News Bob Iger outlines the need to transform the Walt Disney Company resulting in 7000 job losses and $5.5 billion in cost savings

[EPCOT-O.G.]

…ehhhh…

…it doesn’t really matter what Florida “does”…no large public company is going to “align” with the nonsense they spin up each day as it currently stands.
It makes no business sense. The demographics driving that train are not who you cater too…

You’re probably dead on with the rest of your analysis…but the last part is irrelevant.

I don’t think the diminishing quality/performance of the MCU, particularly the grievances (and quality) of the VFX is insignificant in all of this. Whether she used her position to advance certain DEI type initiatives and that caused blowback is anyone’s guess - that’s certainly hard to verify or pinpoint, and there’s been no indication Disney is suddenly punishing those views internally. What is not in dispute is the industry clamoring as to the work conditions the VFX demands have placed on them, and the poor critical reaction to the VFX quality in these films. She was solely responsible for managing these relationships.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I don’t think the diminishing quality/performance of the MCU, particularly the grievances (and quality) of the VFX is insignificant in all of this. Whether she used her position to advance certain DEI type initiatives and that caused blowback is anyone’s guess - that’s certainly hard to verify or pinpoint, and there’s been no indication Disney is suddenly punishing those views internally. What is not in dispute is the industry clamoring as to the work conditions the VFX demands have placed on them, and the poor critical reaction to the VFX quality in these films. She was solely responsible for managing these relationships.

Yes…but if you look at who’s driving that backlash…it’s the angry, mortality facing boomer generation, “generation X Meth”…and generally speaking - the rural pee poor

That’s NOT where the money is. Disney is poorly managed right now - but they’re not stupid.
They’re just moving too fast and trying to cast too wide of a net, too quickly.
But fundamentally…they aren’t wrong. Their strategy sucks

 

[kingdead]

I don’t think the diminishing quality/performance of the MCU, particularly the grievances (and quality) of the VFX is insignificant in all of this. Whether she used her position to advance certain DEI type initiatives and that caused blowback is anyone’s guess - that’s certainly hard to verify or pinpoint, and there’s been no indication Disney is suddenly punishing those views internally. What is not in dispute is the industry clamoring as to the work conditions the VFX demands have placed on them, and the poor critical reaction to the VFX quality in these films. She was solely responsible for managing these relationships.

Does anyone actually believe that Feige and Iger/Chapek/Iger didn't know how bad things were getting? Or that conditions will improve for these VFX companies?

There's a real problem with Marvel in that moviegoers got tired after Endgame. Pivoting back to male viewers could help a little but this does seem like scapegoating.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Does anyone actually believe that Feige and Iger/Chapek/Iger didn't know how bad things were getting? Or that conditions will improve for these VFX companies?

There's a real problem with Marvel in that moviegoers got tired after Endgame. Pivoting back to male viewers could help a little but this does seem like scapegoating.

…oh watch out there…

You’re gonna be told you’re “just wrong” and there’s no actual limit to how comic book fringe they can go

 

[Lilofan]

If your point is real estate is cheaper in central florida…nobody ever disputed that.

That’s why it’s been a fixed income magnet for 60 years.

But the day to day cost of living is not that much different than anywhere. Gas and groceries are same…electricity is bonkers…entertainment is higher because of tourism…

And as well established: the infrastructure blows. Pretty easy social dichotomy: old people come because of low taxes, so they show up and are 101% fine with crappy schools and services because of low taxes…and they are ok with low wages to feed them the blue plate special…

“I done already paid mine! ”

FL Health services and quality is night and day compared to NE Tri-State ( NJ, NY, CT ).

