Bean Counters and shortsightedness

[BrianL]

You mean like Tron, Remy, GoG, FoP, Rise and Slinky?

Well, technically, Guardians replaced something, but it took so long it just feels like there was nothing there before.

 

[RivShore]

Well, technically, Guardians replaced something, but it took so long it just feels like there was nothing there before.

To be honest, it replaced a napping area, not a ride area.

 

[BrianL]

To be honest, it replaced a napping area, not a ride area.

Well, can't argue that!

 

[Brian Noble]

@RivShore beat me to it.

"Stupid Judy, stupid energy."

 

[NotUrsula]

The issue, when it comes to companies whose business is art/entertainment, is that art isn't a simple thing to quantify (unlike, say, beans.) How much, let's say, is it worth to WDW to have hotel housekeepers who can quickly fold towel animals? I'm betting that, from a straight accounting perspective, paying extra to teach housekeepers to make towel animals, and perhaps paying bonuses to those who are good at it and can teach others, seems like something that really isn't worth the extra cost, especially if they think that the towels end up getting taken home. But ... how many guests are so charmed by their kids' reactions to towel animals that, other things being equal, they choose to stay on-site rather than off-site? Does it take 20 guests a year to do that, or 90, or 2000, before it's a good investment? And how much do you have to spend to determine if it really does happen, or if people just THINK it happens? There are ways to quantify such things, but not always easily, and at some point the counting method may end up costing more than just taking a leap of faith and approving the higher cost in the first place. Most guests think the towel animals are wonderful, but I'll bet there are folks in the hotel division who hate them because they slow down the housekeepers and guests take them home, and thus they lose more towels than they should, and they miss their towel stock shrinkage goals.

Accountants are lovely people, and I'm really glad that I have them behind me because I stink at doing that kind of work. However, they can be really difficult in situations where a business has to generate good will, or especially, love, to do well, because often they have difficulty breaking rules that have been designed to lower countable costs. That's where little things like purple pens come in; quantifiably they cost more, but is there a hard-to-count intangible benefit that balances out that cost in a way that doesn't fit onto a spreadsheet?

 

[WAstateDVCDaddy]

Just as an aside, why does everyone always have to rag on the "bean counters"?

I’m glad you posted this. I meant no disrespect to the profession. Actually, I wasn’t even associating “bean counters” specifically with accountants or others in the finance teams (although I know that’s the common use for the term).

When I think of bean counters in this context, I’m really thinking about decision makers who are prioritizing immediate $ over other considerations. Although it may be the financial teams who provide the information, it’s really only ever a problem when leadership begins making decisions purely based on short term financials without considering longer term effects to the company. I think of GM’s leadership in the ‘80s as the prime example. It wasn’t that they couldn’t build great products, it was mainly that the priority shifted to ensuring every decision was scrutinized through the lens of “what would be the most profitable” first, and “what will ensure a great customer experience” second.

 

[jade1]

You mean like Tron, Remy, GoG, FoP, Rise and Slinky?

Are they counting these beans?

I just don't understand why they have slowed down, why not keep building?

Tron likely brings in $75 Million a year in ILL, GotG $50 Million.

It's like a 10 year or less ROI. Then it's paid for and pure profit.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Are they counting these beans?

I just don't understand why they have slowed down, why not keep building?

Tron likely brings in $75 Million a year in ILL, GotG $50 Million.

It's like a 10 year or less ROI. Then it's paid for and pure profit.

If the parks are already packed to the gills what would be the point. A 5th gate to me would make more sense, but pulling more people to the parks is not a good thing at this point for Disney

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

I don't think so, the parks side is still the golden goose in terms of performance, i am interested to see how they perform moving forward compared to their contemporaries, because i think domestic travel is coming down across the board. I think the primary problem for Disney is that streaming wasn't all that it was cracked up to be, and that the population is moving away from movies on a whole, and shifting more towards television.

I think we are watching the slow decay of movies, and Disney is going to feel it more than most. They need to focus on original content for Disney+ IMO and make it quality (the mandalorian).

I don't think short term planning is hurting them, just not knowing how to navigate this quickly changing media marketplace

Mando 1-2, not the hot mess that was Mando 3.

 

[jade1]

If the parks are already packed to the gills what would be the point. A 5th gate to me would make more sense, but pulling more people to the parks is not a good thing at this point for Disney

So never build another attraction ever in an existing park?

A 5th park yes, but if not? It took like 5 years to make Tron, maybe 10 for a park?

Maybe to make $50 Million to $75 Million per year, per attraction, pure profit?

But again, I'm not a bean counter and my calculations may be way off.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Mando 1-2, not the hot mess that was Mando 3.

Going out on a limb here, i like Mando 3

 

[Brian Noble]

I just don't understand why they have slowed down, why not keep building?

“We don’t know what they have planned” is not the same as “there is nothing planned.”

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

So never build another attraction ever in an existing park?

A 5th park yes, but if not? It took like 5 years to make Tron, maybe 10 for a park?

Maybe to make $50 Million to $75 Million per year, per attraction, pure profit?

But again, I'm not a bean counter and my calculations may be way off.

Recently Disney has been dealing with an overcrowding problem, until they weed their way through, i don't think adding things to attract more guests is in their best interest. it sounds more like it would contribute to the problem. Once it's under control, then they can resume IMO

 

[jade1]

“We don’t know what they have planned” is not the same as “there is nothing planned.”

Oh they have the blue sky plans, sounded really cool IMO. Just wondering the hold up, with this new revenue stream that they never had before.

It appears they just dropped Epcot and AK to $79 for locals.

Pretty sure those are not packed to the gills.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

Oh they have the blue sky plans, sounded really cool IMO. Just wondering the hold up, with this new revenue stream that they never had before.

It appears they just dropped Epcot and AK to $79 for locals.

Pretty sure those are not packed to the gills.

They were until very recently

 

[jade1]

Recently Disney has been dealing with an overcrowding problem, until they weed their way through, i don't think adding things to attract more guests is in their best interest. it sounds more like it would contribute to the problem. Once it's under control, then they can resume IMO

No doubt, but was responding to one poster wondering why don't they add more attractions to help consume the overcrowding.

Not sure why the dramatic price drop at AK and Epcot if those are packed.

I think adding the 2 lands Zootopia and Moana, at AK would help-especially when ILL would pay for the attractions.

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

Going out on a limb here, i like Mando 3

 

[BrianL]

Going out on a limb here, i like Mando 3

I liked it too. I mean, I see where it faltered a bit compared to the first two seasons, but it was still enjoyable. Mando's not my favorite Star Wars series anyway.

 

[Aluminum Falcon]

No doubt, but was responding to one poster wondering why don't they add more attractions to help consume the overcrowding.

Not sure why the dramatic price drop at AK and Epcot if those are packed.

I think adding the 2 lands Zootopia and Moana, at AK would help-especially when ILL would pay for the attractions.

that is a good point, AK is the only park that is never really packed, which puts additional stress on the others. If Disney adds more attractions there it probably would help. It looks like they were fixing HS first and are now moving to AK

 

[PolymerSkywalker]

Versus season 1 & 2