DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Disney's parks are its top money maker — and it plans to spend $60 billion to keep it that way
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-07 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

It had been more than a year since the Covid pandemic had forced Disney's domestic parks to shutter, but D'Amaro, chair of Disney's experiences division, was confident guests would flood back in when the gates reopened. Revenues fell 35% in 2020, a nearly $10 billion decrease from the $26.2 billion the experiences division had tallied in the year before the pandemic. The experiences division posted record revenue of $32.5 billion in fiscal 2023, a 16% increase from the prior year. Its innovations, from ride mechanics and animatronics to creature design and immersive architecture, have made Disney's parks a standout in the industry. Storytelling is at the heart of everything across Disney's experiences division.

Persons: Mickey Mouse, Ian Langsdon, Josh D'Amaro, D'Amaro, Bob Chapek, D'Amaro —, Walt Disney, King Arthur Carousel, Christian Thompson, you've, it's, Bob Iger, Nelson, Walt Disney Imagineering, Rey, Kylo Ren, Judy Hopps, Imagineers, CNBC —, Lewis, Disney, Imagineering, Matt Stroshane, Alan Bergman Organizations: Paris, Afp, Getty, Gibson, Disney, Walt Disney Imagineering, Hong Kong Disneyland, Walt Disney, Guardians, Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Star Wars, California Disneyland's, Walt Disney Imagineering's, Disney Engineers, Force, Southwest, CNBC, Galactic, Marvel Locations: California, Burbank, Disneyland, Hong Kong, Shanghai Disneyland, Florida, Epcot, Magic, Wharf, Disneyland's, Disney's, Edge

☆ Disney reveals more on huge Magic Kingdom expansion, one part of a $60 billion investment
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Natasha Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Glendale, California CNN —Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the “wildest ride in the wilderness,” sits at one edge of Disney World’s Magic Kingdom park, the most visited theme park in the world. “It’s probably the largest expansion ever at Magic Kingdom,” Michael Hundgen, Walt Disney World site portfolio executive, said Tuesday during a rare media event previewing new Disney attraction designs and technology at its Walt Disney Imagineering facility in California. Disney’s 10-year investment planThe Magic Kingdom expansion is one part of a $60 billion investment Disney has said it’s planning for its parks, cruises and experiences over the next decade. But any plans for expanding the theme park footprint at the Disneyland resort would need Anaheim city approval because of zoning issues. This is really a wild experience.”Charita Carter, executive creative producer at Walt Disney Imagineering, worked on the project from its inception about four years ago.

Persons: “ It’s, ” Michael Hundgen, Walt, Walt Disney, Bob Iger, Josh D'Amaro, Iger, “ it’s, Disney, ” Iger, ”, Mike Pucher, Walt Disney Imagineering Iger, Imagineers, Darth Vader, Imagineer Lanny Smoot, ” Smoot, Smoot, Christian Thompson, Stella Reese Chase, Leah Chase, Chase, “ I’m, I’ve, ” Charita Carter, Walt Disney Imagineering, Carter, “ Organizations: California CNN, Railroad, Disney, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney, Walt, CNN, Universal Orlando Resort, Universal, Comcast, Anaheim City Council, National Inventors Hall of Fame, Research, Walt Disney Imagineering Research, Disneyland’s Locations: Glendale, California, ”, Central Florida, Disney’s Florida, Florida, Anaheim, New Orleans

☆ Disney proxy battle is about a lot more than just two board seats
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

As for the newsletter, in today's big story, we're breaking down Disney's big proxy fight . Activist investor Nelson Peltz's proxy fight against Disney for two seats on the company's board comes to a head at its annual shareholder meeting today. The total amount spent between Disney and its rivals wrangling votes is estimated to be at least $70 million, a record for a proxy fight. The statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse at Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom, at Walt Disney World, in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. 3 things in businessWin McNamee/Getty Images; Chelsea Jia Feng/BIIn other newsAdvertisementWhat's happening todayThe Walt Disney Company's annual meeting will be held today.

Persons: —, Congrats, ya, Bob Iger, Nelson Peltz, Neilson Barnard, David A, Grogan, Nelson, Madeline Berg, BI's Peter Kafka, BI's Grace Eliza Goodwin, Walt Disney, Mickey Mouse, Joe Burbank, Rowe Price, Peltz's Trian, Neuberger Berman, Peltz, It's, Trian, they're, Stocks, Ray Dalio, it's, Quincy Krosby, Jeffrey Buchbinder, Alyssa Powell, Win McNamee, Chelsea Jia Feng, Dan DeFrancesco, Jordan Parker Erb, Hallam Bullock, George Glover Organizations: Business, Service, National, Getty, Disney, Magic, Walt Disney World, Orlando Sentinel, Tribune, Wall, BlackRock, Peltz's Trian Partners, California Public Employees, Financial Times, DuPont, Fed, JPMorgan, Bridgewater Associates, Astera Labs, Arm Holdings, LPL Financial, Apple, Nvidia, BI, Walt Locations: —, Virginia, Lake Buena Vista , Florida, China, Haiti's, New York, London

☆ I'm a travel planner who's been to Disney World over 40 times. Here are 13 things I always do at the parks.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Kari Becker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I grew up going to Disney parks every year, and now I help plan vacations there for a living. I loved organizing Disney vacations so much that I even became a travel planner at Marvelous Mouse Travels, specializing in Disney destinations. Expedition Everest is my favorite ride on the propertyI can't get enough of Expedition Everest, from the theming in the line to the exhilarating ride up the mountain. We always make a point to properly experience Magic Kingdom at nightEverything is even more magical when it's all lit up. It's such a nostalgic part of Disney for me, and my boys love to ride it as much as I do.

