The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
WCW taped at MGM in the early-to-mid '90s (most famous scene from there was probably kevin nash throwing rey mysterio head first into a trailer backstage in the nWo early days, a work that seemed so real that locals called the cops). in '96, they moved their syndicated shows to uni on soundstage 21 for two years (wrestling was in its biggest boom then, that venue wasn't great for WCW once one syndicated show was canned and the other became a live, big arena show on thursday nights to go up against smackdown). WCW was bought out by WWE in 2001, so they haven't existed for a while, but i think you're thinking now of TNA.

TNA, which is...let's call it a fledgling organization, taped there from '04-'13, but there were a few problems. the capacity on the soundstage in 1,400, and TNA...isn't very popular. so they weren't always filling up that arena. they took the show on the road to try to gain more traction for the organization and give it wider exposure, but again, TNA is privately funded and often has a hard time making payroll. a whole other animal than publicly-traded WWE. so they brought it back to uni and moved it to soundstage19, which is smaller, which i believe ultimately gave them a bit more financial flexibility.

So at this point, is WCW or TNA or anyone filming wrestling at Universal?
 

JediMasterMatt

Well-Known Member
Or get on an attraction that is under utilized... which is what the old 'surprise' FP tempted, and what Disney's FP+ model is helping drive. Increased utilization of what you already have. Your pretense keeps assuming MK's attraction capacity is saturated... it's not. Your pretense keeps assuming the RESORTS attraction capacity is saturated.. it's not. Which is why balancing demand can be so lucrative.

Balancing demand and improving utilization is something you want to do REGARDLESS of adding attractions or not. That's why this is not an 'either or' situation. The money spent on FP+ NOW is not going to stop Disney from building attractions in the future.. which is why this whole 'either or' argument is stupid. The short term spending is of course impacted, but building a model to differentiate your product and improve utlization of your product is not a message that says "we think building attractions is a dead model". It's why you see Disney adding entertainment and other options at DAK. Keeping people in DAK longer is a way to reduce crowding at MK and balance your demand better.

The demand shaping is a large part of the value that FP+ offers to the operations side of the company. But it is just one of many aspects of the larger NextGen initiatives.

"just keep building attractions" is not a sustainable business model (ask six flags) and Disney is wise to avoid getting into a 'attractions arms race'. The challenge right now for fans is Disney has a huge backlog of stale it needs to address and needs to 'get fit' when it comes to balancing out their current parks.

Using terms like "under utilized"... who is defining that? Under your description (seems similar enough to TDO) an attraction is under utilized if its visitation is less than a more "popular" attraction. I would like to think that after 40 plus years, we the guests to the theme park vote with our feet and our minds by queuing up for an attraction that we decide is worth waiting for. We decide if an attraction is popular and we decide if its worth waiting for. Under the new system, that is no longer the case. All attractions are expected to share the load of the more popular ones.

"Under utilized" attractions like Stitch should be expected to take some of the burden away from Space Mountain. Should the Haunted Mansion get more guests waiting for it because people were steered to it instead of Splash? Someone wanting to queue up for Soarin' should be steered towards Imagination since it isn't carrying it's weight?

If an attraction isn't getting huge queues, it is due to one of two factors: the attraction has high capacity (like an omnimover) or the guests have already decided that the attraction isn't worth riding or more importantly - worth waiting for to begin with. Is Stitch with a FP+ reservation in 10 minutes suddenly a better value than what use to be a 10 minute wait for Haunted Mansion? Of course not. The issue with FP+ is that now the wait that use to be 10 minutes for an omnimover is artificially inflated.

Of course you can't keep building attractions (rides/shows/stuff) indefinately. You need to prune the branches of a tree to help it grow. Imagination, Stitch, Energy, and the list goes on and on. There's plenty of "plussing" that can be had; but, at the same time - you can't just reskin an attraction and call it a win. Test Track is a great example. Good refurb; but, same net capacity to the resort.

