April 8, 2024
Halloween Horror Nights Dates & Iger's Pushback
Universal Orlando made history by announcing that Halloween Horror Nights will begin on August 30th, while select Unmaking the Horror tours will start on August 11th - this is one step closer to the three-month Halloween window Theme parks have been...
Universal Orlando made history by announcing that Halloween Horror Nights will begin on August 30th, while select Unmaking the Horror tours will start on August 11th - this is one step closer to the three-month Halloween window Theme parks have been vying for decades. Meanwhile, Bob Iger pushed back against shareholders questioning whether Disney is prepared for Epic Universe.
WEBVTT
1
00:00:01.399 --> 00:00:04.839
Los Angeles and Tampa. This is
Green Tag Theme Park in thirty. I'm
2
00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:09.359
Philip and I'm joined as always by
my glorious co host Scott Twinson. Oh,
3
00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:15.919
Scott Swinson, Creative Development, Scott, Philip and his glorious coast.
4
00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:19.000
I like that that's the new name
of the show, Folk Philip and his
5
00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:24.679
glorious cost Scott. It is April, which of course means that Hallowey announcements
6
00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:29.920
are beginning to roll in and we're
just going to continue to see them come
7
00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:33.039
out. I mean we I think
a few people got it a head start
8
00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:39.399
with the twelve foot tall skeleton dog
now that's coming out. But there are
9
00:00:39.560 --> 00:00:42.439
Let's be honest, Philip, there
are people, and quite honestly, people
10
00:00:42.520 --> 00:00:47.719
like you who who There's always it
can be. It can be November first,
11
00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:52.000
and there's a Halloween announcement coming out
for the following year. I mean,
12
00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:53.960
let's face it, you look deep
enough, you can find it.
13
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:56.600
But this one's a pretty big.
Yes, everyone's been talking about this one.
14
00:00:56.640 --> 00:01:00.840
So of course, Halloween Horn Night's
in Orlando has annown their dates and
15
00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:07.120
they are returning for select nights from
August thirtieth through November third and of course,
16
00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:11.040
the schedule as it is now is
mostly every Wednesday through Sunday, so
17
00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:15.959
only being dark Monday and Tuesday.
Even in that first week, so the
18
00:01:15.959 --> 00:01:19.120
first weekend of September, it's still
going to be happening on Wednesdays there.
19
00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:25.560
And the other big change we saw
this year is that they're going to be
20
00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:33.439
doing the Unmasking the Horror Tour available
starting August eleventh, So the Unmasking the
21
00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:37.840
Horror Tour, which will be available
in I believe three houses for the first
22
00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:41.159
portion, so from August eleventh through
the thirtieth, you're going to be able
23
00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:45.519
to tour the hind houses that are
not yet open. I have a questioned,
24
00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:49.040
Scott, do you do you think
the tech team was happy about that
25
00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:51.640
when they read that, because I'm
sure they weren't told ahead of time.
26
00:01:51.719 --> 00:01:53.920
I'm sure. I'm almost certain they
weren't told ahead of time. Yes,
27
00:01:53.959 --> 00:02:01.760
I think you're absolutely right. Well, so it's it's kind of a blessing
28
00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:06.120
and a curse at the same time. It's a blessing in the fact that
29
00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:09.520
when you spread out the install of
an attraction like this, or of a
30
00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:15.319
seasonal attraction like this, it does
actually make it a little bit easier because
31
00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:17.639
you don't have ready basically well,
and it forced you to be ready with
32
00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:22.919
three houses first and then the remaining
houses come later, so you can you
33
00:02:22.919 --> 00:02:29.759
can spread out your install process.
It also, quite honestly means that people
34
00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:35.120
who used to be only seasonal are
now full time because you know, the
35
00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:40.120
Halloween, the Halloween season just keeps
growing and growing and growing. And I
36
00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:44.639
can remember when it was a hard
push, hard push to say, well,
37
00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:46.120
we're going to start in September.
No one wants to see Halloween in
38
00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:52.159
September. And now we're starting,
you know, a full month, full
39
00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:55.879
two months before the end of September. So yeah, it's we're getting closer
40
00:02:55.919 --> 00:02:59.360
and closer to year round Halloween.
And I and I and I think that's
41
00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:04.360
fine. I think that it's going
to eventually saturate the market and the pendulum
42
00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:08.360
will swing back. But I think
there is more and more viability and you
43
00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.960
know, Horronites. If anyone can
do it, Hornites can do it.
44
00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:19.680
So it's one of those situations where
they're there as go Hornites, so goes
45
00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:23.120
the rest of the theme park con
industry, or at least they certainly lead
46
00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:27.919
the way because again they've got the
cloud to do it. Are they always
47
00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:32.520
the best theme park count Not necessarily, but they have the longevity, they
48
00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:38.479
have the power, they have the
fan base who you know, who will
49
00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:43.719
go whether it's good or not.
And so yeah, if we were just
50
00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:46.599
just before you know, we started
recording, we were talking about if it
51
00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:50.360
makes money. You know, if
it makes money, there's a good reason
52
00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:54.840
to do it. So so let's
just hope that it continues to generate revenue.
53
00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:58.840
And clearly it is or they wouldn't
be doing it. Yeah, they've
54
00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:00.560
got the clout and it's a it's
just going to make it so that the
55
00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:06.039
uh that it's going to it's going
to continue to lead the way for the
56
00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:11.000
rest of the hunted attraction market or
this even the seasonal entertainment market. But
57
00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:14.400
what I do find interesting is Halloween
can continue to grow, but Christmas can't.
58
00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:18.040
And the reason Christmas can't is because
Halloween. They can't go. They
59
00:04:18.040 --> 00:04:24.079
can't start Christmas before Halloween. Yep, you know it's so that it's we're
60
00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:27.519
going to continue and I think that's
why we're seeing Halloween continue to get earlier
61
00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:30.639
and earlier each year, is not
only is there a market for it,
62
00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:34.839
but also the fact that it can
you know, there's nothing, there's nothing
63
00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:38.879
over the summer that's going to say
if it backs up to July fourth.
64
00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:42.240
Okay, maybe that's gone a little
bit too far, but I could see
65
00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:46.639
it happening, and I could see
the fourth being the kickoff. So I,
66
00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:50.079
as I've said before, I do
think that I ideally what everyone would
67
00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:53.920
want, as in like all of
the businesses, what those peop would want
68
00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:59.759
is like a nice three month for
each season, So you would have three
69
00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:03.160
months for Halloween and three months ideally
for Christmas, you know, just because
70
00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:06.399
you can do us. I mean, look at the food festivals that we
71
00:05:06.519 --> 00:05:10.879
look at the Epcot food and why. I mean, you know, you
72
00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:14.040
really want to stretch it as long
as you can to get people time to
73
00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:17.639
get there. I mean not the
smaller places right like to your point,
74
00:05:18.199 --> 00:05:24.120
places that have the scale want it
to be longer because they're gathering an audience
75
00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:27.800
from wider and those people have you
know, they want to give them more
76
00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:31.240
time to get there. So I
do think that again, I don't know,
77
00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:34.879
give it like props to Universal.
I mean Universal. Every year we
78
00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:40.560
talk about what they are trying and
what they are doing. Really paves the
79
00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:45.360
way for the rest of the industry. And you know, I'm not sure
80
00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:47.879
to my knowledge, this has been
done before on this scale of a park
81
00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:55.600
where you are doing BTS tours two
three weeks before the thing itself opens.
82
00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:59.360
I mean in a haunt like this, like that is like you know,
83
00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:01.079
there's off seat and tours of course, and there's screen break and there's those
84
00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:03.639
things. But this is a pretty
big thing. And to me, what
85
00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:09.319
it is is they're looking to see, can we start can we make all
86
00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:13.360
of August Halloween? And that would
give us the three months that we ideally
87
00:06:13.399 --> 00:06:16.360
want in order to justify you know, the longer budgets and the year round
88
00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:20.920
team like you just like all these
things like and that would if it works,
89
00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:26.120
that that would be incredible, I
think for the industry to have that
90
00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:29.600
work out. And it's also marketing, right, it's the same thing we
91
00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:32.199
I'm sure they're going to do.
Remember last year we talked about the Taste
92
00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:36.959
of Terror that they started on August
eleventh last year, so same date.
93
00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:44.959
And I think it is marketing also
because you have people taking pictures and showing
94
00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:49.319
off how great the house is and
how cool it looks and everything you know.
95
00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:54.720
It's also it's also a playing with
the books a little bit too.
96
00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:58.399
When you've got a huge capital investment, you want to amortize it over the
97
00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:00.720
longest period you possibly can, and
you want to be generated. You want
98
00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:05.519
your capital dollars to be generating revenue
as long as you possibly can, so
99
00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:13.879
in order to justify higher budgets,
which we need to meet guest expectations for
100
00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:16.519
these larger events. In order to
meet the higher budgets, you have to
101
00:07:16.519 --> 00:07:20.079
sit down on paper and say,
all right, well instead of instead of
102
00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:25.560
just making money on it for the
month of October and a week in September
103
00:07:25.720 --> 00:07:29.839
or two weeks in September or September
in October, now it's gotten to the
104
00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:31.519
point where we have to say,
okay, well we're going to start it's
105
00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:35.040
going to start paying us back in
August, you know, kind of going
106
00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:39.040
back to what you were saying with
the needing the three months. You know,
107
00:07:39.079 --> 00:07:42.839
I think back to my days in
retail, and I was always shocked
108
00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:46.680
that we would start to receive because
I used to work in the receiving department
109
00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:50.199
at a major department store in Chicago, and we would start to receive Christmas
110
00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:56.279
in August, we would start to
receive Christmas ornaments, Christmas promotional stuff.
