The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[PhotoDave219]

Interesting little tidbit from NYCC today, DJ Elliot known for working the various WDW dance parties was the official DJ of the con.

Yes, he does a lot of work outside the company if you follow him…

 

[Next Big Thing]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-wp-blm-news-bc-disney09-20141009-story.html

"We have a brand that we're proud of, that we seek to protect," Iger said. "Unless you invest in continuing to burnish that brand, making the experience great, whether that's what the hotels look like, or the rides, or whether we're developing new ones, that's really important. Unless you invest in it, it's not going to succeed."

Bob Iger is the new Frank Wells confirmed!

Within that article, it says they will likely be naming a COO next year to gear up for replacing Iger in 2018. Should that person be Staggs, there would have to be someone else Promoted to run the parks, correct? Does that mean we'd be stuck with Meg?!?

 

[Next Big Thing]

He was being insanely sarcastic… it's all good

Sometimes it's hard to tell with some people on here...

 

[PhotoDave219]

FWIW, a man died in Texas of ebola.

He contracted it in Liberia.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Sometimes it's hard to tell with some people on here...

Agreed. But he's been around these parts is long as I have & I can generally tell…

 

[Next Big Thing]

Agreed. But he's been around these parts is long as I have & I can generally tell…

I wasn't speaking specifically at him. Don't even recall who the poster was. I'm just saying in general.

 

[Captain Neo]

Within that article, it says they will likely be naming a COO next year to gear up for replacing Iger in 2018. Should that person be Staggs, there would have to be someone else Promoted to run the parks, correct? Does that mean we'd be stuck with Meg?!?

well you didn't hear this from me but I heard its going to be....

Spoiler

Kevin Feige

 

[Captain Neo]

"I want the shiny new toy, NOW!"

I love how after seeing one piece of concept art and one teaser trailer you're willing to throw everything about Tomorrowland '94 under the bus, despite it's proven potential (remember how good it was before Stitch?) and the fact that they just spent months refurbishing Astro Orbitor. If anything, each Tomorrowland should have its own unique look, instead of hastily revamping them all to tie into a movie that, for all we know, could flop in May.

.........it was good before stitch?

Spoiler

When it first debuted in 1994 it had POTENTIAL if they followed through with the theme and redid Space Mountain like they were supposed to in 2000 with 2 totally different tracks and add an e-ticket where the theather used to be and retheme the speedway but instead Disney opted to let the place stagnate, people got bored of timekeeper and complained about alien encounter, and the only really new attraction we ended up getting was Buzz which was a disappointment on all levels

 

[tigger1968]

The event was not the only hard thing there that night!

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Syd Mead must be involved.

He is a concept artist on "Tomorrowland".

 

[ParentsOf4]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sns-wp-blm-news-bc-disney09-20141009-story.html

"We have a brand that we're proud of, that we seek to protect," Iger said. "Unless you invest in continuing to burnish that brand, making the experience great, whether that's what the hotels look like, or the rides, or whether we're developing new ones, that's really important. Unless you invest in it, it's not going to succeed."

Bob Iger is the new Frank Wells confirmed!

Here's the part of the article that incensed me:

“We are mindful of the cost of any product that goes into the marketplace and the economy and the ability of customers to afford it,” Iger said. “We continue to invest, whether it’s our theme parks or our media networks, in that quality so the price-value relationship continues to stay high.”​

A CEO often has to be the company's biggest cheerleader but as I've repeatedly demonstrated, domestic theme park investment is once again approaching an all-time low under Iger.

One more time for those of you who haven't seen this:

Meanwhile, this is what has happened to WDW prices:

Iger's is a numbers guy.

It's just plain old insulting for a numbers guy like Iger to suggest that he "continues to invest" "so the price-value relationship continues to stay high".

 

[Nubs70]

Spirited Societal Musing:

When the government wants people to be afraid of ebola (something that hasn't made one US resident ill here while thousands die of the flu every year), what you must wonder is what are they trying to keep our attention off?

