The Spirited Sixth Sense ...

[Funmeister]

Right now? No.

Yes, I do think something big (SW) will come to Studios because they have no choice. That park is the weak impala in the herd that is limping severely when the lionesses show up on the hunt. You will see that park in a world of hurt by the fall. It already is the most skipped park at WDW and the one that keeps guests for the shortest span of time.

@WDW1974 did you mention a while back that the Studios could be up for another name change? or did I read that somewhere else in a galaxy far far away?

 

[Funmeister]

Disney can NOT do anything with The Avengers now and forever more in FL.

If Disney cannot do anything with Avengers...does that mean UNI can? or is it in theme park limbo on the east coast?

 

[Lee]

A friend termed it 'the Adventureland hotel'...

Therefore, I term it "The Greatest Hotel of All a Time."

You should give it up or get better taste ... to be fair, though, the show was manufactured for folks like you who will watch 11 hours in a day. Not my kind of TV. I'd rather sit a week and wonder what will happen and then see how it all plays out.

It's rare that I binge like that. Just so happened I was stuck home sick this weekend and once you watch one....

My current pet peeve, TV wise, is the British refusal to deliver a real "season" of their great shows.
AMC can give us 16 hours of Walking Dead, but BBC can only manage 4.5 hours of (the magnificent) Sherlock?
Or 18 episodes of Two and a Half Men compared to just 6 of Gervais' brilliant Derek?

I call that lazy....mostly because it annoys the out of me. Maybe I'll go get my Deadwood box set and watch six or seven of those...

 

[Lee]

If Disney cannot do anything with Avengers...does that mean UNI can? or is it in theme park limbo on the east coast?

Yes, Universal can (and does) use the Avengers characters.
I'm unaware of any restriction that would prevent them from even building an attraction.

 

[rioriz]

If Disney cannot do anything with Avengers...does that mean UNI can? or is it in theme park limbo on the east coast?

As a whole yes they are in limbo (meaning i dont see Uni creating one)...on the east coast...if DL wanted they could do a Transformers, Avengers ride, if they wanted. IMHO that would mean a capacity blimp @ DL

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Yes, Universal can (and does) use the Avengers characters.
I'm unaware of any restriction that would prevent them from even building an attraction.

Unless they want to use the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

 

[Funmeister]

As a whole yes they are in limbo...on the east coast...if DL wanted they could do a Transformers, Avengers ride, if they wanted. IMHO that would mean a capacity blimp @ DL

I meant is Avengers in limbo? I know Disney cannot use them but did not know if UNI was now blocked from using them in a new attraction. Looks as though @Lee summed it up.

 

[rioriz]

Yup....as you can see i edited mine

 

[flynnibus]

My current pet peeve, TV wise, is the British refusal to deliver a real "season" of their great shows.
AMC can give us 16 hours of Walking Dead, but BBC can only manage 4.5 hours of (the magnificent) Sherlock?
Or 18 episodes of Two and a Half Men compared to 6 of Gervais' brilliant Derek?

I call that lazy....mostly because it annoys the out of me. Maybe I'll go get my Deadwood box set and watch six or seven...

It's the BBC budgets...

They have one of the most popular TV Series in the world in Top Gear... yet they've do less episodes per series now than when the show was less known.. and sometimes don't even get the 2 series per year even.

Remember, BBC is funded very differently than commercial stations here..

 

[lazyboy97o]

If Disney cannot do anything with Avengers...does that mean UNI can? or is it in theme park limbo on the east coast?

A new attraction just requires reasonable approval with specific mentions of a few Marvel style and design guides. "We don't like you" is not considered reasonable grounds for withholding approval.

 

[stevehousse]

Shows that take their time and are not OMG!!!!WE-BROKE-TWITTER levels of dramatic are passe now. And it absolutely is killing great stuff. I'll give a Disney example...

The best television product Disney put out in 2012 was a little known named ABC Family show called Bunheads. Run by the brilliant Amy Sherman-Palladino, it featured the finest whip-smart, screwball dialogue written by anybody in Hollywood not named Aaron Sorkin. It was the type of show that assumed the intelligence of its audience, the type of show that would reference Jean Paul Sartre, Refrigerator Perry and Anais Nin and expect you to keep up. Bunheads was one of those old school character study shows, it featured little to no plot and no soap opera-y type elements. It uniquely advanced a lot of its character dynamics in beautiful, surrealistic ballet sequences often set to obscure music (they once started a season with a ballet set to Bjork!)

