The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

ParentsOf4

ParentsOf4

Well-Known Member
PhotoDave219 said:
So what does this all mean? Nobody really knows. Other then Star Wars is still a long time ago and in a galaxy far, far away.....
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Corporate Disney is aware of the benefits of a Star Wars themed land in DHS. Unless there is a financial earthquake, it will happen.

Eventually.

The primary issue is funding. Senior executive management is reluctant to invest too much in Parks & Resorts (P&R) at any one time.

After being at near-record low levels during Iger's first 4 years, P&R investing activities as a percent of revenue maxed out under Iger at about 23% in 2011 & 2012. (Before 9/11, Eisner averaged more than this number.) At the time, Iger and Rasulo were fielding a lot of questions from Wall Street along the lines of "When are you going to reduce P&R investments?"

In 2013, P&R investment as a percent of revenue was at 15%, placating Wall Street.

For the first six months of the current fiscal year, this was at 15.6%.

Disney publically has committed to 43% ownership in Shanghai Disneyland or about $2.4B. Along with Pandora, a desire for additional cruise ships, and the unexpected MyMagic+ cost overruns, there's been a strong reluctance to initiate additional P&R spending until current expenditures ramp down.

There is a rumor that the Star Wars Land announcement was delayed because of a desire to tie-in the latest trilogy content to the new land. There is truth to this but to the suites in the corner offices, this also is a convenient smokescreen to delay capital outlays until investments are at acceptable levels.

Some within Disney want to spend now to get the project completed sooner. They view it as a golden opportunity to strike while the new films are being released, fix WDW’s worst park, take advantage of an improving economy, and have it act as a much-desired "Potter Swatter" to knock the wind out of Universal's sails (and sales :D). However, this is by no means a consensus. Executive A will say one thing because that's what they want to see happen while Executive B will say the polar opposite because that's what they want to see happen.

One way or the other, the sentiment is to make Star Wars Land happen unless there is an economic crisis.
 
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PhotoDave219

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
ParentsOf4 said:
Corporate Disney is aware of the benefits of a Star Wars themed land in DHS. Unless there is a financial earthquake, it will happen.

Eventually.

The primary issue is funding. Senior executive management is reluctant to invest too much in P&R at any one time.

After being at near-record low levels during Iger's first 4 years, Parks & Resorts (P&R) investing activities as a percent of revenue maxed out under Iger at about 23% in 2011 & 2012. (Before 9/11, Eisner averaged more than this number.) At the time, Iger and Rasulo were fielding a lot of questions from Wall Street along the lines of "When are you going to cut back on P&R investments?"

In 2013, P&R capital investment as a percent of revenue was at 15%, placating Wall Street.

For the first six months of the current fiscal year, this was at 15.6%.

Disney publically has committed to 43% ownership in Shanghai Disneyland or about $2.4B. Along with Pandora, a desire for additional cruise ships, and the unexpected MyMagic+ cost overruns, there's been a strong reluctance to initiate additional P&R spending until current expenditures ramp down.

There was a rumor that the Star Wars Land announcement was delayed because of a desire to tie-in the latest trilogy content to the new land. There is truth to this but to the suites in the corner offices, this also is a convenient smokescreen to delay capital outlays until investments are at acceptable levels.

Some within Disney want to spend now to get the project completed sooner. They view it as a golden opportunity to strike while the new films are being released, fix WDW’s worst park, take advantage of an improving economy, and act as the much-desired "Potter Swatter" to knock the wind out of the Universal sails (and sales :D). However, this is by no means a consensus. Executive A will say one thing because that's what they want to see happen while Executive B will say the polar opposite because that's what they want to see happen.

One way or the other, the sentiment is to make Star Wars Land happen unless there is an economic crisis.
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See this is why when I become head of the Walt Disney Company, I'm hiring you as my number two.
 
GoofGoof

GoofGoof

Premium Member
ParentsOf4 said:
Corporate Disney is aware of the benefits of a Star Wars themed land in DHS. Unless there is a financial earthquake, it will happen.

Eventually.

The primary issue is funding. Senior executive management is reluctant to invest too much in Parks & Resorts (P&R) at any one time.

After being at near-record low levels during Iger's first 4 years, P&R investing activities as a percent of revenue maxed out under Iger at about 23% in 2011 & 2012. (Before 9/11, Eisner averaged more than this number.) At the time, Iger and Rasulo were fielding a lot of questions from Wall Street along the lines of "When are you going to cut back on P&R investments?"

In 2013, P&R investment as a percent of revenue was at 15%, placating Wall Street.

For the first six months of the current fiscal year, this was at 15.6%.

Disney publically has committed to 43% ownership in Shanghai Disneyland or about $2.4B. Along with Pandora, a desire for additional cruise ships, and the unexpected MyMagic+ cost overruns, there's been a strong reluctance to initiate additional P&R spending until current expenditures ramp down.

There is a rumor that the Star Wars Land announcement was delayed because of a desire to tie-in the latest trilogy content to the new land. There is truth to this but to the suites in the corner offices, this also is a convenient smokescreen to delay capital outlays until investments are at acceptable levels.

