The Spirit Takes the Fifth ...

[Darth Sidious]

Getting back to WDW, I'm bummed about the news of no Star Wars until NG sees a profit. I just don't see how NG is going to bring in any substantial profit? What am I missing?

I think the system is a gross mismanagement of money, ill advised and poorly executed. However, I think it will generate revenues but I couldn't say when it would generate profits over that massive price tag. It is quite terrible for guests and fans that this is what they spent significant money on.

While I think they needed to get more efficient, they didn't need to spend all this money doing so. Can anyone with insight tell me if they had Accenture analyze this project and their needs at the resort (yup, that comment is from experience, they are fantastic /sarcasm)?

 

[marni1971]

Well, this one got into the 40's before it got personal. Better than some.

Part 6? Anyone? Bueller?

 

[RSoxNo1]

Did you start on the egg nog early?

Yes, but that's not relevant. Anaheim's housing costs are cheaper than where I live - I was using hyperbole to make a point.

Edit: Just looked on some Real Estate sites. Looks like I'm wrong.

 

[asianway]

Really? Where did you hear that?

It fits the usual MO, but in light of the Lutz column this morning I think that nails the coffin. You don't declare martial law on Capex spend and not have heads rolling

 

[The Mom]

No more personal attacks, please. Everyone has opinions formed by their personal experiences and history. It is not a one size fits all world, despite what we would like to believe.

 

[scout68]

Tomorrow's forecast: ice pellets! ( oh how I wish that was a joke)

Just think of it as a Magical promo for Frozen!

 

[alphac2005]

$180,000 is a bargain ... Try Golden Oak. Or Islesworth where George and Andy are moving. Or Windermere. Or even the rundown town of Celebration.

The fact is if you work at a Florida theme park be glad you don't live with three others in an old Best Western room in Kissimmee where you pay $200 a week for a 'home' ...

How anyone lives in Florida on less than $15-20 an hour blows my mind.

When we lived in Orlando, my wife and I would constantly question how in the world people working on a theme park wage could afford a home? Let alone one that was overinflated to 300k that should reality be 120k. We learned how well that worked out. Vegas, Orlando, Macau, amongst many other places around the world that the working poor serve the wealthy in our out of whack global fiscal schism.

Isleworth. Ha! I'll never forget driving through Windermere and we were right by Isleworth showing a friend the area and I was questioned why I was driving there? I was pulled over for going 4 MPH over the speed limit. No joke. The best part of it was that the officer admitted that the speed limit sign that indicated the lower speed was covered by trees and not visible. I questioned why I should be getting a ticket and he proceeded to tell me that it was because it was still the speed no matter whether I could see it or not. Clearly they wanted to send a message that if you didn't live over there, stay away. Nice to see your tax dollars at work. Last I checked, we were paying Orange County taxes.. Ahem. Lets just say that we quickly crossed Windermere off our list of where we were going to move in Central Florida.

 

[alphac2005]

I know this is going to sound terrible, but, they must be OK with it because they continue to take abuse from Guests and make little or nothing. There is a fine line between loyalty and stupidity. Look for something else, somewhere else if it is that bad. Seriously, you want Disney to pay more money for people without enough sense to go out and better themselves? Is it difficult? Yes, sometimes but we all make choices and, to my knowledge, no one has a gun to their heads to work there and try and live on next to no wages. What is the reason? The love of Disney? Really? Is it normal to want to stay down or do they lack the skills and ability to do anything else. If that is the case, nothing is going to get better on the outside. No one is owed a living. They weren't hired and then told later how much they were going to make per hour. Don't have an education? Go get one or resign oneself to sub-standard pay and screwy hours. From everything I hear, working for Disney is not really a fun place to be most of the time.

