Really, Why Bother ...

[Phonedave]

It's an insignificant point, so I don't know why I'm bothering arguing it (perhaps I just like to argue), but Rohde is also an executive.

I think that if Rohde were a less-popular and/or less-highly regarded Imagineer, people around here would probably criticize him for dressing the way he does. That's not even taking into account that he's an executive. However, given his track record, people are willing to overlook that and give him a pass.

That said, I have to admit, if I were Joe Rohde, I'd wear whatever the hell I want, too.

Rohde is 'special' for a number of reasons.

One - He IS Joe Rohde, they cut him some slack because of his proven track record in a creative field.

Two - It his image. People accept that and it is well known (fairly)

Three - He has 'style'. I for one don't think it's that swift, but there is a style there. He may look out of the norm, but he does not look thrown together. Just like execs who wear turtlenecks, or a bow tie, or cowboy boots. There non-conformity there, but there is also a sense of style and grooming. The picture in the article shows a person who threw on ill fitting clothes.


-dave
.

 

[TP2000]

I'm tired of seeing managers working on stage wearing mall clothes (no costume) with blackberries and multiple lanyards with IDs/keys/pins etc. It totally takes you out of any notion of show ... and it makes what's supposed to be a place removed from the real world feel very real and gritty instead.

Agreed. Too often the Disney managers not wearing uniforms look slobbier and sloppier and schleppier than the uniformed CM's they are in charge of. This bizarre Disney habit of letting a manager wander through the park saddled with a pin lanyard, an ID card, a nametag, a honkin' old-fashioned Blackberry, and keys-a-janglin' off their cheap belt looks so ridiculous.

My Mom always told me "Always take one thing off before you leave the house". Apparently the Disney management corps never got that advice. :lol:

But seriously, we bemoan the fall in grooming and appearance for the uniformed hourly CM's. But it's becoming clear why the front-line Cast Members look so slobby now; look who is in charge of them!

And still I can't get over the fact that Mr. Colglazier thought that baggy, unstructured shirt was appropriate for a media interview as a Vice President. John W. Nordstrom is rolling in his grave!

 

[MiklCraw4d]

I've yet to see any evidence of that...
More often than not I see more assumption making and jumping to (incorrect) conclusions.

This.

DAK has MANY issues, all of which should have been brought up in this interview.

Also, this.

As for Mr. Colglazier, if I had to walk around DAK regularly I'd wear the loosest-fitting garment I could find. I'm surprised he didn't have a muumuu on. It's about the only clothes appropriate for that heat sink...

 

[TP2000]

As for Mr. Colglazier, if I had to walk around DAK regularly I'd wear the loosest-fitting garment I could find. I'm surprised he didn't have a muumuu on. It's about the only clothes appropriate for that heat sink...

I'm sure it's hot there in summer. (Nevermind it was also hot in 20th century summers when Disney had stricter executive dress codes).

But this interview was done in February, sometime within the past week. Over the past week, the warmest it has been in Orlando is 73 degrees, on February 9th. The daily high temperatures have averaged in the upper 50's to mid 60's over the past week, with low temperatures in the 40 to 49 degree range. (Brrrr!)

http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/USFL0372

Even if this interview took place on the very warmest day of the past week, when it topped out at 73 degrees last Wednesday, that doesn't excuse his business attire.

 

[janoimagine]

I just spent 6 nights in WDW the last week of January & I just wanted to chime in that I did see a lot of cleaning going on & was extremely impressed by the up keep. AS SOON as the parade would end a cast member pushing a mini street sweeper/vaccum came up main street cleaning up all the popcorn & trash as well as other cast members with brooms & pans......after the celebrate street party they do in the hub there were streamers & confetti in the trees they had shot out from the floats.....as soon as it ended cast members with those long claws came & started getting any remains in the trees/bushes....Everything was always clean from what I saw & I am always eyeing the details...just positive food for thought!

They have always done that after parades ... going back to the park opening, that is expected, and is a bar they set. They set a ton of other bars in the industry as well and what some call nitpicking or doom and gloom on these boards is nothing more than those of us who love the company trying to hold them to there own standards. The black tarp on BTM right now and it's broken effects would have never been acceptable in years past, however the idiots, and I mean idiots in TDO who have allowed that ride to continue in that fashion should be removed from there positions, and have them given to someone who actually cares about the guest experience.

