Spirited Spring Break News, Observations & Thoughts ...

[DisneyGentleman]

Of course they just mean in the US, surely?

They wouldn't have it wrong would they?

I thought I just imagined walking around the Matterhorn - until I checked an aerial view.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Yeah but this is the first time you can walk around an attraction that has a slight swaying motion.

 

[WDW1974]

Sean ‏@Parkscope_Sean 36m
I’ve just been informed I’m jealous of a sad, crotchety middle-aged man who spends his time trolling people on a Disney form. Ha!

Ah, so he's been informed (because none of the Twits read here, they have minions who simply report every word of every conversation to them ... yeah, sure.) as to his jealousy, well, only he knows.

But he is right about a few things: I am sad (the world isn't a good place and gets worse by the day ... you just need to look beyond theme parks) and crotchety ... well, my special friend 'Angie M' would most definitely agree with that. I love being crotchety ...it is one of my things.

As to trolling, if placing out honest, thought provoking and strong opinions as well as news and facts about Disney, UNI and the media/entertainment business for people to discuss is trolling then I am guilty. But that's not what it is.

My advice to Sean would be to get whatever he has stuck up his out of it and stop focusing on me unless he'd like to contact me in which case he is free to get my email address from fellow Lifestyler @EPCOT Explorer ... or just his podcast co-host, our old pal Captain Michael.

 

[Nubs70]

Stop talking about hotels. Every time you do, I feel the need to chime in. (And wasn't Portofino Bay lovely.)

As recently as 2008, WDW's hotels were running at 90% occupancy. IMHO, this was a direct result of Disney's new Magic Your Way ticket pricing structure and Disney's Magical Express. Since then, they've added BLT (a DVC with a high occupancy rate), AOA (a Value Resort with a high occupancy rate with the exception of its badly priced Family Suites), and VGF (another high occupancy rate DVC).

You'd think hotel occupancy would be up.

But occupancy was down to 79% last year despite record crowds at the theme parks. And remember, that 79% is propped up by DVC.

Somewhere in the last 5 years or so, WDW broke their hotel business model and it really seems like they don't know how to fix it.

Before building one additional hotel/DVC room, fix it by building a fifth gate with quality attractions to create an experience demand that will draw in added guests. Then, reduce level of free dining/ discounts until average zero based occupancy rates average 92%. Then build rooms based on demand on increased ride capacity.

 

[mahnamahna101]

Does the news of screen-based attractions for Uni's foreseeable future include the KidZone revamp?

 

[thehowiet]

Before building one additional hotel/DVC room, fix it by building a fifth gate with quality attractions to create an experience demand that will draw in added guests. Then, reduce level of free dining/ discounts until average zero based occupancy rates average 92%. Then build rooms based on demand on increased ride capacity.

They can't even properly maintain and continue building out the four parks they already have, but I see your point. There's already too many hotel/DVC rooms on property IMO.

 

[alissafalco]

Before building one additional hotel/DVC room, fix it by building a fifth gate with quality attractions to create an experience demand that will draw in added guests. Then, reduce level of free dining/ discounts until average zero based occupancy rates average 92%. Then build rooms based on demand on increased ride capacity.

Please! I cringe every time someone mentions a 5th gate. We dont even have enough attractions for the 4 gates we have.

 

[Nubs70]

Please! I cringe every time someone mentions a 5th gate. We dont even have enough attractions for the 4 gates we have.

I see your point. So I redact fifth gate and replace with a general "addition of quality attractions in existing parks".

 

[BrianLo]

Sean ‏@Parkscope_Sean 36m
As to trolling, if placing out honest, thought provoking and strong opinions as well as news and facts about Disney, UNI and the media/entertainment business for people to discuss is trolling then I am guilty. But that's not what it is.

I'll give you half and half on this one. The very nature of the often times wildly off-topic, inciting and emotionally charged call outs of a Spirited thread certainly meets the criteria. You are very, very, very good at it though, and that's what keeps butts glued to the screens.

It's easy to create an emotionally charged thread and to wind people up, but it's a different sort of skill to have some of the masses prevent one from being chased off or burned at the stake, which merely mortal trolls tend to fall into.

How about this, you are a master manipulator for getting your way - which is discussion (and maybe page views).

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Does the news of screen-based attractions for Uni's foreseeable future include the KidZone revamp?

Let's just say it's all screened in.

But yes, the main problem is that the leadership at Universal Creative is very much from the film industry. They think like film people too. Once you can get them tired of film (Like Walt became later on) then you will start seeing less of a reliance on film from their attractions. You'll also have to convince some key people at Comcast to double the budget on the new rides to account for the larger show buildings and room for more animated physical elements.

It's a balancing act.

 

[GoofGoof]

Please! I cringe every time someone mentions a 5th gate. We dont even have enough attractions for the 4 gates we have.

I agree with this. I think @Nubs70 was trying to say something along the lines of "if you build it they will come". Build more rides. It doesn't need to be a 5th gate, just build more in the 4 parks you have. Keep the rides you have operating and well maintained. That will draw more interest and more guests for your hotels which will be full again. Then build more hotels if there is real demand. Continuing to build more hotel rooms that you then have to discount is a broken business model. Then again so was airing Who Wants to be a millionaire 5 nights a week and it didn't stop Disney

 

[Nubs70]

By zero based occupancy, I mean actual rooms occupied/total rooms built. Not actual room occupied/(total rooms built - rooms not in inventory)

 

[lazyboy97o]

Ya'know, the screen thing wouldn't be nearly as bad if they used it like it should be used and updated it frequently or used it (like Star Tours) to have randomly generated differentiating scenes. That is the one area where these types of attractions could really excel.

