A Spirited Perfect Ten

[doctornick]

Yes, Iger has neglected WDW for a very long time.

I don't see the issues in them acquiring Marvel, Lucas, etc. though. It's not like either has been given much presence in the parks. Should more Disney-bred properties be used more? Sure. But I don't see anything wrong with expanding and including other properties. Whether we like it or not, Marvel/Lucas, ARE *now* Disney owned. It's not wrong for fans to like them.

But for all the money spent on them, money like that should have also been invested in the parks.

I think there probably needs to be two distinct terms: One that describes The Walt Disney Company, a multinational mass media company. Another that describes a certain segment of the IP owned by that company -- generally, Mickey Mouse and friends, the characters of Disney Feature Animation and other properties (like the Mickey Mouse Club, Davy Crockett, the Love Bug, etc.) that are tightly associated with the original company that Walt founded. We all tend to refer to both of this as "Disney" and it creates confusion when people are talking about different concept.

Marvel, Lucasfilm, ESPN, etc. are absolutely "Disney" when we talk about the company as the whole. I don't think anyone, however, would consider Star Wars a "Disney" product in the creative sense of the word where we think more about Cinderella and Simba. Pixar is sort of a tweener property, but most would probably consider it a "Disney" creative IP than not.

 

[DisneyElephant]

While I agree DVC by virtue of being associated to a family-friendly enterprise should stay away from this behavior, this kind of contempt for their customers is rampant in the timeshare industry.

Look at "Queen of Versailles," the documentary about the Seigel empire's demise. There's a scene where the sales team is having a morning meeting at their new Vegas resort and the sales manager was openly telling his staff to guilt the customers and do whatever it took to keep them there till they bought. In a seperate interview, he expressed similar disgust for customers who came just for the incentive (DL tickets, I believe) and had no intention to buy, saying "There's no free lunch."

All in all, it highlights why I have such a low impression of the sales "profession." Anyone whoose livelihood is dependent on getting someone else to buy something is not going to have that other person's best interests at heart (or even their own employer's).

Having worked in sales, I was quite successful...by being sincere. Granted, I didn't sale large scale products, but at the same time, being a good sales person is an art that takes a village. You have to have a good product, a good pitch, and a marketing team with an excellent sales strategy that doesn't have a disgust for their potential customers. That's how you sell. Its a talent like anything else, and it takes a great actor to do it. But I was always successful by being honest and pushing the product as a positive without lying. Also, it takes a really good salesperson to target people you know aren't going to buy. You have to be smart about that from the beginning. Its about reading people. Its not a con, its a sale. There has to be a rapport between the customer and the salesperson.

As a customer, I respect talented sales people, even if I know the product isn't what I want and I am always upfront with the sales people and sales people who are smart, will know that if you treat them just right, they will be more interested in buying, even if they say they're not interested. Sales is a game and it sounds to me like the management of it, especially in timeshare sales with DVC and the timeshare industry as a whole, is incredibly poor.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

I'm not sure where the pricing department lives in the greater overall Disney organization, but I have to wonder how long some of those people in that department and their marketing have been there. I say this because in the last year, we had a big change in our Marketing Department where I work (in the entertainment industry). We're a decent sized organization that has been around for 50 years. And you'd think we'd be able to capitalize on that, but our Marketing Director, who had been there for a good 10-12 years, was still convinced that her tactics were the right ones, the same ones that the organization and others like it have been using for 20 years that were no longer working. She blamed the public and that people simply weren't interested in our product, it wasn't her choices as a Marketing Director. Well, after the season, they fired her, sorry "decided to go in another direction with our marketing department" and so she was let go. About 2 months later, a woman (I could almost say girl because in the grand scheme she's on the young side), was hired as a Marketing consultant. Within 6 months, we are exceeding our sales goals by 10's of thousands simply because she has completely revamped the entire department, all of our marketing efforts, and our completely stale sales pitches that were clearly no longer effective (which was already true when I started there 6 years ago as a low-level sales person before I got my current job). And reaching a younger demographic as well, which is VERY hard to do in my line of work.

So if something like that is possible by bringing in new, possibly young, fresh blood to an organization like the one I work at, why on EARTH wouldn't it be true at Disney, a company that has SO much more clout. Why has no one at the top understood or seen this? Is it a Board/shareholder thing? They could be at risk of tipping over the line of a downward spiral. People in my generation aren't suckers, we're smarter than you think as and the same old sales pitches don't work on us. Not even with Disney.

Anyway...just sayin'...

While I don't know this for sure, based on the multiple pricing roles I've applied for the past couple years, I believe most pricing-related functions at TDO are pure Finance-related (As they should be). Pricing/profitability should always be different business units from sales/marketing as this separation (theoretically) creates a healthy counterbalance and professional collaboration.

