Joe Rohde announces retirement from WDI

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Roy E Disney would be the one who opened them up for raiding. Big Disney projects going over budget wasn’t anything new at that point, both DL and WDW phase 1 went well over budget.

Roy E did a more “quiet” version of the shareholder revolt that he pulled 20 years later...but that was a family squabble.

Anyway...he won...it worked out for all of us

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I know I'm old fashioned, but he is 65 years old. It's time to off the hardware, get some duct tape and see if he can't get his earlobe to reattach and do his grown up job with dignity and not act like a rebelling teenager.

He’s not being a rebelling teenager, he’s taken on a tradition of other cultures. The tradition itself is much more old fashioned than your old-fashioned values and expections of how a “grown up” should act.

 

[trainplane3]

Well that's going to be quite a team:

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Well that's going to be quite a team:

Goodness! I wish Virgin was opening a theme park now!

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Roy E did a more “quiet” version of the shareholder revolt that he pulled 20 years later...but that was a family squabble.

Anyway...he won...it worked out for all of us

 

[lazyboy97o]

It is weird how blaming Joe for budget issues is worn as some sort of badge of “knowledge.” Costs have exploded over the past 15 years and that is not limited to the projects helmed by any one creative executive.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It is weird how blaming Joe for budget issues is worn as some sort of badge of “knowledge.” Costs have exploded over the past 15 and that is not limited to the projects helmed by any one creative executive.

Exactly. What project wasn’t over budget?

 

[trainplane3]

Exactly. What project wasn’t over budget?

I just keep thinking, if GotG is running around a half billion...imagine how much a brand new, modern SSE would be.

 

[DVCakaCarlF]

Inflation for one. AK was between $800 million to a billion and that park was victim to major cuts like losing Tiger River Run, Asia’s Kilomanjaro Safari analogue, a fleshed out Dinoland and, of course, Beastly Kingdom.

The issue too is that a truly Disney quality park is not cheap. What’s fascinating about the Iger era is that they generally didn’t skimp on budgets, but WDI often didn’t design things with good bones in the way parks like DLP, EC, DAK or TDS have good bones. I’m saddened by what they’re doing to Epcot by turning it into a Disney Store park, but one day, new leadership could scrub away all the detritus and uncover the strong foundation EC has.

Aside from Inflation, still stupid money.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It is weird how blaming Joe for budget issues is worn as some sort of badge of “knowledge.” Costs have exploded over the past 15 years and that is not limited to the projects helmed by any one creative executive.

1. It’s not a badge of honor...it’s a recognition of fact. If it’s coming off to somehow being meant that way...it’s a sad commentary.
2. They all do it.
3. It’s been a lot longer than 15 years
4. So?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Exactly. What project wasn’t over budget?

I can think of two recent ones that seem to fit. But numbers are always guarded/not guarded according to agenda.

I just keep thinking, if GotG is running around a half billion...imagine how much a brand new, modern SSE would be.

are we 100% sure those budget numbers actually stick? I know they float them...and evenly internally state them to the foot soldiers...

But then sometimes you hear “turns out...it was less”. That was not the Disney way of the past. Usually you trusted the figure and if they started “not talking” about the money...they were way over.

There were a couple of “big” adds in recent years that were later cheaper...it seems.

Aside from Inflation, still stupid money.

It’s all “stupid” money...but there are angles there as well.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Inflation for one. AK was between $800 million to a billion and that park was victim to major cuts like losing Tiger River Run, Asia’s Kilomanjaro Safari analogue, a fleshed out Dinoland and, of course, Beastly Kingdom.

The issue too is that a truly Disney quality park is not cheap. What’s fascinating about the Iger era is that they generally didn’t skimp on budgets, but WDI often didn’t design things with good bones in the way parks like DLP, EC, DAK or TDS have good bones. I’m saddened by what they’re doing to Epcot by turning it into a Disney Store park, but one day, new leadership could scrub away all the detritus and uncover the strong foundation EC has.

You buying that number?

 

[the.dreamfinder]

You buying that number?

Given what the park opened with, it’s in the higher end of that range. Kilimanjaro Safaris and the whole animal program went really, really over budget from what I understand.

 

[monothingie]

Woah...you mad, bro?

(I thought I was the “snarly” one on this thread ???

“I claim this battleground for the throne of Spain!!” )

WDI killed whatever was left of EPCOT.

