Insiders: What would have happened without COVID and Chapek?

[KingMickey13]

As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the Disney Parks (and the rest of the world) as we know it. Let’s imagine a world where Iger never leaves in the first place (instead extending his contract until 2024) and Chapek gets fired at the beginning of January 2020 (personal scandal). So, insiders, what would the parks have looked like now if the late 2010s plans were never cancelled or changed? @marni1971 @ToTBellHop

 

[ppete1975]

I dont think the Iger/Chapek situation would have mattered that much. The pandemic certainly did. I would hope that we would have had alot more stuff greenlit and the 50th much more.. existent.

 

[KingMickey13]

I dont think the Iger/Chapek situation would have mattered that much. The pandemic certainly did. I would hope that we would have had alot more stuff greenlit and the 50th much more.. existent.

The 50th was such a disappointment.

 

[Walter Elias Disney]

Much more was planned for the 50th anniversary. Unfortunately\y, Walt Disney World didn't receive the same treatment that Disneyland received.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Much more was planned for the 50th anniversary. Unfortunately\y, Walt Disney World didn't receive the same treatment that Disneyland received.

…I never really bought that

The “management strategy”
Would have still been the same so the road would likely have been very similar

 

[Smiley/OCD]

If there was no pandemic and Iger never left, I think the nickel and diming either wouldn’t have been as severe or Iger would have hidden it better, buried in room rates. The trams would still be in all 4 parks, there wouldn’t be as severe a staff shortage nor would there have been supply chain issues. Magical Express would probably still be running too. A vacation would still be a pain in the wallet, but I don’t think it would have been as painful.

 

[Kramerica]

Something I’ve been curious about. Chapek originally announced the Genie service at D23, way before the pandemic was ever a thing. The Genie service was obviously Disneys first step to their end goal of paid fastpass, and the pandemic gave them an excellent opportunity to implement it. If the pandemic had never happened, would Disney have found a way to launch Genie+ yet? Or would we still have the old fastpass system?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Something I’ve been curious about. Chapek originally announced the Genie service at D23, way before the pandemic was ever a thing. The Genie service was obviously Disneys first step to their end goal of paid fastpass, and the pandemic gave them an excellent opportunity to implement it. If the pandemic had never happened, would Disney have found a way to launch Genie+ yet? Or would we still have the old fastpass system?

Absolutely not.

Monetized crowd direction was going to happen long before anyone had a mask.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

If there was no pandemic and Iger never left, I think the nickel and diming either wouldn’t have been as severe or Iger would have hidden it better, buried in room rates. The trams would still be in all 4 parks, there wouldn’t be as severe a staff shortage nor would there have been supply chain issues. Magical Express would probably still be running too. A vacation would still be a pain in the wallet, but I don’t think it would have been as painful.

So then you’re admitting where the nickel and diming came from, correct?

But there a problem with “hiding it” in room rates.

It’s this:

 

[Smiley/OCD]

So then you’re admitting where the nickel and diming came from, correct?

But there a problem with “hiding it” in room rates.

It’s this:
View attachment 692976

I never said Iger was an innocent little boy in this fiasco…Chappie took the ball like the third string running back that he was and ran with it. It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it…but in this case, it’s not what you do, but how you do it. Iger is knows how to spin to make himself look good…every time Chappie tried to spin, he got dizzy and threw up…

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I never said Iger was an innocent little boy in this fiasco…Chappie took the ball like the third string running back that he was and ran with it. It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it…but in this case, it’s not what you do, but how you do it. Iger is knows how to spin to make himself look good…every time Chappie tried to spin, he got dizzy and threw up…

I agree with you here…

But the problem I was referring to is that there’s no where to “hide” anymore

The reason I put that picture wasn’t to blame dvc (a typical and amplifying tactic)…it’s to point out the only reason they converted to dvc there is because the bookings at Wildnerness fell to 50%…during a “booming economy”.
They are past the price point and it’s been damage control for over ten years.
You think they randomly decided to convert all those room at poly, gf, contemporary?
Or that “they make so much off dvc”?

Nope. That’s not the reason. It’s patching holes in the hull.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Not much would have been altered. Iger was running along impressing the board enough so there would have been no turmoil. Some of his missteps were apparent but not to the level that it mattered to them. Guests would have been booking and money coming in steadily. The same old gripes about raising costs, unfavorable policies, poor meal quality, increasing crowding and only the rich can go would exist.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

I agree with you here…

But the problem I was referring to is that there’s no where to “hide” anymore

The reason I put that picture wasn’t to blame dvc (a typical and amplifying tactic)…it’s to point out the only reason they converted to dvc there is because the bookings at Wildnerness fell to 50%…during a “booming economy”.
They are past the price point and it’s been damage confine for over ten years.
You think they randomly decided to control all those room at poly, gf, contemporary?
Or that “they make so much off dvc”?

Nope. That’s not the reason. It’s patching holes in the hull.

Agreed…if you can’t rent ‘em by the week, time share ‘em…there are less places to hide and we both know creativity is at an all time low at the Mouse House on BOTH sides of the aisle. It will be interesting to see how Iger will justify increases in the near future…you just KNOW they’re coming soon.