D'Amaro interview

[Parteecia]

Disney parks boss on diversity, preventing division and Disneyland's Electrical Parade return

Parks chairman Josh D'Amaro reflects on changes at Disneyland, now operating at close to full capacity one year after reopening following an extended pandemic closure.

www.latimes.com

Mentions some recent topics:

"... The newly revived Electrical Parade, for instance, once ended with a float that celebrated outmoded ideas of American exceptionalism; now there is a grand finale that reflects historic Disneyland designs while championing modern tales such as “Encanto,” “Frozen,” “Raya and the Last Dragon” and “Moana,” among other inclusive stories that better reflect the park’s fan base. And last summer, problematic caricatures were removed from the Jungle Cruise. (A reimagining of Splash Mountain, a ride inspired by the racist film “Song of the South,” remains in the works.) But any alteration to the park’s history comes with the danger that it might alienate some or, worse, allow misguided accusations that the company is giving in to leftist ideals rather than simply awakening to its cultural reach. ..."
...
“We will make some decisions that people may raise their eyebrows at,” D’Amaro continued. “They may say, ‘Well, that’s different and I’m not sure what to make of it.’ But in the end, our objectives are to keep this place vibrant, alive and still nostalgic, but ready for the future.”
...
The park, D’Amaro said, will continue to lean into technology, integrating it sometime this year, according to the Anaheim park’s website, with MagicBand+, wearable tech that’s long been a staple of a Walt Disney World vacation. The wristbands allow for a range of activities, from unlocking hotel rooms to teased interactions throughout the park. While Disneyland’s integration of MagicBand+ has yet to be fully detailed, it’s mentioned by Disney as a method for giving visitors potential new interactions that allow for additional game-like experiences in, say, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
...
D’Amaro said staffing is essentially at the level the park wants, although he acknowledged that updates and fine-tuning still have to occur. Dining reservations, as park regulars have noticed, are still hard to come by, and daytime parades such as Magic Happens, which launched just before the start of the pandemic, have yet to return.
...
Also coming soon is a refresh of the walk-through attraction Tarzan’s Treehouse, although D’Amaro declined to discuss any specifics beyond saying, “It’s going to be cool.”

 

[Sharon&Susan]

The newly revived Electrical Parade, for instance, once ended with a float that celebrated outmoded ideas of American exceptionalism

Someone should've told the merchandise department that before they decided to release merchandise themed to the old finale and America on Parade last month.

 

[No Name]

I wish we could get the actual interview. This reads more like the author interviewed himself and threw in a couple quotes from D’Amaro. It’s hard to even know when what the author is saying reflects the things Josh said and when it’s just completely Todd’s own thoughts.

 

[Too Many Hats]

Sounds like the treehouse will remain, and not merely as decoration. That's good news.

But man, it's so gross how this company endlessly pats itself on the back for its efforts to be inclusive. You know what would be inclusive? A theme park that doesn't cost $165/day.

 

[Comped]

Very odd for the entire interview to be centered around inclusion and so forth and for Josh not to mention splash.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Remember when Disney's favorite i word was *immersion*?

 

[waltography]

Saw this in my feed and the part that I zeroed in on first was how "staffing is essentially at the level the park wants." If that's truly the case, then we're in for a rough time ahead. Park staffing feels leaner and meaner, and not in a good way.

 

[CaptinEO]

Saw this in my feed and the part that I zeroed in on first was how "staffing is essentially at the level the park wants." If that's truly the case, then we're in for a rough time ahead. Park staffing feels leaner and meaner, and not in a good way.

This. They've been cutting staff probably since the late 90s. 2019 was some of the more dramatic staff cuts I've ever seen.

Disney loves understaffing their park while charging a premium and giving speeches about how they are the best in the business.

Meanwhile each counter service restaurant will have one register open and one mobile order person there, even if there's 8 registers. Magical.

 

[TP2000]

I wish we could get the actual interview. This reads more like the author interviewed himself and threw in a couple quotes from D’Amaro. It’s hard to even know when what the author is saying reflects the things Josh said and when it’s just completely Todd’s own thoughts.

This is typical for the El Segundo Times. It's also why their readership has crashed into almost nothing at this point and it's basically now just a slanted, regional newspaper that gets no national attention east of Whittier.