The show was so good the New Yorker (the New Yorker!!) named it their top pick for the 2012 year in television. For a show that was on ABC Family. The New York Times dance critic loved the dance sequences. It was critically adored and gained a bit of a cult following, especially among the older, educated demographic that never watched ABC Family before.

So of course ABC Family, in their infinite wisdom, decided it was too high-brow and they were only aiming for low-brow tween viewers. Its references were too cultured, they said. Its plot wasn't scandalous or "Gotcha!"-y enough, they said. And they cancelled it. They replaced it with more of their dreck like Twisted (about a teen who is a serial killer) and a Pretty Little Liars spinoff (shows that revelled in more teens doing unspeakable things) that has itself already been cancelled.

In case you can't tell, I was heartbroken. Bunheads was unlike anything else I've ever seen, artsy and hyper-literate, and instead we're stuck with even more anti-hero shows over the years, like House of Cards. These are the types of dark, lowest-common-denominator-type shows that feels like your faith in humanity and your will to live are killed after you get done watching.

U can't tell me u don't like Pretty Little Liars! As ridiculous as that show is, my youngest sister got me and my wife hooked! LOL

74, have you taken a look at the "old MGM studios" thread that has popped up recently? Some great memories there of just how awesome that park used to be. I'm glad I was able to experience it back during those golden years.

People that go now really just have no idea of what it was before. I think the saddest is the Backlot Tour and what that mess of an attraction has become. I really hope they have good plans for this park in the future...

 

[Longhairbear]

I am curious how many typical guests (or just folks here) have had subpar rooms at WDW resorts and actually complained and demanded to be moved.

FWIW, the first time that happened to me was at CBR in 2000 (although I came very close at BC a few years earlier) and that's when I really started waking up to the Walmarting of WDW.

Now, they just don't get my money.

I am curious also about the state of DVC villas. We haven't been to FLA. in going on 4 years, so I have no clue as to how the DVC has changed, if at all. We use our points here in CA. I am reading on Pixie Dust Central (a blend of 2 websites that think the BRAND can do no wrong.), and other sites that guests are having issues with the state of the rooms at any given DVC.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

OK, lets bounce some logic.

Now has anyone actually entertained the thought Disney does not have to build more attractions and DHS or the other parks beside MK because instead of, ahem, being cheap, they simply just don't have to?

The parks will be full no matter what, and who do we have to thank for this?

Why Universal of course, Potter to be precise.

See, while I personally think Potter 2.0 will bring in more people to the Universal resorts, not another 30% mind you, that's absurd, how many of those people will be staying at Disney? How many of those people will book a vacation to Florida for Potter but stay at a Disney resort, and get Disney tickets, and eat Disney food? This is Universals biggest problem, they don't have enough content, no matter how much Potter they open, or new value hotels they build, they are still inhaling Disney's farts.

Deeply.

Here is another example.

Even if all the rooms at every Universal on property hotel are completely booked, I would bet there are still more people staying at a Disney resort at Universal on any given day. Now every room being booked at Universal just don't happen, but that's not the point, the point is, Disney is still getting those dollars, still getting those magic bands around peoples wrists.

Crystalize this more?

Potter will open with the fanfare and fiefdom flags a waving yada yada, but when do you really think the Mine train ride will open? I would guess, oh about the same time as Potter 2.0. Why? So you can be blasted with commercials for New Fantasyland, so you will know there is stuff going on at Disney World the same time Potter 2.0 opens.

See Disney's genius?

You book a 7 day trip, where you going to stay? Universal for 7 days? LOL, come now, both Universal parks are one day of content if you stay on site at one of their deluxes, which you should btw, 2 days max, 7 days is foolish. The rest of the time will be spent at WDW. Now now, I know, there will be those people who post here who will be damned to stay at Disney or what or that and cheap and blah blah blah, I don't really care because its just not accurate. The truth is, the general public, the real buying public has no vested interested in the theme park politics that get spewed here, and guess what, they will pick Disney 20 to 1, no matter how many value resorts Uni builds. The public, the real buying public still think Disney is the better value, 4 parks to 2 for the same price? The general public don't nit pick theme parks like the chipped paint police here, they just don't care. That's the secret for a magical vacation ya know...

So, why everyone wants to harp this or silly slap that, the point is, by being frugal, Disney is still king.

And always will be.

Jimmy Thick- Have to wonder if WDW makes more money that all Universal parks worldwide...

 

[Cesar R M]

Therefore, I term it "The Greatest Hotel of All a Time."


It's rare that I binge like that. Just so happened I was stuck home sick this weekend and once you watch one....

