A Spirited Perfect Ten

[WDW1974]

That's unfortunate. If she does well heading up Lucasfilm, think the BOD would ever consider her? She has an excellent track record on the film side and I would hate to see Disney loose a talented exec like her.

No, I don't ... which is why I wouldn't expend my efforts to push for her.

Yes, it is unfortunate.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Very talented. Plays well with others. Not afraid to push back when she wants things done right.

But Disney will never name a woman head of the company ... you'll have a black Presi ... I mean you'll have a gay President first.

Disney chases away talented women execs, it doesn't nurture them and it certainly doesn't like having them in positions of power, let alone ultimate power.

They realize this, which is why they made such a big deal about Chappie's replacement last week.

But if you're asking me if she has any chance at the top spot, then I have to say absolutely not.

Quite unfortunate...

 

[WDW1974]

that may be a smidge over the top to what I said
I simply implied you have to question based on the info was coming from...OU is a great site but its a universal site. Brilo does a great job over there but you have to question when its about Disney....

Well, I believe one should always question information they read. But I also know that people earn reps based on how truthful their information is. I don't believe you should assume anything Disney-related on OU is biased in a negative way just as I wouldn't say you should assume that anything UNI here is biased in a negative way.
Most of us aren't BRAND addicts. We're theme park fans and we enjoy the products of multiple companies. Frankly, anyone who only enjoys Disney or only enjoys UNI or only enjoys Cedar Point etc would be a person I'd have trouble believing much of anything from.

I recall you questioning @AustinC with his article, this is no diffrent
for all I know he s exactly right im just doing what you did with Austins article questioning it
Im a member at OU so I enjoy it l but lets be honest OU is all about Universal so when somebody comes over here with a review about Poly should I just take it as gospel?

Not quite. I have spent many years in media and journalism. All of my questions were fair and legit, and anyone who has worked in the field would likely agree. When Disney allows that degree of 'openness' you have to wonder why that is and how this particular individual and publication were chosen. It was amazing how quickly many members of this community were to simply take every word Carr wrote as the real story.

It's still very different from posts on theme park fan discussion boards. I love OU. I have an account there and wish I had the time to participate regularly. I don't because I barely have enough time (actually, I don't) to be here.

FWIW, I completely believe @ElBriMan's experiences were as he described them.

 

[WDW1974]

Link:
http://www.disboards.com/threads/em...cedures-at-disneys-polynesian-villas.3409840/

This is what happens when the fire chief is on your payroll. But Wdw never does wrong and you should jump from your balcony

That is grotesque and I'd be talking to Ken Potrock and Norm Noble about the incident and what they will do to ensure that procedures and policies are changed (in other words, that Disney spends the money needed to have procedures in place where things are done the right way!)

Then, I'd be demanding (not asking) that at least that one day's worth of DVC points are redeposited into my account or that I was given a free night there in the future ...oh, and I'd also tell them that dinner tonight would be on them at 'Ohana for my entire party.

 

[WDW1974]

Isn't today the start of Star Wars Weekends?

That's when Lifestylers realize that what remains of The Disney-MGM Studios still exists ... and that they can buy cupcakes there too!

 

[LAKid53]

A very good question. I can tell you that workers are getting sick, mostly westerners who aren't used to that kind of pollution. I know of Imagineers who have asked to head home. Others who have done any and everything to avoid going over.

I lived in Beijing in 2008. The pollution was like nothing I had ever experienced, but strangely (since I have allergies here in paradise) I never got ill or even had any negative effects.

They know they have to clean up the air quality. The mayor of Beijing recently said his city was becoming unlivable and couldn't be the world class city it aspires to be until the air was improved. Shanghai is just as bad.

I don't think Disney gives a da mn really. They care about opening the resort. Sure, they'd like cleaner air, but they won't ever even mention that to Shendi officials.

The mayor of Shanghai said the same thing in the film I watched on the construction of the Shanghai Tower.

