Downtown Disney update

[Jim Handy]

TWDC is under new management as I often say. Can't change past mistakes. Best to look to the future. I am sure it is what Walt would advise.

The new management is more of the same.

When Iger stepped up I thought we'd see change on all levels of the company. WDP got good...but kind of settled in as a division that relies too much on tentpoles. That division also features a now traditional March Bomb. DIMG got a bit better, so did Consumer Products finacially and in terms of quality and Media Networks are always rising, driven by ESPN and somewhat ABC. Thank Eisner for that entire division, especially ESPN, which makes up a HUGE part of TWDC's value.

The Parks have been Iger's big weakness. DCA came dangerously close to not happening due to economic timing. Hong Kong was desperate for something, and Disney has little to do with DLP and TDL financially. Shanghai is strictly to suck up to the Governement for better company wide exposure there. WDW has languished.

Enter Staggs.

Everyone had faith in him, and he started off with a bang (SDMT) but since then has only been asosciated with the work of Rasulo and Iger and partially Eisner at DCA. And of course DCL. Besides that he's is very much with Iger, hence the lack of production with him heading Parks.

The three of them as Chairman/CEO, CFO (Staggs/Rasulo) and Parks Head (Rasulo/Staggs) have overseen a huge train wreck in WDW. It started Rasulo's One Disney bull. Under that system and these powerful men came the closure of PI. As well as the crumbling park and transportation infrastructure. And the lack of enteranemnt and attractions even with competition rolling out down the street as Universal transforms. (See what I did there?) All 3 know what WDW needs. And it scares them.

So I'm happy as a shareholder, with management. After all, DIS rose $1.49 today to $49.35. I'm what you call an emotional shareholder. Disney doesn't like me. I care just as much about the stock price as I do the product pushing the price.

And I don't like the product under this "new" management.

 

[zulemara]

Clubbing is dead like disco.

that's an incredibly inaccurate statement. If clubbing is dead, why is Citywalk thriving and expanding?

 

[menamechris]

that's an incredibly inaccurate statement. If clubbing is dead, why is Citywalk thriving and expanding?

I agree. Clubbing isn't dead. That's an ignorant statement. Clubbing will never be dead - it has always been around in some form or fashion. Adults like to go out, socialize, have drinks, and listen to great music. However, I do think the TERM "clubbing" may be dead.

 

[WDW1974]

TWDC is under new management as I often say. Can't change past mistakes. Best to look to the future. I am sure it is what Walt would advise.

TWDC is under new management? Last time I checked it's been under the same management for the past 7 years, 4 of which a third of DTD has been left rotting in the Florida sun...

I think PI isn't the only think left out in the sun too long ...

Someone might wanna 'splain to JT that Disney will likely have most of the Iger, Staggs, Rasulo management team gone by the end of 2013 or start of 2014. Gone. So, I'm guessing he's looking into that crystal ball (very popular in New Mexico I am told) and talking about the guys (and gal if my guess is correct) who will be taking over then?

 

[WDW1974]

The new management is more of the same.

When Iger stepped up I thought we'd see change on all levels of the company. WDP got good...but kind of settled in as a division that relies too much on tentpoles. That division also features a now traditional March Bomb. DIMG got a bit better, so did Consumer Products finacially and in terms of quality and Media Networks are always rising, driven by ESPN and somewhat ABC. Thank Eisner for that entire division, especially ESPN, which makes up a HUGE part of TWDC's value.

The Parks have been Iger's big weakness. DCA came dangerously close to not happening due to economic timing. Hong Kong was desperate for something, and Disney has little to do with DLP and TDL financially. Shanghai is strictly to suck up to the Governement for better company wide exposure there. WDW has languished.

Enter Staggs.

Everyone had faith in him, and he started off with a bang (SDMT) but since then has only been asosciated with the work of Rasulo and Iger and partially Eisner at DCA. And of course DCL. Besides that he's is very much with Iger, hence the lack of production with him heading Parks.

The three of them as Chairman/CEO, CFO (Staggs/Rasulo) and Parks Head (Rasulo/Staggs) have overseen a huge train wreck in WDW. It started Rasulo's One Disney bull. Under that system and these powerful men came the closure of PI. As well as the crumbling park and transportation infrastructure. And the lack of enteranemnt and attractions even with competition rolling out down the street as Universal transforms. (See what I did there?) All 3 know what WDW needs. And it scares them.

So I'm happy as a shareholder, with management. After all, DIS rose $1.49 today to $49.35. I'm what you call an emotional shareholder. Disney doesn't like me. I care just as much about the stock price as I do the product pushing the price.

And I don't like the product under this "new" management.

THIS!!!

