Disney's Punishment of Honest Media/Reviews

[lentesta]

I can't help but remember that as long as they produce coverage of it, every Disney vlogger and blogger (including Len Testa and *****) will be allowed to write the price of the Galactic Starcruiser off their taxes as a business expense.

I've been audited by the IRS exactly once, and it went really well.

It took them no time at all to agree that you normally have to purchase a thing in order to review it, and those purchases are therefore a legitimate business expense. The only thing they needed to see besides receipts was the review itself.

Still, the $5K we spend is technically money we could spend elsewhere (booze, toys for orphans, you name it), so it all factors into a decision about value.

 

[TikibirdLand]

I've been audited by the IRS exactly once, and it went really well.

It took them no time at all to agree that you normally have to purchase a thing in order to review it, and those purchases are therefore a legitimate business expense. The only thing they needed to see besides receipts was the review itself.

Still, the $5K we spend is technically money we could spend elsewhere (booze, toys for orphans, you name it), so it all factors into a decision about value.

I was pleasantly surprised by both your review and TomC's. Both were absolutely giddy. Loved that and the details you shared. Your "Hank Lonely" bit is HILARIOUS. You inspired me. I think I want to go as Nick, The Lounge Singer. Not sure if I can pull off the outfit -- I'm more of an Elvis Presley 1977. But, it would be great to try. I'd be the talent they kicked off the Halcyon to hire Gaia. I'd want to copy your idea with the glossies and have my wife tell how big a fan she is. Not sure I get her to play along. But, sounds like I shouldn't have problems finding groupies. Thanks for sharing all your insights. It was really fun!

This video shows what the Halycon looked like before the restoration. It DEFINITELY was needed!

 

[lentesta]

Can we trust media members? They may have agendas and/or report as instructed by their boss or their organization.

We even have to take what the paying customers say with a grain of salt., no one wants to say, that sucked and I wasted $6K.

I guess all we can do for ourselves is to take in all the information and choose for ourselves.

In the end, if the $6K is a real financial strain for a family, its probably best to use the $6K to vacation where you can get the most for your money, even its still in WDW, just not the Star Cruiser.

Here's me and Bob Sehlinger quoted in the New York Times in 2015, saying then-mostly-a-construction-pit Disney's Hollywood Studios wasn't worth the cost of admission. We told people to go to Universal Studios Florida instead, calling it a better value.

For reference, that got us an instant (and permanent) ban from media events.

I stand by every word we wrote. It was honest consumer advice. We'd do it again.

Based on that, I hope it's clear that we would absolutely say that Starcruiser wasn't worth $5K if we thought that was true.

 

[lentesta]

I was pleasantly surprised by both your review and TomC's. Both were absolutely giddy. Loved that and the details you shared. Your "Hank Lonely" bit is HILARIOUS. You inspired me. I think I want to go as Nick, The Lounge Singer. Not sure if I can pull off the outfit -- I'm more of an Elvis Presley 1977. But, it would be great to try. I'd be the talent they kicked off the Halcyon to hire Gaia. I'd want to copy your idea with the glossies and have my wife tell how big a fan she is. Not sure I get her to play along. But, sounds like I shouldn't have problems finding groupies. Thanks for sharing all your insights. It was really fun!

This video shows what the Halycon looked like before the restoration. It DEFINITELY was needed!

Great minds think alike! I adapted Bill Murray's lyrics here for the Space Robots in Outer Space theme song that I didn't get to perform. Next time. (Or, you know, when you do it!)

 

[OrlandoRising]

That conflict doesn't arise, but not having to pay out of personal funds does still affect the review.

It's only one unconscious bias of many, though (it's not really an unconscious bias but I'm drawing a blank on the right term, and that gets the point across).

I think that's a real stretch to discredit, or just cast doubt upon a review. And I stand by my earlier point that under that logic, the only unbiased review would be someone who doesn't do it in any sort of professional capacity.

At least for me personally, sure, I can write off something like a hotel stay as a business expense on my taxes --- but that happens many months later. I still see and pay the bill like anyone else. I always factor the price into my review, whether it's $42 at the Clarion Suites on 192 or $185 at the Sheraton at Universal Hollywood, and that's not hard to do. If I wasn't discussing the value proposition, there would be no point in doing a review.

Even for a much bigger site than my own, they have to keep track of expenses, so it's not like paying with a business credit card is the same as your stay being comped by Disney. Someone still saw that price and authorized that expense, and I'm sure they factor in the cost into their review like I do. Just by knowing the price you're going to go into the experience with your expectations at a certain level and the review will reflect that.