111
00:07:57.199 --> 00:07:59.600
All of that came in in August, and I was like, wow,
112
00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:03.199
this is why too early. But
you know it's no different. It's no
113
00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:05.079
different than what we're talking about here. You just need to be able to
114
00:08:05.240 --> 00:08:11.800
justify that that spend with the understanding
that you can get it all set up
115
00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:16.199
and ready to go and start promoting
it as early as possible. And on
116
00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:20.279
the Christmas point, I do believe
that if they you know, I do
117
00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:22.920
believe we're going to see it move
into January. Like actually, I think
118
00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:24.959
that's a trend. I think we
saw it last year with some of the
119
00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:30.439
again at Universal, some of the
offerings going until January seventh. You know
120
00:08:30.519 --> 00:08:33.159
that's not January first, right,
I mean, like, I think that
121
00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:41.200
this year I could see possibly some
places and doing something until January fourteenth or
122
00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:45.200
January sixteenth, or somewhere in that
like mid range. And then, like
123
00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:46.799
you said last year, with a
lot of your clients, you know,
124
00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:52.000
it's really easy for them to say, we're going to have Santa's gonna be
125
00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:54.480
here until December twenty fifth, and
after December twenty fifth, we're going to
126
00:08:54.519 --> 00:09:00.480
be open until January thirtieth, even
and it's going to be winter. Santa
127
00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:03.360
won't be there because he's back at
the North Pole, but you're still going
128
00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:07.039
to have, you know, the
rest of the parade with the snowflakes and
129
00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:09.799
the snow and all this kind of
stuff, the snow manner all be there.
130
00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:13.159
But Santon is Rainier going to be
gone. I mean, like I
131
00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:16.519
I think that that's coming. I
think that's something. Well, it's it's
132
00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:18.679
here. It's not coming, it's
here. I have clients already who are
133
00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:22.159
saying, we want to shy away
from Christmas and move more towards winter so
134
00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:26.480
that we can make our winter,
our winter festival go into January, because
135
00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:30.320
January now has become the new the
new slump shoulder season, so they have
136
00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:33.480
to figure out ways to fill that
now before they start getting into spring break.
137
00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:41.200
So there's there's there, there's that
dilemma. I also have clients who
138
00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:48.039
have who have made the decision that
all of the the all the hard goods
139
00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:52.159
that they purchase, all the lighting, all of that sort of thing is
140
00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:56.159
going to stay after Christmas. But
all the live entertainment stops at Christmas.
141
00:09:56.159 --> 00:10:03.240
So as you say, Santa Elves, various other more Christmas centric performance elements
142
00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:09.519
will end at Christmas and then they'll
extend into the first week of January because
143
00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:11.519
then people can still come out and
see the lights. Yeah, and that's
144
00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:16.759
very similar the inverse to what Universal
is suggesting here, where they're like,
145
00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:20.320
we're only going to have the three
house behind the scenes tour again, no
146
00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:22.799
actors in the entertainment. You know, it's a it's a three per it's
147
00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:26.080
a three house behind the scenes tour. So it's the inverse, right,
148
00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:31.000
So like, we can't we're extending
in the inverse direction, but we're doing
149
00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:35.200
it just a stripped down version.
Well you can't, so Christmas, Christmas
150
00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:37.759
can't go before Halloween, and Halloween
can't go too far into Christmas. You
151
00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:41.600
have that that sort of card land. Yeah, you have that no man's
152
00:10:41.679 --> 00:10:43.879
land in there, that November no
man's land that you have to kind of
153
00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:50.039
play with. And so they're extending
where they can without the human beings,
154
00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:52.919
with just the hard goods, with
just the scenic and the lighting and the
155
00:10:52.919 --> 00:10:58.879
audio, and Christmas is extending the
other way without the labor costs of the
156
00:10:58.919 --> 00:11:07.519
live performers. And so yeah,
it's It's interesting to see that that parks
157
00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:11.279
and attractions are trying to push the
limits as to how early can we start
158
00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:15.600
Halloween and how late can we go
with Christmas slash Winter holidays. Yeah,
159
00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:20.279
the last little bits I wanted to
just bring up here is there's only four
160
00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:24.720
ticket options that have been announced right
now that you can buy, and of
161
00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:28.120
course where that's going to change,
because that's how it always works. There's
162
00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:31.080
going to be a multi night ticket
come out late. I'm sure they haven't
163
00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:35.080
said, you know, I'm I'm
going off the script. I'm going off
164
00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:39.320
the script here as to what's been
officially announced. But to give me credit,
165
00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:41.080
I think I was one of the
first people to break it, like
166
00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:45.080
I broke the dates before Universal did
so, just you know, credits.
167
00:11:45.080 --> 00:11:50.000
But I'm just saying, most likely
we're going to see different the different ticket
168
00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:54.200
options drop, and we'll see how
they change the pricing when those ticket items
169
00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:58.200
drop. I think we're also going
to see them extend the schedule, not
170
00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:03.080
into November per se, but more
like fill in those Monday tuesdays of the
171
00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:05.320
last few weeks, depending on how
capacity goes. That's always how they do
172
00:12:05.399 --> 00:12:09.639
things right, gives them wiggle room, so we could see it right now.
173
00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:13.440
It's about the same run as last
time. We'll see if it extends
174
00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:18.440
to over fifty nights with them,
and they'll use their algorithm for for ticket
175
00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:22.000
sales to decide how many of those
Monday tuesdays they need to fill in.
176
00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:28.320
Yeah, the dates for Hollywood have
not been announced yet, but I have
177
00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:31.320
heard from a few people off the
record, and you know, some predictions
178
00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:35.840
that it will be like the next
week, which is always is that's not
179
00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:39.039
a surprise, but it would be
the week after, so probably September fifth
180
00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:43.000
through November a little bit this year, which would be different for Hollywood cause
181
00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:46.919
Hollywood doesn't tend to go that far. Again, more of a local more
182
00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:52.879
of a local attraction mentality than a
national attraction attraction mentality. Yes, exactly
183
00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:56.480
exactly. And then I think it's
important for us to all keep in mind
184
00:12:56.519 --> 00:13:03.679
also that I don't expect this year
to be great. And the big reason
185
00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:09.080
is, as we've talked about before, I think another reason. One,
186
00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:13.240
I think a reason where it's not
going to be incredible, but two a
187
00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:16.919
reason another reason why I think they
want to incentivize the team to finish these
188
00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.559
houses early is because most of their
creatives are still working on Epic, which
189
00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:24.320
is behind. They won't say it's
behind, but we all know it's behind
190
00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:26.639
because it's always behind, right,
stuff is always behind, like perpetually.
191
00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:31.679
So you know, in mind that
like the same teams, you know,
192
00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:35.320
it's the same group of teams creatives
that are you know, kind of running
193
00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:39.879
between different spaces, right, So
it's it's universal is managing a lot right
194
00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:41.919
now like that, just the whole
team has a lot on the plate between
195
00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:46.320
what's going on with the year round
horror insulation and what's going on with Epic
196
00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:50.159
and then trying to launch this thing. So I think I think that's another
197
00:13:50.200 --> 00:13:54.360
reason, right, You're they're trying
to spread it out as much as you
198
00:13:54.440 --> 00:13:58.279
can because they need not only they
need to justify the investment compared to the
199
00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:03.200
time on Epic, but also the
creatives, the individual creative team leaders,
200
00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:07.840
their time you know, is stretched
then. So yeah, I can see
201
00:14:07.879 --> 00:14:09.799
that, I can see that.
I think we're also going to see a
202
00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:15.159
little bit of a you know,
we've we've used this term since the beginning
203
00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:18.120
of COVID and we always have said
it's going to come. I think this
204
00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:22.679
year we're going to start to see
more of a normalization. I think maybe
205
00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:24.840
started to see a little bit last
year. I think we're going to see
206
00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:28.039
it even more this year, so
that you know, the big rush of
207
00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:31.000
oh my gosh, I got to
get out and do stuff. I think
208
00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:35.519
we're going to see that starting to
ebb just a little bit. And I
209
00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:37.240
now I could be wrong. I
could be wrong, But my guess is
210
00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:43.679
that those earlier dates are going to
be after the first weekend, where you
211
00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:46.840
know, you get all the fanboys
and girls who absolutely have to be the
212
00:14:46.840 --> 00:14:50.000
first one to see everything, in
the first one to report on everything,
213
00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:54.720
in the first one to get content
on everything. But so you'll be there,
214
00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:58.759
Philip, But I already have my
plane books there you go. Ready.
