Disney's Social Media in the Wake of Tragedy

[Sonconato]

Your post seems to indicate that Walt Disney World doesn't care about the events that transpired yesterday. I think in many cases the Cast Members who showed up to work, as they do on any day and during times of emergencies and crises and on National or Major Holidays away from their families, speaks volumes. As someone said earlier: the show must go on and outside of two hurricanes as well as 9/11 - WDW has not "closed."

To put things in perspective, if you were speaking face to face with some front line Cast Member in front of or inside of the Festival of the Lion King, they have no more power than the Cast Member scooping popcorn at the Castle hub if you ask them to delay Wishes since your significant other is at the bathroom. The gesture would be nice, but there are so many other factors that are at play. Also, put yourself in their shoes and realize they've probably been at work for 8 to 10 hours with little bits of information being gathered on their breaks, if they can stomach it. If you showed up saying Lord Voldermort requested a moment of silence at 6:00pm they have justifiably no way to verify it.

Yesterday was a tragedy, but also keep in mind that Walt Disney World is always protective of keeping the events that are occurring outside of its property out of the Guest's mind. It's why flowers and trinkets for the events that took place in Paris were moved essentially off stage.

In addition, the teams that handle most of the U.S. flags on property are Walt Disney World security. I can't speak for why it took long to lower it, but as you would imagine (and if you've seen the reports from Magic Kingdom's bag check yesterday) their focus was, as always, safety. I'm sure it was a busy day.

So I know your and others in this thread have a perception that Walt Disney World is not proactively addressing the events that took place locally and to the community. I ask that everyone please take a step back for a moment. Consider everything. Understand that the size and scope of a business as large as Walt Disney World cannot turn on a dime. Be respectful and mindful that there will be Cast Members who will not be returning to work and lost their lives.

I didn't mean to come across as negative and was just stating the objective facts. I agree with you that Disney wants to "shield" people from the outside, as this is what Disney was made to do. However, comparing this event to delaying Wishes for your significant other in a bathroom is rather insensitive. Since the entire thread has taken a negative tone, I think my presence here is done.

 

[Matt_Black]

I'm sick of people trying to downplay the significance of the location and group of people targeted in this terrorist attack.

Again, this isn't new. Same thing happened last year. "This white shooter became racist and shot up a black church for no reason. It's certainly not a symptom of a larger problem in America, so we'll just chalk it up to mental illness and leave it at that."

 

[21stamps]

I'm sick of people trying to downplay the significance of the location and group of people targeted in this terrorist attack.

What do you want people to do?

There is an outpouring of love, of support, of donations, of solidarity. Why isn't that good enough?
I didn't change my fb profile pic, the same way I didn't change it for any other attack. Tel Aviv was just attacked recently, I don't need to tattoo a Star of David on my forehead or social media profile pic to stand in support of the Israelis or Jewish community.- this kind of stuff means nothing to me. It's just "show".

What happened at that club was an act by a terrorist, a horrible act against innocent people, not a form of social injustice. Not a reason to start attacking the country that we live in, it's a reason to stand together!

 

[Matt_Black]

What do you want people to do?

There is an outpouring of love, of support, of donations, of solidarity. Why isn't that good enough?
I didn't change my fb profile pic, the same way I didn't change it for any other attack. Tel Aviv was just attacked recently, I don't need to tattoo a Star of David on my forehead or social media profile pic to stand in support of the Israelis or Jewish community.- this kind of stuff means nothing to me. It's just "show".

What happened at that club was an act by a terrorist, a horrible act against innocent people, not a form of social injustice. Not a reason to start attacking the country that we live in, it's a reason to stand together!

Again, you're ignoring that on the very same day, another guy with NO affiliations to radical Islam (that we know of), was arrested in Santa Monica because he was bringing guns and explosive material to the Pride parade.

 

[21stamps]

Again, you're ignoring that on the very same day, another guy with NO affiliations to radical Islam (that we know of), was arrested in Santa Monica because he was bringing guns and explosive material to the Pride parade.

No, I'm not ignoring it. They are TWO separate issues. Completely. Neither are acceptable.

One is an actual terrorist someone who's entire existence is focused on hating how we live here. On being coached of ways to harm us. The same mentality that placed bombs at a marathon, and flew planes into building, the same mentality who is trying to inflict terror around the globe.

The other is just as disgusting of a human but luckily was not able to carry out his plans, and he is not tied to terrorist groups. He's just a single sick individual and I'd rather go up against someone like that than a terrorist anyday.

I don't see people discarding where the shooting happened. It hits very close to home for a lot of us. My heart absolutely breaks for not only the victims and their families, but for an entire group of 20 somethings who will now carry a bit of fear with them as they enter a nightclub.

The people of Florida, or everyone I know/ have seen anyway, are doing everything they can to show support. The rest of the country is doing everything they can as well. But sadly some are choosing to disregard all of this as being "not enough". And even worse- trying to create a divide that isn't there. Claiming Disney isn't doing enough, the American people surely aren't doing enough, so you rant and post false facts about Lt. Governors in Texas because that will help how?

I have to get out of this convo. I just can't stand to see people make tragedy into a bashing of something else. It's insulting to the victims and it's insulting to everyone.

 

[MattM]

I'm sick of people trying to downplay the significance of the location and group of people targeted in this terrorist attack.

Who's downplaying it?

