Spirited News & Observations II -- NGE/Baxter

[WDW1974]

You can start a website and demand change... you can save Disney... maybe name the site SaveDisney.com. Nobody would do that though, it just wouldn't work.

Nope.

That type of thing doesn't work ... and WDW fans have shown they can't agree on almost anything (even coffee), so every attempt is doomed to fail before it starts.

 

[rudyjr13]

5-100 people from WDWMagic account for 0.0005 % of the Magic Kingdom's yearly attendance. They dont care about us.

I appreciate your point but I wonder if we are not that small of a group. Social media, for all its annoyance, is a powerful communication tool. Many of us are Disney experts to our friends, family, and coworkers. That 0.0005% can grow if the core group can spread the word.

I'm just saying...we sit here and complain to each other which is a great hobby but it won't change anything.

 

[rudyjr13]

Letter-writing is probably a waste of the time in 95% of instances, but not always ... it depends on who's writing, what the isssue is, who is reading and what type of 'damage' it opens the company up to.

Not for nothing but you are the person that can do all that to hit that 5% success. Websites take time to deal with. Emailing a template takes seconds as does using something like change.org...I'm just saying.

 

[michmousefan]

I would love a b&m hyper(what Rip, Ride, Rocket should have been). It is the one type of coaster we are really missing in FL. I miss Apollo's Chariot at BGW every year I am down here.

Come to think of it, the graceful (and thrilling) parabolas of a B&M Hyper like Apollo's Chariot (or KI's Diamondback) sorta resemble the profile of a big Brontosaurus... that kind of soarin' over IOA could be really fun!

 

[ParentsOf4]

At this month’s earnings conference call, Iger was asked the following:

A question on the parks, and one on cable networks. On the parks, I guess it was mostly cost-related. Could you clarify on the technology spend -- or MyMagic+ or however you want to refer to it -- how much more to go is -- the press reported it's something like $800 million to $1 billion of spend on that effort. How much more is there to go? It sounds like the early results are positive. When does it fully roll out?

And the press release called out the Shanghai operating expenses as starting to ramp. Can you give us any color on what that would look like over the course of the year?

In response, Iger said:

The majority of the capital expense to create this initiative has already been spent. There will be some increased operating expenses, which we are already starting to see this year. But obviously they will probably ramp up more as we roll out the feature. The product itself is in a test phase. Some of it, in a very limited form, is available to our guests.

I actually tried it out last week and was extremely impressed, because it will give people an opportunity to really plan their vacation in advance of coming; notably, the ability to make reservations on some of our most popular attractions; or, more importantly, some of their favorite attractions. And that will obviously have an impact on guest experience by not only improving the number of attractions they can experience while they are there, but guaranteeing that they'll be able to see the ones or experience the ones that they want.

And additionally, the band serves as your room key. That's already somewhat operational, although in test phase. It serves as your wallet. It serves as your ticket. And it gives us the ability -- with voluntary information that you provide to us -- to enable personalization and customization, which we have not been able to do before. And that's really impressive. So I'd say you're going to see the product rollout at some point later this year. We're purposely not announcing when it will be rolled out. In effect, a lot of the features of this product will actually be rolled out over a long period of time. We want to make sure that we get this right before we go too fast with it. But so far, we're very, very excited about it.

Reading between the lines, there are some interesting tidbits revealed by Iger’s choice of words.

