A Spirited Perfect Ten

[Mike S]

Sounds like an exciting week coming up!

It will be a very interesting week for sure but I don't think it could top one of the last weeks we've had. That's just my opinion though

 

[ford91exploder]

This still makes no sense. There was no reason to go through the hassle of getting Disney involved just to kick them to the curb. There are plenty of people out there with the expertise to be hired. That's how stuff like Chime-long Ocean Kingdom get built (and designed in St. Louis).

Yes but the other companies would not kick money into the BUILDING of the resort, They are strictly fee for service. If you had done any work in china you would understand Disney executives NOT being allowed into the joint venture is a giant FOXTROT-UNIFORM from a cultural perspective.

It's saying 'You are not welcome here' Chinese hosts are USUALLY extremely gracious and accomodating to their partners, The fact that this is not the case speaks volumes.

 

[WDW1974]

I have a friend on the Transatlantic cruise. I am very curious to hear her impressions of how they handled that!

Cruises have never been an interest to me. Being trapped on a boat with hundreds of out of control kids and knowing Disney, no enforced "adults only" zones... It is pretty much my definition of torture. Plus, I have moral objections to the way they staff the boats.

Cruising is a great way of getting away from it all. And DCL truly is one of the best lines at sea. ... I don't give praise easily or lightly. They've earned my business every time I've cruised ... and while I am not (likely) taking a trip with them this year, I do have two booked for 2016.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I'm not shocked by the mixed reviews....ever since The Incredibles and people pushed the Ayn Rand"s philosophy onto Brad Bird works, its kinda been sticking and people are looking for it on purpose with Tomorrowland.

Now I know I pushed feminism earlier this week, but can Ayn Rand go do some work for Larry Flint? Or at least get back in the kitchen and make me a sammich and knock off the crap?

 

[WDW1974]

I take it then, there were never any CM discounts. We took the very first Trans-Atlantic cruise, and since no one knew the appeal, they practically gave it away. It seemed, like every 2 weeks my Mom was calling to get re-booked at a cheaper and cheaper price. When the itinerary for this one was released, we were going to go. But then cancer, so we never kept up with the price. We do have friends that went, so it will be interesting to hear what they thought when they get back.

Never saw/heard of CM discounts for Transatlantic. There were discounts for the Panama Canal this year, though.
Had great CM rates for the last 5-nighter out of Miami before the Canal, but couldn't go ... darn CM friend had a graduation to deal with instead. I have often said his priorities are way off!

As to the changes, I've been lucky. In my 19 cruises (six with DCL) I've never had to skip any port due to weather or unforeseen circumstances.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yes but the other companies would not kick money into the BUILDING of the resort, They are strictly fee for service. If you had done any work in china you would understand Disney executives NOT being allowed into the joint venture is a giant FOXTROT-UNIFORM from a cultural perspective.

It's saying 'You are not welcome here' Chinese hosts are USUALLY extremely gracious and accomodating to their partners, The fact that this is not the case speaks volumes.

Except that Disney is getting an unusual level of control in building and construction. You keep trying to bring up Disney's payments, but they are a pittance to what is being put into it by the city. There is no sense in a decades long scheme just to save a few pennies AND mar China's forward movement with a public screw over. China wants to be a global player, and that only happens with structures, the very reason attacking graft is so important.

 

[WDW1974]

Lou's latest "gimmick" is that if you buy his limited edition autographed 2 CD tour of Tomorrowland, you are entered into a contest for a guided 4 hour tour of the MK from him. That sounds like such a great tiZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

But as I've said before, I really don't blame him for doing what he does. Disney allows it, even seems to support it, so by all means why not push it as far as you can for as long as you can. I dare say that if any of us had given up a job as a lawyer, moved to Orlando to podcast and visit Disney Parks full time (sounds even more ridiculous when I type it), we would all do the same thing.

Lou Mongello is WDW's No. 1 BRAND Advocate. No, he isn't paid a salary by TWDC. But he is given freebies left and right, and lies completely that he has never taken anything from them.

But it's a mutual relationship and Disney gets someone who has a cult following akin to a Jim Jones. They allow him all sorts of special access to help his site get more clicks, which in turn allows him to sell more products and makes him wealthier. Both sides intimately know what they are doing, what they are getting from the relationship. ... And I know lawyers who wouldn't do what Lou has. My gut says he was a small-time ambulance chaser that wasn't exactly making it as an attorney. I feel quite safe in saying that Lou's empire brings him six figures every year after taxes (if he pay them and all!)