The idea that TSMM has been as insanely popular as it has been and has only had a very small amount of scene changes is somewhat obscene IMO. A rider should be able to go on at any time and not know what scenes they're going to get. Gameplay and scores wouldn't even be effected if the targets are the same but the characters and scenery are changed randomly.

And Star Tours. Why would it be so hard to add new planets every once in a while? I understand the cost of ILM and programming the attraction, but that's nothing compared to keeping it new and exciting. Rotate some in and some out every few months. Keep the attraction fresh.

The only excuse is because people keep coming. Digital ride controls make this sort of work even easier and capable of being tested at night or on slow days.

I will definitively need an explanation on this lol.

The Alice Comedies were a series of shorts produced by Disney from 1923-1927, with work on the first short being started by the Laugh-O-Gram Studio.

 

[doctornick]

Before building one additional hotel/DVC room, fix it by building a fifth gate with quality attractions to create an experience demand that will draw in added guests. Then, reduce level of free dining/ discounts until average zero based occupancy rates average 92%. Then build rooms based on demand on increased ride capacity.

They would get more mileage out of improving 3/4 of the existing parks than building a new gate. Even a half assed new park would cost something like $2 billion and using that same amount of money to spruce up the offerings at Epcot and especially DAK & DHS would absolutely drive more people to WDW (and into onsite hotels).
Furthermore, if they really wanted to drive onsite occupancy (especially for moderates and deluxe which are the ones who are hurting), they could use the increased capacity to give onsite guests extra FP+ which would be an actual potential driver for such bookings.

 

[tirian]

Your guess is as good as mine... I was just at Panera yesterday and saw one kid with an Avengers shirt on, another with the Captain's shield on his shirt. My neighbor's kids run around with Thor shields and swords. All that is purely anecdotal of course, but it's pretty obvious it sells. It doesn't seem like superhero merchandise demand has done anything but risen from back when my brother was little, and I swear he owned every single Batman action figure Toys R' Us offered. So honestly why not sell it in the parks?? It makes sense from a business perspective to me.

It was wisely pulled from the MK, Epcot, and DAK because it doesn't belong there. I've heard it's been reduced in the Studios to avoid leading Guests to ask where the Marvel attractions are...(Hint: at Universal). That leaves DTD.

 

[doctornick]

It was wisely pulled from the MK, Epcot, and DAK because it doesn't belong there. I've heard it's been reduced in the Studios to avoid leading Guests to ask where the Marvel attractions are...(Hint: at Universal). That leaves DTD.

Is there any plans for a Marvel store in the revamped DS? Seems to me to be a no brainer and I don't see how it would be a violation of the agreement with Universal if it was just a store selling merchandise.

 

[StageFrenzy]

They would get more mileage out of improving 3/4 of the existing parks than building a new gate. Even a half assed new park would cost something like $2 billion and using that same amount of money to spruce up the offerings at Epcot and especially DAK & DHS would absolutely drive more people to WDW (and into onsite hotels).
Furthermore, if they really wanted to drive onsite occupancy (especially for moderates and deluxe which are the ones who are hurting), they could use the increased capacity to give onsite guests extra FP+ which would be an actual potential driver for such bookings.

$2 billion hmmm...

 

[StageFrenzy]

Is there any plans for a Marvel store in the revamped DS? Seems to me to be a no brainer and I don't see how it would be a violation of the agreement with Universal if it was just a store selling merchandise.

That would be the weird intersection of vinyl and fanboys known as D-Street.

 

[tirian]

For years, I've been alarmed at how many $7/hour CPs would go to the guillotine for a Hidden Mickey.

We all love Disney entertainment too, but there's a point where fondness becomes a psychological condition.

Most of these folks can't make it in the real world and likely had no real jobs to quit.

Orlando has in the last 10-15 years become full of sad, lonely, damaged people who think living close to WDW will give them a life when all it does is prevent them from having one. I'd love to know the ratio of mentally ill folks under 40 in O-Town versus NYC, Seattle, Omaha and Atlanta.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Is there any plans for a Marvel store in the revamped DS? Seems to me to be a no brainer and I don't see how it would be a violation of the agreement with Universal if it was just a store selling merchandise.

4.To the extent and in the territories that MCA has exclusive theme park rights, such shall not prohibit (except for the limitations described below) Marvel from itself developing or licensing its planned Retail concept which may include interactive elements as a major or minor element (presently intended to be called “The Marvel Action Universe” and referred to as such herein, but which may also be called “The Marvel Universe” or another name chosen by Marvel). The Marvel Action Universe will consist, inter alia, of the sale of comic books, trading cards, software, licensed or Marvel produced merchandise, the use of electronic games and/or pinballs or other coin operated games, and may include one or more virtual reality and/or simulator ride using Marvel characters or other themes. The following restrictions shall apply to The Marvel Action Universe (or elements thereof whether owned or licensed by Marvel).

a.Restrictions as to the geographic location of The Marvel Action Universe in areas where MCA has exclusive rights hereunder.

i.The Marvel Action Universe will not be within 60 miles of any Universal Theme Park with a THE MARVEL UNIVERSE