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

[Mr. Sullivan]

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

That exhibit is also probably not going to be very high-quality. The Busch parks and the Seaworld parks are both in very poor states at the moment and starting to become noticeable in the Busch exhibits in a way it hadn’t before. I’m not even certain that those parks are going to be open in 10 years what with the debt piling up and attendance going down.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Personally, I have no interest in asking a multi billion dollar corporation take away one of the benefits of working for that company just because it MAYBE would be a small boost to my overall experience with cast members. That’s just not the kind of selfish lifestyle and I would hope others want to leas.

How about they keep their existing entry perks AND they raise pay? There is no real reason that one has to come at the expensive of the other other than corporate greed.

CMs deserve better pay and as much access to the parks as they want. If that attracts Disney Adults, then okay! Having people who work at the parks that actually enjoy being there sounds great to me.

Some of you act like Disney Adults have personally wronged you in some way. Are they annoying? Yeah, I can agree they can be (even though I think the stereotypical Internet, depiction of them is overblown, and only really small contingent of them). Being annoying isn’t harmful though, and certainly should not disqualify them from getting to work somewhere.

There us so little to be happy about in this world, especially when it comes to working. If somebody enjoys working at Disney because of their interests, I welcome them being there. The only negative experience I’ve had with CMs (which is rare) is encountering people who clearly don’t want to be there. If you want to improve experience, then you need to hire people that enjoy being in that environment.

They can’t make a nickel off anything that doesn’t involve parks or ships these days…

That’s “why” they won’t go beyond the minimum pay they can get away with (realistically)

It won’t change

 

[Disstevefan1]

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

I have had close family members who worked for RCID and WDW and over time, the entry perks to the parks have become less, not more, over time.

In the old days, WDW was very picky when hiring CMs. I cant speak for their selection process today, but I know the traditions classes (the classes that teach new CMs how to be great CMs) for new hirers today has shrunk significantly compared to the old days.

Folks can double check me on this, but in the early days of WDW, I think the pay was a higher than usual. I don't know how competitive the pay is today.

I do agree, if WDW wants to attract better candidates, they do need to offer better pay and benefits than the surrounding businesses today.

I can only speak for my experience, I have always had good experiences with WDW cast members and I think a main reason is I always treat CMs the way I would want to be treated; pleasantly with smiles and respect.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I agree. This was the point I was trying to make. Thanks.

Also, I found this article to be an interesting perspective on the previously announced departure of Disney's Iger-appointed Chief Communications Officer, Kristina Schake (who may be a regular lurker here on WDWMagic, though we can neither confirm nor deny this...).

It seems like one or more of these:

• Josh wants to take communications in a different direction than Iger's/Schake's and wants a clean break
• Schake isn't on board with Josh's new direction (whatever that's going to be), so she's out
• Josh is like, "Wait, we pay you HOW much? Can't we just use ChatGPT for that?"

This is blatantly false.

Josh actually said, "Wait, we pay you HOW much? Can't we just use OpenAI for that?"

 

[Disstevefan1]

This is blatantly false.

Josh actually said, "Wait, we pay you HOW much? Can't we just use OpenAI for that?"

We joke but ALL COMPANIES are pushing to use AI for EVERYTHING!!

My boss is being pushed by their boss who is being pushed by their boss to USE AI.

Its kinda scary... its SkyNet happening in real life....

The big winners in the future will be the plumbers, electricians, repair people, just like that episode of South Park

 

[Captain Barbossa]

The big winners in the future will be the plumbers, electricians, repair people, just like that episode of South Park

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The only negative experience I’ve had with CMs (which is rare) is encountering people who clearly don’t want to be there.

Same here - and I’ve had lovely conversations with fellow Disney fans and those who just love the job and enjoy being at Disney “for work.”

I’m trying to figure out why anyone would think that hiring 55,000 people who don’t want to visit the parks would be a good thing for the parks? That does not make any sense to me.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

In order to ensure somekinda quality standard…you want employees motivated by their own lives…

what quality standard are we wanting here? Is it realistic at the current pay?

 

[willtravel]

We joke but ALL COMPANIES are pushing to use AI for EVERYTHING!!

My boss is being pushed by their boss who is being pushed by their boss to USE AI.

Its kinda scary... its SkyNet happening in real life....

