Disney Headlines for April 5th, 2023
This week, Bob Iger throws a haymaker, Tron debuts, and Moana…gets a remake already?!
Disney fans, take note! This is a massive week for Disney Headlines!
Iger Sucker Punches DeSantis
In Art of War, Sun Tzu states, “Pretend to be weak, so your enemy may grow arrogant.”
Bob Iger just showed why he’s the most dangerous player at any poker table.
After feigning weakness for four months, Iger turned around and slugged Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Disney had shown a willingness to work with the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and leaked intel showing it had reason not to fight.
Iger paid attention to everything happening in the world, though. After all, timing is everything in matters like these.
Last year, DeSantis capitalized on the dislike of then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek to strike at the company during one of its weakest times.
Iger, who long wanted to run for President of the United States, possesses world-class political acumen.
In fact, his longtime ally, Zenia Mucha, just worked for TikTok in training one of its leaders for Congressional testimony. Iger learned from the best.
Do you know what the best tacticians understand about politics? The polls drive decision-making. And the polls haven’t worked in Ron DeSantis’ favor lately.
The potential but still unannounced contender for the Republican nomination has witnessed his stock plummet in calendar 2023.
In short, he has entered the same popularity void that Chapek had a year ago.
Iger pulled off a poker play for the ages in sensing this growing weakness.
Then, he turned around and feigned weakness, pretending as if Disney would meekly follow.
This action caused the new members of the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District to believe they’d won.
Oops.
What Just Happened with Disney and DeSantis?
The updated district’s first meeting centered on ways they would bring Disney to heel.
The new board members didn’t even know their actual responsibilities or the (admittedly) arcane rules for when they could meet.
In fact, a second meeting technically occurred on the wrong date since they weren’t following the bylaws of when they could meet.
These panelists believed they could set the rules and the agenda for Walt Disney World, no matter what the bylaws said.
Something hysterical happened along the way, though. Disney had meticulously plotted its strategy for maintaining control of Reedy Creek governance.
While its enemies believed they had won and planned ways to humiliate Disney further, Disney quietly introduced the King Charles III clause.
This move authorized Disney to maintain control of the former Reedy Creek land for another 30 years.
Ron DeSantis has turned apoplectic as the easy political win he’d envisioned has vanished.
Headlines across the country describe Disney as outmaneuvering and outplaying Florida’s governor. That’s the one headline he didn’t need right now.
Iger waited until the 2023 Disney Shareholder Meeting to speak his mind.
Disney’s CEO dressed like Mr. Rogers but punched like he’d activated his super.
Iger described the governor’s actions as “not just anti-business” but “anti-Florida.” That’s a knockout punch right there.
Obviously, Iger’s words will have repercussions. You can picture DeSantis stewing somewhere as he thinks about getting decked by Mickey Mouse.
This sort of abject political humiliation won’t go without repercussions, and DeSantis still maintains full control of Florida.
So, Iger’s move comes with inherent risk. It appears Disney’s CEO decided it was time to play offense rather than defense.
To a larger point, a headline we thought might die is hotter than ever now.
Tron Lightcycle / Run Opens
In case you’ve missed MickeyBlog’s comprehensive coverage, Tron Lightcycle / Run has officially opened at Walt Disney World.
Park officials announced the Magic Kingdom version of the popular Shanghai Disneyland attraction in 2017.
So, Walt Disney World fans have waited a long time for this moment.
Understandably, the park proved wildly popular on Tron’s opening day. Management anticipated this and even accounted for it.
Disney broke new records by pricing Disney Genie+ at $35, six dollars more than its previous high.
Then, Magic Kingdom guests turned around and purchased the entire Disney Genie+ allotment as fast as I can ever recall.
That’s right, folks. The scary part isn’t that Disney Genie+ cost more than ever. It’s that people purchased it faster than ever.
In short, while some will always complain about the price of Disney Genie+, a staggering number of consumers don’t even blink at the cost.
As for Tron, I watched someone stand in line for 60 minutes…for Tomorrowland Launch Depot and the pop-up merchandise store at the former location of Stitch’s Great Escape.
When people will wait that long to buy Tron gear, you KNOW the attraction is popular.
Notably, Tron’s Lightning Lane cost $20 on opening day, which was less than the same option for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Also, Tron Lightning Lane passes didn’t sell out quickly as they had during sneak previews.
That aspect suggests Disney limited Lightning Lanes before opening day.
In short, there’s plenty of good news about Tron. I’ll update more in this week’s MickeyBlog News on Sunday.
The Moana Announcement
Disney used its shareholder meeting as an opportunity to reveal its next film project. And this one’s a bona fide shocker.
Disney will remake Moana as a live-action film. Why is that surprising? The film came out in theaters on November 23rd, 2016. That’s six years and four months ago.
Until now, Disney has remade live-action films from the 1990s and earlier. Moana represents an entirely different approach, one that’s certain to succeed.
I say this because Moana remains one of the most popular titles on Disney+ after all this time.
Also, The Rock’s celebrity has only grown since then. Disney gives the actor to do something that’s arguably a first. He will play the same character in the live-action and animated versions.
Some would say that James Earl Jones did the same with Mufasa in The Lion King, but that’s voice work.
The Rock will act as Maui after previously voicing the character, which is new and different.
More importantly, Disney’s decision opens some tantalizing doors for the future.
The company had already announced a live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch for Disney+.
Moana will debut in theaters, where it’s sure to dominate. And if Disney can do that with Moana, do you know what’s probably coming soon afterward?
Oh yes, I think we can safely expect an announcement for a live-action remake of Frozen now that far from now…
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