That's not reality. There are countless people all over the country that are working below their skill-set and education because the opportunities simply don't exist. It's not reality that everyone can just pick-up and move to another city, state, etc. I also know that there are plenty of high paying jobs available all over the country that all too few people have the skills to do. The majority of college degrees in "communications" isn't cutting it in the real world. Wages throughout Central Florida are abysmal, but there are finally biotech and medical industries along with other things coming on-board and providing quality jobs and careers. We were only lucky to do well in Central Florida by owning our own company, which isn't easy there.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I'm not completely unsympathetic to this position in theory. However, moving ain't cheap. Deposit plus first and last month rent, cost of moving your stuff--and there's no guarantee you'll get a job right away. And that's not even accounting for student loans, the curse of Gen Y (did you know there is more student loan debt than consumer credit debt in the US? topic for another day tho). When you make diddly/squat in Florida, it can be hard to move back North unless you can crash with mom and dad. For many years starting out my only goal was to get the hell out of this state, but financially I just couldn't. Now that I probably could afford to, I have enough ties to keep me here.

I'm not going to say that this applies to everyone that feels trapped and cannot afford to move elsewhere to find something different, however, I would make some guesses about a few things. One would be that everyone has purchased a computer, lap top, iPad and/or smart phone. Those are one time expenses but the support for those items is ongoing. Fun maybe, but necessary? A car...probably, but that could be considered a necessity. I'm really stressed I need to get drunk and party...nothing cheap about that. I won't delve into the more "illegal" types of partying, but I'm sure it exists. None of those things are necessary, but they are desired and I just have a feeling that so many feel that they work hard and deserve that type of release. They could be right about deserving it, but then to say that there is no way to save enough money to get out of their plight would be just denying any responsibility for their own problems.

My daughter works for a non-profit college loan company that is desperately trying to get the message out to people with student loans about all the NEW programs that will take, at least temporarily, the pressure off the need to make those inflated loan figures. They are having a hard time getting people to hear them. Folks are way to busy, I guess, fretting about there debt, to bother to look into what there is that could help them. I also have to wonder about people that spend that kind of money for an education and then use it to ask "how many in your party?" Two?...line four please.

 

[Travel Junkie]

They won't build in those places.

BTW, did I miss anything or are all my social media whoring pals pretending that I didn't release the SDL roster ... or tell y'all that you won't get Star Wars land or anything new of substance until the BoD sees returns on NGE?

Looks like Miceage took the not adding anything of substance angle and ran with it.

http://micechat.com/49401-my-magic-plus-failure/

In short, My Magic overruns are causing virtually ALL WDI projects to be put on hold or cancelled except for Shanghai and Tokyo. For WDW that means Star Wars is on hold or possibly cancelled. They make no mention of Avatar, but I assume it is still a go since it was already announced.

For DLR that means Monstropolis is cancelled, Star Wars land on hold, Fantasyland dark ride enhancements on hold, Little Mermaid enhancement on hold, plans for DL's 60th Anniversary including new nighttime parade, new daytime parade for DCA, and new fireworks are on hold. Look like the digital upgrade for Soarin is still a go.

It sounds like Iger left that Orlando meeting Spirit was talking about a couple weeks ago very upset and this is the result. Miceage says there is still time to save these projects as many of them were put on temporary hold, but things do not bode well for the immediate future of Disney Parks.

 

[Funmeister]

Looks like Miceage took the not adding anything of substance angle and ran with it.

http://micechat.com/49401-my-magic-plus-failure/

In short, My Magic overruns are causing virtually ALL WDI projects to be put on hold or cancelled except for Shanghai and Tokyo. For WDW that means Star Wars is on hold or possibly cancelled. They make no mention of Avatar, but I assume it is still a go since it was already announced.

For DLR that means Monstropolis is cancelled, Star Wars land on hold, Fantasyland dark ride enhancements on hold, Little Mermaid enhancement on hold, plans for DL's 60th Anniversary including new nighttime parade, new daytime parade for DCA, and new fireworks are on hold. Look like the digital upgrade for Soarin is still a go.

It sounds like Iger left that Orlando meeting Spirit was talking about a couple weeks ago very upset and this is the result. Miceage says there is still time to save these projects as many of them were put on temporary hold, but things do not bode well for the immediate future of Disney Parks.