• “The majority of the capital expense to create this initiative has already been spent.” – Really, only a “majority”? 51% is a majority. How much more are they going to spend on this thing? I’m sure they are closer to the end than the beginning but it seems such an odd response, almost as if he wasn’t sure exactly how much more will be needed. It makes me wonder if MM+ already has burned him a few times with budget overruns.
• “There will be some increased operating expenses, which we are already starting to see this year. But obviously they will probably ramp up more as we roll out the feature.” – One of the goals of NextGen was to reduce opex but, as we’ve already heard, they’ve had to bring on more CMs to deal with MM+ complexities. Great for Florida’s unemployment rate but this one’s gotta gnaw Burbank.
• “it will give people an opportunity to really plan their vacation in advance of coming” – And you better plan your vacation 60 days in advance or you’ll be shut out of everything except Stitch’s Great Escape, Journey Into Your Imagine, and the American Idol Experience.
• “the ability to make reservations on some of our most popular attractions; or, more importantly, some of their favorite attractions” – A nice stumble and recovery here. MM+ is not about “our most popular attractions”; it’s about your “favorite attractions”. Disney knows perfectly well they don’t have enough FP+ capacity for their “most popular attractions”. But when you are shut out on these, at least you’ll be able to pick your “favorite attractions”. They must be your favorite attractions since; after all, you selected them as your FP+ options, didn’t you? Never mind that you couldn’t get a FP+ for any of WDW’s “most popular attractions”.
• “not only improving the number of attractions they can experience while they are there, but guaranteeing that they'll be able to see the ones or experience the ones that they want” – This is the only lie in Iger’s entire response. When it comes to attractions, MM+ does not add capacity. MM+ is a zero-sum game. Taken together with the reduced EMH we’ve already seen, the entire NextGen initiative only means that guests will be able to experience fewer, not more, attractions. Maybe he’s hoping MM+ will frighten away so many "guests" that the remaining "guests" will have shorter lines and, therefore, will be able to experience more attractions. The truth is in the numbers and the truth is most "guests" will be unable to score FP+ for Disney’s most popular attraction while the trend seems to be towards reducing park hours, especially EMH.
• “voluntary information that you provide to us” - Iger again felt the need to emphasize this point. He also used the word “optional” during his prepared statement. Expect this to be a reoccurring theme every time anyone from corporate Disney mentions MM+. Expect this to appear in every article written with Disney’s concurrence. We’re going to see the words “voluntary” and “optional” a lot. Repeat the message enough times and everyone will believe it. With the bad press and Rep. Markey’s letter, Disney finds itself having to regroup on MM+. Disney’s has to get the public over this hurdle and get them comfortable with the intrusive nature of MM+. Iger’s playing this right. If he can control this message, then nearly everyone will be participating in MM+ in 18 months. If he can get over this hurdle, Disney’s biggest challenge will be figuring out how to get everyone wearing the ugly/uncomfortable MagicBands. (When will it be time for a MagicBand lanyard? Maybe a MagicBand hat or pack won’t be far behind?)
• “So I'd say you're going to see the product rollout at some point later this year. We're purposely not announcing when it will be rolled out.” – In other words, Disney is having all sorts of deployment problems and doesn’t know when it will be ready. Operations must be dealing with a pretty big mess right now.
• “We want to make sure that we get this right before we go too fast with it.” – As I’ve suggested before, MM+ fails only if they make too many changes too quickly. MM+ evolution equals profits; MM+ revolution equals loses.

Iger gave a strong performance on MM+. He’s been debriefed and is not going to be caught flatfooted the next time he goes up against Markey or an inquisitive reporter.

In his excitement to “sell” MM+ to Wall Street, Iger never really answered the first question (“How much more is there to go?”) nor did he respond to the question about Shanghai.

 

[IHeartArt]

Come to think of it, the graceful (and thrilling) parabolas of a B&M Hyper like Apollo's Chariot (or KI's Diamondback) sorta resemble the profile of a big Brontosaurus... that kind of soarin' over IOA could be really fun!

I've got a big ol' effort post to drop on this thread when the time is right about the rumored JP hypercoaster. But, since at this point there's not much solid to go on it, and I have a feeling right now this is still really, really conceptual, I'm going to honor Spirit's wishes and not mire the thread in it. Really like this point, though!

 

[Mr Bill]

In humorous social media news, the Parks blog just put up a photo of the Toad Hall restaurant at Disneyland Paris and had it labeled as "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride". They quickly took it down once the error was realized.

I guess I can see how someone in Orlando would mistake a restaurant for an attraction though.

 

[flynnibus]

Who would constitute big and has left since the Blog started? Tim Delaney and Valerie Edwards left as it was starting up in 2009. Who else since then has left?

Can't recall.

But past folks were out and out fired and the spin on Tony is that he resigned, which is true but in no way comes close to telling the tale of either the last 12 years or the last few weeks of his 'employment' ...

They made a big deal when Sklar left right? I tried to look at the old articles on the site and didn't find one about Sklar leaving.. but I think his retirement predates the blog.. but D23 did send something out about Sklar. I guess we haven't seen anything from D23 either on Tony!

But they did bother to mention..
suit Al Weiss' retirement - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/06/al-weiss-announces-retirement/
a DL custodian retiring - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...s-after-46-years-in-custodial-guest-services/
Bobby .. who doesn't even work for Disney gets a mention - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/03/disney-farewell-for-bobby-/

Not taking anything away from CM Ray Ridejas... but to have him mentioned and not Baxter.. just pathetic. Guess they think they will get the last laugh by denying Baxter his spotlight.

 

[lazyboy97o]

They made a big deal when Sklar left right? I tried to look at the old articles on the site and didn't find one about Sklar leaving.. but I think his retirement predates the blog.. but D23 did send something out about Sklar. I guess we haven't seen anything from D23 either on Tony!

Which retirement? Sklar becoming the Ambassador of Imagineering or his actual retirement? He became Ambassador in 2006, before either the Blog or D23.

 

[flynnibus]

Which retirement? Sklar becoming the Ambassador of Imagineering or his actual retirement? He became Ambassador in 2006, before either the Blog or D23.

his retirement retirement in 2009

Its fun to contrast sklar's letter to baxter's...
http://www.blooloop.com/Article/Amusement-Parks-Marty-Sklar-Announces-Retirement-from-Disney/133

 

[invader]

Social media greatly helped a senator from Illinois in a very large way...

 

[asianway]

Ummm anyone know what the hell a Ragan Disney is?

