On layoffs, very bad attendance, and Iger's legacy being one of disgrace

[UNCgolf]

Are you joking?

Skipper's contract was extended for 4 years roughly a month before he stepped down. Do you really think they extended his contract and then decided to fire him right after? Do you think Disney is that incompetent?

The only people I've ever heard kick around the idea that Skipper was fired for business reasons are people who think ESPN was too political. It's basically a conspiracy theory.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

Oh god, it's spreading. Let's explain jokes here. Someone said the Christmas parties were coming back in some way, shape, or form. I used sarcasm to indicate that I disagree. What's the issue here?

Wooosh!

 

[peter11435]

I'm told some type of attendance driver is being looked at.

I’m sure they will “cook” something up.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I had COVID in March. My wife is a nurse in Mass, brought it home. It's literally almost exclusively a 90 year old plus nursing home problem. I have a pretty good grasp on what is going on. Have you had COVID?

Absolutely not...

But if I had it...i’m 99.9% sure i wouldn’t be spouting debunked myths about closures “killing” people and things...

Because as predicted by all the reputable economists and doctors - the “start/stop” of non-uniform policy and not tying off the virus is going to cause more, longer economic loss than if it had been handled. Exactly like they said it would up front.

Especially to a business like Disney. Instead of a lost spring/summer...their 2021 is all but wrecked now.

I love the WEEI Gerry Callahan angry prose take though...always entertaining.


And as an aside...I was in Orlando - with quite a large number of Korea, Japanese and European travelers in late January.

My entire family was sick in varying symptoms/degrees the month of February. Which is unusual because we rarely are...

I actually was sent to the hospital from my general doctor on 2/12...with symptoms like diverticulitis. Only a mild fever.

6 hours later, full CATS, ultrasound, pneumonia, mono and flu tests ...absolutely nothing.

Never had symptoms like that or even close.

Did we have covid? I’d say chances are 50/50 at least.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I've been told the property as a whole is profitable right now, but just, and is improving for the most part.

Some areas are performing better than expected, others are below - particularly EPCOT. This shouldn't really come as a surprise, as the park operated as a park-hop due to its limited headline attractions. All attention is on the Studios for most guests, and of course MK is always a popular choice.

Here is a photo walk around EPCCOT yesterday, around midday. Shots are not designed to emphasize high or low guest numbers, just the view as it happened.

Walk-through of EPCOT July 29 2020

Walk-through of EPCOT July 29 2020

www.wdwmagic.com

Numbers are not in the hundreds, but way below the 10,000+ goal. I'm told some type of attendance driver is being looked at.

Even if they are “breaking even”...that’s not what the place is designed for. Not standard operating procedure or close.

I will accept the steep DVC discount AP when it rolls out - however. Just let me know when?

 

[capsshield]

maybe disney should market the 50th as $50 a day single ticket price, and $50 a night for hotels for a family of four on a 3 or 4 day ticket at value resorts.

 

[pheneix]

SeaWorld was pristine in the anheuser-busch days. That was more than a decade ago. Right after the parks were sold, upkeep kinda went to the crapper. Not sure how it is nowadays.

It's decent. A little better than Universal sometimes. There's not much there to spend on tbh. Painting. Lighting. High guest contact surfaces. Simple stuff.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I've been told the property as a whole is profitable right now, but just, and is improving for the most part.

Some areas are performing better than expected, others are below - particularly EPCOT. This shouldn't really come as a surprise, as the park operated as a park-hop due to its limited headline attractions. All attention is on the Studios for most guests, and of course MK is always a popular choice.

Here is a photo walk around EPCCOT yesterday, around midday. Shots are not designed to emphasize high or low guest numbers, just the view as it happened.

Walk-through of EPCOT July 29 2020

Walk-through of EPCOT July 29 2020

www.wdwmagic.com

Numbers are not in the hundreds, but way below the 10,000+ goal. I'm told some type of attendance driver is being looked at.

They would be wise to allow park hopping to Epcot. Perhaps let guests come there for “free” after departing one of the earlier-closing parks?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Skipper's contract was extended for 4 years roughly a month before he stepped down. Do you really think they extended his contract and then decided to fire him right after? Do you think Disney is that incompetent?

