Apple looking to buy Disney?!?!

CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
csmat99 said:
You couldn't be more wrong. It was comcast who green lit the expansion and removed Jaws before people could even refresh their browsers. And they got that land built and opened well within 2 years. Pandora? Iphone 4 was coming out when it was announced and still not open.
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That has literally nothing to do with the development cycle. The time a project gets announced is not indicative of how long it was in development behind the scenes. Disney announced Avatar as soon as they put pen-to-paper with Cameron. WDI hadn't even seen it at that point.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
csmat99 said:
The poster you replied to said Harry Potter world nothing about Hogsmead specifically. Comcast was the ones to drive it home and deliver or you want to talk about how many plans have just stayed on the cutting room floor?
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"That's how Harry Potter world happened" suggests primacy. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmead was first. That is what started the whole "Harry Potter world" and Diagon Alley started development shortly thereafter, also before Comcast.
 
csmat99

csmat99

Well-Known Member
CaptainAmerica said:
That has literally nothing to do with the development cycle. The time a project gets announced is not indicative of how long it was in development behind the scenes. Disney announced Avatar as soon as they put pen-to-paper with Cameron. WDI hadn't even seen it at that point.
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That was my point, Comcast made sure it was fast tracked and completed to take advantage of the success. even if you compared when the shovel hit the dirt HP would of beat out Pandora. And Universal was also dealing with building this over an existing ride and connecting two parks where pandora was in empty spot with easy access.
 
S

seascape

Well-Known Member
csmat99 said:
That was my point, Comcast made sure it was fast tracked and completed to take advantage of the success. even if you compared when the shovel hit the dirt HP would of beat out Pandora. And Universal was also dealing with building this over an existing ride and connecting two parks where pandora was in empty spot with easy access.
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Pandora was not an empty spot. In fact Disney had to build a new theater for The Lion King before tearing down the old one.
 
K

Kingtut

Well-Known Member
ULPO46 said:
Of all the rumors I have seen on the internet about Disney, this is probably the funniest thing I've ever heard of. Some companies are just not for sale. Disney is just one of those companies. Did Disney sell it's self when Walt died? When Disney could not afford to pay employees or release a single movie without it flopping at the box office? The answer is no. Apple is an amazing company no doubt, but I don't see the purpose of a Tech Firm acquiring Disney, not to mention like i said there is no set price to the image, brand, and quality of the Walt Disney Company. Don't get me wrong I own stock in both companies, but I wouldn't want to see a take over or merger. If TWDC hasn't sold out in nearly 100 years of it's existence, I wonder why.
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While I don't see this happening - it is not beyond possible that some combination of buying Disney and selling off the parts you don't want might make sense. For example Apple buys Disney and then sells P&R and ESPN to Comcast. Now Apple just has the portions they wanted and Comcast has a buffer against ESPN falling viewership since they are essentially paying themselves per eyeball. Disney corporate may not actually have a say in the sale if enough shareholders decide to approve it. Another issue is that stock price usually goes up when something like this is announced and the resultant shareholder type ( I can't think of the right description) changes from those who want to own part of Disney to those who want to make a quick buck off of the sale.
 
ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
Goob said:
So, bottom line, what will happen to the parks if Apple does buy Disney? Anything?
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Sold - perhaps not immediately but sold, Apple has no interest in the P&R business, Apple would ensure they got top dollar from the deal along with the 'Long Tail' of licensing fees from the parks.
 
ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
Kingtut said:
While I don't see this happening - it is not beyond possible that some combination of buying Disney and selling off the parts you don't want might make sense. For example Apple buys Disney and then sells P&R and ESPN to Comcast. Now Apple just has the portions they wanted and Comcast has a buffer against ESPN falling viewership since they are essentially paying themselves per eyeball. Disney corporate may not actually have a say in the sale if enough shareholders decide to approve it. Another issue is that stock price usually goes up when something like this is announced and the resultant shareholder type ( I can't think of the right description) changes from those who want to own part of Disney to those who want to make a quick buck off of the sale.
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This deal structure would actually probably work very well, Comcast being in over half the homes in the US as a cable provider unloading ESPN fees immediately improves Comcast's bottom line at the same time it allows ESPN to stabilize and move into online distribution which IS something Comcast knows how to do.

