Disney asks Congress to butt out of business travel

[jmvd20]

Why must there be an agenda beyond what is written in the letter?

Because it is logical and part of the political game playing - blame the government now for some of your problems and that way in the future you can get your bail-out. After all banks, automakers, airlines, insurance companies etc... have been bailed out - how would it be fair for Disney and Hilton to not get their share should they need it?

 

[DisneyDellsDude]

Because it is logical and part of the political game playing - blame the government now for some of your problems and that way in the future you can get your bail-out. After all banks, automakers, airlines, insurance companies etc... have been bailed out - how would it be fair for Disney and Hilton to not get their share should they need it?

Solution: Stop bailing out companies!
If you fail, you fail.
If you suceed, you desirve to have your rivals fall. It means you were conducting business properly.

 

[jakeman]

Because it is logical and part of the political game playing - blame the government now for some of your problems and that way in the future you can get your bail-out. After all banks, automakers, airlines, insurance companies etc... have been bailed out - how would it be fair for Disney and Hilton to not get their share should they need it?

That agenda is obvious and I'm not denying that is the purpose of the letter.

I was speaking more to the personal agenda that has been assumed on Rasulo's part.

 

[jmvd20]

That agenda is obvious and I'm not denying that is the purpose of the letter.

I was speaking more to the personal agenda that has been assumed on Rasulo's part.

Oh, well... - in that case perhaps he wants one of those government funded 25 million dollar weekend retreats!

 

[jmvd20]

Solution: Stop bailing out companies!
If you fail, you fail.
If you suceed, you desirve to have your rivals fall. It means you were conducting business properly.

There is no reason to try and inject common sense here!

 

[hokielutz]

It appears that the letter is saying that the current tone and rhetoric from Congress is starting to affect normal business travel.

Also, it is one thing for business to reduce cost by limiting travel, but it is another when purposeful travel is being axed because of fear of reprisals from the government looking to make an example.

The key statement is that large groups not directly affected by the bail out funds are cancelling trips because of reprisals from the government. That is not good.

Instead of looking for the bad or the extreme in the letter, perhaps it should be read for what it is: a concern that the current political climate is having unintented consquences on normal business operations.

The first level-headed response to this thread's subject.

I agree.

 

[hokielutz]

I really don't want to debate this but remember how Citi Bank used our tax dollars for a Corprate Jet? They are not taking over. The banks need some Government help so they can back on their feet otherwise they might destroy themselves.

Sorry, can't let this one go.
The much ballyhooed Corp Jet Purchase in question was ordered in 2005, back when times were good, but the company was going to take delivery of it this year. Tax dollars were not paying for it since money had already been paid for the production of the jet. Plus the one new jet was going to replace two older and less efficient planes which would've been sold.

Also of note, there are contract penalties (big $$) if the customer terminates the contract ahead of scheduled delivery.

 

[sknydave]

...and the former CEO used the company jet to fly to Mexico for his family's vacation. After the bailout.

 

[devoy1701]

...and the former CEO used the company jet to fly to Mexico for his family's vacation. After the bailout.

That doesnt sound like a very smart thing to do...considering the Drug Cartels have all but taken over the government down there...

Travel Advice...go to Disney World instead of Mexico this summer...

hey...that could be a new promotion for the theme parks!

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Solution: Stop bailing out companies!
If you fail, you fail.
If you suceed, you desirve to have your rivals fall. It means you were conducting business properly.

Wow, what a concept!

We used to call that free enterprise.

 

[HMF]

Solution: Stop bailing out companies!
If you fail, you fail.
If you suceed, you desirve to have your rivals fall. It means you were conducting business properly.

I completley agree. However we are currently in a financial crisis and people need jobs. I definitley agree that companies should not get bailouts unless they actually do what is needed and not waste it on personal pet-projects.

 

[ms9220]

Came across the following letter today, in the form of an ad. It pretty much speaks for itself.

Hell Congress went After one there own last year John Edwards about stupid $400 haircut instead of the issues. Last spring when John Edwards ran for President he warn Congress 2 years ahead time that this Coming they didn't listing to him, and so to me Both parties can go straight to heck leave Disney Alone. Because I trust them alot more than stupid idiots run for Washington they still don't get them, Banks and Wall Street to me are to blame not Disney.

