Iger on CNBC this afternoon ...

[Genie of the Lamp]

Step 1 to proving the parks are not in a mature stage... build innovative new attractions. If you're worried about relevance, start out with known franchises like Star Wars and/or Pixar.

Step 2: Don't half it.

Step 3: Maintain show quality in exisiting attractions by constantly refurbing them when needed and in doing so you hold them to the highest upmost standards and bring possibly even more/newer guests onto these rides. O and this also means NO budget cost cutting TDO! Or as you put it in point number 2.

Step 4: Lower(cut across the board) Prices for families/people like @Goofyernmost who have to implement/make an effective budget for a WDW Trip. One can dream right.

 

[WED Purist]

Wow, it really was a lot better listening to Craig Russell for an hour and half today rather than dissecting a 14 minute business interview. I often wonder what some of the posters in here get out of Disney. Would you rather have the dystopian landscape of Epic Mickey over the current state of the parks? Do you still hold out hope that better times are coming? Tony Baxter talked about the influence of creative being cyclical. Isn't it about time for that pendulum to swing back?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Step 4: Lower(cut across the board) Prices for families/people

I'm not sure thats the right course of action. I'm all for cutting out the free dining promotions as well as the constant discounting of rooms while leaving the gate admission where it is.

 

[misterID]

Come on man, exaggerate much? The transcript is right next to the video and he said franchise a total of 7 times in 14 minutes and only twice in the first five minutes. Plus he is talking to a Wall Street audience like you said.

I've noticed you have had it out for Iger for years now and honestly I don't know why. He has invested in the parks alot more than Eisner did in his last few years and reinvigorated the company with new talent and new IPs. I agree that he should have taken the time to change the corporate culture and some of the underlying issues (the problems that started when Eisner was CEO) but he didn't however isn't that like saying a President is bad because he didn't fix all of the issues completely ignoring all the positive things? The only argument I can see you make is that he isn't a micromanager which has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is studios like Pixar and Marvel are free to do what they like and audiences are the better for it. The disadvantage is that bad sectors of the company like WDI and TDO continue to lower the bar and its allowed.

Under Iger's tenure he has made a serious efforts to reinvigorate Disney's in house animation studios and their live action division, smoothed out relationships (hell he even negotiated to get Oswald the rabbit back), Greenlit projects that were stuck in development hell for a long time (Star Tours 2, a sequel to Tron), acquired industry leaders like Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm and brought their talents and assets into the fold, and increased profits for the company which at the end of the day is what matters.

OKay, I have to answer some of this.

7 times in 14 minutes just highlights what Spirit was saying (in his own playful way) and your argument sounds petty here. Which is unfortunate because you make some great points.

First, I hate the presidential comparisons. There's a reason why a corporate guy won't be president. Running the country is not the same as running a business. Two different things and any CEO who does win the presidency will quit before his first term.

Iger's good deeds can't overshadow his failings, imo. The fact they NEEDED to invest in the parks, such as DCA/Carsland, etc. isn't exactly a glowing review of his interests in the parks. He acquired third party entities mostly because of what a failure his own in house divisions have been under HIS guidance. Had he not acquired PIXAR or MARVEL do you know what problems Disney would be in right now?

I'm not taking anything away from him in these acquisitions, because they were smart and exactly what a company like Disney should do. But it also covers his butt in an otherwise disasterous last few years. Funny enough, the theme parks would have been his saving grace otherwise, at least DLR, which I'm sure would've kill him. At the same time, he's allowing a big part of Disney (WDW resort) to stagnate, investing a billion dollars in an effort to maximize guest spending rather than getting more guests into the park by investing IN the park. When it comes to his theme park agenda, he's opted to be in the time share business instead. He is still an absantee landlord when it comes to WDW while his main competition is doing everything HE should be doing but isn't.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

I'm not sure thats the right course of action. I'm all for cutting out the free dining promotions as well as the constant discounting of rooms while leaving the gate admission where it is.

