The Interpreter Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Disn...F-D099FB4AA043} Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I wonder how much of this is based soley on the economic conditions and if this is also part of staging so they can make a push to acquire the Busch Parks chain. Very interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I wonder how much of this is based soley on the economic conditions and if this is also part of staging so they can make a push to acquire the Busch Parks chain. Very interesting What?! How do you get that Disney is looking to buy the Busch Parks out of that article? How do you assume that Disney is looking to buy the Busch parks in general? I think it's pretty safe to say, that Disney buying out it's own executives, is a way to cut cost due to the current economic state. Not so that they can buy 6 regional parks and 4 water parks, several of which are within 100 miles of WDW. I'm pretty sure the past has shown that Disney is very uninterested in investing large sums into regional parks, and amusement parks not originally Disney created. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I am taking what is rumored from other articles and topics on this very site that Disney is looking to buy the Busch Parks and that part of their strategy is to cut as many costs as possible before making such an acquisition. Basicaly lighten the load as much as possible before taking on a large debt burden. Never said thats why they were doing it, just mentioned could be a possibility. Disney has expressed interest in the Busch Parks, especially acquiring a competitor in the Orlando market that would give visitors even more reasson to stay on Disney property. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 But, if this were being done in contemplation of buying the Busch parks, wouldn't it make more sense, and be more typical, to keep your own people and let the Busch people go? Look at what Cedar Fair did when it acquired Paramount Parks. How many of Paramount's upper level people are still around? How many were replaced by Cedar Fair people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Could they not add new parks and manage them with their new streamlined staff? Sometimes smaller teams are more efficient, especially dealing with changes or buyouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 But, if this were being done in contemplation of buying the Busch parks, wouldn't it make more sense, and be more typical, to keep your own people and let the Busch people go? Look at what Cedar Fair did when it acquired Paramount Parks. How many of Paramount's upper level people are still around? How many were replaced by Cedar Fair people? Indeed^ While I was at Disney, I networked quite a bit. I got to meet with quite a few higher ups in the Magic Kingdom, aswell as the leaders of WDI. Though I know that these are not Disney Corp. Executives, they are still very well informed; especially those at WDI. Every single one of them, including those in WDI stated that Disney does not feel as though they are in a competition with any of the other Orlando parks. I was told that it is extremely rare that Disney will create something strictly to combat another park. The only time this has been greatly expressed was Disney's building the Hollywood Studios in 1989 to go up against Universal in 1990. However as Disney expanded greatly they lost interest in trying to directly compete with additions to other parks. In addition those at WDI made it very clear that Disney does notwant to have to take someone elses park and work with it. It was pretty obvious that Disney only wants parks that Disney creates. If they cannot build from the ground up, they are uninterested. In my engineering class we went through all the steps Disney takes when creating a new park. It was awesome. We learned about everything that is considered, from crowd controll, to ride access, to the tunnels under Magic Kingdom and Future World. We got to go through the parks and point out details that nobody would every know about. We heard presentations from those who did the bulk of the Hong Kong Project and the message was very clear that Disney only likes to start from the ground up. Not to mention, I think Disney could find a much better way to spend 5billion dollars on their own parks; like the upcoming Space Mountain refurb. Still, crazier things have happened... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 In addition to all that, there are two companies in the theme/amusement park industry that are almost islands unto themselves, both of which firmly believe there is a INSERT NAME OF COMPANY way of doing things, and there is a wrong way. Companies that believe, rightly or not, that no one else has any idea how to do things as well as they do. Companies that don't do much networking with others in the industry outside their company. Companies that know what they intend to do and are driven to do it. Those companies, in my opinion? The Walt Disney Company Cedar Fair LP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeLorean Rider Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 In addition to all that, there are two companies in the theme/amusement park industry that are almost islands unto themselves, both of which firmly believe there is a INSERT NAME OF COMPANY way of doing things, and there is a wrong way. Companies that believe, rightly or not, that no one else has any idea how to do things as well as they do. Companies that don't do much networking with others in the industry outside their company. Companies that know what they intend to do and are driven to do it. Those companies, in my opinion? The Walt Disney Company Cedar Fair LP I agree^ However I believe Disney is considerably more obsessed with the "Disney Way" than Cedar Fair. Believe me though, this comes from Disney Tradition. Every single person who ever works for any branch of Disney has to go though what is called "Traditions." It's pretty much a Disney orientation that explains the heritage of Disney ideas, and explainations of why things are done the Disney Way. It's like a cult, but in a good way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 I honestly believe Cedar Fair was much more focused before the company's culture and traditions were diluted by the Paramount Parks acquisition. At the time, Mr. Kinzel painted that this would a be a merger of the Paramount Parks traditions and the Cedar Fair ones. I think we all now know that was more happy talk than reality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RailRider Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 It's like a cult, but in a good way. Funny I have heard numerous Disney and former Disney employees say that. Interesting read is "Cult of the Mouse", not saying I agree or disagree with it, but an interesting read non the less Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigellinus Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 In addition to all that, there are two companies in the theme/amusement park industry that are almost islands unto themselves, both of which firmly believe there is a INSERT NAME OF COMPANY way of doing things, and there is a wrong way. Companies that believe, rightly or not, that no one else has any idea how to do things as well as they do. Companies that don't do much networking with others in the industry outside their company. Companies that know what they intend to do and are driven to do it. Those companies, in my opinion? The Walt Disney Company Cedar Fair LP i.e. you'd never see Kinzel at Great Adventure like you did with Shapiro in Sandusky? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted January 22, 2009 Author Share Posted January 22, 2009 But you WILL see Mr. Kinzel at Disney, or so I hear... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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