The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
Germany's per capita income is lower than that of the Netherlands. Forever the poor backwater of the Dutch, who should build a wall along the German border and let them pay for it.
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A Terror-rific Spirited 13th (ToT fans have lots to fear)...
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The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
Speaking of DLP, TWDC taken to criminal court, as shareholders sue TWDC for artificially lowering profit and undervaluing DLP:
Euro Disney Shareholders battle with Walt Disney over Disneyland Paris licensing fees
Posted on December 13, 2016by Salon Mickey
CITY A.M. on Sunday also reported on the legal action being taken by French hedge fund Charity Investment Asset Management against The Walt Disney Company and Euro Disney S.C.A.
Walt Disney has charged Euro Disney nearly €1bn in licensing fees over the past decade, and minority shareholders have had enough, saying the American entertainment giant is preventing the owner of Disneyland Paris from making a profit.
Reports show Charity Investment Asset Management (CIAM), a French hedge fund, said Walt Disney scooped €930m (£780m) in royalties allowing Euro Disney to use characters like Mickey Mouse at a rate at least three times the standard market practice.
CIAM has taken the company to French criminal courts for misuse of corporate assets, publication of inaccurate accounts and misleading information, while fighting a second civil case for shareholders to be reimbursed the nearly €1bn of overpaid fees.
The firm has also said Walt Disney hid the value of 5,000 acres of land around Paris which Euro Disney is developing. Walt Disney offered €1.25 a share, but CIAM said the land was independently valued at €1.9bn, which works out to €2.40 a share.
The struggling theme park had a particularly tough year as terrorist attacks in Paris caused tourism figures to slump. It lost €858m in the year to September 30.
Walt Disney said the action was “utterly without merit”.
The animated cartoon creator doubled its stake to 77 per cent last year after a debt-for-equity swap was approved by French officials.
Shares in the company have lost more than 90 per cent of their value since the company went public in 1989.
CIAM’s co-founder Anne-Sophie d’Andlau said the firm thinks Walt Disney plans to take Euro Disney out of the market without properly valuing the company.
Posted on December 13, 2016by Salon Mickey
CITY A.M. on Sunday also reported on the legal action being taken by French hedge fund Charity Investment Asset Management against The Walt Disney Company and Euro Disney S.C.A.
Walt Disney has charged Euro Disney nearly €1bn in licensing fees over the past decade, and minority shareholders have had enough, saying the American entertainment giant is preventing the owner of Disneyland Paris from making a profit.
Reports show Charity Investment Asset Management (CIAM), a French hedge fund, said Walt Disney scooped €930m (£780m) in royalties allowing Euro Disney to use characters like Mickey Mouse at a rate at least three times the standard market practice.
CIAM has taken the company to French criminal courts for misuse of corporate assets, publication of inaccurate accounts and misleading information, while fighting a second civil case for shareholders to be reimbursed the nearly €1bn of overpaid fees.
The firm has also said Walt Disney hid the value of 5,000 acres of land around Paris which Euro Disney is developing. Walt Disney offered €1.25 a share, but CIAM said the land was independently valued at €1.9bn, which works out to €2.40 a share.
The struggling theme park had a particularly tough year as terrorist attacks in Paris caused tourism figures to slump. It lost €858m in the year to September 30.
Walt Disney said the action was “utterly without merit”.
The animated cartoon creator doubled its stake to 77 per cent last year after a debt-for-equity swap was approved by French officials.
Shares in the company have lost more than 90 per cent of their value since the company went public in 1989.
CIAM’s co-founder Anne-Sophie d’Andlau said the firm thinks Walt Disney plans to take Euro Disney out of the market without properly valuing the company.
VJ
Well-Known Member
Sounds like the usual Disney markup to me. You're paying for a premium experience! It's worth it in my opinion! If you don't like it, don't go! Disney is a business!Speaking of DLP, TWDC taken to criminal court, as shareholders sue TWDC for artificially lowering profit and undervaluing DLP:
Euro Disney Shareholders battle with Walt Disney over Disneyland Paris licensing fees
Posted on December 13, 2016by Salon Mickey
CITY A.M. on Sunday also reported on the legal action being taken by French hedge fund Charity Investment Asset Management against The Walt Disney Company and Euro Disney S.C.A.
