Originally Posted By ChiMike As far as the value hotels are concerned.... I agree with Roadtrip, in that they contribute more to the decreasing 'vibe' at the resort. However, they were intentionally built at a far lower investment to the company. This, in conjunction with their scale, allows for the lower rack rate rather than their operational cost.
Originally Posted By leobloom ChiMike, didn't say it, so I will. 101 Swampland FOR SALE signs...contact Dalmatian Realty if interested.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Weiss got the boot for no other reason that he was given a cushy position to move up to under Jay, he got in the way more than helped in that new position, cost the company a lot of money in his own contract for little tangible results, and was no longer wanted with Jay gone. He would have been a pimple on a whale when it came to selling that division. I wouldn't draw any correlation with a theory of selling>> This is the truth, although I would state IF Disney were going to sell P&R, I do know enough about Al to believe he'd be an obstacle (well, more of a nuisance) as a 39-year vet. There's a current spin movement (well, there's so much spinning going on at Disney they should open MAGICal laundromats) at Disney to put Al's dismissal into the 'well, we shouldn't talk about this but ... do you know how ugly Al's divorce has gotten? And that there are some major issues between his soon-to-be ex wife and and the charitable organization they've run together? And ... ... so, REALLY we didn't fire Al because we are about to have another large bloodletting (just like ABC and Studios). No, we let him resign to deal with all the personal stuff on his plate. Now, don't say we told you this, but can you try and get this out to the fan sites and local media, so no one starts connecting the dots? Really! And I know this probably belongs on the 'Al thread' but everything is getting cross-polinated anyway ... true Social Media, methinks!
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>>Precisely - just be a licensor of product. TWDC banks royalties from OLC irrespective of its profitability.<<<< And what is so bad about this? Your reaction to it seems like it would be the end of Disney, when, by all accounts the parks over there are operating and held at the standards we so desire? If Disney is at arm's length, while still imposing their name and brand, while allowing WDI to design attractions that are fitting and themed to the hilt, I don't see a downside.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Of course, that's a delicate situation, and hoping for Disney to get sold in Florida to then come to the same set of operations is a fools gamble, but it's a possibility that something akin to that COULD happen.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Agreed. But there is the concept of setting priorities. Macro factors that you pointed out a few messages ago, imo, don't impact the training of CMs or maintenance schedules as much as organizational priorities.<<<< So... sell the parks to a micro manager. We've described Iger as a manager, before... Is this not up to his level of managing? Can Staggs MicroManage? Did Weiss? Rasulo? Just thinking of ways to, you know, NOT sell off a legacy and history?
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Iger, Staggs or Rasulo has ever gone on the record (or through a company spokesperson) to flat out deny that they would ever consider selling the parks and resorts division or spinning them off.<<< Did Weiss? Hah!
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Do you think leaving the possibility on the table is perhaps good for stock prices even if they have no intention of actually doing it?<<< What, like proclaiming a Disney Decade and only building half the stuff promised for some fanboi goodwill and the ble$$ing of Wall Street? Sounds familiar?
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>so, REALLY we didn't fire Al because we are about to have another large bloodletting (just like ABC and Studios<<<< Need to know more about this, methinks... Who's getting the boot? Parks people, such as our pals at TDO? Or something less serious? If it's TDO/Parks... that's telling, in the face of getting sold. As we all know, our fearless leaders aren't exactly the best salesmen or showmen.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I don't think the parks would be nearly as profitable for anyone else as they are for Disney. Walt was able to buy all that swampland dirt cheap. Anyone buying the parks today would have to pay the current market value for all that land. That would make it prohibitively expensive for anyone else to own and operate WDW.
Originally Posted By Manfried Maybe the company should take itself private. Turn it into a limited partnership with shares not allowed to be sold on the open market. Limit the executive pay, and mandate a larger percentage dividend. Just a thought.
Originally Posted By lazyboy97o I think the biggest problem with trying to sell off Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the industry has widely bought into the idea that intellectual property is the key to success and The Walt Disney Company overvalues its franchises and brands. I think Disney asking too much for the rights to its brands is what would really through a wrench into the whole operation. Frankly I think Disney executives do need to take a good look at Six Flags history. Six Flags, Inc. does not fully own the original three parks built by Angus Wynn but they have seriously eroded the goodwill that the Six Flags name did once have. It is a model for how selling off the parks could go completely awry as the new owners seek to expand and Disney looks for more licensing revenue.