 

[UNCgolf]

I think that's a real stretch to discredit, or just cast doubt upon a review. And I stand by my earlier point that under that logic, the only unbiased review would be someone who doesn't do it in any sort of professional capacity.

At least for me personally, sure, I can write off something like a hotel stay as a business expense on my taxes --- but that happens many months later. I still see and pay the bill like anyone else. I always factor the price into my review, whether it's $42 at the Clarion Suites on 192 or $185 at the Sheraton at Universal Hollywood, and that's not hard to do. If I wasn't discussing the value proposition, there would be no point in doing a review.

Even for a much bigger site than my own, they have to keep track of expenses, so it's not like paying with a business credit card is the same as your stay being comped by Disney. Someone still saw that price and authorized that expense, and I'm sure they factor in the cost into their review like I do. Just by knowing the price you're going to go into the experience with your expectations at a certain level and the review will reflect that.

I wasn't arguing it's a reason to discredit a review -- just that it is a factor people should be aware of.

It's only one of many; I'm not sure a completely unbiased review actually exists.

 

[networkpro]

I'll strike a discordant opinion here. Disney cant produce in house the material that the vloggers do just for the simple fact that they have to stick to the design narrative and marketing material. Furthermore they would blow out any budget with thier production staffing model, reduce the availability of any area they would be filming in by blocking it off from paying guests, and cherry pick any food offerings. Vloggers usually are one to a few, film during normal operations, and for the most part consume from the same food stream as all the other guests. So in spite of even myself not liking some of the vloggers narrative styles and personas, they show what a customer can get and experience better than "Must do Disney".

 

[TikibirdLand]

I'll strike a discordant opinion here. Disney cant produce in house the material that the vloggers do just for the simple fact that they have to stick to the design narrative and marketing material. Furthermore they would blow out any budget with thier production staffing model, reduce the availability of any area they would be filming in by blocking it off from paying guests, and cherry pick any food offerings. Vloggers usually are one to a few, film during normal operations, and for the most part consume from the same food stream as all the other guests. So in spite of even myself not liking some of the vloggers narrative styles and personas, they show what a customer can get and experience better than "Must do Disney".

I think it's naive to believe Disney doesn't "plus" experiences during media previews. Take a look at RoTR previews from multiple vloggers. You'll see a notable decline in the amount of CM interaction in the queue and in the various "scenes". Even the RoTR effects are less now than they were just a year or so ago. We can go through multiple examples of this. Yeah, the bubbly vloggers, not withstanding, always paint a pretty picture than you'll be seeing yourself. But, I'll stick with the reviewers that seem to match my touring style -- if I ever get back to the parks.

 

[sedati]

I think that's a real stretch to discredit, or just cast doubt upon a review.

Wasn't that the entire point of this thread? A whole category of people were discredited and cast as shills.

 

[DHSfanatic]

Does Disney issue a 1099? The cost of attending the event, if paid by the attendee, may be tax deductible as a business expense. Probably also deductible if Disney issues 1099.

Answer may be different for different attendees

Be interesing to know if Disney issues 1099s. I'm thinking probably not.

And, of course, a tax deduction is different from a tax credit. So, I assume that @lentesta will deduct the $5K, but he still ends up paying something net out-of-pocket in the sense that his business income is reduced by $5K x (1 - his tax rate).

I enjoyed listening to his review on the Disney Dish podcast. Message I got is that you have to be a major SW nerd to come close to getting your money's worth. And even then, as he mentions near the end, for that kind of dough there are probably other vacations most families would enjoy more.

 

[networkpro]

I think it's naive to believe Disney doesn't "plus" experiences during media previews. Take a look at RoTR previews from multiple vloggers. You'll see a notable decline in the amount of CM interaction in the queue and in the various "scenes". Even the RoTR effects are less now than they were just a year or so ago. We can go through multiple examples of this. Yeah, the bubbly vloggers, not withstanding, always paint a pretty picture than you'll be seeing yourself. But, I'll stick with the reviewers that seem to match my touring style -- if I ever get back to the parks.

Normal vlogs during normal hours of operation, you're reading what you want to hear.

 

[lewisc]

And, of course, a tax deduction is different from a tax credit. So, I assume that @lentesta will deduct the $5K, but he still ends up paying something net out-of-pocket in the sense that his business income is reduced by $5K x (1 - his tax rate).

You pay tax on your net income. Your income goes up by 5000 your deductions go up by 5000. No change in your net income no change in your taxes.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Wasn't that the entire point of this thread? A whole category of people were discredited and cast as shills.

Yes, shills were called shills. Which is good, because more then ever before, shills and their handlers hide behind false authenticity.

