Disney to outsource making of some Audio Animatronics

[jt04]

Something tells me this has to do with Carsland mainly but also the whole DCA expansion (which IS happening) Don't believe the chicken littles!

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

WDIs been outsourcing - including AAs construction - for a long time now.

However, this memo is good news since a) it`s an admission the AA isn`t dead and b) there are more A-100 models - and higher - to be built.

That's what I thought....AA's are still going to be used.

Good news.

 

[Katherine]

though i m sure it is worth it, it is a shame that people have to loose their jobs and source of income.i hope disney gives them replacement jobs

I don't think that this outsourcing will lead to people at disney loosing their jobs. They are probably going to instead outsource only when they need more done than the current development team can handle. It would be like a builder having an outside firm build a portion of wall so that the entire project can be completed quicker and instead the builder can focus on the smaller details that make a house special. In this way I think this will allow WDI to develop rides that are more detail oriented because they won't have to worry about building simple figures. However, I really hope quality is not hurt. Doesn't Disney sometimes bring in outside people to help in ride design? (didn't they bring in NASA people when developing M:S?)

 

[imagineer boy]

I really don't know if this is a good thing or not.:shrug: We'll just have to see what the results turn out to be like.

Its probably because the imagineers have so much on their hands working on the latest "advanced screen technology" lately.

 

[jt04]

I really don't know if this is a good thing or not.:shrug: We'll just have to see what the results turn out to be like.

Its probably because the imagineers have so much on their hands working on the latest "advanced screen technology" lately.

It makes sense to me that there would be specific companies dedicated to this "art". For the same reason Imagineering does not design their own roller coasters. Eventually the technology becomes so advanced it becomes necessary to contract highly specialized companies. It really is a testament to Disney's vision that it takes whole companies to keep advancing the disney vision.

 

[unkadug]

It makes total sense to me to let companies that specialize in this stuff take on the mundane and let Disney stick to what they specialize in. (Imagineering not manufacturing)

 

[MythBuster]

No ones loosing jobs - there arn`t enough staff to do the job so it is being outsourced instead of employing more people in house.

If you want to see jobs lost, look at the mass redundancies WED made once EPCOT was completed.... "thanks for that last 3 years. Goodbye..."

WDI always goes through hiring and firing once there isn`t enough work to do after a major project. Sad but true. And sadly a lot of the talent goes to the competition.

It's not really hiring and firing, but project contracts. It is just like contracting a job out. Once the job is completed then you are finished and on to the next job. So WDI always hires/contracts with designers/engineers/artists/special effects people to help on a project, but when the project is finished then they are let go or could may move to another project with a project from another company. So WDI always swells and then shrinks.

 

[Fade_to_Blah]

I dont think Disney is doing it because they dont want to make them all inhouse, I think they dont have enough staff to do all the work needed so outsourcing is a must. I really dont care who they outsource to as long as there is some QC, so this move really is ok with me.

 

[flynnibus]

more about 'efficency' and less about results

Without the manufactoring in house you lose the knowledge and experienced learned from doing so. Disney will become more and more reliant on outside shops to take concepts to reality.

Ever heard of industrialization? That's when you take a concept/prototype and redesign it to actually be manufacturable. People rely on the contract manufacturer for that often because its a specialty you don't consider unless you are the one trying to build it and maximize the effiency.

While they are not doing mass production here - the same logic applies. Without manufacturing themselves, there are many aspects of the total product that you simply will lose the knowledge base for and become dependant on others.

You also lose the feeder channel for your more experienced people. Where are junior people going to cut their teeth? Where is your talent feeder channel going to come from? Now you have less positions internally to bring people up through and indoctrinate in the Disney way. When you need a top designer, where are you going to pull it from? The outside where a person has already worked for many years and settled in their ways..

There is much to be said for a 'total solution' shop in terms of controlling your own destiny.

It's one thing to outsource more established work that you are simply repeating time and time again - but in a world where every attraction is unique and the volumes are so low to think Disney can't do this process in house in a cost effective manner compared to an outsource is pretty sad

 

[dizpins14]

Lets just remember, if it is outsourced China, we can't put the animatronic parts in our mouths.....we could get lead poisoning.

 

[WDW Monorail]

Walt must be spinning in his grave. What has America come to? We have so many people in this country that need jobs yet employer's are to cheap to pay them. I think it's crazy that our country and an American icon decides to out source work.

For anyone who says that the price will go up for the general public because a company has to pay an American worker to do the job here is what I have to say. How about these high paid CEOs stop taking such big bonuses and huge pay checks and start paying the American people to do the job. It surely shows one thing, American business has no pride in this country.

I am pretty sure I will get flamed for these statements...So all I can say is flame away...At least I know I am a proud American!

What do you mean? You don't seem to know the definition of outsourcing and contracting.

 

[bdedon2]

Walt must be spinning in his grave. What has America come to? We have so many people in this country that need jobs yet employer's are to cheap to pay them. I think it's crazy that our country and an American icon decides to out source work.

For anyone who says that the price will go up for the general public because a company has to pay an American worker to do the job here is what I have to say. How about these high paid CEOs stop taking such big bonuses and huge pay checks and start paying the American people to do the job. It surely shows one thing, American business has no pride in this country.

