Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[doctornick]

Nope.

Disney has very little interest in Dr. Jones either in the cinema or in its parks.

Sure, but when the time comes to a new ride in Adventureland because they need something new, it will be a lot easier to dust off an IJ ride than put in (say) Fire Mountain, given leadership's love of IP tie-ins.

Things change. Right after the Lucasfilm acquisition, wasn't Disney reluctant to put that IP into the domestic parks in any greater amount? And yet now it seems like it's full speed ahead for Star Wars land in DHS. Indiana Jones is an easy fall back for a certain type of ride if one is needed.

 

[HMF]

BTW, folks in the business say Bob opted to not try out the political realm because he was told by consultants that he didn't come off as likeable ... in politics. Yeah, let that one soak in a bit.

I think the last election showed that people just won't go for former CEO's with plastic personalities, always sound like they are reading a pre-prepared script and have little to no connection with the reality situations of the vast majority of us.

 

[John]

I am saying that SDL has a very small roster of attractions (some will be very impressive or should be) and I am not sure Disney wants Americans who have a free Internet (just one that every keystroke is recorded by the government to use against you at some future date if they feel they have a reason) to be spending years saying 'that's ALL they're building?!?!' because folks in China will read that. There's only so much good will having the largest and tallest Disney castle will earn you with the central government in Beijing.

They all well recall how what was announced in 1999 for HKDL was not what opened in 2005. Of course, you couldn't drop 40-50% of the park this time because you'd be left with a castle and a pair of spinners and not much else.

Ah, Two Broke Girls or as folks at CBS call it 'The Vagina Show' (some use another term).

Or some like to say.....See U next Tuesday.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Did they announce that and I somehow missed it? Last I heard they were shooting for late 2015, although there was no offical date released ...

My mistake, but I could have sworn someone here said 2016. You know Iger wants his name on that dedication plaque!!

 

[HMF]

I doubt that. Name recognition and the holiday weekend alone should boost it over Carter.
Not saying it'll be a huge hit, just that it won't make a JC sized crater.

Indeed, The FBI actually considers owning a DVD or Blu-Ray of John Carter should make you criminally responsible for possession of a bomb!

 

[WDW1974]

I opened 20 some odd locations...and the worst to staff was the NYC area stores (Brooklyn was all mine, with the help of another trainer and a close friend at the time...)...Queens and Bronx were both nightmares as well though...

Finding people who actually give a crap about what they are doing is so difficult in larger cities. They always want to be more than what they are, and don't realize that work gets you there. Smaller cities are more ripe for the picking, though that depends on the area as well. SC, for example, is just a sump-hole with respect to that...

Muskegon, I literally had people BEGGING for jobs, and taking it all very seriously. Same with Superior, CO (and Superior isn't exactly small town). SC, I had people who had been unemployed for 2 years telling me that 1 buck above min wage was too cheap, so they turned it down (with no skills to present)... <facepalms>

Long story, but it's a dynamic I found very interesting...

That plays into a stereotype that folks in the south are lazier. I don't like it. And I can tell you there are racial overtones (not talking about YOU, but about the general use). But there is lots of truth in that as well and I have seen and experienced it many times over.

That said, I recall years ago walking into an In N Out burger that had just opened in Las Vegas and it was full of smiling happy and friendly teens. The starting wage was about $14 an hour. ... You do get what you pay for.

Yes, I am old enough to recall the Atlanta Flames and the New Orleans Jazz ... and smiling, happy, friendly AND THIN WDW CMs.

 

[WDW1974]

I am assuming that is why Iger extended his tenure. Desperate to have his name on the SDL dedication plaque

Oh, he definitely does. The only plaque he has is DCA and he has to share with Michael.

Of course, he'll take all the credit, but it was Michael who first wanted to enter China and started the long process that will lead to SDL. And the folks in the government like Michael a lot more than they do Bob, who almost blew the deal numerous times. Oh, and yes, I know both of these items for a fact.

But he'd absolutely love his name on that plaque as the guy who 'opened China' to Disney ... even if it was very much a collaborative effort that never would have reached construction if not for his former boss.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I like the concept of bus only lanes.

They'd be rather useless without physical separation, which would require infrastructural investment, and or strict enforcement. As just a marked lane people will just use them as an express lane.

 

[WDW1974]

Virgin have announced that from next summer they are moving back to 747s from Manchester/Gatwick, the A330s are moving to the Caribbean route.

I like their A330s. I flew one once from London to Newark. But I was in the back (the horrors, I know ... usually on international flights I am up front befitting my role in society!) and while the plane was new and beautiful it was a little tight in that seat ... but all the free booze and food certainly helped.

 

[Lee]

Bob, who almost blew the deal numerous times. Oh, and yes, I know both of these items for a fact.

I thought a certain Spirit had a hand in almost derailing the Shanghai deal, though unintentional..


Uh-oh....movie starting...

