Spirited News & Observations II -- NGE/Baxter

[George]

The current ski show is... interesting.

I'm actually amazed the lego pirates are as functional as they are in those costumes....

Cypress Gardens has always been very popular with the Lawrence Welk crowd.

You're on a roll today. When I was a lad, my family went to Cypress Gardens when we had grandparents or great aunts/uncles visiting.

 

[WDW1974]

Last I heard before the end of this year. Possible?

Possible. But after being told it would be taken down two years ago, I'm not saying a thing until I know for certain.

 

[WDW1974]

I would love to sit around and pick Michael Eisner's brain about this company.

I truly believe he loved this company.

He's a fascinating Spirit. ... I can't speak of Bob Iger personally, but I can't imagine he'd be half as interesting, thoughtful and flat out fun as Michael.

 

[WDW1974]

The issue is...they have far more lenient building and labor codes...

Are you suggesting that SDL won't be built up to typical Disney standards?

 

[WDW1974]

Much of what Disney does damages the U.S. economy and it's largely driven by how senior management influences supposedly independent executive compensation committees to organize pay packages. They arrange packages to offer quick returns, something Wall Street is obsessed with, rather than looking at long term value. Wall Street's volatility is driven largely by its fixation with the quick buck. Entire nations are held financially hostage as a result of this shortsighted thinking.

Historically, CEO-to-worker compensation was about 20-to-1. Beginning in the 1980s, this ratio began to change. In the last 20 years, it's increased dramatically and is approaching 300-to-1. The ratio hasn't been this lopsided since the days of the Robber Barons.

It would be a bit different if corporations "shared" the wealth with those who are doing the vast majority of the work. Instead, worker pay is squeezed by corporations such as Disney, even as they report record profits. Meanwhile, senior executives at those same companies collect double-digit pay increases.

Productivity of typical U.S. workers reach record levels yet the fruits of their labors are being distributed to only a select few.

Disney (yet again) has record profits, Iger receives a 20% compensation increase, and then Disney announces layoffs of those actually performing the work. Large numbers collect unemployment from the government while those remaining are required to work even harder to retain their jobs. That's not good for the economy or for families.

Modern economies grow through innovation. Instead of innovating, Iger buys IP created at other companies while terminating those responsible for innovation within his own company. He raises prices 6-to-8% while holding employee pay to less than 3%. Compounded over years, these price increases are crushing for the average family.

Taken as a whole, these trends do not bode well for the economic future of this country.

What's worse is the ignorant masses (probably not as bad as I make their numbers out to be) who insist on following the CNBC/Wall Street/ Big Business line. The income disparity is going to make this a third world country while rubes yell about not wanting to pay for social services for their 'lazy' neighbors or telling college grads with six figure debt in student loans that they should work at McD's etc. It goes on and on and on ... I'm just glad that I won't be here to argue it since my Faux Top One Percent Spirited Spring Holiday starts in just a day!

 

[Darth Sidious]

Are you suggesting that SDL won't be built up to typical Disney standards?

What it likely is, and this may run people the wrong way but, in this country executives and unions tend to delay projects a lot. They now offer incentives to stay on schedule. In disney though, I'd imagine it is less of that and more of executive wishy washy risk averse bull that interferes.

Perhaps I am just bitter because all projects here in NY purposely go way over schedule due to some party taking advantage of the other. It is annoying... Sometimes it's a union screwing the management, other times its the opposite. It is a sort of broken system in lots of cases, which is very unfortunate.

 

[WDW1974]

I agree with this and my opinion derives from the fact that he seems to be a nice guy with some sense. Although, as a former CFO he is totally a numbers guy. Rasulo becoming CEO would be a bad bad thing. From a non disney fan perspective I think Staggs has talent in business. I just wouldn't want him running this company but his future as CEO here or elsewhere is inevitable.

I would rather see Kathleen Kennedy or Stacey Snyder considering their ties to the movie business. I don't know how good or bad they'd be for $DIS particularly animation and P&R though. That you would certainly know better than me, so perhaps your opinion is desired on this topic.

I would take either woman over Tom (so tempted to drop in a fanboi joke!) ... but Kathleen is the real talent of the group. ... I don't know if she's even on the radar of the Board for Bob's position.

