News Disney and Fox come to terms -- announcement soon; huge IP acquisition

[Quinnmac000]

Chinese Movie IPs like “Monster Hunt” or just areas themed after Chinese literature/history?

Because I had heard a version of this park included the latter at one point.

Monster Hunt already is in other Chinese parks so no....already were job postings for The Great wall, but speculation is more so off classic Chinese folklore such as Journey to the West, Legend of the Condors, etc....exactly of which ones that will be included are unsure.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Monster Hunt already is in other Chinese parks so no....already were job postings for The Great wall, but speculation is more so off classic Chinese folklore such as Journey to the West, Legend of the Condors, etc....exactly of which ones that will be included are unsure.

Sounds similar to what Disney was forced to do in Shanghai.

 

[Stripes]

Yes because a park full of duplicates would require such a huge budget for things that already are developed and created??? Does that actually make sense to you?

Labor and materials are cheaper in China than the US so you can't use that excuse either.

Also if you knew Chinese history, you would know the who has the bigger stick contest between Shanghai and Beijing. Beijing will do what it takes to beat Shanghai. CCP is based in Beijing so they have a much stronger hope to stick it to the leaders in Shanghai

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/04/world/la-fg-china-rivals-20101004
http://shanghaiist.com/2008/07/16/shanghai_shame/

Let me ask you, did they actually announce something new to go with that ballooning budget? Cause if it was a real expansion, another $3 billion would buy you another park. SDL park actually cost $3.3 billion.

Having been to China, Shanghai is the much better city, and a much better city to build an American theme park. Beijing on the other hand is riddled with corruption.

Now, they're not expecting more guests than SDL, but they're spending $1 billion more? Sorry, but ROI is king over any nonsensical competition between Shanghai and Beijing.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Sounds similar to what Disney was forced to do in Shanghai.

Really? The “distinctly Chinese” part of the park, aside from the giant castle, is a tea house. That’s it. If there was an equivalent to say Liberty Square or Disneyland’s vision of Frontierland as American history or DLP’s DL, that would be correct, but the resort doesn’t have anything substantially Chinese in it.

When the full story of SHDR comes out, I doubt “blame the Chinese” will be a sufficient explanation for that park’s design flaws.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Really? The “distinctly Chinese” part of the park, aside from the giant castle, is a tea house. That’s it. If there was an equivalent to say Liberty Square or Disneyland’s vision of Frontierland as American history or DLP’s DL, that would be correct, but the resort doesn’t have anything substantially Chinese in it.

When the full story of SHDR comes out, I doubt “blame the Chinese” will be a sufficient explanation for that park’s design flaws.

I just meant they had to do “native” designs to be more Chinese’s culturally friendly...it wasn’t an accusation or assigning blame for anything.

It was Euro were they really miscalculated that.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I just meant they had to do “native” designs to be more Chinese’s culturally friendly...it wasn’t an accusation or assigning blame for anything.

It was Euro were they really miscalculated that.

Disagree.

The park’s design team was incredibly thoughtful about how they went about creating that park for a pan European audience. In addition, the French government mandated a land of the park be dedicated to France, which would be Discoveryland. Though there are some blind spots in terms of Disney characters and films which are popular in Europe like Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge and the Jungle Book, they don’t seem like glaring omissions from the opening day version of the park. But seriously, DLP could use a Duckberg and a Jungle Book E.

It’s time for a revision of how we understand Euro Disney’s failings because it’s had such a massive impact on Disney’s theme parks. It’s made it impossible for the company to see them as an art form where quality and thoughtfulness yield a more financially successful product in the long run. The claims of “cultural genocide”, coming from a culture deeply influenced by and connected to American music and cinema, and general NIMBYism were overblown and died down as generations of guests have visited the park.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disagree.

The park’s design team was incredibly thoughtful about how they went about creating that park for a pan European audience. In addition, the French government mandated a land of the park be dedicated to France, which would be Discoveryland. Though there are some blind spots in terms of Disney characters and films which are popular in Europe like Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge and the Jungle Book, they don’t seem like glaring omissions from the opening day version of the park. But seriously, DLP could use a Duckberg and a Jungle Book E.

It’s time for a revision of how we understand Euro Disney’s failings because it’s had such a massive impact on Disney’s theme parks. It’s made it impossible for the company to see them as an art form where quality and thoughtfulness yield a more financially successful product in the long run. The claims of “cultural genocide”, coming from a culture deeply influenced by and connected to American music and cinema, and general NIMBYism were overblown and died down as generations of guests have visited the park.

Again...not what I’m saying...

I’m saying Disney learned much of its knowledge on how to develop foreign parks during the growing pains of euro...which comes in handy in China way more than it did in japan - which is more American friendly than about half the United States.

I’m good at looking for conflict...apparently I’m not good at NOT looking for it.

And I love Euro...FYI. and it’s a lot better now than when I was there.

 

[Quinnmac000]

Let me ask you, did they actually announce something new to go with that ballooning budget? Cause if it was a real expansion, another $3 billion would buy you another park. SDL park actually cost $3.3 billion.

Having been to China, Shanghai is the much better city, and a much better city to build an American theme park. Beijing on the other hand is riddled with corruption.

Now, they're not expecting more guests than SDL, but they're spending $1 billion more? Sorry, but ROI is king over any nonsensical competition between Shanghai and Beijing.

Are they required to announce something....secondly it wasn't Universal who announced anything. It was the Wall Street Journal Exclusive from the head of the Beijing Tourism Group. Beijing Tourism Group is fronting the money. Universal is just spending it.

