So Comcast was the highest bidder for FOX, but FOX picked Disney instead...

[Hatbox Ghostbuster]

We don't know the extent of the issues with the castle. Its very possible that any repairs could require closing the castle for 12-18 months. So they'd have to wait until a large scale investment can be done.

TT is another matter. I think they've left it because they know a massive investment is coming. Why spent money in the short term when a large investment is coming.

I know that MC and even here some like to rip on maintenance issues, but there is a large plan in place that we just aren't privy to.

That's such a weak argument. That's like letting your roof leak into your house, but not addressing it until you're ready to change out the carpet.

I don't understand how routine maintenance gets a casual backseat until someone can come up with a "new idea" for the area. Seriously, that's just poor management and overall bad show. If its noticeable, its a problem.

Most of the current castle's issues are probably caused by re-doing it for the 60th and Christmas overlay. We're not talking tear-down here.

 

[Disney Irish]

That's such a weak argument. That's like letting your roof leak into your house, but not addressing it until you're ready to change out the carpet.

I don't understand how routine maintenance gets a casual backseat until someone can come up with a "new idea" for the area. Seriously, that's just poor management and overall bad show.

That is not a good analogy, a better analogy is not fixing a roof tile out of place because you're already budgeting to fix the entire roof. Sure it looks bad, but why spend the money to fix it if you're already going to fix the entire thing anyways. Or another analogy would be if you see the stucco with a large crack in one section of your house, but you're already planning to paint the entire house. Why spend the money now to fix the large crack if you're already painting the entire house.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

That's such a weak argument. That's like letting your roof leak into your house, but not addressing it until you're ready to change out the carpet.

I don't understand how routine maintenance gets a casual backseat until someone can come up with a "new idea" for the area. Seriously, that's just poor management and overall bad show.

But if you're gonna bulldoze the house next year.

 

[Hatbox Ghostbuster]

That is not a good analogy, a better analogy is not fixing a roof tile out of place because you're already budgeting to fix the entire roof. Sure it looks bad, but why spend the money to fix it if you're already going to fix the entire thing anyways. Or another analogy would be if you see the stucco with a large crack in one section of your house, but you're already planning to paint the entire house. Why spend the money now to fix the large crack if you're already painting the entire house.

That comment was more in line with fixing TT. To you, they won't address any of its quality issues until they're ready to re-do the whole area. Either way, leaving visible disrepair is still bad show no matter what their future plans are.

 

[TROR]

What is this about bulldozing Sleeping Beauty Castle

 

[Hatbox Ghostbuster]

But if you're gonna bulldoze the house next year.

My "house" is also earning me loads of money and is visited by millions of people who will notice problem. Oh, and I claim to care about quality of experience when people stop by for a visit.

 

[Disney Irish]

That comment was more in line with fixing TT. To you, they won't address any of its quality issues until they're ready to re-do the whole area. Either way, leaving visible disrepair is still bad show no matter what their future plans are.

That I understood, and that was how I was commenting. And I agree it does put on a bad show. But at the same time I can understand why things are done, again coming from a corporate background to know how budgets are stretched. And how some cuts are made for the longer term goals.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I was rooting for Comcast.

 

[Hatbox Ghostbuster]

That I understood, and that was how I was commenting. And I agree it does put on a bad show. But at the same time I can understand why things are done, again coming from a corporate background to know how budgets are stretched. And how some cuts are made for the longer term goals.

So, in other words, bad show isn't really "bad" so long as you have long-term plans to fix it...eventually?

You'd love Epcot.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Don't go Hans! We were supposed to have a drink at Lasseter's Lair and lament things!

Oh I'm not thinking of abandoning the parks (well I am, but that's another story). I'm mostly speaking broadly about my feelings towards Disney as a global media company in the 21st Century. I don't have to admire both I guess. It's not like Universal fans are super passionate about Comcast. Well maybe they are. Are they?

