Iger rumored to extend his term as CEO

[MrPromey]

I'm not defending the Launch Bay, but this where the bar is at for it? The Launch Bay should be equal to or surpass a yearly Star Wars convention that is attended by over 20,000 people in two days? It's that really the expectation?

That seems a little unrealistic.

The Launch Bay should be better, but I think the comparison to the annual Star Wars Celebration is a bit unfair. It's kind of like saying that One Man's Dream should be a fully functional D23 AT ALL TIMES.

I hear you but given that Hollywood Studios saw nearly 30,000 people a day in 2015 (averaged out over all 365 days in that year) and that we are comparing something set up for a long weekend, I don't think what I'm suggesting is unrealistic.

I'm not saying they should have a huge vendor floor open 365 days a year or hundreds of volunteers dressed up as Storm Troopers or daily panels and meet and greets with celebrities and stuff like that but a half dozen radio controlled droids roaming around the way the typical 3 Jawas are isn't a big ask, is it? A few full-sized models of the smaller ships housed somewhere? A few sets that don't look like plywood? If volunteers can pull this off for three days, certainly the owner of the IP could do it for something that is going to continue to be the focal point of a theme park for years yet to come.

For for individuals, these are bankrupting passion projects. For a company working at Disney's scale, these are small one-time investments.

Heck, do you remember the inflatable building they had with a makeshift museum in Dino Land when Animal Kingdom opened? Remember the Millennium Pavilion at Epcot? These were temporary things intended to stick around for a lot less time than Launch Bay and they managed to be a whole lot more. What besides improved technology, a much more valuable and expansive IP to work with, and greater consumer spending has changed since then?

... And if they ever promoted One Man's Dream the way they are promoting Star Wars in Hollywood Studios, I'd expect that to be a heck of a lot more expansive than it is, too.

Maybe you're right, though. Maybe my expectations are just too high for for one of the largest media companies in the world trying to draw guests into one of the most expensive theme parks in the world while there are temporary walls and dead ends all over half the park and the place will continue to like a Syrian war zone from aerial shots for the foreseeable future.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

No Fox wants a RETURN on their investment, Avatar was such a big hit because of the groundbreaking 3D visuals, In 2D it's worse than being tied to a chair and being forced to watch Captain Planet reruns... Sort of like Star Trek 'Save The Whales Edition' utterly unwatchable.

Sort of like reading most of your completely false rants.

 

[jakeman]

I hear you but given that Hollywood Studios saw nearly 30,000 people a day in 2015 (averaged out over all 365 days in that year) and that we are comparing something set up for a long weekend, I don't think what I'm suggesting is unrealistic.

I'm not saying they should have a huge vendor floor open 365 days a year or hundreds of volunteers dressed up as Storm Troopers or daily panels and meet and greets with celebrities and stuff like that but a half dozen radio controlled droids roaming around the way the typical 3 Jawas are isn't a big ask, is it? A few fully sized models housed somewhere? A few sets that don't look like plywood? If volunteers can pull this off for three days, certainly the owner of the IP could do it for something that is going to continue to be the focal point of a theme park for years yet to come.

For a company working at Disney's scale, these are small one time investments. Heck, do you remember the inflatable building they had with a makeshift museum in Dino Land when Animal Kingdom opened? Remember the Millennium Pavilion at Epcot? These were temporary things intended to stick around for a lot less time than Launch Bay and they managed to be a whole lot more. What besides improved technology, a much more valuable IP to work with, and greater consumer spending has changed since then?

... And if they ever promoted One Man's Dream the way they are promoting Star Wars in Hollywood Studios, I'd expect that to be a heck of a lot more expansive than it is, too.

Maybe you're right, though. Maybe my expectations are just too high for for one of the largest media companies in the world trying to draw guests into one of the most expensive theme parks in the world that currently looks like a Syrian war zone from aerial shots.

