News Round Up 2018

[skier_pete]

I just can't help thinking this is a bad idea. Does it really need that pressure? Does it need to be that expensive? Make a good show, with a solid budget, and it's not such a massive role of the dice. Solo at a $200 million budget is ok. Solo at $400 million was a loser. Same thing here. Be a bit less ambitious, but have more reasonable expectations. How many subscribers to this system does the Star Wars show now have to drive?

It seems to set the table for a failure unless it is a massive mega hit that draws millions of subscribers.

Sure it sounds like a lot - but if you get a million star wars fans to sign up for a $8 a month service you've made your money back in a year. 5 million fans it's about 2 months. But I would agree that regardless of budget you have to make something worth-while. The writing is the key.

 

[MommaBerd]

To take on Netflix, Disney faces a challenge in embracing technology
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-n...-faces-challenge-embracing-technology-n898446

Great article. I commented on the Disney IT situation on the Earnings Call thread. The ESPN+ offering needs LOTS of improvement in its usability!

 

[jknezek]

Sure it sounds like a lot - but if you get a million star wars fans to sign up for a $8 a month service you've made your money back in a year. 5 million fans it's about 2 months. But I would agree that regardless of budget you have to make something worth-while. The writing is the key.

A million fans is a lot. Netflix has 124 million worldwide, but only 56 million or so in the U.S. And that's not the best comparison since Netflix doesn't have a cable analog. Something more like HBO Now, which has spent years getting to just 5 million subscribers, is a better comparison. There has never been a huge GoT bump for HBO Now either, just a steady gain along the lines of cord cutting for OTT subscribers.

The best comparison is probably CBS All Access, which has struggled to only 2 million subscribers despite exclusive content like the Star Trek series. So we throw around numbers like 1 million fans, but it's incredibly difficult to get 1 million people to sign up for an OTT service. Let alone 5 million fans. And then there are the people like me who have CBS All Access for a month or two a year, binge what I want, and then drop it again.

It's just not that simple anymore. Sinking $100 million dollars into 10 episodes of Star Wars is a huge dice roll. And I worry that if it doesn't work out like GoT, we won't get another shot.

 

[brnrss34]

News

First Look: Annual Passholder, Figment, Ratatouille, and other delectable merchandise items for 2018’s EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival

I really want those glasses and coasters. But I’m not going this year to the festival.

 

[rteetz]

Len Testa believes Disney will implement its tiered multi-day ticket pricing this fall in either September or October.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

A million fans is a lot. Netflix has 124 million worldwide, but only 56 million or so in the U.S. And that's not the best comparison since Netflix doesn't have a cable analog. Something more like HBO Now, which has spent years getting to just 5 million subscribers, is a better comparison. There has never been a huge GoT bump for HBO Now either, just a steady gain along the lines of cord cutting for OTT subscribers.

The best comparison is probably CBS All Access, which has struggled to only 2 million subscribers despite exclusive content like the Star Trek series. So we throw around numbers like 1 million fans, but it's incredibly difficult to get 1 million people to sign up for an OTT service. Let alone 5 million fans. And then there are the people like me who have CBS All Access for a month or two a year, binge what I want, and then drop it again.

It's just not that simple anymore. Sinking $100 million dollars into 10 episodes of Star Wars is a huge dice roll. And I worry that if it doesn't work out like GoT, we won't get another shot.

Might be an odd comparison, but another one could be the WWE network which struggled to get their first 1 million subscribers as well. Now, I think the Disney audience is a lot bigger and if they are able to pull most of their content off of Netflix and stuff and have quite a bit of content that is new and can only be seen on the Disney streaming service, that will help, but I agree, 1 million subscribers isn't no big deal to get - especially right out of the gate, and especially if you are telling people you also need to pay more for Hulu to get R rated and other content and also separately for ESPN+ for sports content

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Len Testa believes Disney will implement its tiered multi-day ticket pricing this fall in either September or October.

definitely interested to see how it works in the end when people have vacations that span "tiering levels" ... but we knew this was coming at some point

Also will be interesting to see what dates eat tier are, given that Summer seems to be slowing down and fall is getting more and more crowded

 

[splash327]

Len Testa believes Disney will implement its tiered multi-day ticket pricing this fall in either September or October.

