The Spirited 11th Hour ...

[Cesar R M]

FP+ didn't cost 3 billion dollars, in fact, all of it put together didn't cost 3 billion dollars it's just that it has been increased every time it has been mentioned. FP+ was a small part of that cost. But, even then it works for many of us in a manner that is easier and more convenient then Legacy did. My wish is that neither existed. The no FP system was incredibly easy to use and worked better for the majority then FP ever did. As for technology opening up avenues for more errors... welcome to the 21 century. Other then being able to do things like this discussion board, not a lot has been achieved, in the line of quality, that we didn't have before any of it showed up. OK, maybe math is easier now.

You missed the point Goofyer,

The whole MyMagic was touted as a single package, and the most touted "plus" was the FP+ evolution.
They sold it as "best thing ever since sliced bread"... when in reality most of that money went to required upgrades on the entire networking structure of Walt Disney World.

I think people are complaining about the first part.. not the second (aka, trying to claim MyMagic was something to exclusively improve the user experience, when it was mostly an upgrade for ancient systems used in the backend of the Disney World area).

My compliant with fast pass + isn't the choosing in advance its just how far in advance I have to choose. I wouldn't mind if it was during my trip or even the same day. I hate having to plan what day I'm going to what park 60 days out in order to get the e-ticket fast passes. I do it because I have to. I also dislike how it ties me to a schedule of what park what day on vacation. I liked waking up and saying it feels like an Epcot day or MK and not having to think about what fast passes i already have.

Pretty sure that is the point for Disney's side.
They can now see how many people will visit which parks and the apparent load of each attraction and manage staffing at their convenience.

You still don't need to plan 60 days out. I just checked and I can currently get a fastpass for every attraction at WDW for tomorrow except to meet Anna and Elsa. You can almost always get a fastpass the day before and mostly same day in the morning for every attraction except Anna and else and mine train.

And checking for today. As of 4:30 I can get a fastpass for everything except Peter Pan, mine train, Anna and Elsa, belle, and the evening entertainment. Everything else is still available. And the fact is those attractions would have most likely been out of fastpasses by this point with the old fastpass as well.

That is your experience right now.
But on busy days, no hell would you get these in the way you say it.
January 3 and 4 for example.. Peter Pan ran out of fatspasses completely 2 weeks before... when january 2 hit.. you could hardly find anything else than unpopular shows like Stitch or Philarmagic.
infact.. on january 4.. Stitch had a 60 minute wait reported (was clearly more when I and my niece and nephew entered) and everything was booked solid except phillarmagic. I think we got lucky in getting one fastpass group for Barnstormer, because a few minutes later.. it also disappeared from availability.

 

[Cesar R M]

But you don't have to do so. My family went in July and the only fast pass we booked a few days earlier was 7DMT because it was our first time riding it so we wanted to be sure we could get on it. We also did not plan any meals in advance and still were able to eat at Crystal Palace and 50's Prime time with same day reservations. Uber planning is not necessary.

If you are patient and can wait.. I agree.
but If you have a tight schedule (or very hungry).. planning is a must.

Back to Disney, I had to chuckle when Bob Iger's football plan and future career got shot down by the NFL owners on only the second round of voting. What's Bob gonna do now?

stock buybacks and pray that Shangai gets build on time?

 

[Cesar R M]

Copyrighting React videos AND offering a "Licensing deal" where you make reaction videos and they get most of the money.

how the hell you can do that when the internet invented those reaction videos? not them.

 

[alphac2005]

Improving the product takes innovative leadership.

Cutting costs simply takes someone willing to swing an axe. Charging the customer more simply takes someone willing to raise prices.

Sadly, most corporations are full of the latter, not the former.

Decades ago, Disney had the first kind of leadership. Now they mostly have the second.

Here's a great example of poor corporate leadership akin to Disney... I might not be in the entertainment industry any longer, but I'm still kept up to date through various contacts and one of the stories that I was told of recently is about AT&T and DirecTV Latin America. In the AT&T acquisition of DirecTV, the Latin American property was considered to be a hidden gem that will be a long-term cash machine. Over the past couple of quarters, things have slowed down in nearly all of those markets between the strengthening dollar and various economic issues in the majority of all those countries. Regardless, the fundamentals of this asset being a long-term cash machine remain sound, but AT&T's management is now looking to unload this asset as since it isn't doing nearly as well in the short-term, they figure that they can sell the asset and boost the dividend for AT&T.

Exactly what is wrong with Wall St. is contained in that story. Short-term gain coupled with a long-term loss. The head of Black Rock has been really pushing back against the industry for quite some time including his criticism of the corporate cash stockpiling and not reinvesting and now he is calling for an end of quarterly EPS estimates because it's part of the problem destroying long-term vision for companies. Very interesting.

