Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[RSoxNo1]

Disney tried selling 15-year extensions at OKW but it flew like a lead balloon. For the next few decades, Disney's going to be facing an increasing problem with its growing number of DVC members if Disney doesn't figure out a way to get those members back into the parks spending money and wanting to extend their contracts. The way to do it is either offer rock-bottom prices (yeah, sure, Disney loves offering lower prices) or to get them back into the parks the same way they get anyone into the parks, by investing in the parks.

Mythbusters got a lead balloon to fly.

 

[englanddg]

Does anyone really feel that a stranger using their name because they saw it in a computer feels personal?

I feel that it is the opposite. Seems like a forced attempt at personalization which comes off as just forced and not very personal at all. Like your just another name in the computer...another band of info...they get your name and use it and that's supposed to make you feel special.

Maybe other people feel differently, though.

Will you all feel special when the staff use your name because they saw it in a computer?

Once this goes live, what would happen if I put in a fake name for the kid? Like Dumbface McNumbskull? Would Snow White say it? Should I be offended when she doesn't?

I'd imagine the video would be great youtube fodder though...

 

[Nemo14]

I remember a few names we used on the ET ride....

 

[Goofyernmost]

Does anyone really feel that a stranger using their name because they saw it in a computer feels personal?

I feel that it is the opposite. Seems like a forced attempt at personalization which comes off as just forced and not very personal at all. Like your just another name in the computer...another band of info...they get your name and use it and that's supposed to make you feel special.

Maybe other people feel differently, though.

Will you all feel special when the staff use your name because they saw it in a computer?

Well the kid won't know that it is from a computer, they will think that Mickey actually knew who he was. His reaction will probably be positive and that will make his parents positive as well. It's a clever idea, but talking about it and actually pulling it off...that I have to see.

 

[WDW1974]

When was the last time you were at DCA? A lot of the miscellaneous tackiness has been removed: see this thread. The only major thing breaking theme outside of the Backlot (I think) is the Animation Bldg. While I think it's silly as all heck that a building is pretending to be the sky at the Hyperion Theater, the part that is still a building is a good looking building, IMO.

Oh, this reminds me that I neglected to give kudos to the Animation Building as a top-notch attraction from DCA 1.0. And since I enjoyed both 3D movies in FL, I have to also give them credit.

Yep, when I think about it, there was plenty I really enjoyed about DCA 1.0.

 

[Cletus]

Once this goes live, what would happen if I put in a fake name for the kid? Like Dumbface McNumbskull? Would Snow White say it? Should I be offended when she doesn't?

I literally just spit beer out of my mouth when I read this! Funny stuff.

 

[WDW1974]

I fully agree with your post - and would add another thought: Financially Disney has even become "addicted" to DVC. Because it brings such huge profits they simply just can't stop building them as that would mean a drop in profit. We all can imagine how investors would react to a sudden drop in profits in a buisiness unit - even if it would make sense to take that drop.

I would say that DVC sales are the Disney exec equivalent to Pixie Dust for fanbois. It's an addiction and you always crave MORE.

An exec friend once 'explained to me the tax benefits that Disney also gets from building as many timeshares as it can as fast as it can, but I can't recall the particulars right now and I really don't want to push the discussion too far into a DVC bash session when Trippy and VBDAD and Chi-Mike are nowhere around. And when I just spent 11 nights in glorious DVC comfort without paying a penny.

 

[WDW1974]

The simplest action can give SO much hope. I understand Disney has a bunch of red tape and it's a mess in many ways, but to see an exec of his level out in the parks is the type of initiative TDO has lacked for so long. Thanks for the report.

I don't know about that. Meg was spotted out and about at DLR during the 24-hour party.

The issue with George is he is keeping a low profile, unlike every past position he has held (I don't want to tell you how many times I just ran into him at EPCOT and DLR), either because he doesn't want to be around anyone who might express concerns with WDW or his bosses don't want it. George doesn't lie well when he is looking you in the eyes.

