Disney(World) vs. Disney(land)?

[WDWFigment]

Without crediting him?
That's just wrong. I knew there was a reason I didn't like the DIS....

Actually, if anything, this is a reason to like the DIS a little more. Apologies to '74, Yee, and anyone else who had their writing lifted by the author (who obviously reads these forums and isn't just "hearing" things float through the air, as they imply).


As for some other random responses to things I remember reading in this thread (but can't multi-quote!):

--matrix.itasoftware.com is light years ahead of Kayak or any other comparison engine for airfare. Couple that with an Airfarewatchdog.com alert and you can grab cheap airfare very easily.

--I absolutely hate the excuse some people give for bringing anything from Disneyland to Walt Disney World: "I can't afford to go to Disneyland." There may be compelling justifications for clones, but this is not it.

This argument has been waged multiple times on these boards, but I'm not backing down. If you can afford to go to Walt Disney World, you can afford to go to Disneyland. It may require compromise (2 trips for 1), but it CAN be done. For many people, it can be done for roughly the same price (right now, I can fly to SNA/LAX/LGB for less than it costs to fly to MCO...but I appreciate that that's not the case for everyone).

Unfortunately, I can't afford to travel to Easter Island with regularlity. That doesn't mean I think the Moai should be "cloned" and brought to America where it's more convenient for me to see them. I'm not quite that selfish. I think the same principle applies to attractions in Disney theme parks.

--Cars 2 is "fun." Unfortunately, when Pixar is the studio behind a movie, I expect a whole lot more than fun. It's a fun movie, but it's not a well done film. It's mindless and poorly written. Brave is an improvement over Cars 2, but it's nothing to write home about, either. It's almost baffling that the same studio that made Wall-E made Cars 2. Then again, it was a bit surprising that contemporary TWDC made Wall-E in the first place. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that some of its messages were over the heads of some Disney fans...because I think it would hit a little too close to home had they fully understood it.

 

[jt04]

If Disney let Lasseter walk out of that company, we might as well all pack up and go home now. Iger has already dealt his hand and announced his intention to walk away so if it ever did come down to a choice between the two, it would make absolutely no sense for the board not to choose one of the most creative minds around today, one that is dragging WDAS out of the doldrums and I'm sure could do the same at theme parks in years to come. I really wish Disney would go back to the Eisner/Wells-type management structure where one handles the financial faculties of the company (aka the boring but important stuff) while the other handles the creative side of things. When Disney operated like that, everything was golden but Wells sadly passed away, Katzenberg walked out and then there was the Michael Ovitz debacle which all led the way to Eisner's meltdown and eventual ouster. But I don't see why a two-pronged management made up of two executives whose qualities compliment each other, like Eisner and Wells, couldn't work again.

I am not sure Lasseter will want to stay long term. He has other interests he has put on the back burner to work for Disney. Especially family and he does have a winery that he has a great passion for. I have heard him talk about these things.

I believe TWDC is now just too big and the board too seasoned to put the wrong people in the wrong positions in the future. Lessons learned from past errors. There are other Igers and other Lasseters out there.

 

[jt04]

Sitting back with a chocolate martini waiting...(chocolate because...well, because wife likes chocolate, and happy wife makes happy life...!!!)

Have you ever seen such a scam as this? It tops them all. My favorite part of it is how they tried to take me out just before unleashing Dr Evil's secret plot.

Sad, funny and absurd all in one package.

 

[Longhairbear]

I am just not sure whether there really is any future in monorails anywhere. They do look great, but they require expensive infrastructure (beams as well as specific stations), have a huge evacuation problem and for Siemens they would need to develop a totally new product. And with their track record of new products, I would not advise WDW to be the guinea pig, the German railways had some very unfortunate experiences with the high speed trains they were the first to buy from Siemens. Supposedly the later ones they sold to Russia are way better - because from what they learned from the first ones...

I have no idea whether the placement of the engine has anything to do with the AC, but I can assure you that in the high speed trains Siemens built the AC would definitely be considered adequate even from an American point of view: I usually bring an extra fleece as they are so cold!!