Me too however if we would see what I suggested happen, we would see higher hotel occupancy and more guests ticker through the park gates. While less revenue and positive profit will occur/be brought in, at least we would see attendance/occupancy (sales) increase at both the WDW Parks, resorts,etc which would indicate that WDW is gaining steam with their out of town guests and locals. Please understand that I'm not an O-Town local (Pittsburgh fella to be more specific), so I'm looking at this from an average out of town domestic WDW guest who goes once every 3-5 years and for a fact goes there less than you do. Now with WDW parks being where they're at now, there's no way they're worth $89.95 to me or whatever value they're gonna raise it too however you point would be valid if they actually made improvements to ALL the WDW Parks resort wide (build new attractions, maintain existing ones, add good restaurants for me at least). How much do I think there worth? About $70ish considering where I live and what options I have to play with. Talk about being specific. Yeah Free dining is stupid and I hate the room discounts, however when given to me I will take full advantage of those opportunities. I get where you're going at and I wish I could say the same, but it's really starting to get out of control for me (although for some, they've been more up to date on this and have seen this coming for years).

 

[PeterAlt]

Really? Who are you calling trolls, JT? ... And while I have a real life and real work and couldn't spend the day on MAGIC, did you not expect that I'd return when I could and post comments on today's developments? ...



That's your opinion. I'll wait and let things develop ... so far it's been much ado about plans we've all known about ... now, when I hear that the delay was because Disney is working out a deal with Simon or Westfield or Taubman to run the whole mall, then maybe I'll say it was interesting ... or when they say Nordstrom is taking over DQ, I'll do likewise ... or when I hear that there will be an entrance from I-4, they'll get my attention.

Today, they said absolutely nothing that I didn't already know (same as most people who read here).

I do find the delay interesting as hell (it was NOT weather-related, know that for certain) ... as do I the fact that Burbank feels this is so important that Staggs was sent in and WDW media relations was kept on the sidelines for the most part (leaks coming from CP, anyone?)

Isn't it amazing that this is all of a sudden exciting news when all of us yawned while it was still a leaked rumor?

 

[PeterAlt]

I still believe there's buried infrastructure to support monorail expansion that is currently either being ignored by current managers or have been forgotten about over the years.

 

[WDW1974]

If it were a growth segment.. 11% would be on the bottom of the barrel and it better be sustainable and IMPROVING else the analysts would come down hard on them. But since it's not growth market segment, but a mature/established one... 10%+ is seen as attractive.

In the REAL world of reality (clearly not where Wall Street resides), 10% growth annually in this wretched (and it has been since 2007 and still is) economy is GREAT!!!

People need to start looking at reality and not what Wall Street wants or this country truly will go the way of the British Empire, just faster and with a louder thud when we hit bottom.

 

[WDW1974]

I hate to say it but many financial analysts don't have a clue how to run or grow a company.

That is soooo true. And I know some of them ... even some who 'cover' Disney.

 

[WDW1974]

Virtually every pre-schooler I know watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and is very familiar with him as an animated "living" character, not just a corporate symbol.

Edit: And House of Mouse was on for a while before that.

I don't know any preschoolers, to be fair, just adults who act like them. ... But I can tell you that the company and the industry believes Mickey is a much staler property than say The Muppets.

 

[WDW1974]

Come on man, exaggerate much? The transcript is right next to the video and he said franchise a total of 7 times in 14 minutes and only twice in the first five minutes. Plus he is talking to a Wall Street audience like you said.

I've noticed you have had it out for Iger for years now and honestly I don't know why. He has invested in the parks alot more than Eisner did in his last few years and reinvigorated the company with new talent and new IPs. I agree that he should have taken the time to change the corporate culture and some of the underlying issues (the problems that started when Eisner was CEO) but he didn't however isn't that like saying a President is bad because he didn't fix all of the issues completely ignoring all the positive things? The only argument I can see you make is that he isn't a micromanager which has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is studios like Pixar and Marvel are free to do what they like and audiences are the better for it. The disadvantage is that bad sectors of the company like WDI and TDO continue to lower the bar and its allowed.

