The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[Nubs70]

First credit where credit is due, the photo's belong as originally credited to touring plans skubersky

I understand the pro's of lightening, but that has nothing to do with that discussion. That charging station is just over a year old and it should be operational to support Disney's DME. My point of the post way back when was Disney not having a maintenance schedule for making sure their equipment was in good working order, which it was not, 12 broken, 0 operational. IMO Disney's operations model should not be relent on guests to go to Guest Services to report nothing in their recharging station is operational and that all units are broken. When Disney install systems like this they should have a maintenance system in place to make sure the system is remains operational. It should be part of that departments job description and duties. As I said that kinda stuff drives me nuts, they advertise it on their maps yet don't bother to keep operational. Even more important now that they removed the trial charging lockers. All of this should have been imagineered into the DME before it was launched.

Advertising the availability of phone chargers that turn out to be non functional is like offering toilets without toilet paper.

 

[PeterAlt]

Oy, I am sorry for your loss....

And with all that you are dealing with ya made me laugh with this iPad line! Kudos. I'm old enough to remember the dumb walking around with laptops strapped around their torsos' filming the parks. Crazy guest sightings.

Let me add something completely scary (or good, depending on how you look at it) to that!

The new Apple Watch will have a feature where you can use it to remote control the cameras in your iPhone or iPad. This will enable people to secretly record. You can strap your iPhone somewhere that doesn't look so conspicuous, while viewing its camera nonchalantly and controlling it with your Apple Watch...

 

[englanddg]

Let me add something completely scary (or good, depending on how you look at it) to that!

The new Apple Watch will have a feature where you can use it to remote control the cameras in your iPhone or iPad. This will enable people to secretly record. You can strap your iPhone somewhere that doesn't look so conspicuous, while viewing its camera nonchalantly and controlling it with your Apple Watch...

Um...yeah.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Um...yeah.

It really is listed as a "feature" of the Apple Watch. You can do it with Android Wear too. I think I've spent too much time on Disney websites. My immediate thought was people using it to get over-the-wall photo updates.

 

[englanddg]

It really is listed as a "feature" of the Apple Watch. You can do it with Android Wear too. I think I've spent too much time on Disney websites. My immediate thought was people using it to get over-the-wall photo updates.

Exactly. It's not a unique feature to Apple, and it surely isn't "creepy"....

You still need to have the camera on the paired device in line. It's not like it magically overrides lenses or line of sight.

 

[PeterAlt]

It really is listed as a "feature" of the Apple Watch. You can do it with Android Wear too. I think I've spent too much time on Disney websites. My immediate thought was people using it to get over-the-wall photo updates.

Good idea! Good thinking! Can't wait to get one! Lol

Better yet, I could attach my iPhone to a helium balloon ... Hmmm

 

[PeterAlt]

Exactly. It's not a unique feature to Apple, and it surely isn't "creepy"....

You still need to have the camera on the paired device in line. It's not like it magically overrides lenses or line of sight.

I'm having high hopes for the iGlass now... (Evil laugh)

 

[englanddg]

I'm having high hopes for the iGlass now... (Evil laugh)

Not...really. It will fad, and then fad out.

 

[marni1971]

and UKers (like @wdwmagic and @marni1971 etc) having some crazy fixation with O-Town and awful Florida weather,

Hey! The weathers part of the attraction, you crazy American

Or we could talk about FP+ churn, how many reservations at headline attractions aren't used, and how much less it is used and the ramifications compared to the legacy system...

And all the best given your family situation.

 

[marni1971]

I'm not sure Universal needs a 3rd gate anymore than WDW did when they decided to open the disaster currently known as DHS. I'd rather see Universal stick with two parks that they keep investing in than to see them do what Disney did.

I honestly don't see a third gate for a decade at least. It'll come, but it is long term.

 

[ParentsOf4]

So, basically, we are where we were during Eisner's all time low in spending (not adjusted for inflation?). In that point of view, the only way to go now is up.

Most of today's Parks & Resorts capex is being spent on two things: general upkeep (what Rasulo calls "maintenance capital") and Shanghai. The amounts currently being spent on new WDW projects (Disney Springs and the Poly DVC) are laughably small.

WDW generates roughly $8 billion in annual revenue. Even a modest real investment budget of 5% equates to building a New Fantasyland every year.

Instead, for all their loyalty (i.e. money), WDW vacationers get another outdoor mall, a repurposed timeshare, and a promise to build one land based on a questionable IP in several years.

WDW is an incredible asset yet executives within the company continue to take it for granted rather than nurture it.

 

[PeterAlt]

Most of today's Parks & Resorts capex is being spent on two things: general upkeep (what Rasulo calls "maintenance capital") and Shanghai. The amounts currently being spent on new WDW projects (Disney Springs and the Poly DVC) are laughably small.

