George K to Replace Meg Crofton as WDW head in early 2013

[SirLink]

comparsions to TDO are just diversions from the subject at hand. George K had timing in his favor and if Glow with the Show is his biggest contribution.. bleh. As much as everyone here cries about TDO being greedy and only interested in money.. what in world do we consider putting up a dance club in the middle of a theme park that inexcusably clutters an entire land every day of the week.. just because you have highly successful BARS at night? Its out of place, it destroys the park during the day, and the motivation is all about the bar tils. At least with Mad T Party they finally kicked it back to the corner and off the main drag.

Don't get me wrong.. I would have loved the elements they built for Electronica - but not at the expense of the theme park. Disney should have clued in and realized they had highly desirable concept they could have put elsewhere on property. It doesn't serve as a WoC holding area anymore.. it's just crapping on Hollywoodland because the bar tils are more important than the theme park itself.

Well we are forgetting George K's run when he was tackling Parisian Ops - but if we are talking just stateside parks - I can only go off what friends have told me but isn't Hollywoodland a lot like that of DHS, they don't have a clue at what they are trying to honor so shove anything in there... all I can say as a male adult I'm thankful it wasn't another kids dance party ...

...we complain about TDO for letting their attractions fall well past the mark of quality, for not updating their entertainment offerings, etc. At least TDA does that...talking of bar tills, these are the same bar tills that get a work out in DHS when Osbourne is on and every sit down restaurant serves their cocktails from stalls... ok gotcha...

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I can only go off what friends have told me but isn't Hollywoodland a lot like that of DHS, they don't have a clue at what they are trying to honor so shove anything in there...

Sums it up pretty nicely.

 

[flynnibus]

Well we are forgetting George K's run when he was tackling Parisian Ops

The operational and cleaniness of DLRP has not been anything to pump your chest over for the last decade. Things have improved a bit more recently - but DLRP was running in a funk.. and GeorgeK had his time at the wheel there during that too.

- but if we are talking just stateside parks - I can only go off what friends have told me but isn't Hollywoodland a lot like that of DHS, they don't have a clue at what they are trying to honor so shove anything in there... all I can say as a male adult I'm thankful it wasn't another kids dance party ...

They do those during the day in the sound stages they still have yet to put in long term replacements That section of the park is themed like DHS's blvd.. but is more like the front of the park. Nearly all shops/fascades, and very limited attractions (Muppets, MInc, Animation Academy, and the show theater). The comparisons to DHS are common due to the shared theme and the 'backlot' aspect they did in the back corner... which is where the mad t party how now (finally) been shunned too.

...we complain about TDO for letting their attractions fall well past the mark of quality, for not updating their entertainment offerings, etc. At least TDA does that...talking of bar tills, these are the same bar tills that get a work out in DHS when Osbourne is on and every sit down restaurant serves their cocktails from stalls... ok gotcha...

Nothing like the same.. at DHS, they are exploiting the Christmas crowd. At DCA, the party exists solely because of the alcohol sales. It's why the party has been redone two different times already and shows no sign of leaving. Osborne wasn't brought back as a way to sell beer.. Mad T exists solely to do so.

 

[SirLink]

Considering the 15th Anniversary actually improved the ops department at that was George's K doing ...

...but I detect that you hate live music ... what is wrong with having a beer in the parks...

 

[flynnibus]

Considering the 15th Anniversary actually improved the ops department at that was George's K doing ...

...but I detect that you hate live music ... what is wrong with having a beer in the parks...

You've already said you haven't seen the place.. have you at least looked at video of it? It's not about live music (most of the time its been a DJ.. they only added a cover band in the Mad T Party).. its a big bass thumping disco.. not a concert.

 

[SirLink]

You've already said you haven't seen the place.. have you at least looked at video of it? It's not about live music (most of the time its been a DJ.. they only added a cover band in the Mad T Party).. its a big bass thumping disco.. not a concert.

Yes a friend took some video from the video it seemed to be an adult disco(still don't see the problem) for 45 minutes and then 15-20 minutes of live music.

 

[Next Big Thing]

As someone who is 20 years old, I wouldn't really describe it as a disco... It verges on it at time, but it's really like a small dub-step club. It's one small step away from being a rave honestly with all the alcohol flowing, all they need are glowsticks or the like (do Glow with the show ears count?!?!?!?).

 

[Mouse Detective]

It's one small step away from being a rave honestly with all the alcohol flowing, all they need are glowsticks or the like (do Glow with the show ears count?!?!?!?).

Yes, they count. And I thought glow sticks were available for purchase in the nearby shops?

 

[Next Big Thing]

Yes, they count. And I thought glow sticks were available for purchase in the nearby shops?

They do sell a lot of glow-y type stuff. I looked at all the merch when I was there recently, but can't remember specifically if I saw glow sticks.

 

[flynnibus]

Yes a friend took some video from the video it seemed to be an adult disco(still don't see the problem)

Because every disco looks like @$%$ when you turn the lights on.. and that's what they've made part of DCA look like 7 days a week so they can sell booze for 3-4hrs a night.