So I guess we will be seeing pictures of guests with Mickey and Minnie taken in dirty brown air. The architect who designed the Shanghai Tower was going on and on about how every so many floors or so, there would be a "park" with trees. The design included a glass covering for the entire structure allowing a sealed environment (I kept thinking biodome while watching the film) so that people living/working in the building could avoid Shanghai's bad air and never have to leave - hence the "parks". And he thought this was wonderful - building a 2,000 foot skyscraper completely sealed and those rich enough to afford to live there can breath clean air and have parks with trees! While the rest of Shanghai deals with the dangerous air quality and the millions of gallons of raw sewage dumped into the river daily. I hope his lack of concern about air and water quality in Shanghai isn't pervasive. And Disney punted on this one. To not even bring up any concerns about air quality. How that nasty brown air in Shanghai going to contribute to the magic of the newest Happiest Place on Earth?

And we thought discussions about the non-functioning Yeti could get heated. Imagine when the some of the folks on this board come back from their first visit to Shanghai Disney....

It's all about access to the Chinese market.

 

[Rteetz]

Isn't today the start of Star Wars Weekends?

That's when Lifestylers realize that what remains of The Disney-MGM Studios still exists ... and that they can buy cupcakes there too!

Three different types of cupcakes this year Vader, Yoda and Jabba. Also over an hour wait for merchandise.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Bob, maybe you should focus on getting the Disney Channel into China before these BRANDED channels, ok?
http://www.slashfilm.com/marvel-star-wars-tv-channel/

 

[Nemo14]

The mayor of Shanghai said the same thing in the film I watched on the construction of the Shanghai Tower.

So I guess we will be seeing pictures of guests with Mickey and Minnie taken in dirty brown air. The architect who designed the Shanghai Tower was going on and on about how every so many floors or so, there would be a "park" with trees. The design included a glass covering for the entire structure allowing a sealed environment (I kept thinking biodome while watching the film) so that people living/working in the building could avoid Shanghai's bad air and never have to leave - hence the "parks". And he thought this was wonderful - building a 2,000 foot skyscraper completely sealed and those rich enough to afford to live there can breath clean air and have parks with trees! While the rest of Shanghai deals with the dangerous air quality and the millions of gallons of raw sewage dumped into the river daily. I hope his lack of concern about air and water quality in Shanghai isn't pervasive. And Disney punted on this one. To not even bring up any concerns about air quality. How that nasty brown air in Shanghai going to contribute to the magic of the newest Happiest Place on Earth?

And we thought discussions about the non-functioning Yeti could get heated. Imagine when the some of the folks on this board come back from their first visit to Shanghai Disney....

It's all about access to the Chinese market.

They've got it all planned...

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I've always thought these threads looked more like this (apologies for the less than stellar Paint writing)...

View attachment 93155

You forgot cheesesteaks.

 

[WDW1974]

This all comes back to declining levels of quality and service at WDW driven from the top down. This is a problem created by Disney management.

In the 1970s and 1980s, there was genuine concern for the WDW customer at the highest levels. There was a palpable attitude that the customer came first. However, there also was concern whether those high standards could be maintained as WDW grew. They knew it was going to be a challenge. They believed they needed to step up their game to handle the increasing crowds. They believed it was a time for a renewed investment in WDW's commitment to quality.

Instead, by the early 1990s, Eisner and Wells began pressuring WDW management to improve margins, eventually pushing out WDW's old-time leadership (who I call the Old Guard). Once Paul Pressler was put in charge of Parks & Resorts in 1998, WDW's decline was assured.

It actually started when Di ck Nunis was pushed into retirement, Al Weiss became President of WDW and Lee Cockerell was brought into the company. It was a slow, but steady decline into mediocrity. That's what much (no, not all) of WDW is today: mediocre. Average. Typical.

This does not mean that today's WDW stinks. It does mean that WDW has declined.

Exactly. Although parts of WDW do stink, some literally from mold, humidity and neglect (like the monorails).
I guarantee you that when the Iger-Bays rode Monorail Orange in Anaheim last week with the Clooneys that it had been scrubbed from top to bottom and seemed like new (although they do maintain them out there!)

