News, Analysis and Reviews of the Disney Entertainment Business
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Brought to fans, investors, entrepreneurs, executives, teachers, professors, and students by columnist, economist, novelist, reviewer, podcaster, business reporter and speaker Ray Keating
While some of the dates are a little further away than others, you can now start booking spring and summer vacations at three additional Disney Resorts.
Guests can start arriving at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort on March 22, 2021. The Beach Club will begin welcoming all guests on May 30, 2021, although Disney Vacation Club’s Beach Club Villas were already hosting vacationers. The Wilderness Lodge will reopen for stays on June 6, 2021 (though Disney Vacation Club’s Boulder Ridge Villas and Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge are already open.)
Courtesy of Walt Disney World website
The Polynesian Village Resort, currently under refurbishment, is on track to reopen in the summer of 2021. The BoardWalk Inn, with a previously scheduled reopening date, is now listed as remaining “closed until further notice, as the reopening timeline continues to be reevaluated,” although reservations are available at the BoardWalk Villas.
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Celebrating the season at Disney is a little bit different this year, in light of the COVID-19 restrictions eclipsing the holidays. Instead of trying to stay socially distant at the parks, Disney is bringing the magic to you this week, offering a special LIVE performance by the beloved-by-fans Voices of Liberty.
Disney invites you to join them on the Disney Parks Blog beginning at 6:10 p.m. ET on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, to enjoy the a cappella harmonies of the performers, dressed in old fashioned Dickens-style Christmas caroler attire. Don’t arrive late, though, because the event is live, and will not be available on replay. Head to the Disney Parks Blog homepage to tune in a few minutes before the show, which will be coming to you from EPCOT’s America Gardens Theatre.
Of course, if you happen to find yourself in EPCOT during the Christmas holidays, you can also catch the Voices of Liberty in person during their “Voices of the Season” appearances at the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.
There are a few other opportunities to catch festive holiday moments from Disney as well, and two of the events are somewhat nostalgic, given the fact that neither the “Candlelight Processional” or fireworks are happening at Disney right now. Disney is serving up virtual versions of both experiences to watch at your leisure. Grab yourself some Mickey ice cream bars from the grocery store, or pop up a bowl of Pop-Secret popcorn (the brand used at the Disney Parks!) and make a family evening out of it.
The Disney Parks Blog is providing a link to last year’s “Candlelight Processional” for your family’s enjoyment. The Processional, one of the oldest traditions in the parks, usually takes place at both Disneyland (California) and Disney World’s EPCOT, with a massed choir performing musically while a celebrity narrator retells the Christmas story, but the event is on hiatus this year because of the pandemic. Disney has made a nearly hour-long 2019 version of the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT available for viewing. It features Disney uber fan Neil Patrick Harris as the celebrity narrator, and Becky Cline of the Walt Disney Archives, who shares some of the history of the processional.
Fireworks have not yet returned to the parks, either, but you can pretend that they have and virtually attend “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks” from 2019 at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, which will be especially delightful if you have a larger screen TV. Host Minnie Mouse brings you holiday tunes as the sky above the castle bursts with festive colors (along with a promo for the new Disney movie Godmothered). View the fireworks here.
And if you missed them in their first showing on ABC, the Disney Holiday Singalong and The Wonderful World of Disney Magical Holiday Celebration are now available on the Disney+ streaming service.
Can’t get enough of the festive decorations in the Parks? Then Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic is also available on Disney+, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how Disney makes the seasonal magic happen, almost overnight. For some of us, it’s as close as we’re going to get to the Mickey-shaped snowmen (snowmice?) and giant park trees this year.
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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.
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Coming out of the December 10 Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day 2020, the outlook for the company’s streaming subscriptions is robust, to say the least.
Indeed, Disney has upped its projections markedly from its April 2019 Investor Day expectations. In 2019, Disney was expecting 60 million to 90 million Disney+ subscribers by fiscal year 2024, along with 40 million to 60 million Hulu subscribers, and 8 million to 12 million for ESPN+.
But those marks basically have already been hit. Disney reported that as of December 2 of this year, they reported total streaming subscribers of 137 million, including 86.8 million for Disney+, 38.8 million for Hulu, and 11.5 million for ESPN+.
Looking ahead, Disney now expects 300 million to 350 million total subscribers by fiscal 2024. That is broken down to 230 million to 260 million Disney+ subscribers, 50 million to 60 million for Hulu, and 20 million to 30 million for ESPN+.
Keep in mind that in the third quarter of this year, Netflix total subscribers stood at just over 195 million.
By the way, consider that ESPN+ subscriptions could go much higher than expected if Disney grabs NFL Sunday Ticket after the NFL’s current deal with AT&T’s DirecTV expires at the end of 2022.