 

[SuddenStorm]

For me, it isn't necessarily the amount of investment being made, but the quality of investment.

Let's looks at this. Galaxy's Edge should be pretty darn good, a new structure, crowd flow improvements across Disneyland Park, a Downtown Disney overhaul to bring it out of an aging '90s aesthetic- again good. A new quality hotel? Also good.

Disney could have 10 projects in line, but if they're all the level of Pixar Pier, then no thanks.

Luckily, they're not. It's also worth looking into what Pixar Pier is- an enhancement to a land that people already weren't overly fond of. It's an attempt to further correct mistakes made 20 years ago. It also should draw people to the park, especially with the Incredibles craze going on right now. I hate the name and some of the food kiosks, but I'm gonna reserve judgement on the land as a whole until after it's up and running.

And for me, quality suffers when budgets are cut. Short-cuts and "that'll do" attitudes dominate. As has been stated, WDI is a mess, and I know its because they're being forced to work harder and faster with dwindling budgets and shrinking time-frames.

Gonna need a source for this. If anything, it seems like the budget has been raised. In the last year, Pirates and Splash both received decent length refurbishments. Disney's doing the biggest resort expansion seen in 20 years- just a couple years after Cars Land and DCA 2.0 debuted.

Yes, Disney experimented with labor cuts a couple years ago, but that's something that every company does. If they impacted guest experience enough to reduce how profitable the parks are, than Disney would revert back to the way things were, or further experiment. It's like a pendulum that swings back and forth as new management comes in with ways to save on excess costs.

But hey, as long as Thano--er, I mean Iger, can get all the stone--er, I mean companies, under the Disney umbrella, then all is happy!

If you don't understand how park maintenance, and Disney acquiring companies are completely separate financially, even after Irish Bruh explained it fairly well, not sure what else to say.

You're conflating two unrelated issues. The Fox acquisition- and whether or not Disney's gonna fix up Sleeping Beauty Castle. Both would be very good for the company, and both are going to happen- but on Disney's time frame.

 

[Stevek]

We don't know the extent of the issues with the castle. Its very possible that any repairs could require closing the castle for 12-18 months. So they'd have to wait until a large scale investment can be done.

TT is another matter. I think they've left it because they know a massive investment is coming. Why spent money in the short term when a large investment is coming.

I know that MC and even here some like to rip on maintenance issues, but there is a large plan in place that we just aren't privy to.

Toontown has been a consistent problem for many years. They let it go to the point it is at now and then finally fix it. Would not surprise me if something happens in the next few months. Letting it go like that any longer...really no excuse for it.

 

[Hatbox Ghostbuster]

Let's looks at this. Galaxy's Edge should be pretty darn good, a new structure, crowd flow improvements across Disneyland Park, a Downtown Disney overhaul to bring it out of an aging '90s aesthetic- again good. A new quality hotel? Also good.



Luckily, they're not. It's also worth looking into what Pixar Pier is- an enhancement to a land that people already weren't overly fond of. It's an attempt to further correct mistakes made 20 years ago. It also should draw people to the park, especially with the Incredibles craze going on right now. I hate the name and some of the food kiosks, but I'm gonna reserve judgement on the land as a whole until after it's up and running.



Gonna need a source for this. If anything, it seems like the budget has been raised. In the last year, Pirates and Splash both received decent length refurbishments. Disney's doing the biggest resort expansion seen in 20 years- just a couple years after Cars Land and DCA 2.0 debuted.

Yes, Disney experimented with labor cuts a couple years ago, but that's something that every company does. If they impacted guest experience enough to reduce how profitable the parks are, than Disney would revert back to the way things were, or further experiment. It's like a pendulum that swings back and forth as new management comes in with ways to save on excess costs.




If you don't understand how park maintenance, and Disney acquiring companies are completely separate financially, even after Irish Bruh explained it fairly well, not sure what else to say.

