News Expose reveals WDC control in online fan community

[Stripes]

Whoa now. Sunday just got juicy!!

Some facts:
1. I was Al's co-founder on MiceAge - I had a front row seat, so I know whereof I speak below.
2. It is true that Al has Parkinson's
3. I haven't written for MiceChat in a long time. Last I looked, they were using the name "MiceAge Update" rather than Al's name directly; there was something of a retirement more or less for Al. Could he still be writing occasional articles? Yes, sure. Especially if someone helped him.
4. The very idea that Al didn't write for MiceAge during the SaveDisney years is laughable. That was definitely him. Sure, he had sources, and I suppose they could have included folks in the Iger/Mucha camp. But don't you remember him ridiculing the way Zenia's name was pronounced? Definitely his own voice in those years, so the central premise of the article is wrong.

Since Mr. Synder outed several real names, I suppose it does no harm to reveal he is, in fact, Spirit of 74. Several of you picked up on the tone before I could confirm it.

Knowing that Spirit is the author of that article should change several things for readers. He was frequently a critic of Al, and with Al now sidelined by disease, this feels like a hit piece designed to "win the argument" several years later, and take Al's reputation down a notch.

It was all Al during those SaveDisney years, and he was nowhere close to co-opted by corporate. As noted above, his sources could have included Iger, sure. He could have promoted Iger over others, sure. But nowhere close to what you see with Influencers these days taking handouts and writing "reviews." Al was never comped into anything.

Wait. We know that TP2000 and WDW1974 have met each other based on their posting history. So if Snyder is 74, that means...

 

[cosmicgirl]

Okay, so I'm relatively new to these boards (2 years) so I don't know who Spirit is. But the ever so generous Google offered me this dating back to 2015:
https://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-tourist-blog-forums/comment-page-1/

A particular segment which stands out:

As you know, I’m taking a sabbatical from posting on WDWMAGIC.com, which I feel is the best site out there. But even there …well, you start realizing that all fans and all opinions are not created equally. And that people live to troll, some who might actually get paid by affiliates of The Walt Disney Company.

I may be new to this but it sure makes me want to bring out the popcorn.

 

[bubbles1812]

Whoa now. Sunday just got juicy!!

Some facts:
1. I was Al's co-founder on MiceAge - I had a front row seat, so I know whereof I speak below.
2. It is true that Al has Parkinson's
3. I haven't written for MiceChat in a long time. Last I looked, they were using the name "MiceAge Update" rather than Al's name directly; there was something of a retirement more or less for Al. Could he still be writing occasional articles? Yes, sure. Especially if someone helped him.
4. The very idea that Al didn't write for MiceAge during the SaveDisney years is laughable. That was definitely him. Sure, he had sources, and I suppose they could have included folks in the Iger/Mucha camp. But don't you remember him ridiculing the way Zenia's name was pronounced? Definitely his own voice in those years, so the central premise of the article is wrong.

Since Mr. Synder outed several real names, I suppose it does no harm to reveal he is, in fact, Spirit of 74. Several of you picked up on the tone before I could confirm it.

Knowing that Spirit is the author of that article should change several things for readers. He was frequently a critic of Al, and with Al now sidelined by disease, this feels like a hit piece designed to "win the argument" several years later, and take Al's reputation down a notch.

It was all Al during those SaveDisney years, and he was nowhere close to co-opted by corporate. As noted above, his sources could have included Iger, sure. He could have promoted Iger over others, sure. But nowhere close to what you see with Influencers these days taking handouts and writing "reviews." Al was never comped into anyth

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond!

Yeah, it didn't take long to figure out Spirit was the likely author. And, well, he did have a definite agenda and spotty record toward the end...

Makes a lot of sense. I liked some of the points he made but sometimes he was a bit too angry. The tone is very there in the article.

So now the question... what’s he really hoping for here? And was he expecting his username to be outed? Will the real Spirit come back out to play?

 

[Matt7187]

This may be a stupid question, but what was/is Gary Snyder's role with TWDC? A quick google search showed no results. I may have just missed it in the article but would appreciate an answer if someone has it.

 

[VJ]

I may be new to this but it sure makes me want to bring out the popcorn.

oh trust me, when it comes to spirit, you'll want a lifetime supply of popcorn

 

[Brer Oswald]

This reminds me of “The Legend of Keddy Todd”.

 

[T.Will]

oh trust me, when it comes to spirit, you'll want a lifetime supply of popcorn

But I'm on a diet.

 

[TP2000]

Indeed however given TP2000 was just online, reading this thread, then went away again without saying anything is pretty telling.

I would like to hear his side of the story, especially if it's thoughtful and entertaining.

I was at brunch and then went shopping with some family when this happened mid-day Pacific time. I'm trying to catch up with all these private messages some very nice folks here are sending me, and then re-read that Medium article again. It's all so hysterically funny and yet confusing.

