How Comfortable are Americans with Disney-Related Activities?

by Ray Keating

Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 12, 2020

In this era of the coronavirus and shutdowns, entrepreneurs, CEOs and managers need to keep a close eye on what consumers are comfortable or not comfortable doing – and that includes visiting amusement parks, like Walt Disney World and Disneyland, going to the movies (when is Black Widow arriving in theaters, again?), and so on.

Morning Consult regularly takes the temperature of Americans regarding their comfort levels with assorted pastimes. The survey basically covers 14 undertakings, and the pollster asked if people were comfortable doing such things now, and when in the future would they feel comfortable doing so. Given the expanse of the Walt Disney Company’s business portfolio, six of these activities pertain directly to the House of Mouse, that is, going to an amusement park, going out to eat at a restaurant or cafe, going to the movies, heading to a work conference, attending a theater performance, and going on vacation. (Other undertakings that people were polled on also pertain to Disney’s businesses – such as attending a concert, going to a shopping mall, traveling abroad, socializing in public places, going to a sporting event – but for now, we focused on the following activities that, again, were more directly tied to Disney.)

Visiting an Amusement Park. When Morning Consult asked U.S. adults about how comfortable they are going to an amusement park now (the most recent survey was taken over August 4-7 and released on August 10), 17% said they were “very” or “somewhat” comfortable. In contrast, 76% said they were “very” or “somewhat” uncomfortable.

Looking ahead, when asked “Based on what you know about the coronavirus, when would you feel comfortable” going out to an amusement, 8% said in the next two weeks, a total of 20% said within the next three months, and 31% within six months, while 43% said more than six months from now, with 25% saying they didn’t know or had no opinion.

That’s a troubling breakdown, reflecting a significant degree of uncertainty and caution – as is the case, to varying degrees, with the rest of the activities about which people were polled.

Eating Out. Morning Consult asked about how comfortable Americans are going out to eat now. Thirty-six percent (36%) said they were “very” or “somewhat” comfortable. In contrast, 59% said they were “very” or “somewhat” uncomfortable.

Looking ahead, when asked “Based on what you know about the coronavirus, when would you feel comfortable” going out to eat, 25% said in the next two weeks, a total of 48% said within the next three months, and 60% within six months, while 24% said more than six months from now, with 16% saying they didn’t know or had no opinion.

Going to the Movies. Morning Consult asked how comfortable U.S. adults are going to the movies now. In response, 19% said they were “very” or “somewhat” comfortable. In contrast, 75% said they were “very” or “somewhat” uncomfortable.

Looking ahead, when asked “Based on what you know about the coronavirus, when would you feel comfortable” going out to the movies, 8% said in the next two weeks, a total of 27% said within the next three months, and 40% within six months, while 39% said more than six months from now, with 20% saying they didn’t know or had no opinion.

Going to a Work Conference. In response to the question of how comfortable U.S. adults are going to a work conference now, 18% said they were “very” or “somewhat” comfortable. In contrast, 67% said they were “very” or “somewhat” uncomfortable.

Looking ahead, when asked “Based on what you know about the coronavirus, when would you feel comfortable” going out to a work conference, 9% said in the next two weeks, a total of 24% said within the next three months, and 34% within six months, while 35% said more than six months from now, with 31% saying they didn’t know or had no opinion.

Remember, if you’re in the hotel and resort business, which Disney obviously is, then you’re in the conference business.

Attending a Theater Performance. When asked how comfortable they are going to a theater performance now, 14% of U.S. adults said they were “very” or “somewhat” comfortable. In contrast, 77% said they were “very” or “somewhat” uncomfortable.

Looking ahead, when asked “Based on what you know about the coronavirus, when would you feel comfortable” going to a theater performance, 7% said in the next two weeks, a total of 20% said within the next three months, and 31% within six months, while 43% said more than six months from now, with 25% saying they didn’t know or had no opinion.

Don't forget that Disney has shows that make their homes on Broadway.

Taking a Vacation. When asked how comfortable they are going on vacation now, 30% of U.S. adults said they were “very” or “somewhat” comfortable. In contrast, 64% said they were “very” or “somewhat” uncomfortable.

Looking ahead, when asked “Based on what you know about the coronavirus, when would you feel comfortable” going on vacation, 14% said in the next two weeks, a total of 33% said within the next three months, and 46% within six months, while 36% said more than six months from now, with 19% saying they didn’t know or had no opinion.

