Spirited News and Observations and Opinions ...

[Pixiedustmaker]

From my own experience, rudeness/meanness is not exclusive to any particular area (or areas) on the planet. In fact, it's extremely rude (not to mention ignorant and shallow) to make such broad assumptions about certain groups of people.

Intellectually, I understand what you're saying, and certainly there are nice and mean people everywhere, and I probably should have attached a percentage to the level of rudeness . . . but having lived in the northeast for an extended period of time, I'm kinda biased. I actually picked up some of New Englanders' attitude when I came back, and yes, it does come out from time to time.

People in different parts of the country eat different types of food, and may well have different traditions . . . it is a state-wide pastime in Mass to complain about things all the time.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Oh, and you gotta love the respect Disney showed to Tony. 47.5 years and NO press release and nothing on The Disney Parks Blog. But that is what I logged on to discuss when I found this mess. ... oh, and wondering if the fact Tony was deadset against NEXT GEN hastened his departure from WDI.

Rumor has it that Rodhe has a similar position and told Jim Hill so. It must be a good day to be Theiry Coup!!

Also, any insight into why Pete was mentioned over John. Is there something that we don't know?

 

[WDW1974]

Again, we agree. NextGen won't be the make-or-break decision for most families. But, as @Lee alludes to, it goes into the equation. As I suggested earlier, if even a small percentage are turned off by MyMagic+, it could seriously hurt WDW's financial performance.

You will lose a number of guests with this ... what's worse is the way Disney is implimenting it. Sort of like cutting a steak into 64 pieces and serving them one by one and not daily and not to everyone who is in the queue to dine.

It's a little bit here, a little bit there. Worse, it may be like this for the next 18 months ... or longer. No one knows how this tech will actually work when it HAS to work for EVERYONE.

And all of that absolutely will have an effect on the bottom line.

BTW, have we talked yet about how one goal of this is to reduce front gate Ops to a skeleton crew? Sorta like self check out at the Home Depot? We haven't? Oh well, there's that too ...

 

[WDW1974]

It is your personal opinion that Iger somehow made a mistake, (maybe they are covering this in the bay state?), but it sure isn't being kicked around the news cycle. If Markey had grandiose visions of spearheading a crusade against NextGen . . . nobody in the national media batted an eyebrow.

If you think this is over, then you are very mistaken ...

 

[BlueSkyDriveBy]

Also, any insight into why Pete was mentioned over John. Is there something that we don't know?

I have a multi-part theory about that:

1) Pete has wanted to see Imagination fixed as much as Tony. They're simpatico on this issue.
2) Perhaps Baxter partly blames Lasseter for not helping improve his professional existence at WDI.
3) Maybe he was tossing Docter a bone given that Pete would be on the short list to replace Lasseter when he retires (which I'm guessing might happen when John's contract is up in 2016).

 

[WDW1974]

Rumor has it that Rodhe has a similar position and told Jim Hill so. It must be a good day to be Theiry Coup!!

Also, any insight into why Pete was mentioned over John. Is there something that we don't know?

Joe Rohde basically is out of a job if Pandora doesn't pan out ... and he may well be anyway. WDI will be downsizing in a huge way and they might as well start by knocking the highest paid guys out to start, right? Not like they mind spending over $100 million on simple Omnimover rides past plastic figures they pass off as AAs. Not like they mind spending over $1.5 billion on a datamining and tour planning scheme. ... Yeah, they need to lose those HUGE Imagineering salaries.

Um as your query ... yes, I have some insight. Suffice to say ... Pete is a friend of Tony's and has stood up for him, while John ... um ...

Let's put it this way: there are plenty of things we don't know and some that we may know but not be at liberty to say at this point.

 

[WDW1974]

I have a multi-part theory about that:

1) Pete has wanted to see Imagination fixed as much as Tony. They're simpatico on this issue.
2) Perhaps Baxter partly blames Lasseter for not helping improve his professional existence at WDI.
3) Maybe he was tossing Docter a bone given that Pete would be on the short list to replace Lasseter when he retires (which I'm guessing might happen when John's contract is up in 2016).

Great minds = posting at the same time!

1.) absolutely;
2.) um ... um ... maybe, kinda, sorta;
3.) interesting ... never thought about that, makes sense.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

If you think this is over, then you are very mistaken ...