Suffice it to say, I'm afraid it's wrong. It's very, very bizarre though. Give me some time to read all of this stuff and then fix an evening cocktail and I'll respond more fully. I'm a STAR!

 

[Animaniac93-98]

@Magic Feather says he's "heard a lot about" Troy Porter, though he thinks George's role "was overplayed"

So who is the real Troy Porter (if there is one) and what is his relationship with the company?

 

[WDW Guru]

I was at brunch and then went shopping with some family when this happened mid-day Pacific time. I'm trying to catch up with all these private messages some very nice folks here are sending me, and then re-read that Medium article again. It's all so hysterically funny and yet confusing.

Suffice it to say, I'm afraid it's wrong. It's very, very bizarre though. Give me some time to read all of this stuff and then fix an evening cocktail and I'll respond more fully. I'm a STAR!

You be even more of a star if you exposed the evil inner workings of TWDC

 

[RSoxNo1]

Well, I was gonna reach out to @WDW1974 about his thoughts on the article, glad I read through this thread first.

I'm a little disappointed that nobody called me a mole.

 

[brb1006]

Whoa now. Sunday just got juicy!!

Some facts:
1. I was Al's co-founder on MiceAge - I had a front row seat, so I know whereof I speak below.
2. It is true that Al has Parkinson's
3. I haven't written for MiceChat in a long time. Last I looked, they were using the name "MiceAge Update" rather than Al's name directly; there was something of a retirement more or less for Al. Could he still be writing occasional articles? Yes, sure. Especially if someone helped him.
4. The very idea that Al didn't write for MiceAge during the SaveDisney years is laughable. That was definitely him. Sure, he had sources, and I suppose they could have included folks in the Iger/Mucha camp. But don't you remember him ridiculing the way Zenia's name was pronounced? Definitely his own voice in those years, so the central premise of the article is wrong.

Since Mr. Synder outed several real names, I suppose it does no harm to reveal he is, in fact, Spirit of 74. Several of you picked up on the tone before I could confirm it.

Knowing that Spirit is the author of that article should change several things for readers. He was frequently a critic of Al, and with Al now sidelined by disease, this feels like a hit piece designed to "win the argument" several years later, and take Al's reputation down a notch.

It was all Al during those SaveDisney years, and he was nowhere close to co-opted by corporate. As noted above, his sources could have included Iger, sure. He could have promoted Iger over others, sure. But nowhere close to what you see with Influencers these days taking handouts and writing "reviews." Al was never comped into anything.

WHAT.

What a weird day this site has experienced.

 

[VJ]

Well, I was gonna reach out to @WDW1974 about his thoughts on the article, glad I read through this thread first.

I'm a little disappointed that nobody called me a mole.

get outta here ya mole!

better?

 

[DisneyDrum]

This may be a stupid question, but what was/is Gary Snyder's role with TWDC? A quick google search showed no results. I may have just missed it in the article but would appreciate an answer if someone has it.

No role in TWDC that I've seen. He's a member of the Redstone family, which controls Viacom/CBS. Example of his role in that drama: https://www.thewrap.com/viacom-powe...er-explains-whos-really-in-charge-guest-blog/

We're coming into an age of intense competition for streaming media $$, and Viacom/CBS just merged to try to to compete with Disney. I don't know how conversations on Disney Fan sites came to be so important, but it certainly makes things interesting.

 

[DinoInstitute]

I'm a little disappointed that nobody called me a mole.

That’s exactly what a mole who didn’t want to seem like a mole would say!

 

[brb1006]

That is interesting. I didn’t know there was a Save Disney campaign

Here's a video Roy Disney made for "Save Disney".

 

[TeriofTerror]

I just gotta say...this is the first article I've read in long time - about anything - that had me sitting here with my mouth open in awe. Pretty sure I said "oh my God" a few times as well. It was like that part at the end of a long movie when they edit rapid flashbacks to earlier scenes in order to reveal that the main character was actually the villain the whole time.

A plot twist for the ages, really.

Your language was decidedly more family friendly than mine. "Holy (several variants can be accurately inserted here)" repeatedly escaped my lips.

 

[Sped2424]

Hey guys just got back from New York what did I miss

 

[T.Will]

Hey guys just got back from New York what did I miss

Take a seat and have a drink...

 

[EricsBiscuit]

That is interesting. I didn’t know there was a Save Disney campaign

It’s what we thought of as an attempt by Roy E Disney to save the company by changing leadership. It wasn’t the first time he did it. He and his business partner Stanley Gold ousted Walt’s son in law Ron Miller in 84 and put in Eisner as CEO and Wells as President.
Edit: there was a divide according to Disney War b/w the Walt and Roy sides of the family. It’s unclear what role Diane Disney Miller had in the Save Disney campaign from this new Iger as Palpatine perspective.