Country Bear Jamboree closing for lengthy refurbishment in August

[WDW1974]

Here's a Brooks Barnes typical story that ran today (and y'all must have missed). Not likely planted. Professional. Covers most of the bases. Fitting. Not out of place. Compare it with his last ...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/22/b...-its-digital-footing-overhauls-disneycom.html

Just one 'wittle bit where he sorta caters to what Disney's agenda is and what they feel is important:

"Disney.com must cater to a broad audience, including toddlers interested in Winnie the Pooh and mothers booking theme park vacations."

 

[alphac2005]

Just one 'wittle bit where he sorta caters to what Disney's agenda is and what they feel is important:

"Disney.com must cater to a broad audience, including toddlers interested in Winnie the Pooh and mothers booking theme park vacations."

That's exactly the line that I picked up on in the article that looked spoon fed from whomever his source was in the company for the Disney.com piece. How big is the payroll over there for PR manipulation of the media?

 

[Skyway]

Oh, brother...How is this racist?

I wasn't saying it is (in fact, I went out of my way to state my belief he probably wasn't designed that way)

Googling the term "liver lips" will certainly link you to articles about Mick Jagger and the like. But as you'll see, there are also some who associate the term with a negative stereotype. That is a fact.

I personally don't get offended by the Song of the South characters or the crows in Dumbo. But some people do.

As for CBJ, is it possible that Disney saw the opportunity to clear up any possible confusion by refining the bear's appearance? I'm not saying it was a huge move. But maybe someone saying "You know, if we're ordering some new fur anyway, we might want to change this one up just a little bit."

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Oh, brother...How is this racist?

I can't tell a difference...The original drawing becomes three diemensional..

 

[GLaDOS]

I'm not one apt to conspiracy theories, but reading that article on Friday night, the plant nature of it slapped me in the face. Definitely seemed like something coming from the halls of Disney rather than a legitimate reporter.

 

[devoy1701]

So, from this post it sounds like you don't know the "origin" of the piece,(whatever that means.)




So, you want to know more here in this post. And you admit that the article did more harm than good, "in most circles".



And now you imply that you have inside info regarding the "origin" of the piece.

You do know that if somebody at Disney wrote a check to pay off a NYT author, (a bad career move as the reward doesn't equal the risk), it would have to be somebody pretty high up at Disney, and possibly with Iger's consent as blatantly writing a check is different from flying in the media for the grand opening of a new land. So, if maybe a couple vice presidents, and Iger, and the author know about the deal, you say you now have this info?

Given that the author blasted Disney with fans misgivings, he risked Disney leaking to his bosses that he was paid off, which could cause him to be fired.

Somewhat confusing is your claim that people "with access to such things" are looking into this. If Disney paid off the author, they wouldn't be looking into it because they know they did it! Of course, you must mean your top secret sources at the NYT, such as the author and his editor, or the C.I.A.

Iger's a puppet...who doesn't have as much control as you think within the House of Mouse anymore. Why do you think he's already publically announced his "Must Depart By" date?

 

[Rasvar]

When Disney asked the writer to do the article, did they ask him to cruise WDWmagic for the most disparaging comments he could find?

Heh. If they wanted most disparaging, they could have used mine. Glad they didn't.

 

[Rasvar]

Oh, brother...How is this racist?

I always thought he was the real hillbilly of the bunch.

 

[muteki]

Well this should put to rest the question "do you think Disney reads this site" that pops up every now and then, as if there were any doubt.

 

[flynnibus]

That's exactly the line that I picked up on in the article that looked spoon fed from whomever his source was in the company for the Disney.com piece. How big is the payroll over there for PR manipulation of the media?

Considering the story is three weeks late... I wouldn't think too much about it. The competition (Dow aka WSJ) covered the new website intro back on Oct 1 in their AllThingsD segment
http://allthingsd.com/20121001/disney-unveils-new-home-page-with-entertainment-focus/

The NYT piece covers a different angle.. mainly focused on the lack of competence/execution on getting a main portal squared away for a media company.

 

[puntagordabob]

And bring back the enchanted fountain that they were so cheap to not want to reinstall.

Yeah.... the fog planter really is underwhelming.... and I miss Jose introducing "The Magic FFFFoooountain!

 

[puntagordabob]

WDWGoof07,
You could not be more right. The Country Bear Jamboree was created by many of Walt's master animators. Those who wrote the very book. The very best of the best. Not quota fillers. The very best in the Industry. Period!

As for the social media spin, right again. We all have to look at the big picture here. One decade in the future the CBJ will come up for review again. The details of a butchered show will not come into play for executives, however manipulated spreadsheets showing a sharp drop off around 2012-2013 (closed attraction/nightmare revamp/lack of return due to insulted/sad fans)

The attraction JUST became unpopular?

Yeah its like they TRY to make the attractions they want to kill by MAKING them unpopular somehow...by not taking care of them (Tiki Room at the MK in the early to mid 90s) or by butchering things somehow (Iago's introduction to the Tiki Room is a prime example).....

I would like to believe that this is just a misconeption I AM HAVING on my part and not truly a process that they purposely employ at TDO.

 

[alphac2005]

Considering the story is three weeks late... I wouldn't think too much about it. The competition (Dow aka WSJ) covered the new website intro back on Oct 1 in their AllThingsD segment
http://allthingsd.com/20121001/disney-unveils-new-home-page-with-entertainment-focus/

The NYT piece covers a different angle.. mainly focused on the lack of competence/execution on getting a main portal squared away for a media company.