On a semi-related note, does anyone have any tips for getting a professional job at WDW? I've applied to over 20 Pricing Analyst (and similar) positions over the past 2 years or so, jobs based on their descriptions and my qualifications are tailor-made for me, but have yet to even get a single interview.

I'm wondering if there's some way to get my resume and cover letter in front of actual human eyes instead of their online automated system that filter out candidates. Can one apply at the casting center for these kind of positions and talk to a casting rep, or do they only take applications for park-level positions?

 

[WildcatDen]

I once pulled a baby rattlesnake out of my _____________.

Thanks @PhotoDave219, I rarely get an opening that big. Wha What. . .

 

[ford91exploder]

While I don't know this for sure, based on the multiple pricing roles I've applied for the past couple years, I believe most pricing-related functions at TDO are pure Finance-related (As they should be). Pricing/profitability should always be different business units from sales/marketing as this separation (theoretically) creates a healthy counterbalance and professional collaboration.

On a semi-related note, does anyone have any tips for getting a professional job at WDW? I've applied to over 20 Pricing Analyst (and similar) positions over the past 2 years or so, jobs based on their descriptions and my qualifications are tailor-made for me, but have yet to even get a single interview.

I'm wondering if there's some way to get my resume and cover letter in front of actual human eyes instead of their online automated system that filter out candidates. Can one apply at the casting center for these kind of positions and talk to a casting rep, or do they only take applications for park-level positions?

TWDC is legendary for their nepotism, One of the only way's you will get your resume seen by a human hiring manager is to know someone in the department you are interested in.

 

[WildcatDen]

It'll be interesting to see what happens to ABC Family after Pretty Little Liars ends in a year and a half, as it's the only program that really sustains their network.

Non-stop replays of the Potter Movies. . .

 

[ford91exploder]

Having worked in sales, I was quite successful...by being sincere. Granted, I didn't sale large scale products, but at the same time, being a good sales person is an art that takes a village. You have to have a good product, a good pitch, and a marketing team with an excellent sales strategy that doesn't have a disgust for their potential customers. That's how you sell. Its a talent like anything else, and it takes a great actor to do it. But I was always successful by being honest and pushing the product as a positive without lying. Also, it takes a really good salesperson to target people you know aren't going to buy. You have to be smart about that from the beginning. Its about reading people. Its not a con, its a sale. There has to be a rapport between the customer and the salesperson.

As a customer, I respect talented sales people, even if I know the product isn't what I want and I am always upfront with the sales people and sales people who are smart, will know that if you treat them just right, they will be more interested in buying, even if they say they're not interested. Sales is a game and it sounds to me like the management of it, especially in timeshare sales with DVC and the timeshare industry as a whole, is incredibly poor.

A truly successful salesperson looks for the customers needs and tries to fill them, They may even recommend another company to fill a customers needs as sales especially sales of capital goods (which I am involved in) is a long game often taking years and is based on mutual trust and respect.

 

[DisDan]

A truly successful salesperson looks for the customers needs and tries to fill them, They may even recommend another company to fill a customers needs as sales especially sales of capital goods (which I am involved in) is a long game often taking years and is based on mutual trust and respect.

Maybe that's why Timeshare sales people resort to such tactics. Because ultimately there is never much of a "Value" proposition in timeshares. How do you sell something that is almost never good for the customer?

 

[ford91exploder]

Maybe that's why Timeshare sales people resort to such tactics. Because ultimately there is never much of a "Value" proposition in timeshares. How do you sell something that is almost never good for the customer?

I don't know about that If I did not have DVC I would not take a vacation, And there are a lot of people like me and I rented a couple of times before I went to my first DVC sales presentation long ago so I knew what the product would be like.

 

[asianway]

While I don't know this for sure, based on the multiple pricing roles I've applied for the past couple years, I believe most pricing-related functions at TDO are pure Finance-related (As they should be). Pricing/profitability should always be different business units from sales/marketing as this separation (theoretically) creates a healthy counterbalance and professional collaboration.

On a semi-related note, does anyone have any tips for getting a professional job at WDW? I've applied to over 20 Pricing Analyst (and similar) positions over the past 2 years or so, jobs based on their descriptions and my qualifications are tailor-made for me, but have yet to even get a single interview.

I'm wondering if there's some way to get my resume and cover letter in front of actual human eyes instead of their online automated system that filter out candidates. Can one apply at the casting center for these kind of positions and talk to a casting rep, or do they only take applications for park-level positions?

They promote mainly internally to ensure there are drones at all levels who don't rock the boat or ask too many questions

 

[dupac]

TWDC is legendary for their nepotism, One of the only way's you will get your resume seen by a human hiring manager is to know someone in the department you are interested in.

