Spirited News & Observations II -- NGE/Baxter

[Computer Magic]

I think Disney plays fast and loose with figures and I have done four official tours/sales sessions as well as numerous new resort tours and three webcasts.

Disney makes the numbers accurate by comparing rack rate for its resorts, which only fools pay (I am sure to be flamed for that, but I largely believe it), and using the 'larger' accomodations argument. If you do follow both of those lines, then DVC (even from Disney) is a deal.

But if you constantly get discounts on WDW resorts (and they are out there constantly) and don't need a one bedroom or two bedroom unit with a kitchen, then it absolutely makes no sense at all in any way shape or form.

Disney is like a new call salesman. No disrepect to new car salesman. They show a inflated high retail price, and then offer a discount. These are shown through the dining plan or DVC.

 

[George]

Yep.

And that is the problem with the direction Iger has steered the Studios unit in.

Every film they release this year will be hugely expensive (Oz, Iron Man 3, Lone Ranger, Monsters U, Thor 2 for starters). Films that cost hundreds of millions to start with and then add in worldwide marketing. Every film has to do HUGE at the BO. No longer is $100 million a blockbuster. No longer is $200 million a HUGE blockbuster. Now ... you need to start about at $300 million and then go ...

It is a terrible strategy. Even with Avengers last year, Disney's Studios had issues ...

Sounds similar to spending way too much on mediocre attractions.

 

[sshindel]

You could email their bloggers and ask ...

Ehhh, I don't think I'd want the chance that I'd have to have some form of vapid pseudo conversation with someone the likes of the Notorious J F-B. not that they'd respond or anything.
I tend to snort a great deal of the old Costco sized baggies of Pixie Dust, but the sad state of Future World is where I am ready to get out the pitchforks and torches.

 

[dhall]

Oh, no. That one closed at least a decade ago. Boy was that filthy. But I still recall going there for a burger after leaving the beach on Senior Skip Day (yeah, the Spirit was waaay kewl even back in high school!). I can still see 'A.A.' in her bathing suit ... ah, memories.

I thought it had, but it was the last such establishment I knew of south of Orlando. Even in its heyday (wife & I had numerous burgers there) it had issues.

I know all about the benefits coming of age in Florida -- shoe's on the other foot once you're old enough for daughters, tho...

 

[dhall]

The movie studios don't receive any cut of the concessions.

I think it's gotten so bad that the only money the theaters make the first weekend is on the concessions (that's what I tell myself as I pay through the nose for popcorn, anyway)

 

[Figments Friend]

I'll have to check it out.

But I am not surprised. The word from 1401 Flower is to pretend that Tony doesn't exist. Imagine, Bruce planting one on Tony's cheek as he walks him out and says 'You are dead to us!' and you'd get a good grasp on what the feelings are toward Tony.

There is no way Tony being left out of this was accidental. Just like the fact his portrait for BTMRR wasn't shown in the DPB video and,apparently, hasn't been installed yet (anyone correct me if I am mistaken).

Tony doesn't exist. Just remember that. If they have done it to members of the Disney family, and they have, why would this surprise anyone?

-
Ay ....sad but true.
Perhaps the time is ripe for another *fan uprising*

DisneyLand get-together for Tony, anyone..?

In the meantime, here is a photo to share on this, the 30th Anniversary of JII.
Disney may have forgotten, but some of us still remember who had a major hand in making this figment of the imagination come to life....

Take that, Disney Parks Blog !






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[Animaniac93-98]

Yep.

And that is the problem with the direction Iger has steered the Studios unit in.

Every film they release this year will be hugely expensive (Oz, Iron Man 3, Lone Ranger, Monsters U, Thor 2 for starters). Films that cost hundreds of millions to start with and then add in worldwide marketing. Every film has to do HUGE at the BO. No longer is $100 million a blockbuster. No longer is $200 million a HUGE blockbuster. Now ... you need to start about at $300 million and then go ...

It is a terrible strategy. Even with Avengers last year, Disney's Studios had issues ...

Which pretty much goes against every reason why Disney went into the business of live-action filmmaking in the first place (to earn revenue faster and easier with smaller-scale movies, with one or two big sized productions). The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Have we forgotten about John Carter that quickly?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Have we forgotten about John Carter that quickly?

No, the fools at Disney just convinced themselves that a March release was an undiscovered gold mine following Alice in Wonderland, and figure its magic powers would help troubled films.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

No, the fools at Disney just convinced themselves that a March release was an undiscovered gold mine following Alice in Wonderland, and figure its magic powers would help troubled films.

Apparently so did some fools at another studio...

 

[MattM]

Iger is robbing the product long term in order to pay for stock prices today. Let see, sell off Florida land, over pay on acquisitions, keep attendance high by offering discounts instead of investing in parks, oversaturation.

Fair enough, though Disney is weening customers off discounts significantly from 09. I don't the girt WANTED to offer discounts from 09-12, but if he wanted people to keep coming to the parks, he had to.

 

[Computer Magic]

Fair enough, though Disney is weening customers off discounts significantly from 09. I don't the girt WANTED to offer discounts from 09-12, but if he wanted people to keep coming to the parks, he had to.

Agree that tells you something is wrong with the parks.

But I heard Disney weening customers off discounts, but I haven't seen it. I went on discounts in 09, 10 and 13. I didn't go in 11 and 12 because I needed a break as the park is getting stale. So I hear what you are saying but I still see the discounts. I think Disney has beeing giving discounts so long that people are expecting it.

Disney would do better to start holding or reducing pricing instead of increasing and discounting.

 

[MattM]

Agree that tells you something is wrong with the parks.

