Walt Disney World General
Topic: Just thinking out loud ...

#	Author	Message
1	Spirit of 74 Thu 10/8/2009 3:39p	A bit of this, a chunk of that ... So ... Blackstone buys a chain of 10 theme parks that are lauded for being well run for $2.7 billion, while Disney pays $4 billion for Marvel Entertainment. Blackstone (50% owner of Uni Orlando) isn't likely to hold on to the parks, that's not the nature of a private equity firm. They want to build value and sell, but that's neither here nor there. While the coupling of BEC and UNI might actually present Disney with REAL competition, that seems unlikely. The question is who got the best deal? Ten parks that are well run and getting better vs. a studio/comics factory in which many (some would say almost all) the top franchises are farmed out to other studios for years to come. Now, while I think long term that Marvel will be a quality acquisition for Disney and The Weatherman, near term what will it mean? And did InBev just dump BEC for fire-sale prices? Moving on, WDW and DL both are in the midst of rapid and many increases in park hours. What do you think it means? DL has Halloweentime, including a new and really cool pyro show. WDW has ... um ... ah ... well, they had cut hours plenty in advance, and have plenty of discounts to get folks there. Still, MK is scheduled for an unprecedented for Oct. 1 a.m. close this Saturday ... is that the result of years of cutting capacity and having Space Mtn down? Is it showing a fear at TDO that they've pushed the locals too far by scheduling so many hard-ticket parties? FWIW, Studios and DAK have had hours 'added' to their schedules of late (although to me there isn't a whole lot of difference between a 5 p.m. close and a 6 p.m. close). Finally, everyone notice how we have Dick Cook axed from the Studios and Ed Grier deciding he just wants to spend more time with his family and more and major discounting for WDW, ahead of the November release of 2009 annual results and Bob 'The Weatherman' Iger having to 'splain them to the Street? Anyone think there might be a connection? Covered a lot here, but everything is connected in our small world, after all!
2	MPierce Thu 10/8/2009 4:16p	I really can't comment on the Marvel deal. I never did understand the reasoning behind it. Especially if what you heard is true about the characters not being in the Disney Parks. Four Billion seems like an extreme amount for a brand that doesn't tie into Disney very well. I would like to know what kind of royalty money Disney is going to be getting from the characters. If the are increasing hours then the projected attendance must have gone up. Remember they've been doing this of late. Cut the hours or keep them the same only to raise them later on. I guess people are always happy to get more hours, I know I would be. Still it makes me wonder if this is going to be a wait, and see game before you really know the hours of a park while planning a vacation. Dick Cook, I can't figure out at all. There must have been something between him, and Iger. Did you ever hear if Johnny Depp got over it. Last I heard he might not be doing Pirates 4 because of the firing. Ed grier seems to have fallen into the category of head up DL, and your gone in 3 years. I wonder why that can't be the case for the MK? Disney sure does seem to have a bunch of executives who certainly love their families.
3	hopemax Thu 10/8/2009 4:30p	> Dick Cook, I can't figure out at all. There must have been something between him, and Iger. < The Carolwood Pacific had their yearly "unmeeting" in FL, last weekend. My Dad went and said there was discussion about Dick Cook by people who might know something. A part of it seems to be a battle between certain factions .There were certain things some wanted done that Dick resisted. The example was some want DVD releases to happen as soon as the movie leaves theaters. Another thing that was mentioned was that people were annoyed that Cook wouldn't turn over his list of guests for the D23 event so that they could market the heck out of it. Cook's position was he wasn't sure who would actually be able to attend. Schedules change frequently, so why risk disappointing guests by hyping up a certain person and then have that person back out in the end; better to surprise them. That's all I have, except for some "dirt" that the Company was giving Cook a hard time about the trains he had displayed in his office. They were Cook's personal property, but documentation of that was apparently required. So not the most cordial of breakups, I'm guessing.
