Spirited News & Observations II -- NGE/Baxter

[George]

You're right, I should have figured that out...
For the record, I hate neckties, I had a no tie policy at my own wedding.

I have a job where I only have to dress up 2 or 3 times a year.

 

[openendedsky]

Yes, I have become aware of that.

My memory has led me astray several times as well so I understand that feeling. Also, you should bold and italicize EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING INCIDENT, just 'cause.

 

[George]

My memory has led me astray several times as well so I understand that feeling. Also, you should bold and italicize EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING INCIDENT, just 'cause.

Done and done.

 

[MattM]

I still struggle with the concept that most Orlando bound vacationeers really care to trek out to the hinterlands for Legoland. If they cater to locals, maybe

You may think so, but that would be wrong. Legoland is exceeding even the most optimistic attendance projections from the company. A 45 minute drive for most people in the country is nothing. Legoland has carved out a nice niche demographic that isn't intrigued by fantasy of Disney and is not quite sold on the thrill rides of Universal (read: young boys).

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Yes, I have become aware of that. I'm actually surprised at the amount of posts that my ramblings about the end of the ride, the partly remembered endings, and my "false memory" have created. I've had an epiphany about all this and my view of the KS story, but in order to increase readership, I will reveal that an EXTREMELY EMBARRASSING INCIDENT from earlier in my life will be revealed somewhere in the midst of this post. So, we all, on occasion, remember things incorrectly. I know this, yet, when I have trouble remembering things or recalling where I got certain ideas from, I don't look things up in advance since I feel it gives my posts a weird veracity. Plus, it gives you and folk such as @marni1971, reason to correct me.

That's nothing! I remember the King Louie scene on the Jungle Cruise! And I did not know that Sher Khan is a female. You learn something new every day!

 

[MattM]

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!)

Everybody involved in the tourism industry in Orlando knows that UNI is drawing the battle lines against Disney. It's kind of like Uni is Kim Jong Un except that they have missiles (attractions/plans) that can actually reach Disney. The questions is: does Disney care? Do they need to care? People (and Im speaking broadly here, almost certainly not about anyone on this board) are still going to visit Disney regardless.

 

[lazyboy97o]

This is where EPCOT should step in. Instead of silly exhibitions about how to keep fires out of the house and how to make your own video game, they should be hosting exhibits from electric car companies, and new age energy companies.

In my youth, Communicores inspired me to care about electrical engineering and computers. The current exhibits do none of that...

Part of the problem with this is that the biggest alternative energy companies, those with the money to spend on such exhibits, are colloquially known as Big Oil. I think a lot of people would roll their eyes at the solar panel exhibit sponsored by BP.

 

[crispy]

You may think so, but that would be wrong. Legoland is exceeding even the most optimistic attendance projections from the company. A 45 minute drive for most people in the country is nothing. Legoland has carved out a nice niche demographic that isn't intrigued by fantasy of Disney and is not quite sold on the thrill rides of Universal (read: young boys).

I know a few families (mainly ones with young boys) who are planning trips to Orlando just for Legoland with plans to hit another park or two while there. I think it's a big draw for a lot of people.

 

[71jason]

Legoland has carved out a nice niche demographic that isn't intrigued by fantasy of Disney and is not quite sold on the thrill rides of Universal (read: young boys).

If only Disney had a ready-made concept and clone-able ride tailor-made for that exact demographic ... (that also blew away the three adults on my first ever trip to DLR).

 

[RyenDeckard]

Disney is a big name, and it's going to take a lot to dislodge them.

Universal is doing a lot.

Also remember, with the size of WDW and all the money it takes to keep it running, Disney only needs to see a fairly moderate drop in attendance before they start to feel the burn.

 

[Daannzzz]

So Universal adds two large attractions to the Studios and two to IOA. While they are doing that they clear the back stage area at the corner of Vineland and Turkey lake Roads and build there, backing right up to the Studios and IOA. Once everything is done the added capacity to the two old parks will allow them to isolate Daigon alley and Hogwarts from their respective parks and incorporate them to the new Harry Potter separate gate????