My current pet peeve, TV wise, is the British refusal to deliver a real "season" of their great shows.
AMC can give us 16 hours of Walking Dead, but BBC can only manage 4.5 hours of (the magnificent) Sherlock?
Or 18 episodes of Two and a Half Men compared to just 6 of Gervais' brilliant Derek?

I call that lazy....mostly because it annoys the out of me. Maybe I'll go get my Deadwood box set and watch six or seven of those...

in the defence of other shows.. after Chen left Two and a half men, the show became a complete utter turd.

They are the best quality, best run parks in O-town and because of wise management, from the local level all the way up to the head of the company, are poised for a great future. ...So, I'd call them amazing parks in progress if that makes you feel better.

WDW is still playing a shell game, only it is so much worse than a decade ago ... because they just spent $2 billion (and counting) on absolutely nothing but tech upgrades and trip planning apps that actually make their product less desirable to everyone largely who isn't in love with a BRAND.

I bet It will get WORSE in the next years.. that is where every single corporate man wants to go.. run a shell of a company, get bonuses, bail when thing explodes.

No. That isn't true. UNI has another HUGE gun that hasn't come out yet.

Disney is doing nothing with Star Wars right now in FL.

Disney can NOT do anything with The Avengers now and forever more in FL.

Disney does have Avatar and is doing something with it in FL. Let's see what they do and how it is received in 2017-18 when it all opens.

Disney is doing NOTHING with Frozen in FL beyond a badly out of place character meet-greet-and-grope at EPCOT.

That is the truth.

As to the kiddie coaster, I do believe it will be a big hit with its target demos (young kids, their mommy bloggers and arrested development adults). It won't equal a cup of spilled butterbeer this summer. Even Disney knows this. Its fans should too!

Which is sad, considering the huge power of these IPS.
They are letting the hype cooldown way too fast.

Thankfully we're still getting movies.. I'm all hooked for Guardians of the Galaxy.

I don't think I'll ever tire of them myself. Maybe that's the mostly recovered Pixie Dust addict inside me (BTW, have things gotten so bad that everyone is making meth out of cold/sinus meds?!? I mean, seriously, you have to sign your name when buying allergy meds at CVS! What a country ...) but I can spend a day just walking around DAK's animal exhibits or a night around WS.

I think the latter definitely needs something new. If it isn't going to be an attraction or an actual new pavilion, then at least a new night show that hasn't been bastardized because Bob 'Green' Iger wants an environmentally clean show. He wants to be nice to the environment? how about a transport system revamp that removed buses and doesn't add them? How about making sure Disney doesn't murder any more trees?

What were we talking about?

Which I find terrible how many green sections are being cut down in the parks.
some of the parks really lack of foliage for shadow.
But I bet that is for pushing the clients into the restaurants and pubs.(like Epcot) or move the public elsewhere to the stores (Magic Kingdom)

I think most Lifestylers are trying to relive the childhoods that never were and never will be. Many of them seem like profoundly sad and disturbed souls. It seems that very few of them are married or have children. They just seem lost ... and find importance in updating their flocks on the new seating area at Casey's, a new FP+ kiosk and things of that ilk.

what kind of lifestylers are you guys talking about?

 

[John]

Sorta, kinda, not really. ... It will take its design cues from what has gone before, but my take (and I want to speak with someone who would know exactly) is that it is a more romanticized type of place.




I don't think there's ever been an Olympics since my young childhood when I have watched less. I just have zero interest. I think Bob Costas and his eye ailment have been the most interesting development. I just put NBC on ... because I want to see Fallon's debut on The Tonight Show. But it is like the other networks are just conceding. Considering how strong CBS is ... and how weak ABC and NBC are ... you'd think the wise thing to do would be to give alternatives. FOX to its credit is doing that largely.

Another poster summed it up perfectly. The winter Olympics have become a blurred line between sports and the X games. Free style skiing? How many snow boarding events? I don't think the Greeks had this in mind.

 

[PhotoDave219]

OK, lets bounce some logic.

Now has anyone actually entertained the thought Disney does not have to build more attractions and DHS or the other parks beside MK because instead of, ahem, being cheap, they simply just don't have to?

The parks will be full no matter what, and who do we have to thank for this?

Why Universal of course, Potter to be precise.

See, while I personally think Potter 2.0 will bring in more people to the Universal resorts, not another 30% mind you, that's absurd, how many of those people will be staying at Disney? How many of those people will book a vacation to Florida for Potter but stay at a Disney resort, and get Disney tickets, and eat Disney food? This is Universals biggest problem, they don't have enough content, no matter how much Potter they open, or new value hotels they build, they are still inhaling Disney's farts.

