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Tim Delaney-Valerie Edwards dismissal thread
- Thread starter HMF
- Start date
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Regarding Roy Disney, I would think that a third attempt to correct course at Disney would be more of a discredit to himself than whomever he is trying to oust.
WDW1974
Well-Known Member
First since we're moving threads to keep Eddie out of any politics that might adversely affect him, I feel like this needs to be placed on this thread. The following is from the much-respected Lee MacDonald, Publisher of Tales from The Laughing Place.
I think it speaks for itself about Tim, and about the current state of affairs on Flower Street.
<<It all happened very quickly but it is correct. I didn't know Valerie at all but she was certainly worthy of being Blaine's true successor. Her new Admiral Donald for the two new DCL ships is beautiful - probably the best Donald sculpt that I've ever seen.
Tim on the other hand has been a good friend for many years. I regard him as one of the two greatest conceptualists and show producers at WDI (the other is Tom Morris). A thirty-two year imagineer whose body of work is second-to-none.
People will associate Tim with his role as executive producer for Paradise Pier and the entrance at DCA but neither were his choice. Bob Weis' team are spending nearly twice the amount of money on one attraction that Tim had for the entire Pier area ($350m versus $200m). No-one wanted the poisoned chalice of the entrance - Barry Braverman could not get a single creative lead to take it on. Tim did the best he could with the brief of the park being a postcard view of CA. His entrance cost less than the facade for the new Cathay Circle Theater - I kid you not.
Tim's real legacy will be his incredible work on EPCOT CENTER and especially The Living Seas. He was told by numerous engineers that the tank couldn't work but he endeavored to make it work. A lot of his touches were incorporated into Future World.
EuroDisneyland's Discoveryland is the only Tomorrowland that works. It is a wonderful architectural edifice to a Tomorrow that Never Was. It is the only timeless incarnation of a Tomorrowland. Again he was told that an angled LIM was impossible - he made it work for the incredible Space Mountain (in my view the greatest roller coaster ever made). He was told that synchronized music would never work - he made it work.
Paradise Pier is awash with similar touches - a steel coaster to look and feel like a woodie. Some whimsical designs like the former main store there. Even the Sun Wheel with its swinging cars and the other off-the-shelf attractions have small touches that make the difference. There isn't another Golden Zephyr out there - it is entirely unique. People might not like PP but he delivered on a ridiculously small budget. It isn't the biggest failure of DCA. His land was given less than a quarter of the park's budget and expected to deliver half the attraction count. Poor menu planning and a lack of executive leadership were not Tim's fault.
His work on HKDL's Tomorrowland again delivered the best possible version on a budget. He even stripped items like the giant Buzz and probe in the Space Mountain load area from DisneyQuest Chicago - he had nothing to work with. The park's Autopia is a wonderfully quirky version with its fun noises to replace the diesel putt-putt.
Recently his work has been largely conceptual. Jay rejected his and Tom's $750m HKDL PirateLand which was probably the greatest collection of concept art I've ever seen - it was breath-taking in its boldness. He pursued a project to improve queue line interaction which led to Epcot's Soarin' receiving the screen quiz. His work was instrumental in the evolution of the new MK Dumbo queue - it is the direct successor of his work. He also worked on a number of lodge concepts for the Disney Regional Resorts team - when Wing opted to retire and Don Goodman's Real Estate Development team was moved to Nick Franklin's NBD division the projects were largely snuffed out.
He was a wonderful mentor to a host of junior imagineers and he was a wonderfully creative partner. Seeing Tom Morris and Tim discuss projects was like watching kids in a sandbox. There are few people that truly understand what works in a Disney theme park.
He was largely responsible for the execution of the D23 Expo area for WDP&R - Tom Fitzgerald conceived the entrance but the rest was all executed by Dave Fisher and Tim Delaney. It worked because of them.