Read it ... let it seep into your pores like a good facial scrub at the Grand Flo Spa ... oops, closed for more timeshare construction (hell, that's OK ... that's what you pay $700 a night for a standard room for) ... so a good facial scrub at the Saratoga Springs Spa because this is 100% awesomeness. ... Damn insomnia makes you talk like a 26-year-old fanboi.

 

[Longhairbear]

I've read every post, and digested it all.
We are huge Disney fans, both media, and parks. DVC members, and shareholders in TWDC. We haven't been to WDW in 2 years. The reason varies, but it does boil down to nothing new at WDW. This thread is about DTD, so I'll stick to that. There is nothing to do but shop, which we love. Eat, which at the later hours we visit DTD we have already done. What's left for us adults? Drinking, dancing, and being entertained is what we want, but no longer get. Our evening usually ends with us agreeing to go back to our DVC to make drinks, maybe a tray of snacks and hang out near the resort pool, and chat up other guests. We have made some great friends doing that.
DTD at the Disneyland Resort is much different, yet the same as the current DTD at WDW. It's all shopping and places to eat, but there are quite a few bars to go to, one is outdoors. There are usually several musical acts performing outdoors, and dancing is spontaneous. For the most fun bar, we go to Trader Sam's at the Disneyland Hotel Pool. It's part Jungle Cruise, part Adventurer's Club.
Store fronts of 3rd party vendors changes, Earl Of Sandwich is re tooling the bookstore site as I write this. World Of Disney storefront carries everything you'd find in the WDW version. The restaurants are different, but on par with the offerings at WDW. DTD also has it's own parking lot.
Disney does not advertise DTD in the general media, and so I get comments from family, and friends who haven't drunk the Disney Kool Aid. They all say the same thing. "Why don't they just have a day, and night with no kids allowed? I'd definitely go if they did that." They haven't heard of DTD, and the adult things to do, that would make them forget about the countless strollers.
All I can do to get our non Disney friends who might want to visit the parks, is to plan a trip with these friends, make a fabulous dinner in our DVC kitchen, or make reservations at one of the great places in DTD, or in the parks. I can map out the bars and entertainment at DTD, but having the trump card of Trader Sam's at the Disneyland Hotel pool as a finish. DTD at WDW needs a similar place.

 

[jt04]

The new management is more of the same.

When Iger stepped up I thought we'd see change on all levels of the company. WDP got good...but kind of settled in as a division that relies too much on tentpoles. That division also features a now traditional March Bomb. DIMG got a bit better, so did Consumer Products finacially and in terms of quality and Media Networks are always rising, driven by ESPN and somewhat ABC. Thank Eisner for that entire division, especially ESPN, which makes up a HUGE part of TWDC's value.

The Parks have been Iger's big weakness. DCA came dangerously close to not happening due to economic timing. Hong Kong was desperate for something, and Disney has little to do with DLP and TDL financially. Shanghai is strictly to suck up to the Governement for better company wide exposure there. WDW has languished.

Enter Staggs.

Everyone had faith in him, and he started off with a bang (SDMT) but since then has only been asosciated with the work of Rasulo and Iger and partially Eisner at DCA. And of course DCL. Besides that he's is very much with Iger, hence the lack of production with him heading Parks.

The three of them as Chairman/CEO, CFO (Staggs/Rasulo) and Parks Head (Rasulo/Staggs) have overseen a huge train wreck in WDW. It started Rasulo's One Disney bull. Under that system and these powerful men came the closure of PI. As well as the crumbling park and transportation infrastructure. And the lack of enteranemnt and attractions even with competition rolling out down the street as Universal transforms. (See what I did there?) All 3 know what WDW needs. And it scares them.

So I'm happy as a shareholder, with management. After all, DIS rose $1.49 today to $49.35. I'm what you call an emotional shareholder. Disney doesn't like me. I care just as much about the stock price as I do the product pushing the price.

And I don't like the product under this "new" management.

Well I see you have all your talking points down. I am sure you have earned your AC patch to sew on your new AC jacket.

 

[jt04]

I think PI isn't the only think left out in the sun too long ...

Someone might wanna 'splain to JT that Disney will likely have most of the Iger, Staggs, Rasulo management team gone by the end of 2013 or start of 2014. Gone. So, I'm guessing he's looking into that crystal ball (very popular in New Mexico I am told) and talking about the guys (and gal if my guess is correct) who will be taking over then?

I don't deal in 'likleyhoods' or subjective opinions drenched with personal agandas. I deal with the reality of the situation as it presents itself. And I have said more times than I can count that after DCA was finished they would turn more attention back to WDW. I stand by that. The other attractions in Central Florida are forcing the issue if there were some going wobbly.

