The Spirited Sixth Sense ...

[Future Guy]

A real conversation I had yesterday:

Me: "Y'know, for the what it costs to go on a WDW vacation and stay at the Poly, you could just take a trip to actual Hawaii."

Other guy: "Yeah, but Hawaii doesn't have Disney."

Me:

 

[stlphil]

I must confess that we ate at the McDonalds in Moscow - only because we had read that it was the first "western" restaurant opened, and one of the largest McDonalds in the world!

And my son did discover a McDonalds on the top of a mountain in a state park in China, so he just had to eat there. Along with the fact that the food provided that weekend was subpar compared to what he had been eating in Tiajinn. Even the Chinese students were complaining.

We went to an Irish Pub in St Petersburg. We decided it was a money laundering operation - we really felt unwelcome.

Never ate anywhere other than local restaurants in Greece & Turkey - the food was very, very good.

I've often gone to McDonalds abroad, but not to eat. I have that peculiar American affinity for having ice in fountain soda, and at some point on the trip I need my ice fix and I know I can reliably address this at McDs.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Other guy: "Yeah, but Hawaii doesn't have Disney."

Aulani?

 

[WDW1974]

Spirited Late Night Musing:

You can now book a room at the new WDW Four Seasons ... opening week is $430 a night (500 sf room with 80 sf balcony). Isn't that about what an AP rate will get you for a room at the GF?

 

[WDW1974]

To be fair in my experience it is the normal modus operandi for the few hundred of you that have passports.

Its a bit like UK citizens seeking down Irish pubs across the world for an adult beverage. Except in this case the owner probably hates Brits.

Love the post, sad but pretty accurate.

 

[WDW1974]

I'll let you know how I'd fix WDW as soon as Disney writes the check for my consulting fees.

Seriously though, it's a complex problem created through a series of managerial decisions based on relatively short-term thinking with long-term consequences. Fixing WDW's problems requires breaking the cycle of what effectively is self-destructive behavior.

Today's Disney management might think last year's 15.8% gross margin was pretty good whereas an earlier generation would have considered it a financial failure. Yet Disney still handed out hundreds of millions in stock options and bonuses to its executive staff.

Even if I were to compose what would turn into a long-winded dissertation, today's corporate Disney lacks the will and Wall Street lacks the patience to implement it.

Yes, to be fair, I did ask you a question that I would in no way in hell ever answer without a contract signed in front of me (and actually money deposited in my account as Disney has a nasty habit of not honoring contracts when they think they can get away with it).

 

[WDW1974]

First question. Can it be fixed as a publicly traded entity? Does WDW need to be spun off in order to get away from the quarterly profit growth cycle.

Of course it can be done. Anything can be if the will is strong enough and the leaders fearless enough.

There is more than one business model out there, more than one way to run WDW, more than one way to turn a sinking ship (yep, it is ... it just is sinking very, very slowly) around.

 

[WDW1974]

This is a reflection of current society in general.

True. It's probably been a year since I've trotted out the line ''You couldn't Walmart WDW if you didn't Walmart the USA first.''

OK, I guess I'll use that again in 7-8 months.

 

[WDW1974]

That's not a bad thing. NBC had Conan gut his program and he was a shell of what his Late Night show was. It was Conan neutered. Lorne Michaels now owns NBC late night for 6 of 7 nights and I'd bet it all by saying that one of the stipulations were to leave Fallon alone. We have to get away from the myth of what an 11:30 broadcast (10:30 central) net show should be. NBC will take lower ratings than Leno although Fallon remains up for now because they are desperate to pull that age demo down on 'Tonight' as Leno's audience was above 58 years old. The irony is that in dumping Conan, they dumped the lowest age demo. I believe to this day that had they not messed Conan's format it would have worked out in the end.

NBC has plans to eventually monetize Fallon's 'Tonight Show' online as that's where he's been huge in online viewing with 'Late Night' and one of the early examples of why you'll see paid sponsors in the actual show.

It's not the Johnny Carson days anymore and our family used to hear a hell of a lot about Johnny and see lots of pictures of dear Johnny when I was a kid. There's a book out there by a certain someone that delves into Johnny that was published recently and is worth the read. I seemed to have heard those stories personally from someone's mom and aunt long ago... and see all too many pictures of Johnny in tiny shorts playing tennis.

I'll just say that as someone who has met Conan, I wasn't impressed.

I also think, much like Letterman, he was vastly more entertaining when he was a young dog on the scene ...his 12:35 show was tired when he left it.

And in no way do I view him as a victim. He was handed the Tonight Show when it was No. 1 and he didn't get the job done. I don't watch him on Turner and I wonder how many of the crazies that acted like NBC had just committed genocide by replacing him actually do.

 

[englanddg]

I'll just say that as someone who has met Conan, I wasn't impressed.

I also think, much like Letterman, he was vastly more entertaining when he was a young dog on the scene ...his 12:35 show was tired when he left it.

And in no way do I view him as a victim. He was handed the Tonight Show when it was No. 1 and he didn't get the job done. I don't watch him on Turner and I wonder how many of the crazies that acted like NBC had just committed genocide by replacing him actually do.

They are Fozzie Bears.

 

[WDW1974]

In my travels I've enjoyed at one stop in a McDonald's at each place just to see the local adaptations and if they were unique enough, did partake.

