Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I'm just wondering what the motivation would have been, and if the folks on this board aren't just a vocal minority but a true represenation, wouldn't Disney see the drop in sales and then revert?

You're talking about a company that flat out does not evaluate its operations based on results or best business practices. The NSA could take pointers on data manipulation from Disney.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

YUP. Exactly. His designs are easily better than 80% of the t-shirts currently in the stores ...

Some thoughts on merch:
Designerland cares about doing good work, most don't and they don't have the talent to make good work.
The parks' staleness has had a ripple effect throughout the entire resort. There is no reason to make new merch good because they aren't used to making merch for brand new rides/shows that is critiqued by folks who will hold them to the fire for crappy work.

See Al Lutz update:http://miceage.micechat.com/allutz/al050410a.htm

Against that backdrop of planning headaches and mega-hype came a recent event that was supposed to be more of a formality than a hurdle; the official roll-out last month for Disney CEO Bob Iger and Parks chief Tom Staggs of all of the World of Color merchandise, food and collateral offerings that TDA had created for the show. The reaction from Bob was not what TDA planned however, as Bob is said to have hated almost all of the trendy merchandise presented to him. Bob and Tom also didn’t like the gimmicky and sugary food concepts that relied more on miniature LED lights than actual quality ingredients, and the result was that TDA was sent back to the drawing board and told to scrap nearly everything they had planned.
Bob’s displeasure was so great with the Anaheim team that he has reportedly cleared out big chunks of his weekly schedule in Burbank so that he can be personally updated on every major World of Color decision that needs to be made and remade in the six weeks until the premiere. Bob’s mandate to TDA to redesign most of the World of Color offerings also forced the last minute postponement of Cast Member training sessions that were supposed to take place this week.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Wouldn't the best crowd control be NO FP and FP+? If you're in a line, guess what? You're physically standing IN THE LINE, freeing up room in the walkways for other guests.

I dunno, yall. There's just so much about FP and the whole FP+ nightmare that doesn't sit well with me. It just doesn't make sense. Common sense would say that if you have 100 people waiting in line for Dumbo, then that's 100 less people in the walkways, and there's room for 100 more people to walk about the park. Instead of FP, where you have a virtual place in line, and are free to roam for that time...

I guess common sense just isn't that common anymore. Either that or I've over analyzed things so much my brain took a smoke break.

 

[Fractal514]

You're talking about a company that flat out does not evaluate its operations based on results or best business practices. The NSA could take pointers on data manipulation from Disney.

But the bottom line wouldn't change though, unless you are suggeting the manipulate sales figures. I mean, if they stop making money, they'd change. Wouldn't they?

 

[Fractal514]

Wouldn't the best crowd control be NO FP and FP+? If you're in a line, guess what? You're physically standing IN THE LINE, freeing up room in the walkways for other guests.

I dunno, yall. There's just so much about FP and the whole FP+ nightmare that doesn't sit well with me. It just doesn't make sense. Common sense would say that if you have 100 people waiting in line for Dumbo, then that's 100 less people in the walkways, and there's room for 100 more people to walk about the park. Instead of FP, where you have a virtual place in line, and are free to roam for that time...

I guess common sense just isn't that common anymore. Either that or I've over analyzed things so much my brain took a smoke break.

I personally hate FP. I think that it was absued and became an "insiders" trick for riding the same stuff multiple times, insead of ensuring that folks got to ride the big stuff once. (See TSMM) I'm more in favor of FP+ because it doesn't allow for multiple FP for the same ride, but I'm with you. I'd prefer no FP system at all.

 

[rael ramone]

I've heard a lot of folks argue that the new system will make it more stressfull, forcing you to get to certain places at certain times, but I think that for a majority of newcomers, it will actually reduce stress by quite a bit.

Less stressful for newcomers? What happens when they are waiting for their Magical Motorcoach to take them to the MK at their hotel and every bus that comes through says "Downtown Disney" on it? Or all the things that can throw off a schedule while in the park (like, say, waiting for an hour to eat at a 'fast food' joint)?

I think having much, much, more people having much, much, more reservations that they have to get to is going to make the walking paths quite scary (ECV Race 2000?) .

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

I personally hate FP. I think that it was absued and became an "insiders" trick for riding the same stuff multiple times, insead of ensuring that folks got to ride the big stuff once. (See TSMM) I'm more in favor of FP+ because it doesn't allow for multiple FP for the same ride, but I'm with you. I'd prefer no FP system at all.

When I was there, I didnt need a single FP for anything during the entire trip. If something had a long line, I moved on to something else and backtracked in the evening (or during fireworks). I saw people running to FP machines instead of running towards the line for the actual ride, which stumped me. If the line for the FP is 20 people deep, by the time you wait in line, get the FP... how much time did you lose?

The whole system is bunk.

edit to add- I wanted to grab a FP for splash mountain... as a souvenior. But forgot to on my last day. No biggie.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

But the bottom line wouldn't change though, unless you are suggeting the manipulate sales figures. I mean, if they stop making money, they'd change. Wouldn't they?

No. MM+ is the perfect example. Guest spending down, merch sales not what they could be? tirian's post above outlines that they believe this is the solution. NOT providing good merch that people want or exercising creativity - a $2 bil boondoggle is the answer.

The answer is never that they could do better with what they have. There must be some external force to blame, and the solution is always way harder than it should be.

Guests rating DAK poorly? People clearing out early? Attendance lower than it should be, spending abysmal? TDO's solution - cut the parade! Open a new E-Ticket in five years! Don't fix the marquee attraction, let it rot! Common sense - they has none.

