Disney News, Discussion & an Element of Fun - 2024 Edition

[disney-inspired]

WDW seemed super busy last week, did i miss any speculation on the cause? Later January used to be pretty pretty slow, in pre-covid years.

I went pre-covid in late January (2019) and it was so busy so I think it's been different for awhile.

 

[zebrastreyepz]

D23 Event at Splitsville in March: https://allears.net/2024/01/28/disney-is-hosting-an-exclusive-new-event-and-tickets-go-on-sale-soon/

 

[zebrastreyepz]

Details about the new Sea World hotel: https://allears.net/2024/01/28/a-new-250-room-hotel-is-coming-to-orlando-and-its-gonna-be-big/

 

[zebrastreyepz]

This was a pleasant update: https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2024/01/28/alert-two-of-our-favorite-epcot-lunches-just-got-cheaper/

 

[zebrastreyepz]

New Moana Magic Shots at EPCOT: https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-storie...gic-shots-added-to-moana-attraction-at-epcot/

 

[Genie+]

This was a pleasant update: https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2024/01/28/alert-two-of-our-favorite-epcot-lunches-just-got-cheaper/

$9 Ham Cheese Croissant and the $8 Quiche both had price reduces to $6.50?

I can’t imagine the size has not also been changed.

 

[VAtink]

WDW seemed super busy last week, did i miss any speculation on the cause? Later January used to be pretty pretty slow, in pre-covid years.

Been seeing so many posts in the Disney facebook groups I'm in about this, lots of people are saying it's the massive tour groups. It's wild, I was there last year at this time and it was empty, especially compared to our normal September trips!

 

[lowlight]

Been seeing so many posts in the Disney facebook groups I'm in about this, lots of people are saying it's the massive tour groups. It's wild, I was there last year at this time and it was empty, especially compared to our normal September trips!

When I was there a bit ago in January, it was the busiest January I’ve ever seen. Based on shirts and languages, it was predominantly South American, but it wasn’t all tour groups.

 

[Brian Noble]

International travel to WDW had been down for a while, IIRC. Maybe it is finally recovering.

 

[scrappinginontario]

WDW seemed super busy last week, did i miss any speculation on the cause? Later January used to be pretty pretty slow, in pre-covid years.

We were there over the Jan into Feb week in 2022 and it was busy. Not crazy like Christmas but busy for sure.

 

[Gusey]

Twitter
MOANA’ (2016) was the most-streamed movie in the US in 2023, according to Nielsen.Encanto got the second place, followed by The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Elemental.

Most streamed movies per year in the US, 2020s:
2020 - Frozen II (14.9B minutes viewed)
2021 - Luca (10.5B)
2022 - Encanto (27.4B)
2023 - Moana (11.6B)
Twitter

 

[jlundeen]

Has anyone done the Rose and Crown Fireworks Package since they started Luminious?

Working on our list of dining for our trip and wondering if with R&C's now very limited menu, what people think of spending the money for this? ( $95 per person for app, entree, dessert, unliminted beverages. )

At one time long ago it was a favorite, but now it's a shadow of what it once was. But with the fireworks view, meal and unlimited beverages, just thought I'd ask. Thinking it's not worth it, but wondering if others have heard anything.

 

[disney-inspired]

Been seeing so many posts in the Disney facebook groups I'm in about this, lots of people are saying it's the massive tour groups. It's wild, I was there last year at this time and it was empty, especially compared to our normal September trips!

the massive tour groups are normal for January. Most often they are from Argentina or Brazil as it's their summer break.

 

[wabbott]

https://deadline.com/2024/01/nat-geo-series-disney-theme-park-ride-tom-mcdonald-1235808048/

Could A Nat Geo Series Become A Disney Theme Park Ride? Content Boss Tom McDonald Thinks So
By Peter White - Television Editor
January 29, 2024 3:59pm PST

National Geographic isn’t the first brand you think of designing a new theme park ride at Disney World but it’s a conversation that’s being had within the media conglomerate.

Tom McDonald, EVP, Global Factual and Unscripted, Nat Geo, who joined the company 18 months ago from the BBC has floated the idea of a Nat Geo series becoming an amusement attraction.

“I know this sounds outlandish but when I started, and I half meant it as a joke, one of the things I said was ‘Wouldn’t be great if one of our shows became a theme park ride at Disney World?’,” he said during a keynote session at the Realscreen event in New Orleans. “There are some really interesting conversations happening right now within the system, with Parks and beyond about how we might bring some of our shows to life in the physical world, interesting types of experiences.”

He joked that this wouldn’t apply to Trafficked, its Mariana van Zeller-fronted documentary series that explores the complex and dangerous inner-workings of the global underworld, black and informal markets.

