Spirited Spring Break News, Observations & Thoughts ...

[WDW1974]

And continuing my personal campaign to see to it that people view Michael Eisner and his tenure just a bit fairly is this interesting read:

http://news.investors.com/041514-69...lepicks&src=aurlafw&google_editors_picks=true

I particularly enjoyed this:

<<Disney's market cap increased from $2 billion to $53 billion from 1984 to 1996. Eisner could point to 18 new businesses into which he'd led the company since taking the reins, including professional sports teams, live Broadway shows and Disney stores.>>

How many new businesses has Bob Iger led Disney into? (No, buying other film studios doesn't count!)

 

[71jason]

I was up there for a week. I stayed at Portofino Bay, which was not at all crowded. I visited Cabana Bay, which was a ghost town, but has an excuse as it had just opened.

I spent time, dined or drank at the Grand Flo, the Poly, the WL and the BW. They all seemed very empty, the WL was about the busiest (and is the cheapest by far of that group). Parking lots at all of the resorts except the Poly (which has half the lot ripped up and behind fences) were maybe one third to half full. So, no, I don't think it is that busy.

And there are no breathless phased shutdown threads now when I would have expected yesterday and today to be packed.

But, to be fair and balanced, UNI felt just as empty at WDW did. I don't think it was crowded at all when I was there. I would expect it this week, however.



It could be the timing of Easter this year. It could be all the snow days lost as you say in key WDW/O-Town markets. It could be the price of a vacation. Or it could be all of the above plus the fact our economy NEVER recovered (47% of American adults that are able to work are either unemployed, underemployed or have given up on life ... ) from what Wall Street and the last two (maybe 4-5) administrations have done to the American worker.

I kind of expected last week to be slow--too late for Florida and the other March spring break states, while most northeastern (and other Catholic) areas take off one of the two weeks around Easter, with more probably falling this week. Even with the late holiday this year, a lot of schools are off.

And just to show I don't think it's a general trend, 192 was a parking lot today, while I-4 was backed up almost to Champions Gate. There are people in town, they're just going for cheaper accommodations.

 

[Sped2424]

Anytime starting about a month from now on ...POSSIBLY. But if I lived in the area and had an AP, I'd take a few trips down myself.

Awesome I don't have the AP but I am going to invest in that soon! Especially since citywalk is really starting to reshape!

 

[71jason]

Go to Mizner's and order a mojito or a frozen drink and then ask why they can't serve you one for an example.

Well the mojito is because WDW management is cheap and refuses to order more mint leaves.

The frozen drink is because the bartenders hate making them so they made the band say the noise from the blender disturbed them.

 

[HenryMystic]

I can't answer that beyond saying UNI doesn't bend over backwards for any/every blogger/podcaster ... but you might want to ask the Parkscope guys, although someone needs to tell them that when you want to be taken seriously you need to get your facts right. ... Apparently, in one podcast they got the years that Fantasmic opened at DL and WDW (and something else ... I want to say when KRR debuted, but I didn't listen ... a fanboi minion reported in!) wrong.

But they likely know how UNI is treating the HP fan sites.

I think that if it were up to Uni, the HP fansites would not be involved or any fansites for that matter. It is my impression that WB and/or JKR arranges for them to be treated like "media."

It should be noted that while Jim Hill & Brigante are often Uni's guests at these events, they are there in their capacities as representatives of Huff Po & Fox News, respectively (REALLY!)

Leaky (a Potter fansite) has managed to arrange after hours events and conventions at UOR, but that's basically available to any organization with enough cash to make it happen.

I will say that in my experience, Leaky & Mugglenet are both (or were) really well-run, respected sites. Most notably, JKR flew the heads of both to her castle in Edinburgh for the release of Half-Blood Prince. Both were also at the forefront of podcasting. Lifestylers would do well to learn from how Leaky & Mugglenet conducted themselves in social media almost 10 years ago.

As for Fantasmic, who can really be bothered to care?

 

[HenryMystic]

Well the mojito is because WDW management is cheap and refuses to order more mint leaves.

The frozen drink is because the bartenders hate making them so they made the band say the noise from the blender disturbed them.

Mint may actually be the easiest thing in this world to grow. At any given time, I could probably supply Mizners with enough...even when you're there!

 

[71jason]

Mint may actually be the easiest thing in this world to grow. At any given time, I could probably supply Mizners with enough...even when you're there!

That's all @Master Gracey, I only drink mojitos on Disney cruise ships.

