News Catherine Powell's position eliminated

[Magenta Panther]

Disney’s end of fiscal year is next week. They will likely have a shareholder call the first week in November. Iger’s gotta have SOMETHING to tell the investors as to why SWGE didn’t perform any better in Orlando than it did in Anaheim. Enter Catherine Powell.

Someone will take the fall for ROTR not immediately solving all of SWGE problems, but not Chapek. Maybe some poor sap who’s been desperately trying to get the thing running for the last six months. I’m deeply skeptical that ROTR will draw many new not-ordinarily-Disney-people to Disney, even if it is the best ride ever created. Hard core SW fanboys don’t care about this land, for whatever reason. People who don’t like SW don’t care about this land, for obvious reasons. It’ll be the same folks who love Disney who will love ROTR, and for them, the ride could be an incredible addition to their experience and satisfaction. But that’s not who Disney wants.

Well, FWIW, I love Disney (REAL Disney, not the Iger regime), and I don't care two pins about SWGE. I bemoan the money invested in it that could have been used to upgrade Peter Pan's Flight, or a great new Mary Poppins land, or at least fix the damn yeti. If the tepid response to SWGE continues after Rise of the Resistance, that's all good IMO. That'll teach Iger and like-minded greedos that buying up played-out franchises isn't necessarily such a great idea. I'm sick of drooling over the incredible new attractions that are being planned for Tokyo Disneyland, and the great new Pan and Pirate rides at Shanghai. I want that great stuff HERE in the United States, the home of the Disney Parks, for christ's sake. I'm sick of the "aw-it's-good-enough-for-the-dumb-Disney-lovin'-American-rubes" attitude from the pencil-pushers and penny-pinchers that infest Disney now. The lackluster reaction to SWGE is a kick in the pants those dopes have had coming to them for a long time now. I couldn't be happier. Now, as to whether that'll bring on a real sea change within the company regarding how to handle the U.S. parks, well hell I don't know. I'm not optimistic. Neither Iger nor Chapek have the sensibilities to correct what's wrong. It'll take radical new management which sees the parks the way Walt saw them, and not as mere hubs for merchandising. We'll see what happens (faith, trust and pixie dust...)

 

[JustChecking]

Well, FWIW, I love Disney (REAL Disney, not the Iger regime), and I don't care two pins about SWGE. I bemoan the money invested in it that could have been used to upgrade Peter Pan's Flight, or a great new Mary Poppins land, or at least fix the damn yeti. If the tepid response to SWGE continues after Rise of the Resistance, that's all good IMO. That'll teach Iger and like-minded greedos that buying up played-out franchises isn't necessarily such a great idea. I'm sick of drooling over the incredible new attractions that are being planned for Tokyo Disneyland, and the great new Pan and Pirate rides at Shanghai. I want that great stuff HERE in the United States, the home of the Disney Parks, for christ's sake. I'm sick of the "aw-it's-good-enough-for-the-dumb-Disney-lovin'-American-rubes" attitude from the pencil-pushers and penny-pinchers that infest Disney now. The lackluster reaction to SWGE is a kick in the pants those dopes have had coming to them for a long time now. I couldn't be happier. Now, as to whether that'll bring on a real sea change within the company regarding how to handle the U.S. parks, well hell I don't know. I'm not optimistic. Neither Iger nor Chapek have the sensibilities to correct what's wrong. It'll take radical new management which sees the parks the way Walt saw them, and not as mere hubs for merchandising. We'll see what happens (faith, trust and pixie dust...)

Great post! Also, I don’t use the word “dopes” enough

 

[Lilofan]

Disney’s end of fiscal year is next week. They will likely have a shareholder call the first week in November. Iger’s gotta have SOMETHING to tell the investors as to why SWGE didn’t perform any better in Orlando than it did in Anaheim. Enter Catherine Powell.