WDW generates roughly $8 billion in annual revenue. Even a modest real investment budget of 5% equates to building a New Fantasyland every year.

Instead, for all their loyalty (i.e. money), WDW vacationers get a mall, a repurposed timeshare, and a promise to build one land based on a questionable IP in several years.

WDW is an incredible asset yet executives within the company continue to take it for granted rather than nurture it.

WDW has the potential to be the flagship resort, if not the flagship MK. Your assessment is even worse than I thought. I remain correct about the company being at a crossroads for FY2015.

 

[PeterAlt]

I honestly don't see a third gate for a decade at least. It'll come, but it is long term.

Remember my assessment for Orlando in general. Just like how Las Vegas specializes in casino resorts, Orlando's specialty is becoming themed entertainment and resorts. No where in the world will people find a better collection of theme parks and resorts than Orlando. To keep it this way and to keep people from booking a vacation in another city for another theme park, a Orlando has to continue to grow its market and yet introduce even more theme parks just to grow and accommodate that growth.

Las Vegas for example, didn't start with a few casino resorts and quit. It kept building. Now, people choose to go to Las Vegas to go to casino resorts over any other city.

Hollywood didn't build a couple of studios and say "we have enough". It did everything in its power to attract more and now virtually every studio is there.

The same thing could be said about technology companies and Silcone Valley.

Orlando should do everything in its power to attract theme park entertainment seekers, including encouraging more companies to come in, current companies to expand, and (my signature advocacy) transportation to get around it all.

 

[twebber55]

Most of today's Parks & Resorts capex is being spent on two things: general upkeep (what Rasulo calls "maintenance capital") and Shanghai. The amounts currently being spent on new WDW projects (Disney Springs and the Poly DVC) are laughably small.

WDW generates roughly $8 billion in annual revenue. Even a modest real investment budget of 5% equates to building a New Fantasyland every year.

Instead, for all their loyalty (i.e. money), WDW vacationers get another outdoor mall, a repurposed timeshare, and a promise to build one land based on a questionable IP in several years.

WDW is an incredible asset yet executives within the company continue to take it for granted rather than nurture it.

First thanks for your info, very informative, always look forward to your post
i guess the way the exces look at Florida is people are still going no matter what they do

 

[BrerJon]

Until mega-conglomerates (like Disney) with their record revenue & profits (like Disney) start increasing employee pay in a manner commensurate with those employees' increased productivity, those employees will never have enough to afford longer vacations in order to enjoy a WDW 5th Gate and generate even higher record profits for corporate Disney.

I understand Americans aren't likely to get increased vacation days any time soon, but how would this predicition be affected by growth from international guests?

Most international guests get at least four, sometimes five or six weeks vacation a year, easily enough to fit a two week Orlando vacation in (two weeks is the normal for UK guests). At the moment that time is split between Disney, Universal and Sea World (thanks Orlando Flex Ticket!) but a fifth gate could persuade many to go Disney all the way.

Or do the numbers for international visitors barely make a dent compared to Americans, and not likely to ever be enough to make this worthwhile? Disney Springs seems to be exclusively targeting internationals, so they're clearly on Disney's radar.

 

[PeterAlt]

First thanks for your info, very informative, always look forward to your post
i guess the way the exces look at Florida is people are still going no matter what they do

But that wasn't always the case! It's just really sad was has/is happening! I'm always optimistic, though, and hope this is just a passing phase!

 

[marni1971]

Remember my assessment for Orlando in general.
.

I'll rewrite it.

From my informed sources I don't see a third park opening for a decade.

 

[twebber55]

I'll rewrite it.

From my informed sources I don't see a third park opening for a decade.

does a third gate equal a water park?

 

[ParentsOf4]

I understand Americans aren't likely to get increased vacation days any time soon, but how would this predicition be affected by growth from international guests?

Most international guests get at least four, sometimes five or six weeks vacation a year, easily enough to fit a two week Orlando vacation in (two weeks is the normal for UK guests). At the moment that time is split between Disney, Universal and Sea World (thanks Orlando Flex Ticket!) but a fifth gate could persuade many to go Disney all the way.

Or do the numbers for international visitors barely make a dent compared to Americans, and not likely to ever be enough to make this worthwhile? Disney Springs seems to be exclusively targeting internationals, so they're clearly on Disney's radar.

International vacationers make up about 20% of WDW's guests. That number has been up-and-down about 3% over the last couple of decades, but 20% is about average.

What changes is the mix. Depending on where Disney is advertising and their local economies, certain countries have higher attendance in certain years than others.

20% is an appreciable size of the customer base. However, it's not large enough to justify major capital outlays.

Instead, WDW customizes vacation packages to fit those markets.

Disney seems content to let some of that market slip away as they visit Uni, SeaWorld, etc. during their extended holidays.

 

[marni1971]

does a third gate equal a water park?

Nope.