As for Morgan, I'm assuming they only made her stop selling the Disney stickers? Her site is still up an surprisingly, she's using the term Magic Band which I'm guessing Disney has not yet trademarked?

Morgan was/is a small-time Lifestyler. I recall her talking about Disney Security 'stalking' her and her child through DD when she first started selling those band covers. She is of zero importance to TDO and the CP Social Media Cabal. That's why they don't invite her to things and why she wasn't allowed to continue her little business venture, which I said wouldn't last here on the boards and it apparently hurt her feelings. Who knew Lifestylers even had feelings?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Lou Mongello is WDW's No. 1 BRAND Advocate. No, he isn't paid a salary by TWDC. But he is given freebies left and right, and lies completely that he has never taken anything from them.

But it's a mutual relationship and Disney gets someone who has a cult following akin to a Jim Jones. They allow him all sorts of special access to help his site get more clicks, which in turn allows him to sell more products and makes him wealthier. Both sides intimately know what they are doing, what they are getting from the relationship. ... And I know lawyers who wouldn't do what Lou has. My gut says he was a small-time ambulance chaser that wasn't exactly making it as an attorney. I feel quite safe in saying that Lou's empire brings him six figures every year after taxes (if he pay them and all!)



Morgan was/is a small-time Lifestyler. I recall her talking about Disney Security 'stalking' her and her child through DD when she first started selling those band covers. She is of zero importance to TDO and the CP Social Media Cabal. That's why they don't invite her to things and why she wasn't allowed to continue her little business venture, which I said wouldn't last here on the boards and it apparently hurt her feelings. Who know Lifestylers even had feelings?

You caught the part where Lou gets $41k/year from his patrons, right?

 

[WDW1974]

They placed themselves in a situation that's almost like uncharted territory. Had only they taken the time to see how other western companies deal w China, I think Disney would be in a far better relationship than the strained ties it currently has with Shendi.

Well, it isn't really uncharted territory. Major American companies have been over there since the 90s ... from GM to Pepsi/YUM Brands to Apple to Starbucks. And Viacom blazed the way for American media companies/content producers many years ago.

Disney just doesn't get a grasp of their audiences when they move into another country. TDL was a huge success from Day 1, but no nation (especially at that time) like Japan had such an appetite for American pop culture. This company bungled theme park/resorts openings in Paris and Hong Kong to put things into perspective.

Going into the mainland like they were on top wasn't the way to go; you earn street cred and they had pretty much none in China (the HKDL screwing didn't help, either). After Michael Eisner left, it's a miracle this deal was even made. As much as I can't stand him, I give the credit to Jay Rasulo because he was the only top Burbank exec that the Chinese could tolerate (many actually like him).

 

[ford91exploder]

Except that Disney is getting an unusual level of control in building and construction. You keep trying to bring up Disney's payments, but they are a pittance to what is being put into it by the city. There is no sense in a decades long scheme just to save a few pennies AND mar China's forward movement with a public screw over. China wants to be a global player, and that only happens with structures, the very reason attacking graft is so important.

I do business in China, I understand how it WORKS people here keep trying to believe China is like the west but with music which has a 5 tone scale, Yes the the city has SOME money invested but not as much as you think,
The land it sits on was FREE as there is no such thing as private property rights in China, So the City simply evicted whoever had the land beforehand.

China will do what benefits CHINA at the moment, They dont care what the press or the public think, Best way to think about them is as a government composed entirely of Honey Badgers.

As to graft it's not graft when the regional goverment approves it, As to the appearance China knows for every company scared off there will be 3 who want to try and do business.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I do business in China, I understand how it WORKS people here keep trying to believe China is like the west but with music which has a 5 tone scale, Yes the the city has SOME money invested but not as much as you think,
The land it sits on was FREE as there is no such thing as private property rights in China, So the City simply evicted whoever had the land beforehand.

China will do what benefits CHINA at the moment, They dont care what the press or the public think, Best way to think about them is as a government composed entirely of Honey Badgers.

As to graft it's not graft when the regional goverment approves it, As to the appearance China knows for every company scared off there will be 3 who want to try and do business.