 

[71jason]

Boardwalk and Baseball is long gone, but that was a great park. Far better than ESPN Zone.

Dating myself, but I remember when it was Circus World. I got to ride an elephant (a real animal, not a spinner) when I was like 7.

But the failure of Cyprus Gardens, Circus World, Boardwalk & Baseball, Church St. Station, etc. proves a point: the central Florida tourism market is constantly shifting and very fickle. An icon this decade may be a SuperTarget in 10 years. Even if I was the biggest theme park that ever was and ever will be, I wouldn't allow my product to get stagnant and stale, especially if the competition is on a building spree.

 

[Alektronic]

Your photo safari was interrupted as-"something went wrong!"-your guide gets a call that there are poachers who killed an elephant and have captured "Baby Red," a young elephant. You "save" the elephant from the poachers. The elephant is an obvious fake, a cheap AA, which works fine for the Jungle Cruise, but when you put it in at the end of the Safaris, guests went away wondering how many of the other animals they just saw were fakes. Not exactly what you want happening in your very expensive new safari ride, with real animals. And a safari is certainly exciting enough without a lame, preachy "story" about conservation.

It was a hideous pockmark on an otherwise perfect attraction.

I don't know which version of Little Red you saw, but it was far from a cheap AA like the Jungle Cruise. It was a fully functional AA figure with over 30 different functions with his trunk having 4 different functions. It was complicated and very difficult to work on because the space in back of the truck and it you had to work on the valve rack, you were laying on your back under the truck. But then they starting to turn off different functions instead repairing it. They used to keep the curtains open on the back of the truck and as it got worse, they just closed the curtains. Then for a long time, they just pretended Little Red was there and it was gone for at least 6 months while they made a cheap copy with maybe 3 pneumatic functions and maybe that was the one you saw.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

So Little Red got Walmarted?

I really hate hearing stories like that, Alek. I mean, thank you for the input, but man. :\

 

[Funmeister]

Nope ... lasted until previews ... when Eisner saw it.

This reminds me prior to opening they ordered butterflies for an Eisner visit. The purpose was to enhance the "nature" feel in the park while he was visiting. The wind was very strong that day and when they were "released" they were literally blown away and no one saw them.

 

[ScoutN]

@WDW1974 How about this wildly successful IPO that has allowed SEAS to buy some freedom from BlackStone with certain creative areas? This will surely change the face of several items in the park. A certain line in one of the reports from the company caught my eye.

"We have noticed a positive correlation to attendance and guest spending as a result to capital being spent in parks on new attractions and offerings."

There certainly seems to be a trend with that notion in nearly every other park chain out there besides Disney.

 

[Calvin Coolidge]

I don't know which version of Little Red you saw, but it was far from a cheap AA like the Jungle Cruise. It was a fully functional AA figure with over 30 different functions with his trunk having 4 different functions. It was complicated and very difficult to work on because the space in back of the truck and it you had to work on the valve rack, you were laying on your back under the truck. But then they starting to turn off different functions instead repairing it. They used to keep the curtains open on the back of the truck and as it got worse, they just closed the curtains. Then for a long time, they just pretended Little Red was there and it was gone for at least 6 months while they made a cheap copy with maybe 3 pneumatic functions and maybe that was the one you saw.

Any AA elephant is gonna look cheap and fake to me five minutes after I just saw real elephants...

 

[Funmeister]

I'm sorry, but having an overly preachy story about a topic that most people really don't care about (though is an important topic, just not one most care about)...ending with a dead elephant (or even an injured one)...

Really, I go to church to get preached at, not theme parks. Especially since the ride offered nothing but awareness...no real actions an individual could take on the ride to stop real poaching...

It's insulting, preachy, and silly. And should never have been storyboarded. I don't go to Disney to reflect on real world issues, I go to Disney to escape from them.