The better news for a company like Disney (understanding that none of this is good news) is that the eating out and going on vacation numbers came in the best in this group. For example, in terms of eating out, 36% of Americans are comfortable now and 60% expect to be so within six months. As for going on a vacation, 30% are comfortable now, and 46% expect to be within six months. 

Eating out and taking a vacation are pretty broad categories, however, that can cover an assortment of undertakings. When one focuses on more detailed activities, the outlook becomes even more troubling for Disney. 

• As for going to amusement parks, 17% of Americans are comfortable now and only 31% expect to be so within six months. 

• As for going to the movies, 19% of Americans are comfortable now and 40% expect to be so within six months. 

• As for going to a work conference, 18% of Americans are comfortable now and just 34% expect to be so within six months. 

• As for going to the theater, 14% of Americans are comfortable now and only 31% expect to be so within six months. 

Air Travel. For good measure, toss in the result from another poll that clearly relates to Disney. On August 6, Gallup reported poll results on Americans’ views on air travel, noting that “about half of American adults who flew at least once a year before the pandemic (52%) currently say they would not be comfortable flying. This figure varies significantly by age and political affiliation; most notably, 69% of American air travelers aged 55 and older say they would not be comfortable flying, compared with 33% of those aged 18 to 34.” The age issue is worth highlighting, given that, as Gallup observed, “baby boomers and retirees are important market segments for leisure travel.”

Also, the length of travel comes into play: “When asked whether they would currently be comfortable taking flights of various durations, almost half say they would be OK with taking one that lasted less than two hours (44%) or two to three hours (47%). However, this figure drops to just over one-fourth (27%) for flights lasting four to six hours and to about one-fifth (21%) for those longer than six hours.”

Disney and other companies have to be ready for when vaccines and therapeutics arrive in the marketplace, and consumers get back to normal. Until then, managing theme parks, movie releases, theater performances, hotels and conferences, and restaurants promises to be a significant challenge, requiring innovation and agility. Oh yeah, there’s always Disney+.

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Also, get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

Spend an Evening with Alan Menken and Be Part of Disney History

by Beth Keating
News

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 10, 2020

Until Friday, you have the opportunity to share a virtual evening with Disney Legend and composer Alan Menken for a good cause – a fundraiser for The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. The event, originally held on August 6, will be available to viewers until August 14.

“An Evening With Alan Menken” was seen by more than 20,000 fans, and featured music, storytelling and interviews. In the first portion of the evening, a VIP ticketed event, Menken was interviewed by former Disney music exec Chris Montan. It was followed by “An Intimate Performance With Alan Menken.” 

Special guest and fellow composer and lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda then jumps in to join the festivities. Throughout, Menken plays medleys of his songs, from Hercules, Little Shop of Horrors, Pocahontas, Enchanted, Newsies, Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tangled, Galavant, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and more. Along the way, the composers also chat about the creative process of writing for animation.

Mr. Menken is a newly minted EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winner), the 16th person to ever do so. (You get to take a peek at his trophies during the show, as he takes you on a quick tour down the hall to his studio room.) 

Disney fans, however, perhaps know Menken best as half of the writing duo, with Howard Ashman, who brought you the music to such Disney Renaissance Age animation favorites as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin. His musical career spans nearly 40 years, though, including 8 Oscars (4 for Best Song and 4 for Best Score), a 2012 Tony award for his score for Newsies, and 11 Grammy Awards, with Song of the Year for Aladdin’s “A Whole New World”. 

In 2001, he was named a “Disney Legend,” and in 2008, he was inducted as a member into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame. Also, 2010 brought him his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Menken is currently partnering with Disney alum Miranda in creating some of the new tunes to be added to the upcoming live-action The Little Mermaid.

The Walt Disney Family Museum was founded by Walt’s daughter, Diane Disney Miller, so that her father’s legacy would be preserved, but also to help support future animators. The proceeds from the evening fund the education programs at the museum, as well as a new initiative called the At-Promise Youth Animation Academy, an intensive, state-of-the-art animation-focused training program for high school students.