 

[Mr Bill]

A $1200 social media conference going on at Yacht & Beach. https://store.ragan.com/ProductDeta...tid=2ed70bb224cd4c98a1f9fa27ea225e6b&grfr=Yes

 

[John]

They made a big deal when Sklar left right? I tried to look at the old articles on the site and didn't find one about Sklar leaving.. but I think his retirement predates the blog.. but D23 did send something out about Sklar. I guess we haven't seen anything from D23 either on Tony!

But they did bother to mention..
suit Al Weiss' retirement - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/06/al-weiss-announces-retirement/
a DL custodian retiring - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...s-after-46-years-in-custodial-guest-services/
Bobby .. who doesn't even work for Disney gets a mention - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/03/disney-farewell-for-bobby-/

Not taking anything away from CM Ray Ridejas... but to have him mentioned and not Baxter.. just pathetic. Guess they think they will get the last laugh by denying Baxter his spotlight.

I still believe there will be nothing......

Let the name of Moses (Baxter) be stricken from every book and tablet, stricken from all pylons and obelisks, stricken from every monument of Egypt (WDW). Let the name of Moses (Baxter) be unheard and unspoken, erased from the memory of men for all time.

 

[WDW1974]

I appreciate your point but I wonder if we are not that small of a group. Social media, for all its annoyance, is a powerful communication tool. Many of us are Disney experts to our friends, family, and coworkers. That 0.0005% can grow if the core group can spread the word.

I'm just saying...we sit here and complain to each other which is a great hobby but it won't change anything.

You're wrong.

This site and this board is regularly read by Disney execs and their reps (Georgie K is a big fan of mine!), Imagineers and other creatives, media members, every social media out there (and to prove me wrong they'll all Tweet about how they don't! ), consultants, even a few politcians!

So, the idea that we're all just talking to each other is quite naive and quite off.

There REALLY is POWER in Social Media.

And this is the No. 1 site specific to WDW.

 

[asianway]

A $1200 social media conference going on at Yacht & Beach. https://store.ragan.com/ProductDeta...tid=2ed70bb224cd4c98a1f9fa27ea225e6b&grfr=Yes

Can we start a PayPal beg box to collect for spirit to attend next year? I see Voce is on the attendee list too

 

[WDW1974]

In humorous social media news, the Parks blog just put up a photo of the Toad Hall restaurant at Disneyland Paris and had it labeled as "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride". They quickly took it down once the error was realized.

I guess I can see how someone in Orlando would mistake a restaurant for an attraction though.

Was that a @WDWFigment effort?

 

[drew81]

You're wrong.

This site and this board is regularly read by Disney execs and their reps (Georgie K is a big fan of mine!), Imagineers and other creatives, media members, every social media out there (and to prove me wrong they'll all Tweet about how they don't! ), consultants, even a few politcians!

So, the idea that we're all just talking to each other is quite naive and quite off.

There REALLY is POWER in Social Media.

And this is the No. 1 site specific to WDW.

So TDO hearts the Spirit now? lol

 

[WDW1974]

They made a big deal when Sklar left right? I tried to look at the old articles on the site and didn't find one about Sklar leaving.. but I think his retirement predates the blog.. but D23 did send something out about Sklar. I guess we haven't seen anything from D23 either on Tony!

But they did bother to mention..
suit Al Weiss' retirement - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/06/al-weiss-announces-retirement/
a DL custodian retiring - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...s-after-46-years-in-custodial-guest-services/
Bobby .. who doesn't even work for Disney gets a mention - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2010/03/disney-farewell-for-bobby-/

Not taking anything away from CM Ray Ridejas... but to have him mentioned and not Baxter.. just pathetic. Guess they think they will get the last laugh by denying Baxter his spotlight.

That is just sad ... I don't know ... just where you go from there. And they think no one is noticing. To all the Twits out there reading this who love 'chatting' with Blondie and Crazy Gary and the three Jasons in the Twitverse, any of you gonna ask them why the Blog and D23 are ignoring Tony? Are you afraid if you do, they'll stop 'talking' to you?

You just gotta believe when I say that Bruce and Craig hate Tony and the feeling is mutual, I am not kidding.

You also realize, I'm sure, that if Iger or Staggs wanted Tony to remain until his 50lh anniversary in 2015, that he'd still be with the company!

 

[WDW1974]

A $1200 social media conference going on at Yacht & Beach. https://store.ragan.com/ProductDeta...tid=2ed70bb224cd4c98a1f9fa27ea225e6b&grfr=Yes

I pointed that out months and months ago ... folks there to justify their careers and talk about ways to use (and abuse) social media.

I'd advise anyone in the area to walk by one of the tables set up with snacks outside the conference rooms and grab yourself some cookies and a Coke or two! These folks can afford it!

EDIT: just checked the list of folks speaking and can't believe I know two of them (not talking bout Bland Tommy from The Disney Parks Blog either).

Wonder if Tommy will be talking about WDWMAGIC.com in his chats ...