The Spirited 11th Hour ...

[marni1971]

Gringotts is a fine ride, but it could have been so much more if it hadn't relied so heavily on screens and then had so much else get the budget axe.

The original plan would've given FJ a run for its money. And then some.

 

[mickEblu]

Frozen will be big and very likely use TDS's version ... but too blue sky to say at this point. But funny you mention a BatB ride ...

I'm happy to hear they aren't going the cheap route for the Frozen ride. I'm verry happy to hear that a BATB ride is even being discussed! At least that's what I'm taking from your smiley face...and running with it. Lol

 

[RandySavage]

^Experienced both for the first time last spring. FJ fell below my lofty expectations for a number of reasons while Gringotts met or exceeded them. I'd go as far to name Gringotts the best attraction in Orlando since Tower of Terror.

For me, the biggest test was the set-to-screen integration/transition. FJ's is somewhat jarring and took me out of the moment, whereas Gringotts was much better integrated in both the queue and ride.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

The original plan would've given FJ a run for its money. And then some.

Would the differences between the original plan and the built version start at load/unload?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Nah. There would be no fun in that. And we are talking about theme parks ... we should be having fun!

Well, Looks like Ol' Meg is gonna start hosting Tupperware parties....

 

[Mike S]

I trust @whylightbulb and his information. He knows what he is talking about and it is sourced well. If an OU insider has heard differently, they likely didn't hear correctly or someone could be using them to lather the fans up.

Damn..... and all this time I thought, "oh, this is Nintendo. They won't let things get cut badly. It'll be the absolute best it can be!!!"

 

[Mike S]

The original plan would've given FJ a run for its money. And then some.

Can those plans be discussed freely or is it still at a point where you could be getting sources in trouble for spilling?

 

[Progress.City]

Two more questions:

2. Will the currently spending spree include anything that remains unannounced for EPCOT?

1. Does the current spending spree also include more things that remain unannounced for Disney Studios?

 

[Rodan75]

I agree largely with every word you wrote.

I will just say that George Kalogridis sold his soul to get to be an out 60-plus year-old man running the place he started bussing tables at as a teen. That is largely what happens with Disney. You compromise your views, your feelings of right and wrong and what Disney is all about and you get a career now.

That is why I am so much more interested in Bob Weis and why he has the job he has and what he will be able to do with it. Because Bob gets it. ... Chappie may be trying, but that jury is way out. ... And someone like George ... he just plain sold out (including his friends).

He may have sold his soul, but since he has taken over WDW, especially magic kingdom, has been cleaner and nicer and better maintained. (Better, but not perfect).

 

[Cardinals314]

I don't know if this is the right thread or not to say that Disney will not be doing the "I'm going to Disney World" commercial this year. From what I have heard that the NFL is asking for double the amount of payment for producing the commercial. This fee is usually on top of the expenses Disney spends to fly the MVP player to Disney, producing the commercial, and other expenses. The tradition of the commercial has been going for 17 years but not anymore.

 

[Captain Neo]

Iger has proven to be little more than an IP collector, showing no understanding of his own company or affection for the existing, highly successful IP he was hired to promote. Yet he at least understands he can't micromanage everything, and he gave each film division a leader who DOES "get it"; most of the people he has put in movie-related positions excel at making Pixar, Lucasfilm, Marvel, WDA, etc. successful (the Muppets notwithstanding). But he seems to hate the parks.

In fact, WDI and the Parks have been decidedly mixed under Iger. The parks are better maintained than the late days of Eisner but still not up to established standards; areas are slightly improved in odd places without really fulfilling crowd demands or needs (New FL, Frozen-strom). Originality doesn't matter because IPs sell merchandise. Hotels are severely overpriced, yet amenities and service levels are below Hampton Inns. For a decade, ticket prices rose dramatically without necessary capex being reinvested. Star Wars and Toy Story are finally on the way.

On what basis do you say he "hates the parks"? He has spent more money expanding/overhauling all the existing resorts (as well as constructing a new park in Shanghai) than Eisner did in his last 10 years. Yes there were misfires like Mymagic+ and New Fantasyland but we also got stuff like the redo of DCA with Cars Land and Star Tours 2. Just look at what we are getting in the next few years: Avatar Land, Rivers of Light, Star Wars Land, Huge retooling of Hollywood Studios, and then there is stuff that hasn't been announced yet (Marvel Land for DCA, Changes to Epcot, etc.) in addition to little stuff like a new Soarin' and Frozen-Strom. Under Eisner something like Soarin' or Frozen would have been hailed as a "Major addition" to the parks and would be used as an excuse not to reinvest for at least 5 years. Do you remember when THIS (see below) was labeled as a legitimate attraction on Disneyland park maps in the late 90s/early 00s? Because I do

 

[Captain Neo]

It was lovely seeing you for FAR too brief a time. And I am here as time and events permit.