The Menken-evening benefit was underwritten by The Walt Disney Company, Michele Lund, and The Janet and Clint Reilly Family Foundation, as well as a number of others. An anonymous donor will also match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000. The evening has raised $154,000 as of Monday afternoon, but it’s not too late to be part of the efforts if you’d like. The link to the donation button for the “Evening With Alan Menken” at The Walt Disney Family Museum is here.  

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

Almost Everything You Should Know about “The Little Mermaid”

by Chris Lucas

Guest Column

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 9, 2020

(Editor’s Note: No one is quite sure when Disney’s live-action (and computer-generated?) remake of The Little Mermaid will start filming or be released. Thankfully, though, Chris Lucas has served up a wealth of fun information about the original, beloved animated movie.)

Here are some things you might not know about 1989’s The Little Mermaid, Disney’s 28th animated classic.

• Walt Disney himself loved the 1837 Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale about the Little Mermaid so much that he began developing a short, animated version in the 1930s. He’d hoped to make a feature film of it after Snow White, but World War II and financial issues put a stop to that and it never was produced. 

• Walt’s gravesite in Glendale, California, where his ashes are interred, has a statue of the Little Mermaid in the garden. It’s a small replica of the famous one in Copenhagen, Denmark, that Walt so admired. 

Courtesy of Top Disney

• In 1986, Disney animators revived the idea of a Little Mermaid feature. Like Walt, they chose to soften the original Andersen story, which is very grim.

• The Little Mermaid would be the very last Disney animated classic to use hand drawn ink and paint cells, Xerox duplication, and non-digital cameras and film to shoot.

• Millions of animated bubbles were needed for the underwater scenes, so Disney hired a Chinese animation firm to do the work to save time.

• Lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken were brought on board the project to structure it more like a Broadway show, including a musical number early on where the protagonist clearly lays out for the audience what they most want. Almost every Disney animated musical feature has followed that pattern since.

• Actress Jodi Benson had worked with Howard Ashman on a 1986 Broadway show called Smile so he recommended her for the title role of Ariel. She’s played it ever since. In addition, Benson is the voice of Barbie in the Toy Story movies and Weebo the robot in 1997’s Flubber. She also appears in the 2007 live-action Disney film Enchanted. 

• Ariel’s “want” song, “Part of Your World” was close to a reprise of the song “Somewhere That’s Green” sung by Audrey in Ashman/Menken’s 1986 Off-Broadway hit Little Shop of Horrors. Disney producer Jeffrey Katzenberg wanted it cut, but luckily it wasn’t and is still one of the most popular Disney Princess songs.

• Originally, there was a very British butler/Major Domo crab assistant for King Triton, called Clarence (think Zasu from The Lion King, or Cogsworth from Beauty & The Beast). Ashman suggested that they change him to a Caribbean crustacean, giving his songs a Calypso beat. Actor Samuel E. Wright was hired to play Sebastian the Crab, and he gave him a Trinidadian accent. Sebastian was a breakout star and got his own best-selling CD of Calypso songs in 1990. 

• For the look of the villainous sea witch Ursula, Ashman approved an homage to performer Harris Milstead - better known by the stage name Divine - who’d recently passed away. The role was written for Bea Arthur, but she declined, so Pat Carroll was cast. Carroll used some vocal and character touches of Madame Medusa from 1977’s The Rescuers and Cruella DeVil from 101 Dalmatians for Ursula, as well as a little from Hollywood legend Talulah Bankhead and Howard Ashman himself. 

• Ursula was supposed to be revealed as King Triton’s sister - Ariel’s aunt - but that plot line was dropped from the finished film.

• Speaking of sisters, Ariel is one of seven daughters of Triton. They represent the seven seas. All of them have names that begin with the letter A, and each one has a tail that’s a different color of the rainbow. 

• The role of Prince Eric was voiced by 16-year-old Christopher D. Barnes. His assistant, Grimsby, was played by 74-year-old Ben Wright, who’d voiced the role of Roger in 101 Dalmatians 28 years before. Wright died just before The Little Mermaid was released. The film was dedicated to him.

• The world premiere of The Little Mermaid was held at Walt Disney World (where some of the animation was done) in November 1989, at the AMC theater in Downtown Disney. It was shown on all ten screens. 

• It cost $40 million to make The Little Mermaid. It took in more than that in under a month. In all, the film grossed over $200 million (which would be more than double that amount in 2020, adjusted for inflation) and was #9 at the box office in 1989, a very competitive year full of blockbuster films. The money it made helped to save Disney’s animation department from being shut for good.

