News Disney CFO Christine McCarthy says Disney will continue to focus on existing intellectual property for new park investments

[JD80]

Re-read my post. This time carefully. I didn’t say Disney didn’t have faith in their current talent. (Which only fails upwards and they never seem to take care of the problem) I said they had a lack of faith in & respect for their legacy/past along with the qualities and talent that both held & holds true to those tried & true qualities that made Disney as successful as they had been for so many years. (Ones who are usually let go sooner than later, despite their works & values proving current management’s thinking wrong)

You said this to start your post: Disney has such a lack of faith in their successful talent

 

[Inspired Figment]

You think the creative people at WDI though it was a bummer they had to create a life sized Millennium Falcon?

No, but I’m sure it’s a bummer to a ton of creative people at WDI that they can’t create new, original stuff that hasn’t been done before like their talented, successful predecessors were able to.

 

[Inspired Figment]

You said this to start your post: Disney has such a lack of faith in their successful talent

Their current talent hasn’t been all that successful as of late if you notice.. the successful is their past talent or those that have had past successes with the company that have since left or been let go due to being mistreated & disrespected by current management, despite their past track record of success keeping Disney successful

 

[SamusAranX]

A lot of you are wasting your breath. The pixie dust is strong with some and Disney can possibly do no wrong with the parks.

 

[JD80]

No, but I’m sure it’s a bummer to a ton of creative people at WDI that they can’t create new, original stuff that hasn’t been done before like their predecessors were able to.

Lot of assumptions there.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

A lot of you are wasting your breath. The pixie dust is strong with some and Disney can possibly do no wrong with the parks.

I am not a “pixie duster” and acknowledged several times in several of my posts that there have been some missteps and lackluster attractions in recent years

 

[SamusAranX]

I am not a “pixie duster” and acknowledged several times in several of my posts that there have been some missteps and lackluster attractions in recent years

Not you in particular, there’s a few posters going back and forth and it really isn’t going to change some posters’ opinions.

 

[JD80]

Their current talent hasn’t been all that successful as of late if you notice.. the successful is their past talent or those that have had past successes with the company that have since left or been let go due to being mistreated & disrespected by current management, despite their past track record of success keeping Disney successful

Define "current talent" WDI from the last 5 years? 10? And what exactly has been a failure? Did things suck during Chapek? Hell yes they did. And a lot of talent left because of the whole Lake Nona debacle. That's not because they told them to make SWGE instead of some original IP.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Disney CFO Christine McCarthy says Disney will continue to focus on existing intellectual property for new park investments

Disney CFO Christine McCarthy says Disney will continue to focus on existing intellectual property for new park investments

www.wdwmagic.com

I don’t care what anybody says, this is the smart business way to go.

 

[BlakeW39]

What are you even talking about. Disney doesn't have lack of faith in WDI. They are betting that with their limited dollars to build attractions, the safest bet is extremely popular movies and stories. Like Moana.

Again this is an either or argument when the people are actively decided where to spend $500M in the parks. Do we spend money investing in the Moana franchise, or do we take a bold step towards creating a brand new set of stories and characters?

If Disney was building/designing one attraction a quarter, sure. There would be room for inventing new IP just for the parks. But that's just not the what is happening.

I had a list a few pages ago with different movies that have no representation in the parks. Disney is rumored to expand AK and maybe MK after that. If your job and reputation relied on those investments to be successful. Would you bet on the likes of Moana and Encanto and whatever list of Villains you can think of.

Or would you bank on creating something new?

This also includes future revenue streams like park attendance, hotel occupancy, merch etc.

We understand why the IP mandate exists. That's why I reposted Joe Rohde's comments here. Left unrestrained, a commercial system will choose to exploit something valuable until it has no value left. Upper level management in a large corporation like The Walt Disney Company is going to have minimal interest in creating things new unless they have to. New things are risky and aren't as immediately tempting as something that's already a proven success. Why wouldn't Disney keep using its IP? There is seemingly no logistical reason for them to create original lands/attractions. But like I said, overexploitation of a valuable thing results in that thing diminishing in value. IP everywhere all the time even where it doesn't belong...makes it less valuable. Marvel (of which I am a fan) making 500 shows and movies every year, results in their decreasing value. Watch how things go over the next few years (it's already begun) and you'll see how this IP all day strategy fails for Disney at the box office. And wait 20 years and see how this strategy gives them issues in their parks, because they chose IP over theme. And that will cause them to be no different from Universal. Their primary competitor. Food for thought.

