Is the reign of Micheal Eisner under appreciated?

[Jimmy Thick]

Its very nice to see the majority of people here respect the contribution Eisner made. People can think others had influence, but if they did it was only an opinion where the real decision was made by Eisner, as he was simply put, the boss.



Jimmy Thick- if I'm not back again this time tomorrow...

 

[Did Knee]

I wont vote on this one. He was both great and awful for WDW. I can site examples of both. You needed a more "middle ground" choice in your poll.

 

[wolf359]

I wont vote on this one. He was both great and awful for WDW. I can site examples of both. You needed a more "middle ground" choice in your poll.

I agree. The reality is Eisner did very good and very bad things while in charge, and to ignore either one seems pretty, well...thick.

 

[thewhitequeen]

Well, it appears things have slowly gotten worse since he left the company so I think he did have a lot to do with Disney's success while he was there. We could probably equate some of the decline to the economy but I think the current management has a very different idea of what "high quality" entertainment means.

 

[thewhitequeen]

I'm also curious as to what some of the "bad" he did to the company. I only know how the parks were to visit when he was running them and they certainly aren't the same now.

 

[Krack]

I'm also curious as to what some of the "bad" he did to the company. I only know how the parks were to visit when he was running them and they certainly aren't the same now.

Well, each one of them is certainly up for debate, but general criticisms include (strictly post-Wells) ...

1. Letting Katzenberg leave to found Dream Works.
2. Halting Disney's America.
3. Misunderstanding the European market and over-saturating EuroDisney with hotel rooms that sat empty.
4. The systematic dismantling of Future World.
5. The changing of "EPCOT Center" to Epcot '94 - beginning what I would term the "gimmick over quality" era of the company.
6. Hiring Michael Ovitz.
7. Purchasing the California Angels.
8. Building the 4th Gate at WDW.
9. Underfunding the 4th Gate and pulling the Beastly Kingdom money at the last minute.
10. Allowing a "land" full of carnival rides like Dinoland USA.
11. Underfunding the 2nd Gate at DLR.
12. Allowing two "lands" full of carnival rides like Paradise Pier and A Bug's Life Land.
13. Hurt the relationship between Disney and the Jim Henson Company.
14. Closed 20k Leagues - replaced it with a Jungle Gym.
15. Created hard ticket "events" where your regular park ticket wouldn't get you in.
16. Curtailed hours of operation in the parks.
17. Allowed Direct to DVD sequels of Disney Classics library.
18. Allowed Pressler and Harriss to let Disneyland fall apart and wreck the resort's relationship with it's annual passholders and local fanbase.
19. Opened DisneyQuest - let it fall apart do to lack of updates/maintenance.
20. Closed/changed many classic attractions.
21. Built/removed Alien Encounter (either way you look at it, one of these was a mistake).
22. Wrecked Adventureland's themeing with the Magic Carpets.
23. Allowed Princess-ification of World Showcase.
24. Turned too many table service restaurants into Character meals.
25. Changed Meet & Greet model into static location; instead of roaming characters.
26. Refused to pay for maintenance and upkeep on EPCOT Center without a sponsor paying for it.
27. Sold off land in Orlando.
28. Introduction of the Disney Dining Plan.
29. Introduction of Fastpass.
30. Allowing the over-reliance on generic "Disney Parks" merchandise and the shunning of land/ride/resort/hotel specific merchandise.
31. Letting Main Street turn into one long department store.
32. Destruction of Pleasure Island.

 

[Thrill]

Well, each one of them is certainly up for debate, but general criticisms include (strictly post-Wells) ...