 

[HMF]

Hell Congress went After one there own last year John Edwards about stupid $400 haircut instead of the issues. Last spring when John Edwards ran for President he warn Congress 2 years ahead time that this Coming they didn't listing to him, and so to me Both parties can go straight to heck leave Disney Alone. Because I trust them alot more than stupid idiots run for Washington they still don't get them, Banks and Wall Street to me are to blame not Disney.

Congress picked no fights with Disney. I don't see why Disney should pick fights with Congress.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

you completely missed the point...Gov't has no business regulating or "reprimanding" or having an opinion about business travel. Or leisure travel for that matter either...a couple weeks ago Obama made a comment saying "now is not the time to be taking that trip to Vegas..."

Should I also feel guilty for taking a trip so SoCal at the end of this year to spend a week frivoluosly spending money at Disneyland? nope...it's my money, my business.

Sometimes in-person business meetings are much more effective than video conferencing...and they are ALWAYS more effective than Email.

:king:



thank you for being a voice of reason Jake.

Agreed....there is a big difference between government handouts to banks and car companies as a "reward" for poor business practices and getting in the way of other businesses trying to do their work.

Airlines charging premiums to business routes allows them to offer better rates to travel destinations. Likewise hotels rely on business travel to compensate for personal travel that is less reliable (even in better times).

It will be a careful balance moving forward in placing the weight of paying for all of this on the few successful industries and still employed individuals.

This is the same argument that some people make here when they whine about Disney (or Universal) raising admission prices....
These industries are not part of a socialist system (yet). It is not a constitutional right to be able to go to Disney, and for those that can't afford it, the answer is not denying it to everyone else.

When you go to Disney, do you want to be required to pay double so that someone who can't afford it gets to go? That is what your suggestions of "sticking it to the man" are leading to. (as an analogy)

 

[jakeman]

Congress picked no fights with Disney. I don't see why Disney should pick fights with Congress.

They aren't picking a fight. They are just expressing their concern to the government.

If there is something wrong with the way the government opperates I sure wouldn't want to wait until they came after me.

 

[HMF]

It is not a constitutional right to be able to go to Disney, and for those that can't afford it, the answer is not denying it to everyone else.

I was not aware that congress made a decree saying that going to WDW was a constitutional right.

 

[AZDISNEYDVL]

I see that many mistake most business travel as wasted time at "lavish" resorts. When you break down what most business travel is, you may also see why these "lavish" resorts are needed. Most business travel is used for continuing the education of their employees and as such, all of their employees of a certain division need this training. For most companies, this is a large number of people. It is much cheaper for the company to have 1 large meeting than many small meetings as they can negotiate cheaper rates for rooms and food. When you have such large numbers, you must find a large property to accomodate your group. I can not speak for everyone, but I have yet to find a large property (500 + rooms) that others have not called "lavish." I am well versed in group vs. leisure situations and can tell you without a doubt that leisure guests pay much more than large group guests. I have seen meeting materials and training sessions and can also tell you most of the material would be hard to pass on through any other media. It bothers me to see such negative attitudes toward training of employees as I believe most would be more upset if they ran into an employee that was lacking in that department. When groups cancel meetings due to fear of backlash, it does not just affect the property/hotel company involved, it has a huge effect on the local economy. When guests are not in a hotel, employees of that hotel are out of jobs. When guests are not in a hotel, area businesses are not getting the little extra boost they may need to stay in business. When hotel employees are out of jobs, they have no money to spend in the local economy, on their mortgage, on their auto loan, etc. Stopping big companies from "wasteful" spending hurts us, the little guys. Yes, I do concede that meetings only including the board of directors is a huge waste, I also contend that this rarely happens.

 

[wesTcoastY]

So Jay got together with, Carlson Resorts, Fairmont, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Loews, Marriott, Starwood, and Wyndham and said, "Hey guys, I need to solidify my powerbase at Disney. Can we throw together a totally unsubstantiated letter and send it to Congress?"

You might be surprised how the wealthy elite look after each other in this country so to maintain their wealthy elite status.

 

[jakeman]

You might be surprised how the wealthy elite look after each other in this country so to maintain their wealthy elite status.

I'm sure you have some evidence with regards to this particular group of people to back that claim up.

I can appreciate a good debate, but when illogical paranoia and conspiracy are treated as fact then it limits the ability to constructively argue.

 

[HMF]

You might be surprised how the wealthy elite look after each other in this country so to maintain their wealthy elite status.

Jay Rasulo is greedy but I am not sure if he is in the pious upper-class Greed machine.