 

[BlakeW39]

A lot of you are wasting your breath. The pixie dust is strong with some and Disney can possibly do no wrong with the parks.

Fair enough....bad habits, hahah. I could go on for days if you let me

 

[Tha Realest]

Chapek: We need to deploy our unique synergy machine
McCarthy: We are going to rely more heavily on what the data tells us to build.

I just realized something. Buzzy wasn’t stolen - he’s directing WDI.

 

[Inspired Figment]

Chapek: We need to deploy our unique synergy machine
McCarthy: We are going to rely more heavily on what the data tells us to build.

I just realized something. Buzzy wasn’t stolen - he’s directing WDI.

No no no.. he’s kept in a corner at a table, fishing for any scrap he can find. While Dr. Nigel Channing runs/directs WDI, using his tests & charts to capture & control “Imagination” when in reality, that isn’t how it works nor does he have a proper, fundamental understanding nor respect of it or the process involved.

 

[Inspired Figment]

We need Dreamfinder & Figment but they’re nowhere to be found in there. Infact, they’re practically barred from the property and are only allowed to “consult”…. If you can even call it that.

 

[StaceyH_SD]

As somebody who experienced DCA 1.0 during cast member previews, I’ll just say original IP can be a mixed bag. Superstar Limo TO THIS DAY is the worst thing I ever experienced at any Disney park. OTOH Soarin’ is one of my favorites things. However, the Soarin’ Around the World update is ok but not great.

Keeping it in DCA, the ToT retheme to GoTG:MB is excellent and that they did it fast and presumably relatively cheap shows what Imagineering CAN do with an existing IP. And Cars Land is one of my favorite things at any Disney Park.

DCA went from being my least favorite parks to arguably one of my favorites.

 

[BlakeW39]

As somebody who experienced DCA 1.0 during cast member previews, I’ll just say original IP can be a mixed bag. Superstar Limo TO THIS DAY is the worst thing I ever experienced at any Disney park. OTOH Soarin’ is one of my favorites things. However, the Soarin’ Around the World update is ok but not great.

Keeping it in DCA, the ToT retheme to GoTG:MB is excellent and that they did it fast and presumably relatively cheap shows what Imagineering CAN do with an existing IP. And Cars Land is one of my favorite things at any Disney Park.

DCA went from being my least favorite parks to arguably one of my favorites.

Both movie IP and original parks IP can be good or bad. But original IP has generally produced, pound for pound, more enduring, classic attractions than movie IP has. I mean let's be honest, GOTG is fun but will it ever be an essential part of EPCOT's identity like JII or SSE? Doubtful. GOTG have their own identity and it's got nothin to do with EPCOT.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This whole post is mostly wrong.

I love how you use derogatory words like "shoving" in this context. God forbid Disney fill their parks with their most beloved stories and characters that everyone has either grown up with or recently fallen in love with. I know my kids are chomping at the bit to see the new Willy the Walrus ride. They totally would not love to see Bluey or Gravity Falls or maybe my 8 year old son going on an adventure with Luca.

Nope, it's all about Willy the Walrus. Totally not an attraction based on the shows they spent 100+ hours watching over the last year or so.

Anyone putting “smash hit” and “alien swirling saucers” in the same sentence is wrong…

…and committed a crime against the English language

 

[celluloid]

TWDC is investing in new IP all the time, it's just not physical attractions at the parks.

Not as often there either though.


The majority of the big releases are live action remakes or live action sequels of what they have already done. Many other than those are animated sequels. Elemental and Wish are a welcome exception.

Disney Plus has a majority of its shows and exclusive content based in direct connection with it's successful counterparts. It's great to have but lacks variety and saturates.

 

[celluloid]

Anyone putting “smash hit” and “alien swirling saucers” in the same sentence is annoying…

…and a crime against the English language

It's easy. You just put the.last part of the first word and first.psrt.of.secomd.word.together. then take the acronym for the flat ride pick one, or both for it.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

No no no.. he’s kept in a corner at a table, fishing for any scrap he can find. While Dr. Nigel Channing runs/directs WDI, using his tests & charts to capture & control “Imagination” when in reality, that isn’t how it works nor does he have a proper, fundamental understanding nor respect of it or the process involved.

Buzzy’s kinda hoping with all this talk about shoe horning IP, he can somehow be snuck into Tiana…maybe a salt miner or a co-op customer??