Syria? Iraq? Isis? Wall Street? Some regulations or policies being slipped through?

Because, make no mistake, ebola as a legit news story in the USA is a non-starter. And they want it (and have it) leading newscasts nightly.

So ... again, what are they hiding?

Just a thought,

While as a story in the USA, it's a little bit to dramatic. However, I do not believe the government has a full understanding of what they are dealing. Like watching the Fukushima reactors melt down over several days, TEPCO and the government all claimed was under control, then a new crisis would arise proving all was not in control.

I see similarities with the current issue. Take into account the unknown properties of this virus, geometric progression, and governmental inability to get ahead of a situation. It has my interest.

 

[Nubs70]

Here's the part of the article that incensed me:

“We are mindful of the cost of any product that goes into the marketplace and the economy and the ability of customers to afford it,” Iger said. “We continue to invest, whether it’s our theme parks or our media networks, in that quality so the price-value relationship continues to stay high.”​

A CEO often has to be the company's biggest cheerleader but as I've repeatedly demonstrated, domestic theme park investment is once again approaching an all-time low under Iger.

One more time for those of you who haven't seen this:

View attachment 69130

Meanwhile, this is what has happened to WDW prices:

View attachment 69147

Iger's is a numbers guy.

It's just plain old insulting for a numbers guy like Iger to suggest that he "continues to invest" "so the price-value relationship continues to stay high".

High price to value???? Did he not mean value to price?

If goal is high price to value, one can do a combination of raising prices and decreasing value.

Or did Iger speak his mind?

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Here's the part of the article that incensed me:

“We are mindful of the cost of any product that goes into the marketplace and the economy and the ability of customers to afford it,” Iger said. “We continue to invest, whether it’s our theme parks or our media networks, in that quality so the price-value relationship continues to stay high.”​

A CEO often has to be the company's biggest cheerleader but as I've repeatedly demonstrated, domestic theme park investment is once again approaching an all-time low under Iger.

One more time for those of you who haven't seen this:

View attachment 69130

Meanwhile, this is what has happened to WDW prices:

View attachment 69147

Iger's is a numbers guy.

It's just plain old insulting for a numbers guy like Iger to suggest that he "continues to invest" "so the price-value relationship continues to stay high".

Yesterday I managed to stumble on an old Mouse Planet page from 2004 that was a general update on the parks. One of the items listed was new ticket increases that had raised the price of a one day, one park ticket to a whopping $54.00. And then I scanned down below and it listed the great deal you could get on a Florida Resident Play 4 Days Pass: $109 (I think with parkhopper!).

Today, a one day, one park ticket will run you $95/99, and that 4 day park hopper is at least $200. How is it that prices have virtually doubled in less than 10 years yet DHS actually has I think FEWER attractions now than it did back then (and its not like Epcot or AK have had rapid expansions either)?

 

[ford91exploder]

announcements for DHS/completion of Avatar. Was MM+ a costly endeavor? Sure. But can we truly call it an error yet? We're just mad we aren't getting new rides. As the technology proves itself and perhaps streamlines the process within the park, we may just realize it's not that bad.

No we are not mad that we are not getting new rides, I at least am disgusted by the cuts in maintenance in the parks, the chipping and peeling paint everywhere the dead bulbs everywhere which remind me of a travelling carnival - fix em or shut them off entirely. The lack of cleanliness everywhere.

The FILTHY rooms in the hotel with rust streaks in the shower stalls (BLT DVC).

The closure of existing rides with no replacements scheduled within the next DECADE.

The utter contempt for the guest experience shown by TDO management and to top this off the ever escalating price increases for a product which declines in quality every day.

It's obvious TWDC does not want to operate WDW other than to milk it for cash, If so then just CLOSE IT or SELL IT to someone who is actually INTERESTED in operating theme parks - Oriental Land Company for instance.

TWDC could probably make more money on WDW if they leased it to Six Flags or Cedar Faire, After all it's a business is it not???