 

[janoimagine]

My take on the article is a little different. I've been interviewed four times by the press, twice for TV and twice for print. I was misquoted, misrepresented or blatantly lied to on both occasions by the TV interviewers who both filmed over an hour and a half of interview and aired less than a minute and a half each of what was filmed, twisting what was supposed to be a very positive story into a bitter attack on an organization that had treated me well. The two print stories turned out better only because I insisted on a veto of the whole article in both cases in advance.

The press doesn't always reflect what was said or the context it was said in when they present their work. Garcia may very well have done so here. Any published interview that comes across that poorly raises my suspicions of the journalist's integrity.

I agree with you that the press isn't all pixie dust and rose petals, they are an entertainment industry after all at there core ... and there's no news like bad news to grab attention right?
However, in this article, I see no sensationalisim, no added bonuses to the Sentinel or Garcia for posting an article of such fluff and nonsense. The article doesn't benefit either party, at its core, its very vanilla. :shrug:

 

[Phonedave]

Agreed. Too often the Disney managers not wearing uniforms look slobbier and sloppier and schleppier than the uniformed CM's they are in charge of. This bizarre Disney habit of letting a manager wander through the park saddled with a pin lanyard, an ID card, a nametag, a honkin' old-fashioned Blackberry, and keys-a-janglin' off their cheap belt looks so ridiculous.

One of our company rules is that you must always be wearing your ID.

Very very very few people at corporte wear their ID on a lanyard. Most of the time it is clipped to your belt at your hip. In fact if you are wearing a jacket, it is almost hidden. Most of us have them on retractors too, so that you can keep the RF door pass cards in them, and just extend it when you have to move through various doors.

My Mom always told me "Always take one thing off before you leave the house". Apparently the Disney management corps never got that advice. :lol:

A sock? Your pants? I don't know about that advice



-dave

 

[Monty]

I agree with you that the press isn't all pixie dust and rose petals, they are an entertainment industry after all at there core ... and there's no news like bad news to grab attention right?
However, in this article, I see no sensationalisim, no added bonuses to the Sentinel or Garcia for posting an article of such fluff and nonsense. The article doesn't benefit either party, at its core, its very vanilla. :shrug:

I thinking it's possibly vanilla because Garcia didn't get whatever negative sound-bite he was digging for and ran a minimalist fluff piece instead...

My hypothesis could only be confirmed by listening to actual recordings of the interview itself, but since that's not likely it'll stand as conjecture at best. :shrug:

 

[whylightbulb]

About the best thing I can say about WWoHP is that it is Tokyo Disney quality. The level of immersion and attention to detail truly puts most of what is in Orlando (all parks) to shame. And Forbidden Journey is a tour de force of what can be done today (and, no, like TDR , I don't think it's perfect).

Yes I agree that even FJ could be a lot better: from the non optical grade mirrors in the load area to the horrid transition projections as well as the non-existant finale there is lots of room for improvement. Despite all its shortcomings it at least has been a refreshing departure from the status quo in the stateside parks as of late.

 

[T-1MILLION]

Yes I agree that even FJ could be a lot better: from the non optical grade mirrors in the load area to the horrid transition projections as well as the non-existant finale there is lots of room for improvement. Despite all its shortcomings it at least has been a refreshing departure from the status quo in the stateside parks as of late.

And it works.

 

[DisneyNut2007]

Agree with your take 100%. This thread is pure temper tantrum. As would be expected.

It sure is. Typical of WDW1974. :hurl:

I wish he'd go back to his deep, dark, depressing hole in the wall where he belongs.

 

[Magenta Panther]

The guy really shouldn't have exposed the chest hair. Makes people think of the Yeti. :drevil:

And yeah, lame interview. Lame lame lame lame LAME. Stupid puff piece. Pity it isn't in newsprint form. It'd be a godsend for readers housebreaking puppies and lining bird cages. Otherwise, phooey.

 

[thelookingglass]

But seriously, we bemoan the fall in grooming and appearance for the uniformed hourly CM's. But it's becoming clear why the front-line Cast Members look so slobby now; look who is in charge of them!

Maybe I'm just not paying as much attention, but I just haven't really seen this. Most of the frontline CMs I see are at least moderately attractive 20-somethings, or if they're not, they still have the proper look. Then there are the older retired CMs, who IMO get a pass if they don't look great. I never see unbuttoned costumes or facial hair or something. When you need 60,000 people, you can't really discriminate against looks...

I mean if theres one thing Disney still does better than Universal, its the look of its workers. At Universal you will still find Team Members with their costume half buttoned, sagging pants, un-groomed facial hair (I know Universal allows facial hair), etc.

