MiceAge on the latest news regarding MyMagic+ : Read it and weep.

[janoimagine]

?? Are desserts and private access supposed to be free?

Really?

Not at all, however on the night when your already doing a hard ticket event at $70.00, charging another $25 and change and restricting optimum viewing areas of the park (especially when viewing areas for the fireworks are already jam packed an hour or more in advance with ZERO crowd control) during headline entertainment that you already paid $70 to see, is just plain garbage ... seems like double dipping to me, but what do I know.

 

[danlb_2000]

Regardless of how incompetent the suits in Burbank may be regarding how to run a theme park they are well heeled business people who know the ins and outs of making a buck, possibly too well, and it defies good business practice to shut down all development at all US parks because a non-Disney developed project is on the skids. when John Carter tanked you may have noticed they didn't cancel all new shows at ABC and cancel contract negotiations over at ESPN. They didn't even cancel other movies at the studios. that line of reasoning just does not hold up. They didn't even shut it all down when Lone Ranger ubber tanked. While I don't believe MM will ever pay big dividends, or probably even pay for itself, I personally like it, and I've been going to WDW since it opened, stayed at the Poly within 3 weeks of opening. I have only used it on one trip so far but will use it again when I am down there from 12/26 - 1/7. I know in Al's eyes all things evil are the result of something being done, or not done, at WDW but if they did actually scotch all development at DLR it is because DLR has a problem, not because of the cost over runs and schedule delays of an unrelated project at WDW. The businesses are run on separate budgets, with separate over sight until all but the highest level.

What non-Disney developed project are you referring to? MM+ is a Disney project.

 

[devoy1701]

People are mad but this isn't the end of the world. WDC has reversed course before and will again. The last 60 years is filled with projects that have been promised and never materialized. If attendance trends worsen they will change again. The miceage stuff makes total sense from a business perspective. Iger realized that MM money was being tossed into a big hole and nothing was coming back. The expected shifts in spending had not materialized. He got angry and put a hold on stuff until he can see through the haze. He has shown the ability to manage the growth of WDC and has made a ton of good strategic decisions along the way. Stock price is through the roof. He will see the forest through the trees eventually.

They feel like PR can coast for a bit and are willing to let it do so. We don't like it. But I can promise that as soon as attendance significantly shifts and competitors really begin to benefit, that the money will get turned on again. And in Orlando, as soon as Universal Studios and IOA passes up attendance at the three non MK parks, you can bet stuff will happen. And it won't take 4 years to build a teeny roller coaster.

All of that said, eventually MM will pay dividends. People will spend more. It will return on the investment. 5 years from now WDC will be seen as a visionary in the industry again with this stuff. It's crap now and has bugs on bugs, but it is a solid strategy. Just wildly more expensive then anticipated, but isn't any huge idea that is cutting edge?

But for right now the Miceage article sounds and feels exactly correct. It cost too much and other stuff suffers because at the end of the day the BOD expects income growth every single year.

Good grief. I think you need a hard dose of reality on the current state of WDW. This snowball has been building for the past 10 years with MANY warning signs along the way. The people who have tried to speak against it or change course have been reassigned, fired, or politely told to get out of the way as they were replaced with Yes Men. This isn't about projects that will never materialize. it's about the BILLIONS that have been spent on what is probably a sunk cost, and a project that wasn't well thought out, poorly executed, and probably should have been cut months ago! These types of initiatives are pretty much worst case scenario, and it will take years for the company to recover.

On your point about the stock price, trust me, it is not a sign of Iger's competence. Many stocks are at all time highs...I'm making money hand over foot on some of my positions. Stocks are trading 30x earnings, DJ hitting an all time high closing above 16,000. It's all going to come crashing down again soon, and Disney's stock price is going to fall right along with the rest of them!

 

[Captain Chaos]

It's all going to come crashing down again soon, and Disney's stock price is going to fall right along with the rest of them!

Yes, it is time to dump the Disney stock I believe... before it tanks with the rest of the market...