 

[ford91exploder]

Here's a great example of poor corporate leadership akin to Disney... I might not be in the entertainment industry any longer, but I'm still kept up to date through various contacts and one of the stories that I was told of recently is about AT&T and DirecTV Latin America. In the AT&T acquisition of DirecTV, the Latin American property was considered to be a hidden gem that will be a long-term cash machine. Over the past couple of quarters, things have slowed down in nearly all of those markets between the strengthening dollar and various economic issues in the majority of all those countries. Regardless, the fundamentals of this asset being a long-term cash machine remain sound, but AT&T's management is now looking to unload this asset as since it isn't doing nearly as well in the short-term, they figure that they can sell the asset and boost the dividend for AT&T.

Exactly what is wrong with Wall St. is contained in that story. Short-term gain coupled with a long-term loss. The head of Black Rock has been really pushing back against the industry for quite some time including his criticism of the corporate cash stockpiling and not reinvesting and now he is calling for an end of quarterly EPS estimates because it's part of the problem destroying long-term vision for companies. Very interesting.

This is what's wrong with American business now.

Wall St. is contained in that story. Short-term gain coupled with a long-term loss.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Shanghai Disneyland tickets go up for sale on March 28th.
Prices are based on the surge pricing model meaning there are standard day tickets, at 370RMB or 57USD, and peak day tickets, 499RMB or 76USD, for one day tickets. Opening day will be a peak day naturally.
http://tdrexplorer.com/shanghai-dis...eservations-available-starting-march-28-2016/
https://www.shanghaidisneyresort.com/en/ticket/
In comparison to the two other Asian resorts:
Hong Kong:
One Day- HK$539 or $69
Tokyo:
One Day, One Park- ¥6900 or $57

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Additional observations on Shanghai Disneyland tickets:

• One Day tickets are the only available denomination at this point. When available, the two day ticket will have a 5% discount or 703RMB for standard days and 948RMB for peak days. When additional days are added, it will likely follow the pricing structure used at Disney parks around the world.
• Child pricing is being determined by the child's height as opposed to age with the child/adult cut-off being 1.4 meters or 4'6". If you don't want to go with Tokyo's child-student-adult pricing structure and want to cut down on fraud, this is a very good option which I could see coming our way.

Ticket Categories

Pricing Calendar for 2016

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

Additional observations on Shanghai Disneyland tickets:

• One Day tickets are the only available denomination at this point. When available, the two day ticket will have a 5% discount or 703RMB for standard days and 948RMB for peak days. When additional days are added, it will likely follow the pricing structure used at Disney parks around the world.
• Child pricing is being determined by the child's height as opposed to age with the child/adult cut-off being 1.4 meters or 4'6". If you don't want to go Tokyo's child-student-adult pricing structure and want to cut down on fraud, this is a very good option which I could see coming our way.

Ticket Categories
View attachment 129049
Pricing Calendar for 2016
View attachment 129048

I took a look at the park map (Here). Looks amazing, and can clearly see where and what attractions will and will not be open for day 1.
edit: Also a lot of places to eat. Not many attractions (Epcot?)

 

[WDW1974]

I see @the.dreamfinder has already put the news up regarding SDL's pricing structure. As expected they will use surge pricing (UNI announced this for Hollywood recently and DLP uses it ... although they use it to actually discount tickets, something that will never happen in the USA where the baseline will always be the regular price and then go higher). I think the price is way too high for the average Shanghai mainlander, even the middle class won't like those points.

I asked a few weeks ago about the possibilities for AP sales (because you know some O-Town or Anaheim based Lifestyler is going to 'have' to be the first one in the Twit community to possess one) and was told, ''Mr. 74, they don't know themselves (whether they will have one.)''

Anyway, found this WSJ column to be fair and balanced, which likely means tops are being blown over morning Starbucks in Burbank:

http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/...log&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

 

[WDW1974]

Still can not get over the fact this park will have but one full serve restaurant -- was going to use the word option, but that implies that you have one. ... I guess everyone will head for the Cheesecake Factory instead!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Still can not get over the fact this park will have but one full serve restaurant -- was going to use the word option, but that implies that you have one. ... I guess everyone will head for the Cheesecake Factory instead!

Isn't the intent that the park will be a day trip for locals rather than a destination for people traveling long distances? One restaurant is obviously a little light regardless, but I think most people here view things through the prism of WDW and the Shanghai guest profile is much different than the WDW guest profile.

 

[Travel Junkie]

I see @the.dreamfinder has already put the news up regarding SDL's pricing structure. As expected they will use surge pricing (UNI announced this for Hollywood recently and DLP uses it ... although they use it to actually discount tickets, something that will never happen in the USA where the baseline will always be the regular price and then go higher). I think the price is way too high for the average Shanghai mainlander, even the middle class won't like those points.