2021 Paid Subscriber Rates (New York City = 8.9 Million residents, LA = 9.9 Million residents)

New York Times = 7.9 Million Digital Subscribers, 362,000 Print Circulation, Total = 8.26 Million
Wall Street Journal = 2.9 Million Digital Subscribers, 786,000 Print Circulation, Total = 3.68 Million
El Segundo Times = 275,000 Digital Subscribers, 164,000 Print Circulation, Total = 440,000

Very odd for the entire interview to be centered around inclusion and so forth and for Josh not to mention splash.

Again, what you are reading here is sadly not actually information and content from Josh D'Amaro, but rather the bias and opinions of the writer from the El Segundo Times layered onto an alleged interview with Josh D'Amaro.

This is very much par for the course for "journalists" in the 2020's.

EDIT: I just realized the El Segundo Times joke will go over the heads of most non-SoCal'ers. The highest rated radio show in SoCal is "John & Ken" on KFI, and they call them the El Segundo Times after the LA Times had to abandon and sell off their lavishly prestigious downtown LA headquarters complex in 2018 and move into a cheap office building next to LAX in El Segundo to save money. They're still losing money.

 

[D.Silentu]

Personally, I was interested to learn that the Electrical Light Parade finale was about American exceptionalism and not just a float that they built for the bicentennial and said, "This should be good for about forty-six years."

 

[Communicora]

Personally, I was interested to learn that the Electrical Light Parade finale was about American exceptionalism and not just a float that they built for the bicentennial and said, "This should be good for about forty-six years."

Yeah, that struck me as odd especially because it was the reporter's words and not a quote.

 

[MoonRakerSCM]

Trash.

 

[Phroobar]

Ever notice how print newspapers are extremely expensive? We used to get the Inland Valley Bulletin until we saw their six month renewal was $380. No thank you.

 

[celluloid]

Someone should've told the merchandise department that before they decided to release merchandise themed to the old finale and America on Parade last month.

Good point. They will be fine raking in the nostalgia money.

And the fact that it is referred to as The Main Street Electrical Parade, which ya know. Main Street USA would make sense to have some of that idea, and bad form on the reporter using that term as if it is derogatory.

 

[Dear Prudence]

But Pocahontas is on the new float. I am just gonna... leave that right there....

 

[Phroobar]

Joe Damaro: "Everyone knows that Walt Disney didn't start making movies until 1989."

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

Joe Damaro: "Everyone knows that Walt Disney didn't start making movies until 1989."

On this note, watching the American Idol “Disney Night” last night I was fascinated by the total lack of pre-1989 content/songs.

One poor girl literally sang a song from onward and was voted off. She sounded fantastic to me but I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe it was because she selected (or was given a song by the producers?) that was less well known than Toy Story, Lion King, etc.?

 

[truecoat]

New York Times = 7.9 Million Digital Subscribers, 362,000 Print Circulation, Total = 8.26 Million
Wall Street Journal = 2.9 Million Digital Subscribers, 786,000 Print Circulation, Total = 3.68 Million
El Segundo Times = 275,000 Digital Subscribers, 164,000 Print Circulation, Total = 440,000

Is this recent? An article I pulled up from July 2021 on the top ten newspapers came out like this...

The following is a list of the largest daily US newspapers in order of circulation.

1. The Wall Street Journal​

wsj.com
The Wall Street Journal is America’s largest newspaper by paid circulation with more than 2.2 million subscribers. Building on its heritage as the leading source of business and financial news, the Journal has expanded its core content offering in recent years to include coverage of the arts, culture, lifestyle, real estate, sports and personal health.

2. The New York Times​

nytimes.com
The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT) is a global media organization dedicated to enhancing society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news and information. For more than 150 years, Times readers have expected their newspaper to provide the most thorough and uncompromising coverage in the world. The Times has won more Pulitzer prizes than any other news organization and remains No. 1 in overall reach of U.S. opinion leaders. The company includes The New York Times, International New York Times, NYTimes.com, INYT.com and related properties.

3. USA Today​

usatoday.com
USA TODAY and USATODAY.com reach a combined seven million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than 21 million downloads on mobile devices. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc.

4. The Washington Post​

washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post provides award-winning news and understanding about the politics, policies, personalities and institutions that make Washington, D.C. the world’s seat of power, and is a critical tool and information source for those who call Washington, D.C. home. In digital form, The Washington Post combines its world-class journalism with the latest technology and tools, and encourages participation and customization across all platforms so readers can engage with The Washington Post anytime, anywhere.

