Gas Prices, Or Alarmist Kevin Yee strikes again

[Used2BePluto]

Even with Kevin was still in Anaheim, I knew I did not care for his type of writing.

Then he felt like he was doing Central Florida an amazing service when he moved he. Then I lost all respect for him when within a week or two of moving here he self proclaimed himself a "local" and knew what it meant to be from Central Florida and could understand people's thoughts towards Disney, both the pros and the cons. Kevin is not a local, nor will he ever be a local or Central Florida, but yet another person who has moved here with the self proclaimed idea that he knew what was better for us and he will make sure that we should be lucky to have him move here. Typical non-resident behavior. I am sure within a couple of days moving here he was belly aching about the humidity and such. One thing he has that most Central Floridian residents don't have is the ability to write out EVERYTHING connected to his writings in regards to Disney as a business expense.

I do read his articles, and chuckle at some of his concepts, but always in the back of my mind have to wonder why the heck he moved here, was it just so he could point in what seems to be his favorite fetish of finding ANYTHING that is not "good show". I would love to see where he lives and see how good his family's "show" is.

Stepping off my Kevin Ye soapbox. I am a native of Florida, and wish Kevin all the luck in his career as a writer.

Mark, and yes, I Used2BePluto.

 

[AEfx]

Happy now?

LOL.

Paragraphs are your friend. You may be a writer by hobby, but I am a published writer (soon to be published author) so please don't tell me I am ruining the English language by using LOL on a forum. It helps covey emotion, as you point out; until such time as I publish a book with "LOL" in it, I think the world is safe.

Looks to me like I gave a reasoned list of why the abundant opinions about these two that, as you admit, generally prevail around here. It also looks to me like you just wrote some mega-paragraphs spewing a lot of teenage angst, LOL.

You like these guys. Fine. If you are sick and tired of hearing what people say about them, you always have the option of not reading the threads. You might want to visit their respective forums for more sycoph...er, readers of a like mind.

I simply explained why many of us feel the way we do when you characterized it as simply "Disney fans not wanting to hear negative things". I have no problem with you liking these guys, why do you have such a problem with what other people think about them?

AEfx

 

[The Mom]

I just want to remind everyone that you can disagree with a poster, or anything posted, without resorting to insults and name calling. I have edited the posts accordingly, and will lock the thread if it continues.

 

[KevinYee]

Kevin is not a local, nor will he ever be a local or Central Florida, but yet another person who has moved here with the self proclaimed idea that he knew what was better for us and he will make sure that we should be lucky to have him move here. Typical non-resident behavior.

I never said I was a "native" - but I can't realistically call myself a tourist anymore, since I've been in a WDW theme park roughly 420 times in the past four years, and live within a thirty minute drive. That's not a local or a resident?

That said, I do not aspire to claim to know "what's better for us" in the parks, at least not to the point of denigrating those who visit it more often than I do or more often in the past than I have. I would prefer to hope that I'm pointing out deficiencies for the park management, though, some of whom really are relative newcomers, and may in fact not know of the traditions they are not living up to.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Kevin,
We appreciate you coming on here to defend your writing. Most individuals would avoid that confrontation. The question that I have is how much of the subject of your last two articles were thrown to you from reliable sources, and how much of it is speculation? Are your examples of doomsday scenarios (say $250 or $350 a barrel for oil) your examples, or numbers thrown out by your reliable sources?

I think this type of clarification between what you are speculating vs. what you know Disney is planning as possible contingency plans is the route of much of this concern.

What confuses me is that Disney park attendance increased last year, and has increased for the past few years. Is it already down a substantial amount, below projected levels from say 2003 or 2004? I recognize that the economy is in a downturn, but at what level are Disney Parks profit levels? Are people going to the parks but cutting out extra things? I feel that the next step (and we're already seeing it) is a delay in new attractions after this year. It's logical from a cost saving measure, and it will hopefully see an increase in maintenance/refurbishments that will ultimately be less costly than new attractions, and is necessary in many situations.

 

[DisneyJoe]

The question that I have is how much of the subject of your last two articles were thrown to you from reliable sources, and how much of it is speculation?

And how much of the information was confirmed by more than one source?

 

[KevinYee]

I prefer not to get into a discussion of my sources, as this road leads somewhat quickly to discovery of the sources (not good for the sources!)

But it's a fair question to ask how much of the info came from the sources. From sources I got the hard number of $160/barrel of oil as a point at which consultants said Disney should sell the parks.