4	Spirit of 74 Thu 10/8/2009 4:41p	<<I really can't comment on the Marvel deal. I never did understand the reasoning behind it. Especially if what you heard is true about the characters not being in the Disney Parks. Four Billion seems like an extreme amount for a brand that doesn't tie into Disney very well. I would like to know what kind of royalty money Disney is going to be getting from the characters.>> There are so many ancillary deals with other companies, it makes me wonder how on top of it all Disney itself is. Or if this was just a deal designed to make The Weatherman (a more accurate nickname than the Sheriff!) seem like he has some long term vision for TWDC. Don't get me wrong, I still think it will be a good deal. I just wonder how many six and seven figure execs, lawyers and MBAs are going over everything now themselves trying to figure out what can be used now and how. This sure won't be a seamless transition like bringing Pixar into the fold was. There are so many hanging details ... <<If the are increasing hours then the projected attendance must have gone up. Remember they've been doing this of late. Cut the hours or keep them the same only to raise them later on. I guess people are always happy to get more hours, I know I would be. Still it makes me wonder if this is going to be a wait, and see game before you really know the hours of a park while planning a vacation.>> Well, DL apparently has been very busy. Locals love the Halloween festivities. And DL, unlike WDW, didn't cut back hours. There's talk of DL going to four days a week of midnight closings the rest of the month. The new Halloween Screams pyro and Ghost Galaxy overlay on Space Mountain have been very popular. I think WDW has gotten to the point of not having any way of accurately predicting crowds. Part of this is certainly the economy ... but part of it is the desire to cut labor costs at ... well, all costs. October has become a pretty busy month, and I think the original operating hours didn't reflect that. <<Dick Cook, I can't figure out at all. There must have been something between him, and Iger. Did you ever hear if Johnny Depp got over it. Last I heard he might not be doing Pirates 4 because of the firing.>> I think Cook was ultimately a fall guy for doing what Iger wanted. Much like Pressler took the heat for making Eisner's bottom line in P&R look better instead of standing up to the boss. The Studios certainly had/have their issues, but Iger was all for cutting back adult fare and cutting the production slate back drastically. He was all for pushing the family 'Disney brand' above everything else. So, it doesn't work (very predictably, I might add) and suddenly it's all on Cook? I don't think so. I also think he could have been kept on with a reorganized structure and even with Ross coming up. As to Depp, I think he was lied to and used. But after D23 there's no way he won't be onboard for Pirates 4. But getting him to sign on for additional films, might be tougher. <<Ed grier seems to have fallen into the category of head up DL, and your gone in 3 years. I wonder why that can't be the case for the MK? Disney sure does seem to have a bunch of executives who certainly love their families.>> If Ed is ready to 'retire' at 54, what does that make Al, Meg, Erin, Phil etc? They are all in the same age category. It is also telling that Disney hasn't named a replacement yet. A friend wondered if Disney has decided it doesn't need Resort figureheads and if Meg might soon be shown the door. My take is that Jay just wants a younger (cheaper) puppet in place in Anaheim.
5	Spyderman Thu 10/8/2009 4:43p	If we can just get 1 hulk meet and greet in Epcot out of this deal it will be all worth it old friend
6	Witches of Morva Thu 10/8/2009 4:43p	ORGOCH: I just wants ta know when they's gonna' give Rasulo the big, bad boot!! Iger ain't got no sense if'n he's kept him 'round this long!!
7	Spirit of 74 Thu 10/8/2009 4:46p	<<A part of it seems to be a battle between certain factions .There were certain things some wanted done that Dick resisted. The example was some want DVD releases to happen as soon as the movie leaves theaters. Another thing that was mentioned was that people were annoyed that Cook wouldn't turn over his list of guests for the D23 event so that they could market the heck out of it. Cook's position was he wasn't sure who would actually be able to attend. Schedules change frequently, so why risk disappointing guests by hyping up a certain person and then have that person back out in the end; better to surprise them.>> Those have been tossed out by many in Iger's PR circles. I take them to be legit, but also very small in the scheme of things. They suggest Cook wasn't a team player. Well, you don't last 38 years at TWDC if you can't play well with others. <<That's all I have, except for some "dirt" that the Company was giving Cook a hard time about the trains he had displayed in his office. They were Cook's personal property, but documentation of that was apparently required. So not the most cordial of breakups, I'm guessing.>> No. It wasn't. That much I know for a fact. And, again, it's a shame. Because Cook bled Disney. Rich Ross, no matter the PR you'll hear and read, is a typical Hollywood exec. Read into that whatever you choose!
8	Jim in Merced CA Thu 10/8/2009 5:41p	<So ... Blackstone buys a chain of 10 theme parks that are lauded for being well run for $2.7 billion, while Disney pays $4 billion for Marvel Entertainment.> I'm no expert, but man, it sure leans toward the Blackstone deal, doesn't it?
9	Spyderman Thu 10/8/2009 7:28p	Rich Ross is the new Michael Ovitz it's time for iger to go
10	Jim in Merced CA Thu 10/8/2009 8:55p	<Rich Ross is the new Michael Ovitz> Is that a compliment? Because Michael Ovitz was an absolute nightmare when he was at Disney.

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