You have a distorted view of what goes into Star Wars Celebration at almost every level and I'm not going to defend a crappy offering like the Launch Bay. The Launch Bay should be better, but to expect it to be Star Wars Celebration is unrealistic. Comparing the construction area for Star Wars Land to a "Syrian War Zone" further demonstrates your lack of perspective.

I'm out. You guys enjoy the rest of this wacky thread.

 

[MrPromey]

The convention is organized by Reed Exhibition in cooperation with Lucasfilm, not the fans.

This is true but everything I've mentioned that I think Disney could at least do, is made and supplied by fans who don't receive much in the way of compensation. I have firsthand knowledge of this - not that it isn't easy to verify.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Never understood this criticism. What's the difference between licensing an IP/adapting an IP in the public domain versus buying the IP outright and using it? Either way, the key thing is putting out a quality product, which Disney has been doing in spades with their "bought" IPs. Just owning Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, etc. is meaningless if you don't use that history to produce ongoing compelling works of entertainment -- and, whether people like it or not, Disney under Iger has done a fantastic job of using established IPs to create new captivating films and other products. That exactly what an entertainment company should be doing.

Because it doesn't fit the naysayers dialog and point of view.

 

[PB Watermelon]

No Fox wants a RETURN on their investment, Avatar was such a big hit because of the groundbreaking 3D visuals, In 2D it's worse than being tied to a chair and being forced to watch Captain Planet reruns... Sort of like Star Trek 'Save The Whales Edition' utterly unwatchable.

a) You think after Aliens, T2, True Lies, Titanic, and Avatar, Fox is worried about the ROI on a James Cameron film? No, they give that guy anything he wants, or risk losing him to another studio.
b) Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home was the highest-grossing Trek film for years, and was a critical and fan favorite.
c) I've never been tied to a chair and forced to watch Captain Planet re-runs, but I doubt Avatar in non-3D would be the more unpleasant of the two options.

 

[PB Watermelon]

I'm not defending the Launch Bay, but this where the bar is at for it? The Launch Bay should be equal to or surpass a yearly Star Wars convention that is attended by over 20,000 people in two days? It's that really the expectation?

That seems a little unrealistic.

The Launch Bay should be better, but I think the comparison to the annual Star Wars Celebration is a bit unfair. It's kind of like saying that One Man's Dream should be a fully functional D23 AT ALL TIMES.

I hear you, Jake - realistically, The Launch Bay is just a place-holder and meet & greet. It will be gone when Star Wars opens at DHS.

 

[CJR]

I'm excited and optimistic for everything happening at the parks - all the parks, including the west coast.

There's plenty of reasons to be excited. The West Coast is a perfect example of how things should be in FL.

DCA opened in 2001, after DAK and DHS. That's just embarrassing to compare the current states of each park to each other. Keep in mind, DL is still getting SWL, just like we are. Despite spending more money in California over the years, it didn't stop it from receiving the exact same addition we're getting in FL, where money hasn't been spent to the same proportions. That could be changing in the future, but really, things like the Ratatouille ride could have went to Epcot years ago.

 

[PB Watermelon]

There's plenty of reasons to be excited. The West Coast is a perfect example of how things should be in FL.

DCA opened in 2001, after DAK and DHS. That's just embarrassing to compare the current states of each park to each other. Keep in mind, DL is still getting SWL, just like we are. Despite spending more money in California over the years, it didn't stop it from receiving the exact same addition we're getting in FL, where money hasn't been spent to the same proportions. That could be changing in the future, but really, things like the Ratatouille ride could have went to Epcot years ago.

I think after the DHS overhaul, Epcot is going to be next in line. In fact, I'd count on it.

 

[MrPromey]

You have a distorted view of what goes into Star Wars Celebration at almost every level and I'm not going to defend a crappy offering like the Launch Bay. The Launch Bay should be better, but to expect it to be Star Wars Celebration is unrealistic. Comparing the construction area for Star Wars Land to a "Syrian War Zone" further demonstrates your lack of perspective.