I was under the impression that WDW would be on hold not DIsneyland? I could be wrong. They have had separate budgets for years in most areas (a lot of sales and marketing for DIsneyland is actually done at Celebration...strange).

 

[ford91exploder]

I think the system is a gross mismanagement of money, ill advised and poorly executed. However, I think it will generate revenues but I couldn't say when it would generate profits over that massive price tag. It is quite terrible for guests and fans that this is what they spent significant money on.

While I think they needed to get more efficient, they didn't need to spend all this money doing so. Can anyone with insight tell me if they had Accenture analyze this project and their needs at the resort (yup, that comment is from experience, they are fantastic /sarcasm)?

I've seen rumors that Accenture was involved if true it would explain much (yes also have experience...)

 

[PhotoDave219]

Well, this one got into the 40's before it got personal. Better than some.

Part 6? Anyone? Bueller?

Interesting how its always the same people stirring the pot.

 

[ford91exploder]

I was under the impression that WDW would be on hold not DIsneyland? I could be wrong. They have had separate budgets for years in most areas (a lot of sales and marketing for DIsneyland is actually done at Celebration...strange).

From the rumors that I heard the Staggs/Rasulo plan for NGE was that it was supposed to be a key component of 'One Disney' with the US parks first, With the unfolding disaster and the sturm und drang which this has caused at WDW who knows what it will do to the US park budgets because the initial idea was to spread costs across all properties.

At the other Disney properties they have partners who have contracted for Disney to provide attractions and Disney MUST deliver.

This is not the case in the US, So if NGE fails it's more than likely no new attractions will be seen until the BoD turns over and Iger/Staggs/Rasulo are no longer associated with the parks.

I'm STILL interested in the recent TWDC Executive conclave at WDW, Most of them would rather DIE than show up at a Disney property. Is a P&R sale in the wind???

 

[ford91exploder]

I'm not going to say that this applies to everyone that feels trapped and cannot afford to move elsewhere to find something different, however, I would make some guesses about a few things. One would be that everyone has purchased a computer, lap top, iPad and/or smart phone. Those are one time expenses but the support for those items is ongoing. Fun maybe, but necessary? A car...probably, but that could be considered a necessity. I'm really stressed I need to get drunk and party...nothing cheap about that. I won't delve into the more "illegal" types of partying, but I'm sure it exists. None of those things are necessary, but they are desired and I just have a feeling that so many feel that they work hard and deserve that type of release. They could be right about deserving it, but then to say that there is no way to save enough money to get out of their plight would be just denying any responsibility for their own problems.

My daughter works for a non-profit college loan company that is desperately trying to get the message out to people with student loans about all the NEW programs that will take, at least temporarily, the pressure off the need to make those inflated loan figures. They are having a hard time getting people to hear them. Folks are way to busy, I guess, fretting about there debt, to bother to look into what there is that could help them. I also have to wonder about people that spend that kind of money for an education and then use it to ask "how many in your party?" Two?...line four please.

There are those of us who went to college in the 'Age of Reagan' when student loans and grants were severely restricted which even though it did not seem so was a good thing in the end.

So many of us worked 2-3 jobs to pay for college while attending full time. There was no time to PARTY or have a social life especially if you were an engineering student. You did learn the lesson that success takes a lot of effort and sweat and nothing is handed to you.

Unfortunately the taps to 'free college money' were turned back on and now we have a couple of generations of students who think they are entitled to a college education and that it's a 4 year party and they take courses of study which don't impact their social schedule rather than those which are economically viable or those for which they have a true passion for and would work at that vocation whether they are getting paid or not.

I find I have a lot more in common with the Indian and Chinese folks I work with because for them even though their governments paid for their education, they really had to work and STAYING at college meant scoring in the top 15% of standardized exams.

There was no 'Spring Break' for these people, Just as there was not one for me.

 

[Funmeister]

From the rumors that I heard the Staggs/Rasulo plan for NGE was that it was supposed to be a key component of 'One Disney' with the US parks first, With the unfolding disaster and the sturm und drang which this has caused at WDW who knows what it will do to the US park budgets because the initial idea was to spread costs across all properties.

