If Thomas Staggs replaces Bob Iger...

[Launchpad McQuack]

I didn't even realize Winnie was done.... also assuming not a box office hit

I'm pretty sure The Princess and The Frog pulled pretty good box office numbers, just not as good as some of the other movies (like it did Hercules numbers instead of Tangled numbers). I really liked it, though. Winnie the Pooh was a GREAT movie, but like no one saw it. It made $33 million worldwide. For what it's worth, my wife and I went to see it opening weekend about a month before we got married. I'm still not sure opening the same weekend of the final Harry Potter movie was a good idea for ANY movie at that point.

 

[gsimpson]

Wow. Iger has spent a lot of money on the parks, and still is, including such minor things as carsland (plus the whole re-imagining of DCA), Avatar (which since it isn't open yet may be good or bad - but either way it's major), updated fantasy land at MK, adding rivers of light and hopefully making an all day park out of AK, is adding capacity to rides at Epcot and DHS that have perpetually untenable lines, is approving "some type" of major change at DHS to hopefully bring it out of the part day status, has helped bring new life in the Downtown Disney neah Disney Springs, purchased and is using some more contemporary IP (marvel, pixar, lucasfilm) in the parks, put a park in the most populous country on the planet, plus (and I know we're not supposed to talk about this on this board) has done a heck of a job for stockholders and he still gets derided as being ineffective??? I am not happy about having to defend a very highly paid CEO but really? In my experience constantly complaining and saying it is not enough rarely if ever results in a positive outcome.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Yea but under Iger if I'm not mistaken Disney acquired Marvel, Pixar, and Lucas Arts. We also received the current rendition of New Fantasyland. Avatar, Pixar and Starwars are coming to the parks. I am not defending him but what has he done wrong? I'm uneducated with what Iger has done wrong.

You may talk about those examples, but there has been some rides that has been in poor condition at the magic Kingdom despite the attendance figures. This has to do with Iger due to the fact he is responsible for putting people in positions for overlooking Disney theme parks worldwide.

Phil Holmes in Charge of the Magic Kingdom has been known to slash budgets on refurbishments or just plan decided to skip it. He's a person that needed to fired years ago, but wasn't due to how good amount of budget not spent is.

Case in point is Phil Holmes cutting the refurbishment budget of Space Mountain and it didn't get a proper refurbishment as a result. The attraction's track's are are in such bad shape that Trim Breaks had to be added due to some of the work of Space Mountain didn't happen to budget cuts.

Phil Holmes matter of fact is why the Pirates of the Caribbean is in very bad shape and is going to get only a 4 month refurbishment when the people running Disney theme parks from a global standpoint wanted 6 months. Pirates last year broke down a lot and it sounds like the ride even has safety problems. Pirates of the Caribbean in 2014 was supposed to get a refurbishment based on what I read, but Phil decided not to do it due to budget.

Phil Holmes also is responsible for how bad Splash Mountain was a few years ago. Splash Mountain is supposed to get refurbishments every year, but Phil Skipped it for a couple years due to him not wanting to spend the parks budget.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Eisner gets a load of crap but my understanding is he did some good as well, didn't he bring us Star Tours and AE? I know about all the bad sequels.

May I suggest Keys to the Kingdom: The Rise of Michael Eisner and the Fall of Everybody Else by Kim Masters and DisneyWar by James B. Stewart. It's a story much longer than can be told in forum posts.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Can someone enlighten me on how capex (right term?) decisions for parks and resorts works? What is the process from concept/need to approval to construction?

For example, all the things you read about on here that are complaints about WDW (such as lack of investing in Epcot's empty buildings, monorail conditions, DAK needing more E, D and even C tickets, blaw blaw blaw..), who is the man in charge of getting these things done? Is it up to Staggs because he is head of Parks and Resorts to request more money for WDW? Can Staggs say "Okay guys, the monorail system is in need of a major refurbishment/expansion, here is what it will cost, lets get it done." Or are his hands tied? Is it up to the board of directors how much money WDW gets and how it is split up and how it is spent? Can even Iger make those decisions?