I doubt it will be Star Wars Land in the end. It will be something longer (lamer?) like Pandora: The World of Avatar. ... I too haven't felt this sick about anything Disney has done ... in Anaheim. SW has no place and no point there beyond Bob Iger and his ego. ... But, hey, it seems like Disney execs get up in the morning and say ''What things that Spirit loves can we destroy today?'' ... I'm pretty disgusted over what they have done, and are doing, at the WL right now. ... Who cares that you don't see trees and a forest ... real wilderness ... from your villas anymore? Now you can look over suckers paying even more to have a cabin on the water.

I will be out there in 2016. When? I have no idea right now. I've been off continent since December with Angie!

So because it was Bob Iger who greenlit Star Wars Land now all of a sudden Star Wars has no place in DL? LMAO. Have you forgotten that Star Tours has been one of the most popular rides at Disneyland since it opened in the late 80s??

I'm assuming the other attractions George Lucas designed with WDI (Indiana Jones, Captain EO, Alien Encounter, etc.) for DL & WDW are A-OK and Star Wars Weekends was a genius idea because they all happened under the watch of our beloved leader and creative genius Michael D. Eisner.

 

[Smiddimizer]

There's an imagineer-fanboi analogy I could make about Gringotts, but I won't...

Awww camaan....we're all big boys here!!

 

[WildcatDen]

Beer is liquid bread

You catch on quick. That is, of course, the intent of the post. Liquid bread has opened many eyes and parted many a, well, let's just leave it there.

 

[PhotoDave219]

You catch on quick. That is, of course, the intent of the post. Liquid bread has opened many eyes and parted many a, well, let's just leave it there.

Im gonna start calling you Moses then.

 

[ProfSavage]

So about them additions to the parks...

 

[WildcatDen]

Gotta whisper about bread as I am dating the world's biggest bread snob!!!

That kind of angle may well bolster the quality of the Angie Cakes line of snack cakes and artisan breads?

 

[doctornick]

MK hasn't lost that much...DHS lost their parade AND Disney Channel Rocks without any replacement. Say what you will about Disney Channel Rocks but it was a show that employed four equity singers, 10-12 dancers, high production values, and replaced with nothing. They also lost Mulch, Sweat, and Shears. The only replacement for these three major entertainment offerings were two dance parties...

That reminds me that I am really hoping that DHS gets a daytime parade back at some point in the near future. Maybe it's not practical during the main construction -- it does appear that the parade storage building with give way to Star Wars expansion -- but that is the kind of offering that would help satiate the crowds at the park once SW arrives.

 

[doctornick]

Are you really going to defend this? Why don't you defend cheap toilet paper too? Or paying CMs less? Or raising prices to $200 a day and $75 a tee shirt and $11 a Coke? Yes, posts like this is why myself and others often say "why bother?"

I'm not "defending" not having a moving walkway. I was asking a question and pointing out a comparison.

From a prospective of "what is the cost of a moving walkway compared to the entire product" and whether Disney should be making such cuts to products, which are a drop in the bucket to the overall costs, then yes I'd agree that it seems nitpicky and silly for such a large company. No reason not to make the parking deck as good as it can be and as much of a benefit to guests as possible.

But my question was about people citing how far of a walk it will be from the parking to the park gates. It just doesn't look that far too me when I look at maps, unless I'm not understanding where the parking is going. As I said, it seems no further than walking from Paradise Pier Hotel to the Esplenade which is considered "close" and "walking distance". I've stayed and the Howard Johnson in Anaheim and walked to the parks and didn't think it was bad at all and this parking is about the same distance.

I guess my point is that citing that there's no reason to make the cut because it doesn't save much and lessens the experience is a valid criticism; complaining that the deck is so far that it "needs" a moving sidewalk to me is not a valid criticism. It's a perfectly reasonable distance to expect people to walk on their own. YMMV.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Different asset classes. Likely 5, years... Did they mention the depreciation rate or years?

From Disney's 10-K:

Parks, resorts and other property are carried at historical cost. Depreciation is computed on the straight-line method over estimated useful lives as follows:​

Attractions: 25 – 40 years
Buildings and improvements: 20 – 40 years
Leasehold improvements: Life of lease or asset life if less
Land improvements: 20 – 40 years
Furniture, fixtures and equipment: 3 – 25 years​

For those of you who wonder why this matters, depreciation is how Disney records the cost of building its attractions. Simplistically, if Disney is going to spend $3B on upcoming improvements at WDW and DLR, they might expense much of that cost over 30 years or roughly $100M/year.

For theme parks and hotels, costs are heavily front loaded. The cost of operating a park with 50,000 Guests is, relatively speaking, not much more than operating that same park with 40,000 Guests. As a result, attendance gains linearly grow revenue while only modestly increasing operating costs.

For Disney, exciting new offerings at one theme park improves business everywhere. After Star Wars Land opens, Guests will not simply visit "DHS 3.0" and leave. They will visit WDW's other theme parks, stay at Disney's hotels, buy Disney food and merchandise. The same will happen at DLR.

With domestic Parks & Resorts revenue already at $13.6B last year, with operating costs front-loaded, and with construction costs depreciated over decades, it will take only modestly successful Star Wars Lands on both coasts for the $3B investment to be highly profitable.