I was a kid during that era, so nostalgia may play a factor, but I remember WDW as sort of a gold standard product back then... things seemed spotless and well-maintained, merchandise was diverse & in-theme, there were little things to delight (e.g., Caribbean plaza fountains, penny arcade, AA heads in Mile Long Bar, hardcover resort guides in the rooms, etc.), cast looked and acted more professionally, there was less devotion to brand & synergy (i.e. original material), etc.
You were a kid then, so your point of reference is understandably limited. The reality is that the Nunis/Green era was simply the tail end of a decades-long period when Disneyland and WDW looked and acted like that simply because that was the standard clearly set by Walt and his hand-picked executive team.
The tail end of the Nunis/Green era is actually when things began changing for the worse. Judson Green specifically was the guy who felt Disneyland and Magic Kingdom were both mature parks that didn't need any additional rides added to the roster. The result was that when a new ride was built, an older ride was chosen to be removed to help hold down operating costs. This is when stuff like the Keelboats and Canoes and Skyway and PeopleMover (DL version) were all shut down when something else opened.
It wasn't all sweetness and light in that era, and much of their success was due to the parks riding on the last bit of fumes from their Golden Age of the 1950's to 80's. After beginning a slide in the Green era, Cast Member quality, profesionalism and attractiveness went downhill quickly in the late 1990's and early 00's, and the result is we are at the low point we endure now with those front-line CM's looking and acting the way they currently do. At least at the American parks.
But back to Al Weiss. This is interesting news. The guy has worked his entire life for Disney, and he is only 57. Something might be up behind the scenes. But then again, he has given a four month notice of his retirement, which in the corporate world is a clear code for not being forcibly ejected. This isn't a corporate coup d'etat at midnight by any means; this is a purposeful and slow-motion changing of the gaurd.
Weiss may simply see more financial opportunity in being a part-time consultant to the global theme park industry, without the headaches of managing Disney Parks. This could very well be a case of a guy who just wants to enjoy life a bit, maybe buy a Corvette and play golf instead of worry about Disney unions and snarky Internet columnists. :lol:
Whatever the case, after 40 years of working for Disney in Florida, the guy deserves a happy retirement.