 

[WDW1974]

What did I like about DCA 1.0? Soaring and the surrounding area, the Winery, Grizzly River Run, Animation, Eureka. The rest? Awful, ugly. and cheap. We walked out and back into DL after lodging a complaint. DCA 2.0 looks like EPCOT Center on opening day in comparison!

I liked more than you, Mark. I loved Soarin -- and still do. I loved Screamin -- and still do. I enjoyed Muppetvision and Tough to be a Bug. Also, liked Golden Dreams too ...and everything you listed above.

I thought the park was troubled because if the way it was conceived and put together, but I liked it ... Even in 2001.

 

[WDW1974]

DVC isn't a time bomb... more like a bad marriage. One that after several years of hot lovin' the short term profits... Disney will learn its stuck with all these tens of thousands of wives it can't get out of its house. Wives that cheat on him (goto Uni), don't do the daily chores (don't spend money on Dis property) but yet due to the kids (the DVC deeds), Disney is stuck dealing with the bad wives until the kids grow up and move out.

What Disney will miss is the short term profit taking that DVC building brings... it won't really be a burden on Disney except for the problem that it basically will have so much property and resources tied up into supporting those DVC properties.

DVC is more like a boat anchor... or the bad wife. Not something that is volatile and likely to blow your hands off (time bomb).

My Humble Opinion.. YMMV

OK, even though I like @ParentsOf4 's post, I LOVE Flynn's analogy. I think they are both largely accurate.

 

[WDW1974]

That's what I was getting at. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd peg category #2 from my previous post at over 50%.

I do think there are plenty of DVC members who do it for supposed savings, but I don't think the majority are people without much money who are doing it to save. A good chunk of DVC members being big spenders is certainly no myth.

A lot of them are simply addicted to the BRAND. Pure and simple. All of us here are to one degree or another. But people who have to 'own' a timeshare at Disney (or the folks who uprooted themselves in the 90s to live in Celebration) have it to a ridiculous degree. And they have to have money, no matter how you or I may perceive them to be.

I read about a woman recently who has been on 51 DCL cruises and had five planned for 2014. As much as I love DCL, I think she has a strong mix of too much money, too little life and mental illness all combined.

 

[WDW1974]

I think you downplay the easy money resale offers Disney... but I think your last sentence makes the difference. The BIG money is in selling a new building - but that doesn't mean there isn't attractive money in resell for Disney.

Like we've talked about in the last few pages... recurring vs upfront.. and today's dollars vs tomorrows. Resell is a recurring revenue stream (with tiny overhead) that they can continue to recognize (and at today's dollars too!). The issue is it too declines in value over time as the contract term gets closer to expiration. It may not be a billion dollars in 1-3 years.. but I bet its pretty rich

I've love to hear Disney's true insider plans on what they think they'll do at the contract expiration. My guess is try to convert existing buyers and fund a renovation to try to sweeten the pot. These properties are just too big to tear down.. and converting to hotels maybe too disruptive to the existing model.

Plan???

You really think this company plans even five years out, let alone decades?

They will leave the planning to Dan Cockerell's grandkids, who I'm sure will be running what's left of WDW.

 

[flynnibus]

Plan???

You really think this company plans even five years out, let alone decades?

They will leave the planning to Dan Cockerell's grandkids, who I'm sure will be running what's left of WDW.

Well there has to be sommmmeething in the slide deck for it . I'd love to hear the party line on the subject .

 

[englanddg]

Well there has to be sommmmeething in the slide deck for it . I'd love to hear the party line on the subject .

Aging DVC'rs means more restrooms. That explains a lot of the future park plans.

<old joke, I know, still runs away quickly>

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Oh, this reminds me that I neglected to give kudos to the Animation Building as a top-notch attraction from DCA 1.0. And since I enjoyed both 3D movies in FL, I have to also give them credit.

Yep, when I think about it, there was plenty I really enjoyed about DCA 1.0.

Yep. I didn't see it until late 2007, but I really liked DCA before all of the more recent additions, too. Even before the massive makeover, I thought it was in the same league as DHS and DAK.