Deeply.

Here is another example.

Even if all the rooms at every Universal on property hotel are completely booked, I would bet there are still more people staying at a Disney resort at Universal on any given day. Now every room being booked at Universal just don't happen, but that's not the point, the point is, Disney is still getting those dollars, still getting those magic bands around peoples wrists.

Crystalize this more?

Potter will open with the fanfare and fiefdom flags a waving yada yada, but when do you really think the Mine train ride will open? I would guess, oh about the same time as Potter 2.0. Why? So you can be blasted with commercials for New Fantasyland, so you will know there is stuff going on at Disney World the same time Potter 2.0 opens.

See Disney's genius?

You book a 7 day trip, where you going to stay? Universal for 7 days? LOL, come now, both Universal parks are one day of content if you stay on site at one of their deluxes, which you should btw, 2 days max, 7 days is foolish. The rest of the time will be spent at WDW. Now now, I know, there will be those people who post here who will be damned to stay at Disney or what or that and cheap and blah blah blah, I don't really care because its just not accurate. The truth is, the general public, the real buying public has no vested interested in the theme park politics that get spewed here, and guess what, they will pick Disney 20 to 1, no matter how many value resorts Uni builds. The public, the real buying public still think Disney is the better value, 4 parks to 2 for the same price? The general public don't nit pick theme parks like the chipped paint police here, they just don't care. That's the secret for a magical vacation ya know...

So, why everyone wants to harp this or silly slap that, the point is, by being frugal, Disney is still king.

And always will be.

Jimmy Thick- Have to wonder if WDW makes more money that all Universal parks worldwide...

Yes.

 

[John]

OK, lets bounce some logic.

Now has anyone actually entertained the thought Disney does not have to build more attractions and DHS or the other parks beside MK because instead of, ahem, being cheap, they simply just don't have to?

The parks will be full no matter what, and who do we have to thank for this?

Why Universal of course, Potter to be precise.

See, while I personally think Potter 2.0 will bring in more people to the Universal resorts, not another 30% mind you, that's absurd, how many of those people will be staying at Disney? How many of those people will book a vacation to Florida for Potter but stay at a Disney resort, and get Disney tickets, and eat Disney food? This is Universals biggest problem, they don't have enough content, no matter how much Potter they open, or new value hotels they build, they are still inhaling Disney's farts.

Deeply.

Here is another example.

Even if all the rooms at every Universal on property hotel are completely booked, I would bet there are still more people staying at a Disney resort at Universal on any given day. Now every room being booked at Universal just don't happen, but that's not the point, the point is, Disney is still getting those dollars, still getting those magic bands around peoples wrists.

Crystalize this more?

Potter will open with the fanfare and fiefdom flags a waving yada yada, but when do you really think the Mine train ride will open? I would guess, oh about the same time as Potter 2.0. Why? So you can be blasted with commercials for New Fantasyland, so you will know there is stuff going on at Disney World the same time Potter 2.0 opens.

See Disney's genius?

You book a 7 day trip, where you going to stay? Universal for 7 days? LOL, come now, both Universal parks are one day of content if you stay on site at one of their deluxes, which you should btw, 2 days max, 7 days is foolish. The rest of the time will be spent at WDW. Now now, I know, there will be those people who post here who will be damned to stay at Disney or what or that and cheap and blah blah blah, I don't really care because its just not accurate. The truth is, the general public, the real buying public has no vested interested in the theme park politics that get spewed here, and guess what, they will pick Disney 20 to 1, no matter how many value resorts Uni builds. The public, the real buying public still think Disney is the better value, 4 parks to 2 for the same price? The general public don't nit pick theme parks like the chipped paint police here, they just don't care. That's the secret for a magical vacation ya know...

So, why everyone wants to harp this or silly slap that, the point is, by being frugal, Disney is still king.

And always will be.

Jimmy Thick- Have to wonder if WDW makes more money that all Universal parks worldwide...

On some points you are right....imagine that! But you are missing other important points. Yes WDW will always be king in O Town. But Uni does not have to be king. They are fine with being queen ( I am sure 74 will have a fanbois joke here) Maybe the regular guest will no longer spend seven days at a WDW resort, maybe they will cut their days to five and spend two at Uni. There is no mistake WDW resorts have seen a drop in occupancy. It isn't a mistake that a lot if not most of the marketing lately has been driven to up occupancy. We all know that the real reason behind the mouse arrest bands are to do just this.