0 Respect for imagineers like Zach who’s more concerned about his Instagram page, being proud of installing 5 aircraft carrier barges in WS lagoon, and wearing retro Disney tshirts.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Given what the park opened with, it’s in the higher end of that range. Kilimanjaro Safaris and the whole animal program went really, really over budget from what I understand.

You know...for a few years...about 10 or so ago...the Guinness book of records had a different number...and it wasn’t that.

Here’s how the tale went: in 1996/97 (joe was front and center)...budget projections were way off...and since they were still 2 years from opening (remember that the park was set to open in 1999)...the “reduction” was two purpose: move up date of opening (official excuse) and slash what was left as damage control.

So how much did they spend? There’s no official paper trail...but the consensus was it wasn’t a billion.

So Epcot and dak are kindred spirits in a lot of ways.

Eisner wasn’t p!ssed all the time because everything was going well:

Anyway...campfire stories

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

WDI killed whatever was left of EPCOT.

0 Respect for imagineers like Zach who’s more concerned about his Instagram page, being proud of installing 5 aircraft carrier barges in WS lagoon, and wearing retro Disney tshirts.

Don’t confuse me messing with you as the slightest sign I disagree with you.

She’s been violated...something that was always blamed on the last ownership...because the praetorians only live in the hear and now.

Well now...the place is a shell of a theme. And that can’t be blamed on card walker or frank wells or Michael ovitz. It’s time to share the “credit”

A meet and greet house on an expansion pad in the showcase for a standard formula princess flick? And that was just the start.

 

[tirian]

WDI killed whatever was left of EPCOT.

0 Respect for imagineers like Zach who’s more concerned about his Instagram page, being proud of installing 5 aircraft carrier barges in WS lagoon, and wearing retro Disney tshirts.

I’ve been taking a break from fan forums because I work in this industry; and frankly, after years of being involved in the online fan community, I can’t handle watching people defend bad decisions anymore. It feels like most forums are overrun with rabid fanboys. Plus it has overflowed from “Disney Decisions” to “Political Opinions” (and God forbid you disagree with the uninformed-yet-loudest voices).

If people became Disney fans because of the company’s legacy and magic, why pretend today’s lousy stuff meets the same standards?

EDIT: See the Sunken-cost Theory, same as “Game of Thrones.”

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’ve been taking a break from fan forums because I work in this industry; and frankly, after years of being involved in the online fan community, I can’t handle watching people defend bad decisions anymore. It feels like every forum is overrun with shills. Plus it has overflowed from “Disney Decisions” to “Political Opinions” (and God forbid you disagree with the loudest voices).

If people became Disney fans because of the company’s legacy and magic, why pretend today’s lousy stuff meets the same standards?

Oh you should spin by the covid threads...

We have self anointed “experts” who made completely wrong predictions, followed it up by their owned “researched opinions”, and then “no way I’m wrong”
Stances...

And are proven wrong near daily 10-11 months now.

Like a bird that repeatedly flies into a window

 

[tirian]

Oh you should spin by the covid threads...

We have self anointed “experts” who made completely wrong predictions, followed it up by their owned “researched opinions”, and then “no way I’m wrong”
Stances...

And are proven wrong near daily 10-11 months now.

Like a bird that repeatedly flies into a window

No, I’m staying away from all of that.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’ve been taking a break from fan forums because I work in this industry; and frankly, after years of being involved in the online fan community, I can’t handle watching people defend bad decisions anymore. It feels like most forums are overrun with shills. Plus it has overflowed from “Disney Decisions” to “Political Opinions” (and God forbid you disagree with the uninformed-yet-loudest voices).

If people became Disney fans because of the company’s legacy and magic, why pretend today’s lousy stuff meets the same standards?

EDIT: See the Sunken-cost Theory, same as “Game of Thrones.”

In this big, blue world...people have retracted their thinking to fit inside only their own heads.

I wish I knew the day where it was decided “right to your own opinion” was ceded to “right to your own truth”...

I’d take my Dolorean back to the day before and strangle whoever thought of it.

We had this come up recently somewhere: the need to 100% defend Disney on all things or you are by default a hater of it all.

What a ridiculous, immature way to operate? I can enjoy Disney parks and flag bad decisions. As can anyone else. Jump on the wagon...there’s room for all.

But that can’t be allowed to stand. So the defense of obvious mistakes occurs. We have people that love Disney to the point they defend their more catastrophic movie failures. It doesn’t take a shaman to read the results. Let it breath and then decide. It’s clear.

But hey...I’m not telling you anything you don’t know