City deal isn't a joke. You can't just build it and hope they will come. Doesn't work that way. But since I wish to work there again, that's really all I intend to say about this.

Just out of curiosity does the Chinese Government really know who WDW1974 is? Is that how you introduce yourself when there? I think it's pretty safe giving that opinion without fear of reprisal.

 

[Mr Bill]

Did something cancel or delay yesterday's FoF parade at MK? I ask because I apparently had booked a FP for it, when I thought I'd be up there this week, and was sent a notification saying it was not available.

That would have been mother nature. Heavy rain hit mid-afternoon yesterday.

 

[Darth Sidious]

I'd love to see it. I thought someone here commented about seeing that happen on a DCL voyage recently ...
My take is they'd not know how to deal with it, like if Bob Iger had to answer a question he didn't know was coming ... it would be like a naked person running thru a church during a service (not that I'd know what that's like, just thought the analogy worked!)

DVC's big push in sales has always been based on if you were to pay rack rate for the same DVC accommodations every year with prices going up and no discounting whatsoever. Oh, and that still is based on paying it all upfront. That has been their spiel for decades now on why DVC is a value. And, yes, based on that set of 'what ifs', it is. ... It's just a crazy scenario because 99% of the people would never be going for 1 and 2 bedroom villas and/or paying rack rate and/or doing it annually or multiple times a year. ... As soon as you say something like 'well, what if I don't need more than a regular room at the WL and I can get the room at 40-60% off rack rate?' they want nothing to do with you or they become nasty.

Speaking of Bob and questions... Any idea how good his investor services team is? I would assume he has one coach him prior to earnings and investor releases. I'd imagine they need to coach him on more than just numbers since a company like Disney is bound to get left field questions about things such as when Song of the South will be rereleased.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Well there has been some progress... The top of the hat is gone.

 

[180º]

Foxxy does a generally good job out of all the fanboi bloggers (is she a she? a he? does it matter?) and I did read that column.

She's a she. Foxx Nolte. (If it matters)

 

[ford91exploder]

Just out of curiosity does the Chinese Government really know who WDW1974 is? Is that how you introduce yourself when there? I think it's pretty safe giving that opinion without fear of reprisal.

Oh if you do ANY work involving the Chinese Gov't they know EXACTLY who you are and they are not shy about sharing things like website handles to let you KNOW they know. China is a very unique place.

 

[CentralFLlife]

Here's are stories to get you started, I don't want to hijack the thread

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/chi...iant-brought-to-its-knees-in-china-54204.html

http://www.unfinishedman.com/chines...-clones-of-audi-a4-infiniti-ex-and-vw-tiguan/

http://www.carnewschina.com/2012/04/27/jeep-cherokee-is-still-in-production-in-china/

Also google CHONDA - China has copied and sells nearly all of Honda's small engines and ALL the parts are bolt on compatible, As soon as Honda gets one shut down it reopens the next day with 'new' ownership.

And to @ParentsOf4 's point FIAT is trying to set up ANOTHER 'joint venture' guess some companies NEVER learn.

Chrysler, Audi, Infiniti, and VW producing those cars in China had absolutely nothing to do with them stealing their design. China would've copied those cars even if the manufacturers didn't produce them there. They just made it easier by doing so.

The X5 and F150 were never built in China yet these exist

 

[ford91exploder]

Chrysler, Audi, Infiniti, and VW producing those cars in China had absolutely nothing to do with them stealing their design. China would've copied those cars even if the manufacturers didn't produce them there. They just made it easier by doing so.

The X5 and F150 were never built in China yet these exist

Access to tooling made the job much easier

 

[Cesar R M]

I put a post on that thread. But I am not impressed. They will be nice enough, I'm sure. But it isn't like DVC has improved its product as far as design, size, materials used, furniture etc with each new resort. Just look at the size of a studio at OKW if you need to know what direction Disney has gone in. Or take a look at the plain white plates at the DAK Lodge Villas because guests allegedly stole the nice themed plates (that we saw for sale as Cast Connection).

I find all Disney resort pricing to largely be in a range that starts at absurd and travels a short way to obscene. Are these priced any more crazy than $250 a night for Pop Century or $900 for a Grand Flo room at Christmas? I don't know. I do know the ONLY way I stay at any WDW resort now is with DVC points or a 50/60% cast discount during value season, so it's pretty obvious how I feel about pricing.

The bigger picture is what I talked about in the 8th Wonder thread and that is Disney's plans to remove more deluxe resort (and, possibly, moderate) inventory and convert it into timeshare. That simply tells you two things: 1.) Their pricing model no longer works and they can't fill rooms at those rates; and 2.) They are looking for a fast cash-grab that looks good in those earnings reports and covers other shortcomings.

After reading all the mess.. I feel sorry for that CEO that will have to fix all the Iger's "fast cash-grab" movements and the entire DVC castle of cards, when it falls down.