How much does Disney Social Media/TDO check on WDWmagic?

Kuhio

Well-Known Member
The reason is simple; they don’t want your ideas. . . . Disney has fought many a lawsuit from persons that have claimed that Disney stole their idea. . . . To avoid that sort of nonsense, Disney has always turned its back on any unsolicited ideas.

I know for a fact that Disney does consider unsolicited ideas very carefully, especially when they're brilliant.

In the late '90s, I sent Disney a 100-page, illustrated treatise about how all four WDW parks could be plussed by adding pieces of Mickey's Sorcerer's Apprentice outfit to each park's icon.

A few years later, the Wand appeared on Spaceship Earth... and the Hat appeared in front of the Chinese Theater. Mere coincidence? I think not! (So all you Wand and Hat fans can thank me personally!)

The lawsuit is still pending. Disney's defense? They didn't steal my idea because they didn't implement the other two parts of it -- the robe on Cinderella Castle and the shoes on the Tree of Life. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral argument in the fall!
 

MrsWhiffo

Tattooed Disney Geekster
I know for a fact that Disney does consider unsolicited ideas very carefully, especially when they're brilliant.

In the late '90s, I sent Disney a 100-page, illustrated treatise about how all four WDW parks could be plussed by adding pieces of Mickey's Sorcerer's Apprentice outfit to each park's icon.

A few years later, the Wand appeared on Spaceship Earth... and the Hat appeared in front of the Chinese Theater. Mere coincidence? I think not! (So all you Wand and Hat fans can thank me personally!)

The lawsuit is still pending. Disney's defense? They didn't steal my idea because they didn't implement the other two parts of it -- the robe on Cinderella Castle and the shoes on the Tree of Life. The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral argument in the fall!

Were you also the mastermind behind the Birthday Cake Castle??
 

tomman710

Well-Known Member
You're making an assumption that the people on this forum are the focus of those marketing efforts...

Well I meant that mostly tongue in cheek ... but even so I would assume that Disney fanatic notwithstanding we board members have a decent gauge on what would work even with the general population ... i.e. the general population would be enamored with "new rides" of mostly any kind and I'd wager the marketing department would find it easier to market a new ride than say a new meet and greet or adding nothing at all. So in terms of using these boards as a barometer for the general population I say of course don't take our word as gospel but maybe ... somewhat.

Yes we are Disney fanatics so alot of what we say shouldn't be rushed into production due to popularity or money (i.e. reconstruct Horizons or never destroy anything Walt even sniffed at) ... however we do have some good ideas and in some cases the pulse of this board could be used as a gauge to get the pulse of the general population.

For example, its fairly unanimous on this board that DHS needs the Monsters Inc. Coaster (for a variety of reasons), in fact the idea itself is practically a no brainer, in fact the very notion of it not being greenlit is borderline lunacy. (I'm not saying its the next big thing, far from it, but DHS needs an attraction for capacity, buzz, merchandising, marketing, etc ... MI fits that and all the pre-planning is done) You can't tell me that the general population wouldn't be totally on board with that either (I'm not talking Potter level new land kinda love but positive buzz) so the members of this board have that one right.

If TDO is waiting for something to generate Potter level buzz, they don't have it because they don't have the space or probably the money to do an entirely new immersive land (other than Avatar) and what property would they use? (HINT: It's not Avatar either)

I say they are out of touch because while I'm looking forward to the Fantasyland Expansion they can't tell me the general population was clamoring for a Snow White Mine Train Family coaster ... in fact I'd be willing to bet the people that champion the return of the Adventurer's Club are a greater percentage of the population than those who were championing a Snow White Mine Train Family Coaster ...

I'm sure it'll be really good and a welcome addition to the park but when it comes down to it it's not what we really wanted (neither were the meet and greets so at least it beats that).

So clearly if Disney is reading these boards they are being entirely too dismissive of what a good portion ofmostly intelligent people who love and care about their parks think could help them improve.
 

Kuhio

Well-Known Member
Were you also the mastermind behind the Birthday Cake Castle??

No, but I had a much better idea for a food-related celebration which, for some unfathomable reason, Disney declined to use.

It's much too complicated to go into the details here, but the centerpiece was a popcorn-yellow Cinderella Castle, which had hidden nozzles that squirted Dole Whip and hidden cannons that fired turkey legs and churros into the audience at random intervals.

It would have been called TASTE the Magic.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
I didn't assert that anyone follows "tens of thousands of people"; I said "hundreds or thousands of other people." And maybe your comment was meant to be made more generally, but since you specifically quoted my post, I'm assuming that part of it was at least directed at and in response to what I said in particular.

Not so much you, but generally people on this site. Lots of dimissive posts about Twitter and it's uses, when it's clear most people have no idea how those who do find value in twitter are using it. They see a few people's behaviors, don't understand it, and then flush the whole thing. The power of twitter has proven to be it's LACK of constraints on how people use it along with it's speed of propogation. The lack of structure often turns people off early - especially when they are used to much more guided experiences.