But I heard Disney weening customers off discounts, but I haven't seen it. I went on discounts in 09, 10 and 13. I didn't go in 11 and 12 because I needed a break as the park is getting stale. So I hear what you are saying but I still see the discounts. I think Disney has beeing giving discounts so long to remove the discounts as it been so long people are expected.

Disney would do better to start hold or reducing pricing instead of increasing and discounting.

Well, as an example, we stayed at Coronado with some friends in town with their kids for spring break at the height of the recession in 2009 for $59 (AP rate). That same room this spring is $189. That's a pretty huge difference. But my point was that Disney trips during the recession were seen as an easy item to cut from family budgets, unless the price came down dramatically. And if Iger wanted the turnstiles turning, he had to discount everything. There are still discounts out there, sure, but nothing like 2008-2009.

But I absolutely agree with you that Disney eventually will find a ceiling on their pricing. I don't know if prices will come down, but it will have to stop rising eventually. When you can stay at the JW Marriott or Waldorf for the same price as Coronado Springs, something is very, very wrong (Yet Iger will still complain about occupancy rates).

 

[Computer Magic]

Well, as an example, we stayed at Coronado with some friends in town with their kids for spring break at the height of the recession in 2009 for $59 (AP rate). That same room this spring is $189. That's a pretty huge difference. But my point was that Disney trips during the recession were seen as an easy item to cut from family budgets, unless the price came down dramatically. And if Iger wanted the turnstiles turning, he had to discount everything. There are still discounts out there, sure, but nothing like 2008-2009.

But I absolutely agree with you that Disney eventually will find a ceiling on their pricing. I don't know if prices will come down, but it will have to stop rising eventually. When you can stay at the JW Marriott or Waldorf for the same price as Coronado Springs, something is very, very wrong (Yet Iger will still complain about occupancy rates).

You are correct. Disney is a little more creative with their discount. Software upgrades allow them to do some fancy numbers with popular rooms. They can now charge more for weekends and AKL Arusha View.

Value and Moderate Free Dining is for Quick Service instead of regular dining plan. Discounts are different between Deluxe, Moderate and Value. POFQ is only 20% discount.

 

[John]

It's quite ridiculous. The lack of Baxter's mention is, sadly, not surprising. And I can't imagine why they don't allow the comments about how the current Imagination is a mess.

Equally absurd is the temporary return of Four For a Dollar for Limited Time Tragic (rumored in another thread). I actually find it quite offensive -- we got rid of this group because we didn't want to pay for their pre-show anymore (though I think they all ended up elsewhere in entertainment roles) but look we'll bring them back for a special limited one week engagement!

I can never really be quite sure if the social media team is that stupid, or if they think their guests are that stupid.

I cant say....I told you buttttt......so it shall be written....so it shall be done.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

http://www.deadline.com/2013/03/dis...ights-bob-iger-corporate-governance-policies/

 

[freediverdude]

I think that Disney is marking up the prices on the resorts, and then discounting to the price they really will accept. I think a fairly small percentage of people ( most likely foreigners) pay the rack rate, with the majority of rooms going for between 10 and 30 percent off those rates. They're doing kind of what Kohl's does, with the seemingly high price on the tag, and then the sign giving the real price.

 

[DocMcHulk]

Educate me here. I understand what gross income is, but I thought that if you took the gross and subtracted the costs you get profit or loss and the breakeven point was when income equaled the expense. If $350 mil is the cost why isn't the break even $350 mil. I must be missing some part of that scenario that is vital, but whatever it is, it's not coming to me. Help!

Movie studios only get about 50% of the price of a ticket. So, when you see that a movie cost $350 to make/market, and the movie made $350 in the box office, that's really only $175 in the studio's pockets, and they had a loss of $175. That's overly simplified, but you get the idea.

 

[Rodan75]

Movie studios only get about 50% of the price of a ticket. So, when you see that a movie cost $350 to make/market, and the movie made $350 in the box office, that's really only $175 in the studio's pockets, and they had a loss of $175. That's overly simplified, but you get the idea.

True but box office is only a portion of the money a movie earns in It's lifetime, don't forget home video, ppv, cable and broadcast rights. Deadline reported that Oz cost 200-300 plus 100 million for marketing, not 600-700 including marketing. These enormous tent poles have gotten far too expensive and unfortunately there are ways of making movies cheaper without impacting the experience or vision, look at how Disney trimmed 10s of millions out of the Lone Ranger movie by bunching location shoots out of sequence.

 

[WDW1974]

I thought it had, but it was the last such establishment I knew of south of Orlando. Even in its heyday (wife & I had numerous burgers there) it had issues.

I know all about the benefits coming of age in Florida -- shoe's on the other foot once you're old enough for daughters, tho...

They went thru a period where they weren't here at all. They had one in Plantation that was as bad, or worse, than the US1 locale ... you love to get to a dining locale and see rat traps all around the entrance and sides!

But a few years back they came back to the market ... Even had a great locale on SoBe, which closed due to high rents

As to daughters ... well, let's just say I never intend to grow up, so I don't see kids in my future. I admit it, I'd rather spend the money on myself!

 

[dhall]

They went thru a period where they weren't here at all. They had one in Plantation that was as bad, or worse, than the US1 locale ... you love to get to a dining locale and see rat traps all around the entrance and sides!

But a few years back they came back to the market ... Even had a great locale on SoBe, which closed due to high rents

As to daughters ... well, let's just say I never intend to grow up, so I don't see kids in my future. I admit it, I'd rather spend the money on myself!

My daughters will be the first to tell you that I never really grew up, but they get that from their mom