I'm still numb with shock. I just cannot fathom the logic behind this knuckle-headedness. It further reinforces my view that Bruce Vaughn is singularly the worst leader that WDI has ever had. He does nothing to protect the talent or nurture creative development. He is simply a hatchet man. At least his predecessors made projects happen. This is the problem with having a non-creative lead at WDI. Even Don Goodman's reign didn't breed the level of disharmony and sheer depression that currently grips WDI.
I know that Tim will enjoy his retirement - but it has come too early. Tim could have continued to contribute to WDI for many more years. His presence at 1401F will be missed by many of us that have had the privilege to know and work with him for so long. I regard him as one of the few executives to speak his mind and we shared very similar views of the current direction of WDP&R.
I hope that we are both proved wrong.>>
I think it speaks for itself about Tim, and about the current state of affairs on Flower Street.
<<It all happened very quickly but it is correct. I didn't know Valerie at all but she was certainly worthy of being Blaine's true successor. Her new Admiral Donald for the two new DCL ships is beautiful - probably the best Donald sculpt that I've ever seen.
Tim on the other hand has been a good friend for many years. I regard him as one of the two greatest conceptualists and show producers at WDI (the other is Tom Morris). A thirty-two year imagineer whose body of work is second-to-none.
People will associate Tim with his role as executive producer for Paradise Pier and the entrance at DCA but neither were his choice. Bob Weis' team are spending nearly twice the amount of money on one attraction that Tim had for the entire Pier area ($350m versus $200m). No-one wanted the poisoned chalice of the entrance - Barry Braverman could not get a single creative lead to take it on. Tim did the best he could with the brief of the park being a postcard view of CA. His entrance cost less than the facade for the new Cathay Circle Theater - I kid you not.
Tim's real legacy will be his incredible work on EPCOT CENTER and especially The Living Seas. He was told by numerous engineers that the tank couldn't work but he endeavored to make it work. A lot of his touches were incorporated into Future World.
EuroDisneyland's Discoveryland is the only Tomorrowland that works. It is a wonderful architectural edifice to a Tomorrow that Never Was. It is the only timeless incarnation of a Tomorrowland. Again he was told that an angled LIM was impossible - he made it work for the incredible Space Mountain (in my view the greatest roller coaster ever made). He was told that synchronized music would never work - he made it work.
Paradise Pier is awash with similar touches - a steel coaster to look and feel like a woodie. Some whimsical designs like the former main store there. Even the Sun Wheel with its swinging cars and the other off-the-shelf attractions have small touches that make the difference. There isn't another Golden Zephyr out there - it is entirely unique. People might not like PP but he delivered on a ridiculously small budget. It isn't the biggest failure of DCA. His land was given less than a quarter of the park's budget and expected to deliver half the attraction count. Poor menu planning and a lack of executive leadership were not Tim's fault.
His work on HKDL's Tomorrowland again delivered the best possible version on a budget. He even stripped items like the giant Buzz and probe in the Space Mountain load area from DisneyQuest Chicago - he had nothing to work with. The park's Autopia is a wonderfully quirky version with its fun noises to replace the diesel putt-putt.
Recently his work has been largely conceptual. Jay rejected his and Tom's $750m HKDL PirateLand which was probably the greatest collection of concept art I've ever seen - it was breath-taking in its boldness. He pursued a project to improve queue line interaction which led to Epcot's Soarin' receiving the screen quiz. His work was instrumental in the evolution of the new MK Dumbo queue - it is the direct successor of his work. He also worked on a number of lodge concepts for the Disney Regional Resorts team - when Wing opted to retire and Don Goodman's Real Estate Development team was moved to Nick Franklin's NBD division the projects were largely snuffed out.
He was a wonderful mentor to a host of junior imagineers and he was a wonderfully creative partner. Seeing Tom Morris and Tim discuss projects was like watching kids in a sandbox. There are few people that truly understand what works in a Disney theme park.
He was largely responsible for the execution of the D23 Expo area for WDP&R - Tom Fitzgerald conceived the entrance but the rest was all executed by Dave Fisher and Tim Delaney. It worked because of them.