I also got from sources the fact that Disney was investigating the viability of closing one park on some midweek days, possibly as soon as early 2009. This fact was not associated with a price per barrel of oil, and was motivated more directly from numbers Disney can see itself, namely the advance bookings of hotel rooms. I didn't get hard numbers here, but was told that park operators were nervous enough to brainstorm what they were going to do if numbers didn't firm up. This is not a discussion those managers have every year.

The fact that they were exploring bus options similarly came without a discussion of the price of oil, but the managers in question did invoke the cost of gas (well, diesel) as the motivating factor, and I got the impression that there is more urgency in this question than on the question of closing parks. In other words, we may see action on the busses first.

For what it's worth, I think we may ALSO see a delay in the rolling out of new rides and development. That's if the situation persists in lowered bookings.

The parks and resorts segment has historically been asked to turn in results that are 20% better, quarter after quarter. That's profit which is not only steady, but always grows. This mandate is what drives cost-cutting at the parks and makes life very difficult if indeed hotel bookings fail to keep up with last year (or even drop 10% or more).

 

[Just Plain Mark]

I guess what confuses me is the development at the other Orlando parks (Manta + Aquatica; Harry Potter + Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit) if there's such a concern about park attendance.

Both Manta and Hollywood have been announced in recent enough months for those particular park execs to know the trend in oil prices and the economy in general. Yet Disney, the bigger and more successful group of parks, is potentially delaying development and even considering reducing operating hours?

The reasoning that absurdly high gas prices means tough times for the theme parks is logical in general, but given the issues above, I just don't see how that adds up at this point.

 

[KevinYee]

Potter and Aquatica were in development a very long time before oil began this meteoric rise, I think. Manta and Rip, Ride, Rockit are of course more recent, but even they came before oil broke through resistence levels around $100/barrel, and it's since moved a full 30% higher. Unless I'm remembering the timeline wrong of when oil moved, but I think it happened pretty rapidly.

A further consideration may be that Universal and Busch don't have internal mandates to increase profit 20% per quarter. Or if they do, I don't know about it (and would be fascinated myself to see how they weather the storm if they do).

 

[miles1]

I just want to remind everyone that you can disagree with a poster, or anything posted, without resorting to insults and name calling. I have edited the posts accordingly, and will lock the thread if it continues.

Once again cooler heads prevail.

I come to this board for enjoyment, as an escape from my often stressful and hectic world to read about a place that I love to visit. I cannot understand why SOME posters feel they need to villify people that don't express the same opinions that they hold. It makes for decidedly unpleasant reading.

As for Mr. Yee's current article, I can't really understand how the measures outlined would be feasible. However, I'm not Mr. Yee or a member of WDW's upper management, and I'm not going to attack him personally, or his sources, or his writing style simply because I disagree with the content.

Once again Mr. Yee has shown the "class" to posted here in a very civil manner to try to answer any legitimate questions that have arisen. Even if you don't agree with him, I think that we need to show him some respect for doing so.

Mom, you must really enjoy doing this to do it every day. Thanks.

 

[Scar]

We had the pleasure of doing one of the scavanger hunts with Mr. Yee in 2005 at AK. He is definitely a great individual and a lover of WDW.

That said, my main concern with his postings is the teneous thread between fact (for example, oil prices are increasing and will continute to go up) and speculation (for example, WDW will shuttle all guests from their hotel to TTC in order to get to EPCOT).

Mr. Yee seems to grasp onto straws and connect the dots in ways that don't always make sense. I think in his heart he loves WDW but is definitely more finicky than what others might like from a WDW lover.

Just my two cents.

 

[AEfx]

We appreciate you coming on here to defend your writing. Most individuals would avoid that confrontation.

Most writers don't feel the need to run around to websites "defending" themselves, as they are smart enough to know that it just looks kind of, well, defensive LOL. As a writer you quickly learn to develop a thicker skin and learn to detach yourself from the criticism you put yourself out there for by declaring yourself someone who's writing is relevant in a certain field.

They know that it's a fruitless battle, because they aren't going to change anyone's minds of the quality or content of their writing. Most writers would be confident enough to let their articles stand on their own.

AEfx

 

[AEfx]

Once again cooler heads prevail.

I agree, thank you TheMom. We can see which posts you edited as they are now marked with your name.

We can have a critical discussion of someone who puts themselves out there and take them to task for the issues people have with them without vulgar insults...in this case it's not very hard haha.

AEfx

 

[yankspy]

Most writers don't feel the need to run around to websites "defending" themselves, as they are smart enough to know that it just looks kind of, well, defensive LOL. As a writer you quickly learn to develop a thicker skin and learn to detach yourself from the criticism you put yourself out there for by declaring yourself someone who's writing is relevant in a certain field.

