News Round Up 2017

[ucfknight]

News

Annual Passholders can get free Ratatouille buttons at Food and Wine.

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/08/annua...ouille-buttons-2017-epcot-food-wine-festival/

No etched glass tumblers this year?

 

[rteetz]

No etched glass tumblers this year?

I don't believe they had them last year either.

 

[wnwardii]

I don't believe they had them last year either.

Actually last year's AP gift was an etched glass tumbler. You just had to attend Food & Wine on 3 separate days in order to get it. I really liked mine, but it broke in my dishwasher a few months ago. :-(

 

[rteetz]

Actually last year's AP gift was an etched glass tumbler. You just had to attend Food & Wine on 3 separate days in order to get it. I really liked mine, but it broke in my dishwasher a few months ago. :-(

Then it was flower and garden that had nothing.

 

[amberpi]

Photo update

Baseline Taphouse update

http://blogmickey.com/2017/08/photos-baseline-tap-house-construction-update-concept-art/

Does anyone have a better understanding of the concept? But hooray, HS desperately needs anyplace worth eating at besides HBD, and now I honestly vastly prefer the lounge for a quick drive by.

 

[Brocktoon]

Does anyone have a better understanding of the concept? But hooray, HS desperately needs anyplace worth eating at besides HBD, and now I honestly vastly prefer the lounge for a quick drive by.

I don't think it's supposed to be a counter service place, but more of a bar/lounge focusing on Cali beer and wine. Probably see stuff from Lagunitas, Stone, Russian River, Sierra Nevada if we're lucky. From the pics there will probably be appetizer sized plates as well with cheeses for the wines, pretzels and other bar type munchies. I figure it'll be more of a American version of La Cava or Tutto Gusto in DHS

 

[Madonna3]

Edited: was distracted.

I was really just looking for thoughts on the move by WDW. I think it means they simply have priced themselves out of the market for similar offerings. I don't think anyone is disagreeing.

No, restaurant pricing is absurd. We definitely all agree there. However, blame the dining plan. Get rid of that and the restaurants will fall in line.

 

[ucfknight]

I don't believe they had them last year either.

Then it was flower and garden that had nothing.

Flower and Garden had nothing this year.
Last year's Food and Wine was the nice glass tumblers.
This year's Food and Wine gets a 10 cent button.

 

[splash327]

Flower and Garden had nothing this year.
Last year's Food and Wine was the nice glass tumblers.
This year's Food and Wine gets a 10 cent button.

Very disappointing...

 

[romitaz]

Since we're discussing USO vs. WDW. I love both. But, why do they do such a better job with their hotels? Is because they are Loews properties? The service and accommodations really surpass WDW.

Um, I beg to differ here. At least as far as the "value" resorts. We stayed a few nights at Cabana Bay and we were severely disappointed. Sure the "look" of the place was neat but the food was awful at their food court and I have slept on softer concrete than the bed. The separate living room type area was nice in the room but we MUCH more enjoyed POP on that trip than Cabana Bay. We are staying at The Boardwalk this time around and will probably give one of the "deluxes" at Universal a try on our next trip there, so, we shall see how that goes. In our book, the "value vs value" was not even close. Your mileage may vary.

 

[pepperandchips]

Flower and Garden had nothing this year.
Last year's Food and Wine was the nice glass tumblers.
This year's Food and Wine gets a 10 cent button.

And the prior year F&W gift was a Port glass. Was hoping for a beer glass this year since the beer offerings are different (better?) this year.

 

[amberpi]

Um, I beg to differ here. At least as far as the "value" resorts. We stayed a few nights at Cabana Bay and we were severely disappointed. Sure the "look" of the place was neat but the food was awful at their food court and I have slept on softer concrete than the bed. The separate living room type area was nice in the room but we MUCH more enjoyed POP on that trip than Cabana Bay. We are staying at The Boardwalk this time around and will probably give one of the "deluxes" at Universal a try on our next trip there, so, we shall see how that goes. In our book, the "value vs value" was not even close. Your mileage may vary.