Iger and his CFO will get their ducks in a row when it comes to talking about each business segment of the company in the conference call with Wall Street. If one segment is down, then he is very good at talking up the business segments that are performing well. What's going to be interesting is that then comes the Q & A when the Wall Street analysts in the conference call start asking Iger their questions. Then the analysts will recommend a Buy, Hold or Sell Recommendation in regards to the Disney stock which also impacts the overall Dow Jones numbers ( and Bob's fluctuating net worth).

 

[wdwtopten]

Honestly this is probably more out of fear of the cost of litigation rather than CM's truly not wanting to press charges. If a CM did press charges against a guest for assault, they are most certainly not going to have their legal fees covered by Disney.

You are confusing civil court vs criminal court.

 

[brb1006]

Whereas it's true, Tom Wolber oversaw the groundwork of 'reinvent the magic' leading up to DLP's 25th, Catherine took the baton and became a 'beloved' (a word I keep seeing) CEO for DLP fans and 'influencers', who do not seem happy now.

You weren't kidding when I heard DLP fans were very upset.

 

[Lilofan]

For 52, she ages well.

 

[tissandtully]

For 52, she ages well.

Haha, yeah, I think the headline should've been "Disney Fires Hottest Exec"

 

[Ghost of Disney Past]

Sad, really. Another example of self-serving corporate maneuvering. Quite simply, it's all about the bottom line for this regime, nothing more. And when SWGE reports financial figures that are profitable BUT fall short of forecasts, shareholders will demand an answer. Chapek and Iger will provide their straw-man example that they handled the situation by removing Powell.

No accountability will be accepted for the fact that current Disney leadership is seeking to ride on the short-term mega-hype of massive IPs (Marvel, Star Wars) to artificially inflate company growth during their reign (which equals big time personal $$$). They invest huge sums into these latest, flashiest developments with no eye for the long-term. By the time these fads fizzle out, Iger and Chapek will be gone, wealthy beyond imagining, and pursuing other interests.

There's no passion for the parks in Iger or Chapek. Business is business I know, but what's good for the short-term bottom line isn't always necessarily best in the long-run. Overindulging in the current fanaticism for Marvel & SW could lead to some quickly outdated lands in 10 years. They have no eyes for the timeless IP that has provided steady profitability for decades - THOSE don't provide the quick cash and unsustainable growth like superheroes and lightsabers.

 

[brb1006]

Disney names new leadership for Disneyland and Walt Disney World

Two days after Disney said Catherine Powell will be leaving the company and her position as president of Disney Parks West will be eliminated, the company has shed more light on its strategy going forward.

www.cnbc.com

 

[brb1006]

 

[HauntedPirate]

Sad, really. Another example of self-serving corporate maneuvering. Quite simply, it's all about the bottom line for this regime, nothing more. And when SWGE reports financial figures that are profitable BUT fall short of forecasts, shareholders will demand an answer. Chapek and Iger will provide their straw-man example that they handled the situation by removing Powell.

No accountability will be accepted for the fact that current Disney leadership is seeking to ride on the short-term mega-hype of massive IPs (Marvel, Star Wars) to artificially inflate company growth during their reign (which equals big time personal $$$). They invest huge sums into these latest, flashiest developments with no eye for the long-term. By the time these fads fizzle out, Iger and Chapek will be gone, wealthy beyond imagining, and pursuing other interests.

There's no passion for the parks in Iger or Chapek. Business is business I know, but what's good for the short-term bottom line isn't always necessarily best in the long-run. Overindulging in the current fanaticism for Marvel & SW could lead to some quickly outdated lands in 10 years. They have no eyes for the timeless IP that has provided steady profitability for decades - THOSE don't provide the quick cash and unsustainable growth like superheroes and lightsabers.

Quoting for posterity, because this is pretty damn spot-on and well written. In my opinion, of course.

