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Disney paper

Zip-D-Dude

New Member
Original Poster
Here is the first couple of pages of a paper I wrote last year for a class. I thought I would post the paper and see what you all thought. Be honest.

Disney Corporation
History
Many times throughout my research I saw Disney quoted as saying, "I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing -that it was all started by a mouse." Unfortunately, this is not the whole truth. It is important to note that Walt Disney tried a couple of times to start a business before he had any success. In 1920, Walt Disney met Ubbe Iwerks (later shortened to Ub Iwerks) and together formed Iwerks-Disney Commercial Artists. It lasts only one month before going bankrupt. In the same year, 1920 Walt & Ub work for the Kansas City Slide Company making his new animated films "Newman Laugh-O-grams." In 1922, Walt quits and starts "Laugh-O-gram Films" with $15,000 from local investors. Walt persuades Ub Iwerks to leave this current job, but shortly after "Laugh-O-gram Films". Walt resigns himself to bankruptcy, moves to Hollywood planning to become a director. On Oct 16, 1923 Walt & Roy Disney sign a contract with M.J. Winkler, a New York cartoon distributor. Roy operates a secondhand camera while two girls were hired to ink & paint the celluloid. Walt does the animation. Walt hires the first animator, Rollin (Ham) Hamilton and moves into a small store with a window bearing "Disney Bros. Studio." In March of 1924, the first Alice Comedy reaches theaters. In 1924, Ub Iwerks moves to California to join Disney Productions. Walt then wanted to concentrate on the scenarios of the film. Never animated again after that. The studio is eventually renamed Walt Disney Studio in February of 1926. Walt Disney Studio was authorized to make "Oswald the Lucky Rabbit" series for Universal Pictures. New York distributor Charlie Mintz offered $1,800 per cartoon. As a result, all but one of Disney's animators (Ub Iwerks) quit. Walt, on a train ride, develops Mickey Mouse and along with Ub Iwerks creates a new cartoon, "Plane Crazy." The preview reception was not overwhelming, so Walt produces a second picture, "The Gallopin Gaucho." Neither interested major distributors. Walt plans a third cartoon, with sound. The result is "Steamboat Willie."
All of this history takes us to the “start”. After Mickey Mouse, it was one major achievement after another. Since then, the company has grown into a huge conglomerate of television networks, theme parks, movie studios, and merchandise. They have gambled the entire company on each new idea, often taking the company to near bankruptcy. Some of the major accomplishments are:
Created the full length animated film market with “Snow White” in 1944
Disneyland in 1955
Disneyworld in 1967
EPCOT in 1982
The Disney Channel begins operation on US cable systems in 1983
Euro Disney in 1992
Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998
After Walt’s death in 1966, the company staggered and had its share of difficulties. In the seventies, major talent was leaving Disney citing creative differences. In 1977, Roy Edward Disney, son of Roy and nephew of Walt, resigns from the company because a decline in product quality, and the company apparent change in direction. After the studio narrowly escapes a buyout attempt by Saul Steinberg, Roy Edward Disney and his business partner, Stanley Gold, remove the current board of directors, replacing them with Michael Eisner, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Frank Wells.
In 2003, Roy Edward Disney again resigns from the company citing similar problems in the company. According to Roy, “..the company is rapacious, soul-less, and always looking for the "quick buck" rather than long-term value which is leading to a loss of public trust. The creative brain drain of the last several years, which is real and continuing, and damages our Company with the loss of every talented employee.” (Letter of Resignation, November 2003) Once again, he has teamed up with Stanley Gold to try to get Disney back on track.
 