Walt Disney has charged Euro Disney nearly €1bn in licensing fees over the past decade, and minority shareholders have had enough, saying the American entertainment giant is preventing the owner of Disneyland Paris from making a profit.
Reports show Charity Investment Asset Management (CIAM), a French hedge fund, said Walt Disney scooped €930m (£780m) in royalties allowing Euro Disney to use characters like Mickey Mouse at a rate at least three times the standard market practice.
CIAM has taken the company to French criminal courts for misuse of corporate assets, publication of inaccurate accounts and misleading information, while fighting a second civil case for shareholders to be reimbursed the nearly €1bn of overpaid fees.
The firm has also said Walt Disney hid the value of 5,000 acres of land around Paris which Euro Disney is developing. Walt Disney offered €1.25 a share, but CIAM said the land was independently valued at €1.9bn, which works out to €2.40 a share.
The struggling theme park had a particularly tough year as terrorist attacks in Paris caused tourism figures to slump. It lost €858m in the year to September 30.
Walt Disney said the action was “utterly without merit”.
The animated cartoon creator doubled its stake to 77 per cent last year after a debt-for-equity swap was approved by French officials.
Shares in the company have lost more than 90 per cent of their value since the company went public in 1989.
CIAM’s co-founder Anne-Sophie d’Andlau said the firm thinks Walt Disney plans to take Euro Disney out of the market without properly valuing the company.
Now excuse me while I go barf from even joking about that.
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
Dissatisfaction grows at Shanghai:
From Nikkei Asian Review
From Nikkei Asian Review
http://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Com...uzz-turns-sour-over-food-costs-service?page=1
December 14, 2016 7:35 pm JST
Shanghai Disney buzz turns sour over food costs, service
Theme park's dissatisfied visitors present challenge after just six months
DAISUKE HARASHIMA, Nikkei staff writer
The scene at the gates on Dec. 3 shows what a difference half a year makes.
SHANGHAI -- Half a year after its much-hyped debut, Shanghai Disneyland is struggling to keep the turnstiles spinning as visitors' complaints about high prices and disappointing services have spread through social networking sites.
A clear day in early December reveals a lethargy that contrasts with the fever seen during the park's June 16 opening. Entry lines at the core property of Shanghai Disney Resort are almost nonexistent at 9 a.m. as gates open. In the afternoon, electronic signboards show only a short wait -- five to 50 minutes -- for all but the most popular attractions. Workers kill time chatting at deserted gift shops across the park.
Many of those who made the trip carried in packed lunches and drinks from nearby convenience stores, including thriving locations inside the subway station used by Disneyland visitors. Come lunchtime, patrons spread out on benches to eat.
"I heard everything in the park was expensive, so I bought lunch ahead of time," a college student from Jiangxi Province said, adding that she did not plan to pick up souvenirs or gifts.
Disappointments
Shanghai Disneyland's gates on June 16 -- opening day
Shanghai Disneyland drew 4 million visitors in its first four months, and the park is on track to reach its initial-year target of 10 million visitors. But business is less brisk than expected, said an official for the city of Shanghai, which holds a majority stake in the park's operator.
A team from The Nikkei asked 20 visitors in late November and early December about Shanghai Disneyland's highs and lows. Of that group, 45% praised the attractions, while 40% said they appreciated the park's atmosphere. One in five spoke of convenient transportation to the park. The state-of-the-art computer graphics in various attractions, as well as the venue's appeal to both adults and children, drew particular praise.
"When the lights turn on at night, it's almost like a fairy tale," said a 22-year-old woman visiting from Beijing. She called the Shanghai park "a clear winner" over its siblings in Hong Kong and Paris. A 36-year-old Shanghai man with his family in tow said the venue is "very convenient" to reach, with a parking lot nearby.