 

[MattM]

Again, this isn't new. Same thing happened last year. "This white shooter became racist and shot up a black church for no reason. It's certainly not a symptom of a larger problem in America, so we'll just chalk it up to mental illness and leave it at that."

I'm confused. Is anyone downplaying the sympton of ISIS inspired lone wolf attacks, and just chalking this up to mental illness? If so, please show your work...

 

[Frankie The Beer]

I really do wish the moderators had closed this thread. There was plenty of response internally, care for cast e-mail to managers instructing them on how to best direct any grieving cast, a contact person was given to manager should addtional assistance be needed, Goerge K sent out an e-mail to the entire cast....

Maybe you didn't mean it such, but this entire thread came across as Disney Bashing at the worst opportune moment.

Agreed. I'll support the Orlando community by booking my next trip to Walt Disney World this September.

 

[JohnD]

I'm sick of people trying to downplay the significance of the location and group of people targeted in this terrorist attack.

Not sure what you mean. We're all in this together.

 

[MattM]

Not sure what you mean. We're all in this together.

Agreed. If we follow his logic, only family members of those killed can grieve 9/11 or the Boston Bombing, African Americans can only grieve Charleston, etc. Maybe that IS what he thinks.

 

[Matt_Black]

I'm confused. Is anyone downplaying the sympton of ISIS inspired lone wolf attacks, and just chalking this up to mental illness? If so, please show your work...

The motive behind the Orlando attacks, and this was confirmed by the shooter's father, was homophobia. Islamic fundamentalism is merely the justification he used to rationalize his homophobia. It's the latter that people are latching onto, not the former. Let's not pretend that homophobia is some sort of thing that's new in this country, or that it is only practiced by Islamic fundamentalists.

 

[JohnD]

The motive behind the Orlando attacks, and this was confirmed by the shooter's father, was homophobia. Islamic fundamentalism is merely the justification he used to rationalize his homophobia. It's the latter that people are latching onto, not the former. Let's not pretend that homophobia is some sort of thing that's new in this country, or that it is only practiced by Islamic fundamentalists.

No one ever denied that Islamic extremists don't like gay people. Nor do they like Jews or Christians and women should be put in their place. It is all part of a larger caliphate to impose their will on the rest of the world. To say that this instance is isolated to homophobia only is doing a disservice to everyone else who has been attacked by Islamic extremists.

 

[JohnD]

Save that delusional kumbaya crap for someone who actually believes it. Get real, this was a deliberate attack on a marginalized group of people. But I am DONE trying to debate this with you. Its clear you don't see the underlying problem here. But if believing in this "One America" ideology makes you feel better then, please, keep blindly following it.

I don't recall debating anything with you. I made one comment about how we're supposed to be united together against this. And you get all hot and bothered. Again, no one has ever denied it was a deliberate attack on gay people. But it was also an attack on America and our way of life. And yes, America stands with Orlando. You mean, I'm not supposed to be be patriotic for this country?

 

[JohnD]

I said I was saving it. Maybe it's time to use it.

 

[Matt_Black]

No one ever denied that Islamic extremists don't like gay people. Nor do they like Jews or Christians and women should be put in their place. It is all part of a larger caliphate to impose their will on the rest of the world. To say that this instance is isolated to homophobia only is doing a disservice to everyone else who has been attacked by Islamic extremists.

I suppose it's easier to blame a shadowy nefarious THEM than to actually look at some of the prejudices in this country and evaluate them. And bear in mind, the shooter lived in this country his entire life.

 

[JohnD]

I suppose it's easier to blame a shadowy nefarious THEM than to actually look at some of the prejudices in this country and evaluate them. And bear in mind, the shooter lived in this country his entire life.

And claimed allegiance to ISIS when calling 911.

 

[Matt_Black]

And claimed allegiance to ISIS when calling 911.

And the Planned Parenthood shooter claimed allegiance to the Pro-Life movement (irony!).

 

[JohnD]

And the Planned Parenthood shooter claimed allegiance to the Pro-Life movement (irony!).

Yep. He's a religious extremist. Thank you for making my point. Currently, we're dealing with Islamic extremism which hates gays, Jews, Christians, and everything else about the west.

 

[21stamps]

Save that delusional kumbaya crap for someone who actually believes it. Get real, this was a deliberate attack on a marginalized group of people. But I am DONE trying to debate this with you. Its clear you don't see the underlying problem here. But if believing in this "One America" ideology makes you feel better then, please, keep blindly following it.

I suppose it's easier to blame a shadowy nefarious THEM than to actually look at some of the prejudices in this country and evaluate them. And bear in mind, the shooter lived in this country his entire life.

I can't handle it, I wish I could have just read this and moved on but I can't.

What you two are spewing is flat out disgusting. I can't even grasp why you are trying to make this political. You can't even stand together with people in tragedy, you have to turn and ugly situation even uglier.

This country didn't create that terrorist. A HATRED of how we live is what fuels them. HOW ALL OF US LIVE. We are in this together, and to say we are not is handing them a victory on a silver platter.

 

[Matt_Black]

This country didn't create that terrorist. A HATRED of how we live is what fuels them. HOW ALL OF US LIVE. We are in this together, and to say we are not is handing them a victory on a silver platter.

Not exactly. Their ultimate goal is provoking violent reprisals. They want us to come over there in a big bloody battle to prove.... something.