 

[LSLS]

…oh watch out there…

You’re gonna be told you’re “just wrong” and there’s no actual limit to how comic book fringe they can go

I'm not sure if there's a limit, but I do think if you want to go more fringe, there needs to be a larger concentration on the characters throughout. Before phase 4, it was really 2 years max between seeing characters. Now, counting End Game as the last time we saw most of these characters, you are going 3, 4, and approaching 5 years for some. So did your movies of many characters from different films coming together (happened right around every 2 years, minus the first meetup when all characters needed established which took 4 years). Looking ahead, maybe Thunderbolts does that? If not, it's not til the end of phase 6, which is 6 years after the last meetup. I'm just not sure it's as much the characters aren't well known as it's just not connecting consistently together. BUT, I guess I'm digressing way off the topic of this thread now.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm not sure if there's a limit, but I do think if you want to go more fringe, there needs to be a larger concentration on the characters throughout. Before phase 4, it was really 2 years max between seeing characters. Now, counting End Game as the last time we saw most of these characters, you are going 3, 4, and approaching 5 years for some. So did your movies of many characters from different films coming together (happened right around every 2 years, minus the first meetup when all characters needed established which took 4 years). Looking ahead, maybe Thunderbolts does that? If not, it's not til the end of phase 6, which is 6 years after the last meetup. I'm just not sure it's as much the characters aren't well known as it's just not connecting consistently together. BUT, I guess I'm digressing way off the topic of this thread now.

I think you made my point

I’m of the right age to spend cash on leisure - lots of it - and I’ve been a pretty solid sci-fi/tech/comic book fan (but more mainstream) for along time…

…and I’ve never heard of thunderbolts.

If it’s unknown to me…it’s never gonna work for a media conglomerate.

And the casual viewer that was there for the MCU for 10 years…the “shield tossing” era…is leaving. It’s hard to make the case otherwise based on diminishing returns.
That market - which is what Disney really wants - has stopped caring about phases.

Iger Inc is really failing the IP push if we’re honest…too much, too far, too fast.

All 3 “big acquisitions” has problems now

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

FL Health services and quality is night and day compared to NE Tri-State ( NJ, NY, CT ).

It’s a trade off. And I’m not saying that it doesn’t make sense in certain ways.

But one of my biggest, outdated pet peeves is any suggestion “it’s cheaper to live in Florida…”

That’s such 1980s thinking.

 

[mkt]

A $700K 1K square ft 2 bed/2 bath condo in Anaheim will get you better digs in Central Florida for that price.

I've read multiple articles, all say the same thing: Californians moving to Florida do it because affordability, not politics.

While Florida is unaffordable if you earn local wages, if you earn California wages, it's pretty affordable (although not as affordable as it was in 2020/2021).

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I've read multiple articles, all say the same thing: Californians moving to Florida do it because affordability, not politics.

While Florida is unaffordable if you earn local wages, if you earn California wages, it's pretty affordable (although not as affordable as it was in 2020/2021).

Everyone moves because of money…never politics.

Politics loses to money everytime.

If you’re a lawyer making $200K…you live like a king in Florida while you’re ward cleaver in socal…

…but that isn’t an easy thing to get…so most moving into Florida blind are shocked at the “price of sun”

If I had the time, I’d get a degree in psychology - I’d open a practice that only provides counseling for college program boomerangs that left the northeast and Midwest and thought they’d be happy working in magic kingdom…

…there’d be a line around the block

 

[LSLS]

I think you made my point

I’m of the right age to spend cash on leisure - lots of it - and I’ve been a pretty solid sci-fi/tech/comic book fan (but more mainstream) for along time…

…and I’ve never heard of thunderbolts.

If it’s unknown to me…it’s never gonna work for a media conglomerate.

And the casual viewer that was there for the MCU for 10 years…the “shield tossing” era…is leaving. It’s hard to make the case otherwise based on diminishing returns.
That market - which is what Disney really wants - has stopped caring about phases.

Iger Inc is really failing the IP push if we’re honest…too much, too far, too fast.

All 3 “big acquisitions” has problems now

See I disagree. I think you could have said the same thing about Guardians and Ant Man and Dr. Strange (as far as casual fans knowing them). But they integrated. You got their story in the midst of other stories, and they came together quickly. I honestly think that is what is missing. You would meet like Guardians, then see them again 5 movies later. Or Strange and see him in 3 movies. Ant Man in the next movie. And that made it so every movie, you were seeing characters you knew, and seeing how it was all building. Now we had Shang Chi come out, and we are 10 movies/shows later with dozens of other characters without seeing him again. Eternals are at 9. I just don't think it's the fact they are lesser known characters, I think they are missing the mark on how they are doing it. What made the MCU so great was how everything wove together tightly, and it feels way too loose to me now.

