When will the intervention come?

[davis_unoxx]

Hello all!

We’ve seen Disney has fallen onto very tough times creatively as a company, mainly with their recent movie debuts and in the parks as of late.

With the movie Wish being dragged by many for sounding like AI wrote the soundtrack, to Tiana’s being described as a direct to video sequel as a ride, when will Disney change course?

We’ve seen that Disney has been affected by this financially at the box office, and me personally as a former cast member through this year know that their hotels are not filling up like they used to with bookings, and the economy is still strong… Florida keeps breaking tourism records, while Disney’s occupancy at hotels keeps going down.

For example New Year’s Day this year at Animal Kingdom Lodge, the occupancy of the hotel was 70% not including the blocked off rooms to make occupancy look higher than it really is. When I was a cast member you could feel how the crowds are lesser due to less hiring as of late, and part timers getting next to no hours each week…

I truly love Disney, and I liked working for them but now’s a time for change, I personally believe they are in a bigger mess then even 20 years ago with that Save Disney Campaign to oust Eisner, which was a big deal at the time.

I’ve never seen public reception of Disney so bad, and it’s mainstream now people make fun of Disney and the people that visit their parks.

We saw Peltz try to gain a seat on the board, and since the Disney that he won’t be elected Disney’s stock has fallen back down around -20%


Also Disney is a very different situation with there parks than say 10 years ago, instead of a quarter of their profits coming from the parks, it’s over 70% now. So now that we’ve reached a tipping point in my opinion with room occupancy and public perception of Disney, it’ll be very interesting what happens to them financially especially if our economy slows down substantially.


No company is too big to fail, greed and thinking you can do whatever is always the downfall of big companies.


What’s next? Will Disney keep making mid projects like Tiana that are bashed for playing it so safe and being a dull ride?

Thank you all, and I look forward to the discussions.

 

[davis_unoxx]

Also thank you to people like @TP2000 who give great insight into Disney, while infusing great humor into your perspective. Something Disney used to do quite well with their attractions LOL

 

[Yellow Shoes]

Hello all!

We’ve seen Disney has fallen onto very tough times creatively as a company, mainly with their recent movie debuts and in the parks as of late.

With the movie Wish being dragged by many for sounding like AI wrote the soundtrack, to Tiana’s being described as a direct to video sequel as a ride, when will Disney change course?

We’ve seen that Disney has been affected by this financially at the box office, and me personally as a former cast member through this year know that their hotels are not filling up like they used to with bookings, and the economy is still strong… Florida keeps breaking tourism records, while Disney’s occupancy at hotels keeps going down.

For example New Year’s Day this year at Animal Kingdom Lodge, the occupancy of the hotel was 70% not including the blocked off rooms to make occupancy look higher than it really is. When I was a cast member you could feel how the crowds are lesser due to less hiring as of late, and part timers getting next to no hours each week…

I truly love Disney, and I liked working for them but now’s a time for change, I personally believe they are in a bigger mess then even 20 years ago with that Save Disney Campaign to oust Eisner, which was a big deal at the time.

I’ve never seen public reception of Disney so bad, and it’s mainstream now people make fun of Disney and the people that visit their parks.

We saw Peltz try to gain a seat on the board, and since the Disney that he won’t be elected Disney’s stock has fallen back down around -20%

What’s next? Will Disney keep making mid projects like Tiana that are bashed for playing it so safe and being a dull ride?

Thank you all, and I look forward to the discussions.

I would suggest that WDW is a victim of its own success. 50 years ago WDW was a "one and done" parental obligation. Now we have "Disney Adults" (I'm one of them) who go year after year. So instead of a new "crop" of guests, we never get rid of any.
110 minute wait times do not make for a fun or satisfying vacation.

 

[Drdcm]

Here’s all I have to say. The market will decide, it could be the old school stuff that I love is now irrelevant and that the way Disney is moving is the “new way forward”. Or, the market can rake them over the coals good and hard. The consumer decides and that is what will force their hand if change is in the future.

 

[Chi84]

When I look around, I see a lack of creativity everywhere now. It’s a mistake to think Disney is somehow unique in this.

I’m not sure what will fix it, but I see less pride and integrity in the workplace and a lazy reliance on technology. Imagination is no longer valued as it once was.

 

[TP2000]

Also thank you to people like @TP2000 who give great insight into Disney, while infusing great humor into your perspective. Something Disney used to do quite well with their attractions LOL

Thank you, that's kind of you. There's a lot of very funny people on this forum, and I find myself chuckling and laughing out loud regularly. Which is why I enjoy it here.

But your point is valid. Disney, and especially WDI, seem to take themselves so damn seriously nowadays. Everything they do now is "very important" and "meaningful" and "powerful" and whatever other HR buzzword is hip that month. They're all puffed up and self-important.

But they're just building rides for theme parks, for gosh sakes. With singing animals and robot pirates and princesses. This isn't cancer cure research or building a SpaceX rocket to Mars or designing an emergency replacement for the Francis Scott Key Bridge in record time.

If they are unwilling to actually go to the parks themselves and experience their own product as their paying customers do, without comped LL passes and plaid vest CM's sneaking them in the exit and reserving them seats for the parade, the least they could do is stop sounding so pompous. The top Imagineers of the 2020's (and a few other Parks division execs) could stand to deflate their ego a few sizes and learn to laugh at themselves a bit. You aren't that cool. It's just a theme park.

That would likely help them to start building better products again.