I would have graded WDW an A+ experience in the 1970s and 1980s. With all the exciting building going on through 1998, I'd even give this grade to that decade as well. I certainly don't recall seeing quality cuts back then, and I suspect that was because most of the initial cuts happened offstage or involved maintenance, which took time to take its toll. Even today, I'd give WDW a grade of a B or B+. WDW is still good but the corporate priority has shifted from "profits through quality" to just "profits", resulting in a lower grade.

I think you are still grading a bit on a curve. Maybe it's because the wife loves vacationing there or the joy you get of visiting with your four kids.

I'd give WDW an A+ in the 70s. Everything then was up to the standards you see to this day in Tokyo.
I'd give WDW an A in the 80s. Still great across the board, but a once in a while issue that was dealt with immediately.
I'd give WDW a B for the 90s. Lots of new great stuff, especially resorts and dining, but attractions and entertainment too, but also signs the last 2-3 years of what was to come that pull the grade down.
I'd give WDW a C+ for the 00s. They were slightly above average and opened a few worthy things, but largely fell into stagnation.
So far, I'd give WDW a C- for the teens, but the jury is out with half a decade left. It isn't looking good, though.

And I don't just judge Disney against the WDW of old or the UNI of today. I also judge it against what they do in Anaheim and internationally and on the DCL. And that usually equates to bad end comparisons in O-Town.

Those of us who complain about today's WDW do not hate WDW. Quite the opposite. I suspect we love it at least as much as the apologists (a.k.a. pixie dusters), who seem to accept declining standards as part of the normal business cycle. We so called doom-and-gloomers simply know what WDW is capable of becoming once more, with the right leadership.

Even in the 1970s and 1980s, Guests could be demanding. However, Disney gave so much and, relative to today, charged so little that Guests overwhelmingly were grateful for the WDW experience. WDW was exceptional for its time exactly because customers were provided excellent service for relatively moderate prices. The WDW of the 1970s and 1980s did not operate like other companies of the 1970s and 1980s. The "Disney Difference" was real.

With prices being what they are today, customer expectations have been raised exactly at a time when WDW has lowered its standards. Today's CMs are dealing with more difficult customers, but that's because those CMs are being placed in more difficult situations by decisions made at corporate.

This is not a problem with WDW's Guests or Cast Members. Overwhelmingly, this is a problem created by Disney management.

Well said. ... Before it was real, today it's PR spin at best, outright lies and dishonesty at worst. And some of us are old and experienced enough to know and call them on it.

 

[LAKid53]

That is grotesque and I'd be talking to Ken Potrock and Norm Noble about the incident and what they will do to ensure that procedures and policies are changed (in other words, that Disney spends the money needed to have procedures in place where things are done the right way!)

Then, I'd be demanding (not asking) that at least that one day's worth of DVC points are redeposited into my account or that I was given a free night there in the future ...oh, and I'd also tell them that's dinner tonight would be on them at 'Ohana for my entire party.

And I believe in violation of ADA. We have an employee at work who cannot walk down the stairs if a fire broke out in our building. So we purchased a special chair recommended by the fire department that two strong men in the office (her boss and his assistant director, btw) will carry her down three flights of stairs in as the fire department couldn't guarantee that they would arrive in time to either carry her or unlock the elevator and bring it to the third floor so she could evacuate the building via the elevator. All the elevators in our building drop to the first floor when the fire alarms go off. I was in one during an unannounced fire drill coming back from lunch - it was an interesting ride - I thought I had entered the Twilight Zone and was on the ToT.

 

[LAKid53]

They've got it all planned...

Funny, but sad.

 

[WDW1974]

Saw this article on Twitter about a familiar person

https://d23.com/wdis4u-martin-smith/

Going over to the dark side, @marni1971 ?

 

[asianway]

Going over to the dark side, @marni1971 ?

At least they finally put someone in the spotlight who deserved it

 

[WDW1974]

Hey, we up here in Tally resent you slamming one of our better hotels, lol. Next time you are in town, stay at the Duval. Great bar and a wonderful place to watch the sun set as you drink a martini. Provided you haven't pick a night when the majority of the 40,000 FSU students decide to show up.