I just want to understand how and why WDW seems to just get by on things (like empty buildings at Epcot) instead of setting the bar high as they have in the past. Who is overseeing WDW parks, who is the person that could really make a difference for WDW, if there even is a person?

Sorry if I am talking like an idiot. I know Disney is a corporation that is most concerned with its stock price/share holders etc, but I am genuinely interested in how things get done (or why they are not getting done) at WDW.

Depends on the dollar amount. Something as big as NextGen, a new cruise ship, or probably even DCA Expansion / New Fantasyland would need to be approved by the Board of Directors. For smaller projects, the total capital budget is approved first at the segment level then again at the business unit level and finally within the business unit at the specific project level. So Parks and Resorts gets $X million total for FY15. Of that, Walt Disney World gets $Y million dollars. Then that gets chopped up further down the line for hardware refreshes, restaurant refurbs, new busses, etc.

 

[FettFan]

Stagg-nation. :|

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Wow. Iger has spent a lot of money on the parks, and still is, including such minor things as carsland (plus the whole re-imagining of DCA), Avatar (which since it isn't open yet may be good or bad - but either way it's major), updated fantasy land at MK, adding rivers of light and hopefully making an all day park out of AK, is adding capacity to rides at Epcot and DHS that have perpetually untenable lines, is approving "some type" of major change at DHS to hopefully bring it out of the part day status, has helped bring new life in the Downtown Disney neah Disney Springs, purchased and is using some more contemporary IP (marvel, pixar, lucasfilm) in the parks, put a park in the most populous country on the planet, plus (and I know we're not supposed to talk about this on this board) has done a heck of a job for stockholders and he still gets derided as being ineffective??? I am not happy about having to defend a very highly paid CEO but really? In my experience constantly complaining and saying it is not enough rarely if ever results in a positive outcome.

What an amazingly professional post. But let me just provide a little perspective.

The last e ticket the MK received opened 4 years before my oldest daughter was born. She's in college. The last e ticket that opened anywhere on property was 9 frickin' years ago.

And yes, the shopping mall@WDW is getting attention after they left it boarded up like condemned low income housing for 8 years.

Yes, they are adding capacity to two existing attractions. This is to compensate for horrible capacity that is a disaster of their own creation. What happens when you market the resort exclusively to families with small children and one of your parks (that only has five rides after 25 years) has only one ride for them? Crazy long lines at that one ride (TSMM). They are fixing a ridiculous mess of their own creation. They have had 25 frickin' years to add capacity to DHS and the execs have taken pride in not building attractions. They (Iger recently) made this mess.

 

[RadiatorSpringsRacer]

Stagg-nation. :|

 

[Monoblanco13]

Even if you are indeed new to following these threads you should know by now that nothing has to ever be finished before it is condemned. The place is full of clairvoyants.

No I understand there seems to be a lot of negativity on these threads, it really doesn't bother me as everyone is entitled to their opinion.

 

[Goofyernmost]

No I understand there seems to be a lot of negativity on these threads, it really doesn't bother me as everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Basically, I agree, however, having an opinion on something that is palpable and can be witnessed is great and should never be discouraged, but, deciding what something will be like before it even exists is beyond negative and straight into assumptive vision. But, as you say, it doesn't always matter to a lot of people, the frustrating part is that so many take it as gospel truth.

 

[FettFan]

The last e ticket the MK received opened 4 years before my oldest daughter was born. She's in college. The last e ticket that opened anywhere on property was 9 frickin' years ago.

Especially infuriating when you realize that you could almost get two Matterhorns into the space occupied by Seven Dwarfs Mine Train...

 

[betty rose]

Strategic Planning did not care for the parks. Staggs headed up Strategic Planning. Why should it be assumed that now he loves the parks because he looks good in photo ops and has the right quotes referenced?

If that's true (I'm not questioning you, I just don't know anything about the guy) then I'm really going to be disappointed .

 

[doctornick]

Yea but under Iger if I'm not mistaken Disney acquired Marvel, Pixar, and Lucas Arts. We also received the current rendition of New Fantasyland. Avatar, Pixar and Starwars are coming to the parks. I am not defending him but what has he done wrong? I'm uneducated with what Iger has done wrong.

