News Dismal Q3 Earnings

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don’t think anyone is making it out to be a savior, But it is the superior attraction. The land doesn’t need a savior as it wil be just fine.

Why do you have low expectations for rise?

Everything else in your post is spot on.

I think it will be very good for what it is.

Which is a slightly more jolts great movie ride set to Star Wars.

That doesn’t make it “bad” but it is what it is.

First, it’s this “resistance”/“first order” nonsense. Which was a mistake from the lucasfilm side. It was unnecessary rebranding and rubs the diehards a bit when that’s what they didn’t need to do.

Wouldn’t the movies/ride be more loved if they hadn’t severed the link to rename things four feet to the left/right?

The emotional bond going into the ride may temper it’s reception long term.

And while I know they build everything indoors for 40” ...they missed a big opportunity by going with mystic manor 2.0. Just my take.

It may be the greatest dark ride ever...but it is a dark ride.

Seems like a missed opportunity to juice the land and the franchise a little.

I’ll wait to see it. Which should have been next week if imagineering hadn’t pulled a major fail on the 4 year build/design timeline

 

[tissandtully]

I currently subscribe to Hulu+Live TV. I wonder if there is going to be a bundle that includes the $12.99 stuff and Live TV.

I believe a Disney rep said No

 

[Hcalvert]

I believe a Disney rep said No

No big deal to me. I am not too bothered about the extra stuff unless it was reasonably priced.

 

[ThatMouse]

To WDW fans, this just continues to show Disney's trend of raising prices and room rates. I calculated how much our 4 resort stays per year costs and the total cost is about double what it was 5 years ago. 100% increase in 5 years.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'll obviously defer to you there. I just hope Disney learns the right lessons here... The surprising thing is that if they are that concerned, why they didn't retool a little for DHS...

But they can’t “retool”...not in any meaningful way.

I got put on blast for putting this in the “what changes?” Thread...but while abrasive, I wasn’t kidding.

They built COPIES to save costs. They never hid that...they do it all the time.

Nobody would bring up “changes” at all if they had big Disneyland crowds.

No...that’s simply the wdw crowds trying to make lemonade (figuratively...the land is at least decent)...after lukewarm reception so they can pump themselves up. That IS a wdw fan thing...classic.

Iger’s comments and their actions/inactions speak for themselves: they built it, up to us to like it.

The d23 fancon presentations will go heavy on the new ride - my guess. Damage control. If they don’t - then they have no faith in Star Wars land...as they’ve demonstrated they have too little faith in the Star Wars IP.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That's basically the opposite of an artificial increase.

An artificial increase would be cutting prices 20% across the board to clear out merchandise that isn't selling.

I would classify high end merchandise as an “artificial increase” if it’s not sustainable...as in dies off very quickly?

There’s a very substantial chance that happens with the Star Wars stuff.
I may have imagined this - granted - but didn’t I see somewhere that the banshee sales have slowed at DAK?

That is foretelling - if true.

 

[seascape]

I believe what GE proves in Disneyland is a regional themepark dependent on annual passholders and blocking them out hurts attendance. That said the thing I hope Disney learns from this is to build major tourist dependent attractions at WDW first. Disneyland gets a good amount of tourists but nowhere near what WDW gets.

The big thing to remember is that passholders don't spend as much on every visit. That does not mean they won't buy a Lightsaber or Droid, but that they may buy one but visit 10 times so per cap is lower even though they make more money off the passholder than they do a one day visitor. Six Flags on their conference calls alway say their members spend more money on merchandise than do one day visitors. The one big thing Disney can learn from Six Flags is how to track what each passholder buys. Six Flags give a discount to their annual members but to get it your card has to be scanned. Disney could do this with magic bands, automatically take off the discount and charge the band. They could then offer special deals to members who spend more.

 

[larryz]

To WDW fans, this just continues to show Disney's trend of raising prices and room rates. I calculated how much our 4 resort stays per year costs and the total cost is about double what it was 5 years ago. 100% increase in 5 years.

Well, everyone knows inflation is actually running at 20% a year... and wait until the foreign creditors start calling in their notes...

 

[jt04]

I think his point is that those things aren’t going to be huge sellers once the AP crowds are allowed back into DL. They are aimed at a specific demographic, one that a lot of AP holders likely aren’t a part of. We shall see.

The price point of the droids plus the ability to offer new ones will ensure continued sales.

The light sabers builds have limited opportunities so I expect demand will always exceed availability. During slower times they can cut a session or two.

Nobody will really know how the land will perform until blackouts are lifted. But most importantly the impact of RotR.

if Disney was panicked they would have lifted the AP ban at DL early. IMO.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

To WDW fans, this just continues to show Disney's trend of raising prices and room rates. I calculated how much our 4 resort stays per year costs and the total cost is about double what it was 5 years ago. 100% increase in 5 years.

