A Spirited Perfect Ten

[CaptainAmerica]

Most likely. But again, how is that any different than other movie franchises?

Or, I don't know... comic books. Every comic book arc has been pointing towards the next, even bigger, even more spectacular comic book arc for 75 years.

 

[GLaDOS]

How many of those incremental clicks are paying customers? It's easy to get passholders to use their passes more frequently, but you don't get much more than a small bump in chicken strip sales from it. Potter brought people from Philadelphia on airplanes into hotel rooms. People who never would have come otherwise. Kong (and the like) will bring incremental clicks from passholders and locals.

Disney plays the same game with CM blockout dates. Clicks need a bump? Lift some blockout dates.

I'm not exactly sure why it matters if profits, revenue, and attendance is rising at meteoric rates? If Kong does all of them, it's a win. Not everything can or will be Potter. And Universal isn't dumb enough to expect that.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm not exactly sure why it matters if profits, revenue, and attendance is rising at meteoric rates? If Kong does all of them, it's a win.

I agree "If Kong does all of them, it's a win." I'm not convinced Kong will do all of them.

 

[GLaDOS]

I agree "If Kong does all of them, it's a win." I'm not convinced Kong will do all of them.

Which is something that many on this board said about Transformers. Yet here we are.

 

[Funmeister]

Kong ain't Potter.

Nope. You have to look at the big picture. It's not Potter but enough to keep the momentum going until the next announcement. Much easier and cheaper to keep the buzz machine going than letting it die like Disney currently has.

 

[Funmeister]

How many of those incremental clicks are paying customers? It's easy to get passholders to use their passes more frequently, but you don't get much more than a small bump in chicken strip sales from it. Potter brought people from Philadelphia on airplanes into hotel rooms. People who never would have come otherwise. Kong (and the like) will bring incremental clicks from passholders and locals.

Disney plays the same game with CM blockout dates. Clicks need a bump? Lift some blockout dates.

You are not looking at the big picture. Kong is/was never meant to be a magnet like Potter. It is being used to compliment the overall resort to keep the marketing and sales buzz alive as they continue to announce new offerings.

EDIT ADDITION: It gives them another reason to talk about their new resorts, shows and attractions. Kong is another log on the publicity fire keeping it burning long-term.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Dragon Challenge really needs to go IMO. It's an eyesore in a land that is otherwise extremely well themed.
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Honestly, I would much prefer the Forbidden Forest in this space as phase 3 over the Ministry of Magic in USF.

I couldn't agree more. I'm all for leveling it and putting in some Potter attractions without height requirements.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I'm not exactly sure why it matters if profits, revenue, and attendance is rising at meteoric rates? If Kong does all of them, it's a win. Not everything can or will be Potter. And Universal isn't dumb enough to expect that.

Folks on these threads sometimes obsess over attendance but increases to revenue and operating income are what's important.

I can't imagine Kong performing like Transformers & Springfield but I was wrong about the performance of those 2 additions. No reason I can't be wrong again.

The 33.7% gain in Universal Theme Parks revenue is a number Disney hasn't seen since Epcot opened (42.1%), although they were in the ballpark when DHS and Typhoon Lagoon both opened in 1989 (27.1%).

This is it though. 2015 should be the last year we see these monster revenue gains from Universal until they open another theme park.

What's really impressive is the $93 million (54.6%) gain in operating cash flow for the quarter, suggesting Diagon Alley could pay for itself this year, an impressive period of maturity for an amusement park investment. Diagon Alley seemed to start off slow but Comcast has to be pleased with the gains over the last 2 quarters.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Yes, apparently, Jim Hill's ex is back in the 'business' of Disney blogging. I always liked her considerably more than her boorish ex. I never knew her to make things up either. That wasn't -- and isn't -- The Fabulous Disney Babe's style.

That said, I'm not really sure what her new column is. It seems more like a Disney Headlines of The Week deal to cover for the fact that Micechat (and I love Todd and Norm to death!) hasn't had much in the way of hard news of late ... well, at all in 2015.

I do think they should correct that typo as there is a huge difference between $800,000 (what Mongello has buried under the lemon tree in his back yard, just in case!) and $800,000,000 (an amount I'd feel comfortable having!)

I'd love to see someone on Micechat, who is capable and has knowledge, write about SDL. But except for a few lines here and there (about delays or the new Soarin film) they really haven't touched the subject. I'd guess that Al Lutz might have chimed in on that unaccounted for money or the op-ed that was whitewashed (Disney CEO Fumbles Entry to China) from the 'net or even why nobody in Imagineering wants any part of heading over ... but Al is retired. Much better to pimp 37 podcasts.

For what it's worth, MiceChat has basically been the source of any and all Disneyland rumors for the 60th.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I would agree with all of the above really. I loved Guardians. But it did feel like a complete story ...one that could have a sequel or two, but one in which an entire story arc was successfully told. Avengers runs long ... and I read that Whedon cut over half an hour from the film (it will be on the DVD that every fanboi will purchase). How much of that is setting up the next 11 films that I might have no desire to see? I might be a fan of the Guardians or Iron Man ... but have zero interest in any other property they put out.

