Interview with Bob Iger about the Parks

[Stripes]

I'll tell you what the most damning part of this piece is:

wHaT iS pRooFrEaDinG?

 

[lazyboy97o]

But here, in this interview, we have him talking about how good storytelling is more important to the company than just looking at the numbers;

Actions speak louder than words. Attractions are not approved based on their storytelling and that is on Iger’s specific orders.

 

[marni1971]

To be fair, this was an interview with a business publication, so it would tend to be more business focused. I suspect the tone and content of the interview may have been different had it been an interview with Attractions Magazine.

A wolf is a wolf even in sheep’s clothing.

 

[baymenxpac]

If you read through the entire interview, there are a couple parts that jump out at me. The bold, italicized parts are my emphasis.


How has your day-to-day routine at Disney changed over the years?

I delegate a lot more. The company [has grown] so large that no one human being could possibly manage in terms of hands-on on a daily basis. My senior team makes many more decisions. My priority hasn’t shifted in that we are as a company are far more reliant on the quality of our storytelling than anything else. There isn’t a day that goes by that something related to storytelling—a movie we’re making, a television series, a park we’re building—doesn’t end up on my agenda. I believe, because of my background, I bring some value to that. There’s nothing wrong with accountants, but it’s not like I’m an accountant reading a television script. I came out of the business of making things.


What’s your favorite thing when you go to the parks—or do you just look at it as a businessman?

I look at it as a human being. I go there and I marvel at how many people are there having the time of their lives. You just get the sense that in a world that can at times feel dark and as sinister as it is, these are people that have escaped all of that. They have spent time and good money, I will say, to provide themselves and their friends, their family, their loved ones, an experience that not only is going to make them feel good, but that they’re going to remember forever. That is never lost on me. I appreciate it as an executive, as a human being, and as a parent. I have grandchildren I take there.


Do you have a favorite ride?

I happen to love Pirates [of the Caribbean]. It was the last attraction Walt was really involved in creating. He died just before it opened. And you go and you think, this is just silly, but it’s great. You look at Main Street and you look at kids meeting Mickey. I love it because of what it means to people. I don’t go thinking, “Wow, look what we’re charging for these churros. Isn’t that great?”


You can be cynical all you want. I'm sure some people will say that it's all just marketing BS and that he doesn't mean any of it. But here, in this interview, we have him talking about how good storytelling is more important to the company than just looking at the numbers; that he acknowledges people spend good money for their experiences in the parks and that it's about creating experiences they will remember; that he takes his own grandkids to the parks and enjoys them as a human being, not just a businessman; and that he even has an appreciation for the attractions that Walt built.

It's almost as though Bob Iger is a real human being with his own kids and grandkids who appreciates the parks, who appreciates good storytelling, and who is concerned about the content Disney puts out. It might possibly be -- and I'm just spitballing here -- that while he might have a different opinion as to what makes good park rides or movies or TV shows than someone else might, and while he might make decisions that some people disagree with, that he isn't actually just a bean-counting automaton who cares about nothing but dollars and cents.

i mean, i'm not a cynical person, but i am a public relations professional that works with CEOs all the time getting them prepped for media interviews. disney knows what people (particularly those parsing an interview with iger) want to hear, so they'll sketch out talking points that speak to those desires. i don't get anything more out of these emphasized passages than that.

iger speaks his true opinions about his parks and resorts strategy every single day through his actions [edited for a typo]. if he didn't care how much churros cost, or how cool air conditioning was kept, or wanted the parks to tell a cohesive story, then he'd do it. but he doesn't.

 

[RobbinsDad]

If you read through the entire interview, there are a couple parts that jump out at me. The bold, italicized parts are my emphasis.


How has your day-to-day routine at Disney changed over the years?

I delegate a lot more. The company [has grown] so large that no one human being could possibly manage in terms of hands-on on a daily basis. My senior team makes many more decisions. My priority hasn’t shifted in that we are as a company are far more reliant on the quality of our storytelling than anything else. There isn’t a day that goes by that something related to storytelling—a movie we’re making, a television series, a park we’re building—doesn’t end up on my agenda. I believe, because of my background, I bring some value to that. There’s nothing wrong with accountants, but it’s not like I’m an accountant reading a television script. I came out of the business of making things.


What’s your favorite thing when you go to the parks—or do you just look at it as a businessman?

I look at it as a human being. I go there and I marvel at how many people are there having the time of their lives. You just get the sense that in a world that can at times feel dark and as sinister as it is, these are people that have escaped all of that. They have spent time and good money, I will say, to provide themselves and their friends, their family, their loved ones, an experience that not only is going to make them feel good, but that they’re going to remember forever. That is never lost on me. I appreciate it as an executive, as a human being, and as a parent. I have grandchildren I take there.


Do you have a favorite ride?

I happen to love Pirates [of the Caribbean]. It was the last attraction Walt was really involved in creating. He died just before it opened. And you go and you think, this is just silly, but it’s great. You look at Main Street and you look at kids meeting Mickey. I love it because of what it means to people. I don’t go thinking, “Wow, look what we’re charging for these churros. Isn’t that great?”


