Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[danjen2331]

One must not believe TEA's numbers based on first click. People stay for a full day at the Uni parks as well as buying merch and dining in the parks something DHS cannot say.

Not always, I didn't. During my trip in July I stayed to 9:00 am (7am opening) at IOA and 10:00 at USO (8am opening) on two different days, never bought anything in the parks. Stayed to 1:00 pm at DHS and had lunch at Brown Derby.

 

[wdisney9000]

I can only see potential cost savings over the long term thru labor scheduling and park hours based on the reservations as well as the database theyre creating on how people behave in a theme park. (Attractions they like, time spent here and there, etc) and maximize cost savings.

I cant actually see it generating revenue in and of its own....

Say it does generate $600 million a year. What are they gonna do with that money,... not build more rides.

 

[WildcatDen]

But can NGE increase income by $600MM per year??

I suppose that is yet to be determined. If the sinister mouse has other plans for his new "toy" who can say what the potential revenue may be?

If they can find a way to weaponize this, the possibilities may be endless. Send the terrorists 'free' magic bands for their trip to the World and ka-plooey.

Maybe, just maybe, the bracelets also contain a small electrical charge and if they catch you venturing to close to the WDW borders, you receive a slight correction????

Simply put, Coke fans are Coke fans and there is little to nothing Pepsi can do about it. Disney is the same way. Regardless of what UNI does, there are those who will always be loyal to the Disney brand. Even though I had a good time at UNI, my preference for 'getting away from it all' is WDW. So, that being said, maybe it is me and people like me that is the problem. It is not that Disney can do no wrong, it is just that nothing else can replicate the experience IMO. That said, I live in Ohio. If it is strictly great thrill rides, Cedar Point and King's Islan blow UNI and Disney out of the water.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Say it does generate $600 million a year. What are they gonna do with that money,... not build more rides and pat themselves on the back and then write themselves a hefty bonus check.

Start paying down that $2.5B cost, I guess.

For the sake of simple math.... lets say it somehow inflates to $3B. If it generates $600m, (Or $2.5B cost /$500m generated) then we're looking at a 5 year pay off on their investment. That doesn't include operational or maintenance costs either....

 

[MattM]

"Stalker" is such a strong, potentially libelous word. Perhaps "unrequited man crush"?

Ace detective work, tho, figuring out the Orlando guy on Twitter who posts about the news and Disney named "FotoDave" is in fact ... "PhotoDave219" here! Someone has clearly spend some time at that CSI attraction on I-Drive.

Never claimed it was first class detective work, only that it was not something i sought out.

How's everything at the snooze news?

 

[donaldtoo]

For some reason, I picture him looking like this..


micro dong by wdisney9000, on Flickr
I am not referring to anyone specific. Just what I think a fanboi stalker would like.

Thelma Anne!!! Bring me my scatter gun NOWWWWWWW!!!!!

 

[Beholder]

I'm just asking a question out of genuine curiosity, could it be possible that NextGen may be in part laying the groundwork for future attractions/rides? I'm talking the incorporation of interactive or other technological aspects to future rides, shows, or whatever beyond M&G's. I'm not arguing the "data mining" or privacy aspects, but just postulating the possibility?

Of course I may be way off here, but I've been called worse than an optimist.

 

[djlaosc]

Someone has clearly spend some time at that CSI attraction on I-Drive.

Has anyone actually been here?

Is it any good?

 

[SirLink]

Start paying down that $2.5B cost, I guess.

For the sake of simple math.... lets say it somehow inflates to $3B. If it generates $600m, (Or $2.5B cost /$500m generated) then we're looking at a 5 year pay off on their investment. That doesn't include operational or maintenance costs either....

And compliance costs with Apple products going forward.

 

[SirLink]

Has anyone actually been here?

Is it any good?

The one in Vegas is quite cool for a 50 - 70 minute type experience. Its great cause you can be sent into one of 3 "crime scenes"

 

[BryceM]

Not always, I didn't. During my trip in July I stayed to 9:00 am (7am opening) at IOA and 10:00 at USO (8am opening) on two different days, never bought anything in the parks. Stayed to 1:00 pm at DHS and had lunch at Brown Derby.