Finally, Disney also announced that the price of Disney+ in the U.S. will be going up by a dollar a month in March 2021. Specifically, Disney+ will be priced at $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year, with the Disney Bundle of Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ priced at $13.99 per month. With Disney+ alone expecting to generate 100 new titles annually, plus originals coming via Hulu and ESPN+, there likely will be little resistance to such a price hike.
Indeed, Disney seems to be on track to become the online streaming leader. Watch out, Netflix!
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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. Pre-order the latest thriller/mystery in the series – Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel – for the Kindle or signed books. He can be contacted at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
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Disney’s very first Christmas cartoon was released on December 11, 1927. It was an Oswald short called “Empty Socks.”
In this film, written and directed by Walt Disney himself and animated by Ub Iwerks and two others, Oswald and his pals volunteer to bring holiday gifts to kids at an orphanage. The children then cause all sorts of havoc with their new toys and Oswald has to rein them in.
Courtesy of Top Disney
Two months after this movie debuted in New York City, Walt had a meeting there with his business partner - Charles Mintz - who informed Walt that Universal was claiming full rights to Oswald and taking most of Walt’s animation staff from him. This betrayal led directly to the creation of Mickey Mouse by Walt and Ub Iwerks, who remained at Disney.
In 2006, Universal traded the rights to Oswald back to Disney in exchange for the contract rights to broadcaster Al Michaels (true story!)
“Empty Socks” was one of many early Disney cartoons thought lost forever, but a partial copy (about four of six minutes) was found in Norway in 2014 and given to the Disney Archives.
During the December 10 Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day 2020 online event, the Marvel slate for Disney+ and movies was updated.
We already knew that WandaVision will debut on Disney+ on January 15. But we also got dates (well, months) for when some other already-announced series would premiere. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier – described by Kevin Feige as a movie played out over six episodes – will arrive in March 2021. Loki, being classified as a crime thriller, comes in May 2021. The animated What If…? series arrives in the summer of 2021.
Late in 2021, both Ms. Marvel and Hawkeye will land on Disney+.
After noting that She Hulk and Moon Knight are still happening, Feige announced other series – Secret Invasion starring Sam Jackson as Nick Fury; Ironheart; Armor Wars with Don Cheadle; and coming in late 2023, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
In terms of new information on the MCU movies front, Feige noted that the role of Black Panther will not be recast, and work on Marvel’s first family, the Fantastic Four, has begun, and it will be directed by Jon Watts.
Also, Peyton Reed will direct the third Ant-Man film, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and it will include Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror.
Finally, it was interesting to hear Bob Iger declare that Disney+ will be producing 100+ new titles each year.
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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. Pre-order the latest thriller/mystery in the series – Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel – for the Kindle or signed books. He can be contacted at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!
During the December 10 Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day 2020 stream, assorted movies and series were highlighted from LucasFilm.
Perhaps most notable was the announcement that Patty Jenkins will be directing a new Star Wars movie Rogue Squadron, to be released at Christmas 2023. Taika Waititi also will be directing a Star Wars film, which he is currently writing.
On Disney+, spinoffs from The Mandalorian, and courtesy of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, are on the way: Rangers of the New Republic and Ahsoka.
Also noted were the previously announced Andor, a spy genre in the Star Wars universe and a prequel to Rogue One, starring Diego Luna. It has started production.
And the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series, taking place 10 years after Revenge of the Sith, started production in March. Not only is Ewan McGregor returning in the Obi-Wan role, but also Hayden Christensen – i.e., Darth Vader – will return.
Animated Star Wars series on the way are The Bad Batch, Star Wars Visions, and A Droid Story.
For good measure, two more live-action Star Wars series were announced – Lando and The Acolyte.
Finally, it was announced that Indiana Jones 5 will start filming in the spring, and is scheduled for release in July 2022.
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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. Pre-order the latest thriller/mystery in the series – Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel – for the Kindle or signed books. He can be contacted at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!
During the Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day 2020 stream on December 10, it was noted that total streaming subscribers stood at 137 million as of December 2.
That broke down as 86.8 million for Disney+, 38.8 million for Hulu, and 11.5 million for ESPN+. That blows away their projections served up back in November of 2019.
In addition, it was announced that Disney+ will be adding new content weekly, and that will include in coming years 10 new Star Wars Disney+ series and 10 Marvel series.
Whoa.
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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. Pre-order the latest thriller/mystery in the series – Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel – for the Kindle or signed books. He can be contacted at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!
The Walt Disney Company kicked off its Investor Day 2020 stream at 4:00 PM EST on December 10.
Right up front, Disney CEO Bob Chapek noted that Disney+ subscribers, as of December 2, registered 86.8 million.
For good measure, Chapek noted that the company is now guided by a “direct-to-consumer first business model.”
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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. Pre-order the latest thriller/mystery in the series – Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel – for the Kindle or signed books. He can be contacted at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!
On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, staffers at TIME Magazine, one of the most influential weekly news publications in history, were mostly at home after spending the week putting the finishing touches on a special year-end issue that would feature the popular Disney character Dumbo - whose movie had premiered a few months before - as “Mammal of The Year,” in a whimsical departure from their usual “Man of the Year” covers.