You can be cynical all you want. I'm sure some people will say that it's all just marketing BS and that he doesn't mean any of it. But here, in this interview, we have him talking about how good storytelling is more important to the company than just looking at the numbers; that he acknowledges people spend good money for their experiences in the parks and that it's about creating experiences they will remember; that he takes his own grandkids to the parks and enjoys them as a human being, not just a businessman; and that he even has an appreciation for the attractions that Walt built.

It's almost as though Bob Iger is a real human being with his own kids and grandkids who appreciates the parks, who appreciates good storytelling, and who is concerned about the content Disney puts out. It might possibly be -- and I'm just spitballing here -- that while he might have a different opinion as to what makes good park rides or movies or TV shows than someone else might, and while he might make decisions that some people disagree with, that he isn't actually just a bean-counting automaton who cares about nothing but dollars and cents.

In Iger's world there would never be a Pirates of the Caribbean or a MSUSA.

 

[Missing20K]

The fact he states that he doesn't go around the parks thinking about how much they charge for churros sorta tips his hand to him thinking exactly that. Either that, or one of the "talking points" from the PR staff was to make sure he lets the public know "we don't make money on churros" because the survey said guests are complaining about the cost of snacks/food in the parks.

The lady doth protest too much, methinks
-Bill

 

[HauntedPirate]

"Pay no attention to those prices, just buy a churro"

And who looks at Main Street and sees Mickey meeting with kids anymore?

This was pure PR fluff. Apparently someone thought his image needed a boost.

 

[Rteetz]

I just want to be Bob's grandkid

 

[Indy_UK]

I know most will disagree but I'm a HUGE fan of Igor.

He is an incredibly clever businessman. He's made a lot of purchases and business choices which will set Disney up for many many more years. Without those decisions, I think things would be quite stale.

 

[TwilightZone]

Saying that you dislike Iger for IPs is fine.
Ignoring he actually improved a lot of areas in the parks is not.

 

[seascape]

I know most will disagree but I'm a HUGE fan of Igor.

He is an incredibly clever businessman. He's made a lot of purchases and business choices which will set Disney up for many many more years. Without those decisions, I think things would be quite stale.

You are right. Most here will not agree with you. However, Iger has been great for the company even though in the short term he was not good for the parks. In the future, after all the Marvel additions are in all the parks and Disney parks are in more countries people will appreciate all he has done. Maybe his current expansion plans for Parks and Resorts come from his love for his grandchildren but in any case we are due for a great future in all Disney Parks around the world.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I know most will disagree but I'm a HUGE fan of Igor.

He is an incredibly clever businessman. He's made a lot of purchases and business choices which will set Disney up for many many more years. Without those decisions, I think things would be quite stale.

You are correct. He is a great businessman. The parks and resorts are a part of The Walt Disney Company. He can’t have tunnel vision and spend everything on the parks. How many billions have they spent at WDW lately?

 

[mikejs78]

I know most will disagree but I'm a HUGE fan of Igor.

He is an incredibly clever businessman. He's made a lot of purchases and business choices which will set Disney up for many many more years. Without those decisions, I think things would be quite stale.

Disney would probably have been acquired by someone else if not for Iger...

 

[danlb_2000]

I know most will disagree but I'm a HUGE fan of Igor.

He is an incredibly clever businessman. He's made a lot of purchases and business choices which will set Disney up for many many more years. Without those decisions, I think things would be quite stale.

But not a big enough fan to actually use his real name?

 

[Indy_UK]

You are right. Most here will not agree with you. However, Iger has been great for the company even though in the short term he was not good for the parks. In the future, after all the Marvel additions are in all the parks and Disney parks are in more countries people will appreciate all he has done. Maybe his current expansion plans for Parks and Resorts come from his love for his grandchildren but in any case we are due for a great future in all Disney Parks around the world.

Personally I think a lot of people put their gripes towards Igor when actually a lot of the buck probably stops at Chapek. For such a large company, I doubt Igor gets involved too much in individual parts. For Parks and resorts he probabaly was involved in getting Star Wars lands moving but when it comes to cost savings, and cheapening out on things like Toy story land, that's down to Chapek.

Igor will have given him budgets and targets to meet like any boss should, problem is that Chapek is the wrong person for the job.

 

[Indy_UK]

You are correct. He is a great businessman. The parks and resorts are a part of The Walt Disney Company. He can’t have tunnel vision and spend everything on the parks. How many billions have they spent at WDW lately?

Don't get me wrong, I think someone else who may come in the future, will do a better job of parks and resorts, because it certainly isnt Chapek. Igor it looking at a Disney from further afield and can be added to each part of the company

 

[Indy_UK]

Disney would probably have been acquired by someone else if not for Iger...

100%

 

[BoarderPhreak]

But not a big enough fan to actually use his real name?

Igor sounds more... Monstrous.

 

[RSoxNo1]

It’s not like “I’m going to ride some nondescript coaster somewhere, that maybe is [themed like] India or whatever.”

Says all we need to know about Iger's parks strategy.

 

[Indy_UK]

But not a big enough fan to actually use his real name?

Alright then, Bob