Disney’s Q1 FY23 Earnings Results Webcast - Wednesday, Feb 8, 2023

flynnibus

Premium Member
I am fully aware of how companies layoff and handle payment during the notice period. It is semantics.
Clearly you aren't.

How many layoffs have you worked in management at 50k+ employee companies? How many business division restructures?

To someone crying a river about not knowing whose impacted just 24hrs after an earnings call announcement... I say Grow Up, welcome to the real world. And "be careful what you wish for..."
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
Huh? I am saying that Disney isn't the only one to do this. Larger companies have recently done a restructure + layoffs and got it done inside of 2 days.
So Disney's changes are automatically equal to the kinds of changes the other companies are undertaking? Just because they both include laying off employees?

Get real dude.
 

JD80

Well-Known Member
So Disney's changes are automatically equal to the kinds of changes the other companies are undertaking? Just because they both include laying off employees?

Get real dude.

This small exchange is just indicative of everyone in multiple threads speaking with authority about "terrible disney things" that are about to happen etc. etc.

Speculation is fine or even curious conversation, but my lord are people ignorant of many topics recently.

Edit: This message is not pointed at you flynn. LOL. This was just in general, I agree with your argument you're making over the last page.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
Our Fortune 100 company... 5% workforce reduction announced amit restructuring announced in Nov.

Impacted US employees were notified about 5 weeks later in Dec with separation dates in Feb. Most other regions still don't have impacted employees notified due to the restructuring changes and labor laws.

This one is actually going a bit slower than usual for the regions outside US and China.

I can't even count how many layoff cycles I've experienced or had to execute anymore. This is real world and while people want to know who is impacted, it sure beats "Everyone just stay home, HR will be contacting you. We're done"
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
To someone crying a river about not knowing whose impacted just 24hrs after an earnings call announcement... I say Grow Up, welcome to the real world. And "be careful what you wish for..."
And this is going to sound so callous, but do you know who isn't stressing out today? Excellent people.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
And this is going to sound so callous, but do you know who isn't stressing out today? Excellent people.
There is always the risk of getting caught in the net because you are simply in the wrong job or the wrong segment. Good companies give managers the opportunity to tag or rescue key people but it's not always possible. It often depends on just how wide the axe is cutting. A good part of career management is watching the lifecycle of the lillypad you are on and knowing your exit routes.

I've watched plenty of GOOD businesses get shutdown simply because the parent is pivoting away from that kind of business.. or the profits are good, just not on the scale the new parent needs (basically too small of a business)... or the parent is looking 3-5 years out and sees a declining segment instead of growing. So they exit. Some get sold... some folded into others.. I've watched some get shutdown entirely.

Sometimes the chasm is simply too big .. so if you haven't jumped off the pad before the news becomes real.. you can be stuck.

I think the real crime is how so many businesses advertise "we are trying to relocate impacted employees..." while they internally shutdown all open reqs. In my experience you need someone offering a hand... those relying on the open job search stuff rarely find a new pad.

Meanwhile.. back at Disney... I'm sure people are more concerned about how radical this reorg will really be since it's objectives are clearly far more than simple SVP consolidation or empire building.. but looks to be actual change in workflows.
 

GhostHost1000

Premium Member
My company employs over 15k and they are currently taking about a month for 3% layoffs to be completed. Should end next week. Began mid Jan
 

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
Here’s what no one should like:

1. Revenues up in parks ONLY because of line fees - something that is becoming universally detested by diehards and regular casuals. So what would it be if they didn’t have paid fastpsss? That’s not “growth” at all and it’s not sustainable
2. More bad sequels that dilute what they peddle.
3. Layoffs across the board. You might get a temp Wall Street bump but it’s not a sign of company strength/growth.
4. Any reduction in capex based on Disneys ledger can only be viewed as a red flag. Amusement assets stagnate/decay. That’s the deal with them if you don’t think one step ahead.
5. The D+ subscriber numbers are worrisome. So how you gonna make trillions? Charge more every month for it. That should work.🫣
For 3, While nobody likes layoffs, the current recession-minded outlook right now can actually be good for the economy in the long run.

We’ve been in a boom for so long, and borrowing rates were dropped so low, that an economic climate like the present can actually be keep as it keeps companies honest and reduces unnecessary bloat and inefficiency.

