WDW Changes

[drkforce]

We just got back from 9 days in WDW and I was pleasantly surprised at the changes in the Magic Kingdom. It seems that maybe Iger has said "hey let's open up the old warehouse and pull out some of this stuff and use it"

Some of the changes I noticed since our last visit:

Garbage cans freshly painted and not overflowing with garbage

Random Main Street song and dance numbers

Characters everywhere, our kids actually reached a point of not wanting to stop anymore because there were so many. Also when we did stop they did an amazing job of not being there for just 15 minutes but would swap out the same character every 20 minutes or so. This way there was always someone fresh.

Cast members stopping to give kids stickers, pins or just a brief conversation. This seemed to be above and beyond the YOMD promo.

Downside of MK is the TERRIBLE Stich ride. However, it seems that they are recognizing this because I saw several cast members surveying guests after leaving the attraction. I saw this over each of the 3 days we were at the MK and did not notice this at any other attraction.

Overall A- for MK and it seems that maybe just maybe Iger is pointing this ship in the right direction

 

[mitros]

We just got back from 9 days in WDW and I was pleasantly surprised at the changes in the Magic Kingdom. It seems that maybe Iger has said "hey let's open up the old warehouse and pull out some of this stuff and use it"

Some of the changes I noticed since our last visit:

Garbage cans freshly painted and not overflowing with garbage

Random Main Street song and dance numbers

Characters everywhere, our kids actually reached a point of not wanting to stop anymore because there were so many. Also when we did stop they did an amazing job of not being there for just 15 minutes but would swap out the same character every 20 minutes or so. This way there was always someone fresh.

Cast members stopping to give kids stickers, pins or just a brief conversation. This seemed to be above and beyond the YOMD promo.

Downside of MK is the TERRIBLE Stich ride. However, it seems that they are recognizing this because I saw several cast members surveying guests after leaving the attraction. I saw this over each of the 3 days we were at the MK and did not notice this at any other attraction.

Overall A- for MK and it seems that maybe just maybe Iger is pointing this ship in the right direction

I'm still waiting for some concrete stuff from Iger. So far he is just getting a huge salary.. IMHO

 

[ks11786]

to say iger is getting a huge salary and not doing much for it is pretty ridiculous. Given how bad things were before Eisner left (I am a fan of Eisner), but iger has been able to finally get Pixar. He has ended a large amount of discontent, and put the spot light back where it was supposed to be on Disney, not on the CEO. Just because you don't hear a lot of what he does doesn't mean he isn't making changes and doing things.

 

[mitros]

to say iger is getting a huge salary and not doing much for it is pretty ridiculous. Given how bad things were before Eisner left (I am a fan of Eisner), but iger has been able to finally get Pixar. He has ended a large amount of discontent, and put the spot light back where it was supposed to be on Disney, not on the CEO. Just because you don't hear a lot of what he does doesn't mean he isn't making changes and doing things.

Oh, really?............

 

[EUROPACL]

to say iger is getting a huge salary and not doing much for it is pretty ridiculous. Given how bad things were before Eisner left (I am a fan of Eisner), but iger has been able to finally get Pixar. He has ended a large amount of discontent, and put the spot light back where it was supposed to be on Disney, not on the CEO. Just because you don't hear a lot of what he does doesn't mean he isn't making changes and doing things.

Buying back people you fired for 7 billion is not a good thing. Ended Discontent...you mean like how Disney has to still bad mouth Pixar movies before they come out. Spotlight...yes the spotlight of Underdog, Caveman the next Disney Tech Flop and losing money off a film that made over a billion is not a good thing either. We don't care to hear about change we want to see it and so far I haven't seen jack ****.

 

[mitros]

Buying back people you fired for 7 billion is not a good thing. Ended Discontent...you mean like how Disney has to still bad mouth Pixar movies before they come out. Spotlight...yes the spotlight of Underdog, Caveman the next Disney Tech Flop and losing money off a film that made over a billion is not a good thing either. We don't care to hear about change we want to see it and so far I haven't seen jack ****.

..............thank you

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) I am NOT a fan of Eisner.
2) I have been very vocal about his shortcomings.
3) I was glad when he finally left.

4) But.
5) I am now in the state of offering my own mia culpa's.
6) After already seeing Roger Ogre's activities, I want Michael back!
7) Sure, Eisner was mad with power and domineering.
8) But, he had good feelings for guest pleasure.
9) He would not do what Ogre is doing.
. . . cutting back on rides and ride capacities
. . . communizing merchandise in stores and gift shops
. . . standardizing menus at many restaurants
. . . putting profits WAY before people
. . . creating even more CM discontent that Eisner

NOTE: Does anyone remember Walt's quote: "Disneyland is a work of love. We didn't go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money." Sure, make money, but darn-it, put the guest (aka, customer) first.

 

[EUROPACL]

8) But, he had good feelings for guest pleasure.
9) He would not do what Ogre is doing.
. . . cutting back on rides and ride capacities
. . . communizing merchandise in stores and gift shops
. . . standardizing menus at many restaurants
. . . putting profits WAY before people
. . . creating even more CM discontent that Eisner

You must be talking about a different Eisner cause the one that ran Disney for years did all of those things and worse.

 

[YoHo]

No, Eisner was big on the resturants being good.

 

[EUROPACL]

No, Eisner was big on the resturants being good.

Well at least the ones he went to. I don't think anybody would call the offerrings at MGM good

 

[YoHo]

They used to be OK.

And to be fair, he is the one that took away the chicken fingers....