I really want to see how they implement this. I wonder if they will start like they used to do the hotel rooms, where the first day you use the ticket is the tier you fall in.

 

[skier_pete]

A million fans is a lot. Netflix has 124 million worldwide, but only 56 million or so in the U.S. And that's not the best comparison since Netflix doesn't have a cable analog. Something more like HBO Now, which has spent years getting to just 5 million subscribers, is a better comparison. There has never been a huge GoT bump for HBO Now either, just a steady gain along the lines of cord cutting for OTT subscribers.

The best comparison is probably CBS All Access, which has struggled to only 2 million subscribers despite exclusive content like the Star Trek series. So we throw around numbers like 1 million fans, but it's incredibly difficult to get 1 million people to sign up for an OTT service. Let alone 5 million fans. And then there are the people like me who have CBS All Access for a month or two a year, binge what I want, and then drop it again.

It's just not that simple anymore. Sinking $100 million dollars into 10 episodes of Star Wars is a huge dice roll. And I worry that if it doesn't work out like GoT, we won't get another shot.

You are correct - but I have to think Disney may do better than a lot of services because of what the content IS. If they pull all their movies from other services (We're talking Marvel, Disney animation, live action like Pirates) and put it all in one place. Then include the archive of all of their stuff from Disney Channel and way back to World of Color and stuff - plus any new movies - they could bump a LOT of subscribers quickly. And then including GOOD new content off the bat...

The biggest problem that I foresee is the fractioning (which is already occurring) of streaming services. When each streaming service has it's own content, and you need to subscribe to 6 different services for your content, it will become as expensive as cable.

 

[jknezek]

You are correct - but I have to think Disney may do better than a lot of services because of what the content IS. If they pull all their movies from other services (We're talking Marvel, Disney animation, live action like Pirates) and put it all in one place. Then include the archive of all of their stuff from Disney Channel and way back to World of Color and stuff - plus any new movies - they could bump a LOT of subscribers quickly. And then including GOOD new content off the bat...

The biggest problem that I foresee is the fractioning (which is already occurring) of streaming services. When each streaming service has it's own content, and you need to subscribe to 6 different services for your content, it will become as expensive as cable.

Disney can't. See the issue with the Star Wars movies. They licensed stuff out. Eventually they will get it back, but probably not when this launches. And, you aren't going to get all of that. If they were going to give you archives of everything, they would have said by now. You are going to get what they want to give you. Mostly the current stuff on the various Disney channels, the last couple of movies, the family friendly stuff from ABC, whatever they pull from Freeform, a rotating crop of the older stuff at their discretion, and some new content.

Then if you want adult shows you're going to need Hulu. The Marvel shows on Netflix are not family friendly. I can't see how they are going to this service. There is a ton of bad language, violence, and sex in them. It will be interesting to see where they end up.

Star Trek has a huge fan base. The estimate is 8-8.5 million per episode making it one of the most expensive shows ever made, yet considerably less than the proposed Star Wars budget. CBS All Access was at slightly less than 2 million subscribers when Star Trek was announced, now it is slightly more. That's the math Disney needs to find a way around. Dropping $100 million into 10 episodes of Star Wars is a loss leader. Hopefully it won't be so much of one they shy away from Star Wars shows in the future.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

The biggest problem that I foresee is the fractioning (which is already occurring) of streaming services. When each streaming service has it's own content, and you need to subscribe to 6 different services for your content, it will become as expensive as cable.

I see that coming up where people are now saying "man, I wish I could just get one source for all of my television needs" ... um, you mean like Cable?

I do wonder if Disney might offer a combo - where you can get each streaming element separately or for a reduced rate get Disney Streaming, ESPN+, and Hulu

I also would love to see them do cross promotions - like a subscription is included with an Annual Pass to the parks, or if you have the monthly fee automatically charged to you Disney Chase Visa there is a reduced rate, etc.