 

[Jrn14]

I agree with those stating the front of the line managers don't really look professional or at all uniform. I'm always amazed when I go that they can get away with such a variety of styles a lot of which I find a bit too casual for someone in a manager's position... (I feel more often then not they would look better in one of the operation workers costumes). I would see like 3 managers standing together one might be wearing tight black pants a short sleeved orange top with some gaudy flower or ruffles on it, a male wearing dark dolce and gabanna sunglasses white shoes, white pants and a grey argyle sweater and a third could be wearing a bright red oversized polo and khaki pants and brown shoes.. All of which would have the keys, lanyard, blackberry, headset and those silly pickers. I'm sorry but they look like 3 friends who work at three different places all meeting up at Fridays for happy hour. I mean I think they look too casual (I'm sure if I was in their shoes I would want to dress casually, and probably a bit different, but I think this creates confusion and bad show for guests). It's not even so much that they look sloppy or underdressed, but they all dress soooo differently... I think some limits would benefit. I.E. men can wear polos or long sleeved dress shirts and they can only be white, blue, or green or something like that... I often find myself thinking when I see these managers... "are they working or are they just visiting the parks with their nametags on"... then "I realize... oh yeah... they have to be working because they have their name tags on" I'm sure a lot of first time visitors might be confused as well.


I know some WDW costumes are ridiculous but nothing takes you out of the immersive experience like when your in the Haunted Mansion and some girl is helping load you in a Charlotte Russe floral top or when the guy giving you your drink at Pecos bills is wearing a Pink Ralph Lauren Polo... I seriously would rather them just wear the FL costumes.

 

[thelookingglass]

The managers can't wear the front line costumes because they have to appear separate from the front line cast. Otherwise how would guests even know they are talking to a manager?

 

[lazyboy97o]

The managers can't wear the front line costumes because they have to appear separate from the front line cast. Otherwise how would guests even know they are talking to a manager?

There are many means by which it can be accomplished. A different, but still appropriate costume would be one. Different name tag, be it color, shape or material or even a pin. Obviously being in costume is not needed while working in the office, but it should definitely be a requirement if you are going to be on stage. Safety, Courtesy, Show, Efficiency (not that these have any real meaning beyond being some nifty buzz words).

 

[GrumpyFan]

Can't we just move on?

 

[_Scar]

Can't we just move on?

It's only page 7 though

 

[WDW1974]

Agreed. Too often the Disney managers not wearing uniforms look slobbier and sloppier and schleppier than the uniformed CM's they are in charge of. This bizarre Disney habit of letting a manager wander through the park saddled with a pin lanyard, an ID card, a nametag, a honkin' old-fashioned Blackberry, and keys-a-janglin' off their cheap belt looks so ridiculous.

My Mom always told me "Always take one thing off before you leave the house". Apparently the Disney management corps never got that advice. :lol:

But seriously, we bemoan the fall in grooming and appearance for the uniformed hourly CM's. But it's becoming clear why the front-line Cast Members look so slobby now; look who is in charge of them!

And still I can't get over the fact that Mr. Colglazier thought that baggy, unstructured shirt was appropriate for a media interview as a Vice President. John W. Nordstrom is rolling in his grave!

I'm not sure when the change began ... I'm thinking late 90s, but it was jarring for someone used to Disney suits wearing ... well, suits.

And it does make a difference. Seeing OLC suits wearing pricey-looking attire and attempting (with varying degrees of success) to speak English to me, they gave off an aura of class and we belong where we are.

I don't see that at WDW ... and looking at video of the Dream launch I don't see how folks like Iger and Staggs weren't embarrassed by the apperance of many of the execs and managers at Port Canaveral that day. If I thought they looked bad on a computer screen, I wonder what they looked like in living color!

 

[WDW1974]

I'm sure it's hot there in summer. (Nevermind it was also hot in 20th century summers when Disney had stricter executive dress codes).

But this interview was done in February, sometime within the past week. Over the past week, the warmest it has been in Orlando is 73 degrees, on February 9th. The daily high temperatures have averaged in the upper 50's to mid 60's over the past week, with low temperatures in the 40 to 49 degree range. (Brrrr!)

http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/USFL0372

Even if this interview took place on the very warmest day of the past week, when it topped out at 73 degrees last Wednesday, that doesn't excuse his business attire.

Exactly.

I recall seeing execs and managers walking in Adventureland in suits and ties when it was in the 90s in summer. I don't think any of them dropped dead because they dressed professionally ... of course, in those days they likely weighed an average of 65 pounds less to start!

And most of these execs spend the vast amount of their days IN OFFICES, so weather isn't exactly the same concern as if he was working parking cars at the main DAK lot.