Now that Cars Land opens, Disney announces cutbacks in domestic spending

[lockedoutlogic]

Its funny to me that some people around like to use "skepticism" as an excuse to be rude to others on this board. It's just kind of sad that you think its some kind of duty of yours to "dose" these "fools" who simply have a more positive outlook on a vacation destination with your own brand of snark and condescension.


But hey, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe people like coming here to get told they are "wrong" constantly by holier-than-thou posters. Maybe these people don't find name-calling childish and petty. I could be wrong though.

you are right that name-calling is probably over the line...

but the wounded routine is probably in the same ballpark as well.

My "snarkness" is pretty open, but i'll explain it again as i have probably 50 times in the past:

the overal product/ quality has declined, the prices have increased far beyond simple inflation or cost of upkeep.. and the consumer has the power to reverse the slide. (maybe)

Only the consumer - an educated consumer - can cause the disney management to evaluate what they want to be going forward...by withholding their financial support.

so i know what you're saying - its vacation, as people just want to be happy about it. I share that in alot more ways than you'd think. But the reality is that if you do - they've got you. and not only have they got YOU - they've got me too. And that is a dangerous concept.

Alot of the "naysayers" are longtime consumers/employees who have personally witnessed the slide. I have seen alot but also don't pretend to be somebody that was there on opening day. I augment what i haven't experience with research and alot of personal interaction with longtimer travelers and employees whenever possible.
The "naysayers" tend to have one thing in common: they never used to question Disney in the past...none of them doubted the product, value, and dedication in the 70's, 80's, and early 90's....they were more than appreciative and fair.

but the worm markedly turned around AK and into the past decade.
there is an almost palpable difference - you can see it, feel it (certainly your visa can), and often - taste it.

It's not a conspiracy of a few that was built out of imagination...it does exist. it is the beast lurking behind the gates when nobody is observing to see if its there...it is real.

In a way - the DVC as a whole is a license to neglect the product:
I buy a room block where the cost to me "decreases" overtime - i.e. my room at boardwalk in 20__ will have cost me far less than an equivalent room at the time.
And in return - they have me...guaranteed. i don't sit at home and debate going to disney vs Napa or Royal Caribbean (usually).
they know it, I know it...and the reality is that cuts and exhorbinant fee increase will be tolerate because of this contract.

and unfortunately..."magic" talk is the shield that covers it as it grows...it feeds it.
Nobody on this board is a bad person and all love disney. I would bet on it. But because some take the harder approach and some the softer - i don't think we need to go into a psych analysis of them. I get nasty with people...which is wrong. you seem to be giving a schoolteacher lecture...also wrong. we're gonna have to agree that neither one of us is completely right...nor completely wrong.

just an anecdote...on property sales and communication was pushing this "magical wishes" idea for what used to be know as "points" on the old travel packages about 10 years ago - pre dining plan and myw ticket system.
I can remember being required to sit through a sales presentation that was designed to "spread the word" about the new "wish" system.
And at some point, the rationale was conveyed - that the feedback told them that "magical wishes" was acceptible more readily on all levels by the traveler.

so there is a danger in "magic"....year of a million dreams...magical gatherings...what will you celebrate....

it's a smokescream that allows the corporate entity to operate with wider latitude.

so i guess my point is: beware of the magic

sometimes its the "black" variety of magic.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Geez, if Mr. Locked is the prime doomsday screamer around here, I guess it's a good thing I seldom post anymore ... I'd be, well, I don't know ... and I started out on this site as an Eisner apologist!!!

Mr. Locked, keep it up, sarcasm and all. The fools out there that continue to see Disney as "magical" deserve a dose of reality.

Hey Pirate!

Nice to see you again. Nice to have someone else to agree with.

I took over a year away caring for my Mom. No DL, no WDW, not much DIS. Just didn't have the heart for it.

Fresh back from WDW and planning our next DL.....I'm back in the DIS saddle too.


Hope to see you again speaking truth as you see it!



Looking at WDW after a year away. My first thought is ......... Now isn't the time to reduce the spending. The place seemed a little stale around the edges.

It reminded me a little of DL a few years before the 50th anniversary when the grownups did a walkabout to checked it out. They all slapped their faces like in Home Alone and said....sugar-poopy.....we can't let the press see it like this!!!!!

Lots of $$$$$ later it was much better for the 50th!

That's what happens when you let things slide. They are sliding at WDW.

As wonderful as it was to be back after over a year, it was obvious, even to our most rabid DVC friend who is now considering allowing his annual pass to expire.

 

[Leigh123]

ugh I think I actually miss Michael Eisner

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

When I first went to Disney I stayed on site, no I am off site- Why? cost and the quality.

When I first went to Disney I bought souvies at DW, now I buy stuff on ebay or on clearance at the Disney Store. Why? The cost and the quality.

Between Disney adults and souvies that are fall apart within a week of being home, a new value resort for families that is more expensive than POR, value resorts that do not have pool slides...the rose colored glasses are off.

I once was happy to be Disney cattle herded onto ME and never leaving...now I do not go every year, but every other year, now other destinations are looking attractive and now I congratulate myself that I never fell for the lure of DVC.

Don't get me wrong, I love Disney but improvements could be made.

and every business should reinvest in themselves in capital projects if they wish to stay relevant. JMHO

I agree with you, you said it perfectly. We have not stayed on site for a good 10 years. For what we pay at POR we can stay at a two bedroom condo complete with 7 pools full kitchen, 2 bathrooms and 3 tvs not to mention the washer drier.

 

[mitros]

Death Knell, hardly.