Now we have some very positive reviews from some very trusted people. Those carry a lot of weight. I may have missed it - has anyone dismissed Len’s glowing take?

 

[RSoxNo1]

I've been audited by the IRS exactly once, and it went really well.

It took them no time at all to agree that you normally have to purchase a thing in order to review it, and those purchases are therefore a legitimate business expense. The only thing they needed to see besides receipts was the review itself.

Still, the $5K we spend is technically money we could spend elsewhere (booze, toys for orphans, you name it), so it all factors into a decision about value.

As a tax preparer this is fairly consistent across the board. You may get an auditor that's more difficult than another auditor but anyone that objectively understands Len's line of work should understand what are necessary write offs.

The biggest argument I imagine you have is that customarily "meals and entertainment" are only a 50% deduction and you can probably get away with that being a 100% deduction in your field.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Here's me and Bob Sehlinger quoted in the New York Times in 2015, saying then-mostly-a-construction-pit Disney's Hollywood Studios wasn't worth the cost of admission. We told people to go to Universal Studios Florida instead, calling it a better value.

For reference, that got us an instant (and permanent) ban from media events.

I stand by every word we wrote. It was honest consumer advice. We'd do it again.

Based on that, I hope it's clear that we would absolutely say that Starcruiser wasn't worth $5K if we thought that was true.

I'm curious how long after the article came out were you contacted? Were you previously getting consistent media invites? Because it was the NYT, I imagine you got a call that day.

 

[sedati]

Yes, shills were called shills. Which is good, because more then ever before, shills and their handlers hide behind false authenticity.

Now we have some very positive reviews from some very trusted people. Those carry a lot of weight. I may have missed it - has anyone dismissed Len’s glowing take?

By what you just said I guess I can dismiss absolutely everything said by Len or Touring Plans prior to his being quoted in the NYT. Shill. Or Orlando Rising before he got two "no comments" regarding Toy Story Land sight-lines. Shill.

 

[Casper Gutman]

By what you just said I guess I can dismiss absolutely everything said by Len or Touring Plans prior to his being quoted in the NYT. Shill. Or Orlando Rising before he got two "no comments" regarding Toy Story Land sight-lines. Shill.

I don’t even know what you think you’re arguing here. Are you continuing to attack the idea that one has to analyze news sources based on multiple criteria to evaluate trustworthiness? Or that people come to trust particular sources with whom they have long experience?

 

[lentesta]

I'm curious how long after the article came out were you contacted? Were you previously getting consistent media invites? Because it was the NYT, I imagine you got a call that day.

It was more like ... we never heard back from them on anything ever again. I joke that I could ask "Is the Grand Floridian still open?" and not get a response.

ETA: I think I've told this story once before, but back in the early 2000s, Disney's PR team included some old-school people who recognized that it was okay to deal with media (like the Unofficial Guide) who were, say, critical but predisposed to liking the parks.

I remember walking past the early stages of Grand Flo Villas construction with Rick Sylvain, one of the PR leads. We all knew (probably from the permits posted here!) what was coming. So I asked Rick "Hey, what's this construction?", just to see how he'd react.

He said "Construction? What construction?" while standing directly in front of the blue-tarp fencing, and he had to yell over the sound of earth-moving equipment. It was hilarious, and we both laughed. I can work with that kind of PR.

Rick got me out of trouble more than a few times. Stand-up guy.

 

[TikibirdLand]

Normal vlogs during normal hours of operation, you're reading what you want to hear.

Not sure what you're trying to convey. There are plenty of examples. Should I provide additional ones?

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

It was more like ... we never heard back from them on anything ever again. I joke that I could ask "Is the Grand Floridian still open?" and not get a response.

ETA: I think I've told this story once before, but back in the early 2000s, Disney's PR team included some old-school people who recognized that it was okay to deal with media (like the Unofficial Guide) who were, say, critical but predisposed to liking the parks.

I remember walking past the early stages of Grand Flo Villas construction with Rick Sylvain, one of the PR leads. We all knew (probably from the permits posted here!) what was coming. So I asked Rick "Hey, what's this construction?", just to see how he'd react.

He said "Construction? What construction?" while standing directly in front of the blue-tarp fencing, and he had to yell over the sound of earth-moving equipment. It was hilarious, and we both laughed. I can work with that kind of PR.

Rick got me out of trouble more than a few times. Stand-up guy.

Len: I have bought your Unofficial Guide books every year to WDW. They were a big help. I had no idea that disney had banned you! I thought the books were critical where it needed to be, but mostly positive, which I appreciated. We are not going to WDW anymore, so no need for those books. Just wanted you to know that they were very much appreciated and I looked forward to them each year