The Spirited Sixth Sense ...

[WDW1974]

Barebones as in completely redoing the attraction? or just shoving the characters in their with the lowest possible budget?

I was just given that word. No more info. The thought of Frozen there just makes me vomit in my mouth ...

 

[jt04]

Speaking of hotels and Disney, would someone please Tweet Robert Niles @Theme Park Insider and tell him that he almost word for word lifted my comments that can be found in numerous posts here and on LaughingPlace.com that WDW operates as a real estate and hotel operation with theme parks as an ancillary business because I hate when people borrow from me and don't credit (even if it was subconscious) me ...

I call it "walmarting" the internet. But only when people "borrow" from wdw74.

~BBB~

 

[WDW1974]

Heck yes WDW is in the hotel and timeshare business. Theme parks are ancillary.

Since the last theme park (DAK) in 1998, WDW has added 7756 hotel and 3066 timeshare rooms. For anyone who's counting, that's 10,822 rooms in addition to the almost 23,000 on-property rooms and 800 campsites they had before.

DLR has 2500 hotel and 100 timeshare rooms in total.

Even with the opening of 1800-room Cabana Bay, Universal has 4200 rooms in total.

WDW's "best kept secret" is not DVC; it's that WDW is no longer in the theme park business. It's in the hotel and timeshare business.

Is it any wonder the theme parks have stagnated?

There isn't anyone left at WDW with any influence who gives a hoot about the theme parks anymore.

You sure about your numbers? I've been using 25,000 as close estimate of the number of rooms/timeshares/campsites now. You are saying they have like 33,000? That's not accurate unless you are including non-owned Disney properties from Bonnet Creek to Swan/Dolphin to Hotel Plaza.

I do agree that it is Disney's best-kept while totally out in the open secret, though. Funny as the number of resorts and timeshares grew, the quality and freshness of the parks went in the opposite direction. Gee, did one cause the other? You be the judge (just not MY judge!)

 

[aladdin2007]

I was just given that word. No more info. The thought of Frozen there just makes me vomit in my mouth ...

I agree, I never thought we would lose Norway in essence.

 

[Nemo14]

I was just given that word. No more info. The thought of Frozen there just makes me vomit in my mouth ...

kind of how I felt when the 3 caballeros took over Mexico...

 

[WDW1974]

I got the packet in the mail on Saturday- and for the first time- they spelled my name correctly *AND* it's my address. Previous correspondence with Disney (whether print mail or their MDE website) has left me with either a new name, or an address that isn't mine.

So in that regard, I'm impressed. Apparently it doesn't take much.

The advertisement itself is on heavy cardstock paper with shiny (ooh, shiny!) MM+ logos and Mickey heads. The Incredibles characters stretch across the double fold out/open design.

Really, it's very well designed, but it's all pretty and shiny, and little substance. There's not much in regards to information on how the system works, just what it could do (and that is rather vague as well).

I'll photograph it for you, @WDW1974 if you would like to see it.

Thanks, but I already have it!

 

[WDW1974]

I don't think you wanna screw with your natural "good cop/bad cop" dynamic.

I think you're probably correct. ... A great man once said that underestimation is the fool's addiction and I think way too many people underestimate my pal @Lee.

That could be a very, VERY costly mistake on their part.

 

[WDW1974]

Do any if the hard ticket events sound appealing? A hard ticket event for AK sounds interesting

When I can talk more about them, I will.

 

[WDW1974]

I thought Nemo is essentially closed for good and isn't planned to be reopened?

It depends on who you believe and what Disney decides to do. But even if it reopens this fall, I would strongly suggest that it is an 18-24 month return for the 60th and then is gone for good.

 

[Witchy Chick]

Spirited Wednesday Musings:

(snip)

Disney is strongly looking at adding more hard ticket events at the TPFKaTD-MGMS and DAK.

There will be Star Wars Weekends character dining added and announced soon.

Disney is basically looking at anything that was well received during Limited Time MAGIC and trying to use aspects of those successes as upcharge events that again help to cover for the failure of MM+/NGE.

Villians?? Was that arguably the most popular (in addition to being the biggest CF ) of last year's LTMs?

 

[alissafalco]

When I can talk more about them, I will.

I would assume a villains hard ticket event at HS

Edit** @Witchy Chick I just saw your post.

 

[jt04]

It depends on who you believe and what Disney decides to do. But even if it reopens this fall, I would strongly suggest that it is an 18-24 month return for the 60th and then is gone for good.

Won't be missed.

~over-rated~

 

[WDW1974]

You didn't muse about Cruisers Choice giving DCL 6-10 awards. Between your fondness and some friends fondness as we'll I may booking my next vacation with DCL.

I wasn't aware of that. I am spending my second week waaay under the weather, so things slip by me or I get very angry at the hateful attitudes of some (including some here) toward the unemployed and underemployed and minimum wage employed and I wind up spending too much time going back and forth when it's akin to tossing feces around the ape enclosure.

Have you ever done DCL? Or cruised at all? What type of cruise are you looking at?

 

[ParentsOf4]

You sure about your numbers? I've been using 25,000 as close estimate of the number of rooms/timeshares/campsites now. You are saying they have like 33,000?

Note that I wrote "on-property", not onsite.

Disney has 23,800 rooms and 3100 ("2-bedroom equivalent") DVC rooms. (Actual separately bookable DVC room count is about 4400.) In their 10-K's and during various investor calls, Disney uses "27,000".

Swan & Dolphin add another 2300 rooms. (Gawd, today's Disney regrets the existence of those. Prime real estate and their prices undercut Disney's Deluxe Resorts.)

