Hall of Blame

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Hey lets get something straight, as to SWL in Orlando. I've said that Wall St would never allow DIS to open both at once because 'too risky'. I expect that SWL Orlando will open 2-3 years after Anaheim.

I'll give you maybe 2-3 months difference, but construction has been happening at basically the same pace on both coasts. Barring some crazy unforeseen circumstance, both lands will open as expected in 2019.

This tickled my pickle.

I've been told that I'm quite skilled at that, so this is not surprising.

Not a bad idea. The thought had crossed my mind, but I wasn't sure if there was an audience for it. DL folk tend to embrace quirky stuff like this, but not sure about WDW people. The forums on the other side seems so serious and stuffy.

I might give it a shot though.

Maybe we'll just meet here in this quiet corner of the forums. There's definitely a market, though.

I nominate @marni1971 as president and historian of HoB East.

 

[Disney Irish]

Just look at EDGAR(SEC website) - Disney's financials are there, Disney is spending about 800M per year on capital improvements.

Yet they are spending at least 10 Billion on share repurchases this year

The only people benefiting from those share repurchases is Disney executive leadership.

Also I don't know what EDGAR site you're looking at but Disney spent over 2 Billion on capital improvements on the domestic parks last year:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1001039/000100103917000198/fy2017_q4x10k.htm

 

[Curious Constance]

Dylan is a hack. I only listen to real artists like Marty Robins, Bobby Darin, Dean Martin, and Jimmie F. Rodgers.

Have you entertained the possibility that you're a very, very old person trapped in a young person's body?

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

I've been told that I'm quite skilled at that, so this is not surprising.

Ah yes. I'm actually quite impressed with your pickle-tickling skills.

You shall henceforth be known as the PICKLE-TICKLER.

Wait a minute, aren't you the famous MASTER GHANDI that brings healing & peace to Wdwmagic?

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Ah yes. I'm actually quite impressed with your pickle-tickling skills.

You shall henceforth be known as the PICKLE-TICKLER.

Wait a minute, aren't you the famous MASTER GHANDI that brings healing & peace to Wdwmagic?

What can I say? I wear many hats.

Though, none with mouse ears.

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

What can I say? I wear many hats.

Though, none with mouse ears.

You're definitely HOB material.

So you consider Marni HOB-worthy? I've seen some of his recent comments & they seem darker & more critical in tone.

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

Very true.

I think the main membership benefits of HoB East will be as follows:

1. Sad cupcakes instead of anniversary celebrations
2. Being charged 3 times for one day at Magic Kingdom
3. Commericals with attractions from other resorts created by people who have never been to a Disney park
4. 90+ minute waits for a bare steel kiddie coaster
5. A lack of any sort of direction or optimism for the near future

I might just use this in the future. Do I have your blessing SIr Ghandi?

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

You're definitely HOB material.

So you consider Marni HOB-worthy? I've seen some of his recent comments & they seem darker & more critical in tone.

Oh, yes. Martin is definitely HoB-worthy. His invaluable knowledge of the design and history of the parks has led him down a dark path of resentment toward current management, much like the rest of us. He specializes in both cynicism toward the new direction of Epcot and in disdain for lackluster new attractions that always seem to come at the expense of classic WED-designed long-form dark rides.

I might just use this in the future. Do I have your blessing SIr Ghandi?

Consider yourself blessed.

 

[mickEblu]

Ah yes. I'm actually quite impressed with your pickle-tickling skills.

You shall henceforth be known as the PICKLE-TICKLER.

Wait a minute, aren't you the famous MASTER GHANDI that brings healing & peace to Wdwmagic?

LOOOL

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

That’s the thing. They did it right once. Once upon a time.

This quote from Martin should tell you all that you need to know about his worthiness to be inducted into this institution of anger.

 

[ford91exploder]

Its a bit more complicated then that. You can't look at a single line item for a single year and know the whole picture.

As I said capital expenditures for large scale projects are multi-year ventures. So just because one year it was down for domestic parks to 800m doesn't mean they are only spending 800m and that's it. That means for that particular year 800m hit the books for specific projects that are ongoing. For example the WDW 50th projects will start hitting the books this year but finish sometime in 2021. The Billions that are being spent are spread over multiple years, it won't be listed all this year.