 

[articos]

Considering they are building "Digital Center 2" which will be the new home of Sportscenter in 2014, doubt it.

http://frontrow.espn.go.com/2011/08/pagano-and-the-new-dc-2/

There are some significant financial incentives that will keep ESPN in CT for a while to come. Plus the senior management and on-air staff all have houses in the NYC area, so that will not be changing anytime soon. ABC/Disney is expanding ESPN's presence a bit on the west coast, but that won't affect east coast operations in any significant way.

However George as far as I know GlowFest was his idea, and from little seeds grow acorns - look at how well Mad T Party is doing...but to be fair... ya look at TDO and even if they were given an Aston Martin they would want to take the engine out ... put a drawing of engine inside the bonnet... and complain when the car wouldn't move ... oh wait they have done it and are continuing to do it on the makeover plans oh well!

Glow was sold to him, but once he bought in, he bought in fully. There are others who are invested in glow, and we'll probably see it more across the parks.

 

[WDW1974]

I don't see that happening, they started moving there since before 2009 and nothing changed here. ESPN is still growing, and putting roots in LA is like having Disney parks on both coasts.

Yes, Disney isn't moving ESPN anywhere. They're just growing the brand and where it makes sense. LA makes sense for obvious reasons.

 

[WDW1974]

It's not like they made an announcement and then did nothing for two years. The coordination and start of the whole project occurred during that time. Cars Land even broke ground shortly before Kalogridis arrived.

George came in time to watch over things and take credit when they went well, much like he (unfairly to some extent) took the fall in 2002 when DCA 1.0 faltered out of the gates.

He doesn't get credit for things that were approved and designed 2-2.5 years before he ever took over (even if he'll take it).

 

[WDW1974]

Ha, ha! Growing up in CT, once I got out, friends wanted to know about awesome Bristol where ESPN resides. I would tell them that problem number one would be describing Bristol as awesome, cool, or anything in-between. More along the lines of hole in the wall with nothing to do.

It's very dark in Bristol at night ... like fairy tale dark ...

 

[WDW1974]

Real construction on Cars Land began in 2009 around the time of Kalogridis arrival. At the time Grier was there they were only doing work on the Paradise Pier area and building Midway Mania. If you want to keep going back the attraction was actually designed when Matt Ouimet was still with the company.

No, actually it was designed when Ed was there (at least most of it) and none of that matters. Also, Ed was there for WoC and Mermaid development as well. But none of that has much to do with anything important.

What is your point? George was not instrumental in turning DCA around. George was instrumental in operationally managing the resort for a smidge over three years.

 

[WDW1974]

I also believe the existing attraction will get an upgrade.

Really, I'm really happy about the change. I know nothing about George other than Spirit's knowledge and observations that he kindly posts here But I reckon he can't do any worse, so that's cause for celebration considering the dark cloud that's been hanging over WDW for years.

Is it right to think Kathy will be just as important addition as Geroge?

Kathy is more important than George because she is a creative exec with power and her impact on the resort will be felt far beyond 2016 when George retires.

 

[WDW1974]

Well we are forgetting George K's run when he was tackling Parisian Ops - but if we are talking just stateside parks - I can only go off what friends have told me but isn't Hollywoodland a lot like that of DHS, they don't have a clue at what they are trying to honor so shove anything in there... all I can say as a male adult I'm thankful it wasn't another kids dance party ...

...we complain about TDO for letting their attractions fall well past the mark of quality, for not updating their entertainment offerings, etc. At least TDA does that...talking of bar tills, these are the same bar tills that get a work out in DHS when Osbourne is on and every sit down restaurant serves their cocktails from stalls... ok gotcha...

I can't really complain about the night club set-ups they've done at DCA. I pretty much missed Glow Fest. But Electronica and Mad T Party have both been fun and have drawn traffic to a dead zone of the park (more the latter). There was a fun atmosphere at both events, but one I honestly couldn't see at WDW because everything at WDW has to be acceptable for a four-year-old.

But they did have special drinks for the holidays during the Spectacle of Dancing Lights ... adult drinks ... good ones.

 

[71jason]

But they did have special drinks for the holidays during the Spectacle of Dancing Lights ... adult drinks ... good ones.

Yes, the delicious "Snowball." Because calling it by its true name--an "Orgasm"--would sound dirty.

 

[SirLink]

I can't really complain about the night club set-ups they've done at DCA. I pretty much missed Glow Fest. But Electronica and Mad T Party have both been fun and have drawn traffic to a dead zone of the park (more the latter). There was a fun atmosphere at both events, but one I honestly couldn't see at WDW because everything at WDW has to be acceptable for a four-year-old.

But they did have special drinks for the holidays during the Spectacle of Dancing Lights ... adult drinks ... good ones.

Thank you Spirited one ... it is such a shame that WDW has to cater to the lowest common denominator, I remember my first visit in 1994, and as a kid I remember being spoken to in an adult manner, I am pretty sure there were no CM's with Hoops and chalks lining the various walkways... oh and there wasn't fastpass ...

 

[WDW1974]

Yes, the delicious "Snowball." Because calling it by its true name--an "Orgasm"--would sound dirty.

See, I think there are plenty of things that sound dirtier ... like meatball hoagie for one.

But I like orgasms. They are oh so tasty!