Spirited News & Observations II -- NGE/Baxter

[Nubs70]

What would have to happen to make a free trip, staying at the GF not be glowing. Especially if previous trips had been at Pop Century or the equivalent. It's free, they are in their favorite place, did I mention it's free, meals and everything, how can it not be glowing. Anyone that would write something negative about that would have to be in a very, very bad mood. Did I mention it was free! How happy would all of us be for that opportunity. I say good things about Disney without it, you can only imagine how positive I would be after that.

Someone mentioned earlier that they would be preaching to the choir. Maybe, but maybe not the choir that would normally spend $600.00 per night to stay at GF. Enough of a glowing review of that, might just tip the scales and it wouldn't take long to recap all the expense, since it was all at cost to Disney. Simple math. Start your own Blog and you will be sipping Margaretta's, sitting in a lounge chair at GF watching Wishes.

So if the Romans were running a blog around 33 AD, they would have a group of mommy bloggers expounding the wonderful new immersive e-ticket ride Golgotha that comes with a wonderful elevated panoramic view of Old Jerusalem.

 

[PhotoDave219]

So if the Romans were running a blog around 33 AD, they would have a group of mommy bloggers expounding the wonderful new immersive e-ticket ride Golgotha that comes with a wonderful elevated panoramic view of Old Jerusalem.

Well, that would be a way to promote "The Holy Land Experience."

That's right folks, the holy land experience. At the corner of Conroy and I four.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Mommy bloggers are interviewed and selected by Disney. Even though they may not be paid by Disney, they are de facto employees of Disney. Mommy Bloggers are unpaid marketing interns. How could any intern write anything less than glowing?

The "mommy bloggers" are not necessarily those on the Moms Panel.

 

[Tim_4]

The "mommy bloggers" are not necessarily those on the Moms Panel.

I think that's why this conversation has gone in circles. "Mommy blog" is a fairly mainstream term that DOESN'T necessarily mean the women who do it officially for Disney.

 

[Nubs70]

Well, that would be a way to promote "The Holy Land Experience."

That's right folks, the holy land experience. At the corner of Conroy and I four.

Wow, I did not know HLE existed.

Another thing, the queue for Golgatha is very interactive. The guest gets a complimentary hat (although a tad uncomfortable), carry your own omnimover, all while being flogged on the way to the start of the ride.

 

[Tim_4]

Wow, I did not know HLE existed.

Another thing, the queue for Golgatha is very interactive. The guest gets a complimentary hat (although a tad uncomfortable), carry your own omnimover, all while being flogged on the way to the start of the ride.

Bad.

 

[Nubs70]

Sorry for being off color, I think I just got a pin code that saves me a whopping $24/day.

 

[MattM]

I think that's why this conversation has gone in circles. "Mommy blog" is a fairly mainstream term that DOESN'T necessarily mean the women who do it officially for Disney.

Exactly. My mistake if I hadn't made that clear. I thought I had, but maybe not.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

Some IM3 news:
-opened in a few international markets and recieved a $13.2 million opening (Italy, France, Taiwan, Phillipines, and New Zealand).
-Regal/AMC and Disney finally ended their renegotiation dispute and are now working overtime with sites like Fandango to get advanced/online ticket sales rolling.

 

[Goofyernmost]

So if the Romans were running a blog around 33 AD, they would have a group of mommy bloggers expounding the wonderful new immersive e-ticket ride Golgotha that comes with a wonderful elevated panoramic view of Old Jerusalem.

I'm sorry...I know I'm old and totally out of the loop, but I have no idea what you are talking about or why it relates to what I posted. Educate me, please!

 

[Nubs70]

A

I'm sorry...I know I'm old and totally out of the loop, but I have no idea what you are talking about or why it relates to what I posted. Educate me, please!

It's just tongue in cheek reference in respect to what if bloggers were around in biblical times. The Golgotha E-ticket ride refers to the crucifixion. I feel St, Peter's first question at the pearly gates is going start off with, "About that Disney post....?"

 

[RSoxNo1]

If they're flying people in and putting them up and the Grand Floridian I hope they actually have something to announce.

 

[ptaylor]

If they're flying people in and putting them up and the Grand Floridian I hope they actually have something to announce.

They fly bloggers in, put them up at a deluxe resort, and give them free access to all of the runDisney events and pre/post race events. No announcements occur during those times.

 

[RSoxNo1]

They fly bloggers in, put them up at a deluxe resort, and give them free access to all of the runDisney events and pre/post race events. No announcements occur during those times.

Equally as wasteful.

 

[JenniferS]

According to TEA, the year before WWOHP opened (2009), IOA attendance was 4.627M. The first full year after it opened (2011), IOA was 7.674M. By any measure, 66% theme park attendance growth in 2 years is phenomenal.

Over the same period, total WDW attendance was flat.

Take WWOHP as it was built, plop it in the middle of DHS and, IMHO, DHS would have leapfrogged to become the fourth or perhaps third most popular theme park in the world.

Disney had a chance to bury Universal with HP and blew it. All because Disney management thought they knew better. Executives are fired over less costly mistakes. But not at Disney. Rasulo is part of the inner circle. Now Disney is fumbling around with Avatar, an IP no one is excited about, while Universal undergoes the growth that WDW experienced in the 80's and 90's.