The park had an identity crisis from the day it opened. They could not decide if they were to be an entertainment driven animal park (Sea World animal shows) or a conservation based animal park. The intentions were there to be environmental and conservation conscious. The problem is it did not work. It was proposed before opening that there would be no directional signage or guide maps offered in the park because they wanted guests to "get lost" and explore the park on their own. This concept never saw the light of day as guidemaps were printed and signage was quickly added throughout the park within the first few months. The safaris used to have a lot more fake dead animal feeders to create the illusion that the real animals were eating "real" dead animals. I believe there is one left in the lion area and a few "bones" scattered throughout the safaris.

Cast Members were trained that animals in the park did not have names as most animals do in other zoos. The animals at DAK do have names such as Gino the silverback gorilla. They tried to maintain the "wild" aspect and did not want guests to find out the names and refer to the animals with their names in front of other guests ruining the illusion that they are in the wild.

The entire purpose of the park was to tie an environmental message to every show and attraction to create awareness. There was/is real action in being able to donate money at any merchandise location. Ironically WDW NEVER wanted attention on the news like Sea World with animal rescues in the wild.

This was also during the same time they launched the ill-fated "Nahtazu" marketing campaign.

 

[Funmeister]

I will be at the ribbon cutting for Pandora. See you there.

I read an article a few years ago from the OBJ that explained Disney no longer felt it was a good strategy to compete directly with the other resorts in the area. Rather business would be better if they adopted a more 'cooperative' strategy. It was a fascinating article but troubling to me as a believer in competition.

You should really use your connections at the Journal to try and get a copy. I can't find it anywhere but I think it would help you understand better why everything is unfolding as it is. Its author is apparently prophetic.

I think Disney might be under pressure not to bury the competition. They did not want what happened to Microsoft to happen to them. The mouse was "encouraged" to 'play nice'. That is my theory.

Ask Randy Garfield if he was encouraged to "play nice" when Universal lured (stole) all of those sales and marketing execs away from WDW prior to the opening of IOA.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I think, first off this is a wonderful post, as most of your posts are. That being, I don't think a fifth gate is a good idea at this time. They should focus on expanding and revamping the pre existing four parks first. Though I'd have the new park blue skyed so that you have everything as planned as possible in order to expedite the process.

Had Iger paid attention to WDW and its competitors it may be more of an option, but he didn't and still hasn't.

Thanks!

My reference to a Fifth Gate was hyperbole, as in “even if they built every fanboi’s dream, a Fifth Gate, there’s no assurance it would succeed.” I am (was) a WDW fanboi and even I don’t think a Fifth Gate is the right move at this time. WDW has 3 theme parks that need work. These should be addressed before investing heavily in another theme park.

WWOHP and Carsland have shown the next logical progression; find a great IP and build a land around it in an existing theme park. Disney already owns some great IP. WDW has 3 parks that could use help. It’s a perfect fit. What’s Iger waiting for?

The problem at WDW right now is that a new land almost certainly would be “value engineered” the way FLE was and turn out to be a dud.

IMHO, Iger simply doesn’t understand WDW. He’s got segment and divisional leaders making poor or short-sighted business decisions (lucky us, yet another DVC!) and doesn’t trust them enough to greenlight a large creative project. Iger doesn’t know how to correct the problem. He plays musical executives but replaces one executive with a copy-and-paste of the last executive. Iger doesn’t trust the creative process so he keeps appointing administrators to keep a tight rein on budgets. I’m not sure Iger has a creative bone in his body and he’s reinforced a Wall Street mentality on his organization: immediate returns, cut costs, leave a trail of bodies behind and move on to the next deforestation. Let’s terminate, oops, I mean retire anyone who has a track record of creativity because creativity means investment, investment means spending, and Wall Street doesn’t like spending. If we actually decide to move forward on a project, let’s make sure it gets value engineered to the point where its failure is assured, then we can blame the creative minds for its failure and get rid of them and avoid spending in the future.

Wall Street has never known how to grow a business. A business leader needs to lead, not watch which way the wind is blowing on Wall Street.