 

[Darth Sidious]

I would take either woman over Tom (so tempted to drop in a fanboi joke!) ... but Kathleen is the real talent of the group. ... I don't know if she's even on the radar of the Board for Bob's position.

I had thought she was on the short list... That is unfortunate if she isn't! She even has great business sense IMO.

 

[WDW1974]

stevehousse said: ↑

WDW1974, not to go too off topic, but you say you are a 1 percenter, what is it that you did, I am assuming you are retired now??? This is not a negative thread, I am just very curious! I love all your posts! I am assuming you worked for Disney with all the insider info you get??? enjoy your vacation!

He used to manage Iger, Staggs and Vaughn during their previous 'entertainment' careers, discussed earlier in this thread. Real lucrative business.

If I managed them, then I'd be on vacation all the time!

As to Steve's query, I am not retired and I have never been employed by TWDC ... but in the future?

 

[Darth Sidious]

As to Steve's query, I am not retired and I have never been employed by TWDC ... but in the future?

Help me out, I'll fetch the coffee and budget!

 

[WDW1974]

Thanks for the input, as for the last line - I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

Was talking about a friend named Tim who came on TV just as soon as I started typing my response to you!

But, hey, you should straighten your tie too. None of this slovenly typical WDW guest stuff is acceptable in any thread I start (also no strollers or ECVs, unless medically required, allowed!)

 

[WDW1974]

This is one of many ticking time bombs in the economy. Watch us rebound to near pre 2007 levels and get hit by a massive downturn again in 2025ish.

Before that ... we had a real middle class in 2006 ... most of that is gone now.

 

[englanddg]

Are you suggesting that SDL won't be built up to typical Disney standards?

No. What I am suggesting is that there will be many less inspections and bureaucratic / labor requirements to complete construction.

I used to open restaurants, and in states / cities with stringant codes, it didn't change what we did at any other location...but it meant a lot more time spent jumping through bureaucratic hoops.

For example, our stainless steel Pewtarex salad bar crocks. I had to spend three days tracking down the food service approval forms from DuPont for the city of Superior, CO.

In Brooklyn, NY, Union labor drug out construction and put us nearly 6 weeks off schedule (I'd done around 20 stores by this point, there was no reason why the Electricians should have taken so long to put in the lighting units...but they did. Well, there was a reason, as the super explained to me. See, they get hazard pay for any elevation above a certain height, and our ceiling height required that they would work above that height.

So, rather than send the unit up pre-wired and assembled with ballast installed, etc, just no bulbs, they'd take turns on the ladder, literally assembling it in the ceiling part by part.

Jacksonville, NC (which I'd just done) had around 80 lighting units, and the job was done in a day and a half. At Brooklyn we had around 300, and the job took 4 weeks.

 

[Darth Sidious]

No. What I am suggesting is that there will be many less inspections and bureaucratic / labor requirements to complete construction.

I used to open restaurants, and in states / cities with stringant codes, it didn't change what we did at any other location...but it meant a lot more time spent jumping through bureaucratic hoops.

For example, our stainless steel Pewtarex salad bar crocks. I had to spend three days tracking down the food service approval forms from DuPont for the city of Superior, CO.

In Brooklyn, NY, Union labor drug out construction and put us nearly 6 weeks off schedule (I'd done around 20 stores by this point, there was no reason why the Electricians should have taken so long to put in the lighting units...but they did. Well, there was a reason, as the super explained to me. See, they get hazard pay for any elevation above a certain height, and our ceiling height required that they would work above that height.

So, rather than send the unit up pre-wired and assembled with ballast installed, etc, just no bulbs, they'd take turns on the ladder, literally assembling it in the ceiling part by part.

Jacksonville, NC (which I'd just done) had around 80 lighting units, and the job was done in a day and a half. At Brooklyn we had around 300, and the job took 4 weeks.

I just posted about how horrendous construction time in NY can be. At least you just confirmed to everyone reading that I wasn't bs'ing!

 

[jt04]

I'm just glad that I won't be here to argue it since my Faux Top One Percent Spirited Spring Holiday starts in just a day!