The simple fact is that attendance is on the rise in Orlando; but, growth has not kept up. If you want to get people into Stitch's space, you need to give them a reason to go there. If you want to fill up the Energy pavilion, update it. If you want people to stay longer in Studios or AK, give them more things to do.

Balacing demand, under utilized, and crowd shaping... all of these issues would go away with a little more TLC and less theory crafting virtual theme park simulation.

I did find this picture of one of TDO's biggest fans:
 

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WDF

Well-Known Member
What occurs to me based on this list is that other than shows and meet & greets there are no actual rides for Disney Princesses, Disney Fairies, or even Mickey & Friends. At Walt Disney World, Cars is also lacking, and Star Wars has only a simulator attraction. Four of the top eleven franchises without a significant attraction.

There is a Little Mermaid ride. And the Barnstormer is a "Goofy" ride, I guess.
 

WDWDad13

Well-Known Member
Who has said Uni is the best theme park in the world? And who has said they are going to put Disney out if business?

The hype for Uni is sometimes overblown, yes. When we first visited Harry potter in 2010, I was admittedly underwhelmed, but I also had my expectations through the roof.

The hype for Diagon Alley seems to be along the same lines, if not more, than in 2010. We are going to see it in August I won't set my expectations till I see it.

That being said, the fact there is hype for something means that Uni is building a reputation. There isn't much to get hyped about at Disney...yet.

Nobody wants you kicked off for your opinions. I enjoy a good debate. But the understanding both sides aspect rarely shines through in your posts.

It seems as if you attack Disney criticism, rather than provide facts to dispute the criticism. That's what a debate is. If you feel strongly about something (which you do) then support it with facts. Please don't resort to petty banter back and forth because it gives off a "look at me" attitude, which might not be intended.

You don't have to leave the forum. You're not a troll. Just a passionate fan. But I had to learn when I joined this site that there are an eclectic variety of passionate fans on this site. Just be respectful of their opinions, and disregard any you find obsurd by simply clicking ignore.:)

I understand what you are saying...however a lot of what I dispute is FAR from facts coming from the other end of the spectrum as well.

Again, I see lots of things Disney needs to do and do better and I recognize some of the cool things Uni is doing...but when the same people over and over complain about pretty much EVERYTHING Disney does (even if it's a good thing... or even better when they complain nothing is being done and then complain again when it is) is just ridiculous

the more competition between both parks the better off WE, THE FANS will be....but the fact remains that Uni is land locked like Disneyland is and while we all wish the sky is the limit, it isn't. Disney still has a huge amount of land remaining... whether or not they do anything with it remains to be seen, but the people are still coming through the gates in record numbers so they must have something people like (and it's not dole whips) :)

Debatably in some ways both Uni and WDW cater more to different genders and age groups... while I know they don't want to admit that and there are still things for everyone of all ages at both theme parks, the types of attractions and special events tell that tell. Again, we all win.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
Using terms like "under utilized"... who is defining that?

The definition is simple... empty seats beyond what is operationally practical to fill.

If I paid for a 500 seat theater... I want as close to 500 seats 'working' for me as possible. If it struggles to fill 100.. it's under utilized.

Under your description (seems similar enough to TDO) an attraction is under utilized if its visitation is less than a more "popular" attraction. I would like to think that after 40 plus years, we the guests to the theme park vote with our feet and our minds by queuing up for an attraction that we decide is worth waiting for. We decide if an attraction is popular and we decide if its worth waiting for

Except many visitors do not. Advertising and encouraging helps distribute load.

Look, maybe you are the type that thinks riding space mountain 6 times a day is what the theme park experience should be like no matter who says what. But when you are dealing with crowds and distribution.. you can't look at the world from a selfish-only view. And if we manage to get a few more people into Philharmagic who may not have otherwise tried it... win win for everyone.

I'm sorry you are having a hard time accepting the idea of demand shaping and steering customers. It is done all the time in many different ways and most people just don't clue into the manipulation. here it's much more obvious. If you don't like it, don't do it!! Simple enough.. but many people will, which will improve your experience because the loads will be better distributed.