Also stock repurchases are done for many reasons. For example you do realize that Disney is buying a company for 55 Billion in a stock swap and not with cash. The stock repurchase is to ensure they don't have to incur new debt as Disney likes to keep its debt load down.

https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/12/16/why-isnt-walt-disney-paying-cash-for-the-21st-cent.aspx

I understand you may not like the direction that Disney is taking with things like the parks, but to say they aren't investing in the company is just plain wrong.

Parentsof4 has a graph showing share repurchases going back to the 1980's. Basically since 2006 (Beginning of Igers Tenure) Disney has spent at least 7 billion dollars EVERY year on share repurchases.

Historically WDW has spent roughly 20 % of revenue on maintenance and growth CAPEX. Interesting enough that's about what UNI is spending now. Under Iger total CAPEX fell to a low of 8%. Even now its only about 11%, Strangely enough UNI's financials are better than Disney's

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

This quote from Martin should tell you all that you need to know about his worthiness to be inducted into this institution of anger.

After doing a thorough background check on Martin, it seems like he may make the cut. He meets the following HOB criteria:

*Rage against current managment
*Cynical about the direction of the parks
*Has gotten in a time machine to a place before the parks were ruined (great one @ mickebruh)
*Consistently critical, unwavering in his attacks
*Passionate about WED attractions
*Lover of old, hater of new

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

@mickEblu So what do you think about doing a potential Hall of Blame East? Definitely need a Vice Chairman of the Board.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

I might just use this in the future. Do I have your blessing SIr Ghandi?

I've thought of more membership benefits for HoB East:

1. Less than six months notice of the closure of your favorite classic rides
2. High-tech #SCREENZ!!! instead of animatronics and skilled set design (this could apply to both coasts' respective Halls of Blame)
3. Poorly-designed attractions featuring the lastest hot IP that are shoved into the skeletons of much better attractions that have been murdered in the name of "progress," since the parks are not a museum (again, this could apply to both coasts)
4. The opportunity to pay $69 for 2 hours in Fantasyland before the park opens, in addition to the required day ticket
5. An instagram-famous purple wall that will probably soon be monetized by PhotoPass
6. Gondolas with no air conditioning in the muggy swamps of central Florida
7. Never-ending stand-by lines if you didn't know that you wanted to ride Haunted Mansion at 10:45am six months before you showed up
8. Toy Story Land

 

[VJ]

Ah yes. I'm actually quite impressed with your pickle-tickling skills.

You shall henceforth be known as the PICKLE-TICKLER.

I just laughed really, really hard. And loud. Oof.

 

[Hattieboxghost110]

I've thought of more membership benefits for HoB East:

1. Less than six months notice of the closure of your favorite classic rides
2. High-tech #SCREENZ!!! instead of animatronics and skilled set design (this could apply to both coasts' respective Halls of Blame)
3. Poorly-designed attractions featuring the lastest hot IP that are shoved into the skeletons of much better attractions that have been murdered in the name of "progress," since the parks are not a museum (again, this could apply to both coasts)
4. The opportunity to pay $69 for 2 hours in Fantasyland before the park opens, in addition to the required day ticket
5. An instagram-famous purple wall that will probably soon be monetized by PhotoPass
6. Gondolas with no air conditioning in the muggy swamps of central Florida
7. Never-ending stand-by lines if you didn't know that you wanted to ride Haunted Mansion at 10:45am six months before you showed up
8. Toy Story Land

SAVAGE AF!

Well-done Pickle-Tickler!

 

[Curious Constance]

This quote from Martin should tell you all that you need to know about his worthiness to be inducted into this institution of anger.

Institution of anger! Well said!

I was too silly to last long in the HOB, but I can definitely relate to the anger!

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

SAVAGE AF!

Well-done Pickle-Tickler!

My boyfriend seems upset that I've been tickling the pickles of others...

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Institution of anger! Well said!

I was too silly to last long in the HOB, but I can definitely relate to the anger!

I was very sad to read of your resignation. I feel that you added a burst of much-needed humor to the Hall, while still maintaining that jaded edge and sharp wit that we love to see.

 

[VJ]

Around these parts, we only tickle hot dogs. And only during Hot Dog Days™ at the Disneyland® Resort.