A Spirited Perfect Ten

[WDW1974]

Try to read Kim Masters' "Keys to the Kingdom" as well. It goes into Eisner's c-suite bloodletting during the 90's.

Both books are must reads but they also are not completely accurate. They do set the times and mood best of all. They are mostly accurate, but you'll find things in each that make you say 'is that right?'

 

[Tony Perkis]

SFOT was originally heavily themed in each of the represented six flags. Prior to all the WB characters and DC stuff. Employees wearing uniforms appropriate for their area of the park, different music played appropriate for each area of the park.

I lived in Fort Lauderdale until about 1992 - 1993, so I don't necessarily remember the areas that were heavily themed. You can definitely see remnants of past efforts in the Spain/Mexico and Texas sections, but others (France, mostly) are just jokes in regards to theming.

 

[WDW1974]

How about Karl Holz, DCL seems to hold up the 'Disney Standards' as we know them. I know he's a bit older but I can't think of anyone who would be better to START rebuilding the parks while looking outside for a new P&R head.

No, God, no.

DCL may be a great product. But that doesn't make Karl a good leader. And as a human being he sorta sucks too.

 

[WDW1974]

And people wonder why CA beats FL for most whacked out state in the union...

It isn't, which I admit is scary as hell.

 

[burgess]

Even if John Lasseter wanted the job, who's to say that 3 years from now Pixar (and him by extension) will be as untouchable as they were 3 years ago when the whole Ross thing when down? I know he has his hands on Walt Disney Animation Studios movies too, but he might not seem as indispensable in 2018.

 

[tissandtully]

@WDW1974 I've been meaning to ask since I don't think it's really possibly anymore. In this day and age is it even possible that someone could start as a lowly CM and move up the ranks at TWDC like George K. did? Also, what the heck has he been up to?

 

[WDW1974]

He's a petulant rich boy man child and proud of it. Not my words...his...

I think it's a good thing he thinks we are psychotic. I'd be more worried if he thought we were normal

No. Actually my words that were used to describe him. I think the word 'rich' was a misstatement on my part.

 

[WDW1974]

Awesome... thx for linking

I can't recall the last time Disney let news crews report themselves from within an unfinished attraction like that.

You do realize, of course, that in China Disney doesn't control things like that.

 

[TalkingHead]

You have got to be kidding me, but I know you are not.

If we call it "Disneyana," does that make it any less disturbing and absurd?

 

[burgess]

If we call it "Disneyana," does that make it any less disturbing and absurd?

It makes it moreso!

 

[Mike S]

This link worked for me.
http://v.hinews.cn/page-508621.html

All I get is a blank space where I'm guessing the video is supposed to be. I get to the website fine but can't watch the video.

 

[Nemo14]

Most amusing Spirited fact of the day:

Today was/is seriously National Weatherman's Day. I swear I am not making this up.

Had I know this before, I would have tried to get fans to fill his email with greetings ...

 

[Nemo14]

I wonder if JibJab makes one of those "insert heads on these funny dancing gnomes" for that holiday.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Rasulo's years as head of P&R marked that segment's low point.

In just 4 years, Staggs appears to have fixed the financial woes Rasulo couldn't fix in 8 years.

This is not a question of whether we like how margins were improved. This is a matter of Staggs meeting Iger's financial objectives.

Staggs delivered. Rasulo did not.

OK, I'll admit that it's obnoxious to quote myself but I found it interesting that the LA Times came out with a piece pointing to the theme parks recent financial success.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-disney-parks-20150206-story.html

The article notes "Staggs has not initiated many of the company's latest expansions and attractions" and "An overhaul of [DCA] was initiated by Staggs' predecessor, Jay Rasulo". Sometimes business stinks. Person A gets credit for person B's idea.

 

[BrerJon]

OK, I'll admit that it's obnoxious to quote myself but I found it interesting that the LA Times came out with a piece pointing to the theme parks recent financial success.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-disney-parks-20150206-story.html

Couple of things jump out at me from that article:

"Staggs may not initiate new attractions, Speigel said, but "he will keep the balloon on the ground when the creative types try to take over. He will hold on to the purse strings.""

Yeah, curse those pesky creative types!

"But industry experts say a likely candidate is George Kalogridis, a 43-year Disney veteran and president of the Disney resort in Orlando."

That's the first time I've heard George mentioned as the de-facto successor at P&R.

 

[Darth Sidious]

No, BoD wouldn't want that and JL wouldn't want the job. He likes what he does. I think his nightmare might be going over ESPN contracts with the NBA or negotiating on IP rights in China.

But the BoD takes John very seriously, so when he went to members and said either Rich Ross goes or he would, Bob got 'orders' very quickly.

As @the.dreamfinder suggested I think having John take a big role in finding a successor would be one of the wisest things they could do.

 

[Darth Sidious]

OK, I'll admit that it's obnoxious to quote myself but I found it interesting that the LA Times came out with a piece pointing to the theme parks recent financial success.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-disney-parks-20150206-story.html

The article notes "Staggs has not initiated many of the company's latest expansions and attractions" and "An overhaul of [DCA] was initiated by Staggs' predecessor, Jay Rasulo". Sometimes business stinks. Person A gets credit for person B's idea.

That's both politics and business, sometimes things take time to grow into a success story.

 

[Darth Sidious]

@ParentsOf4 I read your analysis of Staggs vs Rasulo and I'm not sure how much it showed Staggs was better but rather he was at least serviceable. I wouldn't get excited about the numbers Staggs put up either but I'm sure you personally would want them better as well.

 

[flynnibus]

You do realize, of course, that in China Disney doesn't control things like that.

Control? Ultimately the state rules all of course But it doesn't seem arbitrary, seems to dovetail with the other shanghi info of the week so it would appear to be a coordinated PR push. And it's not like they've been doing this the whole time they've been under construction. Just an interesting turn.

 

[Goofyernmost]

So you want to credit him with a Kiddy Coaster?

Okay then.

The problem with calling it a "kiddie coaster" and ignoring it's creative content and detail is that you then would have to say that every dark ride is a kiddie ride. The only thing different between that and the old Snow White dark ride in it's story is that the ride vehicle is a modified coaster vehicle. The story telling is far and away better then any "Adult Coaster" I have ever seen and goes back to the days of story telling that everyone seems to feel has been sadly lacking in Disney for years now. It is a dark ride with a small amount of adrenaline pump involved. I appreciate it for it's creativity and will laugh all day at anyone that tells me that the old Snow White Adventure (or dust collector as I like to call it) was better. Now that was a kiddie ride if I ever saw one.

7DMT is a very good, well done ride. The idea that it may not be long enough or white knuckle inducing as they would like it does not, in anyway, deduct from it's quality or it's obvious location in Fantasyland and needs to be toned down for the younger folks to enjoy as well as us older people. One of the few worthwhile builds in WDW for a long time. I just wish that all those people that hate it so much would stay away from it so I can ride it more easily.