Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[PhotoDave219]

Edit: This "could" make advertised line waits more precise too....

Based on the way it's currently manipulated? Why would Disney want it to be accurate?!

 

[PhotoDave219]

Everything that Martin & 74 are taking about is a result of a profit driven corporate culture.

It's all about maximizing profits and not reinvesting. It's a short term money outlook and frankly there's no way to fix it without a CEO & board of directors change.

While guests keep coming, they keep relying on gimmicks, discounts and promotions to prop that up. They are not interested in milking a Disney fan for life; they're interested in fast cash now.

In short, Iger & the BOD are dope fiends hustlin scrap just tryin to get their next fix.

Disney could have stomped universal into the ground. There was a large window of opportunity. It closed with Comcast and the boy wizard.

While Disney still makes record (whatever), a day of reckoning that never should have happened is coming.

Market share is cut into by Universal as well as the continued lack of disposable income in this country.


If this trend continues, the mouse is in trouble in about 4-5 years. The mouse will be the one day park (MK) and Universal will be the multi-day draw.

This can change but it's going to require a large capital investment that isn't a wristband.

Start with maintenance. Start with Star Wars. Fix DAK - those tigers are on their last legs.

Disney Springs & the 7DMTC won't stop the bleeding. Quality will.

You keep up quality entertainment and adhere to what Disney means and stands for and the guests will come. You do it right and then you can ignore Universal & your blue ocean strategy.

Sorry for the rant. Blame the beer

 

[Andyjshort]

They've filmed at least 5 episodes thus far.

It starts this week in the UK.

My TV guide says Episode 1 of 13.

 

[PeterAlt]

Oct. 1 is approaching - Disney's fiscal new year. Will there be the big announcement by this date?

 

[Longhairbear]

I guess California is to the US what Germany is to the EU. It is the glue that holds that economy together.

Actually, after I posted on here I read a local newspaper account that stated that 8 new lounges or bars were set to open, and that more new hotels were going thru the permitting process with the city. Transient hotel taxes are up over last year, and previous years. We are a vacation based economy, much like Orlando, and seeing an influx of the number of tourists. My point is, I guess, that the vacation economy is improving regardless of Disney's FP+, or MDE. The suits at TWDC will tout FP+, MDE, as the driving force to higher resort stays, and all the while ignoring the fact that increased tourism would have happened anyway, with, or without FP+, and MDE.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

There is so much construction going on in Orlando that they are having to bring construction cranes down from Atlanta. Both of our Medical Centers have HUGE expansions going on. There is the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center. 2 high rise condos downtown. I-Drive Live (home of the Orlando Eye and Madame Toussad's), Universal has a huge "value" resort, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley, and have started construction on their Jurassic Park expansion. Both of our Outlet Malls are expanding. WDW has the GF Villas and 7DMT going. And let's not forget that Universal, SeaWorld, and Fun Spot opened brand new E-Tickets this Summer.

I bet Transformers and Harry Potter 2.0 do more for WDW's attendance than the New Fantasyland and MDE. Just Sayin'.

 

[RunnerEd]

Everything that Martin & 74 are taking about is a result of a profit driven corporate culture.

It's all about maximizing profits and not reinvesting. It's a short term money outlook and frankly there's no way to fix it without a CEO & board of directors change.

While guests keep coming, they keep relying on gimmicks, discounts and promotions to prop that up. They are not interested in milking a Disney fan for life; they're interested in fast cash now.

In short, Iger & the BOD are dope fiends hustlin scrap just tryin to get their next fix.

Disney could have stomped universal into the ground. There was a large window of opportunity. It closed with Comcast and the boy wizard.

While Disney still makes record (whatever), a day of reckoning that never should have happened is coming.

Market share is cut into by Universal as well as the continued lack of disposable income in this country.


If this trend continues, the mouse is in trouble in about 4-5 years. The mouse will be the one day park (MK) and Universal will be the multi-day draw.

This can change but it's going to require a large capital investment that isn't a wristband.

Start with maintenance. Start with Star Wars. Fix DAK - those tigers are on their last legs.

Disney Springs & the 7DMTC won't stop the bleeding. Quality will.

You keep up quality entertainment and adhere to what Disney means and stands for and the guests will come. You do it right and then you can ignore Universal & your blue ocean strategy.

Sorry for the rant. Blame the beer

Great rant and completely accurate. What kind of beer? I hope you're a quality, craft brew man!

 

[flyerjab]

Oct. 1 is approaching - Disney's fiscal new year. Will there be the big announcement by this date?

I had inquired about this previously. Does Disney routinely make major announcements at this time of year? Sifting through all of the posts on this site has recently lead me to believe that something is going to be revealed soon (only my opinion based off of the increase in insider information lately).

