and that's it! Thanks for joining us
and that's it! Thanks for joining us
He also thinks the 100th anniversary will put a lot of wind in the company's sails
He says he sees the streaming services not just providing content but building that Disney lifestyle for guests
Last question: where do you see Disney three years from now?
"Disney is a lifestyle"
According to Chapek, the highlight of D23 Expo was seeing all of the talent and creativity on display
Asked if the increases at the parks are just due to "pent up demand" or not, Chapek says lead indicators suggest demand will remain high into the future. He says he's sure there is some pent up demand but WDW has been open for a while now and there's no slowing in sight
Chapek notes that a short theatrical release window is a win-win, especially as the marketing for the film in theatre rolls into the movie's debut on D+
"We love the theatrical exhibition window, we love linear television... but we realize that not every piece of content is best suited for that"
As for whether ESPN+ could also be "hard bundled" Chapek says he isn't sure they'd even go that far- but who knows
Chapek says the company is looking at a lot of long-term opportunities for ESPN, such as sports betting
"The Disney Company adds a lot into ESPN and ESPN adds a lot to the Disney Company"
Chapek says the proposed membership would combine the physical and digital. What you watch on Disney+ could have an impact on your experience at the park
but "2024 isn't that far away"
He clarifies that they would need to have full ownership of Hulu in order to integrate it into Disney+ — and says he'd be interested in doing that faster if Comcast were open to it
Chapek says the company is considering a "hard bundle" versus a "soft bundle" in the US once the company takes full control of Hulu (likely 2024)
Chapek notes that the new pricing also encourages people to get the bundle
"It's hard to believe we've only been at this three years" regarding streaming and D+'s current numbers
Asked about potential churn from price increase, Chapek thinks Disney+ is still "way underpriced" for the value it provides
Chapek notes Disney's success in India. "We're hoping they come for cricket but stay for Disney" He calls the IPL rights battle "frothy" They company elected to get the ICC rights instead. "less frothy"
Asked why they're launching the ad-supported at the current price of the ad-free level, Chapek says they have a lot of room on pricing still
Chapek says the ad-supported version of Disney+ is expected to be helpful in getting the service to the company's subscriber and profitability goals
Asked about where Disney+ is currently most "under penetrated," Chapek says the biggest opportunity is in general entertainment
He also mentions the company's upcoming 100th anniversary
Coming out of D23, Chapek says the company has "an embarrassment of riches" coming from its creative engines
His safe harbor language gets a round of applause - despite a planned joke apparently being cut by lawyers
Here we go... right after Bob finishes reading more disclosures
The disclosures screen is up so we'll be getting underway
Today's Q&A session should begin in just a few minutes
Good afternoon! Today's session is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. ET so stay tuned.