If an attraction isn't getting huge queues, it is due to one of two factors: the attraction has high capacity (like an omnimover) or the guests have already decided that the attraction isn't worth riding or more importantly - worth waiting for to begin with

Yet again..you talk in absolutes without moving beyond how a 'fan' sees the world. Ever think people don't get in line because they don't know what an attraction is? Or that they don't know its THERE? Or they aren't sure what it encompasses? Is it scary? What does it do? Is it worth my time?

GUESTS ARE NOT INFORMED - stop thinking like the park is full of experts. It's not. It's why there are signs everywhere, and cast everywhere trying to help people. But this ignorance also leads to things being overlooked, skipped, etc. The advertising and directing people help get people over these kinds of humps.

People know what Coca-Cola is... yet they still run advertising for a reason.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
This seems relevant to our ongoing discussion of Disney fandom.
http://badassdigest.com/2014/06/24/the-nostalgia-will-eat-itself/
Just had a chance to read this and it is a great read. I'd like to include this ever so slightly modified paragraph just to help encourage others to give it a read.

"The big truth here is that nobody cares. Nobody cares what age you were when you first [visited Walt Disney World], they want to talk to you about why it’s good or bad. And when your appreciation for a work of art is tied almost exclusively into your personal experience, any attack on that art becomes an attack on you, which is also a conversation killer. If I say here that [Walt Disney World] is a horrible piece of [place], I guarantee there will be people who get their feathers ruffled and feel like this is a personal attack because their nostalgia has internalized the [place] to an unhealthy extent."
 

DinoInstitute

Well-Known Member
Again, I see lots of things Disney needs to do and do better and I recognize some of the cool things Uni is doing...but when the same people over and over complain about pretty much EVERYTHING Disney does (even if it's a good thing... or even better when they complain nothing is being done and then complain again when it is) is just ridiculous
Dont want to start anything, but i couldn't agree more with this.

Personally, Im sick of hearing the phrases "this is so immersive experience that truely transports you someplace else" or "once again another game-changing attraction"
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Dont want to start anything, but i couldn't agree more with this.

Personally, Im sick of hearing the phrases "this is so immersive experience that truely transports you someplace else" or "once again another game-changing attraction"
And a few fans are doing what, paying off the media and the rest of the industry in order to get them to repeat this nonsense?
 

spacemt354

Chili's
Yet again..you talk in absolutes without moving beyond how a 'fan' sees the world. Ever think people don't get in line because they don't know what an attraction is? Or that they don't know its THERE? Or they aren't sure what it encompasses? Is it scary? What does it do? Is it worth my time?

GUESTS ARE NOT INFORMED - stop thinking like the park is full of experts. It's not. It's why there are signs everywhere, and cast everywhere trying to help people. But this ignorance also leads to things being overlooked, skipped, etc. The advertising and directing people help get people over these kinds of humps.

People know what Coca-Cola is... yet they still run advertising for a reason.

Isn't "GUESTS ARE NOT INFORMED" speaking in absolutes as well?

The park isn't full of experts, but I don't think it's completely full of people who aren't informed either. Several folks who do their research and have been several times don't need these signs and directional assistance in order to make a decision. They also know that if they see a line for Mansion that's 50 mins, they can come back at a more opportune time where there will be a shorter wait.

You are correct to an extent, there are some guests that only hit certain attractions which leads to other attractions being overlooked. Or (on the more extreme level) they don't know what attractions are and decide to skip them. I think Disney with MM+ has created an environment where research before the trip is a necessity. Some still won't do it, but over time I think we will see less people coming unprepared to their vacation.
 

Phil12

Well-Known Member
From the Forbes article...

