The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

cw1982

Well-Known Member
Since the thread hasn't really moved on since my earlier post, here's the picture I promised @StarBurst:

10411269_10100610320909268_4228951435171211606_n.jpg
 

71jason

Well-Known Member
For anyone who thinks they have the Marvel/Uni contract 100% figured out and thinks they know what's allowed where, look at the movie side. You have Marvel and Fox using the same character, played by different people in different movies. Some stuff is obviously off-limits, but there's a whole lot of grey area.

The movie rights were sold off piece-meal, and have been horse-traded ever since. In contrast, the Uni contract was obviously intended to be all-encompassing. Sure, "Rom: Space Knight" wasn't included, but the intent clearly was to transfer rights to every major and minor player traditionally associated with "The Marvel Universe."

I actually don't think Uni would challenge something unless it was very blatant or a big E-ticket.

By all accounts, they raised hell over a monorail overlay looping through EPCOT. If Disney thought they had a case for Iron Man (the only marketable character without a ride/restaurant named after him in MSHI), they would've tried last year. Instead they went with Iron Patriot--one of a handful of characters created after the contract was signed.

I still don't understand the brand advocate obsession over this. TWDC owns the characters free and clear in Anaheim--they've yet to do anything with them that doesn't pale in comparison to Hulk and Spidey in IoA. Moreover, the Disney specialties--omnimovers, animatronics--are particularly ill-suited to Marvel, as opposed to, say, Arrendale or Radiator Springs, both of which feel like a more natural fit to the existing Orlando parks.
 

71jason

Well-Known Member
But you are wrong. Fundamentally so. Often by the time a company sees the major signs of trouble that you are talking about, it is too late. Again, I realize many folks can't see WDW ever not existing in largely its current form. I find that PoV amazingly arrogant and ignorant from a crowd who loves to remind folks here that ''Disney is a business''.

[Start off on a tangent here, but I promise to come back around to the quoted material...]

I went to Pointe Orlando this evening for a friend's birthday.* Busiest I've ever seen it in 15 years. In the 100+ times I've visited, never before have I had to park on the garage roof. When I walked in at 7:45 and left again at 11:00, every restaurant/bar ranged from "busy" to "packed." And this is without their new signature tenant/anchor, Blue Martini, even open yet!

I have to think a lot of this is at the expense of Downtown Disney. The parking nightmare and maze of construction walls is well-documented, and things have gotten even worse with Buena Vista being down to 2 lanes. It's easier to get to Pointe if you want dinner at a nice themed restaurant and maybe a movie or some live music (especially if you go Universal Blvd.). And I also suspect there's an element that the nightlife is more fun--Pointe bars don't have to cater to the stroller brigade as well as the conventioneers, they can go all out.

My point is WDW does not exist in a vacuum. If Flamingo Crossing fails, it's because west 192 was a better option for potential tenants. If you take 4 years to build Disney Springs (after leaving the area abandoned for 5), you give other competition time to spring up and develop a reputation and a following. And if you go a decade between E-tickets while the distinguished competition builds one a year, sooner or later guests are going to quit coming. The problem is, when you move slow like that, you're right, by the time corporate recognizes the problem it's already too late.


* - Saw a 70s-themed drag show at Funky Monkey, apparently an every Saturday night thing. Lots of fun if you're in Orlando looking for distinctly non-Disney entertainment (although one of the divas claims to be good friends with one of the Fab 5).
 

Cosmic Commando

Well-Known Member
The movie rights were sold off piece-meal, and have been horse-traded ever since. In contrast, the Uni contract was obviously intended to be all-encompassing. Sure, "Rom: Space Knight" wasn't included, but the intent clearly was to transfer rights to every major and minor player traditionally associated with "The Marvel Universe."
They definitely meant to be thorough, but not all-encompassing. The contract could have been much simpler in that case; they could have said "any Marvel character created before 1/1/1993" instead of using qualifiers like the "family" rule and saying Uni has exclusivity of characters that are a "more than an incidental element" of what they build.
 

Darth Sidious

Authentically Disney Distinctly Chinese
I know there are a few of you who'd find this article from the NYT interesting so I'll share it.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/07/2...ady-dwindling-competition.html?_r=0&referrer=

Many of the points were brought up by a few posters here when we discussed the potential Fox-TW merger. After reading the article it was also brought to my attention that Fox and WB are one and two in revenue for studios. Is this because they follow a more Eisner-esque approach with more low budget movies, sprinkled with a few blockbusters? This opposed to WDS approach of a handful of tent pole movies a year.
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
No, the problem is that he's a shill for the parks without acknowledging such. He doesn't "cover" them, he actively promotes them but while still claiming some veneer of journalistic independence, despite being granted special treatment and access by the Mouse. If a Wall Street journalist "covered" a stock the way Mongello "covers" Disney, he'd go to jail.

ETA: the fact he doesn't acknowledge (let alone cover) non-Disney parks just makes him look silly.

Just felt like repeating this since Loveable Lou is now getting regular quotes in USA Today and a gig on O-Town's FOX affiliate. The veneer of legitimacy doesn't make it so, though.
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
We've defined it several times: a local who must be seen being the first to do something new. Goes to social media meets and generally obsesses over every minute detail of the parks. Generally follows the crowd and does whatever is hip & popular. Seeks constant attention through all means.

Aren't you attending one of those as I type this? We expect a full report here! :D

I want to know what character Scary Steven dressed up as ...
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
That is absolutely correct. I know a pixie duster WDW fan who go 3-4 times a year from Canada and she kept saying "Japan is too expensive". I finally convinced her by showing up her that a 4 days magic pass to Tokyo Disney is less than the price of two days at WDW. Food is cheaper or same price and for hotel, you can stay at a much nicer "official hotel" with a park view for cheaper than her favorite Comtemporary. She's finally agreed to go, so maybe she'll break off her WDW addiction? If she can do it, any pixie duster can.

It was so refreshing to go to Tokyo Disney in april this year and just have a nice relaxing visit. There were crowds, but I dealt with it and even got a sitdown meal as a walk on at TDL!

Did we get any observations? Feel free to drop the thoughts in here. I'd love to chat about TDR. And I'm sure we could even get @WDWFigment to join us if he can put down his Gelatoni plush first!
 

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
Well… I just left the screening of guardians of the Galaxy…

It was very good. It was very enjoyable popcorn movie, lots of action, decent character development. A little dark in spots… A little bit of language for you parents out there… it's a long film, runs to an a half hours not including previews.

It's solid, it's not going to pull a ventures type money but it should pull pretty decent especially with the overseas markets.

Knowing absolutely nothing about this comic book franchise, it was not a problem. They explains everything as you went.

I'd pay money to see it again. I give it a solid be. It wasn't as good as the avengers or the most recent captain America film but it's by far the best film I've seen come out this summer.
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
They can't. Which is the best part of going to Tokyo

Can't is actually the wrong word though. It would force them to go cold turkey on their precious WDW for a year, and mentally they can't deal with that.

This is the biggest roadblock. You can't be a WDW Lifestyler who has to stay away from the place for two years, or even more, to visit Tokyo.

Your business is done. Your flock becomes someone else's. And Celebration Place forgets you exist as, Tom Bricker's photos aside, they couldn't care less that TDR exists and has a connection to TWDC.
 

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