215
00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:03.639
But but I think we're going to
see that in those earlier you know,
216
00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:05.679
those August dates, that it's going
to be a little bit more manageable,
217
00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:11.279
simply because I actually think that we're
gonna we're going to start seeing the
218
00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:16.200
attendance level off a little bit more
back to it's what is quote unquote normal
219
00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:20.480
or regular for an event like this. But we'll see. Yeah, Okay,
220
00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:30.080
well let's move over to Disney.
So Iger gave a shareholder. During
221
00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:33.240
the annual the twenty twenty four Q
and a segment of the shareholders meeting,
222
00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:39.399
a shareholder asked Iiger about Dizzy not
being prepared for Epic Universe's arrival. And
223
00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.440
we did talk about this a little
bit last week when we talked about the
224
00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:46.399
isle of Burke, and so basically, I think, of course, all
225
00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:50.039
these things are planned, right.
I think maybe the misperception I think the
226
00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:56.519
mainstream media has is like assuming it's
all done like in a vacuum, but
227
00:15:56.600 --> 00:16:00.919
it's definitely not. Like the the
announcement I think was definitely planned to drop
228
00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:07.000
before the shareholder announcement of Disney in
order to like, this is all orchestrated
229
00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:08.440
in a way because the companies know
you know, you know what I mean,
230
00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:12.240
they all know each other, so
it definitely is orchestrated. And I
231
00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:17.440
do think that it was all planned
where Igear was going to have to be
232
00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:25.399
on stage, you know, on
the facing shareholders discussing the company immediately after
233
00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:29.080
the announcement of Burke. I think
that was that was definitely planned. So
234
00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:30.919
it should be not really a surprise
that any of this was asked. But
235
00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.679
essentially he did, he did kind
of have to defend against you know,
236
00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:41.440
what is he doing to not being
prepared for epic universus And what he said
237
00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:45.039
was, I want to remind you
of a few things that Disney World introduced
238
00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:48.840
over the past decade, citing projects
as Pandora World, Avtar torstory Land,
239
00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:52.639
Star Wars, Galuc's Edge, Mickimage
Run a Railway Tron ongoing transformation. By
240
00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:56.559
staggering these major launches over time,
rather than having to do it all at
241
00:16:56.559 --> 00:17:00.840
once, Disney, in essence built
what amounts to the equivalent of the university.
242
00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:06.440
Addressing the shareholders directly, Iker mentioned
how a recent agreement between the Disney
243
00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:10.920
and the Central Florida Tourism Board,
which we discussed last time, will enable
244
00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:14.400
us to pursue the kinds of significant
investment in our Florida parks that you're talking
245
00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:18.160
about. He made also reference again
to that sixty billion dollars investment that we've
246
00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:22.960
also talked about, and he teased
that something something didn't say what, but
247
00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:27.559
the size of Star Wars is coming
to the Magic Kingdom as an expansion beyond
248
00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:32.720
one of the areas. He also
during the call revealed concept art for the
249
00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:45.039
Avatar at Disneyland. That's fine My
take on this is that again I'm not
250
00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:48.960
sure it matters because it's exactly what
we talked about last time, where it's
251
00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:55.599
like Isle of Burke is genius to
announce first because it is the best in
252
00:17:55.640 --> 00:18:00.640
the world at what it is,
and it's not another thing. Here's the
253
00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:04.279
problem. The problem with Avatar is
just another Avatar, and it's going to
254
00:18:04.359 --> 00:18:10.160
be you know, California's version of
Avatar. It's going to be locked into
255
00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:15.839
comparing against something else that already exists. And here's the problem with in my
256
00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:18.279
view, here's a problem with Eiger's
argument is that it's the same struggle that
257
00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:23.960
ironically or not, haunted houses have. Every haunt I talk to every year,
258
00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.960
thousands of interviews, you know what
they all tell me. They tell
259
00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:32.599
me, well, every year we
remodel fifty percent of our haunts, so
260
00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:34.839
it's a whole new haunt. So
you should want to come every year because
261
00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:38.000
it's a whole new haunt. The
customers don't care, you know what I
262
00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:41.720
mean. Like, that's the reason
why the haunts have transitioned over to a
263
00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:45.920
screen park mentality where instead of you
know, redoing quote unquote redoing you know,
264
00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:49.359
half of your haunt you just build
a new haunt and then you have
265
00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:52.400
two haunts, and you know what, they're really excited because you have two
266
00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:57.240
haunts and they don't remember what the
old haunts from last year because they're customers
267
00:18:57.279 --> 00:19:02.680
and they don't remember shit. Like
it's you know, it's it's like,
268
00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:07.759
I think that's the big flaw in
the announcement here is that they're He's right,
269
00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:14.079
you know, in that they have
launched a lot of stuff, but
270
00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:18.119
it's more like they've just been filling
out the theme parks that they have to
271
00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:23.400
make them full day experiences, which
is not the same thing as making a
272
00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:26.440
whole new theme park. Like I'm
sorry, ire, it's not like it's
273
00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:32.200
not And maybe the better strategy for
you this whole time would have been to
274
00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:37.000
build a smaller theme park and you
know, make Animal Kingdom smaller from the
275
00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:41.160
get go, so it's more walkable
and it's still a full day experience by
276
00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:44.680
adding, oh, I don't know, live entertainment. There's a thing called
277
00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:48.480
live entertainment that could make a park
feel like it's a full day And then
278
00:19:48.519 --> 00:19:49.880
you add another park, and then
you have five parks. I mean,
279
00:19:49.880 --> 00:19:56.519
like, it's not I think the
nuances to be honest, I understand what
280
00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:02.359
Iiger's saying. I believe the nuances
are lost on the average consumer and even
281
00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:06.200
on the average on like on like
the minority shareholder. To be honest,
282
00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:11.480
I really don't think that. Like
it's again, it's difficult because he's correct.
283
00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:14.920
You know, I'm sure if you
take the square footage of all the
284
00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:17.920
things they've added, I'm sure someone
at Disney has done this, someone is
285
00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:22.599
paid to have gone and fact checked
the size and say it's the same size.
286
00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:26.839
I'm sure. But it kind of
doesn't matter, you know, like
287
00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:30.960
it's it's still not a new theme
park. Okay, but I'm gonna I'm
288
00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:33.720
going to disagree to a little to
a certain extent here. This is.
289
00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:37.039
This is what our guests. This
is when our listeners usually like it because
290
00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:41.680
because daddy and daddy disagree. So
here's the here's the story. You know,
291
00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:45.759
there's always going to be someone who's
opening a new park. It's always
292
00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:49.920
going to happen always. And you
know, when Galaxy's Edge came in,
293
00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:53.480
somebody could have gone to Universal and
said, you weren't prepared for them to
294
00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:56.599
do Galaxy's Edge because they're doing Galaxies
Edge and everybody wants to go see Galaxies
295
00:20:56.720 --> 00:21:00.880
Edge. I'm sure they did.
And in Florida about it. In Florida,
296
00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:04.920
you still you gotta you've got to
plan like within inches of your life
297
00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:11.039
in order to see that attraction.
It's still that popular. It is still
298
00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:14.880
that popular. So you know that
as far as some of the other stuff,
299
00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:18.240
uh, tron cycle was a huge, huge deal in Florida, I
300
00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:21.799
totally get that. And here's my
guess. You know, they've already in
301
00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:27.440
Florida, they've already filed the land
usage something or others for what they're loosely
302
00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:36.039
calling Beyond Splash Mountain. So it's
where they're building. It is Beyond Splash
303
00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:40.400
Mountain. And I think about the
time, oh, I don't know,
304
00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:45.000
about the time Epic starts to hit
heavy with their opening and their opening announcements,
305
00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:48.160
that Disney is going to come out
and say, and we're going to
306
00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:53.640
have We're going to take and and
add another third to to Magic Kingdom,
307
00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:56.880
making our making our park, you
know, making the favorite park in the
308
00:21:56.880 --> 00:22:03.240
country even bigger, even more or
even better. Now does it compare to
309
00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:10.039
a New Gate Maybe maybe not.
But the business models for the business model
310
00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:14.400
for Disney is different, and clearly
the business model for Epic is different because
311
00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:18.640
it's not really even connected to universal
property. You know, you have to
312
00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:22.160
leave in essence, leave property in
order to go to Epic if you're staying
313
00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:29.480
on universal property based on where it's
situated. So I think, I think
314
00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:32.000
Disney's going to be just fine.
And the other thing you have taken into
315
00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:34.759
consideration. When a new park opens
in Florida, all parks do well.
316
00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:40.640
There is a spillover effect because people
will travel to go see Epic Universe and
317
00:22:40.680 --> 00:22:41.720
they'll be like, oh, well, we're in Orlando. I mean,
318
00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:44.799
Philip, I know you do that
when you come to Orlando. You come
319
00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:47.440
for a specific thing, and you
end up going to two other parks just
320
00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:52.880
because you're here. And it happens
all the time, even over in Tampa
321
00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:56.880
Bush Gardens when when Animal Kingdom opened, we were terrified because I was still
322
00:22:56.880 --> 00:23:00.279
working at Bush Gardens at the time. We were terrified that an animal theme
323
00:23:00.440 --> 00:23:03.799
theme park was opening by Disney in
Orlando, and we thought, oh,
324
00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:06.759
we're screwed. And truth be told, it was. It was a record
325
00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:08.799
breaking year for us because it just
brought more people to the area. So
326
00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:15.400
I think that this is you know, as you say, a subtlety that
327
00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:19.519
is lost on the on the stockholders. I think it's going to I think
328
00:23:19.559 --> 00:23:23.079
everything's going to be just fine.
