Spirited News & Observations II -- NGE/Baxter

[Cody5242]

http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/will-disneys-ceo-shuffle-stay-on-course-for-2015-1200328718/
According to this article Disney is trying to convince Iger to stick around with the company past 2015 to see Shanghi Disneyland and his Star Wars deal come through

 

[tracyandalex]

Spirit, can you comment on what "glitches" they have been having? We were at WDW just last week, received our new RFID AP cards the first day available at EPCOT, had the new RFID KTTW card, and ALL worked flawlessly the entire time we were there. Never a glitch using the new readers to enter the parks (REALLY fast for us). Just tap, then immediately place your finger on the reader - worked at all 4 parks every time. The tap to pay readers at every location worked, with only ONE exception all week, and we shopped all over the place - even the kiosks all worked. What are you hearing? Is it just the bands having an issue?

We were at the World last Friday and while we did not use the new RFID cards we did find it interesting that those touch readers also have swipers on them to swipe the cards and every time we tried to swipe one of our debit cards it didn't work. After 3 or 4 tries the CM had to swipe our card on their terminal. But I guess the touch to pay works, lol

 

[HMF]

http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/will-disneys-ceo-shuffle-stay-on-course-for-2015-1200328718/
According to this article Disney is trying to convince Iger to stick around with the company past 2015 to see Shanghi Disneyland and his Star Wars deal come through

Please No! I can't bear the thought of 1 more year with him as CEO let alone 4. Interesting to see that Variety apparently has a man crush on Tom Staggs.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

http://variety.com/2013/biz/news/will-disneys-ceo-shuffle-stay-on-course-for-2015-1200328718/
According to this article Disney is trying to convince Iger to stick around with the company past 2015 to see Shanghi Disneyland and his Star Wars deal come through

Nice article find Cody. I wouldn't know who I'd like better/want as CEO of TWDC, Iger or Staggs. Both have the charisma of a dead chicken. I really don't envision Staggs becoming CEO as I see them going after an outside hire. When Iger leaves he most likely takes Rasulo and Staggs with him. From the company's standpoint, I can see why they want Robert to stick around being how much the company has grown since he took over and with stock being at an all time high ($56.80 after today's closing). Plus, he has the best job in the world (at least to me). Not suprisingly, the article didn't mention Avatarland at AK. Wonder if he'd stick around for that opening if it ever comes to be. I wouldn't mind Steve Burke jumping the ship from NBCUniversal to Disney, but I believe the next CEO for this company will either be Kathleen Kennedy or Stacy Snider which would be perfectly okay with me. Hopefully, this is just wishful thinking in terms of Bob sticking around past 2016.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I don't assume that Disney will do great work on anything anymore. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised.

That said, I'd look for Iron Man to have a place in HKDL in the near future ... and despite Oz's excellent BO performance this spring, I'm not sure anything will come of it theme park wise, which is a shame.

It's a shame, I really think Storybook Circus can be repurposed with a major Oz ride as an anchor.

 

[jt04]

It's a shame, I really think Storybook Circus can be repurposed with a major Oz ride as an anchor.

I have not seen the movie. Are you saying something in the movie resembles the circus? I know you do not come up with such concepts without thought.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

I have not seen the movie. Are you saying something in the movie resembles the circus? I know you do not come up with such concepts without thought.

In the very beginning of the film before Oz (Oscar) ends up in Emerald City, the movie takes place in a small circus town in Kansas as part of the Baum Brothers Circus show. So in the beginning of the film, there are many circus like acts and performances going on. But it was only like the first 10-15 minutes of the film.

Edit: In EPCOT at the F&G festival, there's an Oz playground area that resembles much of the beginning of the film.

 

[FrankLapidus]

I wouldn't mind Steve Burke jumping the ship from NBCUniversal to Disney, but I believe the next CEO for this company will either be Kathleen Kennedy or Stacy Snider. Hopefully, this is just wishful thinking.

I wouldn't mind Steve Burke either but at the moment my money would be on Tom Staggs, seems to me like it might head in that direction. I hate the idea of Jay Rasulo as CEO though, I would like someone with at least some creativity and Rasulo has none.

 

[jt04]

Certain spirit is now having a very very bad day.

At least we know one thing about Iger. He does not want to see the company broken up. And he likely does NOT want to see Walt Disney World broken up into pieces as some have suggested could happen.

I hope he stays.

 

[lazyboy97o]

At least we know one thing about Iger. He does not want to see the company broken up. And he likely does NOT want to see Walt Disney World broken up into pieces as some have suggested could happen..

Then why does Walt Disney World still get operated as a cluster of competing businesses instead of as a single resort?

 

[jt04]

In the very beginning of the film before Oz (Oscar) ends up in Emerald City, the movie takes place in a small circus town in Kansas as part of the Baum Brothers Circus show. So in the beginning of the film, there are many circus like acts and performances going on. But it was only like the first 10-15 minutes of the film.