It will be tough to cutback budgets more after the last few years. Heck, look at how they are now operating the monorail with tired cars already 2 years overdue for replacement. We have been stuck on dead monorails a few times on recent trips. We take the ferry now..........fresh air if you know what I mean.

It will make the boards a little boring. No more discussions of a 5th park or when they will extend the monorail.

Just STUCK on the monorail? Wait until a car goes flying off it's beam!

 

[mitros]

ugh I think I actually miss Michael Eisner

Normally I would say bite your tongue, but Ei$ners starting to look good. He is the one that really went whole hog rebuilding the parks and the resorts

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Normally I would say bite your tongue, but Ei$ners starting to look good. He is the one that really went whole hog rebuilding the parks and the resorts

Hey Mitros!

Nice to see you again too! Fun to be back.


You know, when everyone was calling for Eisner's head I kept thinking........."the devil you know vs.the devil you DON'T know".

......,and fellow castmember Bobbie is considered one if the top CEO's in the country......by some.

Personally, my tourettes kicks in when I see him now.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Normally I would say bite your tongue, but Ei$ners starting to look good. He is the one that really went whole hog rebuilding the parks and the resorts

the problem was not that they ousted Eisner...he wouldn't work with anybody anymore and that is never the way to go...

The problem is that the great Roy didn't take it all the way...instead of continuing to "save the company" he cut a deal with Iger to shut his efforts down before it went where it needed to go. Basically...a payoff.

Iger should never have gotten the job. He's a fine hollywood exec type...but ironically...that's not what disney really needs. It needs a little bit more of an impractical dreamer...which eisner showed in his earlier years.

if you look at the history of the company...in the "growth" years...they always had the right mix of business and clowning around to make it work. Walt was nuts...his brother foiled him and made it work. eisner and wells both had a crazy kinda kid side to them - but they both also had enough business/ money sense to even each other out....different mix, same result.

But Iger has nobody to push him to be a little whacky...and thats why they are basically operating like a money machine.

Look who is always involved in any Parks announcements? Iger, Staggs, and Rasulo....

Can you come up with any three suits that seem less creative? and therefore working at the wrong address....they should all be transferred to a company that sucks by nature...

how about GAP?

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Going off topic here........

Fellow Castmember Bob announced last year that he would retire in 2014. (or was it 2013?)

Who should follow?

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Going off topic here........

Fellow Castmember Bob announced last year that he would retire in 2014. (or was it 2013?)

Who should follow?

i think its supposed to be either january of 2014 or january of 2015.

and the answer is...some suit.

They're just too big to have anyone truly creative...somebody that is vastly needed...to take over. it was a stretch to even get somebody of that type in 1984 when eisner was brought in - and that was under threat of breakup so there was more wiggle room and less stock market BS in play.

honestly...it will probably be somebody that is even less interesting than Iger.

This is all fallout from Eisner's ten year run from the mad scientist. Iger got the job because he was the only available candidate at the time...and he was only in disney because eisner had to have ABC.

If you could allow me to name anyone in a vacuum? My choice would have probably been Brian Roberts of Comcast....but they are now the rival after the NBC purchase and therefore out of play.

Disney could have cut a deal with them a few years ago and probably solved this problem...but it was not to be.

I think having Jobs and Pixar in the fold was also done partly to look towards future execs as well. But he's gone, and free spirit types like him are disappearing as well.

As long as they don't go "internal" and put Tom Staggs in....an accountant is NOT what they need.


I keep thinking back to a story that Diane Sawyer did with Eisner about the Disney rebirth back in 1989 or so....where eisner made a quote to this effect: "I have no illusions - where not stupid enough to think we can really "put or stamp" on Disney and rework it in our (he, wells, and roy o) image. But I think we can do a good job of adding to it - i'd like to add to it for the better. not change it"

pretty prophetic words in retrospect. For along time that's exactly what he managed to do.

They are going to need it again....no matter what their operating income and dividend figures are

 

[DCTooTall]

They're just too big to have anyone truly creative...somebody that is vastly needed...to take over. it was a stretch to even get somebody of that type in 1984 when eisner was brought in - and that was under threat of breakup so there was more wiggle room and less stock market BS in play.

honestly...it will probably be somebody that is even less interesting than Iger.

This is all fallout from Eisner's ten year run from the mad scientist. Iger got the job because he was the only available candidate at the time...and he was only in disney because eisner had to have ABC.

If you could allow me to name anyone in a vacuum? My choice would have probably been Brian Roberts of Comcast....but they are now the rival after the NBC purchase and therefore out of play.

Disney could have cut a deal with them a few years ago and probably solved this problem...but it was not to be.

Ya know.... if we are pulling names out of a hat, I wonder if Stephen Burke or someone like him might be a good fit.

True.... He's also over at Comcast, but he's the guy, who used to work with Disney, That Robert's put in charge of the NBCUniversal unit. From his time at Disney, he's fully aware of the potential and importance of the Theme Park business and i believe has been one of the driving forces that's been behind Universal's recent activity with building and reinvesting in the parks.

(You can bet he is also a strong believer in the park's value considering Comcast had to spend reportedly around an extra $1B right after the initial NBC Transaction with GE in order to buyout Blackstone after they threatened to pull out and force a complete sale of the Orlando properties.)

 

[mitros]

Hey Mitros!

Nice to see you again too! Fun to be back.


You know, when everyone was calling for Eisner's head I kept thinking........."the devil you know vs.the devil you DON'T know".

......,and fellow castmember Bobbie is considered one if the top CEO's in the country......by some.

Personally, my tourettes kicks in when I see him now.

Yea, I hear ya'