Rumor Hollywood insiders say there's growing tension at Disney as CEO Bob Chapek chafes at Bob Iger's 'long goodbye'

[Vegas Disney Fan]

That is exactly what was learned - internally - when DAK opened.

Had they known/realized that prior…I’m not entirely sure it would have been built.

Even though AK is the 2nd most attended WDW park I agree. People go to Disney for the castle parks, no amount of additional parks will change that so adding more parks to spread out people will not lower attendance at MK, it’ll probably make it worse.

AK, HS, and EP get 40-50% fewer guests than MK, DCA gets about 50% fewer guests than DL, Studios gets about 50% fewer guests than DLP, even Disney Sea gets about 15% fewer guests then Tokyo DL.

A new Castle park outside of CA and FL is the only way to increase US attendance while also spreading out the crowds.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Even though AK is the 2nd most attended WDW park I agree. People go to Disney for the castle parks, no amount of additional parks will change that so adding more parks to spread out people will not lower attendance at MK, it’ll probably make it worse.

AK, HS, and EP get 40-50% fewer guests than MK, DCA gets about 50% fewer guests than DL, Studios gets about 50% fewer guests than DLP, even Disney Sea gets about 15% fewer guests then Tokyo DL.

A new Castle park outside of CA and FL is the only way to increase US attendance while also spreading out the crowds.

I’ve ruminated (moooooo!) on this many times on threads.

Average stay was around 5.9 days prior to the opening of DAK. When the dust settled in 99/2000 (was only open 8 months in 98)…it went to about 6.8 and has not really moved since. That’s the “ceiling”…one week in this “masterpiece society” that stresses money at the top and overextending everyone on the ladder below to get it.

The DAKL area - it’s been referred to as “phase 4”…but I think of it more as 3…costs multiples of billions to develop in early 90’s dollars.

Back when a $200,000,000 congressional bill was a behemoth.

So the “it’s so crowded…they’ll surely build a 5th gate now!” Is fundamentally and critically flawed thought.

That’s why I also compared universals position now to Disney pre-Dak. They have runway still to use.

 

[WDWJoeG]

Even though AK is the 2nd most attended WDW park I agree. People go to Disney for the castle parks, no amount of additional parks will change that so adding more parks to spread out people will not lower attendance at MK, it’ll probably make it worse.

AK, HS, and EP get 40-50% fewer guests than MK, DCA gets about 50% fewer guests than DL, Studios gets about 50% fewer guests than DLP, even Disney Sea gets about 15% fewer guests then Tokyo DL.

A new Castle park outside of CA and FL is the only way to increase US attendance while also spreading out the crowds.

Or, stay with me here, let's just convert all of these other different "themed" parks into just more castle parks!

We'll put Frozen in Norway, Guardians in Energy, Ratatouille in France, Moana in a walkway next to a bathroom, Pandora in AK, Toy Story Land in HS (because, hello, it's based on a movie) - why it's a crazy idea, but it just might work!!!!

Problem solved!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I've said this in another thread, but, from a purely anecdotal standpoint, my kids and their peers are far more into video games than we were, and spend much, much more time watching YouTube clips of video games than they do consuming conventional media. Whether Nintendo IP hits that same area of the prefrontal cortex as Minecraft or Fortnite does is debatable, but I feel Disney is leaving money (and generational attachments) on the table by not aggressively pursuing this space.

Mine too…

We were junkies when the OG systems were “mind blowing”…all night sleepovers playing…arcades where like entering Mecca

But the ole internet changed everything and what they can do today keep much more of a shorter attention span. It’s ready player one

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Or, stay with me here, let's just convert all of these other different "themed" parks into just more castle parks!

We'll put Frozen in Norway, Guardians in Energy, Ratatouille in France, Moana in a walkway next to a bathroom, Pandora in AK, Toy Story Land in HS (because, hello, it's based on a movie) - why it's a crazy idea, but it just might work!!!!

Problem solved!

I’m certainly not advocating that and I love that dak had some “IP overuse protection” built in.

I’m just saying other parks would just draw people from the others. Numbers don’t lie. (Except when they do)

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah, I just think that'll take the form of new stuff but not necessarily more stuff. Guardians replacing Ellen, that sort of thing.

The problem there is Iger used up their flex capacity…which was built on purpose for 30 years Prior. It Eliminated the ability to “strategically” adjust for problems.

Ironic…isn’t it?

 

[WDWJoeG]

I’m certainly not advocating that and I love that dak had some “IP overuse protection” built in.

I’m just saying other parks would just draw people from the others. Numbers don’t lie. (Except when they do)

No, on the contrary - your analysis is dead on and shows why they are pursuing this strategy.

Once people understand it, it just makes absolute sense on what they are trying to achieve (not necessarily what we as fans want).

They NEED to have every park pull some MK attendance and add days.

The mystery to me that I still don't understand is why on Earth did they put SWGE in Disneyland when DCA so needs a major E ticket pull AND it cost them so much in infrastructure to reroute the river and train.

