The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[GoofGoof]

No reasonable person expects DIS to build a new E-ticket EVERY year, But investing to the level of a new C-Ticket for every park every year as an ADDITION and a E-Ticket every 4-5 or so year would probably satisfy 95% percent of us and would keep the parks FRESH.

Returning the lost atmospheric elements (entertainment, shade benches) and improving food service would go a long way. When your signature hotel runs out of snacks by 6PM and managers are afraid to order more you have a real problem with cost control gone wild.

I would be content with 1 new E-ticket every 4-5 years with 2 to 3 new smaller additions a year. The new additions don't need to be rides. An updated show, a new parade or a ride would count for me. My biggest beef is the cutbacks and lack of upkeep on the existing parks. I'd even go as far as say I'd be perfectly happy with nothing new at WDW until Avatar opens if they would do a major refurb of the existing parks between then and now.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Spirited Friday Night Quickees:

First, I am no tease, except with fanbois, so I've played enough: the current WDI plan for Star Wars at DLR involves a complete removal of ... Toontown. Don't know what this means for future DL pyro shows, but that is a huge chunk of land that is considered very 'underutilized'.

Second, it goes without saying that I am not changing my personality, posting style or blunt opinions. If people here can't handle them, then by all means don't post in Spirited threads. But if you insist on posting here, then you know what you're getting.

Some DLP news has come out in the last few days, most notably what I have told you about NGE tech being used over there (think tickets and such, I would not expect MM+). But they also announced that the Hotel NY will be closed for up to two years for its only top to bottom rehab as soon as Newport Bay is finished. While some will (likely rightly) post to the load levels there, I believe if you are going to turn a resort into a construction zone that you close it (as, for instance, Loews did in NYC recently).

You don't pull a WDW and keep the Poly open when it should be shuttered, all the while charging guests full price.

More DVC? ... Why not?

Is there anyone here who wants to defend Bob Iger's leadership? Feel free, but you are wrong and I likely won't have time for the inevitable 23-pages of back and forth.

Nice to see @skubersky dropping in here. He's just one of so many folks in media, at all levels, that read Spirited threads. And I welcome and invite any/all of them to drop in and have nice cherry limeade and talk about exciting O-Town development's such as the All Star Music's Intermission Food Court (where I stole soda proudly for years!) redo ... or ... or ... ahm ... um .... is there anything else going on at WDW?

A friend and fellow MAGICal member wrote to tell me of recent positive experiences at Carowinds. Yes, it really does come down to corporate culture and leadership and much like Comcast, Cedar Fair finally has it right. Disney has the same people it has for decades ... fanbois who have crushes on Tom Staggs need to realize that he has Strategic Planning coursing thru his mitocolorians (have no idea if that is spelled correctly, nor do I care!)

Disney's Planes: Fire and Rescue is doing exactly what they hoped, both at the box office and the retailers.

BTW, get your Aulani Duffys at any/all Disney outlets for just $9.99 (or I know someone who will pick them up in Hawaii for $35).

Why does my postal carrier insist on FOLDING my Hollywood Reporter in HALF when it fits just fine without damaging the thing at all?

Still waiting for the first Lifestyler trip report from the Four Seasons!

Speaking of which, yes, Mrs. Ricky's MealTicket is currently at DLR and somehow made it into Club 33 (he loves the changes, so I doubt he went with Andy Castro!) Yes, I know. Every Lifestyler has 'friends' ... to which I would say ''Have you met these people?!?!''

That's all for now. Great weekends to all.

Still in shock with the RR/Mickey's Toontown/ Star Wars Land news... but I believe you 100%. Can you tell us more about what's behind this unexpected choice? Is Marvel coming to Tomorrowland in a bigger way? This news is too big and too strange not to share...

 

[ford91exploder]

A stock buyback and a dividend achieve the same goal, returning capital to shareholders. There is a different tax implication for a shareholder. Stock buybacks were historically considered to be used as a one time or infrequent way to return capital. They are very trendy right now. Dividends are supposed to be more of a constant return. You have to be certain you will have the cash flow to continue to pay the dividend and eventually grow it. Reducing your dividend is not going to be received well.

When you are being judged on things like earnings per share reducing the number of shares increases your EPS even if earnings stay constant. Paying a bigger dividend will increase the dividend yield, but doesn't have an impact on EPS. Different investors have different goals.

All True, However a Dividend is a DIRECT return of capital to shareholders, a buyback requires a sale to realize the capital gain which may have negative tax consequences for the shareholder and as such the shareholder and the shareholder is still vulnerable to the slings and arrows of the market so for the most part the result of a buyback is a paper gain for the shareholder.

 

[ford91exploder]

I would be content with 1 new E-ticket every 4-5 years with 2 to 3 new smaller additions a year. The new additions don't need to be rides. An updated show, a new parade or a ride would count for me. My biggest beef is the cutbacks and lack of upkeep on the existing parks. I'd even go as far as say I'd be perfectly happy with nothing new at WDW until Avatar opens if they would do a major refurb of the existing parks between then and now.

Agree entirely - you notice I said ATTRACTION not RIDE.

 

[GoofGoof]

All True, However a Dividend is a DIRECT return of capital to shareholders, a buyback requires a sale to realize the capital gain which may have negative tax consequences for the shareholder and as such the shareholder and the shareholder is still vulnerable to the slings and arrows of the market so for the most part the result of a buyback is a paper gain for the shareholder.