1. Letting Katzenberg leave to found Dream Works.
2. Halting Disney's America.
3. Misunderstanding the European market and over-saturating EuroDisney with hotel rooms that sat empty.
4. The systematic dismantling of Future World.
5. The changing of "EPCOT Center" to Epcot '94 - beginning what I would term the "gimmick over quality" era of the company.
6. Hiring Michael Ovitz.
7. Purchasing the California Angels.
8. Building the 4th Gate at WDW.
9. Underfunding the 4th Gate and pulling the Beastly Kingdom money at the last minute.
10. Allowing a "land" full of carnival rides like Dinoland USA.
11. Underfunding the 2nd Gate at DLR.
12. Allowing two "lands" full of carnival rides like Paradise Pier and A Bug's Life Land.
13. Hurt the relationship between Disney and the Jim Henson Company.
14. Closed 20k Leagues - replaced it with a Jungle Gym.
15. Created hard ticket "events" where your regular park ticket wouldn't get you in.
16. Curtailed hours of operation in the parks.
17. Allowed Direct to DVD sequels of Disney Classics library.
18. Allowed Pressler and Harriss to let Disneyland fall apart and wreck the resort's relationship with it's annual passholders and local fanbase.
19. Opened DisneyQuest - let it fall apart do to lack of updates/maintenance.
20. Closed/changed many classic attractions.
21. Built/removed Alien Encounter (either way you look at it, one of these was a mistake).
22. Wrecked Adventureland's themeing with the Magic Carpets.
23. Allowed Princess-ification of World Showcase.
24. Turned too many table service restaurants into Character meals.
25. Changed Meet & Greet model into static location; instead of roaming characters.
26. Refused to pay for maintenance and upkeep on EPCOT Center without a sponsor paying for it.
27. Sold off land in Orlando.
28. Introduction of the Disney Dining Plan.
29. Introduction of Fastpass.
30. Allowing the over-reliance on generic "Disney Parks" merchandise and the shunning of land/ride/resort/hotel specific merchandise.
31. Letting Main Street turn into one long department store.
32. Destruction of Pleasure Island.

You forgot one: Destroying the relationship between Disney and Pixar.

I appreciate him saving the company from a buyout (early on and down the road with the Comcast scare), and I think some of his moves were great (ESPN is a huge moneymaker that doesn't hurt anything else), but he made some mistakes. Thirty something of them, and a lot of them are huge.

Either way, you can't deny that he didn't make Disney what it is today. For better or worse. Under appreciated, sure, but certainly not perfect. Far from it.

 

[PineapplePrincess]

I am currently reading Four Decades of Magic, and it has helped me better understand the contributions Eisner made to the Disney company. I definitely have more respect for him now.

 

[SeaCastle]

Most of the things Krack listed aren't so much Eisner's direct fault as much as it was his responsibility. Like any business or organization, the person at the top is accountable for everything that happens. Perhaps some marketing executive decided that Princessing the World Showcase would be a great idea, and the model is instituted. Eisner didn't choose for it directly to happen (hypothetically), but he must be held accountable for to the decisions that his subordinates make, if that includes even letting that executive getting into that position of responsibility.

 

[thewhitequeen]

Well, each one of them is certainly up for debate, but general criticisms include (strictly post-Wells) ...

1. Letting Katzenberg leave to found Dream Works.
2. Halting Disney's America.
3. Misunderstanding the European market and over-saturating EuroDisney with hotel rooms that sat empty.
4. The systematic dismantling of Future World.
5. The changing of "EPCOT Center" to Epcot '94 - beginning what I would term the "gimmick over quality" era of the company.
6. Hiring Michael Ovitz.
7. Purchasing the California Angels.
8. Building the 4th Gate at WDW.
9. Underfunding the 4th Gate and pulling the Beastly Kingdom money at the last minute.
10. Allowing a "land" full of carnival rides like Dinoland USA.
11. Underfunding the 2nd Gate at DLR.
12. Allowing two "lands" full of carnival rides like Paradise Pier and A Bug's Life Land.
13. Hurt the relationship between Disney and the Jim Henson Company.
14. Closed 20k Leagues - replaced it with a Jungle Gym.
15. Created hard ticket "events" where your regular park ticket wouldn't get you in.
16. Curtailed hours of operation in the parks.
17. Allowed Direct to DVD sequels of Disney Classics library.
18. Allowed Pressler and Harriss to let Disneyland fall apart and wreck the resort's relationship with it's annual passholders and local fanbase.
19. Opened DisneyQuest - let it fall apart do to lack of updates/maintenance.
20. Closed/changed many classic attractions.
21. Built/removed Alien Encounter (either way you look at it, one of these was a mistake).
22. Wrecked Adventureland's themeing with the Magic Carpets.
23. Allowed Princess-ification of World Showcase.
24. Turned too many table service restaurants into Character meals.
25. Changed Meet & Greet model into static location; instead of roaming characters.
26. Refused to pay for maintenance and upkeep on EPCOT Center without a sponsor paying for it.
27. Sold off land in Orlando.
28. Introduction of the Disney Dining Plan.
29. Introduction of Fastpass.
30. Allowing the over-reliance on generic "Disney Parks" merchandise and the shunning of land/ride/resort/hotel specific merchandise.
31. Letting Main Street turn into one long department store.
32. Destruction of Pleasure Island.