• For the first time since 1977, a Disney animated classic was nominated for an Oscar. The Little Mermaid won two, both in the musical category. That started an amazing streak. From 1989 to 2001, Disney lost the Best Song category just four times. Twice it was because there were no nominations in that category for Disney, and once because they were up against "My Heart Will Go On" from the juggernaut that was 1997's Titanic.

• In 1990 The Little Mermaid was released on VHS. That marked the first time a Disney animated classic was ever made available on home video before at least one re-release to theaters. It sold 7 million copies in one month. 

• The continued success of The Little Mermaid has led to two direct-to-video sequels, an animated TV series, video games, a 1997 theatrical re-release, a 2007 Broadway adaptation, a live TV singalong version, an upcoming live-action remake, and several theme park attractions.

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Chris Lucas is the author of Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, from the Man to the Mouse and Beyond.

On the PRESS CLUB C Podcast, enjoy Ray’s recent discussion with Chris Lucas about his career as an actor, author and Disney expert. Tune in right here!

Reduced Hours for Disney World Parks Post-Labor Day

by Beth Keating

News/Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 8, 2020

Get ready – park hours at Walt Disney World will soon be reduced.

If you think you’ve locked down everything you need to know for an upcoming Disney getaway, think again. There are more changes coming your way. In the past few weeks, we’ve seen changes to restaurants and kiosks opening and then closing; changes to which hotels are available and when; changes to virtual queues; changes to the park reservation system; and even changes to face mask guidelines. Now, park hours will be reduced after Labor Day.

Starting on September 8th, there will be changes to the operating hours of Disney World’s parks. Park hours for Magic Kingdom will be 9am-6pm (they were 9am-7pm).  EPCOT will be open 11am-7pm (previously 11am-9pm).  Hollywood Studios will be 10am-7pm (previously 10am-8pm). Animal Kingdom will be 9am-5pm (previously 8am-6pm).

Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios will have one less hour to entertain guests, but there will be two less hours to enjoy Epcot and Animal Kingdom. It should be noted that Disney typically does reduce some of the park hours post-Labor Day anyway, when the peak summer crowds head back to school. But prior years’ Fall park hours were still in the neighborhood of a 9 or 10 o’clock closing. Remember the days when Hollywood Studios had a 6am Extra Magic Hour?  If you’ve watched any vloggers from the parks of late, though, you have obviously seen for yourself that guest attendance drops off dramatically toward the end of the day, potentially because with such low crowds, guests have already ridden all the rides to their satisfaction. 

As coronavirus changes continue to impact guests’ travel plans, it is likely that this isn’t the last we will see of shifts in operating hours.  Stay flexible!

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

Florida Lifts Travel Restrictions for Guests From New York Tri-State Area

by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 6, 2020

Guests arriving from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut may now have an easier time keeping that Disney World reservation, thanks to the fact that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis today rescinded the 14-day quarantine restrictions on travelers arriving in Florida from those three states.  

But don’t celebrate quite yet – New York’s quarantine restrictions for arrivals from 35 other states including Florida remain in effect. So, New Yorkers might not have to use those 14 days to quarantine when arriving in Florida, but they will upon returning home. 

In fact, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced yesterday that additional traveler registration check points at major bridge and tunnel entries to New York City will begin operating today (August 6) to ensure quarantine compliance requirements and completion of New York State Department of Health Traveler Forms.

On March 23, with COVID-19 numbers rising across the tri-state region, Florida Governor DeSantis imposed restrictions on people traveling via airplane to Florida from New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. He also established checkpoints on highways coming into Florida to inform out-of-state travelers of the mandatory quarantine. In June, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo “returned the favor” by implementing a similar quarantine restriction on travel from Florida, one of the first states to make it to New York’s list, although there are now 35 states under travel restrictions.  New York’s Executive Order is based on a seven-day rolling average of positive tests in excess of 10%, or number of positive cases exceeding 10 per 100,000 residents, and imposes fines of $10,000 for individuals who fail to quarantine.

So, instead of blocking out more than a full month (33 days) for a five day trip to Disney (14 days in Florida quarantine, 5 days in Disney, and 14 days of quarantine upon returning home), New Yorkers now only have to set aside just under three weeks (19 days) for a 5 day Disney getaway (5 days in Disney, and 14 days of quarantine upon returning home). 