I don't think Disney has to do another
329
00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:26.440
park. I mean, if every
time somebody did a new park, a
330
00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:30.279
competitor had to open a new park
with a new gate, then Florida would
331
00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:33.200
you know, the I four Corridor
would be nothing but theme parks and it
332
00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.599
would be even worse to drive on
than it is right now. So it's
333
00:23:37.480 --> 00:23:42.000
you know, you gotta you gotta
look at this from a logistics standpoint too.
334
00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:48.160
Again, is it more cost effective
to open a brand new, full
335
00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:52.000
out theme park. Is that more
cost effective? Or is it more cost
336
00:23:52.039 --> 00:24:00.279
effective to add a new Galaxy's Edge, a new you know, excitement to
337
00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:04.200
an existing park which already has the
infrastructure, and you know, you don't
338
00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:10.200
have to make as much, you
don't have to make as much to offset
339
00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:14.839
the cost of building a completely new
park. I mean, the pendulum is
340
00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:17.640
going to go back and forth,
and I don't want quite honestly, I
341
00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:21.799
don't want Bull Florida parks, both
Florida major chains. I'm taking SeaWorld out
342
00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:26.240
of the game for the moment.
But I don't want the two major parks
343
00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:30.480
two open parks at the same time, because that's just chaotic and it's unnecessary
344
00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:33.400
competition. As you said earlier,
these guys know what they're doing, what
345
00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:37.880
each other, they know what's happening, and they don't want to go head
346
00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:41.880
to head. They don't want to
open Beyond Splash Mountain and Epic at the
347
00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:45.279
same time. What they want to
do is announce Beyond Splash Mountain when Epic
348
00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:51.559
is opening, in hopes that they
can perhaps delay some national or international travelers
349
00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:59.519
to wait and not come to Epic
until after the Disney expansion opens. So
350
00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:03.200
again, he is he prepared?
Yes, I think he's totally prepared.
351
00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:06.240
I think Disney is completely prepared.
And I think that the comment, the
352
00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:08.240
comment of saying, you know you
weren't prepared, You weren't you weren't ready
353
00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:12.400
for this giant park to open.
It's not like he didn't know was coming.
354
00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:15.960
We all have known it was coming, and to his point, he
355
00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:23.480
has Disney has continued to make their
uh to make their product more appealing and
356
00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:33.039
more returnable. I do think I
think I agree with some of your points
357
00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:36.440
on there, and if anything,
I think that, like Iiger's answer is
358
00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:38.559
like, I think I like your
answer more than Igres. I don't know.
359
00:25:38.680 --> 00:25:41.440
I don't know, but I think
I kind of explained it. I
360
00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:45.119
mean, I think that's what he's
trying to say. I think what he's
361
00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:47.920
trying to say is it can because
he doesn't. You know, in a
362
00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:51.599
in a press situation, especially when
you are the guy in charge of Disney,
363
00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:53.359
you know, you don't want to
start mentioning. You don't want to
364
00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:59.559
start basing your answer on your competitor. Yeah, you know, you have
365
00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:02.640
to have you have to keep saying
yes and what you're doing as opposed to
366
00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:04.000
well, we knew this big park
was coming and there was not a darn
367
00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:07.880
thing we could do about it,
so we decided to make our You know,
368
00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:12.200
it sounds wimpy when you explain it
that way, because everybody wants,
369
00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:21.599
you know, newer, bigger,
faster. Well, it's definitely. Uh,
370
00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:25.759
they definitely work together much more than
I think the shareholders and even the
371
00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:30.319
general public understand how they work together. And then it's definitely planned to your
372
00:26:30.359 --> 00:26:33.880
point for them to capture each other's
audiences, to ping pong back and forth.
373
00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:37.799
Is that is that is by design
folks, in case you know didn't
374
00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:41.759
know, it's definitely by design.
And I do think the thing to underline
375
00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:49.119
in what you said is that the
business model is different. So like I
376
00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:53.799
maintained my point that wants every dime, Disney wants every dime from the moment
377
00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:56.759
you hit Florida. Well, yes, so I think the business models are
378
00:26:56.759 --> 00:27:00.880
different. So I think I maintain
my point that for the general audience,
379
00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:07.200
the optics of new theme park is
definitely more exciting than like New Land,
380
00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:11.319
even if they're the same footprint.
And that's the optics that Haunt House has
381
00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:15.960
been fighting for decades. However,
in even theme park cons right where they're
382
00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:18.000
like we're ating a new like ten
hundred houses this year, it's like,
383
00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:22.640
well they're three thousand square foot and
you know some anyway. But I agree
384
00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:29.000
to your point that the business models
are different in that, like Disney World
385
00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:33.559
has the infrastructure already, so much
infrastrut are already in place, it makes
386
00:27:33.640 --> 00:27:37.279
less economic sense for them to add
another gate because there's so much infrastructure in
387
00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:42.160
place already to handle the existing crowds. It's much easier and more profitable per
388
00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:48.000
person, way more profitable per person
to extend a bit of the park and
389
00:27:48.039 --> 00:27:52.400
get more FMB sales and more food
sales and whatever, and draw more attendance
390
00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:53.559
to a park than it is to
build a whole new park, Like why
391
00:27:53.559 --> 00:27:57.599
would you do that? Because these
are massive structures, I mean, so
392
00:27:57.680 --> 00:28:00.519
much larger than Disneyland. Like,
you know, it makes more sense to
393
00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:07.559
build addition stuff other places where you
have less of a footprint economically, and
394
00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:11.119
it makes the counterpoint to Universal is
that Universal doesn't have as big a footprint
395
00:28:11.880 --> 00:28:15.599
really anywhere, and compared to Disney, I mean, like the at least
396
00:28:15.640 --> 00:28:22.000
looking at Hollywood, at least domestically, when you're looking at Hollywood and Florida,
397
00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:25.920
it's still not nearly as large as
what they have. Family Park pop
398
00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:32.359
up and the Universal Monsters pop up
in Vegas, and they're definitely going in
399
00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:37.920
comparison to parks, you know,
to me, the Universal story and the
400
00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:44.200
Family Park, that's what is I
think more comparable to Eiger's approach, which
401
00:28:44.279 --> 00:28:45.559
is, you know, we're opening
these other things. The only problem is
402
00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:48.200
they're doing them. They're doing them
all over the country, so they can't
403
00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:53.200
experience them all at the same time. You know, I'm excited about Epic
404
00:28:53.240 --> 00:29:00.319
but I will say that in Florida, the buzz about Epic is it's going
405
00:29:00.359 --> 00:29:04.119
to be good. It's not going
to be epic, and I'm curious to
406
00:29:04.119 --> 00:29:07.680
see whether that is true or not. Well, we talked about it,
407
00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:10.480
I mean, just the logistics of
opening it, right, It's like,
408
00:29:11.960 --> 00:29:15.680
you know, there's there's a The
Universal team has taken on a lot of
409
00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:19.839
projects, you know, and now
that they have the reputation of being Disney
410
00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:25.839
quality, that's that's build which they
had to build. Yeah, that is
411
00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:29.920
a bonus and a weakness as well, because if you're trying to just like
412
00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:33.160
Disney. I mean, everyone jokes
about how slow Disney is, but this
413
00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:36.200
is the reason they are slow is
because they have to make sure the quality
414
00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:40.119
is there. They have to put
it through QC testing, and it takes
415
00:29:40.279 --> 00:29:42.640
time and resources to QC testuff I
don't you don't want to say it just
416
00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:47.279
does. Yeah, you know,
if we had more time, we could
417
00:29:47.319 --> 00:29:49.079
quality control test this show, but
we don't. We only have thirty minutes,
418
00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:53.559
which by the way, is up
so on behalf of Philip Bernandez and
419
00:29:53.599 --> 00:29:56.960
myself Scott Swens, and this has
been green tag thee market thirty and one
420
00:29:56.960 --> 00:30:02.400
of the lamest transitions into an outro
I have ever done. It was pretty
421
00:30:02.440 --> 00:30:03.880
bad, but anyway, we're glad
that you're still listening, at least up
422
00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:07.400
until this point, and hopefully we'll
see you again next week
1
00:00:01.399 --> 00:00:04.839
Los Angeles and Tampa. This is
Green Tag Theme Park in thirty. I'm
2
00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:09.359
Philip and I'm joined as always by
my glorious co host Scott Twinson. Oh,
3
00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:15.919
Scott Swinson, Creative Development, Scott, Philip and his glorious coast.