 

[TP2000]

The O-Sentinel takes a look at the $35 cover charge to have a drink and some tiny appetizers at EPCOT, and help make Georgie K's NGE bottom line look better:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-blog/os-disney-epcot-after-hours-party-bar-20140415,0,2278588.post

From the article...

“The goal was not for the bar to be open later, but it was for you to be able to take something new or pair something new from a culture that you might not be as familiar with,” said Mandy ÖDigiammarino, general manager of food and beverage at Epcot.

Bwahahaha! That's the funniest line I've heard all week! Seriously, did she just say that with a straight face to the media? Really?!? And she thinks people believe her? She's got to know how hilarious she sounds.

Either Ms. O'Digiammarino (I'll just call her Mandy) is a brilliant and hilarious performance artist, or she's profoundly stupid.

 

[WDWDad13]

I thought the goal was to provide food and wine festival after hours to those who want to continue to get drunk and pay them more money to do so?

 

[Darth Sidious]

And continuing my personal campaign to see to it that people view Michael Eisner and his tenure just a bit fairly is this interesting read:

http://news.investors.com/041514-69...lepicks&src=aurlafw&google_editors_picks=true

I particularly enjoyed this:

<<Disney's market cap increased from $2 billion to $53 billion from 1984 to 1996. Eisner could point to 18 new businesses into which he'd led the company since taking the reins, including professional sports teams, live Broadway shows and Disney stores.>>

How many new businesses has Bob Iger led Disney into? (No, buying other film studios doesn't count!)

I've been team Eisner for a long time. I want him to write a new book on his last 6 years at Disney and his post-Disney Tornante time. I'd also really like to hear his take on the current industry; you can get bits of that via his Twitter but I want some more detail haha.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

The odd part though is that Eisner had this to say about Iger last year regarding Iger's eventual retirement from Disney-

“If I had my choice I would have him stay even longer, God knows, maybe he will. The longer he stays, the better it is for the shareholders.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-...praises-iger-plays-down-lone-ranger-bomb.html

He could be lying of course for reasons i don't know, but I really don't know why he's offering so much public praise if he's as against Iger as 74 claims. Only possible GOOD reason I can think of for him giving this unnecessary comment is that he thinks Iger's alternative is even worse and Iger is the lesser of two evils (which I suppose could be possible if Rasulo is the front runner, but I was under the impression Iger and Rasulo are essentially the same). But still, making such comments that catering towards stock holder needs alone at the expense of quality is precisely what the fanbase is so against in the first place.

I posted this in the other spirited thread, but 74 has since migrated to this new one so I figured i'd post this again here as we're back to Eisner talk. I don't pretend to know all the goings-on within the company or its politics. Is there some ulterior motive he has for making a comment like this?

 

[turbosnatch]

I was up there for a week. I stayed at Portofino Bay, which was not at all crowded. I visited Cabana Bay, which was a ghost town, but has an excuse as it had just opened.

I spent time, dined or drank at the Grand Flo, the Poly, the WL and the BW. They all seemed very empty, the WL was about the busiest (and is the cheapest by far of that group). Parking lots at all of the resorts except the Poly (which has half the lot ripped up and behind fences) were maybe one third to half full. So, no, I don't think it is that busy.

And there are no breathless phased shutdown threads now when I would have expected yesterday and today to be packed.

But, to be fair and balanced, UNI felt just as empty at WDW did. I don't think it was crowded at all when I was there. I would expect it this week, however.



It could be the timing of Easter this year. It could be all the snow days lost as you say in key WDW/O-Town markets. It could be the price of a vacation. Or it could be all of the above plus the fact our economy NEVER recovered (47% of American adults that are able to work are either unemployed, underemployed or have given up on life ... ) from what Wall Street and the last two (maybe 4-5) administrations have done to the American worker.

Maybe last 4-5 would be correct.

 

[flynnibus]

He could be lying of course for reasons i don't know, but I really don't know why he's offering so much public praise if he's as against Iger as 74 claims.

You don't make enemies until the time is right to finish the fight.

Why did Hitler sign the treaty with Russia? To keep them at bay until he was ready to take the fight to them. Same thing in business... no need to show your cards early if you aren't ready to act on them.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

I so miss dining on a slab of prime rib with sides on pewter plates while fireworks burst outside all around ... but Disney makes so much more money off idiots with their brats who think nothing of dropping $75 a person for character meals with photo packages, so I no longer get to dine at the castle.

and this @WDW1974 is why I love you. You speak like you're inside my head I haven't eaten in the castle in 10+ years b/c it's Just. Not. Worth. It.