How badly do you want that Dole Whip?

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

Chapek: The New Content Guy?

by Ray Keating

Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 5, 2020

Will Bob Chapek be more of a content guy than Bob Iger was as CEO of Disney?

I ask this question largely due to a feel I got listening to Chapek on the Disney earnings call yesterday.

Chapek’s excitement about the direct-to-consumer (DTC) future of the company was palpable. In particular, he seemed to get most animated talking about bringing new content to Disney+. As he put it, “new hot tentpole content” is what drives new subscribers.

That was a slightly different emphasis than what we largely heard from Iger since Disney+ was first announced and launched in November. No doubt that Iger recognized and spoke of the importance of new content for Disney+, but Iger also was somewhat cautious about overly emphasizing the importance of new content, usually preferring to reference the vast existing Disney library serving as a foundation for Disney+. 

Of course, Iger was right about the Disney library serving as the foundation for Disney+, but Chapek also is correct in understanding that while the existing library will make, and has made, Disney a top streaming player, that library must be expanded significantly in order to generate the excitement needed to push Disney+ into the same category as Netflix.

Chapek highlighted the arrival this fall of both the second season of The Mandalorian and the new The Right Stuff series to Disney+. He also mentioned that Marvel shows are ready to resume production. And we know that other Marvel and Star Wars projects will be coming to Disney+ as well.

While it might just be a stylistic difference between Chapek and Iger, Chapek came across yesterday as a streaming racehorse, anxiously waiting for this pandemic to pass so that the gates can spring open, unleashing his company’s considerable resources on new content. If that’s the case, Disney+ subscribers, and company shareholders, might have reason to be excited about the Chapek era.

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Also, get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

Disney Earnings Call: “Mulan” Arriving on Sept. 4 as a Disney+ Extra, Disney+ Subscribers Up, Earnings Down

by Ray Keating

Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 4, 2020

Disney’s earnings report today provided additional information about how hard the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the company, and how much the company is pushing direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming. That importance of this combination came through loud and clear when Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced that Mulan would be released on September 4 as a premiere access event priced at $29.99 on Disney+.

Disney+ subscribers now top 60.5 million – far exceeding expectations. Disney’s combined streaming subscriber numbers – that is, including Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ - exceeds 100 million.

As of June 27, 2020, Hulu subscribers came in at 35.5 million and ESPN+ at 8.5 million.

On the earnings front, Disney suffered a loss in third quarter ending June 27, 2020, of $2.61 diluted earnings per share (that is, earnings per share if all convertible securities, including, for example, stock options and warrants, were exercised) compared to income of $0.79 for the prior-year quarter. For the nine months ending June 27, Disney experienced a loss of $1.17 versus income of $5.97 in the prior-year period. After adjusting certain items for comparability, diluted EPS for the latest quarter was down by 94 percent to $0.08 from $1.34 in the prior year.

Obviously, this biggest hit came in the theme parks area, with Disney reporting, “The most significant impact was at the Parks, Experiences and Products segment as most of our theme parks and resorts were closed for the entire quarter and our cruise ship sailings were suspended.” Specifically, it was noted, “Parks, Experiences and Products revenues for the quarter decreased 85% to $1.0 billion, and segment operating results decreased $3.7 billion to a loss of $2.0 billion. Lower operating results for the quarter were due to decreases at both the domestic and international parks and experiences businesses and to a lesser extent, at our merchandise licensing and retail businesses.”

It was clear in Chapek’s comments that the big push at Disney is on the DTC front, especially with Disney+. And while the premiere access of Mulan on Disney+ was called a “one off” by Chapek, he also highlighted this as an opportunity to learn. Indeed, it appeared that Chapek was very interested in pay-per-view offerings on Disney’s own streaming service.

Oh yes, and Bob Iger wasn’t on the call. Chapek was flying solo.

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of thePastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Also, get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

From King of Disney Streaming to TikTok Troubles: The Strange Journey of Kevin Mayer

by Ray Keating

Analysis

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 3, 2020

It’s been a wild eight-plus months for Kevin Mayer, the former head of Disney’s streaming business.

