News Cost Cutting Measures Coming Early 2025

[BrianLo]

Got it.

I think we agree more than we don't. Where I disagree is that I do think they like the theme parks. Not being great at running them is a whole other issue.

I think there’s pretty good evidence Iger was at best apathetic towards the parks as part of his portfolio. With a few comments out of him that bordered on disdain. He was far more interested in the media side of the business and the hob-nobbing with Hollywood.

He also surrounded himself with a series of parks execs who had absolute disdain of the product, up through Staggs who simply enjoyed them as a means to an end. Numbers to juggle and manipulate. You don’t plunk those type of people around for the product you love.

Now that said, Iger also likes his legacy and I think the constant presence of the parks in his portfolio has led to general softening of his stance. I’d define the last part of his tenure as even a mutual understanding that parks have value, hold serious legacy and synergize with almost all the other facets of the core business. I think his legacy builds (starting around 2016 with Shanghai) have changed his relationship. He’s also been seen in the parks in the last 24 months almost more than the prior 17 years. We also have the first parks exec that inarguably likes the product. Understand is up for ongoing debate.

I think Iger liked the politicking of Shanghai at first way more than the eventual product - and that somehow morphed into legacy as we got towards the end of the SDL build. Mixed with his clear preference for movie creative endeavors… but Pandora and the mix of James Cameron sort of opened a new door for him.

 

[lazyboy97o]

If you can show verifiable proof that he "at least liked them a good bit", I'll concede the point. Otherwise, you're trying to revise history to fit your view.

That he was someone who had a history of visiting the parks isn’t new information.

 

[Chi84]

Usually in threads when “stay on topic” mandates from the plebs arrive…

It translates roughly to “I’m not gonna acknowledge this…it’s less magical…please stop before I cry on my churro ”

…roughly

That’s not the reason!

This is the reason!

Agree with Brian. In 10 pages of this thread, there have been, like, two messages about speculation or news of the actual cuts, and the rest is the doom schlock that you guys post in every other thread, lol

Doom schlock!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That’s not the reason!

…there’s a pattern. If anybody can see a pattern around here…it’s me

 

[HauntedPirate]

That he was someone who had a history of visiting the parks isn’t new information.

Visiting and "liking them a good bit" are two entirely different things. This is the same person who had a "Master Ship Builder" sign created and installed on Castaway Cay by early 2017 because he signed off on building three new cruise ships. He didn't do that because he liked cruise ships.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think there’s pretty good evidence Iger was at best apathetic towards the parks as part of his portfolio. With a few comments out of him that bordered on disdain. He was far more interested in the media side of the business and the hob-nobbing with Hollywood.

He also surrounded himself with a series of parks execs who had absolute disdain of the product, up through Staggs who simply enjoyed them as a means to an end. Numbers to juggle and manipulate. You don’t plunk those type of people around for the product you love.

Now that said, Iger also likes his legacy and I think the constant presence of the parks in his portfolio has led to general softening of his stance. I’d define the last part of his tenure as even a mutual understanding that parks have value, hold serious legacy and synergize with almost all the other facets of the core business. I think his legacy builds (starting around 2016 with Shanghai) have changed his relationship. He’s also been seen in the parks in the last 24 months almost more than the prior 17 years. We also have the first parks exec that inarguably likes the product. Understand is up for ongoing debate.

I think Iger liked the politicking of Shanghai at first way more than the eventual product - and that somehow morphed into legacy as we got towards the end of the SDL build. Mixed with his clear preference for movie creative endeavors… but Pandora and the mix of James Cameron sort of opened a new door for him.

I think he recognized his legacy but didn’t really understand it. I don’t think he understood why, despite Shanghai Disneyland and Star Wars, he was still seen as being in Eisner’s shadow. His last hurrah was supposed to be the DS+R wonder table, a project that made no fiscal sense but included a starchitect just like Michael used to, something that reeked of blind imitation to try and get out of that shadow.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Too be fair to Slaphead…

He may have genuinely loved parks. I can see that

But what he was was a pawn on the emperors chessboard…operating 101% on directives. A hatchetman…nothing more.

When that’s the case…it doesn’t really matter what “deep down” is

 

[lazyboy97o]

Visiting and "liking them a good bit" are two entirely different things. This is the same person who had a "Master Ship Builder" sign created and installed on Castaway Cay by early 2017 because he signed off on building three new cruise ships. He didn't do that because he liked cruise ships.

How many recreation activities that you don’t really like do you do multiple times?

 

[HauntedPirate]

How many recreation activities that you don’t really like do you do multiple times?

Depends on how happy I want my wife to be.

You're really suggesting his visits to the parks were for recreation?

 

[JD80]

I think Iger liked the politicking of Shanghai at first way more than the eventual product - and that somehow morphed into legacy as we got towards the end of the SDL build. Mixed with his clear preference for movie creative endeavors… but Pandora and the mix of James Cameron sort of opened a new door for him.

He was thinking about running for president at this point. That heavily influences him in this period.

 

[marni1971]

Things aren’t brilliant at the moment.

 

[Chi84]

Things aren’t brilliant at the moment.

No kidding

 

[Tha Realest]

Four years from now - “Show me where Josh promised two E-tickets for Villains Land?”

 

[lazyboy97o]

Depends on how happy I want my wife to be.

You're really suggesting his visits to the parks were for recreation?

Yes, because they occurred before he was moved the Parks and Resorts.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Four years from now - “Show me where Josh promised two E-tickets for Villains Land?”

Four years from now - “how long is it gonna take them to finish this thing”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Usually it is! This time it was just a pointed criticism no one understood the topic from the jump and started speculating about Indy because they are ‘crying over their churro’ for Dinosaur, as you’d say.

I’m not disillusioned things are going to be cut wildly to make the pre Epic numbers look good. I’m wondering what those are instead of a veiled “save Dinosaur” campaign.

I think you’d probably agree with me here.

I actually do…

But it is symptomatic or the same issue: there’s really nothing for customers going on in the swamp.

And it’s gonna intensify over the next few months - unfortunately

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Four years from now - “Show me where Josh promised two E-tickets for Villains Land?”

Correct

Four years from now - “how long is it gonna take them to finish this thing”

Correct

 

[larryz]

all the nice little perks like killing the airport shuttle and adding more parking fees…

They rescinded the resort hotel parking fees.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Depends on how happy I want my wife to be.

A heavy dose of liquor, oysters and a ticket to paradise usually works

 

[Dranth]

If you can show verifiable proof that he "at least liked them a good bit", I'll concede the point. Otherwise, you're trying to revise history to fit your view.

The man took annual trips with his family to Disney growing up and he has talked more than once in multiple interviews about how much he loved those trips and how they impacted his life.

Why is it so hard to understand someone could be one of the worst people to run a thing yet still care about it?