Originally Posted By Archimedes Report I don't see how taking the company private would change anything. Spirit, I am confused a bit by your comparison to the Disney Store deal. Are you insinuating that the licensing agreement arranged with The Children's Place was purposefully egregious with the intent to buy back the Stores at a reduced price later? Are you also saying that that would be the intent with regards to the parks? As has been stated previously, and I'm sure much more eloquently by others in this thread, the real sticking point is that there aren't any qualified buyers out there. The buy-in cost alone would be prohibitively expensive for most. For Disney, the upside is huge and I can definitely see them exploring their options. But who would possibly bite at terms Disney would find acceptable? The long-term vision for P&R is definitely a problem. It will be interesting to see what happens post-Aluani. But they've been talking about/experimenting with local, smaller Disney Parks projects for twenty years with zero success stories.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>see: <a href="http://www.loews.com/loews.nsf/home.htm<<<" target="_blank">http://www.loews.com/loews.nsf...<<</a> Agreed, Disney do not have the best run theme resorts, nor do Vegas, or Universal. The award I think should go to Europa Park (Hotel Colloseo and Santa Isabel) and Phantasialand (the Ling Bao). My European Trip report has pics and covers why. Marriott, Hilton, Holiday Inn would all be preferrable. Disney is a very poor hotelier, and one of the main reasons why I think WDW sucks
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>Please - any hotelier would die for the occupancy rates and RevPAR of the WDW and DLR hotels. WDP&R knows how to run hotels and resorts - those are the true cashcows of the business unit.<<< Yes, they would, but it is the proximity to the parks driving that. as for the service, it is econo lodge at Conrad prices.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<Agreed, Disney do not have the best run theme resorts, nor do Vegas, or Universal. The award I think should go to Europa Park (Hotel Colloseo and Santa Isabel) and Phantasialand (the Ling Bao). My European Trip report has pics and covers why.>> Dave... I'd previously read your excellent trip reports and just reviewed the photos of the Colosseo to make sure they were fresh in my mind before I commented. It was certainly wonderfully themed... frankly almost a little over-themed for my taste. At times it almost reminded me of the All-Star's "hit you in the face with the theming so you are sure to get the point" approach, although obviously it was more tastefully done. But quibbling over that is really just a matter of personal taste. If the meals in the Colosseo's restaurants tasted anywhere near as good as they looked, they probably blew just about every Disney hotel restaurant out of the water. What really amazed me though was the price. When I saw on TripAdvisor.com that you could get rooms there for $240 a night I was absolutely amazed. So I can certainly see what is behind your glowing report. On the other hand, much of the pricing difference just shows the difference between the two markets. I checked the rates for the Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal and found that rooms there started at $344 per night... pretty similar to Disney. And although the Portofino received very good reviews, they were not as good as the Colosseo. So obviously there is a major pricing difference between the two markets. Long story short... I can certainly understand why you are such a fan of the Europa Park hotels. On the other hand, I think you are a bit too harsh with Disney (as usual ;-) ) and are not taking differing local market conditions into account.
Originally Posted By TP2000 Disney can't even get a cheesy theme restaurant to sign on at the lease rates they are demanding in Disney's stalled/failed Hyperion Wharf development out in WDW. How on earth could any outside company meet the financial expectations required of Disney to buy out the entire Parks & Resorts division? Unless it's the top agenda item at the next Communist Party meeting in Beijing, I just can't think of who or what would, or could, buy the Disney Parks.
Originally Posted By Bolna <<Long story short... I can certainly understand why you are such a fan of the Europa Park hotels. On the other hand, I think you are a bit too harsh with Disney (as usual ;-) ) and are not taking differing local market conditions into account.>> Even though this really does not have very much to do with selling Disney Parks, I just need to address this: RoadTrip, you are right about differing local market conditions - and I can tell you that if you look at the costs of doing business, Germany is much more expensive than the US. It is an issue which is heavily debated here that we supposedly are too expensive. Labor costs are much higher in Germany. In an interview in 2009 it was stated that the lowest wage paid by Europapark (for students who work there seasonaly) was 8 € per hour (that's 11.35 $). And with regard to energy: gas is at the moment at 8$ per gallon here. So, taking all of this into account, Europapark should be more expensive than WDW. But a one day ticket is 51$. And Europapark isn't losing money on this, but is considered to be a very healthy and growing company.