That's called "taking care of your guy" before sending him on his way. A golden parachute, if you prefer that term.

Take a look at the timeline of events that transpired in quick succession. The acquisition of a controlling interest in BAMTech. The announcement of DTCI. The merger of Parks and Consumer Products, which slid CP under Chapek and freed up Jimmy Pitaro to replace Skipper as the President of ESPN. These things don't happen in a vacuum, they're dominoes.

The only people I've ever heard kick around the idea that Skipper was fired for business reasons are people who think ESPN was too political. It's basically a conspiracy theory.

DISNEY thinks ESPN was too political. Left-wing executives in Burbank thought ESPN was too left-wing. Pitaro's mandate when he was sent to Bristol was "get politics off the air and clean house." Not every conspiracy is just a theory.

Jemele Hill exits, SVP is elevated.

 

[pheneix]

I've been told the property as a whole is profitable right now, but just, and is improving for the most part.

Some areas are performing better than expected, others are below - particularly EPCOT. This shouldn't really come as a surprise, as the park operated as a park-hop due to its limited headline attractions. All attention is on the Studios for most guests, and of course MK is always a popular choice.

Here is a photo walk around EPCCOT yesterday, around midday. Shots are not designed to emphasize high or low guest numbers, just the view as it happened.

Walk-through of EPCOT July 29 2020

Walk-through of EPCOT July 29 2020

www.wdwmagic.com

Numbers are not in the hundreds, but way below the 10,000+ goal. I'm told some type of attendance driver is being looked at.

Disney is straight up using quantum math to claim this operation is profitable. It is not. We all see the deserted theme parks and lack of guest spending. Yet, there's many Disney spinsters trying to tell us that what we see isn't really what we see. They're good at that. Look at the failed opening of Galaxy's Edge and the continued online bickering over "how bad it did."

Despite other "insiders" (not a dig at Steve *at all* cause I have my own "alternative" connects claiming the same) saying attendance is not in the hundreds," I mean... we see what these parks look like. You can certainly pull the entire day's chart and find that a few thousand ppl wandered thru the gates. They don't stay long. By 4pm every park is lucky to still have a thousand in park. On most days. its rotten luck!

They got hotel occupancy in the teens yet their transit system is getting worked like the 4th of July every day because of COVID ops. By Disney's own math alone -- baking transportation costs into room rates -- they really screwed this.

 

[pheneix]

Got some news on rumored tensions in CCPland.

I won't repeat what WDWPro has documented well in his own thread, so I'll cut to the chase.

I don't think the Chinese parks are getting sold. There certainly doesn't seem to be any buyers. And I also feel like the CCP is willing to hold on to these assets as bargaining chips. The Cold War is heating up.

Make no mistake, Disney needs to unload this baggage. Better now with several billion in cash than later, when they got nothing. Disney also needs the cash too, because the company cash burn is worse than ppl think. Probably worse than has been discussed on this thread.

Buckle up buckaroos!

 

[Parker in NYC]

Wooosh!

Ok, over my head it is. I'm not the sharpest wig in the wig store, so whatever.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Look at the failed opening of Galaxy's Edge

It’s funny... whenever Disney limits passholders they see that the demand isn’t really there for the product? (That’s a nod to California’s Galaxies Edge open last summer).

 

[wdwmagic]

Disney is straight up using quantum math to claim this operation is profitable. It is not. We all see the deserted theme parks and lack of guest spending. Yet, there's many Disney spinsters trying to tell us that what we see isn't really what we see. They're good at that. Look at the failed opening of Galaxy's Edge and the continued online bickering over "how bad it did."

Despite other "insiders" (not a dig at Steve *at all* cause I have my own "alternative" connects claiming the same) saying attendance is not in the hundreds," I mean... we see what these parks look like. You can certainly pull the entire day's chart and find that a few thousand ppl wandered thru the gates. They don't stay long. By 4pm every park is lucky to still have a thousand in park. On most days. its rotten luck!

They got hotel occupancy in the teens yet their transit system is getting worked like the 4th of July every day because of COVID ops. By Disney's own math alone -- baking transportation costs into room rates -- they really screwed this.