Zip-D-Dude

New Member
Original Poster
The Product
So, what has Disney been selling all of these years? What is the Disney Product? According to Disney’s Website, Disney’s Mission Statement is "To make people happy."
• No cynicism
• Nurturing and promulgation of "wholesome American values"
• Creativity, dreams and imagination
• Fanatical attention to consistency and detail
• Preservation and control of the Disney "magic"
In a document obtained from Savedisney.com, Walt Disney himself laid out six criteria for the development and growth of the company. According to Walt Disney himself, “We're not out to make a fast dollar with gimmicks. We're interested in doing things that are fun - in bringing pleasure and especially laughter to people...it's proven it's a good business policy. Give the public everything you can give them...” The six criteria he used to make business decision are:
Quality uniqueness
Value
Understanding the Disney Audience
Friendliness
Synergistics (Cross marketability. I.E Movies =Merchandise & Movie themed rides & television specials)
Disney Corporation has provided these six aspects in each project it has ever undertaken. Try to think of a movie, theme park, or toy that does not incorporate the above characteristics. The only aspect that I can think of that has come up short in some of these is the ABC television network. It certainly has Synergistics. In the 2003 annual report Michael Eisner discusses a television special about a parade at one of the theme parks that caused reservation phone lines to be jammed for 3 days afterward. Some people have been more concerned with the quality, value, and friendliness in the programming of ABC. This indicates, maybe a lack of Understanding the Disney Audience.
 

Zip-D-Dude

New Member
Original Poster
Current Status
You would never know from the 2003 annual report that anything was wrong with the company. Total Revenue went from 909 Million in 2002 to 1.077 Billion in 2003. The company reported $0.65 earnings per share for the fiscal year. The value Line Survey expects a 60% earnings growth in 2004 and 10-15% growth each year unit 2007. On the other hand, the board voted to remove Michael Eisner as chairman, but still keep him as CEO and changing the management at ABC. The management style, I would describe as Team Management. Each Division is somewhat autonomous. It has its own set of goals and the ability to make its own decisions. Roy Disney blames Michael Eisner by saying that “Your consistent micro-management of everyone around you with the resulting loss of morale throughout the Company.“ (Letter of Resignation, November 2003) In recent years, it may have been a more Authority-Obedience Management style of management.
Some reasons for the lack of enthusiasm for Eisner were due the recent break-up of Disney and Pixar, the computer animation studio. They still have a contract with Pixar until 2006. Unfortunately in recent years, Eisner has been systematically dismantling the animation studios. In the last year, it laid off over 3,000 artists and writers. This has left Disney holding the bag without any real way to develop animation picture in the near future. Granted, the Studio Entertainment has only been 27% of the revenue in 2003. It has been the animation films that have traditionally been the driving force, and identity that has grown the other divisions of Disney. Think of the Disney channel without cartoons, theme parks without Cinderella, and toys without the Disney characters.
The biggest revenue generator for Disney has been the Media Networks (40%). This includes ABC television network, Disney Channel, Disney Radio, and ESPN sports network. While all have done reasonably well, it has been the ABC network that has been the biggest disappointment. It also should be noted that the few programs that have done well on ABC are ending soon. The Practice has or will end this year, and NYPD Blue has faded to obscurity and will probably be canceled in the next year or so. It also is the biggest asset to the company. If Disney can turn the network around, as most seem to feel, they have the opportunity to use its synergy to promote its films, theme parks, and merchandise easily. It still must focus on the quality, value and the Disney audience before it can effectively do so. If no one is watching ABC then the asset is wasted.
Theme parks and Resorts were about 24% of the revenue generated in 2003. Investment in theme parks has diminished over the last few years. In 2001 there was 1.278 Billion dollars invested in theme parks and resorts. In 2002 it was reduced 50% to 636 Million, and down to 577 Million in 2003. This does not mean that Disney has given up on theme parks. Disney is building a Disney Theme Park in Hong Kong expected to open late next year. It has announced new rides and a 50-year celebration of Disneyland with new attractions at all of the parks around the world. It just means they must be doing things much cheaper.
Consumer products only accounted of 9% of the total revenue at Disney. This will only continue to shrink as the Disney Stores have been steadily closing throughout the US. If the other divisions are having problems promoting the movies, theme parks, and television programs, the merchandising will suffer as well.
Here are what I believe to be the strengths and weaknesses of the Disney Corporation.
Disney Strengths
Huge infrastructure that can help promote each of the other divisions
Contract with Pixar until 2006 (Some time to rebuild Animation Studios)
Generations of fans that will not die overnight (Plenty of time to correct mistakes)
Excellent reputation for quality
Complete buy in by the employees to the commitment to the core values
All current problems are fixable
Disney Weaknesses
Weak Animation Studios with little or no digital animation studio
Lack of good writers as most successful writing at Pixar
Are divisions too interdependent?
Have drifted from core values and ideas in recent years
Weak ABC Television Lineup
Opportunities
Possible Digital Animation Studio?
Unsuccessful Pixar?
ABC Television- Constant opportunities to turnaround the network
Economy is turning around
Euro is high against the dollar making Tourism more affordable to Europeans
Threats
Terrorist Attack at theme park
Continued squabbling among shareholders could lead to takeover bid
Higher fuel prices may mean fewer visitors to theme parks
Another recession
Overall, the Company has incredible potential. It has the right combination of talent, product, and assets. The recent drift in core value has been from the top down. I do not believe it has reached all of the way to the lower levels of the ranks, but it soon will. One of the reasons people continue to strive for quality is their pride in the company and what they are doing. If you taint that, then the pride will soon disappear. All of the divisions support one another as long as the stand up to the original mission and criteria set down from Walt himself. They will only fail if one or more of the divisions fail, then the rest of the divisions will fail as well. It is like a house of cards. If you pull out one, most likely they will all fall.
 