Under Iger's tenure he has made a serious efforts to reinvigorate Disney's in house animation studios and their live action division, smoothed out relationships (hell he even negotiated to get Oswald the rabbit back), Greenlit projects that were stuck in development hell for a long time (Star Tours 2, a sequel to Tron), acquired industry leaders like Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm and brought their talents and assets into the fold, and increased profits for the company which at the end of the day is what matters.

Ever heard of hyperbole?! The man coughs up the same tired lines about franchises and exploiting them across multiple platforms and ... we've heard it all before.

I have not had it out for the man. And I give him credit for acquiring what he has ... BUT ... I also look at all of his bad and what the company looks like overall. He's leaving much of it ready for a major collapse (WDW and Studios come to mind immediately) when he takes off ...

I knew Michael Eisner. I liked Michael Eisner. For better and for worse, Bob Iger is no Michael Eisner. ... And I hope his replacement, indeed, comes from outside Disney and is truly visionary because this company needs it.

If you take away buying creative content from others (Pixar, Marvel, Lucas) and embracing technology and keeping his nose out of successful divisions like ESPN and Pixar, then what exactly can you point to Iger as having done? ... oh, and NOBODY gives two poohs about Oswald. Nobody.

 

[WDW1974]

Wow, it really was a lot better listening to Craig Russell for an hour and half today rather than dissecting a 14 minute business interview. I often wonder what some of the posters in here get out of Disney. Would you rather have the dystopian landscape of Epic Mickey over the current state of the parks? Do you still hold out hope that better times are coming? Tony Baxter talked about the influence of creative being cyclical. Isn't it about time for that pendulum to swing back?

You talk about a man who had very little use for Tony and then quote Tony about the business being cyclical ... do you see the irony in any of that?

 

[Darth Sidious]

You know I almost wrote in my post a disclaimer that said don't say Apple because that is a whole new ball game. Apple is a very very unique company.

 

[WDW1974]

I still believe there's buried infrastructure to support monorail expansion that is currently either being ignored by current managers or have been forgotten about over the years.

Um ... I believe they did bury some footers for the EPCOT-EPCOT Resorts-DIsney-MGM line back in the early 90s. I recall someone at the company even pointing out where a few were ... but what does that have to do with anything here?

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

But I can tell you that the company and the industry believes Mickey is a much staler property than say The Muppets.

Unbelievable. That's just sad. Remember when Walt (that old dead guy) said in that DL TV show: "Lets us not forget one thing. And that is it was all started by a mouse". That Mouse at one point was the biggest and most important/valuable asset to this company (30s-40s) and should be now in this present day or at least one of. But Disney/Iger are to busy acquiring firms and not aspiring to their core principles as @Magenta Panther put it. Why must this company (more specifically our fearless leader) always (as of now) only listen to what Wall Street and their shareholders think/feel about this company?

 

[WDW1974]

You know I almost wrote in my post a disclaimer that said don't say Apple because that is a whole new ball game. Apple is a very very unique company.

And Apple isn't perfect either ... they've been taking heat for the way they treat their employees of late.

Jobs is dead.

And you can't recreate the iPhone or iPad and eventually people aren't going to keep trading up for iPhone13 just because they've had the last
12 versions of the same damn thing.

Let's also not forget where Apple was not all that long ago in real time.

 

[WDW1974]

Unbelievable. That's just sad. Remember when Walt (that old dead guy) said in that DL TV show: "Lets us not forget one thing. And that is it was all started by a mouse". That Mouse at one point was the biggest and most important/valuable asset to this company (30s-40s) and should be now in this present day or at least one of. But Disney/Iger are to busy acquiring firms and not aspiring to their core principles as @Magenta Panther put it. Why must this company (more importantly our fearless leader) always (as of now) only listen to what Wall Street and their shareholders think/feel about this company?