I know that a LOT of my classmates from college either got full-time offers or co-op positions with WDW... I always wondered if it had to do with an alumnus who works in that department.

 

[Lord_Vader]

They promote mainly internally to ensure there are drones at all levels who don't rock the boat or ask too many questions

Most managers hire from inside out of a combination of fear and comfort. Employees that come recommended or are already known to the manager stand a much greater chance of getting interviewed and hired because there is already a level of comfort that they can and will perform the job. An external hire is unknown for the most part resulting in a higher level of risk and most managers are risk averse especially when they expect to have to deal with the consequences for a long time.

 

[DisDan]

I don't know about that If I did not have DVC I would not take a vacation, And there are a lot of people like me and I rented a couple of times before I went to my first DVC sales presentation long ago so I knew what the product would be like.

You might be the exception, but in MOST cases people can't predict their vacation habits out 10 years from now. So committing upfront to any Timeshare is almost guaranteed to not be a good value to the customer.

 

[ford91exploder]

You might be the exception, but in MOST cases people can't predict their vacation habits out 10 years from now. So committing upfront to any Timeshare is almost guaranteed to not be a good value to the customer.

And that was the brilliance of the DVC concept, By exchanging points for accomodations you did not need to predict that every year you would have week X off for your vacation.

The problem now is TWDC is depending on DVC sales to paper over cash flow issues, BLT brought in $860,000,000 to TWDC in point sales alone for a hotel which at the outside cost $200,000,000. I think a lot of the 'new' sales will turn sour in the next recession making the P&R issues even worse.

DVC up to 2009 or so was a quite reasonable proposition which gave many people a 'second home' in FL without the hassles of actually OWNING a second home.

 

[DisneyElephant]

Most managers hire from inside out of a combination of fear and comfort. Employees that come recommended or are already known to the manager stand a much greater chance of getting interviewed and hired because there is already a level of comfort that they can and will perform the job. An external hire is unknown for the most part resulting in a higher level of risk and most managers are risk averse especially when they expect to have to deal with the consequences for a long time.

Sounds like a company culture problem. Which, in the grand scheme of things, makes everything else they're doing make sense, unfortunately.

They need a big culture change, but like government...anyway...I won't go off on that tangent.

 

[Lord_Vader]

Sounds like a company culture problem. Which, in the grand scheme of things, makes everything else they're doing make sense, unfortunately.

They need a big culture change, but like government...anyway...I won't go off on that tangent.

This is a problem at every company I have ever worked for and is a human nature problem.

 

[JimboJones123]

Yes, Iger has neglected WDW for a very long time.

I don't see the issues in them acquiring Marvel, Lucas, etc. though. It's not like either has been given much presence in the parks. Should more Disney-bred properties be used more? Sure. But I don't see anything wrong with expanding and including other properties. Whether we like it or not, Marvel/Lucas, ARE *now* Disney owned. It's not wrong for fans to like them.

But for all the money spent on them, money like that should have also been invested in the parks.

I don't know if I would call Iger's handling of WDW as neglect.

With steady growth, why invest more? What is the payoff?

I know that we, as guests/fans really want more and more all the time.

More Attractions = Greater Demand = Higher Prices = More Complaining

When the free market starts turning the tide on demands at WDW, there will be reason to focus more attention there.

Honestly, us who continue to spend money there are to blame as much Iger.

Voice your opinions with your pocketbook. The only language business understands.

 

[Mike C]

FYI, The drone videos that the kid posted of Avatar, Fireworks, Discovery Island, Universal, etc have all vanished today.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

TWDC is legendary for their nepotism, One of the only way's you will get your resume seen by a human hiring manager is to know someone in the department you are interested in.

That's what I figured, but unfortunately don't know anyone in WDW finance. I plastered my cover letter with the fact my dad, brother and wife's grandfather we're long-time CM's hoping it would at least get me a nibble. Oh well.

 

[ford91exploder]

I don't know if I would call Iger's handling of WDW as neglect.

With steady growth, why invest more? What is the payoff?

I know that we, as guests/fans really want more and more all the time.

More Attractions = Greater Demand = Higher Prices = More Complaining

When the free market starts turning the tide on demands at WDW, there will be reason to focus more attention there.

Honestly, us who continue to spend money there are to blame as much Iger.

Voice your opinions with your pocketbook. The only language business understands.

Trouble is there has not been steady growth, All the so called 'growth' in P&R under Iger has been DVC point sales, cuts in amenities and entertainment and price increases. Now any capital spending needed will cause Wall St to hammer TWDC. Iger has really painted himself into a corner here.