I am pretty sure I will get flamed for these statements...So all I can say is flame away...At least I know I am a proud American!

I agree.

Why outsource instead of hiring more staff? Thats what I keep hearing, not enough staff, so outsource to China. Outsource to China because its cheaper? My question is, will the guest of the resorts see a reduction in ticket and hotel cost because the company is saving money? or will the CEO's get bigger bonuses? The only way we are going to get the dollar up, is to stop outsourcing so many jobs that are the backbone of the country.

WDW is becoming just like any other city, and America is becoming like any other country. No competitive edge, lets just be like everyone else. What are we to be proud of anymore?

P.S. I apologize for saying competitive.

 

[uklad79]

They are outsourcing a few things like It's a Small World dolls which are so basic why waste time and money building them in the States if China can make them cheaper and since they have no quality to them that won;t be an issue. Next they should send the production of the painted flats for dark rides to China as so many rides have them and they most likely pay a fortune in America for them.

And please stop moaning about jobs going to China! America created that trend because most of you want cheap, cheap, cheap* and lot's of everything*. Now you must pay with your jobs for the cheap prices and soon it's all most of the country will be able to afford. You make your bed you must lie in it as the old saying goes.

*See case in point you created the monster Walmart.

 

[marni1971]

Walt must be spinning in his grave. What has America come to? We have so many people in this country that need jobs yet employer's are to cheap to pay them. I think it's crazy that our country and an American icon decides to out source work.

Huh? No one said anything about foreign companys - apart from IASW dolls being made closer to their destination. An awful lot of DLP was made all over Europe. Back to the OT, the US has some fine non-mouse AA manufacturers, I can think of one near Orlando.

Disney has been outsourcing for decades. It isn`t some sort of revelation.

 

[unkadug]

They are outsourcing a few things like It's a Small World dolls which are so basic why waste time and money building them in the States if China can make them cheaper and since they have no quality to them that won;t be an issue. Next they should send the production of the painted flats for dark rides to China as so many rides have them and they most likely pay a fortune in America for them.

And please stop moaning about jobs going to China! America created that trend because you all want cheap, cheap, cheap* and lot's of everything*. Now you must pay with your jobs for the cheap prices and soon it's all most of the country will be able to afford. You make your bed you must lie in it as the old saying goes.

*See case in point you created the monster Walmart.

This IS NOT about outsourcing jobs to China, this is about contracting to outside vendors.

Your second point...we outsourced our oil production and it certainly worked in lowering prices.

 

[uklad79]

This IS NOT about outsourcing jobs to China, this is about contracting to outside vendors.

Your second point...we outsourced our oil production and it certainly worked in lowering prices.

People are moaning of this thread about off shoring. And as for oil production America didn't outsource it they buy from the middle east and south America nothing to do with outsourcing as you didn't own those countries, not for lack of trying though.

 

[gsimpson]

short term thinking, what we specialize in these days

Besides the sending jobs overseas aspect, you also are going to be teaching someone else all of your trade secrets and knowhow. I am sure our Chinese free trade partners wouldn't consider stealing that knowledge and competing with Disney for it in the future or in some other way pirating the technology and selling it to others, like Six Flags or Cedar Fair. Someone else made the very good point about bringing new people into the craft, he was very much on the mark. If all the mundane manufacturing is being done in China, then the only people who can apprentice their way into the business will have to be in China. From a support standpoint, with the manufacturing moving at least one more step away from the people in the parks who have to keep the stuff up it will be that much harder/slower for them to get changes made that create an easier to support product. While I do not like being lumped in with uklad79's statement that we all want nothing but cheap cheap cheap, he unfortunately is mostly correct. People in the USA do seem more interested in "always low prices" than in long term good, community good, or the well being of our neighbors.

 

[unkadug]

Besides the sending jobs overseas aspect, you also are going to be teaching someone else all of your trade secrets and knowhow. I am sure our Chinese free trade partners wouldn't consider stealing that knowledge and competing with Disney for it in the future or in some other way pirating the technology and selling it to others, like Six Flags or Cedar Fair. Someone else made the very good point about bringing new people into the craft, he was very much on the mark. If all the mundane manufacturing is being done in China, then the only people who can apprentice their way into the business will have to be in China. From a support standpoint, with the manufacturing moving at least one more step away from the people in the parks who have to keep the stuff up it will be that much harder/slower for them to get changes made that create an easier to support product. While I do not like being lumped in with uklad79's statement that we all want nothing but cheap cheap cheap, he unfortunately is mostly correct. People in the USA do seem more interested in "always low prices" than in long term good, community good, or the well being of our neighbors.

This is not about China.

 

[marni1971]

Besides the sending jobs overseas aspect, you also are going to be teaching someone else all of your trade secrets and knowhow..

There`s nothing to teach. They know it all already. USFs Imhotep AA wasn`t made by the mouse...

 

[WDWFigment]

If it is outsourced to a company in another country, it's a lousy plan.:zipit:

It's a bit ironic that your post does what your signature purports to dislike.

As for the other posts about China, etc.: don't conflate outsourcing out-of-house to outsourcing to another country. Just because Disney isn't doing it, doesn't mean that another country is. There are companies in the US besides Disney.