Comcast 3rd Quarter 2023 Theme Park Record EPITDA Fiscal Results

[Mad Dog]

all of these services were competing for sub growth while spending money consolidating content. With fewer players on the market and subscriber growth slowing they are all raising prices now as expected from anyone with a brain. They will raise prices until they make the same money they used to from cable. The difference is subscribers will now fluctuate at times due to cancellations/signups around some content. Just like cable the people who know how to share passwords around the bans will do so just like people whose parents had cable and otherwise go to the high seas for the few shows they like. There is a certain portion of the population that will always pay for a service if it is convenient no matter the premium and just like cable they will continue to subsidize everyone else.

On the Nintendoland front I interacted with a number of guests in LA that told me it was a miserable experience. Bill burr even ranted about it (rich people absolutely despise not being able to skip the line. Which they still can on VIP tours but not express which I expect is a reason the line is still so long and why universal had such increases in profits..) With the hhn ticket on my recent trips crowds were low. I bought the band did all the mini games and boss fight and went on mario kart 3 times. I just loved the ride and everything about the land. Universal crushed this as far as my experience was. I could also see it being a bad experience if crowds get long enough.

The problem though is that they will never be able to make the money they made from DVD's BR etc., Those numbers were significantly higher than the share of cable profits and really kept the studios profitable. Studios, even with creative accounting, rarely make much profit from theatrical runs. The big profits, since the 1980's, have come from the home entertainment aspects (packaged goods/regular cable licensing rights/pay cable etc.)

 

[Jerroddragon]

all of these services were competing for sub growth while spending money consolidating content. With fewer players on the market and subscriber growth slowing they are all raising prices now as expected from anyone with a brain. They will raise prices until they make the same money they used to from cable. The difference is subscribers will now fluctuate at times due to cancellations/signups around some content. Just like cable the people who know how to share passwords around the bans will do so just like people whose parents had cable and otherwise go to the high seas for the few shows they like. There is a certain portion of the population that will always pay for a service if it is convenient no matter the premium and just like cable they will continue to subsidize everyone else.

On the Nintendoland front I interacted with a number of guests in LA that told me it was a miserable experience. Bill burr even ranted about it (rich people absolutely despise not being able to skip the line. Which they still can on VIP tours but not express which I expect is a reason the line is still so long and why universal had such increases in profits..) With the hhn ticket on my recent trips crowds were low. I bought the band did all the mini games and boss fight and went on mario kart 3 times. I just loved the ride and everything about the land. Universal crushed this as far as my experience was. I could also see it being a bad experience if crowds get long enough.

I'd loveeeeee people to put their money where their mouths are

If people keep saying they don't want to go to SNW cool....but it's always packed so feels like a disconnect same with HHN....I mean honestly unless its your first HHN, you know its almost impossible to do anything most nights without express yet...people go and they spend lots of money then complain online. Same with DIsneyland, the park has never costed more and last original ride was Spiderman...which yeah I'd rather it be almost anything else but people keep going

Really wish people would vote with their wallets more (I've said it before but I'm going to let my USH pass expire next year, no hate but not paying these prices with No new shows or attractions being added...I just don't want to support that)

 

[TheCodeMan95]

Most profitable doesn't necessarily equate with highest attendance. Like Disney, it could be higher profits on lower attendance numbers. That's the beauty of Universal's current model for expansion-- lot's of high profit food and merchandise is as important as the attractions. Harry Potter started it, now Nintendo had continued that, along with Simpsons, Despicable Me, etc.

People are willing to spend major money on unique and interesting things, much more than on generic theme park food and merchandise, and across a wide range of price points including some real high end (high profit) shtuff!

This is it right here. Minion Cafe seems to be a smash hit so far - so they will definitely continue with the themed foods.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

This is it right here. Minion Cafe seems to be a smash hit so far - so they will definitely continue with the themed foods.

Themed food and good food in general. People (especially locals) don't want the typical theme park fare. I hope all of these refurbs to QSR locations come with improvements in quality/offerings to offer diverse options beyond the chicken tenders/burger/pizza fare.

 

[Mad Dog]

I'd loveeeeee people to put their money where their mouths are

If people keep saying they don't want to go to SNW cool....but it's always packed so feels like a disconnect same with HHN....I mean honestly unless its your first HHN, you know its almost impossible to do anything most nights without express yet...people go and they spend lots of money then complain online. Same with DIsneyland, the park has never costed more and last original ride was Spiderman...which yeah I'd rather it be almost anything else but people keep going

Really wish people would vote with their wallets more (I've said it before but I'm going to let my USH pass expire next year, no hate but not paying these prices with No new shows or attractions being added...I just don't want to support that)

