Disney News, Discussion & an Element of Fun - 2023 Edition

[BrianL]

We have DirecTV too, and haven't lost any channels.... is this a local thing?

DirecTV and Nexstar are feuding. If Nextar doesn't own any of your local affiliates then there would be no outages. They own one of my local sations, the CBS affiliate, so that one is dark for me.

 

[HokieRaven5]

In honor of Disney100, Walt Disney World Annual Passholders can pick up an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit magnet at Creations Shop at EPCOT from September 20 to October 23 while supplies last.

 

[HokieRaven5]

Mirabel Encanto Meet & Greet Debuts at Magic Kingdom

 

[jpeterson]

In honor of Disney100, Walt Disney World Annual Passholders can pick up an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit magnet at Creations Shop at EPCOT from September 20 to October 23 while supplies last.

View attachment 794135

They couldn't hold it another week?

 

[wabbott]

deleted. Posted a biz story here by mistake.

 

[Chernabob]

DirecTV and Nexstar are feuding. If Nextar doesn't own any of your local affiliates then there would be no outages. They own one of my local sations, the CBS affiliate, so that one is dark for me.

Apologies if this is getting too off topic for anyone focused on just the parks, but I find this stuff endlessly fascinating.

In addition to the Nexstar talks, there's now rumors of Byron Allen making a bid for the ABC network, some linear cable channels, and ABC owned-and-operated TV stations: https://www.reuters.com/business/me...h-nexstar-abc-sale-bloomberg-news-2023-09-14/

If the Nexstar deal were to happen, they'd own both ABC and the CW. Bottom line, crazy shifts in the TV landscape are afoot.

In terms of our collective interest in Disney, it underscore's Iger's stated interest in focusing on the more "core" parts of their business. IP and parks, maybe?

 

[1lilspark]

We have DirecTV too, and haven't lost any channels.... is this a local thing?

DirecTV and Nexstar are feuding. If Nextar doesn't own any of your local affiliates then there would be no outages. They own one of my local sations, the CBS affiliate, so that one is dark for me.

Last I’ll comment at present about this but since early July DirectTV dropped nextar owned local affiliates so I lost my local NBC affiliate others have lost ABC/CBS/Fox some haven’t lost anything….

I was surprised we still kept CW though I assume that could change

They couldn't hold it another week?

Agreed… we were planning on going 10/28 possibly for Hanson and then 11/2 for Wine & Dine ….

Will have to see what my schedule & the reservation calendar looks like in early October

 

[Madteaparty001]

Apparently in the new Charter Communications deal Charter lost the FreeForm channel. All content is still being released on Hulu and Disney reports the channel as being profitable but it will be interesting to see if it will be packaged with ABC and sold off.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/freeform-disney-charter-hulu-1235589827/

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Apologies if this is getting too off topic for anyone focused on just the parks, but I find this stuff endlessly fascinating.

In addition to the Nexstar talks, there's now rumors of Byron Allen making a bid for the ABC network, some linear cable channels, and ABC owned-and-operated TV stations: https://www.reuters.com/business/me...h-nexstar-abc-sale-bloomberg-news-2023-09-14/

If the Nexstar deal were to happen, they'd own both ABC and the CW. Bottom line, crazy shifts in the TV landscape are afoot.

In terms of our collective interest in Disney, it underscore's Iger's stated interest in focusing on the more "core" parts of their business. IP and parks, maybe?

Yeah, maybe. It must be hard for him to sell ABC, it at least local stations, since that's where he got his start. And I think just a few years ago this would not be on the table. But now, he may think that's the best way to generate revenue to pay down debt/buy rest of Hulu.

 

[jlundeen]

In honor of Disney100, Walt Disney World Annual Passholders can pick up an Oswald the Lucky Rabbit magnet at Creations Shop at EPCOT from September 20 to October 23 while supplies last.

View attachment 794135

Again, why don't they just MAIL them to current passholders? I can guess many more will NOT be there to pick them up.

 

[HokieRaven5]

Yeah, maybe. It must be hard for him to sell ABC, it at least local stations, since that's where he got his start. And I think just a few years ago this would not be on the table. But now, he may think that's the best way to generate revenue to pay down debt/buy rest of Hulu.

As it stands the company can technically go through the acquisition of Hulu without selling off anything. Current CFO has made those statements recently and they also currently have $11B in cash on hand as well as about $10B less in debt from just a few years ago.

 

[1lilspark]

Again, why don't they just MAIL them to current passholders? I can guess many more will NOT be there to pick them up.

