The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[lazyboy97o]

At least the old ownership got the rights to Harry Potter so they couldn't be that bad.

Add on. On the other hand they did get the rights to Marvel but gave them up everywhere except Orlando. Very dumb move on that one.

You're knowledge of history really is poor, but you just love playing expert.

 

[seascape]

That's because they cowtowed to JKR and Warner Brothers. They saw Potter as their only chance to pretty up the parks they had neglected for nearly a decade to finally sell them (their goal for the 10 years they rand the resort). They had no desire to run theme parks, and cut costs at every corner throughout the years, including selling off valuable expansion land.

Potter turned out great because Uinversal Creative, the WB designers, and contractors were actually given some room to play. It was still a relatively cheap project with a ton of reused infrastructure. There's a reason Diagon will blow it out of the water, and a reason why the Hollywood and Japanese versions will be significant improvements.

Japan and Hollywood and the other parks that Universal owns is the reason I believe that Universal will finally give up the Marvel Characters. To me it make no sense to keep them after the contract expires in Japan. I can see the commercial shown world wide of the Marvel Characters leaving Universal Japan and going to Tokyo Disney and joining them at all the other Disney Parks around the world. The only universal park that will have them is Orlando and most of the people around the world would associate them with Disney not Universal. So why keep them. Disney is not going to pay.

 

[GLaDOS]

Japan and Hollywood and the other parks that Universal owns is the reason I believe that Universal will finally give up the Marvel Characters. To me it make no sense to keep them after the contract expires in Japan. I can see the commercial shown world wide of the Marvel Characters leaving Universal Japan and going to Tokyo Disney and joining them at all the other Disney Parks around the world. The only universal park that will have them is Orlando and most of the people around the world would associate them with Disney not Universal. So why keep them. Disney is not going to pay.

Yes, they will just give up a contract that gives them all the power and they pay pennies for. Sound business strategy there

 

[marni1971]

Taking that into account why would such a great company as universal let the park get into such disrepair?

Because they have no intent of keeping it? Please don't mention your interpretation of business sense.

And don't talk about river country which had to close due to water regulations. They could no longer use water from the lake.

Thats not exactly right but is outside of this discussion.

 

[lazyboy97o]

That's because they cowtowed to JKR and Warner Brothers. They saw Potter as their only chance to pretty up the parks they had neglected for nearly a decade to finally sell them (their goal for the 10 years they rand the resort). They had no desire to run theme parks, and cut costs at every corner throughout the years, including selling off valuable expansion land.

And just look at how they've handled SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment.

 

[twebber55]

Japan and Hollywood and the other parks that Universal owns is the reason I believe that Universal will finally give up the Marvel Characters. To me it make no sense to keep them after the contract expires in Japan. I can see the commercial shown world wide of the Marvel Characters leaving Universal Japan and going to Tokyo Disney and joining them at all the other Disney Parks around the world. The only universal park that will have them is Orlando and most of the people around the world would associate them with Disney not Universal. So why keep them. Disney is not going to pay.

so when a kid watches a marvel movie and wants to see them where does he go? kind of a no brainer for universal... and im certainly not a homer for either park (love both) but I see this as a better deal for universal and its not even close

 

[doctornick]

Right but with P&R annual revenue over $14B in 2013, even the $2.3B in China is only about 16% of P&R revenue for a single year. How many years is that cost being spread over?

In terms of percentage, the company's most valuable physical asset and largest single source of revenue is receiving the least about of investment dollars, and has been for years.

It's time for corporate Disney to once again re-invest in WDW.

Since you seem plugged into these things... how does "Wall Street" view the investments that Comcast is making into the theme parks? I would imagine that it is a much higher percentage of their park revenues than we see at Disney.

 

[seascape]

so when a kid watches a marvel movie and wants to see them where does he go? kind of a no brainer for universal... and im certainly not a homer for either park (love both) but I see this as a better deal for universal and its not even close

In California they go to Disney. In Japan in a little over 10 years they will go to Disney. In Europe and all of Asia they go to Disney. In the east they can take a Disney Cruise and see the characters or go to Universal. They do not have to go to Universal. In fact with the arena show you don't have to take them anywhere the show is coming to you. Also there is nothing in the contract that says they can't have meet and greets in retail stores only that they can't be in the parks. So Disney can have them at Disney Springs.

 

[asianway]

Oh boy, what did I do? :looksaround:

It keeps getting happier. Seems we are now down one show writer at WDI

 

[culturenthrills]

Universal has a plan and Wet and Wild is not part of that plan. That whole area on I Drive around that park is about to be transformed over the next 10 years. Universal will have a large part of it. They aren't going to be able to hide much longer all the land they have acquired and are acquiring. They have plans to build a state of the art water park. Orlando may have 4 water parks but outside of crush n gusher none of them have any of the modern state of the art water slides many parks around the country have gotten in the last few years. Holiday World's water park has more state of the art large scale/capacity slides then any park in Orlando. UNI will need something new and shiny for all the resorts they will be building across the highway until they reach the point that a 3rd park is viable. But who knows they may end up jumping across Kirkman Rd instead or including. We got a long way to go and it is gonna be fun to watch it all happen.