 

[rael ramone]

I personally hate FP. I think that it was absued and became an "insiders" trick for riding the same stuff multiple times, insead of ensuring that folks got to ride the big stuff once.

So basically FP was a system that favored..... repeat customers? Most businesses want repeat customers...

But if your business doesn't want customers with high expectations that you yourself have set in the past....

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Guests rating DAK poorly? People clearing out early? Attendance lower than it should be, spending abysmal? TDO's solution - cut the parade! Open a new E-Ticket in five years! Don't fix the marquee attraction, let it rot! Common sense - they has none.

ZING! You win.

So basically FP was a system that favored..... repeat customers? Most businesses want repeat customers...

But if your business doesn't want customers with high expectations that you yourself have set in the past....

Oookay. But they already got our money (entrance ticket) so why would they give a flying crap if you get to ride space mountain one time or ten?

 

[sshindel]

Theres plenty of non-Disney park/store merchandise that's awesome out there right now. Target has some decent designs. There's also cute fabric at Jo-Ann stores if anyone is into sewing.

For example, I really dont know how long I am going to be able to live without this shirt. Maybe not through the day, likely not through the weekend:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/angrysaint/works/9780127-fort-wilderness-river-country-black

 

[yeti]

Tokyo Disneyland has the BEST merchandise. Makes US Disney merchandise look like cheap crap. The good thing is you can find Tokyo Disneyland merchandise on eBay.

I actually disagree. While somewhat better than WDW, with some nice resort-specific merch and appropriately themed Pooh and Monsters Inc shops, there's still WAAY too much worthless bric a brac piled on store shelves. And soo much Duffy. You would think, for instance, that the main stores in Mediterranean Harbor or Mysterious Island would have awesome renaissance gadgets or steampunk/Nautilus toys. Nope. Unfortunately, they're all stuffed with Duff and like WDW, the same shirts you get everywhere else. We should all be very thankful that bear didn't make the same splash on this side of the pond.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I actually disagree. While somewhat better than WDW, with some nice resort-specific merch and appropriately themed Pooh and Monsters Inc shops, there's still WAAY too much worthless bric a brac piled on store shelves. And soo much Duffy. You would think, for instance, that the main stores in Mediterranean Harbor or Mysterious Island would have awesome renaissance gadgets or steampunk/Nautilus toys. Nope. Unfortunately, they're all stuffed with Duff and like WDW, the same shirts you get everywhere else. We should all be very thankful that bear didn't make the same splash on this side of the pond.

I actually like Duffy.

Still, they're products are more detailed and they look like someone actually took some time to design and come up with some decent artwork. Can't really say the same for the One Disney products.

 

[GLaDOS]

Tokyo Disneyland has the BEST merchandise.

I'd actually very much disagree with this. Tokyo's merchandise is pretty poor, and is similar to what you find at the rest of the resorts across the world.

Poor merch is a world wide Disney Parks problem.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I actually disagree. While somewhat better than WDW, with some nice resort-specific merch and appropriately themed Pooh and Monsters Inc shops, there's still WAAY too much worthless bric a brac piled on store shelves. And soo much Duffy. You would think, for instance, that the main stores in Mediterranean Harbor or Mysterious Island would have awesome renaissance gadgets or steampunk/Nautilus toys. Nope. Unfortunately, they're all stuffed with Duff and like WDW, the same shirts you get everywhere else. We should all be very thankful that bear didn't make the same splash on this side of the pond.

I've heard similar complaints about Tokyo Disney and Paris is even worse than WDW from what I saw. I find merch across Disney parks to be weak with only a few exceptions.

 

[IHeartArt]

I actually disagree. While somewhat better than WDW, with some nice resort-specific merch and appropriately themed Pooh and Monsters Inc shops, there's still WAAY too much worthless bric a brac piled on store shelves. And soo much Duffy. You would think, for instance, that the main stores in Mediterranean Harbor or Mysterious Island would have awesome renaissance gadgets or steampunk/Nautilus toys. Nope. Unfortunately, they're all stuffed with Duff and like WDW, the same shirts you get everywhere else. We should all be very thankful that bear didn't make the same splash on this side of the pond.

Duffman the Bear is stupid. Oh boy, a teddy bear I can get anywhere else but it has a Mickey logo on it and a creepy backstory. I don't understand how it took off so much at Tokyo Disneyland.

 

[djlaosc]

There's not much to add to the Hollywood Studios discussion, except that several departments have been notified they should prepare to move their offices away from certain areas that are marked for expansion. Oddly enough, the Beauty and the Beast contract renewals are up in the air, but Disney is hiring more stunt men for Indiana Jones.

Is there a chance that the rumours of replacing B&TB at VOTLM would happen before the newly rumoured expansion?

2013/2014: Replace B&TB
2016/2017: Replace Indiana Jones

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'd actually very much disagree with this. Tokyo's merchandise is pretty poor, and is similar to what you find at the rest of the resorts across the world.

Poor merch is a world wide Disney Parks problem.

Not what I've seen so far, unless the merchandise I've been seeing is quite old.

I respect your opinion, though.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

For example, I really dont know how long I am going to be able to live without this shirt. Maybe not through the day, likely not through the weekend:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/angrysaint/works/9780127-fort-wilderness-river-country-black

pretty sure I can't live without it either. In pink.


^5

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I actually like Duffy.

All this time I thought we were so close.