Some within Disney want to spend now to get the project completed sooner. They view it as a golden opportunity to strike while the new films are being released, fix WDW’s worst park, take advantage of an improving economy, and act as the much-desired "Potter Swatter" to knock the wind out of the Universal sails (and sales :D). However, this is by no means a consensus. Executive A will say one thing because that's what they want to see happen while Executive B will say the polar opposite because that's what they want to see happen.

One way or the other, the sentiment is to make Star Wars Land happen unless there is an economic crisis.
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So Shanghai opens end of 2015 and Avatar beginning of 2017. That covers a lot of the capital spend for the rest of 2014 and 2015. 2016 would just have Avatar finishing up. It seems plausible that they could start a StarWars project as early as 2016 but definitely by 2017. If they waited until October 2015 (start of the next fiscal year) to break ground the earliest DHS SW Land would open would be end of 2018 but more likely 2019 unless they open it in phases like FLE with quick and cheap additions like the rumored Cantina and indoor JTA opening first and the bigger ride(s) coming later.

How much they choose to spend at DLR will probably also influence how much they commit to DHS. I guess the situation in Paris has an impact too as well as the cruise line.
 
Ariel484

Ariel484

Well-Known Member
spacemt354 said:
Do they give out awards just for finishing the Boston Marathon?
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Yes. If you finish you get a medal.
spacemt354 said:
If a runner finishes a race, how much more concrete proof do they need that they indeed finished it?
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It differs from runner to runner. For some, the knowledge that they finished is enough. Others like having the medals. I'd say I fall into the latter camp...any time I sign up for a race, at WDW or otherwise, I train for it for weeks/months...and I am firmly a middle-of-the-pack runner, so it's cool to get a medal sometimes because I'm sure never going get one for to winning a race. I would NEVER take one for a race I didn't finish, though.
spacemt354 said:
Do I think it's necessary that someone who doesn't finish it gets an award? No. But is it that big of a deal for a race in WDW? Not really.
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I go back and forth on this. On one hand...I shouldn't care what happens to other runners and just worry about myself. On the other hand...when the race starts and a person steps over the finish line, declares that they are done and demands their medal, and they get it...I think that's kind of crappy, WDW race or not (no link to back this up but it's a story I've read a few times).

That's an extreme example, but I think it's ridiculous that people sign up for these races and either know that they won't finish or don't commit to the training they need to. Yes, these races are in Disney, but they are still 3.1 miles/6.2 miles/13.1 miles/26.2 miles or some combination of those distances, and more often than not there are heat advisories on race day(s). If you show up unprepared it's stupid and not safe. And if you show up planning to drop out almost immediately it's a waste of money and an integrity thing, I guess.

runDisney is very interesting to me right now. Their prices are approaching the $200 mark for half marathons (INSANE) and they keep adding race weekends and "challenges" where on gets a bonus medal for completing multiple races. Recently they added a challenge where if you complete a January race + the Castaway Cay 5K on a Dream cruise right after marathon weekend, you get a bonus medal. The CC5K is usually free (finishers get a plastic medal and race bib) but to do this challenge it costs $65 - for a 5K that is normally FREE - plus registration for the January race(s), lodging for those races and cruise fees. The challenge sold out on the first day.

On another message board I said I thought it was crazy that this challenge cost $65 since I did the CC5K for free last year and the response I got was, "yeah but did you get a brand new medal for it?" :rolleyes: Whoever came up with runDisney is a genius.

And don't get me started on the people doing the January races in WDW, the CC5K challenge AND the Star Wars races in Disneyland the next weekend...

(Apologies for the big wall-o'-text.)
 
71jason

71jason

Well-Known Member
Just an observation: Car Masters Weekend is quite possibly the perfect event. Well over a 100 cars with appeal to "car guys" and the general public, informative Q&As, lots for the kids to do.

Much like the Typhoon Lagoon anniversary party, saw zero lifestylers covering it. Seen hardly any commentary on the boards. Seriously, you could find more pics of the walls surrounding the 7D coaster online than of both events combined.

I think this shows just how limited the lifestyler/fanboi mentality is. Now back to your previous WDW/UOR or whatever debate...
 
culturenthrills

culturenthrills

Well-Known Member
tirian said:
They recently renewed the performers' contracts, so...
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That doesn't mean anything. They had renewed the Ziti Sister's contract and we know what happened to them. You get to keep your id and some privileges through the end of your contract but you lose your insurance and benefits when your show is closed. You know they seem to keep cutting shows that have equity performers but keeping the ones that are contractors. Most of the Ziti sisters have picked up part time work but none of them are full time anymore and one of them who was in the show from beginning to end isn't working at Disney at all.
 
culturenthrills

culturenthrills

Well-Known Member
http://nikkifinke.com/disney-decision-soon-will-bob-iger-choose-successor/

If I had to chose between Rasulo or Staggs it would have to be Staggs. Rasulo has no personality or imagination and doesn't seem to give a crap about the parks. Staggs might surprise us. I would prefer an outsider because the company needs new blood and with all the acquisitions they need a CEO that can manage creative people.

However, I feel sorry for whoever takes over because I think that a bunch of S#@t is gonna hit the fan after Iger leaves when it comes to cost overuns for MM minus and other things.
 

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