But high prices are the most common complaint among the visitors. Admission runs 370 yuan ($53.50) on weekdays and 499 yuan on weekends and holidays -- a sizable figure given the average monthly wage is just under 6,000 yuan even in Shanghai, where people tend to earn more than in other areas. Tokyo Disneyland, by comparison, charges 7,400 yen ($64.30) for a day's admission.
A 26-year-old Dalian woman visiting with friends said she spent over 2,000 yuan, or half a month's wages, on the two-day trip, including lodging and airfare. The group initially intended to stay at a "Toy Story"-themed hotel run by Disney, she said, but the 1,000-yuan nightly rate led them to opt for a youth hostel nearby instead. Poor transportation in the area still left the travelers shelling out for pricey private cars to and from the park.
"Food or merchandise in the park costs 100 yuan or so -- it's pretty expensive," the visitor said. The woman even passed up bottled water and made do with a small 30-yuan hot dog although she was hungry. To "enjoy the atmosphere," she visited a gift shop, but all she did was don a hat topped with "Mickey Mouse" ears and take photos.
Shaun Rein, founder and managing director of China Market Research Group, said visitors complain most about the cost of food and souvenirs rather than ticket prices. Chinese consumers tend to hesitate on these types of costs, he said, adding, "I would actually raise ticket prices and lower prices for food."
Poor service and operations were also an issue for 40% of respondents. A 30-year-old woman from Suzhou visiting with five other family members complained of staff doing nothing about line-jumpers, as well as the "coarse" manner of speech by workers. Given how close they are to Shanghai, the family members would like to keep coming, she said, but they will not return unless park operations change.
"There are plenty of staff around, but they can't even give clear directions," a college student from Hangzhou said, having asked two separate workers for navigational help to no avail.
Managing expectations
China's baseline for customer service tends to be considerably lower than in advanced nations -- something residents are resigned to, even if they are not happy. But the involvement of Disney, a lauded global entertainment company, pushed expectations for Shanghai Disneyland much higher than for elsewhere in this country, deepening frustrations when those hopes are not met. These dashed expectations are damaging the park's image.
Two in five of those surveyed by The Nikkei said they expected the park to be more crowded than it was. Disney faced substantial opening-day issues in Shanghai, Rein said, as the park was "too packed, and so they had people waiting in line for three hours for one ride." Pictures of these long lines and complaints from those waiting flew across Chinese social media, giving the park a reputation that will take a good deal of time to counter.
A high number of repeat visitors is key to a theme park's success. Shanghai Disneyland has begun offering 100-yuan gift certificates, usable at facilities such as restaurants inside the park, to get potential customers in the door. It has also started selling season passes through March 2017. These passes are invalid during the Lunar New Year holiday, though the ones applicable on weekdays only are relatively cheap, paying off after just three trips to the park.
Expansions in progress could burnish the venue's appeal. But large-scale renovations are also in store for Disney parks in Tokyo and Hong Kong, creating competition for visitors. If Shanghai Disneyland cannot solve its customer service problem, cultivating repeat customers will remain challenging, limiting growth in admissions.
Hong Kong Disneyland suffered its first net loss in four years in fiscal 2015, amid a drop in the number of Chinese visitors, who account for roughly 40% of admissions. Market cannibalization by the Shanghai facility likely contributed to this drop. Disney has its work cut out to keep both theme parks humming happy tunes.
Nikkei staff writers Yusho Cho in Shanghai and Shinya Abe in Hong Kong contributed to this story.
BrianLo
Well-Known Member
I read that too, I don't like this anecdotal journalism. Comparing the doldrums of December at 9am to June at Noon (on the grand opening day no less) is slightly apples to oranges. Like declaring Hogsmead a failure because it doesn't look like this anymore.
http://www./wp-content/uploads/2010/06/54408252.jpg
The park will surely have growing pains and needs to figure out the seasonality that DL/WDW/Japan seem to have "managed" by packing the parks no matter the day of the year. If next summer is drastically dried up I think there will be more cause for concern.
They still have things that need to be rolled out now that the opening sheen has faded. The first steps are of course offering a seasons pass. Multi-day pricing will be the next. The current second day for 5% less is way off the mark of what every other parks multi-day pricing strategy works out to. The third of course is expansion... stat.