4
00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:19.000
I like that that's the new name
of the show, Folk Philip and his
5
00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:24.679
glorious cost Scott. It is April, which of course means that Hallowey announcements
6
00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:29.920
are beginning to roll in and we're
just going to continue to see them come
7
00:00:29.960 --> 00:00:33.039
out. I mean we I think
a few people got it a head start
8
00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:39.399
with the twelve foot tall skeleton dog
now that's coming out. But there are
9
00:00:39.560 --> 00:00:42.439
Let's be honest, Philip, there
are people, and quite honestly, people
10
00:00:42.520 --> 00:00:47.719
like you who who There's always it
can be. It can be November first,
11
00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:52.000
and there's a Halloween announcement coming out
for the following year. I mean,
12
00:00:52.079 --> 00:00:53.960
let's face it, you look deep
enough, you can find it.
13
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:56.600
But this one's a pretty big.
Yes, everyone's been talking about this one.
14
00:00:56.640 --> 00:01:00.840
So of course, Halloween Horn Night's
in Orlando has annown their dates and
15
00:01:00.880 --> 00:01:07.120
they are returning for select nights from
August thirtieth through November third and of course,
16
00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:11.040
the schedule as it is now is
mostly every Wednesday through Sunday, so
17
00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:15.959
only being dark Monday and Tuesday.
Even in that first week, so the
18
00:01:15.959 --> 00:01:19.120
first weekend of September, it's still
going to be happening on Wednesdays there.
19
00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:25.560
And the other big change we saw
this year is that they're going to be
20
00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:33.439
doing the Unmasking the Horror Tour available
starting August eleventh, So the Unmasking the
21
00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:37.840
Horror Tour, which will be available
in I believe three houses for the first
22
00:01:37.879 --> 00:01:41.159
portion, so from August eleventh through
the thirtieth, you're going to be able
23
00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:45.519
to tour the hind houses that are
not yet open. I have a questioned,
24
00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:49.040
Scott, do you do you think
the tech team was happy about that
25
00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:51.640
when they read that, because I'm
sure they weren't told ahead of time.
26
00:01:51.719 --> 00:01:53.920
I'm sure. I'm almost certain they
weren't told ahead of time. Yes,
27
00:01:53.959 --> 00:02:01.760
I think you're absolutely right. Well, so it's it's kind of a blessing
28
00:02:01.879 --> 00:02:06.120
and a curse at the same time. It's a blessing in the fact that
29
00:02:06.359 --> 00:02:09.520
when you spread out the install of
an attraction like this, or of a
30
00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:15.319
seasonal attraction like this, it does
actually make it a little bit easier because
31
00:02:15.360 --> 00:02:17.639
you don't have ready basically well,
and it forced you to be ready with
32
00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:22.919
three houses first and then the remaining
houses come later, so you can you
33
00:02:22.919 --> 00:02:29.759
can spread out your install process.
It also, quite honestly means that people
34
00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:35.120
who used to be only seasonal are
now full time because you know, the
35
00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:40.120
Halloween, the Halloween season just keeps
growing and growing and growing. And I
36
00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:44.639
can remember when it was a hard
push, hard push to say, well,
37
00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:46.120
we're going to start in September.
No one wants to see Halloween in
38
00:02:46.159 --> 00:02:52.159
September. And now we're starting,
you know, a full month, full
39
00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:55.879
two months before the end of September. So yeah, it's we're getting closer
40
00:02:55.919 --> 00:02:59.360
and closer to year round Halloween.
And I and I and I think that's
41
00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:04.360
fine. I think that it's going
to eventually saturate the market and the pendulum
42
00:03:04.360 --> 00:03:08.360
will swing back. But I think
there is more and more viability and you
43
00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.960
know, Horronites. If anyone can
do it, Hornites can do it.
44
00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:19.680
So it's one of those situations where
they're there as go Hornites, so goes
45
00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:23.120
the rest of the theme park con
industry, or at least they certainly lead
46
00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:27.919
the way because again they've got the
cloud to do it. Are they always
47
00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:32.520
the best theme park count Not necessarily, but they have the longevity, they
48
00:03:32.520 --> 00:03:38.479
have the power, they have the
fan base who you know, who will
49
00:03:38.479 --> 00:03:43.719
go whether it's good or not.
And so yeah, if we were just
50
00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:46.599
just before you know, we started
recording, we were talking about if it
51
00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:50.360
makes money. You know, if
it makes money, there's a good reason
52
00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:54.840
to do it. So so let's
just hope that it continues to generate revenue.
53
00:03:54.879 --> 00:03:58.840
And clearly it is or they wouldn't
be doing it. Yeah, they've
54
00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:00.560
got the clout and it's a it's
just going to make it so that the
55
00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:06.039
uh that it's going to it's going
to continue to lead the way for the
56
00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:11.000
rest of the hunted attraction market or
this even the seasonal entertainment market. But
57
00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:14.400
what I do find interesting is Halloween
can continue to grow, but Christmas can't.
58
00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:18.040
And the reason Christmas can't is because
Halloween. They can't go. They
59
00:04:18.040 --> 00:04:24.079
can't start Christmas before Halloween. Yep, you know it's so that it's we're
60
00:04:24.120 --> 00:04:27.519
going to continue and I think that's
why we're seeing Halloween continue to get earlier
61
00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:30.639
and earlier each year, is not
only is there a market for it,
62
00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:34.839
but also the fact that it can
you know, there's nothing, there's nothing
63
00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:38.879
over the summer that's going to say
if it backs up to July fourth.
64
00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:42.240
Okay, maybe that's gone a little
bit too far, but I could see
65
00:04:42.240 --> 00:04:46.639
it happening, and I could see
the fourth being the kickoff. So I,
66
00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:50.079
as I've said before, I do
think that I ideally what everyone would
67
00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:53.920
want, as in like all of
the businesses, what those peop would want
68
00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:59.759
is like a nice three month for
each season, So you would have three
69
00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:03.160
months for Halloween and three months ideally
for Christmas, you know, just because
70
00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:06.399
you can do us. I mean, look at the food festivals that we
71
00:05:06.519 --> 00:05:10.879
look at the Epcot food and why. I mean, you know, you
72
00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:14.040
really want to stretch it as long
as you can to get people time to
73
00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:17.639
get there. I mean not the
smaller places right like to your point,
74
00:05:18.199 --> 00:05:24.120
places that have the scale want it
to be longer because they're gathering an audience
75
00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:27.800
from wider and those people have you
know, they want to give them more
76
00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:31.240
time to get there. So I
do think that again, I don't know,
77
00:05:31.279 --> 00:05:34.879
give it like props to Universal.
I mean Universal. Every year we
78
00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:40.560
talk about what they are trying and
what they are doing. Really paves the
79
00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:45.360
way for the rest of the industry. And you know, I'm not sure
80
00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:47.879
to my knowledge, this has been
done before on this scale of a park
81
00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:55.600
where you are doing BTS tours two
three weeks before the thing itself opens.
82
00:05:55.839 --> 00:05:59.360
I mean in a haunt like this, like that is like you know,
83
00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:01.079
there's off seat and tours of course, and there's screen break and there's those
84
00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:03.639
things. But this is a pretty
big thing. And to me, what
85
00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:09.319
it is is they're looking to see, can we start can we make all
86
00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:13.360
of August Halloween? And that would
give us the three months that we ideally
87
00:06:13.399 --> 00:06:16.360
want in order to justify you know, the longer budgets and the year round
88
00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:20.920
team like you just like all these
things like and that would if it works,
89
00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:26.120
that that would be incredible, I
think for the industry to have that
90
00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:29.600
work out. And it's also marketing, right, it's the same thing we
91
00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:32.199
I'm sure they're going to do.
Remember last year we talked about the Taste
92
00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:36.959
of Terror that they started on August
eleventh last year, so same date.
93
00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:44.959
And I think it is marketing also
because you have people taking pictures and showing
94
00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:49.319
off how great the house is and
how cool it looks and everything you know.
95
00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:54.720
It's also it's also a playing with
the books a little bit too.
96
00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:58.399
When you've got a huge capital investment, you want to amortize it over the
97
00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:00.720
longest period you possibly can, and
you want to be generated. You want
98
00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:05.519
your capital dollars to be generating revenue
as long as you possibly can, so
99
00:07:06.959 --> 00:07:13.879
in order to justify higher budgets,
which we need to meet guest expectations for
100
00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:16.519
these larger events. In order to
meet the higher budgets, you have to
101
00:07:16.519 --> 00:07:20.079
sit down on paper and say,
all right, well instead of instead of
102
00:07:20.199 --> 00:07:25.560
just making money on it for the
month of October and a week in September
103
00:07:25.720 --> 00:07:29.839
or two weeks in September or September
in October, now it's gotten to the
104
00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:31.519
point where we have to say,
okay, well we're going to start it's
105
00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:35.040
going to start paying us back in
August, you know, kind of going
106
00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:39.040
back to what you were saying with
the needing the three months. You know,
107
00:07:39.079 --> 00:07:42.839
I think back to my days in
retail, and I was always shocked
108
00:07:42.879 --> 00:07:46.680
that we would start to receive because
I used to work in the receiving department
109
00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:50.199
at a major department store in Chicago, and we would start to receive Christmas
110
00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:56.279
in August, we would start to
receive Christmas ornaments, Christmas promotional stuff.