I can't imagine living in a world where my cynacism completely blinded me to the truth. It must be hell getting out of bed every day. No wonder you spend so much time going to amusement parks and watching Pee Wee's big top reruns.

Have you tried Yoga?

 

[Jim Handy]

Well I see you have all your talking points down. I am sure you have earned your AC patch to sew on your new AC jacket.

I presented nothing but facts.

I don't deal in 'likleyhoods' or subjective opinions drenched with personal agandas. I deal with the reality of the situation as it presents itself. And I have said more times than I can count that after DCA was finished they would turn more attention back to WDW. I stand by that. The other attractions in Central Florida are forcing the issue if there were some going wobbly.

I can't imagine living in a world where my cynacism completely blinded me to the truth. It must be hell getting out of bed every day. No wonder you spend so much time going to amusement parks and watching Pee Wee's big top reruns.

Have you tried Yoga?

DCA is done.

Nothing much in the pipeline that is what WDW needs.

Another JT theory out the window.

 

[jt04]

I presented nothing but facts.

DCA is done.

Nothing much in the pipeline that is what WDW needs.

Another JT theory out the window.

Please then back-up your "facts" with some sort of independent verifiable source. As much as I appreciate Lee and Martin, they really are not independent. Someone like Jason Garcia would qualify.

Avatar is in the pipeline so again you are on this ice with your subjective opinions.

I advise you stop digging before you reach the point you can't climb out.

 

[COProgressFan]

The three of them as Chairman/CEO, CFO (Staggs/Rasulo) and Parks Head (Rasulo/Staggs) have overseen a huge train wreck in WDW. It started Rasulo's One Disney bull. Under that system and these powerful men came the closure of PI. As well as the crumbling park and transportation infrastructure. And the lack of enteranemnt and attractions even with competition rolling out down the street as Universal transforms. (See what I did there?) All 3 know what WDW needs. And it scares them.

Well stated. I think Iger/Staggs/Rasulo know exactly what's going on, and the sheer dollar value of what needs to be done to just maintain infrastructure, let alone continue to enhance/improve the product at WDW just keep up with the times and compete, is frightening. It's many billions of dollars. So long at things can moderately coast along during their tenure, they are fine with it, and they will pass the WDW mess along to the next management team who will have to deal with it (or continue to ignore it...hope not).

None of them have the vision, passion, or care for the product or the guts to actually do anything like a "bold, new vision." They are simple "managers" in the truest sense.

 

[Lee]

Please then back-up your "facts" with some sort of independent verifiable source. As much as I appreciate Lee and Martin, they really are not independent. Someone like Jason Garcia would qualify.

Hmmmm...I wonder who Jason Garcia talks to about such things....

He did a piece on it not long ago. About how P&R capital spending was going way down after DCA.

Anyhow, at the current time, Avatar is the only significant project currently proceeding beyond a yellow light.

 

[jt04]

Hmmmm...I wonder who Jason Garcia talks to about such things....

If he is a true journalist he has many sources.

OrSen has been very quiet lately about WDW. Makes me suspicious.

 

[Lee]

If he is a true journalist he has many sources.

OrSen has been very quiet lately about WDW. Makes me suspicious.

He does indeed! Good ones, too!

There is a reason the Sentinal has been quiet. There is nothing to say, other than to comment about how there is no spending coming to WDW.

 

[wdwmagic]

Downtown Disney is still very much in development. No specifics yet, but it is going to be a much bigger project than anything that was previously announced.

 

[Lee]

Downtown Disney is still very much in development. No specifics yet, but it is going to be a much bigger project than anything that was previously announced.

Yep. Potentially MUCH bigger.

 

[jt04]

He does indeed! Good ones, too!

There is a reason the Sentinal has been quiet. There is nothing to say, other than to comment about how there is no spending coming to WDW.

I didn't know James Cameron was paying for Avatar. Interesting. And quite generous.

 

[Lee]

I didn't know James Cameron was paying for Avatar. Interesting. And quite generous.

*sigh*
Besides Avatar. I mentioned Avatar in the previous post.

 

[Jim Handy]

Please then back-up your "facts" with some sort of independent verifiable source. As much as I appreciate Lee and Martin, they really are not independent. Someone like Jason Garcia would qualify.

Avatar is in the pipeline so again you are on this ice with your subjective opinions.

I advise you stop digging before you reach the point you can't climb out.

The facts in that particular post aren't from any source within Disney. Those facts are simple observations with some background knowledge. Those facts aren't hard to draw and are true.

Avatar is a given. But there's 3 other parks, an entertainment district and a transportation system with needs.

 

[jt04]

*sigh*
Besides Avatar. I mentioned Avatar in the previous post.

Only a certain spirit is allowed to speak in absolutes around here. The rest of us mortals have to be very specific. Oh, to see things from his perch......