New Titles and Positions Announced including Jim MacPhee

[yankspy]

Lasseter doesn't have anywhere close to the power that Wells had, and I doubt the bean counters will ever let him get anywhere close.

What power does he actually have? I am just trying to get a better understanding of the power structure.

I have another question. Who exactly are the bean counters. I know we throw that term around a lot and I know what the term means in general but are there specific people in terms of Disney whom we can attach that moniker to? Just curious.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Lasseter doesn't have anywhere close to the power that Wells had, and I doubt the bean counters will ever let him get anywhere close.

I didn't say he did, just a thought that he could and your right the bean counters would hate him or anyone interested in spending profits (hey, they hated Walt right?).

And yes his current powers are confusing. he can tell people to put more western merchandise in Frontierland, call the shots on who does what for the animated features and push suggestions forward on the DCA project. He seems to have some kind of power, at least for an individual who has a creative position and actual creativity.

 

[Huck]

No...
...can't be Thrawn. (Looks left, looks right) I actually used to enjoy laughing at Thrawn's posts. Not so much, here.

 

[Huck]

He shall return.. But under what moniker this time??? Hmmm...

Thrawnigma 626!!:ROFLOL:

 

[yankspy]

What power does he actually have? I am just trying to get a better understanding of the power structure.

I have another question. Who exactly are the bean counters. I know we throw that term around a lot and I know what the term means in general but are there specific people in terms of Disney whom we can attach that moniker to? Just curious.

Come on WDW74 or any of our other resident experts, surely you could take a stab at these two questions. BTW, I am not trying to be a wise guy. I am being serious.

 

[tirian]

Eisner saved TWDC ... along with Frank Wells and Roy Disney and Jeffrey Katzenburg.

Eisner's first decade as CEO was one of the best in the history of the company from both financial and creative standpoints.

He built off some great moves that had just been started under Ron Miller, Card Walker and Donn Tatum ... things like EPCOT Center, TDL, The Disney Channel, Touchstone Pictures and WDW hotel growth that were in their infancy and just led an amazing period of growth.

Once Frank died, things really began to sour ... some of it was in Michael's control and some wasn't. There's no denying his last five years if not longer were largely a disaster.

But he was creative ... and he cared about the product. Greatly. He was also someone you could carry on a real conversation with about the product, he didn't simply want to hear that everything was magical.

Bob Iger's honeymoon is over. And he's going to have to show he's more than simply a caretaker who collects $30 million annually for delegating to his division heads. The man has an ego that makes Michael's look puny (you really need to ask a WDW CM what goes on when he comes to visit as he did in January ... his visits, including what doors he will enter at what exact time, are more choreographed than when politicians and celebs are there).

Eisner was rightfully crtiticized for being a micro-manager, something you just can't do with a media giant like TWDC.

But Iger appears to be the direct opposite. He doesn't want to get his hands dirty with anything. For a creative company, that isn't good either.

~Pass the Pixie Dust~

Ummm...our statements agree 100%.

 

[MousDad]

I don't know exactly what the deal is/was with this 'enigma' person, but I don't believe in banning people from sites like this (and no, no one asked for my opinion before some smart a$$ says it, but this is a DISCUSSION board) UNLESS they are behaving in a threatening manner toward others, placing personal information that isn't known about others or engaging in name-calling/slurs.

Just being confrontational or nasty shouldn't get anyone tossed IMHO.

Again, I don't know what happened here, so I don't know whether it was justified or not. I certainly didn't see anything on this thread that would qualify.

I think the rule is, once someone is banned, for whatever reason, they cannot sign up again as another user. They will be automatically banned again.

I don't know what got him banned originally, or who he originally was, but I have to agree with 74 that I didn't see anything content-wise that warranted him getting banned under the Enigma name. Let's hope it was only because of the rule stated above.

 

[GothMickey]

Wow, I am off for a few days and the thread expodes, Enigma is canned, and my hopes for a better WDW fades.... What a weekend!!!

 

[ClemsonTigger]

I wouldn't look at this as a loss at all. Yes, Epcot won't have him at the helm, but the projects he'll be dealing with will be considerably larger, if not more impactful on the resort.

For the first time in months, I'm not worried about Jim or others in management whom I know or have worked with in the past. It has been a dark time in terms of information when it came to this buyout/restructuring, and most of the people whom I was most worried about seem to be safe, if not better than they were before. I'm still waiting on word from a few others, but I can say that this is the first night I've been able to breathe easy on the subject since September.