111
00:07:57.199 --> 00:07:59.600
All of that came in in August, and I was like, wow,
112
00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:03.199
this is why too early. But
you know it's no different. It's no
113
00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:05.079
different than what we're talking about here. You just need to be able to
114
00:08:05.240 --> 00:08:11.800
justify that that spend with the understanding
that you can get it all set up
115
00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:16.199
and ready to go and start promoting
it as early as possible. And on
116
00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:20.279
the Christmas point, I do believe
that if they you know, I do
117
00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:22.920
believe we're going to see it move
into January. Like actually, I think
118
00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:24.959
that's a trend. I think we
saw it last year with some of the
119
00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:30.439
again at Universal, some of the
offerings going until January seventh. You know
120
00:08:30.519 --> 00:08:33.159
that's not January first, right,
I mean, like, I think that
121
00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:41.200
this year I could see possibly some
places and doing something until January fourteenth or
122
00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:45.200
January sixteenth, or somewhere in that
like mid range. And then, like
123
00:08:45.240 --> 00:08:46.799
you said last year, with a
lot of your clients, you know,
124
00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:52.000
it's really easy for them to say, we're going to have Santa's gonna be
125
00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:54.480
here until December twenty fifth, and
after December twenty fifth, we're going to
126
00:08:54.519 --> 00:09:00.480
be open until January thirtieth, even
and it's going to be winter. Santa
127
00:09:00.519 --> 00:09:03.360
won't be there because he's back at
the North Pole, but you're still going
128
00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:07.039
to have, you know, the
rest of the parade with the snowflakes and
129
00:09:07.120 --> 00:09:09.799
the snow and all this kind of
stuff, the snow manner all be there.
130
00:09:09.960 --> 00:09:13.159
But Santon is Rainier going to be
gone. I mean, like I
131
00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:16.519
I think that that's coming. I
think that's something. Well, it's it's
132
00:09:16.519 --> 00:09:18.679
here. It's not coming, it's
here. I have clients already who are
133
00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:22.159
saying, we want to shy away
from Christmas and move more towards winter so
134
00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:26.480
that we can make our winter,
our winter festival go into January, because
135
00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:30.320
January now has become the new the
new slump shoulder season, so they have
136
00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:33.480
to figure out ways to fill that
now before they start getting into spring break.
137
00:09:35.240 --> 00:09:41.200
So there's there's there, there's that
dilemma. I also have clients who
138
00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:48.039
have who have made the decision that
all of the the all the hard goods
139
00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:52.159
that they purchase, all the lighting, all of that sort of thing is
140
00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:56.159
going to stay after Christmas. But
all the live entertainment stops at Christmas.
141
00:09:56.159 --> 00:10:03.240
So as you say, Santa Elves, various other more Christmas centric performance elements
142
00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:09.519
will end at Christmas and then they'll
extend into the first week of January because
143
00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:11.519
then people can still come out and
see the lights. Yeah, and that's
144
00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:16.759
very similar the inverse to what Universal
is suggesting here, where they're like,
145
00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:20.320
we're only going to have the three
house behind the scenes tour again, no
146
00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:22.799
actors in the entertainment. You know, it's a it's a three per it's
147
00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:26.080
a three house behind the scenes tour. So it's the inverse, right,
148
00:10:26.120 --> 00:10:31.000
So like, we can't we're extending
in the inverse direction, but we're doing
149
00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:35.200
it just a stripped down version.
Well you can't, so Christmas, Christmas
150
00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:37.759
can't go before Halloween, and Halloween
can't go too far into Christmas. You
151
00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:41.600
have that that sort of card land. Yeah, you have that no man's
152
00:10:41.679 --> 00:10:43.879
land in there, that November no
man's land that you have to kind of
153
00:10:43.879 --> 00:10:50.039
play with. And so they're extending
where they can without the human beings,
154
00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:52.919
with just the hard goods, with
just the scenic and the lighting and the
155
00:10:52.919 --> 00:10:58.879
audio, and Christmas is extending the
other way without the labor costs of the
156
00:10:58.919 --> 00:11:07.519
live performers. And so yeah,
it's It's interesting to see that that parks
157
00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:11.279
and attractions are trying to push the
limits as to how early can we start
158
00:11:11.320 --> 00:11:15.600
Halloween and how late can we go
with Christmas slash Winter holidays. Yeah,
159
00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:20.279
the last little bits I wanted to
just bring up here is there's only four
160
00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:24.720
ticket options that have been announced right
now that you can buy, and of
161
00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:28.120
course where that's going to change,
because that's how it always works. There's
162
00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:31.080
going to be a multi night ticket
come out late. I'm sure they haven't
163
00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:35.080
said, you know, I'm I'm
going off the script. I'm going off
164
00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:39.320
the script here as to what's been
officially announced. But to give me credit,
165
00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:41.080
I think I was one of the
first people to break it, like
166
00:11:41.120 --> 00:11:45.080
I broke the dates before Universal did
so, just you know, credits.
167
00:11:45.080 --> 00:11:50.000
But I'm just saying, most likely
we're going to see different the different ticket
168
00:11:50.039 --> 00:11:54.200
options drop, and we'll see how
they change the pricing when those ticket items
169
00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:58.200
drop. I think we're also going
to see them extend the schedule, not
170
00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:03.080
into November per se, but more
like fill in those Monday tuesdays of the
171
00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:05.320
last few weeks, depending on how
capacity goes. That's always how they do
172
00:12:05.399 --> 00:12:09.639
things right, gives them wiggle room, so we could see it right now.
173
00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:13.440
It's about the same run as last
time. We'll see if it extends
174
00:12:13.480 --> 00:12:18.440
to over fifty nights with them,
and they'll use their algorithm for for ticket
175
00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:22.000
sales to decide how many of those
Monday tuesdays they need to fill in.
176
00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:28.320
Yeah, the dates for Hollywood have
not been announced yet, but I have
177
00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:31.320
heard from a few people off the
record, and you know, some predictions
178
00:12:31.320 --> 00:12:35.840
that it will be like the next
week, which is always is that's not
179
00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:39.039
a surprise, but it would be
the week after, so probably September fifth
180
00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:43.000
through November a little bit this year, which would be different for Hollywood cause
181
00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:46.919
Hollywood doesn't tend to go that far. Again, more of a local more
182
00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:52.879
of a local attraction mentality than a
national attraction attraction mentality. Yes, exactly
183
00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:56.480
exactly. And then I think it's
important for us to all keep in mind
184
00:12:56.519 --> 00:13:03.679
also that I don't expect this year
to be great. And the big reason
185
00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:09.080
is, as we've talked about before, I think another reason. One,
186
00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:13.240
I think a reason where it's not
going to be incredible, but two a
187
00:13:13.320 --> 00:13:16.919
reason another reason why I think they
want to incentivize the team to finish these
188
00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:20.559
houses early is because most of their
creatives are still working on Epic, which
189
00:13:20.600 --> 00:13:24.320
is behind. They won't say it's
behind, but we all know it's behind
190
00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:26.639
because it's always behind, right,
stuff is always behind, like perpetually.
191
00:13:28.039 --> 00:13:31.679
So you know, in mind that
like the same teams, you know,
192
00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:35.320
it's the same group of teams creatives
that are you know, kind of running
193
00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:39.879
between different spaces, right, So
it's it's universal is managing a lot right
194
00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:41.919
now like that, just the whole
team has a lot on the plate between
195
00:13:43.399 --> 00:13:46.320
what's going on with the year round
horror insulation and what's going on with Epic
196
00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:50.159
and then trying to launch this thing. So I think I think that's another
197
00:13:50.200 --> 00:13:54.360
reason, right, You're they're trying
to spread it out as much as you
198
00:13:54.440 --> 00:13:58.279
can because they need not only they
need to justify the investment compared to the
199
00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:03.200
time on Epic, but also the
creatives, the individual creative team leaders,
200
00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:07.840
their time you know, is stretched
then. So yeah, I can see
201
00:14:07.879 --> 00:14:09.799
that, I can see that.
I think we're also going to see a
202
00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:15.159
little bit of a you know,
we've we've used this term since the beginning
203
00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:18.120
of COVID and we always have said
it's going to come. I think this
204
00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:22.679
year we're going to start to see
more of a normalization. I think maybe
205
00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:24.840
started to see a little bit last
year. I think we're going to see
206
00:14:24.840 --> 00:14:28.039
it even more this year, so
that you know, the big rush of
207
00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:31.000
oh my gosh, I got to
get out and do stuff. I think
208
00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:35.519
we're going to see that starting to
ebb just a little bit. And I
209
00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:37.240
now I could be wrong. I
could be wrong, But my guess is
210
00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:43.679
that those earlier dates are going to
be after the first weekend, where you
211
00:14:43.679 --> 00:14:46.840
know, you get all the fanboys
and girls who absolutely have to be the
212
00:14:46.840 --> 00:14:50.000
first one to see everything, in
the first one to report on everything,
213
00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:54.720
in the first one to get content
on everything. But so you'll be there,
214
00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:58.759
Philip, But I already have my
plane books there you go. Ready.
