Why innovate when you can throw lots of money at your problems? | Shutterstock

August 13, 2024

Yesterday I mentioned Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser hotel, a Star Wars-themed “experience” that failed spectacularly and closed last year. Coincidentally, the company had over the weekend held its annual D23 event, which is essentially a large convention for ultra Disney fans that the company uses to announce its latest stuff. I never used to pay much, if any, attention to these things, but Mickey now owns many of my favorite films and fictional characters. I think it’s only a matter of time before it owns Nintendo. So nowadays I poke my head in to see what it’s doing with them. 

This year in particular promised to be interesting, because that spaceship hotel imploding was only one of Disney’s headaches last year: Almost all of its big-budget movies flopped, theme park revenue was down, and stories kept coming out about the behind-the-scenes drama over CEO Bob Iger’s abrupt return the previous year. The 100th year of the company was coincidentally one of its most miserable. 

So how does Disney respond? By innovating and trying new things? Downsizing and focusing on quality over quantity? No, of course not. It’s going to spend billions expanding its theme parks and build four new cruise ships. Meanwhile, its upcoming films include live-action remakes of classic animated features and sequels to seemingly every Pixar film ever. Oh, and “Avatar 3,” because I guess they own that now too. 

Well, RTO Insider doesn’t have $60 billion to throw around to bring in business; we’re doing just fine with good old-fashioned journalism.

See you tomorrow! 

Michael Brooks

The latest from RTO Insider:

• Stakeholders Endorse PJM EE Measurement and Verification Proposal
• FERC Approves Two Enforcement Orders Related to Battery Storage
• Early Heat, Wildfires Signal Increase in California PSPS Events
• PJM PC/TEAC Briefs: Aug. 6, 2024
• PJM MIC Briefs: Aug. 7, 2024
• PJM OC Briefs: Aug. 8, 2024
• NYISO Previews Work on Compliance with FERC Order 1920

The latest from NetZero Insider:

• Vineyard Wind, GE Vernova Release Action Plan Following Blade Failure

P.S. Want to skip this daily email and just receive our newsletter on Tuesdays? Want to opt out of our event promotion emails? You can set your email delivery preferences here - and change them any time you want. Note: if you're not logged in, do so and then click "My Account" in the top-right corner and scroll down to the "Requested Emails" section.

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings:

• 8/13/24: NEPOOL Reliability & Transmission Committee Summer Meeting
• 8/13/24: SPP Markets+ Participant Executive Committee Meeting
• 8/14/24: NEPOOL Reliability & Transmission Committee Summer Meeting
• 8/14/24: MISO Advisory Committee Meeting
• 8/14/24: SPP Markets+ Participant Executive Committee Meeting
• 8/16/24: SPP Markets+ State Committee Meeting
• 8/19/24: ERCOT Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
• 8/19/24: ERCOT Reliability and Markets Committee Meeting
• 8/19/24: ERCOT Technology and Security Committee Meeting
• 8/20/24: ERCOT Board of Directors Meeting
• 8/20/24: PJM Risk Management Committee Meeting
• 8/21/24: ISO-NE Planning Advisory Committee Meeting
• 8/21/24: PJM Markets and Reliability Committee Meeting
• 8/21/24: MISO Resource Adequacy Subcommittee Meeting
• 8/22/24: MISO Market Subcommittee Meeting
• 8/27/24: MISO Regional Expansion Criteria and Benefits Working Group Meeting
  
• 8/28/24: MISO Planning Advisory Committee Meeting
  
• 8/28/24: ERCOT Technical Advisory Committee Meeting
  
• 8/29/24: MISO Reliability Subcommittee Meeting

Events We Think You'll Appreciate: