Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[flynnibus]

Even Carter didnt move earnings too much. It effected studios, but overall I don't believe it made much of a difference. Especially not long term.

It affected studios... by having a $200 million write off holding back any posted profits. But the depression of about $100 million more than investors thought.. is still just a blip on the larger DIS numbers. When the news broke, investors were down slightly, but not largely.. mainly because they knew studios was going to be a minor player that FY.

 

[RSoxNo1]

My dearest Sue, I wish I had an accurate copy of an agenda for D23, but Zenia's crew has apparently left me off the email list (yeah, convenient, I know).

Disney knows it HAS to make a splash in its P&R presentation if it has any hopes of the Expo continuing.They set a high bar (relatively speaking) in 2009 and then completely ignored it in 2011. Between that and the complaints of people who paid and waited in endless lines (for the good stuff) only to not get in, they can't have a repeat.

Now, the question is what is a big splash? Is it announcing one of the new projects for DLR (with a largely SoCal crowd)? Is it showing off more of Shanghai now that construction has actually started? Is it wowing the fanbois with something that they worked on with Cameron's folks to FINALLY tell us what we'll get in Pandora after waiting six years for it to open? Is it showing off the Ratatouille ride that will open in DSP next summer? Is it announcing what will be in the new Marvel land at HKDL? OR ... is it going big and announcing a DCA-style makeover for TPFKaTD-MGMS? Or announcing they aren't going big, but still putting some money and effort into the park?

Now, if it were me, I'd do ALL of the above. I'd blow people's socks off and get them excited about what Disney is doing around the world in the rest of the decade.

But this is Disney, they may show a mockup of one of the MK's new floats and do a presentation on the kiddie coaster coming and the recently opened Fantasy Faire at DL and call it a day.

I offered my opinions of what it will take: http://micechat.com/31404-walt-disney-world-universal-orlando/

 

[Magenta Panther]

I see it more just as an extension of his possessive nature. When the others wouldn't back his vision.. again.. he basically took his toys and went home and did it 'his way'. I think the licensing of his name was the biggest sticking point.. especially since he named the company himself in his own image.

I think he also felt he was losing control of his own company, which was in some ways true, and he missed having the kind of camaraderie and creative control he'd had in his company's earlier days. I remember reading somewhere - I think in the book "How To Be Like Walt" - that he once told one of his Imagineers that WED felt like "the old Hyperion days" to him - when he could take risks without having to consider stockholders and the like. Bottom line, Walt got stubborn about WED just like he did over the studio strike, but not out of greedy evil motives, as some here would have it. In the former case, he really did try to give his artists a great place to work, and the Disney studio was undoubtedly miles ahead of its competition in that regard - so he was personally deeply hurt when the artists went on strike anyway. In the latter case, he wanted fair compensation for his struggles and worries and two nervous breakdowns and everything else he'd gone through trying to build the company, PLUS he wanted to explore new projects without interference. His way of achieving those things went against what is commonly considered ethical business practices, but Walt was no crook - just, as I mentioned, stubborn. Here's his take on the situation:

The company would provide Walt a way to fund the development of Disneyland. He owned one-third of the company, and his daughters owned the other two-thirds. He negotiated a deal: in return for licensing his name to Walt Disney Productions, he would receive either a five-percent royalty from every merchandising transaction, or he would take a share of up to fifteen percent in every Disney project. Considering that the Disney name appeared on virtually everything, the agreement was especially lucrative to Walt and his family.
Walt felt he had ample justification for the agreement. "I borrowed on the insurance I’d been paying on for 30 years, and sold my house in Palm Springs to get Disneyland to a point where I could show people what it would be,” he said. “My wife complained that if anything happened to me, I would have spent all the family money.”

 

[RSoxNo1]

That's right ... just add more rides any/every where ... how about a rolley coaster in the Hub and really ... why have a castle, you could do soooo much with that land?

Let's have MK be just a rides park because people go to Dizzy World so they can ride rides, dammit!!!

Your point is well taken, but part of the problem is that the parks have been lacking in the rides department.

 

[RSoxNo1]

It isn't a great place for an attraction or expansion without quite a bit of infastructure work.

They could simply bulldoze Storybook Circus and put something of substance there.

I look at Storybook Circus much in the same way that I look at Dino-Rama, people would have much less of an issue with it if there was a solid dark ride there. Add in a D-ticket family friendly dark ride to either of these areas and you get your substance along with a theme that becomes more forgivable.

 

[culturenthrills]

The REALLY GOOD food at Uni's restaurants had me skipping fast food almost all the time.

I think that many vacationers, going commando, lack the wherewithal to walk to CityWalk and just want to eat and drink wherever they are when they decide its time. So, makes sense to put in fast food.

But I've often thought, too, its almost crazy to eat fast food at Uni when City Walk is full of great restaurants that aren't $50/person.

we always leave the park and usually head to Nba City. Great food and the prices are pretty good.

 

[flynnibus]

I heard NBA was the worst on property... enough we never thought to try it

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Has Oz gone into the black yet?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I offered my opinions of what it will take: http://micechat.com/31404-walt-disney-world-universal-orlando/

We've read all of that before in Peteralt's posts.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Has Oz gone into the black yet?

Probably not, but tomorrow's home video release in the US may help with that.

 

[cheezbat]

Has Oz gone into the black yet?

The movie cost $215 million...it's made over $230 million domestically, with another $240-$250 million overseas. A movie making half a billion dollars just in its theater run...

It's gotta be well in the black.

 

[HMF]

Yeah but as far as I know, Iger and Rasulo have not started up a secret company and hired away Disney employees to work for them. Nor are they using studio tools, equipment, supplies and office space rent free. The shareholders seem to be pleased with the return on their investment. Walt, on the other hand, felt the shareholders deserved little and that's what he gave them. Until he got caught.

Making the company public was the worst thing Walt ever did in my opinion.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Making the company public was the worst thing Walt ever did in my opinion.

It's not like it wouldn't have happened eventually anyway.

 

[englanddg]

It's not like it wouldn't have happened eventually anyway.

It was his choice, for easy finance.

One of the largest technology companies in the US (SAIC) is still privately owned.

 

[Next Big Thing]

It was his choice, for easy finance.

One of the largest technology companies in the US (SAIC) is still privately owned.

They went public in 1957, only a few years after Walt sank all his money into Disneyland. He had reasoning behind his decision.

 

[englanddg]

They went public in 1957, only a few years after Walt sank all his money into Disneyland. He had reasoning behind his decision.

Yes, money.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Yes, money.

Obviously. If you were in his position and had just sunk all your money into a theme park (which needed to be maintained and updated) and your only sources of income were coming from the park and hoping your movies make money, you'd go public too. He needed financial security.

 

[englanddg]

Obviously. If you were in his position and had just sunk all your money into a theme park (which needed to be maintained and updated) and your only sources of income were coming from the park and hoping your movies make money, you'd go public too. He needed financial security.

Wouldn't you?

 

[Next Big Thing]

Wouldn't you?

If I were in a position where it seems i'm barely scratching by as a business and it seems like if a movie or two flops then we may go under? You bet I would.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Making the company public was the worst thing Walt ever did in my opinion.

If he didn't there wouldn't be any of this.