My biggest issue with the current monorails is the internal set-up which just is not designed in a way that handles larger crowds easily. The set-up into compartments is just plain madness! I think they need to have trains that you can walk through like this Munich underground train (which was built by Siemens). Siemens also as a new feature for their underground trains which eliminates any gap between train and platform which I think would be just perfect for WDW with the many strollers and ECVs...

Being newbies at WDW years ago, we tried to make our dinner reservations in time at Vic & Al's at the GF. We were staying at Dixie Landings, and got totally screwed. We hadn't figured out the bus/monorail system at the time. We then sat at the GF bus station waiting for a bus to take us back to our resort, um yea, never happened. The next year we got stuck in bus/ monorail hell trying to get back from Fort Wilderness after the Hoop Dee Doo, there's several vodka/tonics I would have had back in our room I'll never get back.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Ya to bad Disney botched the rights to the KUKA arm because the incredibles ride they had planned sounded amazing.

I'd love to know more about that ride.

Also, didn't Universal have a five year exclusive? By the time any ride opens up won't it be close to five years?

 

[FrankLapidus]

I am not sure Lasseter will want to stay long term. He has other interests he has put on the back burner to work for Disney. Especially family and he does have a winery that he has a great passion for. I have heard him talk about these things.

I believe TWDC is now just too big and the board too seasoned to put the wrong people in the wrong positions in the future. Lessons learned from past errors. There are other Igers and other Lasseters out there.

I hope Lasseter does plan to stay long-term, not only because he's one of the best at what he does but because he does seem to always have genuine enthusiasm and enjoyment of what his job entails. At WDAS, Andrew Millstein handles the day-to-day operations so Lasseter doesn't have to devote all of his time there but weighs in on the stuff he needs to and I'm sure it's the same in other areas. I appreciate how hectic his schedule is but I think he finds a way to make it manageable; I can't recall him complaining about it off the top of my head though it would be understandable if he chose to cut back on some of his duties over time. I don't think he'll ever walk away from Pixar and I really hope he stays at Disney for a long time because I think that the departments he oversees do really need him. I agree that there are other Igers out there but, personally, I'm not too sure if there are too many more Lasseters. I'm not too sure about Disney being too seasoned to put the wrong people in the wrong position; Rich Ross is a recent exception to that rule that springs to mind. But that's the same at any company, it's trial-by-error until you find the right guy.

 

[jt04]

I hope Lasseter does plan to stay long-term, not only because he's one of the best at what he does but because he does seem to always have genuine enthusiasm and enjoyment of what his job entails. At WDAS, Andrew Millstein handles the day-to-day operations so Lasseter doesn't have to devote all of his time there but weighs in on the stuff he needs to and I'm sure it's the same in other areas. I appreciate how hectic his schedule is but I think he finds a way to make it manageable; I can't recall him complaining about it off the top of my head though it would be understandable if he chose to cut back on some of his duties over time. I don't think he'll ever walk away from Pixar and I really hope he stays at Disney for a long time because I think that the departments he oversees do really need him. I agree that there are other Igers out there but, personally, I'm not too sure if there are too many more Lasseters. I'm not too sure about Disney being too seasoned to put the wrong people in the wrong position; Rich Ross is a recent exception to that rule that springs to mind. But that's the same at any company, it's trial-by-error until you find the right guy.

There is never going to be a CEO that never makes a mistake. I thought Iger did a good job fixing the situation. And I agree with you about Lasseter staying on but in more of an advisory role. Perhaps if he does cut back a bit he would find more time for creative inspiration. It is not good for a company to be too dependent on one individual anyway.

 

[FrankLapidus]

There is never going to be a CEO that never makes a mistake. I thought Iger did a good job fixing the situation. And I agree with you about Lasseter staying on but in more of an advisory role. Perhaps if he does cut back a bit he would find more time for creative inspiration. It is not good for a company to be too dependent on one individual anyway.