In November of last year, Disney+ launched to great acclaim, and subscriber numbers ran far ahead of expectations. The new streaming service and Hulu were under the leadership of Mayer at the Walt Disney Company. He was riding high, and most watchers expected him to be named Bob Iger’s successor to run the entire House of Mouse empire.

However, Iger and Disney surprised just about everyone in February, when Iger announced he was stepping down immediately as CEO, and Bob Chapek – not Mayer – was named to run the Walt Disney Company.

About three months later, on May 18, Mayer announced that he was resigning from Disney to take the job of CEO of TikTok, the app for easily making and sharing short videos, as well as chief operating officer of the app’s parent company, ByteDance, a Beijing-based company.

It’s not unusual for a key executive passed over for the C-Suite to leave for another position. But Mayer had one of the best streaming jobs at the top entertainment company on the planet. And while TikTok had gained enormous popularity – though largely among teens – there were questions about the company. And those questions have only multiplied since Mayer became CEO at the app.

The combination of TikTok’s wild popularity and the fact that it is a Chinese company, with potential exposure to informational demands and controls by the Chinese communist government, makes for an uncertain future, to say the least. The U.S. federal government has national security concerns, and has unleashed attacks on TikTok, with President Trump threatening to shut it down in the U.S. The Indian government already has banned TikTok in that country. 

Clearly, TikTok was hoping that hiring Mayer, as an American CEO, would help, along with Mayer’s U.S.-China experience given the fact that Disney is deeply involved in China, with parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong. 

In fact, the ByteDance founder, Zhang Yiming, took certain structural precautions with his company hoping to avoid political woes. The New York Times reported:

He made TikTok unavailable in China so the video app’s users wouldn’t be subject to the Communist Party’s censorship requirements. He stored user data in Virginia and Singapore. He hired managers in the United States to run the app and lobbyists in Washington to fight for it on Capitol Hill. None of that counted for much in the end.

In the U.S., the politics have swung between Trump threatening to close the app down to the president being open to Microsoft buying the U.S. business of TikTok. And in a still more bizarre and unprecedented twist, President Trump wants the U.S. Treasury to receive “a lot of money” for “making it possible for this deal to happen.” 

According to The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft not only is interested in TikTok’s U.S. business, but talks also are covering the app’s business in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. September 15 stands as the target date, for now, to get a deal done. Microsoft apparently is enticed by the idea of expanding its business to young consumers, given the company’s success in recent years with corporate customers.

Whether a Microsoft deal gets done or not, either outcome presents further uncertainty for Mayer. If Microsoft purchases this chunk of TikTok, one would think that Mayer would go with the U.S. part of the business. And then one has to wonder if Microsoft would want to keep Mayer in the top spot at the U.S. version of TikTok. If so, he would suddenly be back running one part of a larger business. If the Microsoft deal doesn’t materialize and the app gets shutdown in the U.S., what value would Mayer then bring to TikTok?

So, many questions and unknowns loom for a guy who, just a few months ago, was one of the top players in online streaming. Indeed, Mayer has gone from the heights of playing a key role at one of the world’s top brands – Disney – to now slogging around in the muck of political controversy in the U.S., China and India. You have to wonder if Mayer is wondering.

In the end, Kevin Mayer might still emerge from this seeming mess sitting pretty – perhaps leading a Microsoft effort to compete with Facebook. But right now, it seems that leaving the leading streaming gig at Disney might not have been the best choice for Mr. Mayer.

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Also, get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

Magic Kingdom is Number One Everywhere in the World!

by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 2, 2020

It’s a topic that Disney fans argue about endlessly: Which amusement park is number one? Of course, for Disney fans, the argument is usually about which Disney park is number one among Disney’s parks. (For good measure, many would also argue that Disney parks are theme parks, not amusement parks, in the strictest sense of the word.)

Source: Disney Parks Blog

Be that as it may, TripAdvisor has named five Disney parks to their 2020 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Awards in the “Top 25 Amusement Parks-United States” category, with Magic Kingdom taking the top spot. (Told you so, Ray… see DisneyBizJournal’s debate here!) 

On the international side, seven Disney Parks make the cut for the 2020 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Awards in the “Top 25 Amusement Parks - World” category, with Magic Kingdom once again wearing the crown.

“Every year, we pull together all the reviews, ratings, and saves that travelers share from across the globe — and use that info to spotlight the very best,” reports TripAdvisor. “The Travelers' Choice Best of the Best awards celebrates them all.”