Sometimes I actually wonder if DCA 2.0 would have been as successful as it is now without DCA 1.0 preceding it... i.e. there was a good chance locals would react poorly to whatever they built in the parking lot, because it "wasn't Disneyland". If they opened the 2012 version of DCA back in 2001, would it get 10 million people per year? Or would there still be an adjustment period with people foaming at the mouth because of the differences from Disneyland proper? I think the way things worked out for Disney here borders on "New Coke" level of good fortune. DCA was like the loser girl in a prom movie... she just needed to take off the glasses and get a pretty new dress to become prom queen. DCA was a pretty decent park looking at it objectively, but it needed to be made "cool".

 

[WDW1974]

Mr. Spirit Dear, can you possibly shed light as to why Disney Cruise Line is shifting so many itineraries for the Dream, Magic, & Wonder in late 2014? They're changing the usual Dream Sunday & Thursday departures to Monday & Friday. The Fantasy will stick with her usual Saturday rotation. They're pulling the Magic up from Miami to Port Canaveral (putting 3 ships sailing from PC again) and switching bookings for the Magic out of Miami to the Wonder out of Miami. ((We've got a recent placeholder booking for the Magic out of Miami that we received notification about.)) I can't imagine that they would go thru all this mess of modifying itineraries, changing over bookings, etc. if there wasn't a good reason to do it. Wonder what the driving force in this itinerary shift is. I can't imagine it'd be something small considering how many people would be potentially effected by making a bunch of changes with the ships and sail dates.

I will ask around, but my initial reaction is twofold..One, the Wonder will be headed to dry dock in the fall of 2014. Two, last I heard the 2015 sailing slate was in flux because they want to do something big to tie into DL's 60th anniversary.

But it could be entirely different too.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

 

[JenniferS]

I remember a few names we used on the ET ride....

The first time we rode ET, my husband gave all our names as: Jennifer, Eugene, Eugene and Eugene.
Dude thinks he's funny.
Problem was, the gal couldn't spell Eugene; so ET bid farewell to: Jennifer and garbled mess x3.

 

[englanddg]

Yep. I didn't see it until late 2007, but I really liked DCA before all of the more recent additions, too. Even before the massive makeover, I thought it was in the same league as DHS and DAK.

Sometimes I actually wonder if DCA 2.0 would have been as successful as it is now without DCA 1.0 preceding it... i.e. there was a good chance locals would react poorly to whatever they built in the parking lot, because it "wasn't Disneyland". If they opened the 2012 version of DCA back in 2001, would it get 10 million people per year? Or would there still be an adjustment period with people foaming at the mouth because of the differences from Disneyland proper? I think the way things worked out for Disney here borders on "New Coke" level of good fortune. DCA was like the loser girl in a prom movie... she just needed to take off the glasses and get a pretty new dress to become prom queen. DCA was a pretty decent park looking at it objectively, but it needed to be made "cool".

That's a very interesting perspective.

I found DLC disappointing. It's small, it's quaint, it's cute...it's small. It has a lot of things going for it, no doubt, but compared to MK, not worth the expense for me (being east coast based). Nothing wow'ed me at DLC, but I did have many nostalgic moments (Nemo subs for my long missed 20k Leagues ride at MK, Snow White, Mr. Toads) Other rides were either nearly identical or done better at MK. It had a few new experiences (Matterhorn, for example) that were unique, but I think many of that balances out (take, for example, they have a better Fantasmic, but MK has better fireworks)...overall, I just wasn't impressed, but I wasn't disappointed either.

Now, this may cause some DLC lover flame responses, which I understand, and respect. Gotta love your "home park", so I want to clarify, I'm not saying it's better or worse than MK...but in MY experience, I'd rather do MK.

Anyhow, when it came to DCA, it felt a lot more like a mish mash of ideas, even after the refurb. Most of the time I felt like it was a very well done replica of HS (not that HS is anything to brag about now)...

I loved both parks, and will certainly be planning a return visit with the kid. But, for now, I'm WDW bound!

 

[Calvin Coolidge]

Also, liked Golden Dreams too ...and everything you listed above.

I get the feeling that if Golden Dreams was an AA show like American Adventure it would still be around. (Not complaining...I'm plenty happy with a dark ride there)