 

[WDW1974]

Some Spirited Perspective:

I knew and posted that all WDW projects were on hold after the exec retreat at WDW two weeks ago.

I am a bit surprised, saddened and sickened that this data mining and trip planning app has the ability to drag resorts around the globe down with it.

I also don't fully believe it and the folks I have reached out to have yet to get back to me and may not for a bit with this being the holiday week.

Things that have already been funded at WDW, such as Pandora and Disney Springs and the next dozen DVC resorts will not be affected in any way. That would also include the kiddie coaster and new MK parade.

As to DLP, well, it is a mess as is but does have an E-Ticket opening at the Studios park late spring and that will open. Nothing further had been approved of, so how this affects DLP is negligible.

As for TDR and SDL, they can't be affected by this due to ownership and political reasons, respectively.

HKDL? They just announced their first Marvel E-Ticket for the park and have a new night parade scheduled to open next summer. I sincerely doubt that anything at WDW will affect those. It wouldn't make the Chinese happy and Iger and the BoD are very interested in keeping them happy. Could they be delayed? Sure, but not long ... not indefinitely.

So ... what exactly does this news mean?

If anything, it means that WDW will continue to be the stale, tired and unkempt flagship resort. It means that the Studios Makeover, the Imagination redo and anything else not tied to blue aliens gets FROZEN (HEY, DID YOU HEAR THIS IS THE BEST DISNEY ANIMATED FILM SINCE THE LION KING?!?!??!?! ... You should have since Disney paid enough for that review!)

What is less clear is what it means for DLR ... could the abyss that is NGE simply swallow DLR and its 60th B-day plans whole? Sadly, the way Disney plays the numbers (shell) game with One Disney and its USA operations, yes, it could. But I also don't see that happening if pressure (both internal and external) come to bear on Iger and Co.

Again, all of you apologists, defenders of mediocrity, Pixie Dusters etc ... you really are helping destroy Walt's Legacy and his company's.

BTW, Saving Mr. Banks doesn't look all that (I know, the fanbois are crying and burying their heads under pillows while yelling 'I can't hear you!') and was it just me or did Walt Disney walk by the Walt Disney Story in one of the trailers? I thought so, but only got a brief glimpse. If so, that is one incredible continuity issue that someone should have seen.

 

[WDW1974]

Thanks for the interesting link!

And it goes with what @WDW1974 said about WDW: That all Star Wars plans at WDW are on hold until Next Gen starts paying for itself. Seems like the no more investment strategy goes even further...

I am glad someone read and paid attention to that!

 

[bethymouse]

Wow. That's really sad and frightening.

yet not surprising.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

was it just me or did Walt Disney walk by the Walt Disney Story in one of the trailers? I thought so, but only got a brief glimpse. If so, that is one incredible continuity issue that someone should have seen.

The Walt Disney Story hasn't been in DLR in years. The Disneyland Story (featuring Lincoln) is what you probably saw. The bigger contiuity issue is Walt and Travers walking around post 1983 Fantasyland, or being in the park togther at all (did that actually happen?).

 

[WDW1974]

where are the naysayers who said NextGen/MM+ wasn't grossly over budget?!

If this story is as true as many are taking it, then those estimates at it being well over $2 billion and heading toward three are not at all unrealistic.

You don't simply stop everything if a project is a few hundred million over budget, let alone a project of this magnitude.

Nope, this isn't Iger either ... this is the BoD questioning him and Rasulo and Staggs and saying 'This is costing us HOW much??!?!'

Remember, a certain Spirit told y'all a long time ago that NGE was supposed to directly result in an 11 percent across the board rise in revenues by third quarter of this year.

Does anyone think that will ever be the result?

 

[Sue_Vongello]

Firstly, calling a biased and uninformed blog an article is insulting to anyone actually educated in true journalism. Secondly, rebutting a false article that lacks any proof is not necessary. If someone anti-vegetable writes a blog saying skittles are more healthy than brocolli, then common sense should prevail. Just as I would hope the case would be here.

Common sense would tell you that the article is more valid than it is false.

