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

[dlfan1313]

Sounds like he’s already having a significant positive impact based on what Len is saying about Villains Land.

Yeah, people keep saying he "gets it" and I hope he does. In the craven world of modern business, it doesn't really matter. He might produce better products, but he's still beholden to the stock price above all else. Besides, I still give Villains Land a 50/50 chance of happening, or if it does open, it will do so after being delayed 2-5 years.

 

[dlfan1313]

Create problem (aka FOMO). Emphasize and focus guest attention on FOMO. Monetize solution.

I had this conversation the other day without the Disney context. True innovation has been replaced by two means: Creating a problem out of thin air, then charging for the solution, and making what should be one-time purchases into subscriptions.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

When and if all that is completed?…in Whatever decade That is?…it probably would be a net gain.

Relative to the attendance level? Maybe. Right now…a cars ride seems to be going up. As it stands

The new coaster is not “replacing nothing”…and the animation building operated for about 30 years prior to anything Star Wars.

Seat capacity…hourly churn. You count the total you have and divide it by average annual/daily attendance.

It’s like fancy abacus type stuff

What is the new coaster replacing then if I might ask. That would have anything to do with capacity. Not to mention the new smaller playground is going to have atleast some people split around a mostly dead end.

We have patents that seem to indicate filings for the 2nd cars ride. The 2nd cars ride still appears in promotional materials and has an area in the newest map. Until that is blotted out (which Disney is known to do quickly) I would expect the second ride there.

Finally, the animation courtyard description indicates that there will be up to 6 meet and greets for popular princesses at that, a playground, short film, AND interactive elements. With the courtyard outside having supposedly a snack Stand as well .

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

What is the new coaster replacing then if I might ask. That would have anything to do with capacity. Not to mention the new smaller playground is going to have atleast some people split around a mostly dead end.

Think about this one a bit…was that a parking lot before?

We have patents that seem to indicate filings for the 2nd cars ride. The 2nd cars ride still appears in promotional materials and has an area in the newest map. Until that is blotted out (which Disney is known to do quickly) I would expect the second ride there.

Patent filings? I’m a “vertical construction” kinda cat myself. Go on what you see…then re-evaluate.

Finally, the animation courtyard description indicates that there will be up to 6 meet and greets for popular princesses at that, a playground, short film, AND interactive elements. With the courtyard outside having supposedly a snack Stand as well .

Ok…that will help


But the take away is still what’s being “added” is actually about 80% replacements…either current or long closed. That’s why I talk about capacity…the ability to eat butts and take them out of other spaces…not “popularity”

There have been rather few legit “adds” in wdw since Emperor Igertine has sat on the throne…wanna go through them?

Magic kingdom: Tron…that’s the list
Epcot: Ratatouille
Dak: flight of passage and navi
Studios: harder to untangle…but slightly ahead I would think?…but not by a lot.

There you go…that’s what’s actually new and ADDED in a staggering 20 years since Everest opened.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah, people keep saying he "gets it" and I hope he does. In the craven world of modern business, it doesn't really matter. He might produce better products, but he's still beholden to the stock price above all else. Besides, I still give Villains Land a 50/50 chance of happening, or if it does open, it will do so after being delayed 2-5 years.

…don’t upset the self soothers, please?…damn the realities, full speed ahead!!

 

[Tha Realest]

To be honest I think the "Dark Age" has been going since about 2000 and maybe even the late 90s for DL. There were some nice things in the mid- late 2000s and early 2010s but the overall disastrous philosophy the parks have been running on has been largely the same for this century/millennium so far.

That aligns with the time a recently retired executive Imagineer held sway over just about everything in the park.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Think about this one a bit…was that a parking lot before?

Patent filings? I’m a “vertical construction” kinda cat myself. Go on what you see…then re-evaluate.

Ok…that will help


But the take away is still what’s being “added” is actually about 80% replacements…either current or long closed. That’s why I talk about capacity…the ability to eat butts and take them out of other spaces…not “popularity”

There have been rather few legit “adds” in wdw since Emperor Igertine has sat on the throne…wanna go through them?

Magic kingdom: Tron…that’s the list
Epcot: Ratatouille
Dak: flight of passage and navi
Studios: harder to untangle…but slightly ahead I would think?…but not by a lot.

There you go…that’s what’s actually new and ADDED in a staggering 20 years since Everest opened.

It replaced part of an employee parking lot… I mean that is not adding anything to capacity so it is a net positive and not replacing anything Of guest value.

Okay I get that. We’re a little early in construction to see definitive proof yet but I think it’s telling that they haven’t just announced something like “In order to make the rally race ride up to our standards, we had to part ways with the original concept for a secondary ride. Instead we got patents and the fun map seems to define the location of the attraction without revealing the system, working well with the fact that the patent only recently came known. Even without that ride, we have at minimum 2 additional rides adding into the backside of ROA where no actual rides went and it has very limited capacity back there.

The good news is that I think animation courtyard actually could help more than expected. If they have 6 popular meet and greets back there, even if not all of them meet at once, Mulan and Rapunzel are popular characters. We don’t know the other 4 yet but still. Between that a short film and playground, they could do something quite nice here.

I agree, Disney needs to get more flat expansions. DAK and DHS especially. DHS needs like 3 more non E tickets to help spread out the crazy flow. DAK really could use 2 more lands with 2-3 rides each.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It replaced part of an employee parking lot… I mean that is not adding anything to capacity so it is a net positive and not replacing anything Of guest value.