215
00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:03.639
But but I think we're going to
see that in those earlier you know,
216
00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:05.679
those August dates, that it's going
to be a little bit more manageable,
217
00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:11.279
simply because I actually think that we're
gonna we're going to start seeing the
218
00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:16.200
attendance level off a little bit more
back to it's what is quote unquote normal
219
00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:20.480
or regular for an event like this. But we'll see. Yeah, Okay,
220
00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:30.080
well let's move over to Disney.
So Iger gave a shareholder. During
221
00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:33.240
the annual the twenty twenty four Q
and a segment of the shareholders meeting,
222
00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:39.399
a shareholder asked Iiger about Dizzy not
being prepared for Epic Universe's arrival. And
223
00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:41.440
we did talk about this a little
bit last week when we talked about the
224
00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:46.399
isle of Burke, and so basically, I think, of course, all
225
00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:50.039
these things are planned, right.
I think maybe the misperception I think the
226
00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:56.519
mainstream media has is like assuming it's
all done like in a vacuum, but
227
00:15:56.600 --> 00:16:00.919
it's definitely not. Like the the
announcement I think was definitely planned to drop
228
00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:07.000
before the shareholder announcement of Disney in
order to like, this is all orchestrated
229
00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:08.440
in a way because the companies know
you know, you know what I mean,
230
00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:12.240
they all know each other, so
it definitely is orchestrated. And I
231
00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:17.440
do think that it was all planned
where Igear was going to have to be
232
00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:25.399
on stage, you know, on
the facing shareholders discussing the company immediately after
233
00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:29.080
the announcement of Burke. I think
that was that was definitely planned. So
234
00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:30.919
it should be not really a surprise
that any of this was asked. But
235
00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.679
essentially he did, he did kind
of have to defend against you know,
236
00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:41.440
what is he doing to not being
prepared for epic universus And what he said
237
00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:45.039
was, I want to remind you
of a few things that Disney World introduced
238
00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:48.840
over the past decade, citing projects
as Pandora World, Avtar torstory Land,
239
00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:52.639
Star Wars, Galuc's Edge, Mickimage
Run a Railway Tron ongoing transformation. By
240
00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:56.559
staggering these major launches over time,
rather than having to do it all at
241
00:16:56.559 --> 00:17:00.840
once, Disney, in essence built
what amounts to the equivalent of the university.
242
00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:06.440
Addressing the shareholders directly, Iker mentioned
how a recent agreement between the Disney
243
00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:10.920
and the Central Florida Tourism Board,
which we discussed last time, will enable
244
00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:14.400
us to pursue the kinds of significant
investment in our Florida parks that you're talking
245
00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:18.160
about. He made also reference again
to that sixty billion dollars investment that we've
246
00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:22.960
also talked about, and he teased
that something something didn't say what, but
247
00:17:23.000 --> 00:17:27.559
the size of Star Wars is coming
to the Magic Kingdom as an expansion beyond
248
00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:32.720
one of the areas. He also
during the call revealed concept art for the
249
00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:45.039
Avatar at Disneyland. That's fine My
take on this is that again I'm not
250
00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:48.960
sure it matters because it's exactly what
we talked about last time, where it's
251
00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:55.599
like Isle of Burke is genius to
announce first because it is the best in
252
00:17:55.640 --> 00:18:00.640
the world at what it is,
and it's not another thing. Here's the
253
00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:04.279
problem. The problem with Avatar is
just another Avatar, and it's going to
254
00:18:04.359 --> 00:18:10.160
be you know, California's version of
Avatar. It's going to be locked into
255
00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:15.839
comparing against something else that already exists. And here's the problem with in my
256
00:18:15.960 --> 00:18:18.279
view, here's a problem with Eiger's
argument is that it's the same struggle that
257
00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:23.960
ironically or not, haunted houses have. Every haunt I talk to every year,
258
00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.960
thousands of interviews, you know what
they all tell me. They tell
259
00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:32.599
me, well, every year we
remodel fifty percent of our haunts, so
260
00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:34.839
it's a whole new haunt. So
you should want to come every year because
261
00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:38.000
it's a whole new haunt. The
customers don't care, you know what I
262
00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:41.720
mean. Like, that's the reason
why the haunts have transitioned over to a
263
00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:45.920
screen park mentality where instead of you
know, redoing quote unquote redoing you know,
264
00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:49.359
half of your haunt you just build
a new haunt and then you have
265
00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:52.400
two haunts, and you know what, they're really excited because you have two
266
00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:57.240
haunts and they don't remember what the
old haunts from last year because they're customers
267
00:18:57.279 --> 00:19:02.680
and they don't remember shit. Like
it's you know, it's it's like,
268
00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:07.759
I think that's the big flaw in
the announcement here is that they're He's right,
269
00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:14.079
you know, in that they have
launched a lot of stuff, but
270
00:19:14.119 --> 00:19:18.119
it's more like they've just been filling
out the theme parks that they have to
271
00:19:18.279 --> 00:19:23.400
make them full day experiences, which
is not the same thing as making a
272
00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:26.440
whole new theme park. Like I'm
sorry, ire, it's not like it's
273
00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:32.200
not And maybe the better strategy for
you this whole time would have been to
274
00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:37.000
build a smaller theme park and you
know, make Animal Kingdom smaller from the
275
00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:41.160
get go, so it's more walkable
and it's still a full day experience by
276
00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:44.680
adding, oh, I don't know, live entertainment. There's a thing called
277
00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:48.480
live entertainment that could make a park
feel like it's a full day And then
278
00:19:48.519 --> 00:19:49.880
you add another park, and then
you have five parks. I mean,
279
00:19:49.880 --> 00:19:56.519
like, it's not I think the
nuances to be honest, I understand what
280
00:19:56.559 --> 00:20:02.359
Iiger's saying. I believe the nuances
are lost on the average consumer and even
281
00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:06.200
on the average on like on like
the minority shareholder. To be honest,
282
00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:11.480
I really don't think that. Like
it's again, it's difficult because he's correct.
283
00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:14.920
You know, I'm sure if you
take the square footage of all the
284
00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:17.920
things they've added, I'm sure someone
at Disney has done this, someone is
285
00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:22.599
paid to have gone and fact checked
the size and say it's the same size.
286
00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:26.839
I'm sure. But it kind of
doesn't matter, you know, like
287
00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:30.960
it's it's still not a new theme
park. Okay, but I'm gonna I'm
288
00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:33.720
going to disagree to a little to
a certain extent here. This is.
289
00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:37.039
This is what our guests. This
is when our listeners usually like it because
290
00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:41.680
because daddy and daddy disagree. So
here's the here's the story. You know,
291
00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:45.759
there's always going to be someone who's
opening a new park. It's always
292
00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:49.920
going to happen always. And you
know, when Galaxy's Edge came in,
293
00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:53.480
somebody could have gone to Universal and
said, you weren't prepared for them to
294
00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:56.599
do Galaxy's Edge because they're doing Galaxies
Edge and everybody wants to go see Galaxies
295
00:20:56.720 --> 00:21:00.880
Edge. I'm sure they did.
And in Florida about it. In Florida,
296
00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:04.920
you still you gotta you've got to
plan like within inches of your life
297
00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:11.039
in order to see that attraction.
It's still that popular. It is still
298
00:21:11.119 --> 00:21:14.880
that popular. So you know that
as far as some of the other stuff,
299
00:21:15.240 --> 00:21:18.240
uh, tron cycle was a huge, huge deal in Florida, I
300
00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:21.799
totally get that. And here's my
guess. You know, they've already in
301
00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:27.440
Florida, they've already filed the land
usage something or others for what they're loosely
302
00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:36.039
calling Beyond Splash Mountain. So it's
where they're building. It is Beyond Splash
303
00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:40.400
Mountain. And I think about the
time, oh, I don't know,
304
00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:45.000
about the time Epic starts to hit
heavy with their opening and their opening announcements,
305
00:21:45.240 --> 00:21:48.160
that Disney is going to come out
and say, and we're going to
306
00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:53.640
have We're going to take and and
add another third to to Magic Kingdom,
307
00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:56.880
making our making our park, you
know, making the favorite park in the
308
00:21:56.880 --> 00:22:03.240
country even bigger, even more or
even better. Now does it compare to
309
00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:10.039
a New Gate Maybe maybe not.
But the business models for the business model
310
00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:14.400
for Disney is different, and clearly
the business model for Epic is different because
311
00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:18.640
it's not really even connected to universal
property. You know, you have to
312
00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:22.160
leave in essence, leave property in
order to go to Epic if you're staying
313
00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:29.480
on universal property based on where it's
situated. So I think, I think
314
00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:32.000
Disney's going to be just fine.
And the other thing you have taken into
315
00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:34.759
consideration. When a new park opens
in Florida, all parks do well.
