Bob Iger at WDW now ... BoD to Follow?

[WDW1974]

Good times. And I'll still stand by that news being correct at that time.

I'll also show you the press release for the Russian and Swiss pavilions. And the Mediteranian Resort.

Hell, I own the press kits from those ''announcements'' ... and most things since the late 80s.

Oh, let me also go on the record as stating that no Russian or Swiss pavilions are included in this recent allocation of funds. Nor is a Med resort.

 

[Goofyernmost]

The economy was a good excuse then, but it's not anymore. So Disney, about that Spaceship Earth descent... or is that the tiny thing Epcot's getting out of this?

If they're still leaving it unfinished it's a clear sign the leopard hasn't changed its spots.

That unfinished statement has always gone against my logic. If they had ever planned on putting more stuff in on the descent, why in the hell would they have bothered outfitting each of the ride vehicles with the interactive screen. You can't do both the screen and gawk about looking at static scenes. I will say that it is possible that at one point it was on the table, but, someplace along the line they decided on the screens because it completely represented the current technology bringing the ride full circle. It would have been much cheaper to put a couple of screen shows in on the walls on the way down then to retrofit every one of those omnimovers. In other words, it is finished and it has been since it was reopened.

 

[WDW1974]

I do not know attraction specifics.

That's been painfully obvious to me for years. I don't get what DD sees in you ... nope, not at all. (Has she had her eyes checked this century?)

 

[WDW1974]

So some places on the interwebz are stating the budgets have been placed out to 'key' people are apparently used to 'whip the fanboi' community up in a frenzy on purpose

I know @Lee or @marni1971 or @WDW1974 or @articos would not deliberately spread this stuff. Just quickly is their any truth to this?

I don't quite understand. Are you suggesting that news was deliberately leaked to myself and, now it would appear, others to make fanbois look at TDO and TWDC leadership in a more positive way?

Not true as my sources go. I can't speak for others. ...But I don't think Disney is upset that a top critic of theirs, such as myself, is spreading positivism either.

I'd love for the people who believe I'm being used by Disney to come here instead of hiding in the Twitverse or wherever.

I'll just state that I vet my sources and their information so much better than any real reporter covering that company today (which is why many folks at Disney cringe when I bring up serious topics that they don't want in the news).

 

[WDW1974]

I wouldn't be surprised. The tone around forum lands the last year or two, is pretty negative at worst, ambivalent at best. So bright shiny objects all around. Can you tell, I'm having trouble getting excited about all of this. I'm not sure it's all coming from the right place "we have a great property, that we can do great things with that will make you happy, and us a lot of money, win-win." I feel more like "managed manipulation." Where's Fox Mulder's "I want to believe" poster and the Cigarette Smoking Man lurking, and pulling strings. How can they get Frozen so wrong, but this will be so right? I don't trust it, other than SW has been so big, for so long, that it's just easier to hit the target for both marketing/synergy peeps, fanbois, and probably the Imagineers who have been chomping at the bit for something big stateside.

Disney is getting out of Frozen what it wants to. That's why it is being shoehorned into a place it absolutely doesn't belong on a very cheap budget instead of taking a few more years and building a massive E-ticket (see: TDS) where it does belong and does justice to both the park and the film.

SW is different. They are going into it (and, indeed, the entire reBRANDing of the Disney-MGM Studios) looking for far bigger things. So, the 'tude is different right on up to corporate's highest levels and the product will be of a noticeably higher quality. I won't say much more beyond the fact that some of this product will wind up being (or should) at the top of what you'll see from anyone stateside.

P.S. You do get points for the X-Files reference. I loved that show ... until the last few seasons!

 

[PhotoDave219]

Disney is like the abusive lover who says 'just give me one more try, I'll be different this time!'. You want to believe they've changed, and all their friends say they've changed, but it's still hard to have faith until they prove it. But you have to give them a chance, you can't just dismiss them completely.

Look at the rumours hinted at / suggested on here... 4 Billion plus budget, new Star Wars hotel in addition to a brand new DHS, new monorail, plus some things fixed up at Epcot, new management with new attitude in charge of things... if all the speculation comes off, it will be great, but every day does seem to bring some new incredible thing that the budget is supposed to be paying for, and all this talk of everything in WDW being fixed by one Board of Directors meeting, and a new golden age arriving, just seems way too good to be true, and setting things up for disappointment.

So inevitably whatever happens won't be as good as people are hoping for, but if we keep expectations low - a couple of nice rides and mini-lands for DHS, a few broken lightbulbs fixed across the rest of the property, then we can be pleasantly surprised if we get anything more, instead of bitterly disappointed they didn't give us what we hoped for.

Yeah there's some very off base stuff.

$4B?!? Where did they come up with that number? Insanity.

Hotel? Not happening

Monorail? Not happening.

New DHS? Yes. That's happening.

Additions to Epcot/MK? Small budget.

New attitude? Too early to tell. Doubtful but I'm willing to have some slight optimism.

One thing is for sure: Disney is investing in Orlando on a large scale not seen in recent memory.

It has the potential for a new Golden Age.... but more things have to change for that to happen. Alas it is something to be happy about.

 

[WDW1974]

I have some misgivings about that strategy. Speculation, intrigue, and following rumors is part of the fun of this particular sub forum. I'm getting pretty excited even if there's a possibility things go south. Why be a downer if there's hope?

