Embattled Disney board may see big changes (http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/orl-asecdisney23092302sep23(0,7420639).story?coll=orl-news-headlines) - Orlando Sentinel, 9/23/02

QuikQuote: The meeting Tuesday, one of the most widely watched Disney board gatherings in years, will focus mostly on shrinking the size of the 16-member board and reorganizing it so there are more independent members, sources close to the board say.

Excuse me? Growth from investments in theme parks? Not much. Significant growth will only come from significant FUTURE investments. The current investment level was, shall we say, sub-par. Don't these journalists do ANY research? Or do they just quote the press releases? Yes, they cut costs, but did that really streamline the company, making it more efficient, or did it create a temporary dip in current expenses which will more than be made up for in future costs to correct the problems created by having to recruit, hire, and train new employees to fill understaffed areas or replace disgruntled, overworked workers who remain, the opportunity cost of new innovations which will now NOT be created due to the loss of R&D, etc, etc, etc..

Disney has invested >tremendously< in the theme parks division over the last several years.

They have opened 4 new parks (two company-owned, one with a significant stake, and one as a franchise) in the last 5 years. They also have substantially expanded their hotel line up as well as adding Downtown Disney in Anaheim. The parks continue to receive new attractions and entertainment offerings as well, although admittedly there haven't been many new E-tickets in recent years as they have instead focused on building the new parks.

I know that many here are not particularly happy with some of the investments in recent years and that many feel that they have underspent on some of the specific projects. Overall, though, Disney has been investing huge amounts in their theme park division in recent years, probably more than at any other time in the company's history.

-Jeff

Originally posted by JeffG
They have opened 4 new parks (two company-owned, one with a significant stake, and one as a franchise) in the last 5 years. They also have substantially expanded their hotel line up as well as adding Downtown Disney in Anaheim. The parks continue to receive new attractions and entertainment offerings as well, although admittedly there haven't been many new E-tickets in recent years as they have instead focused on building the new parks.

Yet despite "all the money" they've put into it, people are staying away in droves, wondering what could've been if they hadn't slashed the budget so mercilessly...

Orlando Sentinal
Disney also is poised to benefit from long-term investments in growth businesses, such as the Disney Channel, ESPN and new theme parks. The company's focus of the past two years has been "to build a moat around these core assets," Staggs told analysts.

I'm not sure what they mean by build a moat around the theme parks, Disney Channel and ESPN. Does anyone know what they are referring to?