I'm out. You guys enjoy the rest of this wacky thread.

My view of what goes into it is distorted at almost every level? How so?

Have you ever been involved on one of them?

I have.

That's why I know that while these events are organized professionally, a lot of those exhibits are not professionally made and a good degree of fan exploitation is used to pull these off on the scale that they are done each year.

The set builders are independents. The droid builders are independents. All those people you see running around in screen accurate costumes are independents (501st members). Some of these people get compensation but that's for things like trucking and airfare to get there stuff to the event and them there to set it up - not for building these actual things that they technically aren't supposed to make money on in any capacity (though many have found ways to hustle a few dollars here and there over the course of a year). Some, are paying their own way, completely, along with admission to be a part of what other people are paying to come experience.

I have a friend who was "invited" to build a set this year. Someone from one of the set builder groups was willing to help him make this project a reality with a donation of $1,800 as seed money for a project that would cost him plenty more. His compensation would have been the pride of having his garage sized set there, free admission and the possibility of making a little money on the side with the set in the future by skirting some rules.

So yeah, my point is that if someone can build a realistic set or life-sized model of something big on their own and get it to an event like this, if someone can build a working droid on their own and get it to an event like this, Disney should be able to do this, themselves for something being used to prop up the image of Star Wars in a park for several years until the real project is complete.

Heck, there are people here in Florida with years of experience making screen-accurate Star Wars stuff who would accept pennies on the dollar for to do it for them - just to be able to tell their friends they were involved.

I know that last statement makes me sound crazy but it isn't like Disney hasn't worked with these people before. Most of those costumed people you saw in Star Wars Weekends parades were these very people in their own costumes being paid in park tickets - not cast members. It isn't like Disney hasn't been willing to work with these groups in the past to save money.

I don't know. Maybe Disney lost their numbers?

I'm not talking about the full scale of Star Wars Celebration but I am talking about something that looks like it belongs in a place where people spend thousands of dollars to visit when this is one of the promoted offerings and considering that most of those awesome things people all want to get their pictures with at these Celebrations are made by individuals on shoestring budgets, I don't think I'm expecting a lot out of Disney.

I mean, Disney could easily make arrangements to display this stuff that already exists for close to nothing. Some of these people would be happy to have their stuff on rotational display just to avoid the storage fees when they aren't using it.

Your lack of willingness to defend Launch Bay makes me think we are probably closer in opinion on this than you think we are.

I'll admit I took the comparison to a war zone too far. I just meant normal looking buildings and then completely upturned land right next door. From the pictures you can see right from this website, half the park looks more like it's been destroyed than like it's becoming something, right now and we all kind of expect it to be that way for quite a while yet.

I'll apologize for the comparison though because I wasn't trying to say a theme park being reworked compared to human suffering - just the image of the space and I was a little more than overly dramatic, there.

 

[CJR]

I think after the DHS overhaul, Epcot is going to be next in line. In fact, I'd count on it.

Technically, Epcot's already started. Frozen was the beginning of that. My issue with Epcot, is they could have been doing this all along with all the films, specifically, with Pixar, if they really wanted to go the IP route. Inside Out would have been a perfect IP to capitalize on, for example. They probably still will, but the thing is, they're playing catchup at this point. Had they been ready, they could have better capitalized on that.

Also, DHS is far from finished. SWL and TSL will be great additions, but really, they're the start, not the finish line. There really shouldn't ever be a finish line, I hope there isn't.

 

[MrPromey]

I hear you, Jake - realistically, The Launch Bay is just a place-holder and meet & greet. It will be gone when Star Wars opens at DHS.

Yes, I think we all know this but when is that opening date, again? Spring, summer, fall, or winter of what year?

 

[P_Radden]

I think after the DHS overhaul, Epcot is going to be next in line. In fact, I'd count on it.

