News Disney Parks Chairman Josh D'Amaro reflects on 2020 and hopes for 2021

[wdwmagic]

Disney Parks Chairman Josh D'Amaro reflects on 2020 and hopes for 2021

The new Disney Parks head has been part of the industry event - IAAPA.

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[monothingie]

Poor Josh is putting lipstick on a pig. A big bald Chapek looking pig.

 

[tirian]

“We fired 28k CMs in our first round of layoffs and canceled nearly all entertainment, but we’re keeping the inclusive Magic alive to be inclusive and Magical with inclusive Magic! Please don’t flame us on Twitter. Look! Cupcakes!”

 

[Magenta Panther]

So how is retheming Splash to PatF "inclusive" in any way? From what I've read about the proposed makeover, Tiana is barely going to be in the ride at all. Kind of like she was in her own movie (in human form, anyway).

Way to pander, Josh. What's next for the new "Inclusion" ploy? A gay pride parade down Main Street?

 

[Brer Panther]

We're in trouble.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

The inclusivity key is such a pander. It’s already encompassed in courtesy. All they’re during is weakening their 4 Keys system. Before you know it, there will be 6, 7, 8... keys. Not a huge deal, but still. What’s worse is their almost idiotic Splash Mountain decision. Worst of both worlds. An important IP that should receive better treatment is instead shoe horned into a perfectly fine classic. It will cost Disney hundreds of millions and take years. Might as well do something original. But no, the woke crowd strikes again.

 

[drizgirl]

The inclusivity key is such a pander. It’s already encompassed in courtesy. All they’re during is weakening their 4 Keys system. Before you know it, there will be 6, 7, 8... keys. Not a huge deal, but still. What’s worse is their almost idiotic Splash Mountain decision. Worst of both worlds. An important IP that should receive better treatment is instead shoe horned into a perfectly fine classic. It will cost Disney hundreds of millions and take years. Might as well do something original. But no, the woke crowd strikes again.

But if they can just come in and close down all the "offending" attractions for an extended period of time, they can recoup part of the cost in reduced operating expenses.

 

[SaveDinosaur]

I still don't get it why so many people think that Josh D'Amaro is any different than Iger or Chapek, do you guys really think that they would promote him if he was an old style Disney executive? He just knows how to promote himself better than the two of them, who only care about how Wall Street sees them. Did he promote any significant changes or ideas during his time at the company? No. I would agree with all of you, if he had at least pushed and got a green lit in a non-ip project or if he canceled this horrific Splash thing. Now, he is trying to act like Disney didn't pay bonus to executives before firing a lot of people and like the Splash Mountain retheme isn't a personal project from the wanna be politician in charge of the company (even with the keep Splash Mountain campaign having more than 100.000 signatures).

 

[tirian]

I still don't get it why so many people think that Josh D'Amaro is any different than Iger or Chapek, do you guys really think that they would promote him if he was an old style Disney executive? He just knows how to promote himself better than the two of them, who only care about how Wall Street sees them. Did he promote any significant changes or ideas during his time at the company? No. I would agree with all of you, if he had at least pushed and got a green lit in a non-ip project or if he canceled this horrific Splash thing. Now, he is trying to act like Disney didn't pay bonus to executives before firing a lot of people and like the Splash Mountain retheme isn't a personal project from the wanna be politician in charge of the company (even with the keep Splash Mountain campaign having more than 100.000 signatures).

Good point. As that old saying goes, “Squirrels are rats with better publicity.”

It’s difficult to take any of their pixie-dust announcements seriously when they’re charging full prices for lesser experiences in parks that are fairly busy, and while they’re cutting jobs and paying exec bonuses during “these difficult/unprecedented/unexpected times.”

 

[techgeek]

While it’s always nice to hear the ‘dare to dream for next year’ speech, it would have been nicer if they actually did dare to dream just a little this year.

God knows we could have used it.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I still don't get it why so many people think that Josh D'Amaro is any different than Iger or Chapek, do you guys really think that they would promote him if he was an old style Disney executive?

I think he actually cares about the parks, which is more than I think about Iger and Chapek.

But I agree... he’s not the savior anybody is hoping he will be.

 

[Lilofan]

I think he actually cares about the parks, which is more than I think about Iger and Chapek.

But I agree... he’s not the savior anybody is hoping he will be.

D'Amaro seemed sincere and defeated when meeting with cast according to reports when the massive round of layoffs went down. He probably knew what he signed up for when he took the chairman job. His speech is about being defiant. Does one think a cast member who is lucky enough to be working should be showing this trait?

 

[Disney Analyst]

They seriously are doubling down on the inclusivity first mantra. I only got two episodes into the new Pixar documentary on Disney+ and realized that it was one big virtue signaling series based on identity politics. Sorry - I want everyone treated equally with equal opportunity for all. All for it, but don't stuff it down my throat.

Yeah watching inclusivity play out is such a hard and awful thing to witness. How very dare they. Have your equal opportunity but don’t remind us you have it these days, we like to pretend it’s the 50’s in our minds. Ahh the good old days.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Yeah watching inclusivity play out is such a hard and awful thing to witness. How very dare they. Have your equal opportunity but don’t remind us you have it these days, we like to pretend it’s the 50’s in our minds. Ahh the good old days.

How many people of various cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, and sexual identities were part of the 28,000 laid off?

But sure... let’s focus on the log flume.

 

[Disney Analyst]

How many people of various cultural backgrounds, religious beliefs, and sexual identities were part of the 28,000 laid off?

But sure... let’s focus on the log flume.

I mean we were specifically talking about a Disney + series it seemed by the quoted post.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I mean we were specifically talking about a Disney + series it seemed by the quoted post.

Ok... then replace “log flume” with “highlighted Pixar employee”

 

[SpoiledBlueMilk]

Yeah watching inclusivity play out is such a hard and awful thing to witness. How very dare they. Have your equal opportunity but don’t remind us you have it these days, we like to pretend it’s the 50’s in our minds. Ahh the good old days.

Hardly, and your snark misses the mark by a country mile. My comment was aimed at the Pixar series and that alone. Embodying diversity and inclusion is integral to business success. That should be standard practice and I commend Disney on adding it as a 5th key to their training program. However, when I sit down to watch a documentary series billed in advertising as a look behind the scenes at Pixar, I expect more of a look behind the scenes at how the creative process works, a la the Frozen doc, than series of short form stories cherrypicked to fill a diversity quotient.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Hardly, and your snark misses the mark by a country mile. My comment was aimed at the Pixar series and that alone. Embodying diversity and inclusion is integral to business success. That should be standard practice and I commend Disney on adding it as a 5th key to their training program. However, when I sit down to watch a documentary series billed in advertising as a look behind the scenes at Pixar, I expect more of a look behind the scenes at how the creative process works, a la the Frozen doc, than series of short form stories cherrypicked to fill a diversity quotient.

It all sounds like spoilt milk to me

 

[tirian]

I could be wrong, but I think the same people are chomping at the bit to go back to this argument like me to an open bar. Over and over. And then hacks like me have to point it out. Over and over.

Meh, the chances of changing someone’s opinion on a fan forum are slim to none.

 

[HoustonHorn]

Meh, the chances of changing someone’s opinion on a fan forum are slim to none.