This was intended to help ease tensions during a time when the world was still feeling the effects of the Great Depression and was already at war in Europe, Asia, and other parts of the globe.
It was also meant to show how Walt Disney’s influence on American culture was widening since his 1937 massive hit with Snow White.
Disney artists were commissioned to provide a black and white sketch of Dumbo, to match the usual style of portraits seen on TIME’s covers.
When the U.S. Navy’s fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was unexpectedly attacked and destroyed by the Japanese that day, taking over 2,400 lives, the U.S. was instantly thrust into the war, and the focus of TIME (and every other publication) changed.
Dumbo was immediately bumped from the cover in favor of U.S. military leaders. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, one of the runners up to Dumbo, was named TIME’s Man of the Year for the third successive year.
The story about Dumbo did run, but it was buried inside the magazine after dozens of pages about the war. The Disney Studio property in Burbank, California, was commandeered by the U.S. Army (due to its proximity to a Lockheed production facility) and Walt lost much of his staff to the service.
Disney spent most of World War II producing films at cost for the military, as well as designing insignia and logos for them. The studio didn’t begin to turn a profit again until 1950.
Things were already difficult in California, with stay-at-home orders enacted and COVID-19 rates that continue to skyrocket. Now Disneyland is taking another hit as they scale back their recently reopened dining venues, and, according to the Orange County Register, furlough 350 additional workers.
In keeping with the latest safety measures handed down by California and its various levels of local government, Disneyland will be closing all restaurants and dining locations that do not offer a take-out option tomorrow (Monday, December 7th.) Retail locations remain open for holiday shoppers, with reduced 20% capacities.
Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure themselves remain closed, but the Downtown Disney District of shopping and dining venues had embarked on a phased reopening for the holidays, including an expansion onto Buena Vista Street. The Disneyland Resort Hotels will remain closed as well, with Disney announcing that all reservations through December 31 have been cancelled.
As this situation is very fluid, and changes are occurring almost daily, guests who are planning to visit the Downtown Disney District should check the Downtown Disney website before finalizing their trip.
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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.
Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!
The Walt Disney Company has announced that it’s getting out of the radio business early next year.
As part of the company’s ongoing restructuring, Disney revealed that it will be closing Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country in early 2021. That will mean the loss of 36 full and part-time positions.
Radio Disney kicked off in November 1996, with Radio Disney Country added as a digital channel in 2015. Disney had owned 23 radio stations at one point, but sold 22 of those in 2014, with KRDC-AM in Los Angeles remaining. That station will be sold in 2021.
In a statement from Radio Disney, it was noted: “Radio Disney and Radio Disney Country will cease operations in the first quarter of 2021… The difficult decision to close these two radio networks coincided with Disney’s recently announced structural changes that call for Disney Branded Television to sharpen its focus on increasing production of kids’ and family content for Disney+ and Disney Channels. Division leaders also took into account the fast evolving media environment that provides more personalized music choices than ever to a generation of young consumers, and the ongoing public health crisis that continues to affect in-person music events.”
The fast-changing transformation in the way consumers get and consume entertainment continues.
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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. Pre-order the latest thriller/mystery in the series – Vatican Shadows: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel – for the Kindle or signed books. He can be contacted at raykeating@keatingreports.com.
Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!
COVID-19 has brought the fun at another Disney Park to a grinding halt. For the third time, Disney’s Hong Kong park will close due to rising COVID numbers, beginning tomorrow (December 2, 2020).
According to Disney, “As required by the government and in line with preventative efforts taking place across Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland park will temporarily close beginning December 2. We are in close contact with health authorities and the government about the situation, and will announce a reopening date once they determine it is advisable.”
Following their initial closure in January 2020, Hong Kong Disneyland reopened in June, but then closed again in July, reopening yet again in September. Hong Kong was one of the Disney parks cited at the Q4 earnings call in early November as being a net positive for Disney’s bottom line. Christine McCarthy, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Walt Disney Company, reported at the earnings call, “Walt Disney World, Shanghai Disney Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland all achieved a net positive contribution in the quarter, which means we generated revenue that exceeded the variable costs associated with re-opening.”
This is the second Disney Park to re-close because of COVID-19. Disneyland Paris, after re-opening in mid-July, closed for a second time in late October, with a hopeful re-launch date of Feb. 12, 2021. Disneyland California remains closed for the foreseeable future, and Disney Cruise Lines are sitting at the docks awaiting future sailing dates, having extended suspension of all departures through at least January 31, 2021. Sailings are cancelled on board the Disney Magic, Disney Wonder and Disney Dream through February 1 and the Disney Fantasy through February 6.
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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.
Please support the efforts of DisneyBizJournal.com to bring news, analysis and commentary on Disney to readers such as yourself. Make a contribution right here via PayPal. Thanks!