Just asking - how would WDW have managed a WWOHP?
Uni had a giant leg up in that they repurposed the existing Dueling Dragons (soooo much better when they actually dueled, but I digress) and the Flying Unicorn.
Am I correct that only the shops and Forbidden Journey are new?
Where would Disney have built WWOHP and which existing attractions were available for repurposing? Would WDW not have had to start from scratch - an infinitely more expensive proposition?

 

[GoofGoof]

Just asking - how would WDW have managed a WWOHP?
Uni had a giant leg up in that they repurposed the existing Dueling Dragons (soooo much better when they actually dueled, but I digress) and the Flying Unicorn.
Am I correct that only the shops and Forbidden Journey are new?
Where would Disney have built WWOHP and which existing attractions were available for repurposing? Would WDW not have had to start from scratch - an infinitely more expensive proposition?

They already have a castle...could have been a good start.

 

[SirOinksALot]

According to TEA, the year before WWOHP opened (2009), IOA attendance was 4.627M. The first full year after it opened (2011), IOA was 7.674M. By any measure, 66% theme park attendance growth in 2 years is phenomenal.

The thing that everyone conveniently forgets is that the "phenomenal" growth was preceded by years of tanking. IOA's previous attendance record was from 2004. Between then and Potter, they consistently lost visitors. It took The Greatest Park Addition in the History of Mankind(TM) to ... get back to where they should have been all along - 3% annual growth from the previous peak.

It's pretty sobering when you look at how poorly Universal has performed long-term. Since the post-9/11 travel hit, WDW attendance growth rate is nearly triple that of Universal (seriously... 2004-2011). The single year attendance record for a Universal park still stands from 15 years ago.

Universal on the whole will be flat this year. They had 4% park revenue growth and the annual report called out the attendance gain being primarily from Transformers in Hollywood. Any gains at IOA will be offset by the losses at USF. People love to praise how fast Transformers went up - the words I heard were "we couldn't afford to have another summer like the last one." Ouch. Taking Jaws out of that park was a big blow.

 

[ParentsOf4]

The thing that everyone conveniently forgets is that the "phenomenal" growth was preceded by years of tanking. IOA's previous attendance record was from 2004. Between then and Potter, they consistently lost visitors. It took The Greatest Park Addition in the History of Mankind(TM) to ... get back to where they should have been all along - 3% annual growth from the previous peak.

It's pretty sobering when you look at how poorly Universal has performed long-term. Since the post-9/11 travel hit, WDW attendance growth rate is nearly triple that of Universal (seriously... 2004-2011). The single year attendance record for a Universal park still stands from 15 years ago.

Universal on the whole will be flat this year. They had 4% park revenue growth and the annual report called out the attendance gain being primarily from Transformers in Hollywood. Any gains at IOA will be offset by the losses at USF. People love to praise how fast Transformers went up - the words I heard were "we couldn't afford to have another summer like the last one." Ouch. Taking Jaws out of that park was a big blow.

Universal's attendance was relatively flat through 2008. Then it declined 12% in 2009 due to the poor economy and guests putting off visits in anticipation of WWOHP. 2012 attendance should be flat for Universal. Many already are putting off their next Universal visit until the opening of WWOHP2. That's the downside to everyone knowing you're building exciting new attractions.

WDW doesn't have that problem. WDW's attendance has been essentially flat for about 5 years. Why put off a visit to WDW when they aren't building something worth waiting for?

WDW's flat attendance has been propped up by a steady stream of discounts (something WDW almost never resorted to in the past) and a large increase in overseas attendance.

Burbank is not completely clueless and has realized that it needs to invest in something other than a (not so) "New Fantasyland" and MyMagic+ in order to see substantial revenue growth. Get ready DHS!

It's unfortunate my kids are going to finish their teenage years before WDW gets around to opening something that's worth a special visit.

Meanwhile, at Universal, they'll have opened an amazing array of exciting attractions during my children's formative years while simultaneously improving overall quality. At WDW, well, we all know what's been happening at WDW lately.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Now I think Disney is mismanaging money at P&R domestically. Spending the money they do on nonsense bloggers is ridiculous and I'd love to see what their internal numbers show for how that actually pays off. Then you look at their ridiculously high operative costs, for which they seemingly do not get what they pay for. There needs to be serious culture change and restructuring at WDW. They are missing the cleanliness, quality and friendliness of the past. CM are still extremely polite and annoy able but it still could be better. Parks can and should be spotless, no burnt out light bulbs, no broken animatronics, no chipped paint.

 

[MattM]

Now I think Disney is mismanaging money at P&R domestically. Spending the money they do on nonsense bloggers is ridiculous and I'd love to see what their internal numbers show for how that actually pays off. Then you look at their ridiculously high costs, for which they seemingly do not get what they pay for.

How much do you think it actually "costs" Disney to give away these hotels, food, etc? It's all in their budget. Every company does it. It's no different than a TV ad buy, or Internet ads. It's another form of marketing. Actually, it's significantly cheaper than the other two.