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

[Disneyson]

So many imagineers are gone... I wonder whose, exactly, are hearing this “say what has always been on your mind” thing, especially since it seems that Disney is looking for reasons to get rid of people now. It’s hard to be a champion for Cast Members right now considering the things that have had to happen. I think this was a terrible time to give a speech, because frankly, we are motivating people to do... what? If there are no new projects and no new carrots to dangle in front of our faces, what exactly are people trying to achieve?

To be frank, I think Josh is doing his job well. This is not a great time to make a speech. But it was IAAPA. I feel like he needed to say something.

 

[Lilofan]

So many imagineers are gone... I wonder whose, exactly, are hearing this “say what has always been on your mind” thing, especially since it seems that Disney is looking for reasons to get rid of people now. It’s hard to be a champion for Cast Members right now considering the things that have had to happen. I think this was a terrible time to give a speech, because frankly, we are motivating people to do... what? If there are no new projects and no new carrots to dangle in front of our faces, what exactly are people trying to achieve?

In the speech, defiance rules!

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Two thoughts:

(1) "We watched as our teams accomplished things in a few weeks that might normally take a year."

To me, this is operational inefficiency. If I was an executive, then I would want to know why it took a pandemic to get teams to achieve deliverables in weeks that might normally take a year. This statement is nothing short of embarrassing.

(2) "The pandemic has changed us, and forced us to focus on the most fundamental elements of who we are, what we do, and what we care about. It reminded us of what is most important – while compelling us to adjust and innovate."

People are one of an organization's most valuable resources. Those who have lost their jobs continue to be forgotten.

 

[tirian]

Two thoughts:

(1) "We watched as our teams accomplished things in a few weeks that might normally take a year."

To me, this is operational inefficiency. If I was an executive, then I would want to know why it took a pandemic to get teams to achieve deliverables in weeks that might normally take a year. This statement is nothing short of embarrassing.

(2) "The pandemic has changed us, and forced us to focus on the most fundamental elements of who we are, what we do, and what we care about. It reminded us of what is most important – while compelling us to adjust and innovate."

People are one of an organization's most valuable resources. Those who have lost their jobs continue to be forgotten.

Enjoy your past memories, and enjoy the new positive things when they happen to occur, because Disney is blatantly just a mega-corp.

 

[MEyeSeeKayEY]

and the out of touch “woke scolds” strike again. the new Splash will be more popular and less controversial than the current ride, but yeah, let’s just preemptively decry it because y’all don’t care about people who don’t look like you. yawn.

Unbelievably ignorant take.

 

[EagleScout610]

Two thoughts:

(1) "We watched as our teams accomplished things in a few weeks that might normally take a year."

To me, this is operational inefficiency. If I was an executive, then I would want to know why it took a pandemic to get teams to achieve deliverables in weeks that might normally take a year. This statement is nothing short of embarrassing.

I read it more as "Watch us half a** the heck out of everything, starting with Splash"

 

[RealJoshDAmaro]

“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!”

Don't misquote me! I said churos, not cupcakes!

 

[larryz]

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).

Our reptilian alien overlords will now feel much more welcome.*

* Don't laugh -- this refurb is coming out of California, after all!

 

[MisterPenguin]

Thread title: Vague enough that almost anything related to the parks is fair game.

Result: Thread is just a list of personal grievances.

Click: Unwatch thread. Bye, have fun convincing no one!!

 

[Lilofan]

Don't misquote me! I said churos, not cupcakes!

At least spell it right.

 

[RealJoshDAmaro]

At least spell it right.

We're cutting back on everything! Do you think we can afford the extra 'r' right now?

 

[Miru]

Isaac Newton Quote: âFor every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.â

“For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” — Quote by Isaac Newton

quotefancy.com

Remember this, people. Karma will bite WDI in the solar plexus HARD eventually. And then they’ll be forced to make more original and non-woke rides. I would consider what’s happening now the equal and opposite reaction to Superstar Limo and Habit Heroes.

 

[V_L_Raptor]

Isaac Newton Quote: âFor every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.â

“For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” — Quote by Isaac Newton

quotefancy.com

Remember this, people. Karma will bite WDI in the solar plexus HARD eventually. And then they’ll be forced to make more original and non-woke rides. I would consider what’s happening now the equal and opposite reaction to Superstar Limo and Habit Heroes.

Non-woke, who knows. I do think that at some point they're going to find themselves forced to be more original than they have been, but I don't think that's going to be within the next decade or two or three. The quest for IP synergy is entirely too deeply ingrained for them to discover magical originality with any kind of natural progression at this point. They'll pass the Splash reno as inclusivity, but they're just building out their princess attraction portfolio without having to import a New Orleans Square to Orlando.

Karma doesn't have anything to do with it. Lack of original creativity does. This isn't being woke, it's spinning off a project they pulled out of the stack to have a project at all just to try pandering to the clueless rich folks who think riding a theme park flume ride with AA cartoon characters (or buying merch from said flume ride) is a social justice statement. None of it changes the world, and Disney hasn't become woke. They saw an opportunity to run someone's blue sky proposal and hook it to the protests over the summer for bonus points.