Especially if some of that hope comes from some really great sources who do their best to give of us everything they can while expecting nothing in return.

To be fair, I do like it when minions take me out for free meals ... I loves da the free grub. I will give a free LE pin to the first fanboi who buys me dinner at the Boathouse on my next O-Town visit!

 

[WDW1974]

If the budget is this astronomical, then anything less than two E-tickets would have to be a disappointment. Then again, WDI could probably find a way to make a restroom cost $50 million, so maybe I should keep my expectations in check.

ONLY $50 million?!?!!

 

[WDW1974]

What I think happened? 74 did exactly what he said he was going to do.....Pick out four or five people and dole out some info he had.....That doesn't mean I would give any less credence to the info. But its awful strange how the big guns all have "inside" information at the same time. All of them have the same source? Me thinks so.....

Um ... no.

Not at all.

 

[sshindel]

$4B?!? Where did they come up with that number? Insanity.

Billions seem to jump quite easily around here.

 

[PhotoDave219]

OK, just no way am I going over 24 pages of posts. Nope ... so if you want my attention, I'm going to start on 99 and move forward.

Didnt miss anything there. Same usual rehash, speculation, ,arm chair imagineering and a certain monorail lover making it all about himself for a few pages.

Substance was hinted at today as Lee and Martin have jumped in with a few hints....

 

[Shaman]

How much was FLE? How much is Disney Springs costing? Magic Bands/infrastructure? Disney has invested in Orlando...just not in anything super exciting.

We're basically getting a new park...that's beyond exciting. Star Wars!!

 

[WDW1974]

Again, if their worry is controlling a fanbase from spreading a bad message about WDW, disappointing a huge number of them to discredit a couple seems like cutting off their nose to spite their face.
I've run the numbers with you before on someone like Fadra, and know we disagree on the potential impact of their social media policy, but that aside, purposefully trolling a fanbase to "discredit" a couple people that not everyone believes in the first place seems like a small gain, massive loss.

They're stupid, but not quite that stupid. ... And to what end? Some of this stuff won't be done until 2021. By that time, Angie and I might be retired and living on Neptune with our imaginary kitty, Mr. Pickles.

FWIW, Disney can't discredit me ... or folks like @articos, @drew81 @Lee, @marni1971, @whylightbulb etc because they know exactly who each one of us happens to be and what we're all about. It would harm them greatly to try ... (yeah, I've been building up a nice file of ''just in case'' stuff for over a decade now!)

 

[WDW1974]

Again, please stay on topic. Which is the BoD meeting and what might have been discussed at same. (Unless someone actually sat in?)

Didn't you? I sent in a request for you to be my official proxy 'fly on the wall' ... please don't tell me they never sent the limo to bring you over?!?!?

 

[WDW1974]

I see still no news?

Yawn. There will be no news. Iger doesn't spend money.

Seeing links about an upcoming Star Wars Land from 'insiders' in 2014 is utterly depressing.

Why are you still here? No summer job? No one answering your Craig's List personal?

 

[sshindel]

They're stupid, but not quite that stupid. ... And to what end? Some of this stuff won't be done until 2021. By that time, Angie and I might be retired and living on Neptune with our imaginary kitty, Mr. Pickles.

FWIW, Disney can't discredit me ... or folks like @articos, @drew81 @Lee, @marni1971, @whylightbulb etc because they know exactly who each one of us happens to be and what we're all about. It would harm them greatly to try ... (yeah, I've been building up a nice file of ''just in case'' stuff for over a decade now!)

And if they were going to TRY to discredit you guys, they would at least try and do it so they look good and (the Royal) you look bad. It makes no sense to try and do so in a fashion that actually p1sses off the people they want to stop listening to you.
It's hard to be excited about a nebulous budget number when we know that money can be spent both wisely and poorly. Hearing that IF what you have heard actually happens, it could be world-class, that helps quite a bit.

 

[PhotoDave219]

How much was FLE? How much is Disney Springs costing? Magic Bands/infrastructure? Disney has invested in Orlando...just not in anything super exciting.

We're basically getting a new park...that's beyond exciting. Star Wars!!

Please rephrase that. We are not getting a new park. We're expanding and making over an existing one.

People are going to jump to conclusions that there's a 5th game coming. (NOPE.)

MM+ was 1/2B depending on who you talk to and what all is included. Fantasyland was $500M-ish. Disney Springs? It cost one pleasure island.

 

[FrankLapidus]

@WDW1974, do you have any information on whether One Man's Dream will be relocated somewhere else on property or is it being scrapped entirely?

 

[WDW1974]

I still think 3/4 of it is an amazing place.

I'm more of the half myself.

But to my point, if they don't care about "us", they wouldn't care about us enough to try and discredit insiders that only "us" care about.

Hey, my Spirited Mommy and Daddy love me very much ...and there's always my Fanboi Minions of Disney Destruction who will do anything for me (oh, and I do mean ANYthing!)

 

[sshindel]

I'm more of the half myself.

Yeah, at this point I don't think I can consider DHS amazing at anything other than "it's amazing that they still charge a full day ticket for this place".

Hey, my Spirited Mommy and Daddy love me very much ...and there's always my Fanboi Minions of Disney Destruction who will do anything for me (oh, and I do mean ANYthing!)

I've gotta get me some minions. I have no inside information, but being mentally unstable about an Edutainment theme park that has been a shell of itself for decades should be worth at least a half a minion.