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Disney and Chuck E Cheese
- Thread starter englanddg
- Start date
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Oh wow....this is like a mini impromptu CEC employee reunion!
( waves )
I vaguely recall talk of the downloadable show segments, but didn't realize until now that they actually implemented it into some locations.
That is good to know.
All the Stores up in my area still run their systems via a DVD disc mailed every few months from Home Office.
And yes, the Company has changed dramatically in just these past five years alone.
I must say not in a direction I find personally appealing, and their future looks questionable.
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Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
For anyone who's curious...Here's how the new CEC Live stage looks that is being rolled out.
I do seriously question how the current owners of the Company came to the conclusion that this is a suitable replacement for their staged entertainment when most locations have a costumed performer who has about as much enthusiasm as a limp egg noodle.
We have all seen the classic stereotyped 'un-enthusiastic mascot costume character'....so I hope they have a plan in place to hire a lot more Cast for these specific roles.
Very few CECs today have enthusiastic and energetic mascot costume performances.
They now want to base their main live entertainment on this.
I don't see this going anywhere but down.....
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Heh, been there, done that. CEC was sold off to people who don't care, and it will be again sold off to people who care less.
It makes me upset, because, CEC is important.
Christian Fronckowiak
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
Yikes.
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
It is indeed.
Culturally inportant.
Everyone knows this character and almost everyone has been there either as a kid themselves or bringing their own.
Several generations have grown up having parties here and just having fun.
The focus was theatrical ambiance, animatronic entertainment, classic REAL arcade games, and something for the whole family.
Now , it's very narrowly focused and has no ambiance whatsoever.
The entertainment aspects ( exspecially the animatronic show ) is reduced to a forgotten diversion.
Games are primarily ticket redemption or skill games that last all of 10 seconds, if that.
Nothing for the parents to enjoy...or very little depending on the location.
A sad shadow of its former success.
It is indeed the 'poor mans Disney' and it was understood as such many eons ago by leaders who 'got it'.
Creatives and entertainers at heart ran the company back then, not businessmen and profit obsessed pencil pushers.
But somewhere along the line, during the transition between 'creatives' and 'businessmen', the company forgot their roots and are now desperately trying to recapture a audience they lost some time ago.
Drastically redesigning the character, drawing focus away from their unique entertainment offerings, targeting a specific audience, downgrading the quality of their food significantly, and cheapening their product to the point where there is little left to draw appeal.....
It's no wonder they are in a tailspin.
It's not that hard to figure out for someone who has a idea of their past history.
They need showman at the helm to steer this once truly fun concept back on course .....but alas, it is likely too late to save the ship at this point.
It has been sinking slowly over the last several years....
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Team2.It is indeed.
Culturally inportant.
Everyone knows this character and almost everyone has been there either as a kid themselves or bringing their own.
Several generations have grown up having parties here and having fun.
It is indeed the 'poor mans Disney' and it was understood as such many eons ago.
But somewhere along the line, they forgot their roots and are now desperately trying to recapture a audience they lost some time ago.
Drastically redesigning the character, drawing focus away from their unique entertainment offerings, targeting a specific audience, downgrading the quality of their food quality significantly, and cheapening their product to the point where there is little left to draw appeal.....
It's no wonder they are in a tailspin.
It's not that hard to figure out for someone who has a idea of their past history.
They need showman at the helm to steer this once truly fun concept back on course .....but alas, it is likely too late to save the ship at this point.
It has been sinking slowly over the last several years....
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Wow...that is....so old for me.
I think we both agree that the end goal is that guest has the best experience possible.
And, that passion, that investment, is worth it.
I really don't like what CEC is, in application, now.
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Ugggh. That makes my eyes want to bleed, even after how long we've seen it. Oh, and I can join the 'ex-CEC-employees' in this thread list. I got let go last week, so yeah....ex employee.For anyone who's curious...Here's how the new CEC Live stage looks that is being rolled out.