5. Los Angeles Times​

latimes.com
The Los Angeles Times is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, with a daily readership of 1.4 million and 2.5 million on Sunday, more than 22 million unique latimes.com visitors monthly and a combined print and online local weekly audience of 4.1 million. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Times has been covering Southern California for more than 133 years.

 

[No Name]

Is this recent? An article I pulled up from July 2021 on the top ten newspapers came out like this...

The following is a list of the largest daily US newspapers in order of circulation.

1. The Wall Street Journal​

wsj.com
The Wall Street Journal is America’s largest newspaper by paid circulation with more than 2.2 million subscribers. Building on its heritage as the leading source of business and financial news, the Journal has expanded its core content offering in recent years to include coverage of the arts, culture, lifestyle, real estate, sports and personal health.

2. The New York Times​

nytimes.com
The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT) is a global media organization dedicated to enhancing society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news and information. For more than 150 years, Times readers have expected their newspaper to provide the most thorough and uncompromising coverage in the world. The Times has won more Pulitzer prizes than any other news organization and remains No. 1 in overall reach of U.S. opinion leaders. The company includes The New York Times, International New York Times, NYTimes.com, INYT.com and related properties.

3. USA Today​

usatoday.com
USA TODAY and USATODAY.com reach a combined seven million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than 21 million downloads on mobile devices. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc.

4. The Washington Post​

washingtonpost.com
The Washington Post provides award-winning news and understanding about the politics, policies, personalities and institutions that make Washington, D.C. the world’s seat of power, and is a critical tool and information source for those who call Washington, D.C. home. In digital form, The Washington Post combines its world-class journalism with the latest technology and tools, and encourages participation and customization across all platforms so readers can engage with The Washington Post anytime, anywhere.

5. Los Angeles Times​

latimes.com
The Los Angeles Times is the largest metropolitan daily newspaper in the country, with a daily readership of 1.4 million and 2.5 million on Sunday, more than 22 million unique latimes.com visitors monthly and a combined print and online local weekly audience of 4.1 million. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Times has been covering Southern California for more than 133 years.

Also the New York Times is much more of a national newspaper than the LA Times, so comparing the size of their subscriber base, or worse, the population of the cities they’re based in, really says very little about the quality of their writing. One is just a larger business than the other.

 

[TP2000]

Is this recent? An article I pulled up from July 2021 on the top ten newspapers came out like this...

The following is a list of the largest daily US newspapers in order of circulation.

Yes, those numbers are from 2021. But they also reflect "paid" subscribers to their digital and print services, not just people that click on a link and read something for free on their phone and then get counted as a customer.

It's like CNN counting the people in airport departure lounges as part of their "audience", as if anyone sitting in a departure lounge has the ability to turn off CNN or change the channel.

Also the New York Times is much more of a national newspaper than the LA Times, so comparing the size of their subscriber base, or worse, the population of the cities they’re based in, really says very little about the quality of their writing. One is just a larger business than the other.

Yes, that's exactly my point. The LA Times, covering the nation's second largest city and the global media capital, lost out in the 21st century to the New York Times, plus a few others like the Wall Street Journal and the Washinton Post.

No one living east of Whittier cares about the LA Times, and those who live west of Whittier who care are dwindling away by the day. It's interesting to see how the once mighty have fallen.

But with writing like this, who would be surprised by that???...

"... The newly revived Electrical Parade, for instance, once ended with a float that celebrated outmoded ideas of American exceptionalism"

Huh? Josh D'Amaro certainly never said that, and no Disney representative said that. Or anything even close to it. Because can you imagine the crap storm that would erupt if the Walt Disney Company went on record and said "We are changing the Electrical Parade so that it no longer celebrates outmoded ideas of American exceptionalism"?!?

But the LA Times writer laid that out there right at the start of the article, as if it was not only proven fact but also that anyone with a brain knows that America is not exceptional and is no different than Venezuela or North Korea or Yemen or Mexico or Norway.

Talk about layering on a political agenda and woke talking point right out of the gate, and then quoting the Parks Chairman a few words later and angling the entire story to the writer's whims. Yikes! Who the hell is teaching Journalism 101 at UCLA nowadays, and how many bananas do they eat at feeding time???