Iger on CNBC this afternoon ...

[PeterAlt]

Interesting... create a thread on your findings or dig up a monorail thread and post it there. That way we can have a purely monorail speculation thread. I would enjoy that.

Okay, I have bumped that thread. I will post there later my collection of evidence images.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Disney loves Brazil....no kidding.

Yeah, well, thanks to Disney I HATE Brazil.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Well if they made animated shorts where Mickey acted like he did in his early days, people would fall in love with Mickey again. He's turned into a very boring corporate icon.

I'd love another short as good as "Runaway Brain". But why premiere these new shorts on the Disney Channel? Why not release them theatrically?

 

[Magenta Panther]

For those looking to watch: http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000153921

I was surprised to see he was in NY, I just got back from there... shoulda tried to brush shoulders! haha jk but had I known he was doing the business council work I would have better guessed what that interview would be about. It was mostly about things tied to that with TWDC. They mentioned a few quick tidbits about the company and announced the Mickey shorts. The Mickey shorts is actually IMO good news. I am glad to hear they are trying to reestablish Mickey's original identity.

And since Disney bought Oswald back, it'd really be nice if they did something with him too.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I'd love another short as good as "Runaway Brain". But why premiere these new shorts on the Disney Channel? Why not release them theatrically?

Because they're clearly produced on a TV budget on Toon Boom or Flash and it'd just look cheap in theaters.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Come on man, exaggerate much? The transcript is right next to the video and he said franchise a total of 7 times in 14 minutes and only twice in the first five minutes. Plus he is talking to a Wall Street audience like you said.

I've noticed you have had it out for Iger for years now and honestly I don't know why. He has invested in the parks alot more than Eisner did in his last few years and reinvigorated the company with new talent and new IPs. I agree that he should have taken the time to change the corporate culture and some of the underlying issues (the problems that started when Eisner was CEO) but he didn't however isn't that like saying a President is bad because he didn't fix all of the issues completely ignoring all the positive things? The only argument I can see you make is that he isn't a micromanager which has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is studios like Pixar and Marvel are free to do what they like and audiences are the better for it. The disadvantage is that bad sectors of the company like WDI and TDO continue to lower the bar and its allowed.

Under Iger's tenure he has made a serious efforts to reinvigorate Disney's in house animation studios and their live action division, smoothed out relationships (hell he even negotiated to get Oswald the rabbit back), Greenlit projects that were stuck in development hell for a long time (Star Tours 2, a sequel to Tron), acquired industry leaders like Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm and brought their talents and assets into the fold, and increased profits for the company which at the end of the day is what matters.

Two words: Broken Yeti. The SOB is letting a broken ride still run in one of the parks. He doesn't mention it and makes no effort to fix it, because he figures most of the customers don't notice it, so why bother? His cynical cheapness when it comes to issues of quality make me despise him. And his inability to understand the difference between creativity and buying up off-brand properties makes me ill. You were talking to WDW1974, but FWIW I agree with his skepticism about Iger. Frankly, I don't see how anyone who has any grasp of what Disney USED to mean can have anything but contempt for the man. But that's just me...maybe...

 

[Magenta Panther]

Because they're clearly produced on a TV budget on Toon Boom or Flash and it'd just look cheap in theaters.

Oh my god...Mickey, animated in Flash...and I was worried about CGI...

 

[Magenta Panther]

Ever heard of hyperbole?! The man coughs up the same tired lines about franchises and exploiting them across multiple platforms and ... we've heard it all before.

I have not had it out for the man. And I give him credit for acquiring what he has ... BUT ... I also look at all of his bad and what the company looks like overall. He's leaving much of it ready for a major collapse (WDW and Studios come to mind immediately) when he takes off ...

I knew Michael Eisner. I liked Michael Eisner. For better and for worse, Bob Iger is no Michael Eisner. ... And I hope his replacement, indeed, comes from outside Disney and is truly visionary because this company needs it.

If you take away buying creative content from others (Pixar, Marvel, Lucas) and embracing technology and keeping his nose out of successful divisions like ESPN and Pixar, then what exactly can you point to Iger as having done? ... oh, and NOBODY gives two poohs about Oswald. Nobody.

And that's Iger's fault too. He put that character in the hands of Junction Point, when he should have been entrusted to a more experienced game-maker. But I suppose that would have been cost-prohibitive to Iger's way of thinking. Feh.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Iger's good deeds can't overshadow his failings, imo. The fact they NEEDED to invest in the parks, such as DCA/Carsland, etc. isn't exactly a glowing review of his interests in the parks. He aquired third party entities mostly because of what a failure his own in house divisions have been under HIS guidance. Had he not acquired PIXAR or MARVEL do you know what problems Disney would be in right now?

Yes, this, this, THIS! You got it in a nutshell, and those facts highlight why Iger has no business heading a company that's known for innovation and creativity. He simply doesn't understand those concepts, beyond believing that creativity is too costly to develop, so a better alternative is to BUY it - especially if that creativity involves a dated product that's had better days. What the hell, nobody markets nostalgia better than Disney, right? Phooey.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Oh my god...Mickey, animated in Flash...and I was worried about CGI...

It's better quality then crap like Johnny Test at least. And really, Flash/Toon Boom is just as much a tool as any other software and it's a matter of how much effort you put into it. Like the output by the animation studio Titmouse or Ankama's work on Wakfu.

 

[Longhairbear]

I didn't listen to the interview but what is a "Tomorrowland Tower"?

It is the often rumored 4rth tower at the Disneyland Hotel.