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
You think that's bad..After they dropped Duncan Brannon as the voice of Chuck they went to Bowling for Soup's Jarret Reddick who now voices the Mouse..Heck they even destroyed one of his own band's songs...
Of course having heard him on Phineas and Ferb makes it even stranger now from being the lead singer of Luv Handle
And also singing the theme song...
If you haven't picked up, I know CEC.
Hah. Seeing that three stage takes me back.
I remember when we did the upgrade to make Chuck E. look like that.
And, now they've changed him again.
I...don't like the new "younger" look very much.
Hah. Seeing that three stage takes me back.
I remember when we did the upgrade to make Chuck E. look like that.
And, now they've changed him again.
I...don't like the new "younger" look very much.
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
I for one enjoyed his Cigar smoking Rat form up to the point where he wore the tuxedo outfit in the restaurants..
But, if your up for everything Showbiz & CEC there is this site that is all about it......http://showbizpizza.com/home.html
cheezbat
Well-Known Member
Oh you know me! Been to a few CV’s in my day, been a member of ShowbizPizza.com back when we had the boards, and I live just down I-4 from WDW.Oh wow....this is like a mini impromptu CEC employee reunion!
( waves )
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Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
I for one enjoyed his Cigar smoking Rat form up to the point where he wore the tuxedo outfit in the restaurants..
But, if your up for everything Showbiz & CEC there is this site that is all about it......http://showbizpizza.com/home.html
The 'evolution' images related to Chuck E. never get the correct years matching the correct images.
I have yet to have seen one that is right.
The example here is yet another one that is all wrong.
The images shown are in reality 1981, 1991, 2001, 2004, and 2012.
1977 Chuck looked very different, in 1989 the Tux Chuck look was not fully rolled out yet, 1994s Chuck was still in 'Coach' mode, and 'Skater' Chuck had a completely different look.
'Rockstar' Modern Chuck (2012) is the only correct image matching the year shown.
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TwilightZone
Well-Known Member
Defunctland uploaded an interview with a guy who worked at club disney
There was one quote from the guy that was especially eye-opening for me
There was one quote from the guy that was especially eye-opening for me
Iger shadowed Eisner, it all makes sense now.
TwilightZone
Well-Known Member
Oh GodFor anyone who's curious...Here's how the new CEC Live stage looks that is being rolled out.
Actually, the "all-5-characters' gig is for Re-opening only. After that I believe it goes back to Chuck only. MAYBE with Helen, but I don't know of any stores with Rockstar Helen in-store. It's kind of stupid, considering that the whole 'band' aspect is still around, yet we only see Chuck ever. At least Studio C at least gives some illusion of the band insisting.
As for the character performers, I put all of my effort into every show I would 'assist' Chuck E for. I mean, every store's not gonna have performers like these:
(That's actually me as Chuck)
Heh, in many stores, CEC's assistant is the bus boy or a kitchen guy. Dead arms, flopping around, reeking of sweat.
Let's be frank... (D.ick Frank)
That said, in my stores I had a requirement that everyone, from managers down, helped CEC at least once, and was willing to help him if needed. I made helping Chuck E. part of CEC General, and even New Stores, made everyone do it. Everyone....from the GM down. GMs, who generally came from within our ecosystem, didn't mind so much. But, some of the managers (who came from places like Applebees and Golden Corral) often did. Oh well....
What's the cornerstone?
"Every Guest sees CEC"
Also, as a manager, I found if I did one live show (generally at the end of an opening shift before I was going to go home) or a walkaround at least once a week, that spread through the Cast. So, when I'd ask them to do it, there was less resistance / resentment....as, I was willing to do it as well. So, when I'd go to take over Kid Check for 15 minutes, and ask that person to help Chuck E., they didn't feel put upon.
Because, the end goal, is that magical experience.
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There was a time in the early 90s when they tried this. Many stores would have at least CEC, Helen and Jasper as walkarounds. Some would have Munch, and very few, Pasqually.
It....didn't work. Though, I have to say, assisting Jasper was still my favorite.
It....didn't work. Though, I have to say, assisting Jasper was still my favorite.