The fact that they have placed EPCOT 4th in line really shows the power of it's festivals to prop up the park's numbers.

 

[PB Watermelon]

Technically, Epcot's already started. Frozen was the beginning of that. My issue with Epcot, is they could have been doing this all along with all the films, specifically, with Pixar, if they really wanted to go the IP route. Inside Out would have been a perfect IP to capitalize on, for example. They probably still will, but the thing is, they're playing catchup at this point. Had they been ready, they could have better capitalized on that.

Also, DHS is far from finished. SWL and TSL will be great additions, but really, they're the start, not the finish line. There really shouldn't ever be a finish line, I hope there isn't.

Future World is the place to start - it needs updates to Universe of Energy...Inside Out would work great in the old Cranium Command theater (especially since it's the attraction that kinda sorta inspired the movie -- Pete Docter even assisted on that attraction). Of course, that means re-opening Wonders of Life and doing something with it, a top-to-bottom overhaul. Universe of Energy needs an update, Journey Into Imagination needs a re-thinking, surely someone can do something with the Horizons building, because all it has done for a couple of decades is just sit there looking pretty. Time to put the Future back into Future World.

 

[P_Radden]

Future World is the place to start - it needs updates to Universe of Energy...Inside Out would work great in the old Cranium Command theater (especially since it's the attraction that kinda sorta inspired the movie -- Pete Docter even assisted on that attraction). Of course, that means re-opening Wonders of Life and doing something with it, a top-to-bottom overhaul. Universe of Energy needs an update, Journey Into Imagination needs a re-thinking, surely someone can do something with the Horizons building, because all it has done for a couple of decades is just sit there looking pretty. Time to put the Future back into Future World.

What? They tore it down in 99, Mission Space is in that location now.

But I do agree with you about Imagination, UoE and WoL

 

[PB Watermelon]

Yes, I think we all know this but when is that opening date, again? Spring, summer, fall, or winter of what year?

If I had to guess, no sooner than 2020, but surely it has to be a bit easier than what they're having to do at Disneyland (
re-routing the Rivers of America and all that...)

 

[PB Watermelon]

What? They tore it down in 99, Mission Space is in that location now.

But I do agree with you about Imagination, UoE and WoL

Haven't been to Epcot since the 90's...shows you what I know.

 

[Bandini]

Yeah, by buying out someone else rather than doing something yourself.

I don't care that IP is purchased from outside sources. But IMO, the most iconic attractions in the parks were not based on IP, these ideas came straight from the imagineers. I wish Disney would return to that model. Examples: Figment, HM, POC, TOT, BTMRR.... I'm not saying IP based attractions should be eliminated, but I am saying that the imagineers are not being used to their fullest potential.

 

[MrPromey]

If I had to guess, no sooner than 2020, but surely it has to be a bit easier than what they're having to do at Disneyland (
re-routing the Rivers of America and all that...)

2020 or later is what most of us are guessing. That makes Launch Bay a pretty long-term temporary space until then, doesn't it? I mean, maybe they'll improve it between now and then. If they are going to continue to feature Hollywood Studios as the All-Things-Star-Wars park in their marketing for the next 3+ years, we can hope, right?

With Disney infinity officially dead, they hopefully won't continue to feature that for the next three years as a big part of this space, right?

 

[Chef Mickey]

Wow, I'm surprised to see even a few people praise Iger. I know he's made good acquisitions, but can someone who likes him specifically articulate how you think he's bee good for WDW as of 2017?

Yes, I recognize some of his acquisitions could give him a chance at redemption, but we are in 2017 and I could list a ton of failures to this point. WDW is essentially the same as it was when he took over with a lot more closed and needing TLC (see just about every single ride and show that was there when he took over). He hasn't crashed the plane and has done a good job extracting margin, keeping attendance growth intact, and sprinkling in one or two nice things along the way. Overall however, WDW has suffered tremendously in the parks themselves and the resorts as well.