I'm still numb with shock. I just cannot fathom the logic behind this knuckle-headedness. It further reinforces my view that Bruce Vaughn is singularly the worst leader that WDI has ever had. He does nothing to protect the talent or nurture creative development. He is simply a hatchet man. At least his predecessors made projects happen. This is the problem with having a non-creative lead at WDI. Even Don Goodman's reign didn't breed the level of disharmony and sheer depression that currently grips WDI.
I know that Tim will enjoy his retirement - but it has come too early. Tim could have continued to contribute to WDI for many more years. His presence at 1401F will be missed by many of us that have had the privilege to know and work with him for so long. I regard him as one of the few executives to speak his mind and we shared very similar views of the current direction of WDP&R.
I hope that we are both proved wrong.>>
From Re-Imagineering
http://imagineerebirth.blogspot.com/2009/10/rainy-days-and-mondays.html
http://imagineerebirth.blogspot.com/2009/10/rainy-days-and-mondays.html
WDW1974
Well-Known Member
You're missing the big picture.
It's much like when someone says 'what's the big deal with parking going up $2? etc ...
It's the much larger picture. It's like one piece of gum on the wall of Spalsh Mountain ... who cares? Right?
Although on a personal note, as someone who knows Tim, I am very saddened by this. He is a tremendous loss. Apparently, so is Valerie.
There has been a tremendous amount of crap going down at Disney that has been pushed to the side by pixie dust, Marvel, MK expansion and D23.
tirian
Well-Known Member
Right now, nobody. They did hire a fairly cute girl to be the face of TSMM, though.
SirGoofy
Member
There goes my theory.:lol:
WDW1974
Well-Known Member
I saw that last night.
The comments are interesting ... there's some plant/troll (also on the LP.com thread) that is taking all kinds of shots at Tim. ... It's all bull, but impressionable fanbois who aren't insiders can easily be swayed by comments like 'DCA was his fault. Good riddance'.
CBOMB
Active Member
That's proven talent with long careers at Disney. Just stop, and think how many talented people have departed Disney this year alone.
EPCOT Explorer
New Member
Was just thinking about that. It's scary, really...
Who is left that knows, loves and respects that company?:shrug:
sponono88
Well-Known Member
Tony Baxter? just look at his house! http://web.mac.com/crafts6100/Selected_Articles/Reading_files/At%20Home%20with%20an%20Imagineer.pdf
Until' he's gone too.I know I might sound a tad hypocritical but I really hope Tim and Val get jobs at Universal.
WDW1974
Well-Known Member
John isn't all-powerful. Great man. Great talent. Wants to do things like Walt would have. But he can only be spread so thin.
And understand this, John and D-I-C-K Cook were very close. You think Iger consulted him before axing the 38-year vet?
Don't think so.
John can largely make the calls at Pixar ... and FA. But beyond that his power is greatly overestimated by fanbois.
Keep in mind folks' John Lasseter is Principal Creative Officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is only Principal Creative Advisor at WDI. So until he gets the CCO title at WDI. Don't hold your breath too much.
EPCOT Explorer
New Member
Eh..I like him, but as said, what CAN he do. What is he doing?
He's rumored to be gone soon, too!
Cool house, though!:lol:
reminds me of my EPCOT room, but classier.:lol:
And Disney Magazine?! Haven't seen that in years...I miss it. And it was affordable, too. :lookaroun
SirGoofy
Member
All I know is from talking to him for 10 minutes is that he cares about the company just as much as anyone I've ever met.
I don't see him just sitting by if things at WDI were going down the tubes.
EPCOT Explorer
New Member
And then he would be spending more time with family.:lookaroun
It's good to hear, though...I hope he starts to exercise his power a bit more.
SirGoofy
Member
If Iger is dumb enough to get rid of Lasseter, he'd better have his bags packed, because Wall Street and the cast would be outside his office with pitch forks and torches.