 

[Surfin' Tuna]

Sad, really. Another example of self-serving corporate maneuvering. Quite simply, it's all about the bottom line for this regime, nothing more. And when SWGE reports financial figures that are profitable BUT fall short of forecasts, shareholders will demand an answer. Chapek and Iger will provide their straw-man example that they handled the situation by removing Powell.

Chapek the genius cures the problem. I mean, he knew all along it wouldn't be great, but she pushed SWGE on him and Iger. He fought tooth and nail, but he lost and it was built. Now with her gone (and the E ticket coming) it will look better. Thank God the company has him.

 

[rreading]

And they reinvest into the parks.

Disney gets 100% of their profits, and has spent the last five years axing parades and live entertainment, cutting down expansion plans (e.g. SWGE and Toy Story), playing FP+ games to maintain queues and cut staffing dollars — and price gouging the entire time.

Then fans go online and say they don’t care because they didn’t watch the parades anyway, or they’re not SW fans. They fly instead of drive, so why do they care about hotel parking rates and premium upcharges at the parking lots? They make excuses for paying more for less.

When the dining plans cut snacks or desserts or whatever, people said it was okay because it was too much food. But the prices continued rising! Somehow the fact they’re paying more than ever before and getting less for their money doesn’t register with these people. It blows my mind. I want to believe they’re shills for the company. I want to believe nobody can be that foolish.

The dining plan rarely ever makes sense, and since we're DVC the "Free Dining" promotion never helps us. Those who do buy it are (presumably) just not wanting to watch what they order. While I really, really appreciate the idea of live entertainment, we rarely have the time/interest in doing more than enjoy it as we pass by.

But if they ever take away our free magical express, I will be disappointed. If they do so, then we will be bringing a car and it will be much easier to go visit Universal

 

[MisterPenguin]

Hawking his book? Word is he's trying to position himself for a post-Disney career in pre-fabricated "outreach" in order to run for President in '24.

Iger has been trying to find women and non-whites to elevate to senior leadership. It's telling that Ms. Powell was simply fired instead of shuffled into something new in Burbank's current "We're Looking For Women!" corporate environment.

Ms. Powell obviously took the fall for the Star Wars Land flops on both coasts.

Read the piece in the Times. It was pandering in tone and language.

And yet they just fired one of the top women executives they have, instead of shuffling her into a new role if her current role was organized out of existence. Apparently Ms. Powell wasn't the type of woman they wanted to keep around.

That's a great point. This particular gig has come and gone over the decades. Al Weiss had it, then Meg Crofton, then it went away, and then came back for Ms. Powell. It seems this most recent elimination of the role was the sacrificial lamb for the "sluggish" launch of both Star Wars Lands, or so the Hollywood press is positioning this as.



It was especially odd since the sudden and immediate departure came one day after Bob Iger had a big New York Times puff piece about how he's now constantly searching for executives who aren't male. A day later he fires the top ranking female running the Parks division. Oops.

Off the top of my head, Colglazier may be sticking around because it's good to have an American overseeing the various drama in the two parks in Communist China right now, plus leading the charge on the rumored Mumbai Disneyland.

Whereas Ms. Powell was overseeing two American parks that have highly effective Presidents running them who didn't need a British nanny to hold their hand to go to the park.

A female of the species was just elevated to president of DLR.

I assume you have Bob's address to send your apologies.

Also, is this going to be the new norm for you that when you have a critique, you're just going to keep repeating it over and over again in every thread?

 

[HMFan999]

Sad, really. Another example of self-serving corporate maneuvering. Quite simply, it's all about the bottom line for this regime, nothing more. And when SWGE reports financial figures that are profitable BUT fall short of forecasts, shareholders will demand an answer. Chapek and Iger will provide their straw-man example that they handled the situation by removing Powell.

No accountability will be accepted for the fact that current Disney leadership is seeking to ride on the short-term mega-hype of massive IPs (Marvel, Star Wars) to artificially inflate company growth during their reign (which equals big time personal $$$). They invest huge sums into these latest, flashiest developments with no eye for the long-term. By the time these fads fizzle out, Iger and Chapek will be gone, wealthy beyond imagining, and pursuing other interests.