“We’re making a series about Jonestown Massacre [The Cult: One Day In America], we’re making a series about the Boxing Day tsunami [Tsunami], we are definitely not thinking about a theme park ride. However, I do think that the priority to us as we go forward is going to be how to bring these things to life in a bigger and broader way. I think that’s one of the things is unique about us, compared to Netflix or Apple for some of the other cable channels. I do think it is part of being part of the wider National Geographic and the wider Disney ecosystem and that feels like it’s not been wholly tapped into yet.”

“WE HAVE LESS MONEY TO SPEND ON SHOWS”

Elsewhere, McDonald said he was “really optimistic” about Nat Geo’s slate and where it’s heading. But he admitted that it has not been immune to the change in the industry over the last 18 months.

“Clearly, we have less money to spend than when I joined 18 months ago, that’s just the reality. There are a lot of buyers out who might not say it as boldly as I just said it but it’s the truth. But I still feel like we’ve got plenty of room to experiment, to take risks. But it does mean we’ve had to work really hard on our overall slate. We are not a volume player. I think of us as a prestige player,” he added.

 

[RivShore]

I went pre-covid in late January (2019) and it was so busy so I think it's been different for awhile.

I just remember it being busy around MLK weekend but thought by end of month it usually calmed down.

 

[VAtink]

the massive tour groups are normal for January. Most often they are from Argentina or Brazil as it's their summer break.

Which makes sense, also normal for them to come in July and August, used to see them all over the parks those months as well. Guess they weren't fully back yet post pandemic last year, the parks seemed dead last year at this time, it was amazing!

 

[focusondisney]

I went pre-covid in late January (2019) and it was so busy so I think it's been different for awhile.

I agree. We were there in late January a few times in the 20teen years & it definitely was busy. The food court at POR was packed every morning. As in, people walking around with trays of food looking for a place to sit. It wasn’t cheer groups or SA tour groups either. It was families with kids of all ages & it was busier than when we used to go in late August.

 

[fatmanatee]

Seems like some Universal will be putting out something related to EU tomorrow…



EDIT: i’ll take a guess… preview including names of all the lands, none of which I believe have been formally announced aside from earning reports discussions. Don’t think we’ll get an opening date yet, a ballpark range would be nice though.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

https://deadline.com/2024/01/nat-geo-series-disney-theme-park-ride-tom-mcdonald-1235808048/

Could A Nat Geo Series Become A Disney Theme Park Ride? Content Boss Tom McDonald Thinks So
By Peter White - Television Editor
January 29, 2024 3:59pm PST

National Geographic isn’t the first brand you think of designing a new theme park ride at Disney World but it’s a conversation that’s being had within the media conglomerate.

Tom McDonald, EVP, Global Factual and Unscripted, Nat Geo, who joined the company 18 months ago from the BBC has floated the idea of a Nat Geo series becoming an amusement attraction.

“I know this sounds outlandish but when I started, and I half meant it as a joke, one of the things I said was ‘Wouldn’t be great if one of our shows became a theme park ride at Disney World?’,” he said during a keynote session at the Realscreen event in New Orleans. “There are some really interesting conversations happening right now within the system, with Parks and beyond about how we might bring some of our shows to life in the physical world, interesting types of experiences.”

He joked that this wouldn’t apply to Trafficked, its Mariana van Zeller-fronted documentary series that explores the complex and dangerous inner-workings of the global underworld, black and informal markets.

“We’re making a series about Jonestown Massacre [The Cult: One Day In America], we’re making a series about the Boxing Day tsunami [Tsunami], we are definitely not thinking about a theme park ride. However, I do think that the priority to us as we go forward is going to be how to bring these things to life in a bigger and broader way. I think that’s one of the things is unique about us, compared to Netflix or Apple for some of the other cable channels. I do think it is part of being part of the wider National Geographic and the wider Disney ecosystem and that feels like it’s not been wholly tapped into yet.”

“WE HAVE LESS MONEY TO SPEND ON SHOWS”

Elsewhere, McDonald said he was “really optimistic” about Nat Geo’s slate and where it’s heading. But he admitted that it has not been immune to the change in the industry over the last 18 months.

“Clearly, we have less money to spend than when I joined 18 months ago, that’s just the reality. There are a lot of buyers out who might not say it as boldly as I just said it but it’s the truth. But I still feel like we’ve got plenty of room to experiment, to take risks. But it does mean we’ve had to work really hard on our overall slate. We are not a volume player. I think of us as a prestige player,” he added.

I think National Geographic should help out in fixing/improving Disney's Animal Kingdom, including DinoLand.

 

[Gusey]

Seems like some Universal will be putting out something related to EU tomorrow…

View attachment 829831

EDIT: i’ll take a guess… preview including names of all the lands, none of which I believe have been formally announced aside from earning reports discussions. Don’t think we’ll get an opening date yet, a ballpark range would be nice though.

Yeah, it's rumored to be new concept art for each land, official names etc, potential opening time frame or opening time frame for a preview center at CityWalk