I agree about Iger; I don't think he's done a bad job but I don't think he's fulfilled the potential he showed in the early stages of his time as CEO where I thought he would make more significant changes than he has. I think he's done OK but not great (but the Pixar deal was great) and he'll leave the company in a better state than what he inherited. I also agree that its not wise to become too dependent on one individual but individuals like Lasseter are hard to come by. Hopefully there are people within WDAS and WDI who have the potential to go on to assume senior creative roles in the future.

 

[Scuttle]

All of them.

Haha. That's comedy right there.

 

[Scuttle]

I'd love to know more about that ride.

Also, didn't Universal have a five year exclusive? By the time any ride opens up won't it be close to five years?

Yes they have a five year exclusive, but if I'm not mistaken they have an option for another 5 year contract extension. The ride was to be in Hollywood Studios and was going to use the KUKA arm and would let riders choose there level of "incredible" intensity. Which would be a perfect ride idea for the KUKA and would use it's engineering to it's full potential. I wish I knew more as well.

 

[marni1971]

Yes they have a five year exclusive, but if I'm not mistaken they have an option for another 5 year contract extension. The ride was to be in Hollywood Studios and was going to use the KUKA arm and would let riders choose there level of "incredible" intensity. Which would be a perfect ride idea for the KUKA and would use it's engineering to it's full potential. I wish I knew more as well.

I more preferred the version planned for Disneylands Peoplemover. Imagine a moving Kuka Arm on an elevated track??

 

[NoChesterHester]

I more preferred the version planned for Disneylands Peoplemover. Imagine a moving Kuka Arm on an elevated track??

That would be dynamic. Would they enclose the track and have screens for show scenes or was it planned as an open air upgrade to the current ride?

 

[NoChesterHester]

I havent seen this posted yet:
http://mobile.businessweek.com/articles/2012-08-09/bob-iger-on-disney-california-adventure

First time I've actually heard Iger mention, "Universal did a good job with Harry Potter. It’s had a modest impact on our business in Florida."

 

[Scuttle]

I more preferred the version planned for Disneylands Peoplemover. Imagine a moving Kuka Arm on an elevated track??

That would be amazing. I remember I brought that idea up in the 3,000 post Avatar thread and got flamed for thinking it was even possible. Any more details Martin?

 

[Brewmaster]

I havent seen this posted yet:
http://mobile.businessweek.com/articles/2012-08-09/bob-iger-on-disney-california-adventure

First time I've actually heard Iger mention, "Universal did a good job with Harry Potter. It’s had a modest impact on our business in Florida."

That was... Interesting (in an awkward kind of manner). Have you ever spoke at length with someone who isn't really comfortable with the subject matter (either not interested, or completely out of their element), that's the feeling I got after reading this interview. Bob just doesn't seem to have good working knowledge of the Parks division (from an operational and design process). It's been said that he has no real affinity for the Parks, and I feel a bit more confident in that assessment after reading this.

On another note, it's interesting to see that RSR is operating at less than 100% after only being open a few weeks...

 

[marni1971]

That would be amazing. I remember I brought that idea up in the 3,000 post Avatar thread and got flamed for thinking it was even possible. Any more details Martin?

Just the bare facts, and the art that Lee (I think) posted of the arms running in open air on top of the PM tracks)

 

[flynnibus]

No idea.

Disney has always dealt with Bombardier when building monorails, but the latter turned DLR down on its latest trains because it didn't want to waste time with a tough company and a tiny (three train) order, so Disney reengineered them to an amusing level of success.

If they turned them down, why were the trains in Canada?

 

[flynnibus]

If you're traveling to Disney World, you can make it over to Universal.

To be fair.. A side trip can be very expensive. Hitting usf after our cruise cost me about 1k extra. That isn't funny money

 

[Lee]

If they turned them down, why were the trains in Canada?

WDI designed the new body, which was fabricated and attached to the existing trains in Canada by Dynamic Structures.

 

[flynnibus]

WDI designed the new body, which was fabricated and attached to the existing trains in Canada by Dynamic Structures.

Thx for that