Fact: MM+ is behind schedule. (Source: Iger)

Fact: MM+ is over budget. (Source: Iger)

Fact: There have been zero e-ticket additions to the parks in 5 plus years. (Source: your eyes)

Fact: There have been zero new attraction announcements since Avatarland, now years ago. (Source: your eyes)

Article holds up against the facts and the sources ... where's your sources and facts?

 

[NX2I85]

Well many of you folks on here did call this project failing epicly, I just thought it wouldn't be on this scale poor disneyland. They have to suffer for WDW mistakes. Hopefully this doesn't ruin their 60th.

It's like WDW just went out and ate Thai food, then did a Dutch oven on DLR.

 

[WDW1974]

Is anyone else skeptical about the accuracy of this reporting? None of the projects reported here as cancelled or placed on hold had even been confirmed or given a tentative start date. There are no sources cited, at all. The whole thing sounds like a hit piece against MyMagicPlus that uses rumors and counter-rumors as evidence.

Sources? In a Miceage piece? Hell, did you see any names from Disney in the recent story on the company's gambling businesses in the New York Times? Disney only goes on the record when it feels like it. And NEVER with that fan site ... but take a look at its history and track record. It is incredible considering the way Disney changes gears on things like this.

And I absolutely can confirm that all projects for WDW are now on hold and have been for a few weeks now (some longer).

You seem to be asking for something you can't possibly get.

 

[WDW1974]

So, is this thread/night's troll of the big news going to be a bit green? Is @The Mom or @wdwmagic working tonight?

 

[Skibum1970]

Most publicly traded companies cannot spend $2.0 billion with no true ROI by the stated date without heads rolling. I really don't see how changes have not been made since this debacle unfolded or how the executives can plead ignorance.

WDW and DL are amusement parks, first and foremost (theme parks for the purists). When did that mean freezing ride development at one of the most visited parks/resorts in the world? I had hopes when they changed the focus from a princess meet-n-greet land to actually include the mine ride. Now, I'm thinking that the train has officially jumped the tracks.

Only things that MM+ gives is longer lines, confusion, and a feeling of being watched. That probably wasn't the ROI presented to the board a few years ago.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

oyyyyyyyyy...this makes me SO MAD!!!

This is why we can't have nice things...

 

[englanddg]

BTW, Saving Mr. Banks doesn't look all that (I know, the fanbois are crying and burying their heads under pillows while yelling 'I can't hear you!') and was it just me or did Walt Disney walk by the Walt Disney Story in one of the trailers? I thought so, but only got a brief glimpse. If so, that is one incredible continuity issue that someone should have seen.

You did. It's visible in this trailer at 34 seconds.



You are right. If the movie takes place around 1959 (when Traver's finally consented to sell the rights), it should have looked like this:

 

[WDW1974]

There's nothing quantifiable about any of this. That's why this aticle is so useless. It comes across as a way of walking back previous rumors (Star Wars at Tomorrowland) with new ones.

Star Wars is a helluva lot more than rumor. Even Iger said so and said announcements would be soon (that was over the summer). Disney teased SW at the D23 Expo.

Other items Miceage has reported from DLR's 60th plans to Monstropolis for DCA are all well-known (to those in the industry or those with ties to it) to exist.

 

[WDW1974]

You did. It's visible in this trailer at 34 seconds.



You are right. If the movie takes place around 1959 (when Traver's finally consented to sell the rights), it should have looked like this:

Thanks. Walt wasn't telling his own story or the DL Story in the 1950s!!!

 

[Tigger1988]

You did. It's visible in this trailer at 34 seconds.

As already mentioned it hasn't been the Walt Disney Story in several years.

 

[WDW1974]

Not if you don't like theme parks and therefore have no understanding of how they work. That's the bigger problem here. Both coasts are beholden to people with no love or respect for the business.

This just so needs to be repeated.

Many execs at TWDC have outward disdain for the company's own products, like say ... its parks and resorts.

To me, if you don't like seafood you have no business running Red Lobster ...