The big winners in the future will be the plumbers, electricians, repair people, just like that episode of South Park

And I am waiting for that boss to be replaced by AI. I don't think a CEO or CFO are even safe.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

We joke but ALL COMPANIES are pushing to use AI for EVERYTHING!!

My boss is being pushed by their boss who is being pushed by their boss to USE AI.

Its kinda scary... its SkyNet happening in real life....

The big winners in the future will be the plumbers, electricians, repair people, just like that episode of South Park

Yeah I'm more than done with AI. I wish everyone would stop trying to shove it down our throats. It's not art. It's not smart. It regurgitates other peoples actual work without any credit and just spits out what you want to hear.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

what quality standard are we wanting here? Is it realistic at the current pay?

Nothing insane…just something above target

He’s a shocker: the Disney employees know what’s being charged…and they know how overpriced it is…

There’s a “slow burn” that gets to them whether they admit it or not over time.

The original strategy in Orlando was all jobs were “good jobs” and the emps treated as such. You never Gonna get rich…but you didn’t automatically become poor. That began to degrade in the 90’s and has been hit or miss ever since.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

And I am waiting for that boss to be replaced by AI. I don't think a CEO or CFO are even safe.

In this case…I’d sign for that

 

[JoeCamel]

Yeah I'm more than done with AI. I wish everyone would stop trying to shove it down our throats. It's not art. It's not smart. It regurgitates other peoples actual work without any credit and just spits out what you want to hear.

When it reaches critical mass it will regurgitate itself and the cycle will be complete...

 

[SamusAranX]

That exhibit is also probably not going to be very high-quality. The Busch parks and the Seaworld parks are both in very poor states at the moment and starting to become noticeable in the Busch exhibits in a way it hadn’t before. I’m not even certain that those parks are going to be open in 10 years what with the debt piling up and attendance going down.

It sucks that they’re heading that way. Some of my favorite childhood memories were at BG

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Herschend has to be eyeing the 2 BG parks right?

 

[JoeCamel]

Herschend has to be eyeing the 2 BG parks right?

The real estate may be worth more than the operation

 

[_caleb]

In order to ensure somekinda quality standard…you want employees motivated by their own lives…not their fandom.

It doesn’t have to be one or the other.

You don’t want them to be held hostage…but it can’t be “I’m a fan”…most who are not on the backend of their working lives will crack as that fandom is strained

Fans are way better than mere employees.

Disney fans post here all day every day for years and years and (most of us) don’t get paid. Fostering a fandom among employees is how you build a business that’s far greater than the transaction of fee for services.

I imagine most of us would prefer CMs who are as passionate and informed about the parks as we are.

BTW, this is something Josh has going for him. If his employees are also fans of his, loyalty, retention, satisfaction, and motivation are all boosted.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

Herschend has to be eyeing the 2 BG parks right?

I doubt it. I’m not an insider whatsoever just incredibly familiar with Herschend (Dollywood local until recently. Have met many of the Herschend folks). The BG parks are a lot bigger than what they’re normally interested in for an acquisition. They typically like smaller parks in smaller markets they can expand. BGT also has the animals which, unless they sell them, Herschend is likely to have no interest in.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

BGT also has the animals which, unless they sell them, Herschend is likely to have no interest in.

They kept the animals at Wild Adventures. But true, they have typically purchased smaller parks that they could build out.

But they have grown so much and BG just seems like a Herschend vibe already to me! (Just need actual Herschend leaders)

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

They kept the animals at Wild Adventures. But true, they have typically purchased smaller parks that they could build out.

But they have grown so much and BG just seems like a Herschend vibe already to me! (Just need actual Herschend leaders)

They did, that's true!

Though I'd also say Wild Adventures is a more manageable animal-park. They have a good number of animals (in the 500s), whereas BGT has close to 3,000. BGT is also a much bigger park, is much more adult thrill based (I actually think this one is a big tick against BGT for Herschend; they'd have to add a lot of family and kid attractions), and I think generally from top to bottom would be a much more costly and complex operation.

On the size thing, BGT is huge. It's 335 acres, which would make it their biggest property (second place would be Dollywood which is in comparison 140 acres).

I agree with you it had (keyword had because both BGT and BGW have become across these last couple of years very uncared for, dirty, poorly staffed parks) a Herschend vibe, but I do think it's just way too big of a bite for them to chew.