316
00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:40.640
There is a spillover effect because people
will travel to go see Epic Universe and
317
00:22:40.680 --> 00:22:41.720
they'll be like, oh, well, we're in Orlando. I mean,
318
00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:44.799
Philip, I know you do that
when you come to Orlando. You come
319
00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:47.440
for a specific thing, and you
end up going to two other parks just
320
00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:52.880
because you're here. And it happens
all the time, even over in Tampa
321
00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:56.880
Bush Gardens when when Animal Kingdom opened, we were terrified because I was still
322
00:22:56.880 --> 00:23:00.279
working at Bush Gardens at the time. We were terrified that an animal theme
323
00:23:00.440 --> 00:23:03.799
theme park was opening by Disney in
Orlando, and we thought, oh,
324
00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:06.759
we're screwed. And truth be told, it was. It was a record
325
00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:08.799
breaking year for us because it just
brought more people to the area. So
326
00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:15.400
I think that this is you know, as you say, a subtlety that
327
00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:19.519
is lost on the on the stockholders. I think it's going to I think
328
00:23:19.559 --> 00:23:23.079
everything's going to be just fine.
I don't think Disney has to do another
329
00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:26.440
park. I mean, if every
time somebody did a new park, a
330
00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:30.279
competitor had to open a new park
with a new gate, then Florida would
331
00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:33.200
you know, the I four Corridor
would be nothing but theme parks and it
332
00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.599
would be even worse to drive on
than it is right now. So it's
333
00:23:37.480 --> 00:23:42.000
you know, you gotta you gotta
look at this from a logistics standpoint too.
334
00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:48.160
Again, is it more cost effective
to open a brand new, full
335
00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:52.000
out theme park. Is that more
cost effective? Or is it more cost
336
00:23:52.039 --> 00:24:00.279
effective to add a new Galaxy's Edge, a new you know, excitement to
337
00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:04.200
an existing park which already has the
infrastructure, and you know, you don't
338
00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:10.200
have to make as much, you
don't have to make as much to offset
339
00:24:10.279 --> 00:24:14.839
the cost of building a completely new
park. I mean, the pendulum is
340
00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:17.640
going to go back and forth,
and I don't want quite honestly, I
341
00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:21.799
don't want Bull Florida parks, both
Florida major chains. I'm taking SeaWorld out
342
00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:26.240
of the game for the moment.
But I don't want the two major parks
343
00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:30.480
two open parks at the same time, because that's just chaotic and it's unnecessary
344
00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:33.400
competition. As you said earlier,
these guys know what they're doing, what
345
00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:37.880
each other, they know what's happening, and they don't want to go head
346
00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:41.880
to head. They don't want to
open Beyond Splash Mountain and Epic at the
347
00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:45.279
same time. What they want to
do is announce Beyond Splash Mountain when Epic
348
00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:51.559
is opening, in hopes that they
can perhaps delay some national or international travelers
349
00:24:51.839 --> 00:24:59.519
to wait and not come to Epic
until after the Disney expansion opens. So
350
00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:03.200
again, he is he prepared?
Yes, I think he's totally prepared.
351
00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:06.240
I think Disney is completely prepared.
And I think that the comment, the
352
00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:08.240
comment of saying, you know you
weren't prepared, You weren't you weren't ready
353
00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:12.400
for this giant park to open.
It's not like he didn't know was coming.
354
00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:15.960
We all have known it was coming, and to his point, he
355
00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:23.480
has Disney has continued to make their
uh to make their product more appealing and
356
00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:33.039
more returnable. I do think I
think I agree with some of your points
357
00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:36.440
on there, and if anything,
I think that, like Iiger's answer is
358
00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:38.559
like, I think I like your
answer more than Igres. I don't know.
359
00:25:38.680 --> 00:25:41.440
I don't know, but I think
I kind of explained it. I
360
00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:45.119
mean, I think that's what he's
trying to say. I think what he's
361
00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:47.920
trying to say is it can because
he doesn't. You know, in a
362
00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:51.599
in a press situation, especially when
you are the guy in charge of Disney,
363
00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:53.359
you know, you don't want to
start mentioning. You don't want to
364
00:25:53.400 --> 00:25:59.559
start basing your answer on your competitor. Yeah, you know, you have
365
00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:02.640
to have you have to keep saying
yes and what you're doing as opposed to
366
00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:04.000
well, we knew this big park
was coming and there was not a darn
367
00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:07.880
thing we could do about it,
so we decided to make our You know,
368
00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:12.200
it sounds wimpy when you explain it
that way, because everybody wants,
369
00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:21.599
you know, newer, bigger,
faster. Well, it's definitely. Uh,
370
00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:25.759
they definitely work together much more than
I think the shareholders and even the
371
00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:30.319
general public understand how they work together. And then it's definitely planned to your
372
00:26:30.359 --> 00:26:33.880
point for them to capture each other's
audiences, to ping pong back and forth.
373
00:26:34.079 --> 00:26:37.799
Is that is that is by design
folks, in case you know didn't
374
00:26:37.839 --> 00:26:41.759
know, it's definitely by design.
And I do think the thing to underline
375
00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:49.119
in what you said is that the
business model is different. So like I
376
00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:53.799
maintained my point that wants every dime, Disney wants every dime from the moment
377
00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:56.759
you hit Florida. Well, yes, so I think the business models are
378
00:26:56.759 --> 00:27:00.880
different. So I think I maintain
my point that for the general audience,
379
00:27:02.000 --> 00:27:07.200
the optics of new theme park is
definitely more exciting than like New Land,
380
00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:11.319
even if they're the same footprint.
And that's the optics that Haunt House has
381
00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:15.960
been fighting for decades. However,
in even theme park cons right where they're
382
00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:18.000
like we're ating a new like ten
hundred houses this year, it's like,
383
00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:22.640
well they're three thousand square foot and
you know some anyway. But I agree
384
00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:29.000
to your point that the business models
are different in that, like Disney World
385
00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:33.559
has the infrastructure already, so much
infrastrut are already in place, it makes
386
00:27:33.640 --> 00:27:37.279
less economic sense for them to add
another gate because there's so much infrastructure in
387
00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:42.160
place already to handle the existing crowds. It's much easier and more profitable per
388
00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:48.000
person, way more profitable per person
to extend a bit of the park and
389
00:27:48.039 --> 00:27:52.400
get more FMB sales and more food
sales and whatever, and draw more attendance
390
00:27:52.440 --> 00:27:53.559
to a park than it is to
build a whole new park, Like why
391
00:27:53.559 --> 00:27:57.599
would you do that? Because these
are massive structures, I mean, so
392
00:27:57.680 --> 00:28:00.519
much larger than Disneyland. Like,
you know, it makes more sense to
393
00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:07.559
build addition stuff other places where you
have less of a footprint economically, and
394
00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:11.119
it makes the counterpoint to Universal is
that Universal doesn't have as big a footprint
395
00:28:11.880 --> 00:28:15.599
really anywhere, and compared to Disney, I mean, like the at least
396
00:28:15.640 --> 00:28:22.000
looking at Hollywood, at least domestically, when you're looking at Hollywood and Florida,
397
00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:25.920
it's still not nearly as large as
what they have. Family Park pop
398
00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:32.359
up and the Universal Monsters pop up
in Vegas, and they're definitely going in
399
00:28:32.400 --> 00:28:37.920
comparison to parks, you know,
to me, the Universal story and the
400
00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:44.200
Family Park, that's what is I
think more comparable to Eiger's approach, which
401
00:28:44.279 --> 00:28:45.559
is, you know, we're opening
these other things. The only problem is
402
00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:48.200
they're doing them. They're doing them
all over the country, so they can't
403
00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:53.200
experience them all at the same time. You know, I'm excited about Epic
404
00:28:53.240 --> 00:29:00.319
but I will say that in Florida, the buzz about Epic is it's going
405
00:29:00.359 --> 00:29:04.119
to be good. It's not going
to be epic, and I'm curious to
406
00:29:04.119 --> 00:29:07.680
see whether that is true or not. Well, we talked about it,
407
00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:10.480
I mean, just the logistics of
opening it, right, It's like,
408
00:29:11.960 --> 00:29:15.680
you know, there's there's a The
Universal team has taken on a lot of
409
00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:19.839
projects, you know, and now
that they have the reputation of being Disney
410
00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:25.839
quality, that's that's build which they
had to build. Yeah, that is
411
00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:29.920
a bonus and a weakness as well, because if you're trying to just like
412
00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:33.160
Disney. I mean, everyone jokes
about how slow Disney is, but this
413
00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:36.200
is the reason they are slow is
because they have to make sure the quality
414
00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:40.119
is there. They have to put
it through QC testing, and it takes
415
00:29:40.279 --> 00:29:42.640
time and resources to QC testuff I
don't you don't want to say it just
416
00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:47.279
does. Yeah, you know,
if we had more time, we could
417
00:29:47.319 --> 00:29:49.079
quality control test this show, but
we don't. We only have thirty minutes,
418
00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:53.559
which by the way, is up
so on behalf of Philip Bernandez and
419
00:29:53.599 --> 00:29:56.960
myself Scott Swens, and this has
been green tag thee market thirty and one
420
00:29:56.960 --> 00:30:02.400
of the lamest transitions into an outro
I have ever done. It was pretty
421
00:30:02.440 --> 00:30:03.880
bad, but anyway, we're glad
that you're still listening, at least up
422
00:30:03.920 --> 00:30:07.400
until this point, and hopefully we'll
see you again next week