It depends on how long you plan to hold the stock. A dividend is taxed today when it is paid. The capital gain from the buyback is not taxable until you sell the stock. If you are holding the stock long term as a growth investment you want the buyback. If you are holding the stock as an income stock and are interested in dividends because you need the cash today then you probably want the dividend.

 

[Gabe1]

I've had a number of adult beverages tonight and had zero problems understanding Tim's chart.

Sometimes that helps.

Have one for me, then! I shouldn't be drinking right now, but I'd love a little more insight. Then again, I generally suck at math, so even that may not help.

Well that got my attention! Hope my imagination is correct.

Just a reminder to anyone lurking, the toon town being referred to is in Anaheim, not Lake Buena Vista.

As toon town at Magic Kingdom was killed five years ago.

Giggle. Disney, becomes a toon serial killer.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Sometimes that helps.



Well that got my attention! Hope my imagination is correct.






Giggle. Disney, becomes a toon serial killer.

Iger has become Judge Doom?

 

[Mike S]

Iger has become Judge Doom?

It actually makes perfect sense. Destroying a place that is creative, unique and well loved for the sake of profit. Now all we need is some Dip and all of WDW's problems will be solved

 

[cw1982]

Well that got my attention! Hope my imagination is correct.

About me? Lol... it probably is. Let's just say I won't be drinking for the next nine months or so.

 

[Gabe1]

About me? Lol... it probably is. Let's just say I won't be drinking for the next nine months or so.

Yes and congratulations.

 

[Mike S]

About me? Lol... it probably is. Let's just say I won't be drinking for the next nine months or so.

Congrats from me too

 

[PhotoDave219]

About me? Lol... it probably is. Let's just say I won't be drinking for the next nine months or so.

Oh that's right, your schoolteacher. Back-to-school.

 

[cw1982]

Oh that's right, your schoolteacher. Back-to-school.

Hah! That's exactly right... because teachers never, ever drink during the school year, right?

And thanks, @Gabe1 and @Mike S

 

[ford91exploder]

BTW this is the EVIL page (666) or as the computer fraternity would have it EVILBIT == TRUE

 

[PhotoDave219]

Hah! That's exactly right... because teachers never, ever drink during the school year, right?

And thanks, @Gabe1 and @Mike S

Wait a minute… Did you bring back an extra souvenir from your last trip?

 

[cw1982]

Wait a minute… Did you bring back an extra souvenir from your last trip?

Nope lol. I'm only 4 weeks along. Just found out on Wednesday.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I'd be okay with Toontown going down if it meant Roger Rabbit could relocate to the Hollywood section of DCA, but that's not gonna happen.

 

[FigmentJedi]

It's a hugely popular IP and Disney is letting it rot and actively alienating the fans. I'm a Star Trek guy but my DBIL is a huge Star Wars fan (501'st et al) and he is frustrated with the lack of NEW stuff (Merch,Books,Games etc) a movie in 2 years is just not getting it done for the SW fans.

So he doesn't know about Rebels, the new novels, the rebooted comics line or the new Star Wars Battlefront game?

As others have pointed out, the original Toontown has been gutted by Disney's lawyers. And face it, Roger Rabbit was irrelevant even when TT opened in the mid 90s.

Roger Rabbit was pretty popular throughout the early 90s and Disney was producing new shorts with the character. Then Eisner ed off Spielberg and that killed the franchise because the bridge to Amblin was burned down.
Roger Rabbit's still one of the bigger classics of the 80s for a lot of people. He still carries that same sort of nostalgia feels as Ghostbusters, BTTF or Indy do.

 

[seahawk7]

I used the measure tool on Wikimapia to get rough estimates... here's what I got:

Toontown - 3.2 acres
Circle D Ranch - 3.7 acres
Big Thunder Ranch - 3.0 acres
Fantasyland Theater - 2.4 acres

So IF you can include all of those things, you'll get over twelve acres. It's not crazy to build a new Ranch offsite somewhere... the MK horses commute from Ft. Wilderness, after all. There is still some of the Fujishige property that hasn't been turned into the Toy Story parking lot. There is an access road to the backside of Fantasyland between the Theater and the Ranch, but part of it is already a tunnel (according to Wikimapia), so they could just make more tunnel. Remember, you can dig down in Anaheim without swimming. The Soarin' show building is already sunk down considerably.

As to the fit? It's fine, I guess. You'll still have that walkway under the train tracks to transition, so that'll really help. Maybe the entrance (or at least one of the entrances) could be over by Big Thunder Ranch... it's a pretty blank area and far away from anything else in the park. I don't believe you can even really see the trains on BTMRR from that side, so you'd just have the mountain to transition from. A lot of my opinion of this plan will depend on what they do with Roger. Spirit already hinted that it's not moving to DCA, but there's NO good reason it shouldn't. It would be a perfect fit in Hollywoodland. I love the Muppets, but that show building is about the right size and you would still have the space leftover for the Monstropolis plans. DCA could use another dark ride, anyway.

No one will miss these areas of DL?

 

[Quinnmac000]

Honestly, all Disney truly needs to do is make an interactive Battlefront based ride or experience and people will come. Know so many people who don't even like the Star Wars movies but play those games religiously. Like a laser tag coaster where you are jedi/empire.