I work for a global company so I get the fiscal year and end of year reporting. I just struggle understanding if the things that spirit and marni1971 and other insiders report on are on the verge of becoming 'announced truths', or, are still swirling in a state of rumor and conjecture. I guess everything must be taken with a grain of salt, and even after an official announcement might still be scaled back.

 

[Nubs70]

I have visions of the Col. Kurtz death scene. Instead the voice over plays, "The ignorance, the ignorance...."

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I guess California is to the US what Germany is to the EU. It is the glue that holds that economy together.

DLR is run better not because it's in CA, but because there's a rabid fan base that holds their feet to the fire. No such thing happens at WDW; to read "fan" sites you'd think WDW was at its peak right now. WDW is shoddily run because TDO can get away with it, plain and simple. The Disney culture allows for it to happen, the customer base allows for it to happen, so it happens. At DLR, Disney culture allows horrid management (and it still occurs, believe you me), but the customer base is not so lenient.

 

[PeterAlt]

One last rant for now...

Does the warming relations with Iran mean that EC may finally get the once-planned Iranian Pavillion?

 

[ParentsOf4]

Oct. 1 is approaching - Disney's fiscal new year. Will there be the big announcement by this date?

Rasulo already made the only "big" announcement the suites in the corner offices care about: the $8B stock buyback to drive up prices in time for the close of the fiscal year so the execs all get big bonuses.

Any announcement that we'd be excited about will only drive stock prices down since Wall Street will view it as more P&R capex.

Behind the scenes, plans continues to evolve, making it difficult to announce anything. It's been challenging keeping up with the strategy but, as I recall:

• First it was a version of Cars Land at DHS.
• Then a "value engineered" version of Cars Land.
• Then Star Wars gained steam internally and it was both Cars Land and Star Wars Land.
• Then there was panic concerning the total budget and Cars Land was gone; it was just Star Wars Land.
• Finally a Pixar property appears to be back to help with the TSM target audience while some version of Star Wars Land remains as the focal point of the DHS expansion.

None of this is a particular reflection specific to corporate Disney. This sort of in-fighting, change-of-direction happens all the time at most large corporations. We just care about it more and tend to monitor its development blow-by-blow.

All this used to happen in old Disney as well (there's a reason Epcot is essentially 2 separate theme parks ) it's just that the Internet allows us to monitor the evolution of the project in real time.

Within the halls of Burbank, there is some panic that MyMagic+ might be a $2B boondoggle, a huge investment in a strategy that became outdated once the Wizzarding World of Harry Potter became wildly successful in 2010, a view that was reinforced by the impressive success of Cars Land at DCA over the last 12 months. Some of the egos don't want to hear it; a modern example of The Emperor's New Clothes.

 

[PeterAlt]

Rasulo already made the only "big" announcement the suites in the corner offices care about: the $8B stock buyback to drive up prices in time for the close of the fiscal year so the execs all get big bonuses.

Any announcement that we'd be excited about will only drive stock prices down since Wall Street will view it as more P&R capex.

Behind the scenes, plans continues to evolve, making it difficult to announce anything. It's been challenging keeping up with the strategy but, as I recall:

• First it was a version of Cars Land at DHS.
• Then a "value engineered" version of Cars Land.
• Then Star Wars gained steam internally and it was both Cars Land and Star Wars Land.
• Then there was panic concerning the total budget and Cars Land was gone; it was just Star Wars Land.
• Finally a Pixar property appears to be back to help with the TSM target audience while some version of Star Wars Land remains as the focal point of the DHS expansion.

None of this is a particular reflection specific to corporate Disney. This sort of in-fighting, change-of-direction happens all the time at most large corporations. We just care about it more and tend to monitor its development blow-by-blow.

All this used to happen in old Disney as well (there's a reason Epcot is essentially 2 separate theme parks ) it's just that the Internet allows us to monitor the evolution of the project in real time.

Within the halls of Burbank, there is some panic that MyMagic+ might be a $2B boondoggle, a huge investment in a strategy that became outdated once the Wizzarding World of Harry Potter became wildly successful in 2010, a view that was reinforced by the impressive success of Cars Land at DCA over the last 12 months. Some of the egos don't want to hear it; a modern example of The Emperor's New Clothes.

I appreciate the in-depth answer. Just wondering if you're getting your 411 from sources you consider "the real deal" or if you are getting it from the same tired bloggers that I've been following as well.

If what you said is true, where is a strong visionary leader to keep the company on focus with a decisive direction and plan when you need one? This kind of uncertainty and lack of direction can go on forever unless Iger takes the whip out and makes sure everyone is in line and on the same page!