On the 2020 “United States” list, Magic Kingdom ranks #1, with Animal Kingdom coming in at #3, Disneyland California #7, Hollywood Studios at #8, and Disney California Adventure at #10. On the “World” list, Magic Kingdom still reigns supreme at the #1 spot, with Animal Kingdom jumping in at #4 internationally, Disneyland California at #11, Hollywood Studios at #12, Disney California Adventure at #15, Hong Kong Disneyland at #20, and Disneyland Paris at #21.

But wait! There are more Disney Parks topping the lists. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon takes the top spot on the “Top 25 Water Parks-United States” with Blizzard Beach swimming up behind it at #2.  Alas, though, they didn’t fare as well internationally.  Typhoon Lagoon only makes it to #6 and Blizzard Beach plummets to #19 on the “Top 25 Water Parks – World” list. (Siam Park in Spain takes #1.)

For your debate knowledge, here’s the complete list of the “Top 25 Amusement Parks-United States”:

1.    Magic Kingdom Park (Orlando, FL)

2.    Universal’s Islands of Adventure (Orlando, FL)

3.    Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Orlando, FL)

4.    Universal Studios Florida (Orlando, FL)

5.    Universal Studios Hollywood (Los Angeles, CA)

6.    Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN)

7.    Disneyland Park (Anaheim, CA)

8.    Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Orlando, FL)

9.    Silver Dollar City (Branson, MO)

10. Disney California Adventure Park (Anaheim, CA)

11. Bay Beach Amusement Park (Green Bay, WI)

12. Fun Spot America (Kissimmee, FL)

13. Knoebels Amusement Park (Elysburg, PA)

14. Santa’s Village (Jefferson, NH)

15. Seabreeze Amusement Park (Rochester, NY)

16. Busch Gardens (Tampa, FL)

17. Funland (Rehoboth Beach, DE)

18. Dutch Wonderland (Lancaster, PA)

19. Canobie Lake Park (Salem, NH)

20. Silverwood Theme Park (Athol, ID)

21. Kentucky Kingdom (Louisville, KY)

22. Nickelodeon Universe (Bloomington, MN)

23. Busch Gardens Williamsburg (Williamsburg, VA)

24. Cedar Point (Sandusky, OH)

25. LEGOLAND California (Carlsbad, CA)

Now you have a whole new set of Bucket Lists to follow.

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Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

Disney and Former Mighty Ducks Fan Says Welcome Back to the NHL

by Chris Lucas

Guest Column

DisneyBizJournal.com

August 1, 2020

Welcome back NHL!

Though I’m not the biggest hockey fan in the world, I’m surrounded by lots of them, so I do appreciate the game. 

My older brother, Eddie, is a diehard New York Rangers fan - as are most of the kids he played street hockey with in Jersey City. My younger brothers, and a lot of my friends, are New Jersey Devils fans. There are a few Islanders fans scattered here and there, too.

As for me, I went with Disney. 

When the Mighty Ducks morphed from kids movie to a real franchise in 1993, I became a hockey fan, wearing all the Mighty Ducks gear. 

I was the only one wearing it, and boy, did I get mocked at Madison Square Garden and the Brendan Byrne Arena. That was the same time that the Rangers and Devils were winning Stanley Cups, so I picked a good time to follow the sport.

In 2003, the Mighty Ducks made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. The game was being played just five miles from my house! I put on my gear and bluffed my way in, landing seats right behind the Ducks bench. I even got to hang out with Wild Wing, their mascot, only to watch them lose to the Devils.

Like almost everyone else in Jersey City, I did get a picture with Lord Stanley’s Cup, since the Devils brought it around to so many bars and events.

My boys have gone to a handful of hockey games, but they haven’t expressed an interest in a team or the game yet. Me? I stopped following the Ducks after Disney sold them in 2005 and they dropped the “Mighty” part. (Though they did win the Cup in 2007.)

Looking forward to seeing the pucks drop! 

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Chris Lucas is the author of Top Disney: 100 Top Ten Lists of the Best of Disney, from the Man to the Mouse and Beyond.

On the PRESS CLUB C Podcast, enjoy Ray’s recent discussion with Chris Lucas about his career as an actor, author and Disney expert. Tune in right here!