MCBRIZZ5

New Member
Zip-D-Dude said:
Some of the major accomplishments are:
Created the full length animated film market with “Snow White” in 1944
Disneyland in 1955
Disneyworld in 1967
EPCOT in 1982
The Disney Channel begins operation on US cable systems in 1983
Euro Disney in 1992
Disney's Animal Kingdom in 1998

Correct me if im mistaking but didnt WDW open in 1971???
 

DDuckFan130

Well-Known Member
MCBRIZZ5 said:
Correct me if im mistaking but didnt WDW open in 1971???
Yeah, and Snow White came out in 1937 I believe.

Anyway, nice paper :wave: I remember writing one myself about Walt Disney's contributions to entertainment in the 20th century. Don't have it though :lol:
 

Captain Hank

Well-Known Member
Pretty good. You had a few tense changes and a few logical jumps, but keep in mind this is coming from a professional writing minor who was raised by an English teacher and is a grammar nazi to boot. :) Your content was very good, besides the dates mentioned above. But, was the project officially announced in '67? It did open to the public, though, in 1971.

Come to think of it, I've got a paper that I wrote this year on Epcot that I'd intended to post...
 

rainfully

Well-Known Member
Hehe.. I wrote a paper on Disney too! I think it had something to do with Disneyland impact on the amusement park industry and how it branched out from there.
 

Zip-D-Dude

New Member
Original Poster
Thanks, this was my first draft I happened to come across. I made several changes after this one but lost the file. I was too lazy to re-compose the paper.
 

LiveItUp21

Account Suspended
Zip-D-Dude said:
Thanks, this was my first draft I happened to come across. I made several changes after this one but lost the file. I was too lazy to re-compose the paper.

EXCELLENT PAPER from what I have seen so far. I can honestly say that you have done a tremondous job on your research and back up your topic nearly to perfection. Something else that really intreged me was the fact that you did not get away from just the facts, sometimes it's diffiuclt with a topic like Disney to stay unbiased and neutral in your arguments but I think you did a really good job of doing that.

Actually, for my English Composition class at Ohio State I wrote my final research paper on Disney. If you would like to see it just PM me and I'll email it to you. All of my information is cited so you will not be suspected of plagerism. Anyway, I got an 'A' on the paper so I think it might help you out nicely. (not that you really need the help from what I have seen so far)
 

Halfling418

New Member
Papers on Disney rock.

Yeah, WDW opened in October of '71.

Isn't Walt one of the most facinating people to read about? I've written a couple of papers on the subject, own a few books, and continually check out ones in my campus library. I can't get enough.

If anyone want's to read a good one on Walt, the company, and the history of animation in general---I believe the title is Serious Business...and it goes from the beginning to the mid 90s. I enjoy learning about the competition of the many companies. Another (older) one is The Disney Version.

Walt is one of the most complex people I've studied. He's so different from how he appears on the outside--there's so much I formerly assumed about him that couldn't have been more wrong.

Hm. Yeah. Kinda got off subject, but I get excited when people choose to write on Disney, because so many believe there's not much to know.
 
NICE paper!! Love it!! I have written several papers on Disney, not to mention the web page I had to do for school, Which many of you WDWMagic members helped me with!! THANKS A BUNCH TO ALL YOU, If I had never said that before! Still have the site actually if you guys want to see it PM me

Angie :sohappy:
 

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