You only stayed two hours in each park? Interesting. I don't think that that is a trend followed by the general public. Only one followed by people who have an Annual Pass and live close, or those who believe Disney to be sacred. You must've just done Potter and left IOA. Not sure what you did at the Studios though. I would argue that Universal Studios has much more to do than Hollywood Studios. I always feel like I run out of time at Universal Studios, as there are a lot of attractions I enjoy there.

Between Mummy, Twister (my guilty pleasure), Despicable Me, Transformers, Universal's Horror Make-Up Show, Terminator 2:3D, Men in Black: Alien Attack, Disaster!, E.T. Adventure, Hollywood Rip Ride RockIt, and The Simpsons Ride, I just find myself spending more time at Universal Studios than DHS. Plus some of these attractions warrant more than one ride (Mummy, MIB, and Transformers).

I did stay at DHS for twelve hours before (not by choice). I think I rode TOT about six times, and RNRC four times. Needless to say we were kind of "bored" doing the same things over and over again because we had no interest in seeing MuppetVision again or waiting in the hour and half long line for Toy Story.

Oh and Mythos > Brown Derby.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I'm just asking a question out of genuine curiosity, could it be possible that NextGen may be in part laying the groundwork for future attractions/rides? I'm talking the incorporation of interactive or other technological aspects to future rides, shows, or whatever beyond M&G's. I'm not arguing the "data mining" or privacy aspects, but just postulating the possibility?

Of course I may be way off here, but I've been called worse than an optimist.

NextGen is more of a "catch-all" for many different applications including (per a Disney publication) MyDisneyExperience mobile application; the Magicband which acts as a room key; Fastpass+; tap to pay and as a photopass card. (And all that behind the scenes data collection for other purposes, god knows what)

I would assume that is a realistic expectation, for all of these to be incorporated into anything Disney does in the future.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I'm just asking a question out of genuine curiosity, could it be possible that NextGen may be in part laying the groundwork for future attractions/rides? I'm talking the incorporation of interactive or other technological aspects to future rides, shows, or whatever beyond M&G's. I'm not arguing the "data mining" or privacy aspects, but just postulating the possibility?

Parks & Resorts boss Tom Staggs stated publically that there will be interactive ride elements associated with MagicBand, specifically mentioning it's a small world as an example.

 

[WildcatDen]

Oh and Mythos > Brown Derby.

Really? How are the steaks there?

 

[Scuttle]

Really? How are the steaks there?

As good as Mythos is it doesn't touch the Derby.

 

[1023]

What I want to convey by posting here, is I have faith in Disney. Not faith in the spiritual sense. Not blind faith. Just faith based on a track record in the P & R area. "Why do you say that,1023?" I'll explain.

Through it's long history, Disney's P & R has given us unmitigated disasters such as the Disneyland Resorts' second gate, Disney's California Adventure. (I still don't get the park's name but that's another story.) When Disney sank a few metric tonnes of money into the old Disneyland parking lot, it was very exciting news. Actually, when they cleared out the Strawberry Fields for construction, that was good news (alas, disappointing) but I digress. The first time I parked in the new "Michael Eisner" structure I felt anticipation. Something new was happening at the "Happiest Place on Earth."

Buildings started to rise, infrastructure and support was completed. The Golden Gate Bridge was suddenly part of the monorail track. A Disney Hotel with "Grand" themeing would actually be part of the new park.Wow, they are spending $1.4B on this park. It's gonna be great. Oh....they're building a shopping mall too? And changing the Disneyland Hotel monorail station? Hmmm.

Then we heard from Al Lutz and other Disney chatter sites. There are "off the shelf" rides there? From carnivals? Limited themeing? That doesn't sound right. Limited E & D ticket rides? NO...Disney and Eisner will get it right. The sky is not falling. {Writer's note, Dumbo was kinda of "off the shelf", as was the carousel....}

Turns out, the sky was falling, at least as far as I was concerned. They built a half day, less than intriguing, oddly themed storyline, and partially "off the shelf" park. They fell short of expectations is the best way to describe it. It is hard to live up to a Disney fans' expectations.I thrilled on Soarin', California Screaming, and enjoyed Grizzly River but after that it was a "state fair". Products from other parks (WDW) found there way in eventually but it still wasn't worth a whole day and too many, the price. One really good thing happened though, "Park Hopper".