 

[Ayla]

The pair of WDI creatives in my drinking crew have six figure salaries, but they are more senior/leaders who have been with the company for a long time AND moved to Florida with California salaries.

They're far from the norm.

For comparison, our 26 year old college-educated son, who has been at the same company for 6 years, working his way up from answering phones, makes low 6 figures in his current position as a finance manager.

The Disney pay scale is abysmal.

 

[Trauma]

A lot of negativity lately.

Can we get @MisterPenguin in here to post his usual charts showing that everything is going great?

 

[mkt]

If you’re a lawyer making $200K…you live like a king in Florida while you’re ward cleaver in socal…

Granted, if you're a California lawyer, the Florida bar is likely a piece of cake. However, based off my wife's experience, it's also the most expensive bar exam in the US to take. Not much of a hurdle if you're a $200k attorney, but definitely an issue if you're earning half of that, once you also add in travel expenses. Or get an in-house job and not worry about it - but there's no shortage of in-house attorneys in Florida.

If I had the time, I’d get a degree in psychology - I’d open a practice that only provides counseling for college program boomerangs that left the northeast and Midwest and thought they’d be happy working in magic kingdom…

…there’d be a line around the block

If they could afford it

 

[mkt]

For comparison, our 26 year old college-educated son, who has been at the same company for 6 years, working his way up from answering phones, makes low 6 figures in his current position as a finance manager.

The Disney pay scale is abysmal.

To be fair on this one, finance people always earn more than creatives.

When I worked for a bank as a marketing creative, even with a Senior title and an AVP designation, I was still the lowest paid salaried person in that building.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

See I disagree. I think you could have said the same thing about Guardians and Ant Man and Dr. Strange (as far as casual fans knowing them). But they integrated. You got their story in the midst of other stories, and they came together quickly. I honestly think that is what is missing. You would meet like Guardians, then see them again 5 movies later. Or Strange and see him in 3 movies. Ant Man in the next movie. And that made it so every movie, you were seeing characters you knew, and seeing how it was all building. Now we had Shang Chi come out, and we are 10 movies/shows later with dozens of other characters without seeing him again. Eternals are at 9. I just don't think it's the fact they are lesser known characters, I think they are missing the mark on how they are doing it. What made the MCU so great was how everything wove together tightly, and it feels way too loose to me now.

It’s not that I totally disagree with you…

But I think the reason more “ancillary” characters worked is because the core was so strong…

And I don’t mean everyone has a Thor and an Ironman poster on their bedroom wall…
…I think people underestimate just how important the actors in the characters were.

It isn’t the label. Which is what bad Igerian management preaches. It’s the actual people in the costume and dialogue.

And they pushed them out…made a decision and it’s costing them.

But this isn’t the first example of that same hubris…we see it weekly if not daily.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Granted, if you're a California lawyer, the Florida bar is likely a piece of cake. However, based off my wife's experience, it's also the most expensive bar exam in the US to take. Not much of a hurdle if you're a $200k attorney, but definitely an issue if you're earning half of that, once you also add in travel expenses. Or get an in-house job and not worry about it - but there's no shortage of in-house attorneys in Florida.

Woah…legal deep dive there….
Forget lawyer…how about “accountant”?

If they could afford it

…I’m not cheap

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

A lot of negativity lately.

Can we get @MisterPenguin in here to post his usual charts showing that everything is going great?

“Damn the perception…full speed ahead”?

 

[Ayla]

To be fair on this one, finance people always earn more than creatives.

When I worked for a bank as a marketing creative, even with a Senior title and an AVP designation, I was still the lowest paid salaried person in that building.

Are all your drinking buddies creatives? Even if they are, creatives don't make up 100% of a company.

 

[mkt]

Are all your drinking buddies creatives? Even if they are, creatives don't make up 100% of a company.

Nope, it's a diverse group. There's attorneys in it too, and some ops people. But IMO creatives tend to have the most fun taste in drinking establishments.