 

[tlmadden73]

News

LEGOLAND Offering Free Child's Ticket to Guests Visiting Select Subway Restaurants

LEGOLAND offers this regularly - via coupons in lego sets (or bags you find at checkout) or just with codes you can easily find online.
Basically .. if you are paying for a kid to go to LEGOLAND or a LEGOLAND discovery center . you are paying too much.

As the "also ran" of theme parks in the area, they need to draw kids there. Free kids admission is amazing.

I've always been disappointed at Disney's "child" prices. They difference is so neglible, they may as just have one price. But .. I get it. They are so popular they could charge MORE for children and people would still come.

 

[ejgonz2]

Len Testa believes Disney will implement its tiered multi-day ticket pricing this fall in either September or October.

So we should buy our tix soon?

 

[Jetku]

Be Our Guest late August refurb seems to be cancelled with reservations now available for August 20-24.

I was able to get a reservation for 11 people for lunch midweek with multiple times available.

 

[rteetz]

So we should buy our tix soon?

If you want to avoid the multi day tiers probably.

 

[rteetz]

Be Our Guest late August refurb seems to be cancelled with reservations now available for August 20-24.

I was able to get a reservation for 11 people for lunch midweek with multiple times available.

Hmm that’s weird.

 

[tlmadden73]

Len Testa believes Disney will implement its tiered multi-day ticket pricing this fall in either September or October.

Yay?

Will this end the "flexibility" of buying sets of tickets and then going when you want?
Will you now just have to decide when you are going and buy your tickets SPECIFICALLY for those days unless you have an AP? So if your trip is SA-WED .. you probably pay more for SA and SU and less on MO-WED (just like you do for the hotel).

You'll probably see more "vacation bundles" that just obfuscates the true ticket prices .. (tickets and hotels at $101/day/person average for 5 day stay). Just how when you stay at Great Wolf Lodge you just pay one price .. you don't (and can't) pay for a separate water park ticket .. but depending on when you stay .. the price is VASTLY different.

Just seems like a headache for the consumers like us on the boards here who thrive on frequent yet flexible trips, but for your regular "once in a lifetime" visitor .. it probably won't be an issue . .they just probably care what the total cost is.


But .. it will definitely push people to change their vacation dates since tickets are the most expensive part of the vacation (for large families). People will purposely visit MO-TH to save money rather than a FR-MO (even though that works out better for school and vacation days).

In the end, it all depends HOW much more expensive these tiered tickets are ..

 

[rteetz]

Yay?

Will this end the "flexibility" of buying sets of tickets and then going when you want?
Will you now just have to decide when you are going and buy your tickets SPECIFICALLY for those days unless you have an AP? So if your trip is SA-WED .. you probably pay more for SA and SU and less on MO-WED (just like you do for the hotel).

You'll probably see more "vacation bundles" that just obfuscates the true ticket prices .. (tickets and hotels at $101/day average for 5 day stay). Just how when you stay at Great Wolf Lodge you just pay one price .. you don't (and can't) pay for a separate water park ticket .. but depending on when you stay .. the price is VASTLY different.

Just seems like a headache for the consumers like us on the boards here who thrive on frequent yet flexible trips, but for your regular "once in a lifetime" visitor .. it probably won't be an issue . .they just probably care what the total cost is.


But .. it will definitely push people to change their vacation dates since tickets are the most expensive part of the vacation (for large families). People will purposely visit MO-TH to save money rather than a FR-MO (even though that works out better for school and vacation days).

In the end, it all depends HOW much more expensive these tiered tickets are ..

Well they kind of already started to end the flexibility. All tickets now have expiration dates.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Well they kind of already started to end the flexibility. All tickets now have expiration dates.

though AP's have until 2030 - one reason we bought a couple before the last round of price increases

 

[SaharanTea]

though AP's have until 2030 - one reason we bought a couple before the last round of price increases

You can buy multiple APs, and use them consecutively?