Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[HMF]

This.

You only bring change at Disney by hurting them financially or embarrassing them publicly. That's it.

I am actually making a conscious effort to give WDC as little money as possible for just this reason. I already had a WDW vacation planned for November and I am not backing down on it but after that, I am avoiding the place, Mostly for my own sanity because caring as much as I care has left me fried and is starting to interfere with my personal life. I have so many emotions invested in Disney but it is clear the people in power don't and that hurts me.

 

[Mr Bill]

As Miami turns into Detroit...

That's really not fair to the Tigers

 

[HMF]

Why would there be? Look at the stock price. And the BoD are almost entirely up Iger's rectum.

There are stockholders who care, but if we are going to look at this from the worldview of one of those morons on CNBC or Fox Business who only focus on the Bottom Line then yes it would be. Frankly, I don't care anymore. Sell the parks to a third party that cares. This is obviously not the Disney I grew up with anymore. So sell the darn thing. I wish it hadn't come to this but I no longer think internal change is possible.

 

[Kuhio]

It's always a MAGICal day when cruise docs find their way into your mailbox.

But I think I'll take my own cruise on the MAGIC ...one that Disney doesn't pay for.

I'm also looking forward to an upcoming Disney cruise -- my first. I haven't found cruise docs (or any other nice surprises) in my mailbox recently, but I've been assured by a friend who's a grizzled DCL veteran that I'll have a MAGICal time nonetheless.

Sadly, however, Disney has yet to notify me that they're picking up the tab for my cruise, despite the hundreds of Disney-related items I've "blogged" over the years on wdwmagic.com (a heavily trafficked and highly respected WDW fan site). Has my "blogging" not been sufficiently obsequious?

 

[nytimez]

Just saw a Walmart commercial hosted by a "Walmart Mom Blogger."

Maybe the next campaign will feature "Guy Who Writes on Walmart Bathroom Walls."

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I go to Walmart product launches all the time, where I prostitute myself for a few crackers and a $1.99 gift card.

 

[SirLink]

I disagree. If the BOD wanted to dump a bunch of cash into WDW to get it running on 6 cylinders it would have happened already. They did "green light" a stock repurchase though.

If I was on the Board and seen the way how Imagineering wastes money, how much of the Next Gen Project has costs yet to be reclaimed and a New Fantasyland that they didn't get their 30% bump they thought they would get. Plus poor occupancy rates for Art of Animation. Why would I want to invest money in the resort when the leaders for WDW/Parks & Resorts have no clue on how to capture more guests and increase spending and occupancy rates.

If I was on the board I would be investing more cash at their West coast resort rather than the East coast one, which is what they are currently doing.

 

[SirLink]

This.

You only bring change at Disney by hurting them financially or embarrassing them publicly. That's it.

Didn't Ike want to Iger to fly the cuckoo nest already?

 

[Darth Sidious]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...longtime-partnership-20130919,0,3982595.story

Not surprising but Bruckheimer and Disney are parting ways. They will however continue to work together on pre-existing franchises such as PoC.

 

[Longhairbear]

As much as I love reading all the posts here, and enjoying the banter, I really need to get my fix of Pixie Dust. Much to the chagrin of DVC opponents, I am going to try and book a California DVC stay before New Years.
We'll bring steaks and other groceries in an Igloo brand cooler with ice packs in the back of our pick up truck to grill on the fabulous gas grills at the Grand California Villas. We'll set up a bar for simple vodka tonics, and Jack and Coke next to the coffee maker. Trader Sam's will be the attraction of choice after park closing.
We'll sleep late, and get into the parks after lunch, no worries about Fastpass as we rarely use them.
No going commando for us, and we've never done that.
Back up plan is offsite hotels.

 

[alphac2005]

Just saw a Walmart commercial hosted by a "Walmart Mom Blogger."

Ha! We saw that as well and wondered if the geniuses in Orlando were bummed that Walmart beat them to having a nationwide spot air with a mommy blogger theme.

 

[janoimagine]

That's really not fair to the Tigers

Or the Wings.

 

[neoshinok]

So, Disney's release schedule gets rearranged. Part of it starts and ends with John Lasseter's habit of pulling directors off of projects late in the game. For the home audience it's the fourth time in as many films.

I have a lot of respect for Lasseter but these egomaniacal temper tantrums are truly insulting to the other talent at Pixar. I'm sad for Bob Peterson. Finally got the chance to helm a project after being at Pixar since the early days and co-directing 'Up', which I feel is one of the best Pixar films.