And obviously you didn;t read either article because both showed clear examples of the local governments in those two cities blowing money to defeat each other. Facts vs feels bro.

 

[Lensman]

I’m saying Disney learned much of its knowledge on how to develop foreign parks during the growing pains of euro...which comes in handy in China way more than it did in japan - which is more American friendly than about half the United States.

I'm not sure what you mean by your reference to Tokyo Disneyland. Would you clarify?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm not sure what you mean by your reference to Tokyo Disneyland. Would you clarify?

Other than adjusting for seasonal weather...they could have built an exact replica of Disneyland or the magic kingdom and it would have Been packed since day one...

It wasn’t a tough sell. Might have something to do with leveling the island with high explosives in 1944-45 and rebuilding it from scratch with American companies.

 

[smile]

Other than adjusting for seasonal weather...they could have built an exact replica of Disneyland or the magic kingdom and it would have Been packed since day one...

It wasn’t a tough sell. Might have something to do with leveling the island with high explosives in 1944-45 and rebuilding it from scratch with American companies.

no credit to that lovely little land company?
... ya know, that one that's treats their parks more disney than disney?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

no credit to that little lovely land company?
... ya know, that one that's treats their parks more disney than disney?

Absolutely...and by just stating the geopolitical history of japan...I’m not casting hate on any party. It is what it is/was...

But japan is the most pro-US market - even though it’s vastly different - on the planet...it’s a 75 year symbiotic relationship.

Much harder crowd to appease in china and France. Not that there’s anything wrong with that...if anything, it makes disney raise their game.

And they’re building tron in Orlando and those movies are actually really good.

 

[smile]

Absolutely...and by just stating the geopolitical history of japan...I’m not casting hate on any party. It is what it is/was...

But japan is the most pro-US market - even though it’s vastly different - on the planet...it’s a 75 year symbiotic relationship.

Much harder crowd to appease in china and France. Not that there’s anything wrong with that...if anything, it makes disney raise their game.

And they’re building tron in Orlando and those movies are actually really good.

oh, i'm not disagreeing there...
just get tingly when reminded of what a company can do with their parks when they're viewed as an end in themselves and ensuring that wasn't discounted... it can't be forgotten

... and i truly only get tron in fla from a somewhat narrow perspective; still a rather interesting 'go'

 

[Lensman]

I’m saying Disney learned much of its knowledge on how to develop foreign parks during the growing pains of euro...which comes in handy in China way more than it did in japan - which is more American friendly than about half the United States.

Other than adjusting for seasonal weather...they could have built an exact replica of Disneyland or the magic kingdom and it would have Been packed since day one...

It wasn’t a tough sell. Might have something to do with leveling the island with high explosives in 1944-45 and rebuilding it from scratch with American companies.

I meant that I didn't understand what you meant by, "which comes in handy in China way more than it did in japan - which is more American friendly than about half the United States." What would have come in more handy than it did in Japan?

I think the reason I'm confused because I thought it was the case that Tokyo Disneyland was built before Disneyland Paris. But I'm not sure if that's critical to your point.

 

[Robbiem]

Tokyo Disneyland is designed to feel like a trip to the US thats why things
Ike signage is always in English first and Japanese in small letters underneath. Basically it was a world showcase idealised version of a US park. Saying that design elements like the world bazaar canopy are clearly lifted from Japanese towns. Disneysea is an even more romanticised depiction of locals from around the world

Euro Disney took this concept and ran with it. The biggest design issue i think wasn’t the park which does a really good job of presenting a romantic version of the us blended with European culture but the surrounding resort which was overwhelming American in the theme of the hotels and shopping centre. A bigger blend of cultures woukd have made for a more successful resort IMO but in the end it was the number of hotel rooms and debt set up which caused the main issues which basically scared management from future big thinking for the parks

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I meant that I didn't understand what you meant by, "which comes in handy in China way more than it did in japan - which is more American friendly than about half the United States." What would have come in more handy than it did in Japan?

I think the reason I'm confused because I thought it was the case that Tokyo Disneyland was built before Disneyland Paris. But I'm not sure if that's critical to your point.

What I was saying was that Disney had to jump through more cultural hoops in Paris and China than they did in Tokyo...

So the experience of France -
After Tokyo which didn’t have any real cultural opposition - proved more valuable in Hong Kong or shanghai...

It is what it is...nothing negative about it.

 

[Lensman]

What I was saying was that Disney had to jump through more cultural hoops in Paris and China than they did in Tokyo...

So the experience of France -
After Tokyo which didn’t have any real cultural opposition - proved more valuable in Hong Kong or shanghai...

It is what it is...nothing negative about it.

I see. Thanks. That explanation is a lot more clear to me than what you originally wrote.

 

[Quinnmac000]

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3359957-cnbc-disney-preps-financing-case-fox-demands-cash-deal

Disney is now prepping as well for cash deal...looking into getting financing. Looks like their balance sheets and debt will be messed up too

 

[Indy_UK]

Good, least Disney isn’t just going to give up. I’m not huge on the Fox Movies and IP but I think Disney should use it to distribute their more adult live action content.

Of course the main reason for this is overall content, bigger stake in Hulu and SKY TV. An international broadcasting platform for Disney would be huge

 

[Stripes]

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3359957-cnbc-disney-preps-financing-case-fox-demands-cash-deal

Disney is now prepping as well for cash deal...looking into getting financing. Looks like their balance sheets and debt will be messed up too

Depends on how it's structured, I can't see them doing an all-cash bid, not because they can't, but because Murdoch doesn't want cash.