I will never understand that.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

No, on the contrary - your analysis is dead on and shows why they are pursuing this strategy.

Once people understand it, it just makes absolute sense on what they are trying to achieve (not necessarily what we as fans want).

They NEED to have every park pull some MK attendance and add days.

The mystery to me that I still don't understand is why on Earth did they put SWGE in Disneyland when DCA so needs a major E ticket pull AND it cost them so much in infrastructure to reroute the river and train.

I will never understand that.

Some people never get this. It seems very simple to me but I’m an old dog.

That and defending price increases that aren’t used for more investment being “good for the customer”…the ultimate head scratchers

 

[Animaniac93-98]

No, on the contrary - your analysis is dead on and shows why they are pursuing this strategy.

Once people understand it, it just makes absolute sense on what they are trying to achieve (not necessarily what we as fans want).

They NEED to have every park pull some MK attendance and add days.

Except adding Frozen to Epcot and Star Wars to DHS has not resulted in those parks becoming as popular as MK, a park which lacks more recent IP including anything to do with Marvel or Star Wars.

MK's appeal and status goes far beyond what IP is in the park.

 

[WDWJoeG]

Except adding Frozen to Epcot and Star Wars to DHS has not resulted in those parks becoming as popular as MK, a park which lacks more recent IP including anything to do with Marvel or Star Wars.

MK's appeal and status goes far beyond what IP is in the park.

Oh absolutely, the castle parks define the brand.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Well to be fair…the Simpsons is the most tired thing in pop culture history.

That area is up for renewal in 2026 I Believe? I bet Comcast shuts it down and “declines” to renew.

The contract date for expiring is 2028, not 2026. I wouldn't be surprised if Universal wants to end the deal early though to replace the Simpsons.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

No, on the contrary - your analysis is dead on and shows why they are pursuing this strategy.

Once people understand it, it just makes absolute sense on what they are trying to achieve (not necessarily what we as fans want).

They NEED to have every park pull some MK attendance and add days.

The mystery to me that I still don't understand is why on Earth did they put SWGE in Disneyland when DCA so needs a major E ticket pull AND it cost them so much in infrastructure to reroute the river and train.

I will never understand that.

Bob Iger was drunk on his own IP…he parlayed what he bought - the known brands - into portraying to Hollywood he was a “creative”. And most went along with it.

He built nothing for 10 years outside of China…so he spent the last 8 building monuments to himself. That’s why 2 Star Wars. Disney tremendously misread Star Wars and still does at times today.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The contract date for expiring is 2028, not 2026. I wouldn't be surprised if Universal wants to end the deal early though to replace the Simpsons though.

..:that’s about 6 years too long

 

[Chomama]

Cartoon Lagoon is a serious black hole, thematically. People don't even look around.

Which is a shame as Ripsaw Falls and Bilge Rat Barges are tons of fun. The latter makes Kali look like a bad joke, at least from a pure ride perspective.

Only taken our family to universal once. About 4 years ago. Cartoon lagoon holds some of our best family theme park memories of all time. We really enjoyed it. The rest of universal (save diagon) wasn’t enough for our kids to want to go back but CL was hilarious to us!

 

[Patcheslee]

He’s an eccentric genius…

…but as with that archetype…probably can’t tie his shoes

…so he probably has $200,000,000 in R&D invested in coming up with “shoelace alternatives”

 

[Lilofan]

Bob Iger was drunk on his own IP…he parlayed what he bought - the known brands - into portraying to Hollywood he was a “creative”. And most went along with it.

He built nothing for 10 years outside of China…so he spent the last 8 building monuments to himself. That’s why 2 Star Wars. Disney tremendously misread Star Wars and still does at times today.

So the M&A that was under the Iger reign was fantasyland?. Surely Eisner couldn't pull off the things Iger pulled off. But Iger will be joining the billionaire boys club that Eisner is part of.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So the M&A that was under the Iger reign was fantasyland?. Surely Eisner couldn't pull off the things Iger pulled off. But Iger will be joining the billionaire boys club that Eisner is part of.

Translate that for me, boss?

 

[Lilofan]

Translate that for me, boss?

Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel and 20th Century Fox if one is not aware.

 

[UNCgolf]

Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel and 20th Century Fox if one is not aware.

Not sure why Eisner couldn't have pulled that off. He did buy ABC/ESPN (ESPN may still be the best purchase Disney has ever made even over Marvel etc.), and he already had deals with Pixar and Lucasfilm.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel and 20th Century Fox if one is not aware.

Not sure why Eisner couldn't have pulled that off. He did buy ABC/ESPN (ESPN may still be the best purchase Disney has ever made even over Marvel etc.), and he already had deals with Pixar and Lucasfilm.

The conditions were different for both…

What was exactly the same was for both was they had free hand to build and innovate in Disney’s domestic parks.

Results vary