News Josh D’Amaro Named Next CEO of The Walt Disney Company

[Chi84]

Well I am a Disney fan and I’ve worked in multiple divisions of the company across the world, but there is a difference between a fan and the “Disney Adult”.

In my humble opinion, “Disney Adults” are one of the main drivers of the company’s decline.
To be clear, there is a special definition for them — Adults perceived as overly obsessed with Disney, treating it as a lifestyle or identity rather than just a brand.

Disney is leaning heavily into IP for "reasons" but I doubt it's because of "Disney Adults." There would be have to be a great deal of them with some serious economic power to drive the decisions of an international company concerning its parks.

Disney Adults defined as someone who treats Disney as a lifestyle or identity likely exist more on social media than in real life. To be blunt, a person meeting this definition sounds more than a bit dysfunctional. These are the people with the means to pay Disney's ever-increasing prices?

It's easier to "fix the blame" than to fix the problem. Disney's management has made some bad choices throughout the years but I don't think those choices were the result of guest behavior.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Just my take but I honestly feel more comfortable when CMs are clearly ND and / or quirky, be it by Disney Adulting or in some other way. Quirky people are usually less judgey and as someone with a ton of social anxiety that makes me slightly more at ease.

I get there are some very prominent generational and temperament based differences there. When traveling with either set of grandparents, they want the CM who will chat and share their life history and some fun facts and all that. They’re more extroverted and grew up in a time when people got to know each other well, and I can appreciate that. But I don’t think CMs should be dinged for loving Disney and sharing their excitement about it. If they’re chatting and ignoring guests, sure, that’s a (minor) problem, but I’ve seen CMs chatting about entirely non-Disney stuff as well, I think that’s just part of being young and a little oblivious.

Overall I’ve been happy with the CMs. If I have one complaint it’s that there often seem to be new people who don’t know what’s going on. This has gotten significantly better since Covid but I still see it a little.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I've seen CM engage with guests as if they were at the DMV or online for a security check at the airport.

I’ve seen that too - mostly security but a few other places - but that’s pretty rare at WDW. (Just don’t say they are barking orders… some don’t like that term!)

At least in my experiences - I’ve been on property a lot in the last year… got to make that AP worth it! Haha

 

[SamusAranX]

Nothing makes sense

In DAK they could sorta sell it if they…you know…added in new animals to augment their IP overlays…but they won’t because they cost overhead

The fact that BG Tampa (owned by the current spirit airlines of the theme park world) is actually investing in a new animal exhibit but WDW can’t even be bothered to do so at AK is laughable. It’s a sentence I didn’t think would be possible to type yet here we are

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The fact that BG Tampa (owned by the current spirit airlines of the theme park world) is actually investing in a new animal exhibit but WDW can’t even be bothered to do so at AK is laughable. It’s a sentence I didn’t think would be possible to type yet here we are

Animals cost a lot of money and never take a vacation

The sad reality is if they had not built DAK when they did…they never would have after.

The low imagination pack of fake techies and low class rank Stanford accountants they’ve had running the show since?
…not a snowballs chance

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Just my take but I honestly feel more comfortable when CMs are clearly ND and / or quirky, be it by Disney Adulting or in some other way. Quirky people are usually less judgey and as someone with a ton of social anxiety that makes me slightly more at ease.

I get there are some very prominent generational and temperament based differences there. When traveling with either set of grandparents, they want the CM who will chat and share their life history and some fun facts and all that. They’re more extroverted and grew up in a time when people got to know each other well, and I can appreciate that. But I don’t think CMs should be dinged for loving Disney and sharing their excitement about it. If they’re chatting and ignoring guests, sure, that’s a (minor) problem, but I’ve seen CMs chatting about entirely non-Disney stuff as well, I think that’s just part of being young and a little oblivious.

Overall I’ve been happy with the CMs. If I have one complaint it’s that there often seem to be new people who don’t know what’s going on. This has gotten significantly better since Covid but I still see it a little.

The Disney employee model was never designed to be “stern” or “short” and that’s not the design today either. They’ve just run through the pool…

They were designed to be calm, deliberate, and add to the sense of relax and carefree. Basically a happy grandpa kinda vibe.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Can't design a $1 billion dollar land without scooping ice cream first! Or else how would you know what to do?

Well…. The best castle park and many of the best attractions were lead designed by someone who did start by selling ice cream in the parks.

So…. It can’t hurt!

The thing about Josh is he seems to at least understand what the Disney Parks are and like them. That’s a huge step up from the Bobs.