 

[Drdcm]

Here’s all I have to say. The market will decide, it could be the old school stuff that I love is now irrelevant and that the way Disney is moving is the “new way forward”. Or, the market can rake them over the coals good and hard. The consumer decides and that is what will force their hand if change is in the future.

One thing I will add is that I I firmly believe they are no longer interested in being consumer friendly. I’m not optimistic about the next few years, but it will get real interesting once people don’t have a disposable income an have to decide who earns their hard earned vacation cash.

 

[GhostHost1000]

 

[Chi84]

One thing I will add is that I I firmly believe they are no longer interested in being consumer friendly. I’m not optimistic about the next few years, but it will get real interesting once people don’t have a disposable income an have to decide who earns their hard earned vacation cash.

It’s very expensive, no question.

 

[Tha Realest]

First, we have to see some semblance of consequence for these projects.

Who at WDI got fired for SWGS, or SWGE for that matter? Is Ann Morrow still with WDI?

Look what Zach did to EPCOT, and he got promoted.

The two people most associated with this project are very senior at WDI. Will they suddenly get a chance to tell immersive storytelling elsewhere at the company?

What about the people behind Fort Wilderness cabins?

There’s no indication any of these people have had adverse consequences to these very costly mistakes.

 

[Chi84]

First, we have to see some semblance of consequence for these projects.

Who at WDI got fired for SWGS, or SWGE for that matter? Is Ann Morrow still with WDI?

Look what Zach did to EPCOT, and he got promoted.

The two people most associated with this project are very senior at WDI. Will they suddenly get a chance to tell immersive storytelling elsewhere at the company?

What about the people behind Fort Wilderness cabins?

There’s no indication any of these people have had adverse consequences to these very costly mistakes.

Are one or two people making the decisions for these projects?

 

[Tha Realest]

Are one or two people making the decisions for these projects?

Each of those people I mentioned are the ones most publicly closely associated with their respective projects.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

We saw Peltz try to gain a seat on the board

Peltz would have made things much worse.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I can't express how disappointing it's been to be a Disney fan the last 10 years. Seeing the movies continuously get worse- but you can ignore that.

What they're doing to the parks is brand assassination. Getting rid of many things that defined the Disney Parks brand- the Disney look, the high standards of service and showmanship, good maintenance, decent food. Superficial and meaningless changes are touted as 'important'- like getting rid of the Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls show introduction.



Their insistence on up charging for everything now- dining packages for show viewing, Genie+, etc. shows a complete lack of respect for the customer. It feels slimy and isn't at all hospitable.

A family friend is an exec for Universal Studios Hollywood - he said Universal's internal motto right now is 'Don't do what Disney's doing.' And as a whole Universal is hitting it out of the park- I firmly believe that if things don't change Universal will overtake Disney as the preferred resort in the next decade or two.

 

[Chi84]

Each of those people I mentioned are the ones most publicly closely associated with their respective projects.

I don’t know firing people helps all that much. You have to find the right ones in the first place. I mean, the White Sox keep firing people . . .

 

[Touchdown]

It’s coming, but I suspect we won’t be happy with the results. I expect a huge culling of positions in the company and for some divisions to be spun off entirely. Disney is too large to function. Given Igers history I suspect he’s trying to sell the Parks division again.

 

[Chi84]

I can't express how disappointing it's been to be a Disney fan the last 10 years. Seeing the movies continuously get worse- but you can ignore that.

What they're doing to the parks is brand assassination. Getting rid of many things that defined the Disney Parks brand- the Disney look, the high standards of service and showmanship, good maintenance, decent food. Superficial and meaningless changes are touted as 'important'- like getting rid of the Ladies and Gentleman, Boys and Girls show introduction.

But what they just did to Splash Mountain shows how deep the rot is. It was beloved on both coasts. Disneyland is in dire need of a Tomorrowland refresh. The Magic Kingdom is in dire need of more capacity.

But instead of doing those, Disney invested millions in gutting one of their most popular attractions at a time consumer sentiment about their parks is reaching all time lows. It also shows a complete lack of respect for the legacy of their Magic Kingdom style parks and a complete lack of respect for their fans.

Their insistence on up charging for everything now- dining packages for show viewing, Genie+, etc. shows a complete lack of respect for the customer. It feels slimy and isn't at all hospitable.

A family friend is an exec for Universal Studios Hollywood - he said Universal's internal motto right now is 'Don't do what Disney's doing.' And as a whole Universal is hitting it out of the park- I firmly believe that if things don't change Universal will overtake Disney as the preferred resort in the next decade or two.

I don’t agree with most of that. Some of the changes were quietly made and then blown up out of all proportion by the people who didn’t like them.

I never developed any kind of emotional attachment to Splash; the replacement looks fine (I love the music). The parks were clean and the CMs looked great the last couple of trips.

I’m more concerned about taking things away - like Magical Express a resort airline check-in. And ever-increasing prices.

 

[Brian]

So I’m avoiding spoilers on Tiana’s since I”m going to get to ride it with my family in June, but without spoilering me, are the reviews really that bad?

I'd say they skew bad. Maybe like 70/30 split.

 

[tanc]

When Iger is out, and it also greatly depends on who his successor will be.

 

[Trauma]

So I’m avoiding spoilers on Tiana’s since I”m going to get to ride it with my family in June, but without spoilering me, are the reviews really that bad?

I know I’m considered a bias source but if I’m being extremely generous I would say 1 in 8 comments across all platforms ( YouTube forums social ) are positive.

Make of that what you will.