At the other Disney properties they have partners who have contracted for Disney to provide attractions and Disney MUST deliver.

This is not the case in the US, So if NGE fails it's more than likely no new attractions will be seen until the BoD turns over and Iger/Staggs/Rasulo are no longer associated with the parks.

I'm STILL interested in the recent TWDC Executive conclave at WDW, Most of them would rather DIE than show up at a Disney property. Is a P&R sale in the wind???

Interesting. Gives Universal another leg up without having to do anything. Do you think they would sell P&R? if so...to who?

 

[ford91exploder]

Interesting. Gives Universal another leg up without having to do anything. Do you think they would sell P&R? if so...to who?

I have NO idea, Iger shopped Disneyland to a Saudi firm at one time as the Saudis DO have the cash to plunk down the billions required to do an outright purchase and unlike the cable and network properties there are no 'national security' concerns with a hotel/theme park purchase.

Saudi Arabia is pretty unstable and when King Abdullah passes there is no clear successor, So the House of Saud is making huge investments overseas in the event that the nutcases take over Saudi Arabia - Basically moving their money offshore.

 

[Cesar R M]

I have NO idea, Iger shopped Disneyland to a Saudi firm at one time as the Saudis DO have the cash to plunk down the billions required to do an outright purchase and unlike the cable and network properties there are no 'national security' concerns with a hotel/theme park purchase.

Saudi Arabia is pretty unstable and when King Abdullah passes there is no clear successor, So the House of Saud is making huge investments overseas in the event that the nutcases take over Saudi Arabia - Basically moving their money offshore.

A very smart choice.
Nothing worse than having some crazehs make a revolution and decide to get your head because you were "too successful".

When we lived in Orlando, my wife and I would constantly question how in the world people working on a theme park wage could afford a home? Let alone one that was overinflated to 300k that should reality be 120k. We learned how well that worked out. Vegas, Orlando, Macau, amongst many other places around the world that the working poor serve the wealthy in our out of whack global fiscal schism.

Isleworth. Ha! I'll never forget driving through Windermere and we were right by Isleworth showing a friend the area and I was questioned why I was driving there? I was pulled over for going 4 MPH over the speed limit. No joke. The best part of it was that the officer admitted that the speed limit sign that indicated the lower speed was covered by trees and not visible. I questioned why I should be getting a ticket and he proceeded to tell me that it was because it was still the speed no matter whether I could see it or not. Clearly they wanted to send a message that if you didn't live over there, stay away. Nice to see your tax dollars at work. Last I checked, we were paying Orange County taxes.. Ahem. Lets just say that we quickly crossed Windermere off our list of where we were going to move in Central Florida.

Speaking of houses, how expensive is to build a house in the US?

Here they sell houses that could easily be only 50k to 100k (and sell for 3X the price)... its like a gravy train for the major house manufacturers (pretty sure they will continue to do so in my zone until there is no land left)

 

[flynnibus]

Please explainin your solution on how to get young adults out of the trap of low Disney wages sharing an apartment with three or four roommates. Compare the salary of a GSM ($28k to $33k) and the price of living in Central Florida. Most have to get a second job just to make ends meet AFTER working overtime at Disney.

Do what everyone else does if there isn't good work at home - MOVE

 

[GoofGoof]

Go to a presentation or online presentation for the college program and tell me where they hint that you do not make money. SUre they tell you how much you will make minus housing but the rest of the presentation is inflated a bit to show how great it is and that you CAN make it on the wages you make. Oh yeah..they also tell you you are guaranteed a certain number of hours. THis is true to a point but its not 40 hours!

I still don't get what the big deal is. It's an internship, a temporary job to earn some extra cash. It has no impact on your future earnings. I worked at TGI Fridays one summer in college. It was a lot of fun. I didn't make great money, but I looked great in stripes and suspenders.

I feel a lot worse for full time permanent employees who work for minimum wage than a bunch of kids taking a break from college.