 

[mgf]

The odd part though is that Eisner had this to say about Iger last year regarding Iger's eventual retirement from Disney-

“If I had my choice I would have him stay even longer, God knows, maybe he will. The longer he stays, the better it is for the shareholders.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-...praises-iger-plays-down-lone-ranger-bomb.html

He could be lying of course for reasons i don't know, but I really don't know why he's offering so much public praise if he's as against Iger as 74 claims. Only possible GOOD reason I can think of for him giving this unnecessary comment is that he thinks Iger's alternative is even worse and Iger is the lesser of two evils (which I suppose could be possible if Rasulo is the front runner, but I was under the impression Iger and Rasulo are essentially the same). But still, making such comments that catering towards stock holder needs alone at the expense of quality is precisely what the fanbase is so against in the first place.

I posted this in the other spirited thread, but 74 has since migrated to this new one so I figured i'd post this again here as we're back to Eisner talk. I don't pretend to know all the goings-on within the company or its politics. Is there some ulterior motive he has for making a comment like this?

I would imagine it is similar to the gentleman's agreement among ex-US presidents to (generally) avoid commenting negatively on the sitting president.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

You don't make enemies until the time is right to finish the fight.

Why did Hitler sign the treaty with Russia? To keep them at bay until he was ready to take the fight to them. Same thing in business... no need to show your cards early if you aren't ready to act on them.

I completely get what you're saying, but that practice is generally more ideal and likely to succeed when relations hadn't already gone horribly wrong in the recent past. It hasn't been a decade now since the massive revolt against Eisner and his sacking, Iger himself is certainly going to be well acquainted with Eisner's politics enough not to trust anything he has to say. The board and stockholders themselves were the ones who revolted against Eisner and kicked him out in the first place. As of yet, it doesn't sound like Iger has made enemies of stockholders or many board members enough to be in danger of being kicked out (or for them to ignore his recommendations for a successor).

So i'm rather unsure who else in the company is going to listen to Eisner if he's trying to make friends. At least the higher ups. Given their almost universal support of Iger despite the MM+ blunders, Iger seems to have the stockholders AND at least most of the board under his control. What sort of power does Eisner command anymore (or thinks he commands) with anyone of major power or influence enough to actually make massive changes?

 

[DznyGrlSD]

And continuing my personal campaign to see to it that people view Michael Eisner and his tenure just a bit fairly is this interesting read:

http://news.investors.com/041514-69...lepicks&src=aurlafw&google_editors_picks=true

I particularly enjoyed this:

<<Disney's market cap increased from $2 billion to $53 billion from 1984 to 1996. Eisner could point to 18 new businesses into which he'd led the company since taking the reins, including professional sports teams, live Broadway shows and Disney stores.>>

How many new businesses has Bob Iger led Disney into? (No, buying other film studios doesn't count!)

and yet Eisner is still one of the most hated people in the fanboi community.

 

[flynnibus]

I completely get what you're saying, but that generally is true of relations that hadn't already gone sour in the recent past. It hasn't even been a decade now, and Iger is probably well acquainted with Eisner's politics enough not to trust anything he has to say

Exactly - so why are you so torn over his positive comments for Iger? It's all politics man.. simply saying something doesn't mean that's how they feel... it's what is necessary at the time

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Exactly - so why are you so torn over his positive comments for Iger? It's all politics man.. simply saying something doesn't mean that's how they feel... it's what is necessary at the time

I am perfectly aware of that, what I am trying to sort out is the reasoning behind the comments. Why Eisner would make such comments in the first place if he knows everyone with any sort of power is against him and knows better than to trust him. I doubt he'll get anywhere by trying to suck up to Iger himself, and many of the other leaders in the company are likely wary of him and don't trust him. In addition, making such comments about his support for Iger and the stockholders is only going to make the fanbase hate him more (as the person two posts above me said, while he may not deserve a lot of the vitriol he receives, he still remains loathed by the fanbase in general).

So what i'm trying to figure out is what he thinks he's going to accomplish with that comment? I don't see any potential gains for him making such a comment at this point, unless he somehow HAS managed to rally a lot of major support from important people against Iger. Politicians aren't going to make a positive comment to their rivals unless it has some sort of benefit to themselves. I'm trying to figure out what Eisner thought he could gain specifically from such comments and whether it worked.

 

[PirateFrank]

I would imagine it is similar to the gentleman's agreement among ex-US presidents to (generally) avoid commenting negatively on the sitting president.

Wow I wish the same existed the other way around. Especially these days! Imagine not hearing it was the previous guy's fault every time the president needed to address an issue.