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El_Tomato
Well-Known Member
Wait... what?!
Haymarket2008
Well-Known Member
Disney wants the piece to reach its' much deserved potential. They just haven't found it yet. When they do....Broadway. Basically. That is the plan as of right now.
csmat99
Well-Known Member
Mixed reviews? haha it has 84 percent on Rotten tomatoes. Almost all the reviews from Top critics have been excellent. I saw the movie and it was very good. As far as the money side it's going to break a ton of records.
csmat99
Well-Known Member
The ending was soooo good. I wish they allowed him to do that to at least another 20 or so soldiers.Rogue One was great. A very different kind of Star Wars movie.
The ending alone had me fanboying in my seat!!!!!
GiveMeTheMusic
Well-Known Member
They have also got to get real with food pricing, and to an extent, merch. It's absurd for the market and they're leaving money on the table by charging what approach US theme park food prices in Shanghai.
The lack of Germans at DLP has a multitude of reasons.
First, you are right, Germans love Disney. But for a long time, this was mainly a love of the Disney comic books. And maybe the original Jungle Book (still today the most successful movie that ever was shown in Germany). I would even venture to say that for most Germans Donald Duck is more Disney than Mickey Mouse because of the comic books featuring him and Uncle Scrooge as the main characters.
So, when Euro Disney opened, there was a strong disconnect between the expectations of German visitors and what they found. Reading everything I could find being published about the opening here in Germany, the recurring theme was: where is Entenhausen (Duckburg, I think is it's English name)?
Add to that a German economy in its worst recession since the 1940s when DLP opened, Germans preferring long vacations over short breaks (at least in the 1990s weekend breaks were not common at all), Germans' tendency to be very frugal with regard to most "luxury items", Euro Disney had a hard time to convince Germans to come from the start.
Then, I would say around the time WDS opened, the management obviously decided to just give up on the German market. Until then you would see marketing for DLP in Germany, but suddenly it vanished. It seemed that they decided to just concentrate the little money they had to spend on marketing on those markets that were easier. This caused the German visitor share to drop to incredible lows. Marketing returned, at least a little bit, about three years ago. But it still is not very visible. Especially considering how pushy Disney marketing has become in Germany, I am surprised that they do not use this better for cross promoting Disneyland Paris.
Finally, the local competition has not been lazy in the last 25 years. The two largest German amusement parks, Europapark and Phantasialand, have invested a lot of money in a better, more themed product. For a lot of Germans these parks provide a better product. Most people are less interested in how perfect the theme is. But they value lower entrance prices, being able to communicate in their own language (the proficiency in English has increased a lot in the last 25 years, but still a lot of Germans don't speak English well at all, or better, don't want to be bothered to have to try to speak it), yearly new additions and well maintained and clean parks are a plus for them. Both Phantasialand and Europapark have also copied the resort idea and offer very well themed hotels. Oh, and they are both in Western Germany as well, so they are closer than Paris for those highly populated areas in Western Germany.
So, while some things have changed by now within the German market, that should make it easier for DLP to get a larger share of the market, the local competition has moved in and is getting a lot of those people. R to come back to a term in a Spirited Thread a long long time ago: the ocean has turned dark red by now.
It will be interesting how they deal with the 25th and promoting it in Germany. I think it would be a great opportunity to get back some market share here. Germans love special events, so going to DLP for a celebration should be something that can be sold here easily. And with a revived and refurbished DLP, they might finally get more people convinced that then can tell their friends.
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
The fact that a Duckburg hasn't been on the table all these years, even for WDSP, is nuts.
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Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
Maybe that's another example of WDI (a USA based design firm) not appreciating the different interests of a European market?
flyerjab
Well-Known Member
Very well thought out post. I find it humorous that there is some expectation that Disney will somehow pull off an almost perfect first year for a brand new park in China of all places. And of course there should be no room for negative trends for park attendance, nor complaints about how expensive it is, etc. We never complain about cost in the domestic parks. Everything here in the swamps is practically perfect in every way.
michmousefan
Well-Known Member
One of the really nice things about the movie is that it really success in being a bridge between the two trilogies. I completely understand that some folks could care less about that first trilogy, but for many it was their first exposure to the SW universe on the big screen...