You're conflating two unrelated issues. The Fox acquisition- and whether or not Disney's gonna fix up Sleeping Beauty Castle. Both would be very good for the company, and both are going to happen- but on Disney's time frame.

OK OK I get it, they're separate issues.

And i guess its news to me that people weren't overly fond of Paradise Pier. While maybe not as visually appealing, I never head people complain about it.

Appreciate the dialogue. It's good to learn things.

 

[Stevek]

This is the thing that baffles me about fans, there is only so much investment that can go into Anaheim at any one time. Its like if there isn't a new large scale project announced every couple months they think there isn't investment happening. This is a lot of investment happening, and has been for a couple years now. Sure there have been times when investment wasn't there, and I think that is what some fans are afraid of, going back to the Pressler no investment and all cost cutting time. That just isn't going to happen right now or the foreseeable future. Sure some of these investments may not be what some of us like, but there are investments happening.

Going back to the DCA redo, there is tons of investment here in Anaheim, more than I can remember in many, many years. Fans should be rejoicing at how much money is being thrown at all the parks domestically but as you say, some folks don't like what they are getting...and some folks just like to complain.

 

[SuddenStorm]

We don't know the extent of the issues with the castle. Its very possible that any repairs could require closing the castle for 12-18 months. So they'd have to wait until a large scale investment can be done.

I'm gonna pull out my crystal ball and predict that we see a thorough castle refurb after the Christmas overlay is removed, to fix it up and make it look perfect for Star Wars Land's opening.

 

[Stevek]

My "house" is also earning me loads of money and is visited by millions of people who will notice problem. Oh, and I claim to care about quality of experience when people stop by for a visit.

BUT, those people that notice the Toontown paint issues and other stuff like that keep coming back. Like anything else, if guests were leaving in droves, Disney might make these fixes a higher priority. Right now, there's a vocal minority complaining about this stuff and meanwhile, Disney keeps increasing prices and parks are packed.

 

[SuddenStorm]

BUT, those people that notice the Toontown paint issues and other stuff like that keep coming back. Like anything else, if guests were leaving in droves, Disney might make these fixes a higher priority. Right now, there's a vocal minority complaining about this stuff and meanwhile, Disney keeps increasing prices and parks are packed.

Not to mention... hardcore fans like to complain about Toontown's existence in its entirety. I'll go years at a time without visiting Toontown. Whether or not the paint there is fresh is the least of my Disneyland maintenance concerns.

The abysmal state of Splash Mountain's interior on the other hand....

 

[TROR]

Going back to the DCA redo, there is tons of investment here in Anaheim, more than I can remember in many, many years. Fans should be rejoicing at how much money is being thrown at all the parks domestically but as you say, some folks don't like what they are getting...and some folks just like to complain.

Up until the announcement of Mission Breakout, I was excited for every new announcement to DCA and looked forward to the change. Though I was disappointed with the results of Frozen and Soarin' 2, I was still excited that they were coming because they were good ideas. We're not getting good ideas, though, and that's the problem. These are all dumb ideas and I don't want that.

 

[Stevek]

I'm gonna pull out my crystal ball and predict that we see a thorough castle refurb after the Christmas overlay is removed, to fix it up and make it look perfect for Star Wars Land's opening.

The tough part with any park icon, especially the castle, is that there is really no good time for a refurb. It has to happen and as you say, I can imagine it happening early 2019.

 

[Stevek]

Not to mention... hardcore fans like to complain about Toontown's existence in its entirety. I'll go years at a time without visiting Toontown. Whether or not the paint there is fresh is the least of my Disneyland maintenance concerns.

The abysmal state of Splash Mountain's interior on the other hand....

It's rare that we go back there either but Toontown will be incredibly popular again once the Mickey dark ride opens. As for Splash, I can't figure that out for the life of me. Spend all the time they just did on refurb and still have problems with the interior. Just don't get it.