I was going to ask how expensive this is for the average Chinese family. I don't know what the average salary is in China.

 

[WDW1974]

Not sure whether this was posted, but it is a good read from a (still) good newspaper:

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/...-two-disneys-can-shanghai-and-hong-kong-theme

And from the which of these doesn't belong and is pandering department:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/02/travel/8-new-destination-hotels-for-2016.html?partner=IFTTT&_r=2

 

[WDW1974]

The new DVC "bungalows" over the swampy waters of the Seven Seas Lagoon are a great example. Location and aesthetic issues aside, I don't know how any WDW guest or Disney executive can justify their value of $2000+/night for one of them. You could actually go to Tahiti for LESS money!

Those things are a scar on the face of WDW, and not only because they ruin the shoreline of the Polynesian. I'd pay $2000 to help get rid of the darn things.

You have to understand that many WDW Guests are rubes. They will not go to Bora Bora like our lovely world traveler @alissafalco did for her honeymoon. They would gladly pay 2-3 times the price to sit on a man made lagoon in a swamp with Zephyrhills bottles and popcorn containers bobbing in the muck. That is simply reality. WDW is comfort food for so many people who don't care that there's a whole world out there. They will be the folks lining up to stay at the denuded Wilderness Lodge and Villas and More Villas ... And Cabins too! rather than heading out to a cabin in one of our amazing natural parks that @WDWFigment (just seeing if he is still reading here like so many!) does amazing photography of.

WDW is treated as a safe, simple and easy (no talk about booking rides -- or how insane that entire concept is -- or planning meals six months ahead of time) place to go. What is that song about ''A rube and his money ...?''

 

[WDW1974]

The Rams stadium will be privately financed.

Yes. The only good thing is to see Bob Iger's ego take a hit ... that brings me joy!

 

[WDW1974]

Can't tell if that's sarcasm... Lol.

But I'm a rule follower, and if I got a high position, I would bore you because I wouldn't break the NDA.

Back on topic...

I'd never be anywhere without people willing to not follow the letter of the laws with NDAs ... which reminds me of something ...

 

[WDW1974]

Regarding Bob Weiss,

This is the same person who, as I remember, pitched stories for AK attractions that involved poachers and (for Disney's America) that involved slavery, two very unpleasant subject matters and very questionable material for Disney to be getting involved in. I remember thinking back then that these weren't very "Disney".

I wasn't aware he had anything to do with the poacher storyline, which was the right way to go, btw. And you couldn't do an American history based theme park on lands that were fought over in the Civil War without a realistic look at slavery. ... And I think they are Disney ... when DIS is at its best, which isn't much these days, but certainly was the case back in the 20th century.

 

[WDW1974]

Well, having lived through it ...

WDW's biggest ticket price increases ever were Michael Eisner's first 4 years.

My circle of friends pretty much hated him for it, a hate that didn't dissipate until Disney-MGM Studios and Typhoon Lagoon both opened in 1989.

Yes. Exactly.
WDW admission media was underpriced when Michael and Frank took over. Quite a bit so.

WDW admission media is overpriced by a significant margin today based on quality and value, but not Pixie Dust and MAGIC!

 

[WDW1974]

Hey, despite that's how I felt back then, I still think he could be WDI's best hope. Maybe today's best choice.

However, Micechat is painting a picture of him as being worse than Presler because of cuts he has made concerning a people mover for Star Wars Land and removal of the sky bridge/moving sidewalks from the planned Pumbaa garage at DLR. I don't know enough about it yet to make any judgements. Key questions like "could these elements be added later" and "what will be built in its place" are still not answered.

You are confusing your Bobs.

They are in order:

1.) Bob Iger (Pure unadulterated blandness and ... evil! An egomaniacal IP purchaser who would have almost no accomplishments in a decade running Disney if he didn't buy other people's creations and buy back his own stock. Married to a lovely talking head/trophy wife -- who loves Yoda! -- with new young kids that you'll never see photographed and most people would assume are his grands);

2.) Bob Chapek (Former head of Consumer Products who had never worked a day in his life in a theme park, resort hotel or on a cruise ship, yet now runs a worldwide empire because he's great at moving Thor toys, Tink hoodies and Olaf plush. Despite his total ineptitude in his current role, the jury is out on him because he is smart and has some good ideas),

3.) Bob Weis (The great white hope. A true creative running WDI for the first time this century. One familiar with Disney's problems in China. One who did an amazing job at reviving DCA. One who has shown he can deliver the goods when given the opportunity. The Good Bob.)

Does that help?

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Hey Spirit, any updates on Hong Kong's second gate in the wake of Weis' promotion to head of WDI?