I'm just saying that of the things Eisner was terrible about, Food probably isn't the worst offense.

 

[EUROPACL]

They used to be OK.

And to be fair, he is the one that took away the chicken fingers....

I'm just saying that of the things Eisner was terrible about, Food probably isn't the worst offense.

Agreed...the list of Eisner offenes is long and much worse than what Iger has done....then again so is the good list of Eisner things. Iger hasn't had the time or power base to do Eisner level deeds..7 billion on Pixar is a pretty good start.

 

[MasterShake2]

I don't agree with most of you. It sees like a lot of money is going back into the parks. DCA is getting $1,000,000,000 worth of work done to it and I know a lot of people wanted something major to improve that park. Also, it seems like a lot more money is being used to repair/update/improve WDW's older attractions. HM just had a pretty big refurb after a lot of poeple on here said it would be nothing more then mechanical fixes. SSE is in the process of hopefully being improved. Also, I've heard a lot of buzz about major upcoming refurb's for SM and JC. I would like to see WDW get a couple more E attractions, but still seems liek they are going in the right direction.

 

[Another Voice]

It's less money than Disney spent to make all three Pirates movies (and that doesn't even include marketing spending or Bruckheimer's and Depp's cut of the revenue!).

What does that tell you about how much Disney "values" the park.

Second - and this is a serious question because I haven't had time to read all the releases yet - has the "one billion dollar" figure actually been announced by Disney, or is this some number that all the newspapers are batting about because of Al Lutz. For the life of me, I sure can't come up with $1,000,000,000 worth of the stuff in the announcement.

Third - compare the rate of current investment with the spending that happened in the first five years of Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT Center. Look at how much Disneyland had changed from 1955 to 1965 (in addition to the already underconstruction New Orleans Square and Haunted Mansion) verses what will happen at DCA in its first years. The Matterhorn was a lot more than just Victorian gingerbread on the carny games.

 

[hmerritt]

I'll agree with the OP- we visited in July and were shocked at the difference between our previous trips and that one. It's was a complete 360. If I think back to our very first trip to now, things had started to slide to where it was extremely unmagical. This trip things returned to how I first remember them plus more! I have never seen more accomodating staff, practically bending over backwards to make our trip enjoyable. It was amazing. A+ to Disney!!

Heather

 

[EUROPACL]

I'll agree with the OP- we visited in July and were shocked at the difference between our previous trips and that one. It's was a complete 360.

Sometimes these jokes just write themselves.

 

[G8RFAN]

It's less money than Disney spent to make all three Pirates movies (and that doesn't even include marketing spending or Bruckheimer's and Depp's cut of the revenue!).

What does that tell you about how much Disney "values" the park.....

I look at it as apples and oranges. As an example, when a developer decides to build a $100 million dollar condo project, they use banks and investors (OPM) for up to 90% of the project. In a perfect world, the project sells out and the bank earns their Prime + 1% interest on the construction loan (75% of the costs), the investors earn their share of the principal plus profits, and the developer makes up to 500% of their initial investment.

A developer building a $100 million dollar apartment building has to do a different approach. The construction loan of up to 75% of the cost rolls into a permanent mortgage when the construction is completed. The apartments fill up and monthly rent is collected to pay for the mortgage, operating costs and the annual profit left over is income for the long haul. Investors are also in this in the long haul. There is no "take out" or instant windfall.

I look at the movie business side as the same as the condo builder. Huge up front production and then marketing costs. Some of the production costs are borrowed from a bank, investors are brought in, and everyone hopes for global box office success. While there is residual income from licensing, royalties, DVD sales, etc., it still to me is a short term investment. If it fails, it's chalked up as a loss and the film sits in storage.

Investment into the parks is long term. Most of these assets have useful lives measured in years. The return rate varies, but the approach is that the return of investment is also measured in years. You may say that $1B is less than what was spent on the 3 pirates movies, but when you change or add to real property such as the parks, there is the possible disruption of regular business due to construction, removal of existing assets, noise and scheduling issues. The vast "improvements" that DCA may undergo will definitely impact the usuability of the park. That disruption will probably lead to greater impact costs that may impact DTD and DL. Also, any addition or investment normally translates to operating costs for both staffing and operations. A failed project (like DCA) can't just be shelved. Eventually, the asset will need to be removed (more costs) and replaced even more costs in order for the park as a whole to remain viable.

 

[GoofyasGoofy]

to say iger is getting a huge salary and not doing much for it is pretty ridiculous. Given how bad things were before Eisner left (I am a fan of Eisner), but iger has been able to finally get Pixar. He has ended a large amount of discontent, and put the spot light back where it was supposed to be on Disney, not on the CEO. Just because you don't hear a lot of what he does doesn't mean he isn't making changes and doing things.

Back when Eisner was CEO...a man on the Disney board...that was eventually forced off the board, by Eisner.. and reinstated after he left...wanted to buy Pixar when it was doing some of its original animation. He saw it as the animation of the future and they could get it for 9 million. Disney was eventually able to get it for 9 billion...but that man's name was Roy Disney!!!
Iger is doing great in my op. New hotels...new plans for CA!

 

[lovemickeyshouse]

I was told mgm is addin 3 new attractions in mid-late 2008 by a cm who seemed to know what was goin on so we will see

 

[MJMcBride]

I was told mgm is addin 3 new attractions in mid-late 2008 by a cm who seemed to know what was goin on so we will see

well there is Toy Story Mania and a new Narnia "exhibit". Not sure what #3 is off the top of my head