In any case, if by "people" we're talking about members of the general public, as opposed to public figures or corporations, then "most people" are neither following tens of thousands of people, nor do they have tens of thousands of people following them.

A substantial number of Twitter users -- and by that, I mean average, non-famous, flesh-and-blood individual persons -- do have hundreds, or even more than a thousand, other Twitter accounts that they follow. Just a cursory check of the Twitter accounts of a dozen people I personally know -- friendly acquaintances from work and school, though none I would consider close friends -- produces a range of 250 to 1200 in the "following" category, with one peaking at close to 3000. So... "hundreds or thousands of other people."

Studies show 92% of twitter accounts follow less than 100 people - source http://www.sysomos.com/insidetwitter/
Which is not too far off of what people do in facebook, where an average of 229 is reported - source http://pewresearch.org/pubs/2262/fa...ial-networking-habits-privacy-online-behavior

When I look around my sphere.. I find most people following less than 100 as well. Including hard code internet geeks. They don't follow what they can get better elsewhere.

The term 'follow' really rings true. People follow people they think will share something interesting, or someone they are interested in what they are doing. People here are in the twitter stone age with notions like 'I don't care when Steve takes a dump'. That was twitter of 2008. It has evolved into a sharing portal more than a 'what am I up to' portal. Other services have grown in popularity to take over those 'what am I doing' things (facebook, foursqaure, instagram, etc) leaving twitter to be more about tidbit sharing or breaking news. Twitter following is about getting a stream of information fed to you without going out and looking for it. Trending is about watching pulses to make yourself aware of things you may not have seen otherwise.

Over time Twitter's strength has moved away from what you're following, to search and trending. When the Amazon datacenters went down due to the storms here a few weeks ago - Twitter was where you found out what was happening, from the very people who were responsible for getting it working. Not a news site, not a forum. The power of twitter is the OPEN sharing of conversations and bits vs a more rigid community.

People here in large miss all that. They are getting hung up on fruitless arguments like 'validation' (as if its any better on forums..??), signal to noise (again.. any better on forums???), accuracy (again.. any better on forums??), etc.

Twitter *IS* the current leading edge of information on the network. It's where so much news breaks and where people of all levels can have their voice heard. Is information incomplete at times? Sure, just as it is in ANY situation when things are evolving 'right now'. Is inaccurate information repeated? Sure, just as it is here and every other forum. These are the sacrifices one makes to be on the forward edge of alot of things. If you want to wait for the fully vetted story, follow the Washington Post and wait for their version :) Twitter is extremely immature in the Disney-fan-sphere.. but that's a matter of whose posting and what. Not so much a knock on Twitter.

So yeah, I do understand how Twitter is used; I just don't find the same value in its overuses that some others do. Having a different opinion of something's utility is not the same as "deeply misunderstanding" it.

And not finding value in something yourself - doesn't mean it doesn't have value and significance. The biggest hurdle for most is they don't see an application of the tool for themselves. When they discover those uses.. the tool starts to make more sense.

A simple example.. I found an interesting writer through a friend's sharing of one of his articles. I found his piece interesting as a blend of science and society so I followed him on twitter. Now I see whenever he publishes new articles... without having to find who he's writing for today, when it gets published, etc.

Some people still live in the stone age and load webpages every hour looking for the newest article on the front page.. while others simply load up their RSS reader and go one place and find all the latest.

Some people load up twitter and use their social graph to simply be told what is happening and interesting.

RSS is a lot like twitter in many never understood it because they were never guided through it's power and applications. But once you embrace it, any other way seems medieval torture. twitter enables a lot of the same laziness - but only once you understand how it works for you.
 

wannab@dis

Well-Known Member
A funny conincidence.. as his post showed up as I was typing mine. But good way to ignore the message and stay oblivious to the real meat of the matter!

His point about ignorance leading to belief is so true. I often wonder what people's professions are in these communities because they seem dumb as rocks in terms of what they've been exposed to how businesses actually operate.
Keep up the ad homs. It really shows your weak argument. But, if you even bothered to read any of my posts, you would see that I have said businesses us social media. I just don't need a tinfoil hat and don't think everyone that disagrees with the D&G group are plants.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
Keep up the ad homs. It really shows your weak argument. But, if you even bothered to read any of my posts, you would see that I have said businesses us social media. I just don't need a tinfoil hat and don't think everyone that disagrees with the D&G group are plants.

Here's a hint.. I can talk about two things in the same post without them being about the person quoted..

If I were talking about you in the second paragraph, I would have addressed you.
 

The Duck

Well-Known Member
I've had first-hand experience with an employer acting as "Big Brother" on the internet.
While at orientation for a new job a few years ago, I was told to sign a form that stated that if I were to write anything negative about the company that I worked for on Facebook or any other social media, I would be subject to termination.
I was told that the corporation had Facebook monitors who would routinely check out our postings for any signs of disloyalty. Whether or not this was merely a bluff is anyone's guess but it didn't stop me from writing about my boss, the A-Hole. I left the job about 2 years later when I realized that it was a sinking ship.
 