Iger has been quite good for The Walt Disney Company overall, but generally lousy for the P&R division, especially domestically. P&R spending/reinvestment is no where near where it should be to maintain and expand the parks.

Regarding Staggs, at the very least he's had experience running P&R so it's likely more "on his radar" than with Iger who comes from a TV/movie background. And, allegedly, Staggs actually does take his family to the parks. I wouldn't predict that Staggs would be great for the Parks division, but there's at least some things that might elicit some hope.

 

[doctornick]

Especially infuriating when you realize that you could almost get two Matterhorns into the space occupied by Seven Dwarfs Mine Train...

One of my big complaints about WDW is how inefficient they are with space. And on top of that, they don't even use the open space they have, preferring to constantly replace attractions rather than simple add new ones on unused plots.

 

[FettFan]

One of my big complaints about WDW is how inefficient they are with space.

Case in point: Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland Speedway

vs. Disneyland's Autopia.

 

[FettFan]

Case in point is Phil Holmes cutting the refurbishment budget of Space Mountain and it didn't get a proper refurbishment as a result. The attraction's track's are are in such bad shape that Trim Breaks had to be added due to some of the work of Space Mountain didn't happen to budget cuts.

According to @marni1971 ,

The spray paint markings from 2008 can still be seen today where the structure would have been cut up to be replaced.

It could and should have been amazing. Such a waste.

View attachment 87420

With that much paint on it...kind of makes me hesitant to ride the thing until they decide to build a brand new ride system inside the building.

Also the refurb needs to have animatronic astronauts. You pass by a pair of static dummies....they need to MOVE.

 

[Monoblanco13]

Iger has been quite good for The Walt Disney Company overall, but generally lousy for the P&R division, especially domestically. P&R spending/reinvestment is no where near where it should be to maintain and expand the parks.

Regarding Staggs, at the very least he's had experience running P&R so it's likely more "on his radar" than with Iger who comes from a TV/movie background. And, allegedly, Staggs actually does take his family to the parks. I wouldn't predict that Staggs would be great for the Parks division, but there's at least some things that might elicit some hope.

This is where I have some hope, I feel it will be more on his radar cause of his current position and since he does visit the parks I don't think he will turn a blind eye to certain issues.

 

[Monoblanco13]

According to @marni1971 ,

With that much paint on it...kind of makes me hesitant to ride the thing until they decide to build a brand new ride system inside the building.

Also the refurb needs to have animatronic astronauts. You pass by a pair of static dummies....they need to MOVE.

Yes I understand that this sucks and that the DL SM is way better after the refurb, I feel even Buzz Lightyear needs a major refurb. If Staggs replaces Iger maybe the Parks will change for the better. Someone said it earlier Iger has a TV/Movie background and we have been getting great things. The Marvel films are huge box office hits as well as the live action films which pull in some good numbers. Staggs might actually do the parks some good, well at least I hope so.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yes I understand that this sucks and that the DL SM is way better after the refurb, I feel even Buzz Lightyear needs a major refurb. If Staggs replaces Iger maybe the Parks will change for the better. Someone said it earlier Iger has a TV/Movie background and we have been getting great things. The Marvel films are huge box office hits as well as the live action films which pull in some good numbers. Staggs might actually do the parks some good, well at least I hope so.

Staggs background is Strategic Planning. A short stint at Parks and Resorts doesn't make him a theme park guy. By that standard Jay Rasulo was far more of a theme park guy.

 

[Monoblanco13]

Well nothing set in stone, I can't say I'm fully disappointed where the parks are now. I am happy DAK is getting lots of love right now though I feel more could be done with Avatar, something is better than nothing. Once some work happens at DHS it will be nice as the park really needs it. Yes the parks aren't getting much maintenance on certain attractions but maybe after all these other projects are completed focus will shift. Every park currently has something being worked on, as a guest it not visually appealing to see all these walls put up and can't wait till they come down. Also I don't know how happy everyone would be if more attractions were closed right now. The only attractions I would be willing to see down right now would definitely be UoE, and I guess PotC and Buzz Lightyear.