And of course…. He’s not the designer…. He just needs to help green light the best designs!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Well…. The best castle park and many of the best attractions were lead designed by someone who did start by selling ice cream in the parks.

So…. It can’t hurt!

The thing about Josh is he seems to at least understand what the Disney Parks are and like them. That’s a huge step up from the Bobs.

And of course…. He’s not the designer…. He just needs to help green light the best designs!

I think that Bob is a stubborn mule and he wasn’t gonna pivot from his premise that they’re a tech company and parks are a nuisance cash cow

And what’s ironic is that they became more an more dependent on parks every day of his tenure

So now Joshie poo can drop that…because they can’t really try to sell they’re not P&R dependent now…it’s been exposed for years on Wall Street. No where to hide.

In the wash…that’s likely a positive

 

[SamusAranX]

Animals cost a lot of money and never take a vacation

The sad reality is if they had not built DAK when they did…they never would have after.

The low imagination pack of fake techies and low class rank Stanford accountants they’ve had running the show since?
…not a snowballs chance

I get it.

High overhead but they made their bed. Just sad that even the cheapest bean counters at BG are willing to invest but AK can’t even do so.

 

[DisneyHead123]

They were designed to be calm, deliberate, and add to the sense of relax and carefree. Basically a happy grandpa kinda vibe.

Can’t really remember CMs from my early visits in the 80s and 90s but that sounds right.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Can’t really remember CMs from my early visits in the 80s and 90s but that sounds right.

A lot of retired WW2 generation people could be found smiling in the parks in the early decades…they got it

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Josh will increase prices.

Then give himself a raise.

That’s just how these things work.

 

[JD80]

The fact that BG Tampa (owned by the current spirit airlines of the theme park world) is actually investing in a new animal exhibit but WDW can’t even be bothered to do so at AK is laughable. It’s a sentence I didn’t think would be possible to type yet here we are

Aren't there specific reason why animals were never in this section of the park, with the exception of an alligator?

 

[SamusAranX]

Aren't there specific reason why animals were never in this section of the park, with the exception of an alligator?

I could be wrong, but I don’t believe so. I think it’s really that WDW doesn’t think the juice is worth the squeeze with adding animals. I do understand that pound for pound, animal care expenses > standard attraction expenses. But AK was made to be unique. Oh well

 

[Pizza Moon]

you have actually made me realize that maybe the near-unlimited access to the parks for CM’s is actually what is attracting the wrong people.

Over the years I have noticed that along with the decline in quality of Cast Member interactions, came an increase in what can only be described as “Disney Adults” working at the park.

So, instead of workers focused on delivering a top tier product and unique experiences, you get a lot of fans high on their own obsession and basically working where they live…

I don’t intend to paint with a broad brush, I know many normal and hard working CM’s, but the above has largely been my experience with over the last decade.

Bottom line, limit the entry perks and bring up the benefits and wages and I guarantee you the overall experience would improve.

I want people to be obsessed where they work, within reason.

Literally that passion is a positive. The level of Disney service is less “high-end” and more chick fil a smiles, so they could improve it, but taking away perks is not the answer, maybe for a very specific subset of Disney adults.

 

[Pizza Moon]

Aren't there specific reason why animals were never in this section of the park, with the exception of an alligator?

It’s probably because it’s at the front of the park and all the facilities are in the back. Beastly Kingdom was never supposed to have real animals either, which is why Pandora and Camp Minnie Mickey didn’t.

I hope they have bats and snakes in the Indiana Jones queue, but that probably explains the deemphasis on animals beyond just budget.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

There are animals in the very front of the park and also on the island around the tree.

I don’t know of any reasons animals can’t be in that section of the park.

 

[JoeCamel]

I want people to be obsessed where they work, within reason.

Literally that passion is a positive. The level of Disney service is less “high-end” and more chick fil a smiles, so they could improve it, but taking away perks is not the answer, maybe for a very specific subset of Disney adults.

I see the difference between people that loved the parks enough to want to work there and understood how many things had to come together that led to the creation of such a special place and the ones that are obsessed with the life and take their entire self worth from being Disney

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

At least a Disney adult will be able to answer basic questions about the resort. So that’s a win over hiring someone off the street that doesn’t care.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I see the difference between people that loved the parks enough to want to work there and understood how many things had to come together that led to the creation of such a special place and the ones that are obsessed with the life and take their entire self worth from being Disney

Couldn’t agree more…

Now watch how many in the PR department round here turn that and imply or outright say that Disney is “wise” to lean into the types.

It’s like Econ Upside Down