They know that it's a fruitless battle, because they aren't going to change anyone's minds of the quality or content of their writing. Most writers would be confident enough to let their articles stand on their own.

AEfx

What is wrong with a writer who is willing to engage in a critical discussion of his work?

Seeing it as a fruitless battle seems to be a generalization. There are some who are able to have their minds changed through further discussion.

A writer should also always be willing to accept the notion that they may have their mind changed as well. A writer should never be too confident, lest their head get's too big.

I am not that familar with Mr. Yee or his work, yet I applaud him for coming on this site and defending his work in a civil manner.

 

[WildcatDen]

I guess what confuses me is the development at the other Orlando parks (Manta + Aquatica; Harry Potter + Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit) if there's such a concern about park attendance.

I may be totally off base here, but I think those parks are more of a "Florida" park and not a tourist destination. I think locals, who have season passes, are the backbone of the other Orlando parks, where, IMO Disney counts more on people coming in from all over the world. The other parks even reap the benefit of this.

Locally, here in Cincinnati, King's Island has made it a point of extending, and the extending again its Season Pass special price. This may be due in part that they expect less attendance from non-pass holders due to the economy. Even at that, as a pass holder, tomorrow will be my first visit this year.

Now, on the count of three - Group Hug. . .

 

[AEfx]

I am not that familar with Mr. Yee or his work, yet I applaud him for coming on this site and defending his work in a civil manner.

If you were, you'd know what many of us were talking about.

Regardless, it just looks desperate that he can't let his articles stand on his own and needs to come 'round to places like this to reply. As a writer myself, that's just my opinion, but I can tell you that most writers who take themselves seriously do not run around engaging in debate with critics. They speak through their writing and let it stand on it's own. Just like you don't often see movie directors writing letters to magazines who publish bad reviews of their films, it just doesn't show a lot of confidence in your product.

It's my belief he comes here and posts to get the few people who suddenly pop out of the woodwork and call him "Mr. Yee" and act like a celebrity is in town to post. You will find most veteran members don't give these threads any posts at all because most people do not care for him, or Hilly, and I admit the irony in that my posts help keep this afloat. Perhaps I should follow the lead of other members and just not reply and let these topics fall into the abyss where they belong.

AEfx

 

[MousDad]

Wherever you go, egos.

 

[Frontierland CM]

All I know is that I'm not going to let gas prices ruin my fun. I'm still going to my local amusement park, Cedar Point, and I got a great flight for my trip to the World in august!

 

[NX2I85]

Long time lurker; rare poster here... :wave:

I don't know Kevin Yee from Jack Squat, but he gets major kudos from me for showing up here to discuss his article. The man said he operated in a dialogic manner, and he backed it up with his sharing on this very thread.

Although I've heard his name a few times before I've never previously drug myself over to micechat to read his columns; I will now. I can't say that I agree with all his reasoning in the article (nor Disney's), but that doesn't diminish my newfound appreciation for this writer -even if I won't always be agreeing with him.

One comment: I was pondering the idea of routing all Epcot and MK traffic thru the TTC. I suppose it would be more feasible (and guest-friendly) to route all traffic thru there rather than only that of some resorts (less confusion perhaps). There would still be a net savings in fuel costs, enough to offset needed expansion of roundhouse and monorail fleet. Of course I haven't run any numbers on that; just doing a bit of critical thinking. Anyhow, I wouldn't dismiss that idea out of hand.

 

[yankspy]

If you were, you'd know what many of us were talking about.

Regardless, it just looks desperate that he can't let his articles stand on his own and needs to come 'round to places like this to reply. As a writer myself, that's just my opinion, but I can tell you that most writers who take themselves seriously do not run around engaging in debate with critics. They speak through their writing and let it stand on it's own. Just like you don't often see movie directors writing letters to magazines who publish bad reviews of their films, it just doesn't show a lot of confidence in your product.

It's my belief he comes here and posts to get the few people who suddenly pop out of the woodwork and call him "Mr. Yee" and act like a celebrity is in town to post. You will find most veteran members don't give these threads any posts at all because most people do not care for him, or Hilly, and I admit the irony in that my posts help keep this afloat. Perhaps I should follow the lead of other members and just not reply and let these topics fall into the abyss where they belong.

AEfx

1.Perhaps.

2.They do in the academic world. I understand what you are saying. I am not trying to say that a writer should respond to everyone that simply says that their work is trash. I am simply saying that one should be willing to engage in a critical discussion about it.

3.I called him "Mr. Yee" because I do not know him. I was being proper.