The park looked like an abject failure from a number of perspectives and when Tokyo DisneySea opened later that year, it really looked pitiful. It was too hot. There was limited shade. There are was only a third of the attractions compared to the crown jewel. "How dare you ask the same price for a partial product?"

With attendance numbers well below expectations, they put in a plan to fix it. With a pinky on his bottom lip, Iger announced, "One Billion Dollars". With that, Carsland got the green light. Mermaid made her debut. "Off the shelves" got re-themed or removed and the storyline got changed. They tried to get it right the second time.

When it was all said and done, "Chicken Little", Disney fans and I were a little happier. We had a park across from our dearest childhood memories that was worth visiting. We had a mall in between worth most of it's offerings. We felt our voices and lack of attendance drove our points home. It's still got room for improvement, but pretty much all the parks in US do right now.

So, I have faith. Faith that my visiting UO one more day on my next trip will help. Faith that my (and throngs of others) stay on property and mysterious absence from it will be noted. (NGE will most likely "see" it, if it ever goes live.) Finally, faith that perhaps as the river of money becomes a stream, they will "fix" things.

(Wow...end of sermon guys...jeez...sorry to be so preachy... I just re-read that with my best televangelist voice...)

To summarize the above, as others have said, they'll react when they feel it in their wallets.

*1023*

 

[BryceM]

Really? How are the steaks there?

I didn't know this was a steak competition. I haven't personally had steak from Mythos, as I am not the hugest fan of steak anyways. HOWEVER, the cream of mushroom soup appetizer, followed by the Pad Thai was a meal to die for. I am also a massive fan of the decor/theming/architecture of Mythos.

Maybe you can get steak from Mythos and let me know how it is?

 

[danjen2331]

You only stayed two hours in each park? Interesting. I don't think that that is a trend followed by the general public. Only one followed by people who have an Annual Pass and live close, or those who believe Disney to be sacred. You must've just don't Potter and left IOA. Not sure what you did at the Studios though. I would argue that Universal Studios has much more to do than Hollywood Studios. I always feel like I run out of time at Universal Studios, as there are a lot of attractions I enjoy there.

I did stay at DHS for twelve hours before (not by choice). I think I rode TOT about six times, and RNRC four times. Needless to say we were kind of "bored" doing the same things over and over again because we had no interest in seeing MuppetVision again or waiting in the hour and half long line for Toy Story.

Oh and Mythos > Brown Derby.

Uni was empty when I went and when coupled with the fact I do not usually ride rides twice, had express pass and was staying on property led to short days at the Uni parks.

IOA I did FJ twice and Dragon challenge in an hour then JP Hulk Spidey and Cat in an hour. All walk ons except second time on FJ.

Studios was empty, I did Rockit Mummy MIB and Simpsons in a little over an hour with no wait time then Transformers and Minions in an hour.

Mythos is excellent though. I had a reservation but decided to cancel as it would mean waiting in IOA for 2 hours.

 

[Beholder]

@PhotoDave219 and @ParentsOf4 , thanks for the replies.

Beyond what we know or what we believe, I wonder if its also possible that this sort of ambitious (if not well thought out?) outlay in resources could also mean things we HAVEN'T thought of? I'm struggling to think outside the box here, but maybe pushing this tech in a way no other company (especially entertainment) has done before. At one time Disney was known for creating experiences we didn't know we could have or imagine, so maybe this is an example of them getting so ahead of current thinking, that one day perhaps I may look back on this as the beginning of something really special. Of course, I'm being VERY forgiving in my "hope", but I haven't ignored or minimized the scope, money invested (lost?) or potential for harm this could represent. And I can't ignore what $1-$3 billion could've built. I just want this to turn out good. Not for the CEOs but us, the "guests" and the legacy of the Disney name.

 

[BryceM]

Uni was empty when I went and when coupled with the fact I do not usually ride rides twice, had express pass and was staying on property led to short days at the Uni parks.

IOA I did FJ twice and Dragon challenge in an hour then JP Hulk Spidey and Cat in an hour. All walk ons except second time on FJ.

Studios was empty, I did Rockit Mummy MIB and Simpsons in a little over an hour with no wait time then Transformers and Minions in an hour.

Mythos is excellent though. I had a reservation but decided to cancel as it would mean waiting in IOA for 2 hours.

Oh nice. This must've been recent?