Agree with you. Myself, I haven't enjoyed my last three trips to USF, since covid, to, so I dropped my out 11 years out of state AP and quit going until they get operations back to where they were when it was a great place to vacation. Previously I vacationed to USF twice a year for 10-14 days onsite each vacation. I enjoyed my recent vacation to WDW much better than the last Universal trips, so my next vacation will be to WDW in June, with the granddaughters. And, I was probably one of USF's biggest fans, and stated that many many times on this site. Ironically, I spoke privately to long time prominent IU poster Scott Walker @Scott W. the other day. He had a long split vacation in Sept. (WDW & USF) and his vacation experience was the same. He was disappointed in the USF portion but enjoyed the WDW portion. And Scott has always been a big Universal supporter in the past like me. The USF experience, parks and hotels, is less than it was before covid.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Agree with you. Myself, I haven't enjoyed my last three trips to USF, since covid, to, so I dropped my out of state AP and quit going until they get operations back to where they were when it was a great place to vacation. Previously I vacationed to USF twice a year for 10-14 days onsite each vacation. I enjoyed my recent vacation to WDW much better than the last Universal trips, so my next vacation will be to WDW in June, with the granddaughters. And, I was probably one of USF's biggest fans, and stated that many many times on this site. Ironically, I spoke privately to Scott Walker the other day. He had a long split vacation in Sept. (WDW & USF) and his vacation experience was the same. He was disappointed in the USF portion but enjoyed the WDW portion. And Scott has always been a big Universal supporter in the past like me. The USF experience, parks and hotels, is less than it was before covid.

For me it's about Ops

At USH, you have this whole middle area of the park that can be used foe events/shows but because money they don't do anytrhing with it besides HHN/Grinchmas and private events. But summer it was insane to me that they just had F&F cars up...No fun Pop up food or drinks even for their films coming out in the summer or celebrating the IPS they own....just nothing.

I feel like USH could tell me right now they have plans for next summer to have an event in the plaza and they are going to switch the dreamworks show and I could be fine with that but....they don't seem to be planning anything for next year so it will just be busy and they aren't even trying to combat it.

Just my two cents for USH, I'm happy we got SNW but not happy we didn't get the Yoshi ride which would reallllllly help right now and they had no plan B if the park became this crowded like they just are fine with people waiting in line everywhere.

 

[Mad Dog]

For me it's about Ops

At USH, you have this whole middle area of the park that can be used foe events/shows but because money they don't do anytrhing with it besides HHN/Grinchmas and private events. But summer it was insane to me that they just had F&F cars up...No fun Pop up food or drinks even for their films coming out in the summer or celebrating the IPS they own....just nothing.

I feel like USH could tell me right now they have plans for next summer to have an event in the plaza and they are going to switch the dreamworks show and I could be fine with that but....they don't seem to be planning anything for next year so it will just be busy and they aren't even trying to combat it.

Just my two cents for USH, I'm happy we got SNW but not happy we didn't get the Yoshi ride which would reallllllly help right now and they had no plan B if the park became this crowded like they just are fine with people waiting in line everywhere.

Same with USF. It's about Ops...or OOOPS,,,or whatever The Guest Experience, overall, is not what it was....Plenty of the 4 minute ride experiences (except for the ones that lack proper maintenance, and they are many), but lacking in the things like sit down theaters where you can sit back and relax for a good while, or sit on a curb and enjoy a long parade, or enjoy a good night show. Theme parks aren't just about ride commando all day. Ride commando stuff is what Amusement Parks are. USF used to have a better mix. Hopefully that changes a bit IF they add the promised New Parade, New Nightime Show, reinstate Hogwart's Night Show in2024. But they still need to do something about those 'THREE' 'Empty' Theaters.....If they were losing money, or barely eeking out a profit, like Six Flags & Cedar Fair, I could understand....but Universal is making record after tax profits in their parks.

 

[IzzyB]

That's what's probably going to happen, down the line, with most of these streaming services. Heck, if you have a number of them they're costing you as much as cable, and less selection. I'm guessing Disney is betting that they'll be one of the last men standing, and to finally make money at some point in time. Peacock probably has a harder road, though they added a decent number of subscribers this past quarter. Still losing a ton of money though. What was troubling to financial analysts though, was the substantial loss of Broadband customers for Comcast. Good thing for Disney and Comcast that theme parks are making excellent profits.

When people cut cable I don't think they always realize in the end they end up paying the same if they add "just this service for $8" and "oh this one is only $10", etc. Eventually they will begin to realize when they add it all up they are back to a cable bill and start to cut stuff. We did 4 services and luckily are under what we paid for cable, but I had 5 and cut one because I wasn't using it enough. I won't be adding any more. Everything we watch is on one of those 4 and we have OTA. Which is another thing, people who don't do OTA then need one with local channels if they watch anything on those. It really isn't the cost savings most think other than now I can be more select.

 

[Disneyhead]

I get 56 channels of live with my digital antenna. We only watch ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and Telemundo. I only pay for Netflix and Prime. And I use my daughter's Max log on.

I spend less than $25/month for our viewing options. I also pay $28/month for WiFi.

So for $53/month I have all the viewing options I need.

 

[IzzyB]

I get 56 channels of live with my digital antenna. We only watch ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and Telemundo. I only pay for Netflix and Prime. And I use my daughter's Max log on.

I spend less than $25/month for our viewing options. I also pay $28/month for WiFi.

So for $53/month I have all the viewing options I need.

If only I was so lucky. Between my husband and I and the kids we are all over the place in what we watch lol.