The Licensing Letter’s Top-20 List:
1. Disney Princess (Disney) $1.60 billion
2. Star Wars (Lucasfilm) $1.50 billion
3. Pooh (Disney) $1.09 billion
4. Cars (Disney) $1.05 billion
5. Hello Kitty (Sanrio) $800 million
6. Mickey & Friends (Disney) $750 million
7. WWE (WWE) $700 million
8. Toy Story (Disney) $685 million
9. Peanuts (Iconix, Peanuts Worldwide) $600 million
10. Sesame Street (Sesame Workshop) $515 million
11. Disney Fairies (Disney) $435 million
12. Thomas the Tank Engine (Hit Entertainment) $390 million
13. Garfield (Paws Inc.) $370 million
14. Dora the Explorer (Nickelodeon) $330 million
15. SpongeBob (Nickelodeon) $330 million
16. Spiderman (Marvel/Disney) $325 million
17. Ben 10 (Cartoon Network) $295 million
18. Angry Birds (Rovio) $250 million
19. Batman (DC/Warner) $245 million
20. Barbie (Mattel) $242 million

As both sides can see neither Harry Potter or Avatar is in the top 20. Now, we all know that licensing value in the retail market has little to do with theme parks. Both sides have a good amount of quality IP and are capable of providing high quality attractions and entertainment.

When looking specifically at IP in the retail space you would most likely prefer Disney as they sell princesses (#1), Star Wars (#2), Pooh (#3), Cars (#4), Mickey (#6), Toy Story (#8), or Fairies (#11) while at Universal their #1 IP for their parks in this list is Spongebob (#15) and Spiderman (#16) which combined don't even add up to Toy Story's take.
More than anything else I think the strong licensing of Star Wars products tends to underscore that additional Star Wars attractions in the parks are not needed.
http://variety.com/2014/biz/news/sta...ey-1201221818/
 

spacemt354

Chili's
I understand what you are saying...however a lot of what I dispute is FAR from facts coming from the other end of the spectrum as well.

Again, I see lots of things Disney needs to do and do better and I recognize some of the cool things Uni is doing...but when the same people over and over complain about pretty much EVERYTHING Disney does (even if it's a good thing... or even better when they complain nothing is being done and then complain again when it is) is just ridiculous

But why does it matter to you if someone else complains?

Who cares what they think? If you enjoy the parks the way that they are now, despite some of the flaws, then kudos! Those same people who "complain" all the time are more often than not still going to visit Disney. Most of those people also come from an era where Disney dominated. The Disney Decade. It would make what Uni is doing now look "cheap." I for one, cannot understand why dirt is not being moved for Star Wars, and why a family coaster took 2.5 years to build, or why Avatar is so far off in the future, yet prices keep going up. Well, actually I do...:greedy::greedy::greedy:

Seriously, you should worry less about what other "haters" think and more about just enjoying the place you like.
 

crispy

Well-Known Member
I think this thread fits nicely with our ongoing discussion. I suggested that the OP look at Parentof4's analysis about increasing ticket prices and the declining occupancy of the WDW resorts.

To quote the OP, MaryJaneP:

Saw an interesting story over on Yahoo about Michigan football and the precipitous drop in student ticket sales that the author (John U Bacon) apparently thinks is related to price. If you substitute WDW in the article for every mention of Michigan, I get the exact same feeling about how TDO is alienating WDW fans. One of the more telling sections states:

After a friend of mine took his kids to a game, he told me, "Michigan athletics used to feel like something we shared. Now it's something they hoard. Anything of value they put a price tag on. Anything that appeals to anyone is kept locked away -- literally, in some cases -- and only brought out if you pay for it. And what's been permanently banished is any sense of generosity."
After Brandon became Michigan's 11th athletic director in 2010, he often repeated one of his favorite lines: "If it ain't broke ... break it!"
(Full article http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/roa...um-students-business-tv-ncaa-michigan-tickets )

I might even be inclined to forgive some (very little) of the drop in maintenance, but combined with the shift in attitude, I wonder how many others feel we are no longer "guests" and that we are just "customers" to be bled dry?
 

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