Cesar R M
Well-Known Member
Wow, talk about skimming and milking..(Speaking of DLP, TWDC taken to criminal court, as shareholders sue TWDC for artificially lowering profit and undervaluing DLP:
Euro Disney Shareholders battle with Walt Disney over Disneyland Paris licensing fees
Posted on December 13, 2016by Salon Mickey
CITY A.M. on Sunday also reported on the legal action being taken by French hedge fund Charity Investment Asset Management against The Walt Disney Company and Euro Disney S.C.A.
Walt Disney has charged Euro Disney nearly €1bn in licensing fees over the past decade, and minority shareholders have had enough, saying the American entertainment giant is preventing the owner of Disneyland Paris from making a profit.
Reports show Charity Investment Asset Management (CIAM), a French hedge fund, said Walt Disney scooped €930m (£780m) in royalties allowing Euro Disney to use characters like Mickey Mouse at a rate at least three times the standard market practice.
CIAM has taken the company to French criminal courts for misuse of corporate assets, publication of inaccurate accounts and misleading information, while fighting a second civil case for shareholders to be reimbursed the nearly €1bn of overpaid fees.
The firm has also said Walt Disney hid the value of 5,000 acres of land around Paris which Euro Disney is developing. Walt Disney offered €1.25 a share, but CIAM said the land was independently valued at €1.9bn, which works out to €2.40 a share.
The struggling theme park had a particularly tough year as terrorist attacks in Paris caused tourism figures to slump. It lost €858m in the year to September 30.
Walt Disney said the action was “utterly without merit”.
The animated cartoon creator doubled its stake to 77 per cent last year after a debt-for-equity swap was approved by French officials.
Shares in the company have lost more than 90 per cent of their value since the company went public in 1989.
CIAM’s co-founder Anne-Sophie d’Andlau said the firm thinks Walt Disney plans to take Euro Disney out of the market without properly valuing the company.
))
NearTheEars
Well-Known Member
So, I noticed this today while looking through the merch at DHS. The Christmas bulb necklaces were $15.02. What the heck kind of price is that. That's a perfect example of money grab right there. Tacking on 2 cents knowing most folks pay with some form of plastic anyway.
I typically don't complain (feel free to look at my previous posts with a glass half full of pixie dust) but I thought this was just silly.
Edit: see @peter11435 reply for clarification
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spacemt354
Chili's
Really all of the prices on there are strange and don't follow a progressive price increase with the color pattern...like the pins for example.
That is really bizarre.
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
Really interesting post! I have been really curious to hear a German perspective on this lack of interest in DLP, so thanks!
The lack of marketing for DLP has always been very noticeable and mystifying for me living in Cologne. Particularly as I have travelled to Paris quite a lot as there is a very quick and good train connection. Cross the border to Belgium (which I realise is closer and is basically divided between people who speak French and Flemish as well as English), and the marketing is suddenly very visible. This did give me the impression that DLP wasn't even bothering with the German market, which is something I was always curious about.
Also interesting point on Duckburg. Again, the comics are everywhere in Germany and it strikes me as very shortsighted of Disney not to increase the presence of Scrooge, etc. in DLP. Every year during Carnival in Cologne, there are loads of guys dressed as Beagle Boys wandering around! The comics seem big all over Europe, too. Just today I was wandering through Athens and admiring a collection at a newsstand of Carl Barks Donald and Scrooge comics. Why they don't capitalise on this, I don't know. Instead, they build attractions around films like Cars which weren't that popular in Europe...
The language point is also an interesting one. I can vouch for the fact that there isn't a high level of English speaking, at least in my experience. Even more so, people don't like speaking it. That's fair enough as there's no reason Germans should have to speak English, but I can imagine that could be a factor in going to, say, Phantasialand (which is near Cologne and promoted heavily) over DLP.