Their focus is actually on big media period and how these slowly lumbering corporations continue to struggle in basic web marketing and branding. With that theme, The Times has been pretty consistent covering that angle with big media conglomerates for quite some time.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Until someone shared the story with me last night, I had no idea that it existed, much less that I was quoted in it. I had never heard of Brooks Barnes until then, and in searching for him on Twitter, it appears the only "Disney person" he follows is Honor Hunter, the guy who writes Blue Sky Disney.

I assume I was quoted because that particular tweet I posted was retweed/favorited dozens of times, making it top result if you searched for "Country Bear Jamboree" on Twitter, but that's just a guess.

In any case, I agree with you that something I said doesn't belong in the NYT. If the NYT is going to give "common man" quotes, it should at least offset those with a lot of opinions from those in the industry--and not just those who work for Disney.

Careful, Tom... Too many high profile tweets like that will get you un-invited to the press debut of the new Cars Land at DHS.

I kid, I kid.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

If I were the NYT, my story angle would've revolved around WDW removing CBJ's 1971 'fat jokes'. This hot on the heels of WDW being forced to remove the anti-obesity Innoventions exhibit.

Will Disney no longer touch the subject of obesity with a ten foot pole? Aware that a majority of its guests are now grossly overweight, courtesy of modern Disney guest services such as a food stall every twenty feet, new and larger restaurants opening every month and 1100 calories Turkey leg snacks?

Once there were healthy guests and CBJ-style AA varieté shows in EPCOT singing the praise of veggies and fruit. And fat jokes in the CBJ.

One can't shake off the suspicion 'the blonde' replies to fabricated comments.

You'd have to figure out a way to work in the "Ironic Armada of Rascal Scooters". Name Trademark Pending.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Yeah its like they TRY to make the attractions they want to kill by MAKING them unpopular somehow...by not taking care of them (Tiki Room at the MK in the early to mid 90s) or by butchering things somehow (Iago's introduction to the Tiki Room is a prime example).....

I would like to believe that this is just a misconeption I AM HAVING on my part and not truly a process that they purposely employ at TDO.

That's exactly what happened with 20,000 leagues...

Don't put it past them.

 

[Rasvar]

You'd have to figure out a way to work in the "Ironic Armada of Rascal Scooters". Name Trademark Pending.

I think South Park handled that on well a few weeks ago.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I doubt many here will like what I'm going to tell you because it's not simple and it's not straightforward and I've noticed in the Disney fan community that many people only see three things: black, white and Pixie Dust.

The story might as well have been co-written by Bruce Vaughn. But I'd encourage anyone here who read it and thinks they really understood the meaning and intent to go back and reread it, slowly and carefully. Take each sentence apart before posting anything here.

[content clipped]

This was the first little salvo in a big push to get people behind Disney's huge tracking/data mining initiative. Amusing that it was in the NYT. My Mouse Ears are off to the folks behind it, but the battle is just starting. Never good to get too cocky too soon (unless you're at an Imagineering-Fanboi mix and mingle!)

I thought the same thing as I read the article. This was a chance to push NextGen on the public. This is getting the public comfortable with the idea that TDO "knows what we want" and "times are changing".

They know what we want, apparently, more than WE know what we want, ourselves.

You know... They constantly talk about the younger generation and how their parks have to change to accomodate this "new mentality". I just don't get it. I've got two teenage girls who are constantly on their phones and have the same attention spans these NextGen shills preach... But their favorite rides are HM and PoTC. They like Tower of Terror. They love the Tiki Room. And sure... When they're standing in line their phones might come out from time to time. So does mine. But when they are on the ride or in the show, they're enjoying it just as I did when I was their age and younger. And they're not alone. Not surprisingly, the topic of Disney comes up a lot with their friends. And what are THEIR favorite rides?? HM and PoTC.

I just don't get the forced agenda. I just don't understand what TWDC gets out of it. I don't see, in practice, what they claim of this younger generation. Great, immersive attractions will ALWAYS hold a person's attention, no matter what. I don't understand what's difficult about that.

The Disney Parks have NEVER been about attracting the 16 to 19 year old crowds. They've been about attracting FAMILIES... Because families will spend a hell of a lot more money in a day at the parks than an 16 to 19 year old there with his friends. Just ask Six Flags or Cedar Fair. Yet this whole push about NextGen and short attention spans seem aimed sqarely at that 16-19 demo. WHY aim such a vast amount of resources at such a small group???

Kids under 16 visiting with their families aren't so jaded as to not be able to have fun at the parks as they are. Young adults 20 and over are getting close to having families themselves that they'll bring to the parks, and will be looking for the experiences that their little ones can enjoy for the next 15 years before they hit that 16-19 age group.

WHAT IS THE POINT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[CountryBearFan]

Yeah its like they TRY to make the attractions they want to kill by MAKING them unpopular somehow...by not taking care of them (Tiki Room at the MK in the early to mid 90s) or by butchering things somehow (Iago's introduction to the Tiki Room is a prime example).....

I would like to believe that this is just a misconeption I AM HAVING on my part and not truly a process that they purposely employ at TDO.

1) It IS nothing more than a stupid misconception.

2) TDO is not the decision-maker in cases like this. These things are up to WDI and lots of other departments.

There should be a law against saying "TDO" on these sites!

 

[wm49rs]

1) It IS nothing more than a stupid misconception.

2) TDO is not the decision-maker in cases like this. These things are up to WDI and lots of other departments.

There should be a law against saying "TDO" on these sites!

Personally, I'd love to see a law against angry replies using red-faced smileys. What can you do?