Persons: —, I've, you'll, Kari Becker, benedict, Nemo, we're, there's Organizations: Disney, Service, Dole, Floridian, Grand Floridian, Animal Kingdom, Animal, Magic, Thunder Mountain Railroad, Epcot, Contemporary, Yacht Locations: Florida, Magic

☆ First-ever World of Frozen opens at Hong Kong Disneyland
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Maureen Ohare | Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Hong Kong CNN —Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Sven have a new home on a subtropical island in Asia. World of Frozen, Disney’s first-ever themed land dedicated to the “Frozen” media franchise, opened at Hong Kong Disneyland on November 20. Michael Moriarty, managing director of Hong Kong Disneyland, called World of Frozen “the most immersive attraction we’ve ever built.”Hong Kong Disneyland's World of Frozen includes a recreation of the Arendelle Palace and other key elements from the beloved film franchise. Courtesy DisneyHe added that the decision to bring World of Frozen to Hong Kong was influenced by the regional interest in the franchise and the unique natural elements of Lantau Island, where Hong Kong Disneyland is located. Visitors can get to Hong Kong Disneyland by car or via the orange line on Hong Kong’s MTR public transit system.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Sven, Disney’s, Prince Hans, “, Bob Iger, Disney Imagineers, Elsa, Kristoff, ”, Michael Moriarty, ” Moriarty, Moriarty, Arendelle Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong Disneyland, Disney, Disney Parks, Kong’s Locations: Hong Kong, Asia, Hong, Norway, Arendelle, Olaf, Sunny

☆ The conspiracy theory involving a creepy Donald Trump animatronic at Walt Disney World explained — and why people are talking about it once again
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

In 2017, Walt Disney World unveiled an animatronic of then-President Donald Trump. It just looks wrong in a way that doesn't make any sense to my brain," Goldman told Insider. Goldman said the appeal of the Clinton-Trump animatronic conspiracy lies partially in its harmlessness but also its humor. I don't imagine that there's much more that people are willing to tell, but who knows," Goldman told Insider. Walt Disney World and Disney Imagineers did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Persons: Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, —, Trump, Clinton, Alex Goldman, Disney, Goldman, it's, Hillary, Imagineer, Ellen DeGeneres animatronics, he's, Ellen DeGeneres, Disney Imagineers Organizations: Walt Disney World, Service, Walt Disney, Presidents, Disney, Twitter, Trump, Hall, Clinton, Star Wars Locations: Orlando, Epcot, Pirates, Caribbean

☆ Disney is bringing back a 24-day private jet tour of its 12 theme parks – but it'll cost you a whopping $115,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-10 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Disney is relaunching a 24-day private jet tour of its global theme parks for $115,000 per person. $115,000 Guests will visit 12 theme parks while also taking in sights like the Great Pyramid of Giza. Disney is relaunching its 24-day private jet tour, offering wealthy customers the chance to visit 12 of its theme parks around the world. The "Disney Parks Around The World" tour will take guests to six countries — the US, Japan, China, France, Egypt, and India — on a "VIP-configured" Boeing 757 operated by Icelandair. Travelers have to be at least 12 years old, but Disney also provides a suggested age of 14 and over.

Persons: Becky Cline Organizations: Disney, Boeing, Icelandair, Morning, Walt Disney Archives, Travelers Locations: Japan, China, France, Egypt, India, Giza, Los Angeles, Orlando

DeSantis, who is expected to soon announce that he will seek the 2024 Republican nomination for U.S. president, then moved to strip Disney of its long-standing self-governing power over Walt Disney World in Orlando. Democratic State Sen. Linda Stewart, who represents part of Orange County, called it "disappointing" that Florida would lose jobs. Iger's predecessor announced plans in July 2021 to relocate jobs from Southern California to a new facility in central Florida, citing its "business-friendly climate." "I remain optimistic about the direction of our Walt Disney World business," D'Amaro wrote. We have plans to invest $17 billion and create 13,000 jobs over the next ten years.

LOS ANGELES, May 18 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co (DIS.N) is scrapping plans to relocate 2,000 jobs to Florida in part because of "changing business conditions" in the state, according to an e-mail to employees seen by Reuters on Thursday. Disney parks chief Josh D'Amaro said "leadership changes" and "changing business conditions" prompted Disney to reconsider its 2021 plan to relocate employees, including its Imagineers who design theme park rides, to a new campus in Lake Nona. The original decision to relocate employees to Florida from California had prompted complaints from many employees who did not want to move across the country. DeSantis, who is expected to soon announce that he will seek the 2024 Republican nomination for U.S. president, then moved to strip Disney of its long-standing self-governing power over Walt Disney World in Orlando. Iger's predecessor announced plans in July 2021 to relocate jobs from Southern California to a new facility in central Florida, citing its "business-friendly climate."

☆ Disneyland reopens Toontown, designed to be inclusive of 'every single guest'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Parkgoers at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, will finally be able to return to Mickey's Toontown this weekend after a yearlong closure for refurbishment. The reimagined Toontown honors the space that first opened in 1993, keeping existing structures like Mickey and Minnie's houses in tact, albeit with a paint touch-up. But there's also quite a bit of new infrastructure for kids to explore — with an eye toward inclusivity. "We wanted Toontown to not only be exciting, but also decompressing and relaxing and welcoming." With that in mind, the Imagineers have introduced more green spaces within the land, places to have picnics, sit and unwind, or play freely.

Search resuls for: "Imagineers"

10 mentions found