Please assure me you are not coming to Monaco.

 

[jt04]

stevehousse said: ↑

WDW1974, not to go too off topic, but you say you are a 1 percenter, what is it that you did, I am assuming you are retired now??? This is not a negative thread, I am just very curious! I love all your posts! I am assuming you worked for Disney with all the insider info you get??? enjoy your vacation!



If I managed them, then I'd be on vacation all the time!

As to Steve's query, I am not retired and I have never been employed by TWDC ... but in the future?

Still an aspiring tumble monkey? I admire your tenacity!

 

[englanddg]

I just posted about how horrendous construction time in NY can be. At least you just confirmed to everyone reading that I wasn't bs'ing!

I helped out at our Bronx and Queens stores, but Brooklyn was my baby (me and one other Opener, since it was such a large project...largest store in the world outside of Saudi Arabia)...

Dealing with Union Labor and City Inspectors was a nightmare!

 

[WDW1974]

Good thing this guy doesn't run Uni. They just spent some money, why not rest on your laurels for awhile? Because business growth does not happen without reinvestment, PERIOD. You will peak and then decline until reinvestment is made, so SMART businesses reinvest constantly to maintain an upward trajectory. Uni wants to take the crown in Florida, and WDW is leaving it wide open. They're smart to take advantage of WDW's weakness as a "mature investment."

If you're the O-Town Biz Journal and you run a blog post such as that (was it in print too?), you don't do so without vetting the information through your own sources first. No matter what skeptical 'tinge' you place on it, it speaks to the veracity of the information placed there or why else would you even bother doing so? I would suggest that the writer is playing it safe with the skepticism, aware of the big rodent in town.

And UNI is going after Disney. It is no secret. Perhaps, the extent of which may be to some but by 2015 it will be VERY clear. Harsh truth here, I would be very surprised if the writer ran that piece without FIRST getting comfirmation of much/all of what I posted from his sources ... his sources at DISNEY! Yep, they do know what's coming.

Boy, I can't wait to hear the Disney fanbois talking about 2021 and WDW's 50th and how they'll have to add real major attractions for that! (Oh, wait, a fanboi minion just whispered in my ear -- get the tongue out -- that they already have started with that!)

 

[WDW1974]

Uni is dumping a bunch of cash into Orlando, rumor has it JP gets the next big chunk of cash and work has begun already. It would make business sense not to get too far out a head of yourself. Have a plan? Yes. Be committed to a third gate before Potter and everything else??? No. Let's say Uni starts working on another hotel and the one they're building now doesn't fill up as planned??? Then you have a problem with another hotel on the way when you can't fill the one you just built. I would think a water park would be next along with attractions and we know many attractions are on their way over the next few years.

Build it and they will come will work for a little while but growth doesn't happen continually it can take a while.

UNI has a very smart strategy of growth. It started with Potter in 2010 and has continued. Transformers is the latest volley ... they aren't going to overbuild hotels (that Disney's model) and they won't 'waste' land on trying to be Disney in that regard. They'll just expand their footprint. And UNI has no trouble filling its hotels. It also doesn't greatly increase prices annually and, at the same time, discount them greatly.

 

[WDW1974]

Yeah, I'm thinking the same thing. When my business opponent shows weakness, it's time to pounce before they catch on to what's happening.

Of course, considering how slow WDW management is to act, it doesn't take much pouncing.

WDW is starting to remind me of the Detroit auto industry of the 1970s and 1980s.

WDW has been resting on its laurels since the late 90s ... pretty much like Detroit thinking the Cadillac Cimarron was going to stem the bleeding to Japan's smaller cars in the early 80s. WDW thinks its small scale new attractions like TSMM and Mermaid can compete with the WOW attractions that UNI and SW are developing.

AND JUST TO BE CLEAR:

As I revealed here, UNI has major new attractions coming to both parks, the addition of more hotels including at least one deluxe-plus, and a new water park. All the while, the fanbois debate mythical Disney fifth gates. The reality here is that UNI will be/is building a third. Not rumour, but the plan moving ahead right now. With much of what I have cited already moving on the ground. (Note the bolded word there.)