 

[WED Purist]

You talk about a man who had very little use for Tony and then quote Tony about the business being cyclical ... do you see the irony in any of that?

I only work in Florida, so I didn't know about their relationship. That does happen quite a bit between project management and creative, though.

 

[Mammymouse]

CNBC is the only one really. Fox Business, yeah, but its the Pepsi to CNBC's Coca Cola.

Actually Pepsico globally is a larger company than Coca Cola is. And believe it or not in eastern Connecticut Pepsi is the drink of choice, but just over the state line in RI it is Coke. Weird.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Actually Pepsico globally is a larger company than Coca Cola is. And believe it or not in eastern Connecticut Pepsi is the drink of choice, but just over the state line in RI it is Coke. Weird.

From what I remember when I did basic analysis of Pepsi, it is more popular than Coca-Cola in the US. However, Coca-Cola destroys Pepsi worldwide. If you compare Pepsi's beverage segment to Coca-Cola, I believe Coca-Cola is bigger. Pepsi does snacks as well... Frito Lay and Quaker. Not to mention the only thing Coca-Cola makes in carbonated beverages is the powder. They sell it to bottlers via licensing (think Tokyo Disneyland).

They are competitors obviously in beverages but they are very different in how they operate as a whole.

 

[WDW1974]

That's something new, but more on that after this...

I brought that up because I wrote a big post here a few months back speculating that there were big plans for DTD that included parking garages, an I-4 ramp, and monorail expansion. So far, just the DTD expansion and the garages I speculated about were accurate predictions, but those predictions were based on my suspicion of an overall secret Master Plan to expand the monorail system. Everything is tied together and, in that post, I made clear why one element needs another to make it all work. I was talking about infrastructure in the LBV area. I showed concept art and pictures of models that showed monorail and a peoplemover system in the area. I focused on a planned route from EPCOT to LBV. I can prove that infrastructure for that route was buried along its right of way through the EPCOT Center construction zone. In the LBV area, all I have are the pictures of models and art renderings. I theorized that a parking structure at DTD (and connected I-4 direct off-ramp) would help support a monorail route going to EPCOT.

Now, back to what you said. I didn't know about that. I know about the footers in EPCOT for the LBV route that were buried in the early 80's. I suspect there must be footers also in LBV, but can't find any evidence other than early plans and models. Please tell me everything you know about the ones buried in the 90's, so I can include that in my investigation...

I know nothing at all about any infrastructure put in the LBV area whatsoever for any transport. I know they had monorail expansion plans back in the 70s and 80s, but I think they just mapped out a route (that goes thru what is now SSR, I might add and is in the contracts). I do not believe anything beyond that was done.

The 90s ones I actually had a former rails CM point out locales for where beams would go. EPCOT Resorts would have shared one station roughly where the Yacht Club Convention Center sits. But that's about it ... and I don't want a monorail expansion thread, sorry. I've played in those dirty waters enough.

 

[WDW1974]

And since Disney bought Oswald back, it'd really be nice if they did something with him too.

Sorry, but while it might be kewl for some of us old-time Disney fans, most folks don't know who the character is and they don't care.

Disney 'traded' to get Oswald's rights back as a PR move for the company and as a goodwill gesture from Iger to Diane Disney.

 

[djlaosc]

Sorry, but while it might be kewl for some of us old-time Disney fans, most folks don't know who the character is and they don't care.

Disney 'traded' to get Oswald's rights back as a PR move for the company and as a goodwill gesture from Iger to Diane Disney.

I've got to wonder why, at the very least, Oswald has not been added to "Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse" - is the only thing they've done with Oswald is have him in Epic Mickey 2?

 

[luv]

I like Pepsi much more than Coke...across the board. I think CNBC and Fox Business both have some great shows. I love Neil Cavuto. But CNBC has Jim Cramer, so they win for interesting.

Much like the Disney/Uni thing, I think it's entirely possible to like both.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Sorry, but while it might be kewl for some of us old-time Disney fans, most folks don't know who the character is and they don't care.

Disney 'traded' to get Oswald's rights back as a PR move for the company and as a goodwill gesture from Iger to Diane Disney.

You mean Al Michaels to NBC deal where Oswalt was the PTBNL*?




(*Player to be named later)

 

[Captain Neo]

Two words: Broken Yeti. The SOB is letting a broken ride still run in one of the parks. He doesn't mention it and makes no effort to fix it, because he figures most of the customers don't notice it, so why bother? His cynical cheapness when it comes to issues of quality make me despise him. And his inability to understand the difference between creativity and buying up off-brand properties makes me ill. You were talking to WDW1974, but FWIW I agree with his skepticism about Iger. Frankly, I don't see how anyone who has any grasp of what Disney USED to mean can have anything but contempt for the man. But that's just me...maybe...

A broken yeti in one ride of the parks in one of the resorts wouldn't even make a blimp on the radar of the CEO of the world's largest media company. That "SOB" runs Disney not WDW. I totally agree with you that it needs to be fixed and it's totally unacceptable that it remains broken but I blame TDO for not taking the initiative to get it fixed and I blame the customers who keep pouring through the gates each day and willingly part with their money for a subpar product. Iger isn't even going to be aware there is a problem with WDW until revenue decreases, timeshares stop selling, negative press starts popping up in the news, and people start filing complaints with Disney.

Additionally, i'd like to point out that if you think maintenance is bad under Iger it was even WORSE under Eisner where rides broke down constantly and people even died as a result. Space Mountain at Disneyland almost became the sight of a very horrific tragedy but a chance inspection allowed Disney to dodge the bullet.