If I recall, you didn't have much interest in Guardians initially either.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

You are not looking at the big picture. Kong is/was never meant to be a magnet like Potter. It is being used to compliment the overall resort to keep the marketing and sales buzz alive as they continue to announce new offerings.

EDIT ADDITION: It gives them another reason to talk about their new resorts, shows and attractions. Kong is another log on the publicity fire keeping it burning long-term.

Are you local? People talk about the "Disney bubble" but there's an "Orlando bubble" that's probably even stronger. Up here in the great white north, there is no "overall" marketing and sales buzz surrounding Universal Orlando. There's Potter buzz and it's dying. Walk through a middle-class office park any Anytown, New England, and I bet you get less than 1% of people who would have any clue that there's a Transformers attraction at USO or that there's a Kong attraction on the way.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I read that Whedon cut over half an hour from the film (it will be on the DVD that every fanboi will purchase).

I think it was up around (maybe above) an hour. And I'm absolutely a fanboi who will purchase the bluray (GTFO with the DVD).

 

[RSoxNo1]

And that's where we're going to put the brand new Frozen themed Journey into Imagination! We even got Randy Newman to write us a new song for it! Check this out!

"One little flake, precipitation,
Is the heart of a Frozen nation.
Here's a butt joke, it's funny don't you know?
One little flake, now let it go."

My former podcast co-host Paul did quite a few Randy Newman versions of songs... they always killed me.

 

[Mike S]

Folks on these threads sometimes obsess over attendance but increases to revenue and operating income are what's important.

I can't imagine Kong performing like Transformers & Springfield but I was wrong about the performance of those 2 additions. No reason I can't be wrong again.

The 33.7% gain in Universal Theme Parks revenue is a number Disney hasn't seen since Epcot opened (42.1%), although they were in the ballpark when DHS and Typhoon Lagoon both opened in 1989 (27.1%).

This is it though. 2015 should be the last year we see these monster revenue gains from Universal until they open another theme park.

What's really impressive is the $93 million (54.6%) gain in operating cash flow for the quarter, suggesting Diagon Alley could pay for itself this year, an impressive period of maturity for an amusement park investment. Diagon Alley seemed to start off slow but Comcast has to be pleased with the gains over the last 2 quarters.

What about when Fast & Furious and the Marvel expansion open? Those could potentially be big earners as well.

 

[GLaDOS]

There's Potter buzz and it's dying.

Clearly the numbers indicate just that!

Oh wait.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Clearly the numbers indicate just that!

Oh wait.

I didn't say anything about "the numbers." If @Funmeister can throw out anecdotal and nebulous comments about "marketing and sales buzz," then so can I. I get that the numbers are strong. I'm just sharing that in "my world," (northeasterners with children and HHI between $50K and $150K, i.e. Universal's core audience), I don't see that buzz.

 

[Funmeister]

Are you local? People talk about the "Disney bubble" but there's an "Orlando bubble" that's probably even stronger. Up here in the great white north, there is no "overall" marketing and sales buzz surrounding Universal Orlando. There's Potter buzz and it's dying. Walk through a middle-class office park any Anytown, New England, and I bet you get less than 1% of people who would have any clue that there's a Transformers attraction at USO or that there's a Kong attraction on the way.

You do realize guests come from all over and not just "Anytown, New England?" Once again you are missing the big picture. I am not going to try to explain it to you beyond this post. Universal uses Transformers and Kong as a reason to gain media attention talk about the resort as a whole. See it as bait. Disney does (or used to do) the same thing. When they announce Kong there will most likely be a mention or additional releases about Cabana Bay or the new resort(s) they are building.

Kong is not meant to sustain Potter momentum on it's own. Also do not define Universal, Disney or the overall Orlando market to just the "great white north." They are global.

 

[Funmeister]

I didn't say anything about "the numbers." If @Funmeister can throw out anecdotal and nebulous comments about "marketing and sales buzz," then so can I. I get that the numbers are strong. I'm just sharing that in "my world," (northeasterners with children and HHI between $50K and $150K, i.e. Universal's core audience), I don't see that buzz.

No...you are all over the place. You are using bits and pieces of one argument to justify another.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

You do realize guests come from all over and not just "Anytown, New England?" Once again you are missing the big picture. I am not going to try to explain it to you beyond this post. Universal uses Transformers and Kong as a reason to gain media attention talk about the resort as a whole. See it as bait. Disney does (or used to do) the same thing. When they announce Kong there will most likely be a mention or additional releases about Cabana Bay or the new resort(s) they are building.

Kong is not meant to sustain Potter momentum on it's own. Also do not define Universal, Disney or the overall Orlando market to just the "great white north." They are global.

Oy. Yes. I do get it. They "use Transformers and Kong as a reason to gain media attention."

GOT IT.

I'm saying: They're not GETTING media attention outside of the Orlando market. Nobody cares (outside of the Orlando market).

 

[GLaDOS]

I'm saying: They're not GETTING media attention outside of the Orlando market. Nobody cares (outside of the Orlando market).

Which is why Transformers gave the park a 14% attendance boost. Right. Got it.