Garner Holt takes over Disney's MAPO Division

yeti

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Per Al Lutz:
Al Lutz said:
We have news for you today, Garner Holt takes over Disney's MAPO divison, ending an era at Disney Imagineering.
For those who don't know, MAPO stands for "Manufacturing And Production Organization"; the design and production department at Imagineering.
 

Jim Handy

Active Member
I think this was announced a while ago.

It's a shame to see this legacy go out the window over to Garner Holt. Something gives me a funny feeling about that guy. I'm not a fan of Disney outsourcing, but you can thank WDI's bloated hierarchy, which leads to high costs, for this.
 

Bairstow

Well-Known Member

HMF

Well-Known Member
If I were in charge I would have simply purchased GHP make it the new MAPO and get rid of all the corporate fat watering down the Disney brand -See ABC, Marvel, etc.
 

disney fan 13

Well-Known Member
I would imagine that the character IP, for obvious reasons, stays with Disney.
The mechanical workings underneath belong to GH, and they do business with everybody. http://www.garnerholt.com/ghp-inc/about-us/clients.aspx
Supposedly, Disney isn't even their best customer in terms of $-per-figure.


So all the things that made Disney's AA's better then everyone else's is now free game... Nice one Disney.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
The Rizzo Factor has struck again!
Rizzomickey01.jpg
 

HMF

Well-Known Member
So all the things that made Disney's AA's better then everyone else's is now free game... Nice one Disney.
Exactly, Iger & company have been slowly but surely gutting the creative infrastructure of the company that Walt spent his entire life building. Before you know it Disney will be a mere branding and marketing company for other peoples work.
 

El Grupo

Well-Known Member
The usually traditional-minded folks at micechat are acting like this is a good thing.
Rest in peace
MAPO
1965-2012

I noticed this as well. Sounds like Garner has been doing much of the work for Disney over the last few years and Bob Gurr has a high level of respect for Garner.
 

td1129

Well-Known Member
Lots of well informed and skilled business minds ITT. Surely titans of industry. I wish this board ran the company.
 

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
So all the things that made Disney's AA's better then everyone else's is now free game... Nice one Disney.

It's not as if Disney ever had a creative monopoly or controlling patents on animatronics.

They're like cars to some extent- every year the technology gets better, and you can either buy the best or save your money and go for something cheaper.
The reality is that MAPO hadn't been an industry leader for over two decades. The parts and specs Garner Holt has acquired really just means that it's going to be easier for the company to repair and service the animatronics Disney already has, even if they're a generation or two behind what everyone else, Garner especially, is already building.

EDIT: Ignore everything I said. I did some more research and some of the stuff I thought was designed/built by Garner Holt wasn't.
 

menamechris

Well-Known Member
I don't think this is something any of us would even have caught onto if Al Lutz hadn't reported on it. My initial reaction is one of disappointment, but quite frankly, I think this is Disney Imagineering's own doing. Their division has gotten too bloated and expensive. No wonder we can't any new worthwhile attractions - they cost triple what they should through Imagineering. Maybe the division will finally evaluate their wasteful spending and greed if they see how disposable they actually are...
 

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