That's quite a list. :lol: I'm not sure I agree with some of these items being attributed to Eisner though. I'll ask this of people. Do some of you think Disney is better than it was 10 years ago?

I just want to point out one thing. I recall being on some "type" of dining plan in the 80's (it was called the key to the World or something like that - I was a young kid but I remember using the motor boats at the Contemporary over and over again because everything was included). The demise of disney dining is due to "free dining" and endless discounts.

 

[wolf359]

Do some of you think Disney is better than it was 10 years ago?

Without hesitation, yes.

 

[Thrill]

That's quite a list. :lol: I'm not sure I agree with some of these items being attributed to Eisner though. I'll ask this of people. Do some of you think Disney is better than it was 10 years ago?

I just want to point out one thing. I recall being on some "type" of dining plan in the 80's (it was called the key to the World or something like that - I was a young kid but I remember using the motor boats at the Contemporary over and over again because everything was included). The demise of disney dining is due to "free dining" and endless discounts.

We can thank Iger for that. In almost every way besides free dining messing with reservations, Disney has improved in the last 10 years. DCA is almost an actual park now, for example.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

. The demise of disney dining is due to "free dining" and endless discounts.

Free dining and endless discounts is getting more people into the parks in droves. Disney knows they have a superior product in their theme parks, getting people to come just once will almost surely get them to come back. Plus the discounts help people who really can't afford a family vacation. Its really one of the better business decisions Disney has ever made if you think about it.


Jimmy Thick- but there can only be onnnneee...

 

[Krack]

That's quite a list. :lol: I'm not sure I agree with some of these items being attributed to Eisner though. I'll ask this of people. Do some of you think Disney is better than it was 10 years ago?

Disneyland? Yes.

Walt Disney World? No.

The company as a whole? Probably, but mostly because ESPN has become a behemoth, the Pixar acquisition and the fact that Pirates became a billion dollar franchise.

 

[raiden]

Yes.

1. Walt
2. Eisner

Everyone else a distant third etc
3. Walker
4. Iger
5. Miller

 

[bjlc57]

well again.. the company is being run by bean counters.. all which started after Frank Wells dies..

even to this day.. instead of blowing HP and Universal out of the water, the Disney board sat back on their hands.. and while most of you are holding your breath for the fantasy land expansion, those HERE who are in the know, will tell you that its a half hazzard attempt to halt the damage that HP is now doing to Disney world..

and that, these rides won't come close to what is needed to stem the tide.. not especially when Universal announces the second part of Harry Potter ville to be coming "soon"..

its a feeble effort at best..

and Eisner is at the root of the cause to blame..

and again.. how was he treated as he left.. a "retiring hero" or a goat.. ?

the answer has already been discussed.

a total goat..

I applaud mr. Thick for his belief in Mr. Eisner.. I , at one time, had the exact same feeling toward him..

UNTIL Mr. Eisner changed.. and became something else.. an Ego maniac and one who forgot that Disney World was a place WHERE DREAMS CAN COME TRUE..

and continued to dream..

 

[MonkeyHeadCup]

Agreed

My favorite thing about WDW are the resorts - and I think that was all Eisner.

 

[DisneyNut2007]

Yes.

1. Walt
2. Eisner

Everyone else a distant third etc
3. Walker
4. Iger
5. Miller

Personally, given Eisner's one too many errors that cost the company fortune after fortune, I'd move Iger to #2 and Eisner to #3.

 

[DisneyNut2007]

Disneyland? Yes.

Walt Disney World? No.

The company as a whole? Probably, but mostly because ESPN has become a behemoth, the Pixar acquisition and the fact that Pirates became a billion dollar franchise.

If you'd modify most of your answers, particularly changing the WDW answer to "Getting better", I'd be more likely to agree with you.

 

[finaldynasty]

I think the deal with Pixar alone should make him #2 behind Walt!