It isn't just Disney. 99% of corporations act like Wall Street tells them to ... it is a giant capitalist cancer on this great country. ... But I loved living and working in China, so I'm just a Commie at heart ;-)

 

[Darth Sidious]

And Apple isn't perfect either ... they've been taking heat for the way they treat their employees of late.

Jobs is dead.

And you can't recreate the iPhone or iPad and eventually people aren't going to keep trading up for iPhone13 just because they've had the last
12 versions of the same damn thing.

Let's also not forget where Apple was not all that long ago in real time.

Oh yeah they are not in good position IMO. I was moreso referring to their bucking the normal financial 'theories'. For example growth companies don't pay dividends because growth companies invest their money into growth which gives value back in the form of increasing share price. Yeah well Apple has so much cash that they can't possibly reinvest it all so they are both growth and dividend paying. This is very basic generalized theory but I'm sure you get what I meant now. They overall have lots of unique quirks in the financial world.

From an analysis standpoint my confidence in the company is low. You need to continue to innovate and create to grow. Tying this back to TWDC, they can innovate like ol Walt and they can grow substantially. However, they are so huge they have become conservative and do what most mature companies do... Buy out someone else's success. They pay a premium to not take the risk of trying something new.

 

[PeterAlt]

Um ... I believe they did bury some footers for the EPCOT-EPCOT Resorts-DIsney-MGM line back in the early 90s. I recall someone at the company even pointing out where a few were ... but what does that have to do with anything here?

That's something new, but more on that after this...

I brought that up because I wrote a big post here a few months back speculating that there were big plans for DTD that included parking garages, an I-4 ramp, and monorail expansion. So far, just the DTD expansion and the garages I speculated about were accurate predictions, but those predictions were based on my suspicion of an overall secret Master Plan to expand the monorail system. Everything is tied together and, in that post, I made clear why one element needs another to make it all work. I was talking about infrastructure in the LBV area. I showed concept art and pictures of models that showed monorail and a peoplemover system in the area. I focused on a planned route from EPCOT to LBV. I can prove that infrastructure for that route was buried along its right of way through the EPCOT Center construction zone. In the LBV area, all I have are the pictures of models and art renderings. I theorized that a parking structure at DTD (and connected I-4 direct off-ramp) would help support a monorail route going to EPCOT.

Now, back to what you said. I didn't know about that. I know about the footers in EPCOT for the LBV route that were buried in the early 80's. I suspect there must be footers also in LBV, but can't find any evidence other than early plans and models. Please tell me everything you know about the ones buried in the 90's, so I can include that in my investigation...

 

[Darth Sidious]

That's something new, but more on that after this...

I brought that up because I wrote a big post here a few months back speculating that there were big plans for DTD that included parking garages, an I-4 ramp, and monorail expansion. So far, just the DTD expansion and the garages I speculated about were accurate predictions, but those predictions were based on my suspicion of an overall secret Master Plan to expand the monorail system. Everything is tied together and, in that post, I made clear why one element needs another to make it all work. I was talking about infrastructure in the LBV area. I showed concept art and pictures of models that showed monorail and a peoplemover system in the area. I focused on a planned route from EPCOT to LBV. I can prove that infrastructure for that route was buried along its right of way through the EPCOT Center construction zone. In the LBV area, all I have are the pictures of models and art renderings. I theorized that a parking structure at DTD (and connected I-4 direct off-ramp) would help support a monorail route going to EPCOT.

Now, back to what you said. I didn't know about that. I know about the footers in EPCOT for the LBV route that were buried in the early 80's. I suspect there must be footers also in LBV, but can't find any evidence other than early plans and models. Please tell me everything you know about the ones buried in the 90's, so I can include that in my investigation...

Interesting... create a thread on your findings or dig up a monorail thread and post it there. That way we can have a purely monorail speculation thread. I would enjoy that.