There's no passion for the parks in Iger or Chapek. Business is business I know, but what's good for the short-term bottom line isn't always necessarily best in the long-run. Overindulging in the current fanaticism for Marvel & SW could lead to some quickly outdated lands in 10 years. They have no eyes for the timeless IP that has provided steady profitability for decades - THOSE don't provide the quick cash and unsustainable growth like superheroes and lightsabers.

While I do agree with this on a lot of levels I actually chuckled at the insinuation that Marvel and SWs aren't timeless IPs. They have both had a huge fanbase for decades and will continue to. The issue(s) we're seeing all have to do with terrible execution and a sad lack of imagination / risk on the part of Disney. They're no longer the company that sets the standard. They are the company that takes the easiest, cheapest solution and slaps an IP on it.

 

[rreading]

Great question.

Kalogridis is already 66, and close enough to retirement age that he could take the fall easily. But it would be pretty ruthless and very bad PR to not let the Busboy of '71 retire gracefully with all the bells and whistles. Jim MacPhee is the CFO and SVP of Operations, but it's just silly to keep blaming this stuff on relatively blameless Ops people so I would hope they'd also let him coast towards his impending retirement gracefully. Thomas Mazloum is the SVP of Resorts for WDW, but again, stop blaming the Ops people for messes non-Ops execs create.

You might be able to pin this on WDW's SVP of Commercial Strategy for pricing it way too high and under-delivering?

But really I think we all know who is ultimately to blame here, based on what WDI said the land would be like in 2015-17 and what it actually provided upon opening in 2019. Similarly, no one can blame us for being very skeptical that the new hotel will be as IMMERSIVE and entertaining in 2021 as WDI said it would be in 2017.

There is a part of me that suspects "hopes?" that the lack of immersive entertainment was cut for GE to theoretically reserve it for the hotel. I wonder if doing so would have been worth it given what's happened with GE, but I can imagine them conceiving that if the general public was entranced by their (reletively cheap) time at GE, why would anyone pony up big $$ for isolated time at a resort hotel?

 

[ImperfectPixie]

There is a part of me that suspects "hopes?" that the lack of immersive entertainment was cut for GE to theoretically reserve it for the hotel. I wonder if doing so would have been worth it given what's happened with GE, but I can imagine them conceiving that if the general public was entranced by their (reletively cheap) time at GE, why would anyone pony up big $$ for isolated time at a resort hotel?

I've been thinking about the resort, too. Anyone who is into attending Comic-Con or Renaissance Faires knows that interactions, entertainment, spontaneity, and creating costumes to wear to such events are the most fun aspects of them...and they've eliminated all four of those from the land. If they think people are going to shell out thousands of dollars to be given a cheap, loaner costume and follow a very specific plot, they're in for one hell of an expensive let-down.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

im not sure why Disney is trying to break the mold with Star Wars. Both the land and the hotel seem to really be missing the mark of what people want. I have friends who went to Orlando... they had no interest in seeing the Star Wars land and went to universal the whole time. They like universal and wanted to go during Halloween horror but still.... if Star Wars doesn’t steal people from universal something is wrong....

 

[VJ]

He's a big EPCOT Center fan as well

Remember when John Lasseter paraded around his stint as a Jungle Cruise skipper and everyone thought he'd be the second coming of Walt? How times change.

All this is, is an attempt for out-of-touch executives to sound like "one of us".

 

[BigThunderMatt]

Overindulging in the current fanaticism for Marvel & SW could lead to some quickly outdated lands in 10 years.

People said the same thing about Potter back in 2010 and...well...here we are. Universal got it right and Disney just keeps missing the mark on trying to steal their thunder. I guarantee if SWGE had a more OT focus it would have had a bigger draw.