News Round Up 2016

[rteetz]

Kong continues to reign

http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2016/01/reign-of-kong-news-work-proceeds-around.html?m=1

 

[bbmassey]

How do you make an evil fairy who wants to be a killer of princesses the focus of your movie? You turn the origin story upside down and portray the character as a complex, misunderstood soul who's true story wasn't fully told.

Yes, but is that not a slippery slope to keep doing this to your villains? Changing the narrative and rewriting their context alters what is to follow. Sometimes it is okay for a villain to be a villain, that is what makes the story great. Stories need bad guys and gals and that is what breeds such contempt for Cruella, were we ever really meant to like her?

 

[Budshark]

Yes, but is that not a slippery slope to keep doing this to your villains? Changing the narrative and rewriting their context alters what is to follow. Sometimes it is okay for a villain to be a villain, that is what makes the story great. Stories need bad guys and gals and that is what breeds such contempt for Cruella, were we ever really meant to like her?

The current western (American) narrative is that no one is truly bad or good. The good guys are flawed and the bad guys are misunderstood.

There are no more white hats and black hats.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Thanks! Going 4/30-5/4 for adults only trip and want to avoid that mess but enjoy Flower and Garden Festival.

I doubt that beyond opening day this will cause a huge mess at Epcot. Certainly it will drive traffic, but other attractions shouldn't be substantially impacted, and surely they've built a substantial queue for the experience.

 

[Spacedog1975]

Yes, but is that not a slippery slope to keep doing this to your villains? Changing the narrative and rewriting their context alters what is to follow. Sometimes it is okay for a villain to be a villain, that is what makes the story great. Stories need bad guys and gals and that is what breeds such contempt for Cruella, were we ever really meant to like her?

For me, I don't see Maleficent from the live action movie being the same character as from the animated film. These are alternative storylines, not enhancements to the existing storylines.

The current western (American) narrative is that no one is truly bad or good. The good guys are flawed and the bad guys are misunderstood.

There are no more white hats and black hats.

Actually it's only really new in the west. Other markets have always had more nuance, and have been less insistent on the happy ending. Only recently has the US market started to adapt to this.

 

[Maineiak]

Not sure I've seen this posted yet, but Disney kicked off 2016 with $3 billion in debt sales:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...to-kick-off-u-s-corporate-bond-sales-for-2016

 

[ColoradoDreamin]

Not sure I've seen this posted yet, but Disney kicked off 2016 with $3 billion in debt sales:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...to-kick-off-u-s-corporate-bond-sales-for-2016

Honestly this one confused me some. Can someone explain it?

 

[mcd2745]

Honestly this one confused me some. Can someone explain it?

Could be to pay off some other, higher-interest debt, repurchase stock or a number of other reasons. Companies as large as Disney issue debt all the time.

 

[Maineiak]

Could be to pay off some other, higher-interest debt, repurchase stock or a number of other reasons. Companies as large as Disney issue debt all the time.

I agree, there could be a myriad of reasons for the issuance, I just thought I shared as I saw it in the WSJ yesterday.

 

[Eoghann]

Honestly this one confused me some. Can someone explain it?

Wall Street BS of the sort that gives accountants a bad name? I'm sure someone can explain it properly. It usually has something to do with selling the rights to make money off the interest on a debt. Companies do it when they need a chunk of cash for one purpose or another.

 

[Maineiak]

Wall Street BS of the sort that gives accountants a bad name? I'm sure someone can explain it properly. It usually has something to do with selling the rights to make money off the interest on a debt. Companies do it when they need a chunk of cash for one purpose or another.

Should anyone be so bored, they can go read the Offering Statements for the bond issuance. You can find one here:

http://quote.morningstar.com/stock-...S&ft=424B5&d=47c5eb1af545d3809b1a41a90fa8a38b

In short, however, the prospectus says the following, which doesn't shed a lot of light on the use:

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes.

These general corporate purposes may include, among others:

• 
  •to repay our indebtedness and reduce other obligations;
  •to fund share repurchases;
  •to fund dividend payments;
  •to fund investments in, or extensions of credit or contributions to, our subsidiaries; and
  •to fund acquisitions.

 

[Eoghann]

Should anyone be so bored, they can go read the Offering Statements for the bond issuance. You can find one here:

http://quote.morningstar.com/stock-...S&ft=424B5&d=47c5eb1af545d3809b1a41a90fa8a38b

In short, however, the prospectus says the following, which doesn't shed a lot of light on the use:

USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise indicated in an accompanying prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes.

These general corporate purposes may include, among others:

• 
  
  
  • 
    •to repay our indebtedness and reduce other obligations;
    •to fund share repurchases;
    •to fund dividend payments;
    •to fund investments in, or extensions of credit or contributions to, our subsidiaries; and
    •to fund acquisitions.

So... Stock buybacks almost certainly. It's one way to try and shore up the stock price.

 

[rteetz]

Been at MK most of the day. Nothing major to report. Crowds a little bit more than I expected but not terrible.

Buzz in the queue for space ranger spin is behind a curtain for refurb.

Both ramps for peoplemover were working.

The solar farms are well underway. One section nearly complete.

Dumbo needs a paint job.

 

[Budshark]

Been at MK most of the day. Nothing major to report. Crowds a little bit more than I expected but not terrible.

Buzz in the queue for space ranger spin is behind a curtain for refurb.

Both ramps for peoplemover were working.

The solar farms are well underway. One section nearly complete.

Dumbo needs a paint job.

But did you get wet on Pirates???

 

[mcd2745]

Been at MK most of the day. Nothing major to report. Crowds a little bit more than I expected but not terrible.

Buzz in the queue for space ranger spin is behind a curtain for refurb.

Both ramps for peoplemover were working.

The solar farms are well underway. One section nearly complete.

Dumbo needs a paint job.

Isn't Buzz going down for a refurb very soon?

 

[jcnewton]

Isn't Buzz going down for a refurb very soon?

1/18-2/11. Which sucks because I'm doing a weekend trip starting the 22nd and when I was there 3 weeks ago, Buzz was buzzing with people during Christmas. At least it's a short rehab.

 

[ColoradoDreamin]

But did you get wet on Pirates???

We did pirates in December. Didn't get wet at all. Was expecting to after reading all this on here and none of us got wet.

 

[Budshark]

No specifics but some more detail on development of Star Wars land ride...

http://www.businessinsider.com/ces-2016-disney-imagineering-on-star-wars-land-ride-2016-1

 

[soniam]

I doubt that beyond opening day this will cause a huge mess at Epcot. Certainly it will drive traffic, but other attractions shouldn't be substantially impacted, and surely they've built a substantial queue for the experience.

It might actually draw people from the other attractions. TT and Soarin' could finally see reduced loads, once Soarin' is open of course.

 

[twebber55]

No specifics but some more detail on development of Star Wars land ride...

http://www.businessinsider.com/ces-2016-disney-imagineering-on-star-wars-land-ride-2016-1

im calling bunk on that
nothing says star wars like a good ol water ride...