MarkTwain

Well-Known Member
It is not uncommon at all for posts/threads to be printed out and sent up the chain, sometimes very high up. I know of meetings being called to address certain forum posts/posters.

4122231143_2d7d75fc1c_z.jpg



"Okay, today we're going to discuss this "Flower and Garden Festival altercation" and discuss its serious implications of aggressiveness at World Showcase events. If you turn to page 6 of your handouts, you'll see "WDWFigment" has several thoughts on the subject..."
 

maxairmike

Well-Known Member
Again, having worked in this exact capacity in a different industry (non-profit), I can tell you Disney does indeed monitor sites like these. To think otherwise is foolish. To think that certain posters aren't read more carefully and regularly is foolish, and yes, posts will end up in the hands of managers, and even executives in more ways than just general trend reports. I would, however, say that a large majority of monitoring (including forums like this in Social Media in general) is done mostly on employees. I know of one person in particular who lost coordinator status at Disney over a Facebook status update with a negative tone towards guests (not on company time, either). I also say the above with direct knowledge and experience of social media monitoring/measurement in this industry as well, although not with Disney specifically.
 

Kuhio

Well-Known Member
Not so much you, but generally people on this site. Lots of dimissive posts about Twitter and it's uses, when it's clear most people have no idea how those who do find value in twitter are using it. They see a few people's behaviors, don't understand it, and then flush the whole thing. The power of twitter has proven to be it's LACK of constraints on how people use it along with it's speed of propogation. The lack of structure often turns people off early - especially when they are used to much more guided experiences.

One implication of your argument is that anyone who doesn't fully appreciate Twitter must not truly understand it and how it can be used -- or, put another way, someone who truly understands all that it offers will necessarily appreciate it.

I certainly have seen posts on this forum questioning the value of Twitter, but I don't think one can reasonably conclude that all, or even most, of those opinions are premised on a lack of full understanding of the ways in which Twitter can be employed. Someone might have exactly the same understanding of Twitter as you, based on exactly the same experiences using it as you. That person might nevertheless "dismiss" Twitter, where you unequivocally support it. Reasonable minds can differ.

To use an example more relevant to this forum: two siblings visit Disney World dozens of times from their childhood through early adult years. Both equally experience all the things the World has to offer, including all the little details and touches that most members of the general public miss. In their 30s, one sibling still loves the World, and still visits on an annual basis. The other decides that it's no longer "worth it," and tells all his friends to spend their travel dollars elsewhere.

Two people who have largely the same experiences with something can still reach different conclusions for any number of reasons. People deal with lots of factors in their lives, which influence how they perceive any number of things over time; what remains expedient, useful, or pleasurable to one person will not necessarily be so to another.

You obviously have a great deal of passion toward Twitter, and it seems to provide a considerable degree of convenience and utility to you and people you know. I've spent time with Twitter myself; I'm aware of its myriad uses, and simply don't see it as an important part of my life or how I obtain information or communicate with others. Since I'm not passionate about Twitter, I'll leave any further discussion of this issue to others who are.
 

Clever Name

Well-Known Member
We have numerous examples here of people who know what they are talking about and also of people who think they know what they are talking about.

Of course, I guesss that happens on every thread. :D
 

bubbles1812

Well-Known Member
Wow, apparently IQ points have dropped over the years for a few people... Did some of you choke on Pixie Dust one day and lose some oxygen/brain cells? Of course Disney monitors threads like these. You'd like to know what your biggest fans say...they are usually the first to notice problems...which means eventually your "average" guests will. And wannab@dis...I'm not sure what your getting at with your discussion of "plants" or how they aren't really plants or whatever... They may engage in a controlled way and sometimes I might even agree with what they post, who knows, but if they are paid by Disney to be here and attempt to shape forum discussions, they are plants. And Disney does do that. As do many other companies. It's not a unique practice. And @Clever Name...while I can never quite take your posts seriously due to some of your crazy ideas, they do certainly give me a good laugh.:)
 

Clever Name

Well-Known Member
Wow, apparently IQ points have dropped over the years for a few people... Did some of you choke on Pixie Dust one day and lose some oxygen/brain cells? Of course Disney monitors threads like these. You'd like to know what your biggest fans say...they are usually the first to notice problems...which means eventually your "average" guests will. And wannab@dis...I'm not sure what your getting at with your discussion of "plants" or how they aren't really plants or whatever... They may engage in a controlled way and sometimes I might even agree with what they post, who knows, but if they are paid by Disney to be here and attempt to shape forum discussions, they are plants. And Disney does do that. As do many other companies. It's not a unique practice. And @Clever Name...while I can never quite take your posts seriously do to some of your crazy ideas, they do certainly give me a good laugh.:)
Me too! :D
 


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