I think the guest spending (lack of) in the parks is possibly more concerning than attendance. Stores and kiosks are mostly deserted. Food and Wine sales are dismal. The only exception is possibly Disney Springs, where some things have gone better than expected.

 

[oceanbreeze77]

This thread should close for a few hours every day so we can all catch up on the pages and pages of posts every hour

 

[Parker in NYC]

This thread should close for a few hours every day so we can all catch up on the pages and pages of posts every hour

Taking a note from Splash and CoP and [insert attraction(s) here]!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

maybe disney should market the 50th as $50 a day single ticket price, and $50 a night for hotels for a family of four on a 3 or 4 day ticket at value resorts.

Lol..you gotta prep me when you’re gonna drop a joke like that!!

...I almost drove off the road...and I wasn’t even driving

 

[Askimosita]

Got some news on rumored tensions in CCPland.

I won't repeat what WDWPro has documented well in his own thread, so I'll cut to the chase.

I don't think the Chinese parks are getting sold. There certainly doesn't seem to be any buyers. And I also feel like the CCP is willing to hold on to these assets as bargaining chips. The Cold War is heating up.

Make no mistake, Disney needs to unload this baggage. Better now with several billion in cash than later, when they got nothing. Disney also needs the cash too, because the company cash burn is worse than ppl think. Probably worse than has been discussed on this thread.

Buckle up buckaroos!

This is getting juicy would The Chinese government not be interested in fully obtaining Shanghai at least? Don’t they control half of it?

I’m intrigued by what you know

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney is straight up using quantum math to claim this operation is profitable. It is not. We all see the deserted theme parks and lack of guest spending. Yet, there's many Disney spinsters trying to tell us that what we see isn't really what we see. They're good at that. Look at the failed opening of Galaxy's Edge and the continued online bickering over "how bad it did."

Despite other "insiders" (not a dig at Steve *at all* cause I have my own "alternative" connects claiming the same) saying attendance is not in the hundreds," I mean... we see what these parks look like. You can certainly pull the entire day's chart and find that a few thousand ppl wandered thru the gates. They don't stay long. By 4pm every park is lucky to still have a thousand in park. On most days. its rotten luck!

They got hotel occupancy in the teens yet their transit system is getting worked like the 4th of July every day because of COVID ops. By Disney's own math alone -- baking transportation costs into room rates -- they really screwed this.

I tend to agree...I think this is economic “spin” at a minimum. The engine runs on “gas” in Orlando...not “exhaust fumes”...

(In case I’ve gone to far...I mean it takes masses of free spenders, not few visitors with caution and a skeleton crew. Got it?)

I think the guest spending (lack of) in the parks is possibly more concerning than attendance. Stores and kiosks are mostly deserted. Food and Wine sales are dismal. The only exception is possibly Disney Springs, where some things have gone better than expected.

And that is how they measure their overall profits...assessing per guest spending.

At least they used to...

 

[pheneix]

I think the guest spending (lack of) in the parks is possibly more concerning than attendance. Stores and kiosks are mostly deserted. Food and Wine sales are dismal. The only exception is possibly Disney Springs, where some things have gone better than expected.

Disney Springs doesn't require navigating thru a compulsory registration system just to go inside. Good to hear they can make a go of it with the world on fire.

When MK reopened, they relentlessly pushed Splash merch on the ebay sellers with no shame. Ppl hauling trash bags of plushes out. Disney knows how bad that looks. They also don't care. The only other high demand merch run I've heard about was the launch of some Disneyland 65th stuff. DL anniversary merch always turns up a crowd. Total crickets at retail other than those eBay Pirate runs.

People are scared. Even the guests coming to WDW are not escaping the real world anymore. They're taking a smoke break from it. And their phones are still getting bombed with bad news. No wonder in park spending is near zero when Disney charges these old economy prices. Disney will have to correct pricing to the new reality. They all will.

I should note that Universal's attendance and guest spending is also garbage. Today, someone tweeted a photo of the Blues Brothers performing for like a family of 3. This is a theme park that has literal hundreds of people inside. More employees than guests for sure. I don't know why these resorts are doing this to themselves.