Edit: In EPCOT at the F&G festival, there's an Oz playground area that resembles much of the beginning of the film.

Hmmmmmmm. Quite often they test guest reaction at the F&G. Rapunzel's tower was a hit and soon after was green-lit for the MK and now DL.

The circus makes perfect sense in light of this. Not that it was the plan all along but it left the option open. Iger recently said that they were not sure if Oz was going to be "franchised" but perhaps that has changed considering the BO. I guess I need to go see the movie in a theater because I love this idea.

Head is buzzing!

PS- Remember the time I insisted there was art work that showed the double spinner north of the train station and everyone said I was wrong???? Perhaps it was going to be enclosed and themed to a cyclone. In any case, the circus always seemed to lack depth in its backstory. The Oz possibility would explain why it became what it became. Profound possibilities!

Everybody go see the movie!

 

[jt04]

Then why does Walt Disney World still get operated as a cluster of competing businesses instead of as a single resort?

Span of control issues would be my guess. Too much interconnectedness of such a complex system means a failure can have cascading effects. Plus competition allows for excellence to manifest itself. Or a combination of these.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Interesting podcast I just listened to on the goods and bads of consulting. Thought the readers of this thread might enjoy:
http://www.freakonomics.com/2012/11/26/i-consult-therefore-i-am-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/

 

[jt04]

....Except pitting sections of the resort against one another has not allowed excellence to manifest itself - quite the contrary, actually. Just one example....treating gift shops as individual stores in competition with one another is the reason why there is so little unique merchandise anymore.

I am not big on niche marketing in the parks. Certainly there are still high-end products available but best to limit that in the theme parks as it is simply not marketable to the 99% (heh). Or 99% of guests.

And with the dawn of internet shopping, the 1% can find what they want online. (heh heh)

See what I did there?

Now if you will excuse me I am off to Walmart.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I am not big on niche marketing in the parks. Certainly there are still high-end products available but best to limit that in the theme parks as it is simply not marketable to the 99% (heh). Or 99% of guests.

And with the dawn of internet shopping, the 1% can find what they want online. (heh heh)

See what I did there?

Now if you will excuse me I am off to Walmart.

High end products are not the only merchandise that has been affected, but changing the parameters of the discussion is nothing new for you.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I have not seen the movie. Are you saying something in the movie resembles the circus? I know you do not come up with such concepts without thought.

In the very beginning of the film before Oz (Oscar) ends up in Emerald City, the movie takes place in a small circus town in Kansas as part of the Baum Brothers Circus show. So in the beginning of the film, there are many circus like acts and performances going on. But it was only like the first 10-15 minutes of the film.

Edit: In EPCOT at the F&G festival, there's an Oz playground area that resembles much of the beginning of the film.

Exactly.

 

[jt04]

I wasn't just talking about high-end items.

You mean to say the sight of the same Sorcerer Mickey plush, POTC/Nightmare Before Christmas merch, and "WDW 2013" apparel in every store from Main Street to Frontierland doesn't bother you? I highly doubt that that strategy has helped Disney sell more Sorcerer Mickey plush (or any oversaturated souvenir item these days, take your pick); it's just distributed the same cash flow over several merchandise locations. That wouldn't be necessary if stores like the former Magic Shop or King's Gallery weren't expected to compete with the likes of the Emporium. But that's how WDW merchandise is run these days, so store managers have to go with the safe bets. That's why you see the same items in every store.

Meanwhile, unique and theme-appropriate Harry Potter merchandise is selling like hotcakes in WWOHP....

Well the only merchandise I have ever bought is limited edition items at Star Wars Weekends. And that is the only type merchandise I would be interested in. I should probably stay out of the entire "walmarting" of Disney stores because I am really not interested in the subject.

I respect the passion people have for the subject. I just wish it did not find its way into every thread. Speaking of, I need to leave this spirited sand box anyway. The Oz-Land subject deserves its own thread.

 

[jt04]

Exactly.

I feel like I discovered the Rosetta stone. Everything makes sense now. Everything.

And no I am not being sarcastic. Perhaps people noticed how I agonized trying to figure out the train station. I even suggested at one point that it had a mid-western aesthetic to it and suggested how it could be written in to a storyline for the WDWRR. I suggested Chicago or even perhaps New Orleans with a PatF connection. Turns out Kansas may have been the correct answer.

So cool! Thank you.

 

[GoofGoof]

Meanwhile, unique and theme-appropriate Harry Potter merchandise is selling like hotcakes in WWOHP....

The problem is there is no place at WDW where Harry Potter merchandise is theme appropriate

 

[Animaniac93-98]

The problem is there is no place at WDW where Harry Potter merchandise is theme appropriate

I don't see why that would be a problem. When has "theme appropriate" ever stopped Disney from selling merchandise somewhere in the last couple of decades.