Here I go again on my "positive" outlook!



Heres where I go on my more rare "negative" outlook.

The answer to your question: you really don't want to know.

Magic 8-Ball says:

At first glance:
Good for Jim. That'll work out nicely, I think.
Dan C. - Potential for much suck...but I hope not. Rather have his dad than him.
Meg - Good for us. New role appears much more administrative, less decision-making.
Erin - I see no real impact.
WDI - Could go either way. They have needed to trim some fat, drop dead weight, and get their ducks in a row for a while. This could do that, and leave them lean and mean. Or....it could neuter them somewhat. Time will tell there.

As it does not come to me as naturally, I will lean on your optimism Adam, and take additional solace in Lee not being immediately concerned.

Hopefully it's different at Disney....but in my corporate world, being reassigned to "special projects" is the kiss of death. It's akin to putting a loyal long term employee out to pasture, but giving them an extended period to retire or find themselves a new position. I hope not in this case.

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

Some former co-workers of mine at EPCOT were speculating that they believe the Jim's new "special projects" role is Shanghai.

 

[Leslie]

Does anyone know what is happening concerning the Imagineering restructuring? I have a few friends there.

 

[WDWFigment]

Enigma is canned, and my hopes for a better WDW fades....

Surely your hopes for a better WDW were not dependent on Enigma. Just kidding, I know what you mean.

 

[ILOVEDISNEY]

With 35% off toys at WDW and Downtown Disney, and an extra 10% off promotion for APs now at DD with two Disney Travel pin lanyards/pins thrown in, Disney must be hurting very badly. My Disney stock has lost almost 50% of its value in the past few months. Who could have seen this coming?

 

[GothMickey]

Surely your hopes for a better WDW were not dependent on Enigma. Just kidding, I know what you mean.

Nice one. But, no. My hopes for a better WDW did not rest on Enigma. Actually, my hope comes from Jedimaster's posts and positivity. But, I also lose that hope when I read WDW1974's posts.

 

[TURKEY]

With 35% off toys at WDW and Downtown Disney, and an extra 10% off promotion for APs now at DD with two Disney Travel pin lanyards/pins thrown in, Disney must be hurting very badly.

But all is perfect because the parks are crowded with people right?


Don't mind the fact that they aren't carrying shopping bags or buying lots of food or paying full or near full price for the room.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

But all is perfect because the parks are crowded with people right?


Don't mind the fact that they aren't carrying shopping bags or buying lots of food or paying full or near full price for the room.

Perhaps if Disney wasnt trying to flog us over priced generic tat that can be purchased world wide for a fraction of the price there may be more bulging shopping bags.

Like wise for food, or do people really starve when they visit WDW in these days of financial Armageddon?

 

[GothMickey]

Perhaps if Disney wasnt trying to flog us over priced generic tat that can be purchased world wide for a fraction of the price there may be more bulging shopping bags.

Like wise for food, or do people really starve when they visit WDW in these days of financial Armageddon?

The merchandise is crap and too expensive. Get better products, and yes, I am sure you'd see more bulging shopping bags.

As for food, of course people eat. I just think they eat more snacks or bring their own food.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

As for food, of course people eat. I just think they eat more snacks or bring their own food.

I would be interested to know what gives the biggest margin, counter service or table? Perhaps they're not so concerned by driving people to burger and fries if they are getting more of a return.

 

[GothMickey]

I would be interested to know what gives the biggest margin, counter service or table? Perhaps they're not so concerned by driving people to burger and fries if they are getting more of a return.

Good question. I'd like to know this too.

 

[TURKEY]

The merchandise is crap and too expensive. Get better products, and yes, I am sure you'd see more bulging shopping bags.

As for food, of course people eat. I just think they eat more snacks or bring their own food.

That's my point. Even though people are claiming how full the parks are, they aren't spending the same amount to stay (4/3 promo on room and slight discount on tickets as well).

More and more people have finally realized the merch is crap and not worth buying even at the discounted rates. More and more food is being brought into the parks, while less is being bought and more splitting of meals is happening.



All of these moves being made seem to be just to cut cost, not improve any experience. What's going to happen if/when people do stop coming the way the are now and promos no longer are as effective as they have been?

What's going to happen then?