Okay I get that. We’re a little early in construction to see definitive proof yet but I think it’s telling that they haven’t just announced something like “In order to make the rally race ride up to our standards, we had to part ways with the original concept for a secondary ride. Instead we got patents and the fun map seems to define the location of the attraction without revealing the system, working well with the fact that the patent only recently came known. Even without that ride, we have at minimum 2 additional rides adding into the backside of ROA where no actual rides went and it has very limited capacity back there.

The good news is that I think animation courtyard actually could help more than expected. If they have 6 popular meet and greets back there, even if not all of them meet at once, Mulan and Rapunzel are popular characters. We don’t know the other 4 yet but still. Between that a short film and playground, they could do something quite nice here.

I agree, Disney needs to get more flat expansions. DAK and DHS especially. DHS needs like 3 more non E tickets to help spread out the crazy flow. DAK really could use 2 more lands with 2-3 rides each.

As of now…muppet vision is offline. I know they’re saying they’re gonna do something with theater…but I’ve seen that fish before…

So as it stands…monsters is a replacement…maybe…or maybe not?

 

[_caleb]

Interesting article from the Orlando Sentinel about D'Amaro's strategic approach to leadership:

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/202...ney-ceo-is-an-example-of-a-strategic-thinker/

The portion that caught my attention:

During a trip to Disney’s Burbank, Calif., headquarters, Josh D’Amaro presented research-based ideas to Robert Iger outlining plans for future expansion.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the report concluded that the theme parks and cruise ships were constrained only by their size. The data also showed that guests were spending more per visit, due to ongoing price increases by D’Amaro.

At the same time, Disney guests were moving away from traditional media in favor of video games and virtual worlds.

As a result of that presentation, Disney committed to nearly doubling its investment in its parks and cruise ships, bringing the total to $60 billion over the next decade. The Journal also reported that the company invested $1.5 billion in Fortnite, developed by Epic Games.

 

[CoastalElite64]

This topic and Disney was talked about in the Town podcast. At the 16 minute mark.

They are right: Disney will always be a media company.

 

[brb1006]

The full interview with Michael Eisner regarding his thoughts on the current state of Disney has just been uploaded.

 

[Chef Mickey]

The full interview with Michael Eisner regarding his thoughts on the current state of Disney has just been uploaded.

I'd rather have Eisner today than Josh.

 

[_caleb]

I'd rather have Eisner today than Josh.

Really? Why? Were you a parks fan during his tenure?

 

[HMF]

Really? Why? Were you a parks fan during his tenure?

Eisner's post-Wells years had good aspects and bad aspects to them. The Iger Years have largely been Iger turning the parks into the money-grubbing caricature the people who hate Disney always claimed it was. A glorified billboard to sell Disney Branded crap to consumers.

 

[UNCgolf]

Really? Why? Were you a parks fan during his tenure?

Eisner was mostly great for the parks (at least at WDW) until the mid-late 90s, but even then we got theme masterpieces like Animal Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Lodge.

 

[MK-fan]

Is this about the jist of Chapek’s Parks resume?

Avengers Campus (DCA and DLP)

Guardians Breakout

Toy Story Land (DHS)

Soarin Over the Horizon

Galaxy’s Edge (DL and WDW)

Starcruiser Hotel

Guardians Cosmic Rewind

Pixar Pier

San Fransokyo Square retheme

Moana Journey of Water

World of Frozen (HK and DLP)

Iron Man Experience

Ant-man Nano Battle

Mickey’s Runaway Railway (WDW and DL)

Tiana‘s Bayou Adventure decision

Charging for Fastpass

Communicore Hall

Ratatouille clone for WDW

Massive cuts to entertainment

 

[Jrb1979]

Really? Why? Were you a parks fan during his tenure?

I loved that in his day we still got the occasional original attraction. He brought Extraterrestrial. He wasn't all about IP synergy and that every new attraction had be new IP

 

[HMF]

Eisner was mostly great for the parks (especially WDW) until the mid-late 90s, but even then we got theme masterpieces like Animal Kingdom and Animal Kingdom Lodge.

DL was on the other side of the coin back then, unfortunately.

 

[BrianLo]

Is this about the jist of Chapek’s Parks resume?

Avengers Campus (DCA and DLP)

Guardians Breakout

Toy Story Land (DHS)

Soarin Over the Horizon

Galaxy’s Edge (DL and WDW)

Starcruiser Hotel

Guardians Cosmic Rewind

Pixar Pier

San Fransokyo Square retheme

Moana Journey of Water

World of Frozen (HK and DLP)

Iron Man Experience

Ant-man Nano Battle

Mickey’s Runaway Railway (WDW and DL)

Tiana‘s Bayou Adventure decision

Charging for Fastpass

Communicore Hall

Ratatouille clone for WDW

Massive cuts to entertainment

Soaring Over the Horizon was a Shanghai project and predated Chapek.

Iron Man experience also predates Chapek. It’s difficult to determine how far along Staggs Sheparded most of the HKDL plans.

Galaxies Edge and Toy Story Playland also largely predate Chapek, but what he was involved in was cost savings for both and pulling out a number of planned elements for the star cruiser.

The rest seem like mostly his core resume. DCL Adventure is the other you forgot.

Ordering the Triton class also predates Chapek. But most of the design work occurred during his tenure, which is likely why that shipbuilder nod was made at Disneyland. Retrospectively Chapek had the good fortune of acquiring a good pipeline as opposed to creating one himself.

Hard to say if the Skyliner project predates him or not.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Really? Why? Were you a parks fan during his tenure?

Eisner was in charge during the better times of WDW. Soft spot for that.

Listening to the whole interview, however, Eisner is basically a moron now too.

My issue with Josh is he's presided over some of the worst park decisions (IMO) in the last 15 years. He's part of the problem. I want someone different and not part of the broken establishment.