When do you think an announcement will finally be made?

 

[PeterAlt]

Dude, put down the bong and step away.

One last thing before I put the bong down... Lol... You have to admit an Iranian Pavilion with an Aladdin magic carpets dark ride where you are flying over Persia Peter Pan-style would be wicked cool!

 

[PeterAlt]

LOL - CLEARLY you don't live in California. And if you do, you and Bill Maher must be terrible at math. Unsustainable education expenses resulting in plummeting school standards, unions choking budgets for ludicrous pensions, a transportation department that takes YEARS to finish even the smallest of projects (maybe CalTrans and TDO are one and the same?) - just scratching the surface. Illegal immigrants get free healthcare and college educations in California - why you'd cross the border anywhere else is beyond me!

DLR is run better not because it's in CA, but because there's a rabid fan base that holds their feet to the fire. No such thing happens at WDW; to read "fan" sites you'd think WDW was at its peak right now. WDW is shoddily run because TDO can get away with it, plain and simple. The Disney culture allows for it to happen, the customer base allows for it to happen, so it happens. At DLR, Disney culture allows horrid management (and it still occurs, believe you me), but the customer base is not so lenient.

Right, that's because DLR's customer base is.... where?.... California. I didn't mean what I said in the literal sense. I meant it by the conditional sense (i.e. its customer base, local economy, political environment, etc.). These things do have an influence on things.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Right, that's because DLR's customer base is.... where?.... California. I didn't mean what I said in the literal sense. I meant it by the conditional sense (i.e. its customer base, local economy, political environment, etc.). These things do have an influence on things.

What does being a Californian have to do with the Disneyland fanbase? I don't understand how you're making that connection. Like GiveMeTheMusic said, it's obvious you're not from, nor live in California.

I've come to the conclusion that the DLR fanbase, not the California fanbase, is less passive because of the "original park pride." You've got a lot of Disneyland fans who've been visiting since 1955 and remember "how things used to be." Back to original park pride, fans feel since Disneyland is the original, it must be kept up and in good shape. Not to mention the painful state it was in during the Harris/Pressler era. No one wants to see that again. Plus, the number of annual passholders apparently greatly passes those in Florida. APs are the vocal ones.

The fan attitude has nothing to do with California. The WDW fanbase could be just the same.

 

[PeterAlt]

What does being a Californian have to do with the Disneyland fanbase? I don't understand how you're making that connection. Like GiveMeTheMusic said, it's obvious you're not from, nor live in California.

I've come to the conclusion that the DLR fanbase, not the California fanbase, is less passive because of the "original park pride." You've got a lot of Disneyland fans who've been visiting since 1955 and remember "how things used to be." Back to original park pride, fans feel since Disneyland is the original, it must be kept up and in good shape. Not to mention the painful state it was in during the Harris/Pressler era. No one wants to see that again. Plus, the number of annual passholders apparently greatly passes those in Florida. APs are the vocal ones.

The fan attitude has nothing to do with California. The WDW fanbase could be just the same.

Right, but a good percentage of that fan-base that are actual paying customers who make repeat visits are Californians, just the same as those WDW's fan base and repeat paying customers are mostly east coast residence. There's only three states on the west coast and CA fills most of it, so I can't make the same analogy since most of the west coast is CA.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Right, but a good percentage of that fan-base that are actual paying customers who make repeat visits are Californians, just the same as those WDW's fan base and repeat paying customers are mostly east coast residence. There's only three states on the west coast and CA fills most of it, so I can't make the same analogy since most of the west coast is CA.

Oregon and Washington residents aren't the only ones who visit Disneyland, besides Californians. A lot of the western part of this country does. We get a lot of guests from Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, etc. It isn't literally just west coast folks that visit. A lot of the APs aren't Californian.

We get foreigners, too, mainly from Asian countries and Australia.

 

[PeterAlt]

Oregon and Washington residents aren't the only ones who visit Disneyland, besides Californians. A lot of the western part of this country does. We get a lot of guests from Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, etc. It isn't literally just west coast folks that visit. A lot of the APs aren't Californian.

We get foreigners, too, mainly from Asian countries and Australia.

What about Mexico?

One day maybe we can same the same about WDW for Cuba... There's potential there, if the Castro dynasty ever falls from power...

 

[unkadug]

Oregon and Washington residents aren't the only ones who visit Disneyland, besides Californians. A lot of the western part of this country does. We get a lot of guests from Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, etc. It isn't literally just west coast folks that visit. A lot of the APs aren't Californian.

We get foreigners, too, mainly from Asian countries and Australia.

By the same token WDW gets a lot more visitors than the East coast states as Peter claims.