 

[WDW1974]

I loved the TriStars. Flew them a lot on Eastern and Delta. Unfortunately in the later years they were falling apart, but when in their prime, they were elegant, smooth and comfortable. Great aircraft. I think there's less than 15 or 20 in service today, sadly. I hate the 37's with a passion.

The idea of going transcontinental on a 737 was unheard of 15 years ago, but now it is standard and I don't know how people do it. Those planes aren't really comfortable in First Class. ... it's sorta like taking a 757 across the Atlantic, which I did once, but at least that was in Continental's Business First.

 

[WDW1974]

A -200? Yikes.

Wow! I had no idea there were any still flying for major carriers. That might be a Pan Am or TWA plane ...

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Oh, he definitely does. The only plaque he has is DCA and he has to share with Michael.

Of course, he'll take all the credit, but it was Michael who first wanted to enter China and started the long process that will lead to SDL. And the folks in the government like Michael a lot more than they do Bob, who almost blew the deal numerous times. Oh, and yes, I know both of these items for a fact.

But he'd absolutely love his name on that plaque as the guy who 'opened China' to Disney ... even if it was very much a collaborative effort that never would have reached construction if not for his former boss.

Michael Eisner: Future President of Shanghai Disney Resort?

 

[HMF]

Oh, he definitely does. The only plaque he has is DCA and he has to share with Michael.

Of course, he'll take all the credit, but it was Michael who first wanted to enter China and started the long process that will lead to SDL. And the folks in the government like Michael a lot more than they do Bob, who almost blew the deal numerous times. Oh, and yes, I know both of these items for a fact.

But he'd absolutely love his name on that plaque as the guy who 'opened China' to Disney ... even if it was very much a collaborative effort that never would have reached construction if not for his former boss.

Well Lets see here
Walt-DL
Roy-MK
Card Walker-EPCOT, TDL
Eisner-TPFKNATDMGMS,STBFKADHS, DLP, DAK,DCA(shared with Iger), TDS, WDSP, HKDL,?(I think)
Iger-DCA (Shared with Eisner), SDL?
Eisner still has 6 and a half parks on him compared to Igers current 1 half of DCA and probably Shanghai.

 

[WDW1974]

That is an odd reference, even odder is that I've been to that McDonalds... I rarely eat there.

Really?! The one in the mall on the second floor? When headed from work out to HKDL, I'd stop there for a FRESH Big Mac meal (all for $2.50 USD) and then grab a drink at Pacific Coffee Co in the mall.

Perhaps the secret is Hong Kong Big Mac Sauce? (No, we both know it isn't ever paying sticker price).

Bingo!!!

The weather is also really nice here too! I imagine it's gross in Florida in the summer. AND kids aren't on holidays so the parks are bearable right now too.

That's surprising. I have heard that summers in Tokyo are brutal. I know the summers in China are enough to make Orlando feel cool by comparison. And I still don't get the lack of an ice cream shop on MSUSA at HKDL!!!

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Well Lets see here
Walt-DL
Roy-MK
Card Walker-EPCOT, TDL
Eisner-TPFKNATDMGMS,STBFKADHS, DAK,DCA(shared with Iger), TDS, WDSP, HKDL,?(I think)
Iger-DCA (Shared with Eisner), SDL?
Eisner still has 4 parks on him.

Don't forget EuroDisney!

 

[WDW1974]

That's a good point. I'd say Journey actually falls somewhere in between the two. Not as thrilling as Everest, not as complex a dark ride as RSR. Of course right in between two great attractions (with a working lava monster) is not a bad place to be!

I was thinking about the best use of their remaining expansion pad, I think an Everest style coaster (obviously with whatever amazing theme they would think up) would really work well and compliment the series of offerings they have.

I have a VERY hard time including EE in the same sentence as either JTTCoTE or RSRs. ... It was as close to an E-Ticket as WDW had last decade, but was lacking from Day 1. Now, it's just a coaster.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

That's surprising. I have heard that summers in Tokyo are brutal. I know the summers in China are enough to make Orlando feel cool by comparison. And I still don't get the lack of an ice cream shop on MSUSA at HKDL!!!

Are you suggesting Disney is leaving money on the table? That's not the Disney I know!

 

[HMF]

Don't forget EuroDisney!

Fixed!

 

[WDW1974]

It takes two to tango...

Yes, but I'm not looking to dance that dance ... I don't get how folks can be so negative about our government or corporate leadership until it comes to financial responsbility and then suddenly anything goes, but let's go after the individual who is just trying to bite off a little bit more of the fallacy of the American Dream for themselves and their families.

But doesn't matter to me, I'm a Faux Top One Percenter. While the 99 percent is surviving on stale cinnamon buns, I'll be on one of my yachts off Bora Bora dining on whatever my personal chef has cooked up from the gourmet store at our last port.

On that note ... I'm hungry. Later all.