Covid-related layoffs were basically emergency cost-cutting, whereas most the layoffs at every company right now is for company-wide streamlining. When capital is basically free, it has long term effects, that aren’t necessarily positives, on the economy.

As others have mentioned, the number is a relatively small portion of the overall company’s workforce, so it’s not like they went into crisis-mode.

Having that bloat really isn’t good for the company, economy, or the consumer. Unfortunate for the employees, but restructuring layoffs happen unfortunately. But for the consumer, it’s not like they’re not laying off all the actors and employees for a show to reduce costs.

5. Mando season 3 comes out next month, and should undoubtedly be an huge boost for subscriptions. Disney hasn’t had a season of Mando since 2020 (for some reason I thought Mando season 1 came out in 2020, and season 2 in 2021, but season 2 actually came out in 2020, wild)!

And I haven’t dug too deeply into the numbers because I’ve lacked the time, but the shareholders initially seemed to be quite happy. They mentioned the churn was very low and sustainable for D+, so that’s not much of an issue there, not necessarily a positive for the consumer, but nevertheless.

Also, streaming has been in a massive boom cycle the past few years, and I think it’s been displayed how unsustainable that has been, so I definitely expect substantial consolidation in the industry that makes it more sustainable for everyone.

The problem with the parks is the only growth is in prices. They can try to keep squeezing more out of that vein, but eventually the line is going to clot.
Iger legitimately mentioned how he didn’t think raising prices to the sky was the right option, and instead sought to increase capacity. That’s legitimately what we’ve cried for over the past billion years, and economically, I think is the right call.

Beyond ing off consumers, the parks and media function as a feedback loop. The parks advertise the media and vice-versa, so the more restrictive the parks become, the less benefit media receives. Interestingly, since the barrier of entry to Disney content has fallen to the floor through streaming, yet the barrier of entry for parks has skyrocketed through price increases, they’ve never been more mismatched.

From what I’ve heard, both here and elsewhere, I have every reason to believe a substantial increase in capacity is coming in a very favorable way.
 

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
For 3, While nobody likes layoffs, the current recession-minded outlook right now can actually be good for the economy in the long run.

We’ve been in a boom for so long, and borrowing rates were dropped so low, that an economic climate like the present can actually be keep as it keeps companies honest and reduces unnecessary bloat and inefficiency.

Covid-related layoffs were basically emergency cost-cutting, whereas most the layoffs at every company right now is for company-wide streamlining. When capital is basically free, it has long term effects, that aren’t necessarily positives, on the economy.

As others have mentioned, the number is a relatively small portion of the overall company’s workforce, so it’s not like they went into crisis-mode.

Having that bloat really isn’t good for the company, economy, or the consumer. Unfortunate for the employees, but restructuring layoffs happen unfortunately. But for the consumer, it’s not like they’re not laying off all the actors and employees for a show to reduce costs.

5. Mando season 3 comes out next month, and should undoubtedly be an huge boost for subscriptions. Disney hasn’t had a season of Mando since 2020 (for some reason I thought Mando season 1 came out in 2020, and season 2 in 2021, but season 2 actually came out in 2020, wild)!

And I haven’t dug too deeply into the numbers because I’ve lacked the time, but the shareholders initially seemed to be quite happy. They mentioned the churn was very low and sustainable for D+, so that’s not much of an issue there, not necessarily a positive for the consumer, but nevertheless.

Also, streaming has been in a massive boom cycle the past few years, and I think it’s been displayed how unsustainable that has been, so I definitely expect substantial consolidation in the industry that makes it more sustainable for everyone.


Iger legitimately mentioned how he didn’t think raising prices to the sky was the right option, and instead sought to increase capacity. That’s legitimately what we’ve cried for over the past billion years, and economically, I think is the right call.

Beyond ing off consumers, the parks and media function as a feedback loop. The parks advertise the media and vice-versa, so the more restrictive the parks become, the less benefit media receives. Interestingly, since the barrier of entry to Disney content has fallen to the floor through streaming, yet the barrier of entry for parks has skyrocketed through price increases, they’ve never been more mismatched.

From what I’ve heard, both here and elsewhere, I have every reason to believe a substantial increase in capacity is coming in a very favorable way.
I have every reason to believe that there isn't a single project announced, nor a shovel in the dirt, at WDW that will increase capacity in the next 3 years minimum. If waiting it out until 2028 is your thing, more power to you.

