A Spirited Summer Special (AKA Phil Holmes Takes Anaheim!)

[The Mom]

I am currently on holiday in Europe and I find the average gelato stand in pretty much anytown, any country, to have better stuff than what people rave about in the USA ... oh, usually for about 1€ a scoop (albeit a smaller one than the ginormous ones Americans are used to).

.

Oh, I sincerely hope so, since I'm headed to Italy in September.

 

[Phicinfan]

Oh, I sincerely hope so, since I'm headed to Italy in September.

Was in Rome last summer, and Pisa, and they had the BEST Gellato ever!! Cantelope was my favorite!

 

[Mike S]

Indeed, and Disney fell down that slope a long time ago (still falling).

Speaking of which, in digging through some old boxes I found some old resort specific napkins and other cool swag (particularly Grand Floridian and Polynesian) from the early 90's. Perhaps I should upload some scans and photos and share them here sometime...

Yes please

 

[Filby61]

Hard to get excited about this. Disneyland Resort being a little bit cleaner doesn't fix creative bankruptcy.

Yep. Considering the source (the eternally cheapie Chappie), I find it difficult to believe that "I want WDW run like DLR" refers to improving creativity, innovation, thematic appropriateness, cleanliness, employee training or quality of guest experience. I think it's more likely driven by his Prime Directive to slash costs and increase profits; his cluelessness about the differences between, and the separate needs of, Orlando vs. Anaheim; and his lack of skill at people management.

Reminds me of the 90s when Michael thought the way to control costs at WDFA was to push, hammer and shame them to emulate TVA's DisneyToons division. It was a disaster for both.

As well as further entrenching the worst aspects of TDO management culture by putting them in a siege mentality, it's the last thing that Mary needs on her plate.

 

[TP2000]

everything is a slippery slope...unfortunately... Napkins today....China tomorrow... Uniforms next... it is all a progression that downgrades the final product...

Bingo.

I rarely throw out Walt quotes, but this one applies perfectly.... "There is no magic in magic, it's all in the details." -Walt Disney

That quote of his got edited down to "The magic is in the details" by modern CM's who think Walt actually built WDW and planned it all five years after his death. But the point is the same, the magic is in the details. And stuff like napkins are the details. I can't be the only one who remembers when each quick service restaurant had their own themed plastic trays that said "Tomorrowland Terrace" or "Plaza Inn", etc., etc. Disneyland and WDW used to be full of those types of details. Most of them are gone now.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Damn right I did!

How sad.

 

[asianway]

Bingo.

I rarely throw out Walt quotes, but this one applies perfectly.... "There is no magic in magic, it's all in the details." -Walt Disney

That quote of his got edited down to "The magic is in the details" by modern CM's who think Walt actually built WDW and planned it all five years after his death. But the point is the same, the magic is in the details. And stuff like napkins are the details. I can't be the only one who remembers when each quick service restaurant had their own themed plastic trays that said "Tomorrowland Terrace" or "Plaza Inn", etc., etc. Disneyland and WDW used to be full of those types of details. Most of them are gone now.

You mean the trays Tokyo still has?

 

[TP2000]

You mean the trays Tokyo still has?

Yup. The Tokyo managers learned that from the American managers around 1980 when they were building the Tokyo park.

Tokyo Disneyland has maintained all the original standards, while the Americans chipped away at it all over the last 20 years. And then if you mention that, some modern Americans (who likely think its okay to wear sweatpants on an airplane) huff and puff and think you are crazy. It was real, it was the way Disney's parks were managed and operated, and it worked.

 

[Andrew C]

lol...I can't believe some are back to talking about napkins....when there are several real issues to talk about

 

[Mike S]

*cough*

 

[jakeman]

lol...I can't believe some are back to talking about napkins....when there are several real issues to talk about

Nothing discussed on this board is a "real issue".

 

[shortstop]

Bingo.

I rarely throw out Walt quotes, but this one applies perfectly.... "There is no magic in magic, it's all in the details." -Walt Disney

That quote of his got edited down to "The magic is in the details" by modern CM's who think Walt actually built WDW and planned it all five years after his death. But the point is the same, the magic is in the details. And stuff like napkins are the details. I can't be the only one who remembers when each quick service restaurant had their own themed plastic trays that said "Tomorrowland Terrace" or "Plaza Inn", etc., etc. Disneyland and WDW used to be full of those types of details. Most of them are gone now.

Is this an issue of cost cutting or just laziness? Rhetorical question, as I know it's a combination of both. But I just can't see themed trays or napkins being all that expensive.

 

[TP2000]

Is this an issue of cost cutting or just laziness? Rhetorical question, as I know it's a combination of both. But I just can't see themed trays or napkins being all that expensive.

If I were to guess, it would be a 75/25 split.

75% cost cutting proposed by some 28 year old MBA snot who was angling for a promotion before he moved on to another company, and 25% laziness by the remaining management who hired the 28 year old MBA snot.

Most tellingly, the themed trays and park-specific napkins still exist in the Tokyo parks. Which are just one of a thousand little details that make the Tokyo parks such a joy to visit.

 

[ThemeParkJunkee]

Oh, I sincerely hope so, since I'm headed to Italy in September.

Gelato in September in Tuscany is my best "ice cream" experience. Enjoy!

 

[TP2000]

lol...I can't believe some are back to talking about napkins....when there are several real issues to talk about

What would you like to talk about?

 

[Filby61]

Is this an issue of cost cutting or just laziness? Rhetorical question, as I know it's a combination of both. But I just can't see themed trays or napkins being all that expensive.

They're not. The homogenization of Disneyland and WDW into a generic Disney Parks® entity is outwardly to consolidate costs and streamline management, but internally (and more importantly) it's an expression of the Iger-Rasulo-Staggs "One Disney" paradigm -- a corporate sterilization of the artistic heritage of the Parks to fit their Wall Street management mindset.

lol...I can't believe some are back to talking about napkins....when there are several real issues to talk about

Which is exactly what old-school mining management always said about miners' concerns over "trivia" like canaries.

(Hint: it's not the napkins. It's how they came to happen, and what they're an indicator of.)

 

[marni1971]

How sad.

 

[marni1971]

lol...I can't believe some are back to talking about napkins....when there are several real issues to talk about

It's perfectly symbolic of Disney Parks (TM)

 

[shortstop]

They're not. The homogenization of Disneyland and WDW into a generic Disney Parks® entity is outwardly to consolidate costs and streamline management, but internally (and more importantly) it's an expression of the Iger-Rasulo-Staggs "One Disney" paradigm -- a corporate sterilization of the artistic heritage of the Parks to fit their Wall Street management mindset.

To bring this all back full circle, hopefully the changes Spirit has hinted at in this thread will be a step in the direction of eliminating this paradigm from the upper levels of the company.

 

[Andrew C]

What would you like to talk about?

anything that doesn't involve the over-analysis of napkin selection.