There definitely should be an opt in for out of state incredi pass or DVC Sorcerers pass to get them maild

Meanwhile me who is local-ish didn’t get some of the ones that were mailed

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

I do find interesting how long it's taken for cable to lose profitability. We've been a streaming-only household for a bit over a decade. And yet I think the US still has years of cable TV while the streaming wars sort themselves out.

I hate channel flipping and commercials, so streaming was definitely the way to go for us. But I think the streaming companies will need to offer something akin to channel flipping, something that doesn't require much active decision-making. In the case of my parents and my in-laws, we've set them up with many of the streaming services, but unless we recommend a particular show, they go back to flipping channels and just settle on watching whatever catches their interest at the time on nightly basis.

 

[BrianL]

Last I’ll comment at present about this but since early July DirectTV dropped nextar owned local affiliates so I lost my local NBC affiliate others have lost ABC/CBS/Fox some haven’t lost anything….

I was surprised we still kept CW though I assume that could change


Agreed… we were planning on going 10/28 possibly for Hanson and then 11/2 for Wine & Dine ….

Will have to see what my schedule & the reservation calendar looks like in early October

While Nexstar owns The CW now, they don't necessarily own the local affiliates that broadcast it. If I recall, they tried to raise a stink about it, but the issue was settled.

 

[HokieRaven5]

Windows and Shades Installed at Summer House on the Lake in Disney Springs

 

[wabbott]

Yeah, maybe. It must be hard for him to sell ABC, it at least local stations, since that's where he got his start. And I think just a few years ago this would not be on the table. But now, he may think that's the best way to generate revenue to pay down debt/buy rest of Hulu.

I've said this before, and fwiw it's moo, but the problem with ABC and ESPN for that matter is the amount of management time and resources it takes away from the company's core business - movies and parks. Back in the 60s and 70s, conglomerates were all the rage

Yeah, maybe. It must be hard for him to sell ABC, it at least local stations, since that's where he got his start. And I think just a few years ago this would not be on the table. But now, he may think that's the best way to generate revenue to pay down debt/buy rest of Hulu.

MOO, but the biggest issue with ABC and ESPN is the amount of management time and resources devoted to them at the expense of DIS' core businesses - movies and parks. Back in the 60s and early 70s, conglomerates were all the rage on Wall Street. Think Gulf & Western, LTV, Textron, etc. They owned several completely disparate businesses under one corporate umbrella. Long-term the strategy didn't work.

It still doesn't work. You have to focus on what you do best and continually improve the product and the process.

 

[Brian Noble]

Again, why don't they just MAIL them to current passholders?

Because the point of them is not to give passholders free stickers. The point is to goose attendance.

 

[Duckbug.Ducktales]

Again, why don't they just MAIL them to current passholders? I can guess many more will NOT be there to pick them up.

What Brian said. Case in point: my mother, who lives in South FL, will now drive up one weekend to get her magnet. She'll of course make a day out of it, probably go with a friend and they'll get on it's a Small World (her favorite) and have lunch at Disney Spring. Maybe she'll see some new ears she likes along the way. BAM, Disney just made probably more than 100x what the magnet was worth in selling lunch and whatever trinket to my mother and her friend. Lol

 

[HopperFan]

Again, why don't they just MAIL them to current passholders? I can guess many more will NOT be there to pick them up.

They aren't going to make enough for all the passholders, it's not even about gifting them. When there is an in park giveaway it's all about getting any passholders close enough to last minute travel to go to the parks, maybe book hotel.

The one in July was fun - 3 magnets in AK. We happen to be there that week but all we did was go to AK, get our magnets and leave right away. DS will be there with a large group in MK one day next weekend but he'll try to hop over quick, get the magnet. But we would not have gone to Disney for it. eBay is cheaper.

Legit perk to AP would be a new land/ride preview. Now something like Pandora, Galaxy Edge etc we booked trip specifically to participate. Turned in to a whole vacation. Something like this or even Moan - nope, we aren't local enough to book that.

Because the point of them is not to give passholders free stickers. The point is to goose attendance.

THIS ^

 

[HokieRaven5]

Pepperoni Pizza Spring Rolls Return to Magic Kingdom Tomorrow



Disney World has announced that the fan-favorite Pepperoni Pizza spring rolls will be returning to Magic Kingdom tomorrow, September 16th! The spring rolls will be found at the Adventureland Spring Roll Cart just outside the entrance to the land near Cinderella Castle.