As far as prices go, the genie (pun intended) isn't going back into the bottle.

I'd say there's a high likelihood that I'll move on to other things before they increase capacity in a meaningful way. There are plenty of things to explore and places that want to make me feel welcome and spend my vacation dollars on outside of Lake Buena Vista. I'd like to get back to DLP. I'd love to visit TDR. Universal in Orlando is looming large, as are non-Disney cruises.
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
There is always the risk of getting caught in the net because you are simply in the wrong job or the wrong segment. Good companies give managers the opportunity to tag or rescue key people but it's not always possible. It often depends on just how wide the axe is cutting. A good part of career management is watching the lifecycle of the lillypad you are on and knowing your exit routes.

I've watched plenty of GOOD businesses get shutdown simply because the parent is pivoting away from that kind of business.. or the profits are good, just not on the scale the new parent needs (basically too small of a business)... or the parent is looking 3-5 years out and sees a declining segment instead of growing. So they exit. Some get sold... some folded into others.. I've watched some get shutdown entirely.

Sometimes the chasm is simply too big .. so if you haven't jumped off the pad before the news becomes real.. you can be stuck.

I think the real crime is how so many businesses advertise "we are trying to relocate impacted employees..." while they internally shutdown all open reqs. In my experience you need someone offering a hand... those relying on the open job search stuff rarely find a new pad.

Meanwhile.. back at Disney... I'm sure people are more concerned about how radical this reorg will really be since it's objectives are clearly far more than simple SVP consolidation or empire building.. but looks to be actual change in workflows.
One bright note is if you are laid off this is one of the most opportune times to have it happen. Lots of companies not laying off that need good people.
 

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
Also, I rewatched Zootopia last night, and it really is a fantastic film. Falls apart a bit at the end, but overall great film.

There’s really no excuse for Toy Story 5 and Frozen 2 outside of a cash grab. I really, really disliked Frozen 2. Toy Story 4 worked as a b-tier movie. Fun to watch, wasn’t anything special, they ruined buzz as a character, which was upsetting. I doubt either of these films got approved because a great script fell on someone’s table, but regardless.

Back to Zootopia. The world that Zootopia originally premiered was hugely different. I’m certain that if Zootopia came out today, it would be hailed as the pinnacle of “woke” Disney, with its anti-discrimination and racism message and tone.

That said, since then, we’ve had national and even international movements that protested discrimination, and a lot of them centered around police.

Zootopia, is a buddy-story about two cops.

And with its social justice underpinning…

Zootopia 2 could be interesting. They can take it A LOT of directions. It could lack the nuances, grandeur, and storytelling of the original and just be a cheap-cash grab, or it could resume its legacy of social justice themed.

In 2023 and beyond, I think there’s a reason Zootopia 2 should be made, whether it’s a story of unity, or something else entirely. I just hope they actually capture what made the original great (unlike a Ralph Breaks the Internet).
 

SplashJacket

Well-Known Member
I have every reason to believe that there isn't a single project announced, nor a shovel in the dirt, at WDW that will increase capacity in the next 3 years minimum. If waiting it out until 2028 is your thing, more power to you.

As far as prices go, the genie (pun intended) isn't going back into the bottle.

I'd say there's a high likelihood that I'll move on to other things before they increase capacity in a meaningful way. There are plenty of things to explore and places that want to make me feel welcome and spend my vacation dollars on outside of Lake Buena Vista. I'd like to get back to DLP. I'd love to visit TDR. Universal in Orlando is looming large, as are non-Disney cruises.
In terms of added capacity in WDW before 2028, I have every reason to disagree.

I believe there will be substantial, true expansion capacity added before then.

This isn’t just a gut instinct.
 

MrPromey

Well-Known Member
5. Mando season 3 comes out next month, and should undoubtedly be an huge boost for subscriptions. Disney hasn’t had a season of Mando since 2020 (for some reason I thought Mando season 1 came out in 2020, and season 2 in 2021, but season 2 actually came out in 2020, wild)!
It's because Book of Fett snuck Mando characters into a few episodes and even made a full episode of Mando as a stand-in for one of their own to try boosting that show.

It's been a while since a new formal episode of Mando but it hasn't actually been that long since we've seen something new with Mando and Grogu.
 

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