 

[twebber55]

In California they go to Disney. In Japan in a little over 10 years they will go to Disney. In Europe and all of Asia they go to Disney. In the east they can take a Disney Cruise and see the characters or go to Universal. They do not have to go to Universal. In fact with the arena show you don't have to take them any where the show is coming to you. Also there is nothing in the contract that says they can't have meet and greets retail stores only that they can't be in the parks. So Disney can have them at Disney Springs.

yeah I know all this.... I still think its a great deal for universal

 

[Rteetz]

In recent photos and videos taken from a helicopter near universal it seems there is a lot of land clearing going on around cabana bay. The one area seems it could be the right size for a water park. I also agree that orlando water parks are outdated we here in wisconsin have the wisconsin dells home of Americas largest water park they add something new and exciting every year. the Dells also have kalahari, the wilderness and great wolf lodge to name a few. All of those update their water parks frequently, but then again its easy to because we have along winter.

Universal has a plan and Wet and Wild is not part of that plan. That whole area on I Drive around that park is about to be transformed over the next 10 years. Universal will have a large part of it. They aren't going to be able to hide much longer all the land they have acquired and are acquiring. They have plans to build a state of the art water park. Orlando may have 4 water parks but outside of crush n gusher none of them have any of the modern state of the art water slides many parks around the country have gotten in the last few years. Holiday World's water park has more state of the art large scale/capacity slides then any park in Orlando. UNI will need something new and shiny for all the resorts they will be building across the highway until they reach the point that a 3rd park is viable. But who knows they may end up jumping across Kirkman Rd instead or including. We got a long way to go and it is gonna be fun to watch it all happen.

 

[seascape]

yeah I know all this.... I still think its a great deal for universal

We will just disagree. I can understand your view and respect it.

 

[seascape]

Universal has a plan and Wet and Wild is not part of that plan. That whole area on I Drive around that park is about to be transformed over the next 10 years. Universal will have a large part of it. They aren't going to be able to hide much longer all the land they have acquired and are acquiring. They have plans to build a state of the art water park. Orlando may have 4 water parks but outside of crush n gusher none of them have any of the modern state of the art water slides many parks around the country have gotten in the last few years. Holiday World's water park has more state of the art large scale/capacity slides then any park in Orlando. UNI will need something new and shiny for all the resorts they will be building across the highway until they reach the point that a 3rd park is viable. But who knows they may end up jumping across Kirkman Rd instead or including. We got a long way to go and it is gonna be fun to watch it all happen.

Please tell where the land is and the plan. Do you really expect anyone to believe they bought all that land. Where Florida has the best public records act in the country. The owner of every parcel of land is on the internet. All the land outside of WDW that Disney or Reedy Creek Improvement District purchased is there for everyone to see. Nothing private there and believe me nothing is kept secret any more. Just look at this site and the permit section.

Will Universal eventually expand? Yes. Will Disney every build the 5th gate? Yes. These are such easy questions. Given an unlimited future of course both will happen
Now when that is the question. If you actually believe Universal will build a new water park, not rebuild Wet New Wild then you have to believe a 3rd gate is not right around the corner.

 

[HenryMystic]

It keeps getting happier. Seems we are now down one show writer at WDI

Isn't that kinda like addition by subtraction?

 

[Nubs70]

I agree with the seats. If they had more especially in the store for the husband's to sit at and talk to the other husband's who are waiting while their wives shop. In fact if they had a bar in some of the stores they'd make even more.

Or a Disney themed strip bar for the husbands. At rope drop mom and the kids take off sprinting left while all the husbands go sprinting the right. Imagine the money that could be made from the $50 poloroids. Not exactly Walt's vision but it would surely increase gross revenue.

 

[Nubs70]

Please tell where the land is and the plan. Do you really expect anyone to believe they bought all that land. Where Florida has the best public records act in the country. The owner of every parcel of land is on the internet. All the land outside of WDW that Disney or Reedy Creek Improvement District purchased is there for everyone to see. Nothing private there and believe me nothing is kept secret any more. Just look at this site and the permit section.

Will Universal eventually expand? Yes. Will Disney every build the 5th gate? Yes. These are such easy questions. Given an unlimited future of course both will happen
Now when that is the question. If you actually believe Universal will build a new water park, not rebuild Wet New Wild then you have to believe a 3rd gate is not right around the corner.

Ever hear of options? UNI can secure options on the land in question without ownership. UNI could have the rights to land four times the size of current ownership without anything being in the public record.

 

[PhotoDave219]

He retired at age 29 (same as Lebron now) and most people in the basketball world see this as LeBron's prime. Usually, age 28-31 is the prime combination of athleticism and maturity for the NBA.

And what you are saying in regards to a suspension is a conspiracy theory. It's not concrete. So saying it as a fact is kind of misleading.

Also Jordan never ripped teammates before ripping himself. He took the blame but at the same time tried to motivate his players to perform better. It's not a lack of class. Coaches and players do this all the time. It's a motivational tool.

Okay. Enough. Take it to a PM.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Since you seem plugged into these things... how does "Wall Street" view the investments that Comcast is making into the theme parks? I would imagine that it is a much higher percentage of their park revenues than we see at Disney.

The Street's view usually doesn't get much past the most recent news cycle.

WWOHP was inexpensive and a huge success.

Transformers was inexpensive and a success.

They expect Diagon Alley to be inexpensive and a huge success.

Right now, The Street would love Universal to build more but that will sour the first time Uni stumbles. (And Uni will stumble; all companies do.)

Conversely, for Iger, "What Wall Street thinks" has become as limiting a factor as "What would Walt do?" was for the pre-Eisner generation.

Comcast and TWDC are huge conglomerates. They need to focus on smart business strategies; not on what Wall Street (or Walt) thinks.

 

[wdwgreek]

Im not sure what this thread has divulged into having read a few dozen pages I'm lost, but in bullet points can someone help me sift through the doomsayers, fanboys, and argument and help me discern what is the news or rumor wdw1974 meant to convey! Thanks