Sign me DISGUSTED WITH TDO

 

[Nubs70]

Not that your numbers aren't correct, but you have to remember that Iger took the business in a downturn. Animation was flailing, the parks had very little in new openings in the past several years. It's hard to expect him to flip a greenlight and start building right away.

Now, I'm by no means defending him, and I wholeheartedly agree he is a numbers guy, but I'm just pointing out the situation he was in. It's easy to crack down on him, but you should look at the full picture:

Iger becomes CEO in 2005.

In 2006 he mends fences with Steve Jobs and acquires Pixar - not even a full year into his tenure.
He places Lassater at the top of the food chain with a large amount of creative control.
By 2008 we have the first of the Disney animated movies to actually have some merit in a long time (Bolt).
In 2009 hand-drawn gets attention, but underperforms (The Princess and the Frog), and by 2010 we start to see a pick up in Disney's animated box office that continues through the Frozen, with high hopes for Big Hero 6 and Morana.
All the while, Pixar delivers hit after hit, although they slump with Cars 2.

That's a big job - with animation considered the crux of the company, it was very, very important that he revamp it.

Then you have the buyouts of LucasFilms and Marvel, both lauded by the industry as high risk, but which are proving to print money faster than the US government can up the budget.

As for theme parks, although infrastructure and additions slump, and there is plenty of fodder for the parks looking less than perfect, Iger does approve the DCA revamp, New Fantasyland, efforts in Shanghai, Disneyland Paris buyouts and attempts to fix that hellhole, and now whatever is coming to DHS.

That's not exactly slouching. Yes, Capex as a % of revenue was down, but so was the company in general.

I guess my point is, he can't please everyone. I for one think he plans to go out with a bang, Shanghai opening, announcements for DHS/completion of Avatar. Was MM+ a costly endeavor? Sure. But can we truly call it an error yet? We're just mad we aren't getting new rides. As the technology proves itself and perhaps streamlines the process within the park, we may just realize it's not that bad.

My concern with the "high price to value" statement is the pure corporate focus. By doubling admission and cutting perceived value in half, a corporate focus can then claim a four fold profit increase.

As a consumer, high price should be directly related to high value. This is evidence that WDW is focused on a inverse price to quality strategy while the consumer focus is a direct price to quality strategy.

Inverse strategy is profitable for the short term. Direct strategy is profitable in the long term.

 

[Mike S]

You know I like you, but are you seriously advocating TWDC lease WDW to Six Flags or Cedar Faire, whose parks are known for being filthy, overly loud, cash grabs? I live not that far from Great America in IL - the place is disgusting. It's exactly what Disneyland was made to avoid, very little for people who like roller coasters to do, poorly run/managed, and constant media attention for accidents.

Well, Matt Ouimet is the CEO of Cedar Faire. He's the guy who helped fix up Disneyland for the 50th. If only he became head of Parks & Resorts........

 

[ford91exploder]

You know I like you, but are you seriously advocating TWDC lease WDW to Six Flags or Cedar Faire, whose parks are known for being filthy, overly loud, cash grabs? I live not that far from Great America in IL - the place is disgusting. It's exactly what Disneyland was made to avoid, very little for people who like roller coasters to do, poorly run/managed, and constant media attention for accidents.

How is the condition of today's WDW much different from the average Six Flags or Cedar Faire park other than the gloss of nostalgia? Six Flags actually manages to ADD attractions not simply take them away.

 

[Mike S]

I forgot he moved over there.

Amazing the people Disney lets go. Steve Burke, CEO of NBCUniversal, also used to work there. I remember a quote from him that basically said it was important to invest in new attractions for the parks.

 

[ford91exploder]

Amazing the people Disney lets go. Steve Burke, CEO of NBCUniversal, also used to work there. I remember a quote from him that basically said it was important to invest in new attractions for the parks.

Notice a pattern, All the 'Creatives' are being purged from TWDC as it becomes a IP holding company as opposed to a creative company.