If you want to really ruin your day: compare the costs - particularly food and tickets - since iger took over.

The danger has been real for along time.

If you really want to Ruin it: then pull easy labor/wage statistics and adjusted income and cross reference.

It’s in the ballpark of costing 3x as much in real terms as it did not too long ago.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The price point of the droids plus the ability to offer new ones will ensure continued sales.

The light sabers builds have limited opportunities so I expect demand will always exceed availability. During slower times they can cut a session o e two.

Nobody will really know how the land will preform until blackouts are lifted. But most importantly the impact of RotR.

if Disney was panicked they would have lifted the AP ban at DL early. IMO.

They’re not panicked...they’re a huge conglomerate with cash and held pat.

But that doesn’t change that they have boned this summer. It is what it is.

 

[jt04]

They’re not panicked...they’re a huge conglomerate with cash and held pat.

But that doesn’t change that they have boned this summer. It is what it is.

Martin predicted along with others that Disney was not planning properly for the onslaught of guests. If he and others had been correct you would be saying Disney should never have put the land in Disneyland. Disney prudently added blackout dates.

You spin everything with a highly negative bias. If Disney chooses left you claim the should have chosen right. And vice versa. So it isn't like you are an objective observer.

 

[ToTBellHop]

They’re not panicked...they’re a huge conglomerate with cash and held pat.

But that doesn’t change that they have boned this summer. It is what it is.

I would qualify this. TDA pencil pushers are panicked (about Q3’s numbers and how to improve Q4 while updating their resumes) but there is too much riding on this to actually admit they made a mistake and reverse course. So they’ll cut spending instead. I’m sure actual changes will be explored once RotR opens, if necessary.

People wonder why DHS didn’t have changes opening 3 months after DL’s land, but it’s because they were focused on just opening the land and will be focused on getting RotR and MMRR open for the next 8 months. Then they can fix mistakes. Just like how Toy Story Land was forced to suffer without shade (an easy fix) for almost a year.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Martin predicted along with others that Disney was not planning properly for the onslaught of guests. If he and others had been correct you would be saying Disney should never have put the land in Disneyland. Disney prudently added blackout dates.

You spin everything with a highly negative bias. If Disney chooses left you claim the should have chosen right. And vice versa. So it isn't like you are an objective observer.

He’s the antithesis of you. Martin is the balance.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I would qualify this. TDA pencil pushers are panicked (about Q3’s numbers and how to improve Q4 while updating their resumes) but there is too much riding on this to actually admit they made a mistake and reverse course. So they’ll cut spending instead. I’m sure actual changes will be explored once RotR opens, if necessary.

Indeed...they needed it to be a smashing, full retail price score to get the street to buy what they’re selling...

But when people call for “costumed characters” in Orlando...I laugh.

They just don’t get it: labor is 100% a LOSS to management. So if attendance lags, and they can’t generate it with streetmosphere (they can’t...only fanatics care)...there’s no way they’ll authorize more “loss” into the parks.

Just won’t happen.

 

[HauntedPirate]

If you want to really ruin your day: compare the costs - particularly food and tickets - since iger took over.

The danger has been real for along time.

If you really want to Ruin it: then pull easy labor/wage statistics and adjusted income and cross reference.

It’s in the ballpark of costing 3x as much in real terms as it did not too long ago.

I have a spreadsheet with various ticket prices going back to 1981. The numbers, but particularly the percentages, under Iger are astounding. Don't get me wrong, Eisner increased ticket prices by a larger percentage overall, but he also built 2 new theme parks as well, plus a ride here and there.

 

[jt04]

He’s the antithesis of you. Martin is the balance.

Some truth to this. Although changes to FW may have turned Martin to the dark side.

I criticize p&r far more than sir Walter praises it so I think I bring more objectivity. IMO

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

He’s the antithesis of you. Martin is the balance.

This I wholeheartedly agree...

He takes a lot of swings and as with all hitters: misses some strikes...
But nothing I’ve seen from him is pandering without some objectivity for Disney.

We can love it but don’t need make excuses for it. They are a huge stock company. They operate in the vaccum of money. What “feelings” are we protecting by making excuses?

 

[jt04]

I have a spreadsheet with various ticket prices going back to 1981. The numbers, but particularly the percentages, under Iger are astounding. Don't get me wrong, Eisner increased ticket prices by a larger percentage overall, but he also built 2 new theme parks as well, plus a ride here and there.

Eisner also left a huge pile of infrastructure issues. Most have been overcome at the cost of billions.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have a spreadsheet with various ticket prices going back to 1981. The numbers, but particularly the percentages, under Iger are astounding. Don't get me wrong, Eisner increased ticket prices by a larger percentage overall, but he also built 2 new theme parks as well, plus a ride here and there.

And in a paragraph...that’s the core differences between the two at parks.

Iger has managed to burn fewer bridges in Hollywood (probably because he bought them above the asking price )