It is the one right off I-10 on a hill across from Sonny's BBQ almost. I slept on towels on top of the bed. Duval wasn't available. It was last-minute stay when the legislature was in session. And almost nothing was available. I could have done somewhere else (maybe a Hampton Inn) but it was $50 more. By the time I had seen four rooms at the Red Roof there was nothing available at all in town. In hindsight, my friend's couch or floor would have been far better options.

Not just ratty towels, but what is that gunk on the towel? Eeeewww. I'd be in the face of the manager on duty at the Poly if I had towels and bedsheets like that in a room I just paid over $500 for. And I'd send an e-mail and make a phone call to customer relations the first chance I could.

I'd have brought the towel down and pics of the sheets and ask to speak to the highest level manager there. I'd then ask ''Would you feel comfortable having this in Bob and Willow's room?'' That's where it would start and stop. I wouldn't contact Guest Relations. They're a waste. I'd email the GM of the Poly (Norm.Noble@disney.com ).

FWIW, Norm is a quality guy and cares. He was opening GM of DAK Lodge and has been all over property. The system and the people above him work against actually providing a quality product befitting the absurd price points Disney charges to stay there.

 

[Next Big Thing]

I try to avoid network television. I don't enjoy it. I tried Agents of Shield but I didn't care for it after six episodes, so I went back to HBO/NetFlix.

As someone who loves AoS, i'll fully admit that the first 8-10 episodes were terrible. It was a show lost in what it should be. Once it found it, things have just gotten better and better continually as the show has progressed. The show progressed painfully slow with corny and poorly written dialougue throughout much of Season 1, but all of that has been replaced with a show that moves at a fast pace, clever writing and interesting characters. Skye, for example, used to drive people nuts with how poorly written and acted she was, now people love her. Kyle McLaughlan portrayed Mister Hyde brilliantly this year as well. Every scene he was in was gold.

 

[articos]

Exactly. Although parts of WDW do stink, some literally from mold, humidity and neglect (like the monorails).

CommuniCore.

 

[LAKid53]

It is the one right off I-10 on a hill across from Sonny's BBQ almost. I slept on towels on top of the bed. Duval wasn't available. It was last-minute stay when the legislature was in session. And almost nothing was available. I could have done somewhere else (maybe a Hampton Inn) but it was $50 more. By the time I had seen four rooms at the Red Roof there was nothing available at all in town. In hindsight, my friend's couch or floor would have been far better options.




I'd have brought the towel down and pics of the sheets and ask to speak to the highest level manager there. I'd then ask ''Would you feel comfortable having this in Bob and Willow's room?'' That's where it would start and stop. I wouldn't contact Guest Relations. They're a waste. I'd email the GM of the Poly (Norm.Noble@disney.com ).

FWIW, Norm is a quality guy and cares. He was opening GM of DAK Lodge and has been all over property. The system and the people above him work against actually providing a quality product befitting the absurd price points Disney charges to stay there.

OMG, that IS a nasty place and about a mile from my house. The next time you are in town and can't find a decent place to stay, give me a ring, that is, if Angie won't object. My preferences for hotels are the Duval, Sheraton Four Points (the old round Holiday Day that was completely gutted and is now blue) or Aloft. But yes, if you happen to show up in town during either the session or an FSU home football game, you are out of luck as far as decent accommodations.

I think my dorm room in the old DeGraff hall was better than the Red Roof Inn.

 

[WDW1974]

Please, can we limit the discussion to Disney?

None of my threads ... heck, none of the threads that go on for hundreds of pages ever focus entirely on Disney.

And I admit that I brought the healthcare situation up. I just wonder how many folks who have been living what I have (only partly to do with evil insurance companies and the joke that is Obamacare -- at least here in FL) wouldn't have attempted to strangle some of the individuals that my family have been dealing with. I generally come here to entertain and educate about Disney, entertainment and media and wind down after stressful days. But my life right now is a freaking powder keg and it would seem some insurance companies and the 'money people' who somehow have been given power to make medical decisions are looking to light a match.

I'll try and steer clear of the subject, but not because I don't feel it deserves attention ... but because I just took my BP and it was 124 over 88, so I need to lower it and talking about this $hit will just raise it.

Let's talk about the odds we see pics of Bob, Tom and Chappie at SDL's site next week. Who wants to establish a Vegas like line?