Also disturbing is one of the other features that Lasseter took over late in the game to "save" was Cars 2, which is almost universally accepted as the WORST Pixar feature.

 

[WDWDad13]

Also disturbing is one of the other features that Lasseter took over late in the game to "save" was Cars 2, which is almost universally accepted as the WORST Pixar feature.

I agree with that

 

[ford91exploder]

If I was on the Board and seen the way how Imagineering wastes money, how much of the Next Gen Project has costs yet to be reclaimed and a New Fantasyland that they didn't get their 30% bump they thought they would get. Plus poor occupancy rates for Art of Animation. Why would I want to invest money in the resort when the leaders for WDW/Parks & Resorts have no clue on how to capture more guests and increase spending and occupancy rates.

If I was on the board I would be investing more cash at their West coast resort rather than the East coast one, which is what they are currently doing.

Perhaps a return of the old quality would have helped instead of the TDO cheap-n-nasty

 

[JimboJones123]

I have a lot of respect for Lasseter but these egomaniacal temper tantrums are truly insulting to the other talent at Pixar. I'm sad for Bob Peterson. Finally got the chance to helm a project after being at Pixar since the early days and co-directing 'Up', which I feel is one of the best Pixar films.

Also disturbing is one of the other features that Lasseter took over late in the game to "save" was Cars 2, which is almost universally accepted as the WORST Pixar feature.

It doesn't come close. As much of an abomination I thought Brave was, I cannot remember a single scene from Cars 2 outside Mater eating Wasabi. Seriously, I cannot remember a thing. I don't even remember if the movie's conclusion was a car winning the final race, or the stupid spy thing wrapping up. I have no clue. I don't care to try and find out either.

 

[AndyMagic]

Lasseter, like most creative people who go on to become high-ranking executives, has begun the slow and steady march toward becoming the type of big-brass megalomaniac that he used to despise. This is the man who made it his mission to protect the Pixar brand. He used to talk all the time about how he would fight to prevent the classic films from spawning a mediocre franchise machine for the studios. He fought with Eisner when the studio pushed him to do a sequel to Finding Nemo and publicly scoffed at the idea of doing another Monsters, Inc. film. He's still a remarkable talent but even his ability to perform quality control has been slipping. Cars 2 got terrible reviews but to be honest, they were kind. Had the film been made by any other studio they would have been harsher. His personal obsession with the Cars universe and Disney's blood-thirsty cravings for toy merchandising meant that not only would we get a sequel no one asked for but we'd also get spin-offs with more ludicrous anthropomorphic machines like Planes. Disney bought a creative genius with business sense and turned him into another studio executive. His casual dress and quirky office props are all a facade at this point.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

It doesn't come close. As much of an abomination I thought Brave was, I cannot remember a single scene from Cars 2 outside Mater eating Wasabi. Seriously, I cannot remember a thing. I don't even remember if the movie's conclusion was a car winning the final race, or the stupid spy thing wrapping up. I have no clue. I don't care to try and find out either.

How could you forget Mater's first encounter with a bidet? Classic Disney, right there. Right up there with the fart powered hot tub in Lion King 1.5.

 

[GoofGoof]

If I was on the Board and seen the way how Imagineering wastes money, how much of the Next Gen Project has costs yet to be reclaimed and a New Fantasyland that they didn't get their 30% bump they thought they would get. Plus poor occupancy rates for Art of Animation. Why would I want to invest money in the resort when the leaders for WDW/Parks & Resorts have no clue on how to capture more guests and increase spending and occupancy rates.

If I was on the board I would be investing more cash at their West coast resort rather than the East coast one, which is what they are currently doing.

I'm not so sure the BOD sees NextGen in the same negative light as fans here. I don't doubt they are unhappy with cost overruns but they green lit the original budget which was still around $1B so they bought into the project.

If someone sold the BOD on a 30% increase in attendance at MK from new fantasyland they are quite the salesmen. A 30% increase would make MK overcrowded most of the year and downright uncomfortable during busy times.

What will be interesting to see is if they approve something for DHS. Preferably something from a galaxy far, far away. If they are looking for more bang for their buck in FL that's where the money should (and IMHO) will go.

 

[rael ramone]

Sen Markey's first speech on the floor was this week.

One of his 3 priorities is a bill designed to protect children online.

Apparantly COPPA isn't strong enough.

Wonder if this bill will have a Magic Minus component?....