You're not the only person in the world allowed to do business in China, nor does that make you an expert. What is best for China is building structures, and none of that is accomplished with what you suggest.

 

[ford91exploder]

You're not the only person in the world allowed to do business in China, nor does that make you an expert. What is best for China is building structures, and none of that is accomplished with what you suggest.

Do YOU do business in China? We do both manufacturing and real estate and it's a D-----ed tricky place to do business for westerners. One reason for that is the Chinese are not trade oriented they are mercantilists, They only want your money not your goods or ideas.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Do YOU do business in China? We do both manufacturing and real estate and it's a D-----ed tricky place to do business for westerners. One reason for that is the Chinese are not trade oriented they are mercantilists, They only want your money not your goods or ideas.

I don't discuss what I do, but there you go contradicting yourself again.

 

[Cesar R M]

Just had some interesting information cross my cyber-desk as the sun rises on a Monday -- but not just any Monday for Robert A. Iger and The Walt Disney Company -- in the Far East.

Thanks to a kind stranger (yet one who has been thoroughly vetted) I have the week's plans for the Iger/Burbank Delegation in China as they attempt to open what's billed as the world's largest Disney Store (I'm thinking chain store here and not World of Disney size), premiere Tomorrowland (in a country where star George Clooney has been an outspoken critic of the Chinese leadership and their human rights record) and do a site tour/staged event out at the Shanghai Disneyland Resort.

Now, I could simply place it all out here. I don't get the idea my source cares one bit if it gets traced back to them, and it is sure to at this point. But I'd rather just wait ... and see, see just how bad the relationship between Disney/Iger and Shendi/the CCP really is at this juncture. Because it sure seems like Disney is going to need a miracle from Walt to pull this one off -- looking like Disney has ANY say or control of 'its' resort in the mainland.

So, I'm going to wait and see what happens ... it should be very telling, as if the past six years haven't been.
Right now, Disney's own advance team isn't being allowed access to the SDL site at all (you'll never read that in the WSJ -- please, someone here send an email to Ben Fritz. Not that he'll do anything, but it's always good to know you called someone out on being in the pocket of the company they cover.) after Disney's ABC News division sent a crew to the resort this week (pre-arranged) to get footage and interviews for the big 'coming out week' and was summarily sent packing in a very hostile fashion.

 

[TalkingHead]

Hey, Spirit, if you ever run into Matthew Weiner, tell him Mad Men ran half-a-season too long.

I've not been a fan of the last few episodes, and I can't say the finale was any better. I won't be shocked if the reviews are mixed, but I think most reviewers, if you gave them a truth serum, would admit to being disappointed.

Overall, it really feels like the series that got away from Weiner.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Hey, Spirit, if you ever run into Matthew Weiner, tell him Mad Men ran half-a-season too long.

I've not been a fan of the last few episodes, and I can't say the finale was any better. I won't be shocked if the reviews are mixed, but I think most reviewers, if you gave them a truth serum, would admit to being disappointed.

Overall, it really feels like the series that got away from Weiner.

I don't know if I agree. Tonight's episode, as well as the week prior, was very good. It gave the series the best possible ending and the completion of Don's character arc.

 

[Tigger1988]

I don't know if I agree. Tonight's episode, as well as the week prior, was very good. It gave the series the best possible ending and the completion of Don's character arc.

Agreed, the last 60 seconds were brilliant if you put the pieces together. The last 3 episodes were solid, everyone's story got wrapped up for better or worse. Except Sal, we never heard from him again.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Hey, Spirit, if you ever run into Matthew Weiner, tell him Mad Men ran half-a-season too long.

I've not been a fan of the last few episodes, and I can't say the finale was any better. I won't be shocked if the reviews are mixed, but I think most reviewers, if you gave them a truth serum, would admit to being disappointed.

Overall, it really feels like the series that got away from Weiner.

I don't agree at all, the show is abstract and the character development is the crux of it all. That last episode was great for each character, solidifying who they are and I feel it was written in a way that really connected with anyone who has watched every episode.

 

[bhg469]

I liked it a lot. I was definitely ready for it to end on that shot of don and it would have been a let down. Then... Brilliant!

 

[1023]

I liked it a lot. I was definitely ready for it to end on that shot of don and it would have been a let down. Then... Brilliant!

Guys.... Please no spoilers.... I haven't watched the second half of the season on purpose. I am going to binge it next weekend....

*1023*