Apple gets the studios and media businesses,

P&R gets sold to someone, Comcast is likely but it's also possible OLC could buy the US parks business or perhaps the Chinese parks.

As the @Kingtut notes IF enough institutional shareholders approve there will be nothing for the current management of TWDC to do but turn over the keys and bank accounts to the new owners.
 
No Name

No Name

Well-Known Member
DarthFiscus75 said:
Couldn't Universal buy the Disney P & R division (along with SeaWorld) and have a monopoly of the Orlando market?
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has the power to deny or undo a company merger, if it creates a monopoly that hurts the consumer. So your situation could potentially be struck down. However, I doubt it would be. As clear a monopoly as it is, I don't think that the FTC could claim it hurts the consumer.

A monopoly on a "need" such as transportation is dangerous. If the company skyrockets its prices, now you either have to spend lots of dollars getting to and fro, or lose your job and make no money and DIE!! Okay, I'm exaggerating but you get the point. Your ability to live is affected.

On the other hand, a monopoly on a want, like going to theme parks in Orlando, isn't dangerous. If Comcast owns them all and decides to skyrocket the prices / stop maintaining and adding attractions, then you can simply choose to vacation elsewhere. Or vacation not at all. Or go to Fun Spot. Eww! But your ability to live is not really affected.

I know you didn't ask for that long reply, but I find stuff like that interesting. And while I'm interested in seeing how the FTC would handle it, I don't want to ever know the answer.
 
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IanDLBZF

IanDLBZF

Well-Known Member
egg said:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has the power to deny or undo a company merger, if it creates a monopoly that hurts the consumer. So your situation could potentially be struck down. However, I doubt it would be. As clear a monopoly as it is, I don't think that the FTC could claim it hurts the consumer.

A monopoly on a "need" such as transportation is dangerous. If the company skyrockets its prices, now you either have to spend lots of dollars getting to and fro, or lose your job and make no money and DIE!! Okay, I'm exaggerating but you get the point. Your ability to live is affected.
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Yes, that is true. The FTC has turned down a number of transportation company mergers, especially railroads (most recent being Canadian Pacific-Norfolk Southern), over the years.
Many corportate leaders have opposed some mergers before (e.x. Richard Branson opposes the BA/AA deal) because they are worried that mergers could cause a monopoly.
 
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MisterPenguin

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
ford91exploder said:
Sold - perhaps not immediately but sold, Apple has no interest in the P&R business, Apple would ensure they got top dollar from the deal along with the 'Long Tail' of licensing fees from the parks.
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Well, it's a good thing then that Bob Iger so smartly authorized all that stock buyback to prevent a hostile takeover!
 
ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
MisterPenguin said:
So, are you saying that if Iger bought back all the shares but one, then that person that owns that one would then own 100% of the company?
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Yup - Disney of course could issue more shares but it would probably be shot down by the courts. How this scenario plays out is dependent on what Disney did with the shares after purchasing them i.e. cancel them or hold them as treasury shares which CAN be re-issued
 
ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
egg said:
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has the power to deny or undo a company merger, if it creates a monopoly that hurts the consumer. So your situation could potentially be struck down. However, I doubt it would be. As clear a monopoly as it is, I don't think that the FTC could claim it hurts the consumer.

A monopoly on a "need" such as transportation is dangerous. If the company skyrockets its prices, now you either have to spend lots of dollars getting to and fro, or lose your job and make no money and DIE!! Okay, I'm exaggerating but you get the point. Your ability to live is affected.

On the other hand, a monopoly on a want, like going to theme parks in Orlando, isn't dangerous. If Comcast owns them all and decides to skyrocket the prices / stop maintaining and adding attractions, then you can simply choose to vacation elsewhere. Or vacation not at all. Or go to Fun Spot. Eww! But your ability to live is not really affected.

I know you didn't ask for that long reply, but I find stuff like that interesting. And while I'm interested in seeing how the FTC would handle it, I don't want to ever know the answer.
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FTC would probably object to Comcast purchasing Disney as then Comcast would own 2 broadcast networks, For an AAPL deal no anti-trust implications.
 

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