Also you can not deny......but I am sure you will. That Disney is separating itself from the teen demo more and more as time goes on. Where do you think these guest will be? Also something that has been mentioned is once you lose a day or two guest will find it easier to leave the magic bubble. Yes, the parks are always packed now. But where there is bleeding is in the resorts.

Will mine coaster be a hit? Big time! Why because there hasn't been a new attraction for such a long time. Little Mermaid? ummmmm yea. I am not going to dismiss it but when the outside of an attraction is better then the inside there is a problem with said attraction.

But don't worry Jimmy, Disney will raise prices. Report a profit and your stock will go up and you will trumpet a success.

I have a question, will Disney allow FP+ reservations for Mine Coaster? or will they restrict them like Uni does for Potter? If they allow it, this maybe a positive for FP+ as it will allow a number of guest by pass what will be huge lines for the ride.

 

[DisneyGentleman]

OK, lets bounce some logic.

So, why everyone wants to harp this or silly slap that, the point is, by being frugal, Disney is still king.

And always will be.

Jimmy Thick- Have to wonder if WDW makes more money that all Universal parks worldwide...

THIS - the essence of Blue Toilet.

 

[bhg469]

Therefore, I term it "The Greatest Hotel of All a Time."


It's rare that I binge like that. Just so happened I was stuck home sick this weekend and once you watch one....

My current pet peeve, TV wise, is the British refusal to deliver a real "season" of their great shows.
AMC can give us 16 hours of Walking Dead, but BBC can only manage 4.5 hours of (the magnificent) Sherlock?
Or 18 episodes of Two and a Half Men compared to just 6 of Gervais' brilliant Derek?

I call that lazy....mostly because it annoys the out of me. Maybe I'll go get my Deadwood box set and watch six or seven of those...

Dude, my wife came home one day after I watched Derek and I was just almost blubbering like a baby. I had no idea how emotional that show was going to be, but wow, it was superb!

 

[ParentsOf4]

I liked your post somewhere recently where you pointed out the absurd ... obscene price increase of a burger at Cosmic Ray's from $7.19 to $10 something. This is WDW. This is TDO. This is Iger, Rasulo, Staggs, Crofton, Kalogridis etc ...

They have already priced themselves out of the deluxe hotel business because they just couldn't make a profit selling 3-star hotels in disguise for $200-400 a night. Nope, they needed to get those prices double and triple. And that's why we have DVC at every deluxe now. Pretty soon, the rubes who stay at the mods will downgrade to the values ...if they don't buy DVC, head off-property or just stay away from O-Town.

Rest assured, they have models that show when they expect/plan that burger to hit $15. Maybe $18 too.

It's all about gouging guests for every last dime.

The problem for WDW today is that there already are signs that they are pushing prices to their limits, without providing a corresponding improvement in content.

The number of empty rooms at WDW is at an all-time high.

In 2013, WDW averaged about 5,700 empty rooms per night.

Excluding DVC, WDW has about 5,700 Deluxe Resort rooms. For some perspective, that means WDW averaged the equivalent of completely empty Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Contemporary, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Wilderness Lodge, Boardwalk Inn, and Animal Kingdom Lodge hotels.

2002 was a horrible year for WDW.

Yet in 2013, WDW averaged 400 more empty rooms per night than they did in 2002.

Empty rooms at WDW have become a major concern.

Let’s look at what has happened to Per Room Guest Spending since then. In 2002, it was $204. In 2013, it was $267. That’s an increase of only 2.5% annually.

The CPI has averaged 2.4% annually over the same period.

WDW’s hotel prices have stagnated and yet WDW has a record number of empty rooms.

Now let’s consider what’s happened to ticket prices.

A 4-day ticket was $199 in 2002. In 2013, it was $363, an annual increase of 5.8%. Compounded over 11 years, that's just painful.

Median household income has averaged only 1.7% over that same period.

The cold, hard reality is that when prices increase faster than wages, people have to make choices.

Right now, vacationers are choosing to stay offsite in order to afford WDW’s tickets.

Oh, and to be able to afford their $10.19 Wendy’s quality burger that used to be $7.39 only a few years ago.

International vacationers get a lot of attention right now but 80% of WDW “guests” still come from the U.S.A.

What happens when WDW ticket and food prices continue to increase?

What choice do people make next?

At what point do people decide that a WDW vacation simply isn’t worth it anymore?

At what point does WDW simply become unaffordable for Disney’s core audience?