Never stayed at a value at either, so I won't argue with you! I was thinking specifically of Portofino vs. monorail/Epcot resorts, but RPR "beats" the poly for me too. Weirdly, I really dislike the Hardrock. I'm not a gambler, but all the Hardrock's I've stayed in have had a casino, and that one feels "off" to me because it doesn't. I do like that the Hardrock has had some bands I've wanted to see that have led me to having another WDW/US trip - not that I look for excuses

ETA: CB looks so pretty! Shame to hear about the food situation. That'd be a hard no for me.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Rumor update

Disneyland micechat rumor update! Pixar Pier and much more!

http://micechat.com/168562-disney-pixar-pier/

So that is very interesting. WDI is trying to prove themselves, that they can build a quality product quickly.

I wonder if they'll change the music for Screamin.

I'm also interested to know which Pixar characters they'll have in Ariel's. If I know Disney, it'll be the ones that already visit regularly, so Buzz, Woody, Jesse and maybe the Incredibles. Would be nice to see some new faces.

 

[crazy4wdw]

Actually last year's AP gift was an etched glass tumbler. You just had to attend Food & Wine on 3 separate days in order to get i(

Yes, they were nice. I don't have an AP but I purchased several of them on eBay

 

[mom2rtk]

Rumor update

Disneyland micechat rumor update! Pixar Pier and much more!

http://micechat.com/168562-disney-pixar-pier/

Interesting that they do think Ariel's Grotto will be rethemed. Any rumor on moving princesses to a different dining venue?

 

[Tigger's ally]

I'm also interested to know which Pixar characters they'll have in Ariel's. If I know Disney, it'll be the ones that already visit regularly, so Buzz, Woody, Jesse and maybe the Incredibles. Would be nice to see some new faces.

Mr. Potatoe head with removable parts please. When he takes a break he comes back different!

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Mr. Potatoe head with removable parts please. When he takes a break he comes back different!

That would be pretty sweet. I'm not even sure if I'd have a list of who I'd like to meet, just Pixar characters that are not common will satisfy me.

 

[a4matte]

News
I don't think I've seen this one yet (everyone keeps going way off topic it seems).
Disney plans to pull movies from Netflix and launch a streaming service for ESPN and their other branded things.

Hopefully the movie version will be better than Disney Movies Everywhere. That was always super unreliable for me. I've been much happier with their tie in with Amazon streaming. But maybe this will be for movies you don't actually own like Netflix works?

 

[MissGina5]

News
I don't think I've seen this one yet (everyone keeps going way off topic it seems).
Disney plans to pull movies from Netflix and launch a streaming service for ESPN and their other branded things.

Hopefully the movie version will be better than Disney Movies Everywhere. That was always super unreliable for me. I've been much happier with their tie in with Amazon streaming. But maybe this will be for movies you don't actually own like Netflix works?

I guess I am not totally surprised. I would rather they worked with Netflix for original content though

 

[jknezek]

Disney Q3 results. Missed on revenue, beat on EPS. Ending distribution pact with Netflix, no surprise, creating own streaming service to start in 2019. The revenue miss is a big problem. The headline will be the Netflix news. The EPS beat, along with the earnings drop shows what we all know. They are squeezing more from less. Cost cutting and extra charges are keeping the earnings afloat as revenue sinks.

Netflix dropped heavily on news of the Disney deal going away. Not sure who wasn't expecting that to happen so not sure why it sunk so badly. Disney also drops. The 8k filing shows a drop in revenue from Media Networks, a more than offsetting gain from Parks and Resorts, a huge drop in Studio, and a small drop in Consumer Products and Interactive 3rd Quarter 2017 over 3rd Quarter 2016.

The 8k talks about ESPN. Revenue at Cable Networks dropped 3% and operating icome dropped 23%, a whopping 1.5 billion! That is explicitly blamed on contractual rate increases for the NBA.

Parks and Resorts increase is due to increases at Shanghai and DLP. Domestic parks were a scratch, with increased guest spending offset by increased costs in labor and the dry-dock of a cruise ship. Domestically higher than average daily room rates and food and beverage spending helped.

Studio Entertainment revenues dropped 16%. Basically this year's movie slate didn't keep up with last year.