It was one meal, so it wasn't the end of the world or make me an ignorant American. How cannot you not see a McDonald's in France and not get one Royale with Cheese?

Well, it has taken years, but Jake and I finally agree on something again. ... I'm very interested in American BRANDS and how they adapt (or don't, see Subway) to local cultures/tastes. Some of my snobbier friends will always make a snide comment when I mention having McD's in Milan or BK in Nuremberg or Pizza Hut in Kowloon. I don't really care. And almost UNIversally, the food tastes better and the workers are better.

I still recall my first time living in China and after three weeks of entirely local cuisine (some of it truly amazing and world class) nothing was better than chowing down on a fresh McD's Double cheeseburger (better buns in China, no fanboi jokes!), great fries (better because they don't use our healthy oils, but the nasty stuff I grew up on) and an icey cold Coke!

 

[Next Big Thing]

There will not be true change (no, I don't care about Pandora or what they replace Wishes with or what they eventually announce for Star Tours) until Iger, Rasulo, Staggs, Crofton, Kalogridis, MacPhee, Franklin, Cockerell, Holmes and countless others are gone.

What's this about Star Tours?

 

[stlphil]

Well, it has taken years, but Jake and I finally agree on something again. ... I'm very interested in American BRANDS and how they adapt (or don't, see Subway) to local cultures/tastes. Some of my snobbier friends will always make a snide comment when I mention having McD's in Milan or BK in Nuremberg or Pizza Hut in Kowloon. I don't really care. And almost UNIversally, the food tastes better and the workers are better.

I still recall my first time living in China and after three weeks of entirely local cuisine (some of it truly amazing and world class) nothing was better than chowing down on a fresh McD's Double cheeseburger (better buns in China, no fanboi jokes!), great fries (better because they don't use our healthy oils, but the nasty stuff I grew up on) and an icey cold Coke!

Alright, another unapologetic vote for icey cold Coke!

And an interesting comment on the fries! At a McD's in Hong Kong I ordered fries to go along with my icey cold Coke, and the first bite was a revelation- an instant flashback to tastes and smells of my youth. I've often read that smells are powerful stimulators of memory, and those fries proved it to me. The best fries I've ever had...

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Spirited Late Night Musing:

You can now book a room at the new WDW Four Seasons ... opening week is $430 a night (500 sf room with 80 sf balcony). Isn't that about what an AP rate will get you for a room at the GF?

Apparently this is the internet, you can't see my head shaking. That is just unbelievable.

You know how there's a housing bubble, supposedly a student loan bubble.... What about the disney bubble? And when does it collapse? More importantly, which suit(s) will be responsible for it bursting?

 

[Bacalou]

Actually, Paramount Pictures logo was at the start of Avengers (in addition to Marvel) as they were the original distributor and paid off by Iger to let Disney distribute the tentpole ... the only way you'd know that was if you stayed to the very last line of the credits where it said: Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.

Yes that is correct and is in addition to what I said. Thank you for the additional information.

 

[danv3]

I don't know where else to put this, but Disney is sticking with the 80% positive, 2% negative line for MM+. Also, wait times haven't gone up, it's just your imagination!

http://www.businessweek.com/article...on-on-technology-to-track-theme-park-visitors

A Disney spokeswoman says neither lines for its reserved spots nor walk-up lines are longer. The number of attractions on which slots can be reserved has doubled to 60 and limits on advance reservations for the most popular rides should allow all guests to book at least one of their top choices, Disney says. A Disney World spokeswoman says 80 percent of the comments on social media about MyMagic+ have been positive, and just 2 percent have been negative.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

I don't know where else to put this, but Disney is sticking with the 80% positive, 2% negative line for MM+. Also, wait times haven't gone up, it's just your imagination!

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-03-07/disney-bets-1-billion-on-technology-to-track-theme-park-visitors

Here you go. Put these on first, then read that.

 

[marni1971]

I don't know where else to put this, but Disney is sticking with the 80% positive, 2% negative line for MM+. Also, wait times haven't gone up, it's just your imagination!

http://www.businessweek.com/article...on-on-technology-to-track-theme-park-visitors

Can you see Rassulo turning round and saying "we got it wrong"?

 

[Disneybear]

It's such a joke in some markets like Miami.

I see these new newsrooms that were built in the last decade and they cut to someone in them and you see like two dozen empty work stations, that obviously are not being used at all, and a few workers who look like they are 29-years-old, thrilled to be able to say they work at a network affiliate and likely make what the manager of the Pop Century food court makes (about $32,000 a year).

If they put more shopping and dining in a new street behind Main Street, do you think there is a possibility that they may convert Main Street shops back to more unique individual stores and shift the mega mall to the back street?

 

[WDWFanDave]

Just saw the DisneyParks Blog latest update shared on Facebook, and I chimed in there...something I rarely do.

All about SpectroMagic...and how wonderful it was. Amazing how even with just a few comments, there are folks there that have NO IDEA that TDO let the parade rot. They want it to come back. HA! Right!

I used to read some of what the Parks Blog offered...but with all their 'nostalgic' posts lately, I end up vomiting in my mouth too much, as it makes me absolutely sick most of the time.

So, I did chime in...figured someone needed to let them know that operations just let the damned thing rot and then put most of it in the dumpster...save for a few splinters here and there that someone is adding to some overpriced pins.

Just had to vent. Happy Monday.