Shades of Green is another 600 rooms.

DTD hotels add another 2700 rooms.

Added together, that's 32,500, not counting the separately bookable DVC rooms or the 800 campsites.

 

[WDW1974]

Won't be missed.

~over-rated~

It's nice to have you around, JT.

And I agree, subs are overrated ... the best thing they provide are kewl kinetics to the area. But the whole 'A Future on the Move' has seen it's time long since pass ...

 

[WDW1974]

Note that I wrote "on-property", not onsite.

Disney has 23,800 rooms and 3100 ("2-bedroom equivalent") DVC rooms. (Actual separately bookable DVC room count is about 4400.) In there 10-K's and during various investor calls, Disney uses "27,000".

Swan & Dolphin add another 2300 rooms. (Gawd, today's Disney regrets the existence of those. Prime real estate and their prices undercut Disney's Deluxe Resorts.)

Shades of Green is another 600 rooms.

DTD hotels add another 2700 rooms.

Added together, that's 32,500, not counting the separately bookable DVC rooms or the 800 campsites.

OK. I think it still is best for discussions like this to stick with Disney owned and operated properties. Otherwise you muddy the waters.

Besides, how many folks here have stayed at the Buena Vista Palace, dined at the Giraffe Cafe or had the best Japanese food on Disney property at the Hilton's Benihana?

 

[ParentsOf4]

OK. I think it still is best for discussions like this to stick with Disney owned and operated properties. Otherwise you muddy the waters.

Besides, how many folks here have stayed at the Buena Vista Palace, dined at the Giraffe Cafe or had the best Japanese food on Disney property at the Hilton's Benihana?

Sure, just remember that Disney collects revenue associated with another 5000 rooms.

And compare that to Universal's relationship with Loews and their 2400 rooms.

 

[PeterAlt]

Spirited Wednesday Musings:

Don't get all excited about the MSUSA bypass. Just don't. You WILL be disappointed (unless you are one of the addicts).

As I stated in the ticket price thread, please understand the increase was rushed through and was not scheduled to happen until June. Iger is on Georgie's like an Imagineer on a fanboi (let's see how long this one lasts) to make his Wall Street numbers happen. This is just the first step. What else is percolating at Disney?

Increases in food and beverages pricing and a decrease in CM discounts.

Disney is strongly looking at adding more hard ticket events at the TPFKaTD-MGMS and DAK.

There will be Star Wars Weekends character dining added and announced soon.

Disney is basically looking at anything that was well received during Limited Time MAGIC and trying to use aspects of those successes as upcharge events that again help to cover for the failure of MM+/NGE.

Special Fun With Tweets: (Rip Tim O' Day Edition)

@EPCOTcitizen 11h
Remember when Tim O'Day endlessly mocked "We're Getting Ready for You" in front of die hard EPCOT fans? Dude doesn't get it.

Andy Castro ‏@21royalstreet
I'm hoping (but not holding my breath) @DisneyD23 will stop using Tim O'Day at events. He comes off as slimy and seriously kills the vibe.

With all the news that he is missing, this is what Jason Garcia has been tirelessly working on:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...xpress-traffic-rises-20140226,0,5185442.story

How much does Disney spend each year on the Airport Express? The ridership numbers will jump up considerably next year when All Aboard Florida begins service. The reason why I want to know how much they are spending each year is to try to calculate if that would make any difference to offset the cost of rail service along the same route.

The difference is that a rail route would stop also at downtown Orlando, International Drive at the convention center, and USO. If Disney, Universal, Orange County, Osceola County, OIA, Sea World, a collective tax on businesses that would benefit from the service, and the state (through SunRail) were to contribute towards the system, maybe that would be enough to pay for it. Disney's contribution would simply be shifting what they are already spending on Airport Express to annual rail payments. In return, Disney resort customers would be allowed to ride the system for free. Universal would be required to do the same, but their fee would be lower, since they attract less riders. People staying at another resort property would ride for free, as part of the collective tax businesses in the area would be required to pay.

Back to reality, the state decided to put up for bid the OIA to convention center ROW that American Maglev Technologies wants to use for their proposed slow-moving (49 MPH) maglev Automated People Mover service they hope to build. The justification is that the state needs to play fair and give that ROW to the best proposal, instead of just giving it to AMT without competition. The deadline was this past December, but a consortium of companies have come together and asked the state for more time in order to put together a counter proposal. The state has granted them their request and extended the bid deadline to April.

If the AMT proposal or the counter proposals do not work out, see my ideas above.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Disney is basically looking at anything that was well received during Limited Time MAGIC and trying to use aspects of those successes as upcharge events that again help to cover for the failure of MM+/NGE.

So that's their little plan, get us addicted and then jack up the price!

 

[KYWDW]

I wasn't aware of that. I am spending my second week waaay under the weather, so things slip by me or I get very angry at the hateful attitudes of some (including some here) toward the unemployed and underemployed and minimum wage employed and I wind up spending too much time going back and forth when it's akin to tossing feces around the ape enclosure.

Have you ever done DCL? Or cruised at all? What type of cruise are you looking at?

Never cruised before. Tried a couple years ago using DVC points but that was a joke. Ended up going to Hotel Del. A friend was a huge fan of the Norway and NCL but has yet to go on a DCL. He for obvious reasons pushes me to NCL. We would like to do the 7 day Caribbean cruise as I would like to stop at Caymans. I sum the minimum wage up to the "all about me" and "how much it would cost me" mentality.