I doubt that Markey will be able to *do* anything with regards to this issue, his handling of it has raised questions in my mind regarding his general effectiveness as a politician. You do know how Congress works? Just because he might be a senator . . . he won't be a senior senator and even then, he can't just randomly do things to hurt Disney.

I feel confident that he just wants to look tough on privacy issues considering that he didn't really know what he was talking about and that his action won't generate legislation that would hurt Disney.

If you mean that Markey will still foam at the mouth on this, who knows?

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I have a multi-part theory about that:

1) Pete has wanted to see Imagination fixed as much as Tony. They're simpatico on this issue.
2) Perhaps Baxter partly blames Lasseter for not helping improve his professional existence at WDI.
3) Maybe he was tossing Docter a bone given that Pete would be on the short list to replace Lasseter when he retires (which I'm guessing might happen when John's contract is up in 2016).

I agree with your the points of your theory, but I think It's not like John didn't want to help fix imagineering. My theory has been that Lasseter, Catmull and Steve thought that the Pixar acquisition would be similar to the Apple's acquisition of NeXT and the sea change that brought about. While it's certainly not nothing, John was able to do that for Walt Disney Animation and I believe that's a tremendous achievement and I look forward to what's to come from them as we'll as Pixar. John is too little butter spread over too much bread. However, it could be possible that John had promised Tony something like say the desire for him to be Chief Creative Office at WDI. Maybe if Iger had fired Rasulo, Staggs and the flying monkeys of the Strategic Planning era and had Ouimet in charge...

 

[the.dreamfinder]

3.) interesting ... never thought about that, makes sense.

Tony could design one helluva Paradise Falls!!
Pixar Imagineering!

~Adventure is out there!~

 

[WDW1974]

I doubt that Markey will be able to *do* anything with regards to this issue, his handling of it has raised questions in my mind regarding his general effectiveness as a politician. You do know how Congress works? Just because he might be a senator . . . he won't be a senior senator and even then, he can't just randomly do things to hurt Disney.

You are viewing this very simplistically.He did exactly what one would expect him to do as a co-author of COPPA. I have no idea where you are coming from or going ... and why would you say he's out to do random things to harm Disney?!? That's bizarre. He's asking fair questions about an issue he is passionate about and known for.

Disney doesn't get to just say 'we're Disney, we don't answer to anyone.'

I feel confident that he just wants to look tough on privacy issues considering that he didn't really know what he was talking about and that his action won't generate legislation that would hurt Disney.

I am quite familiar with his letter and with Iger's 'response' ... no, he didn't know about what Disney plans for NGE because they haven't been forthright about many aspects of it and continue to shield it.

And I don't have a crystal ball to tell what future legislation may or may not affect Disney.

If you mean that Markey will still foam at the mouth on this, who knows?

No, what I meant was there are news organizations looking into this and no one knows how much attention this story will play down the road.

But as I said, this discussion has already happened here and it would be nice to move on until something else newsworthy comes out on it.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I doubt that Markey will be able to *do* anything with regards to this issue, his handling of it has raised questions in my mind regarding his general effectiveness as a politician. You do know how Congress works? Just because he might be a senator . . . he won't be a senior senator and even then, he can't just randomly do things to hurt Disney.

I recall a certain former CEO of The Walt Disney Company who testified before congress about the issue of Internet Piracy. He happened to come off very uninformed about the issue and happened to off a certain Black Mock Turttleneck wearing CEO and his peers. That CEO also happened to have a very profitable and important deal with TWDC. While the circumstances will be different, Iger and Co will have their hauled to the hearing, any gaffe in this situation can pose serious problems for both the careers of the men being testified and the health of the BRAND. I don't think you understand how damaging a little thing can turn out being.

 

[GoofGoof]

The headlines will scare away a lot of people who were considering a WDW vacation and decide to go somewhere else just because they don't want to deal with it. This is a vacation and it's supposed to be fun. If the headlines scare away 10% of WDW vacationers, it becomes a business disaster for TWDC. This is why TWDC needs to change the headline and regain the narrative, to get people thinking about something else.

MyMagic+ is being sold as "It solves all your vacation problems." That sounds great, just like a "Balanced Budget" sounds great. The devil is in the details. "OK Disney, what are you going to do to solve all my problems?" "OK, OK, well I like that and that. But that seems iffy and I really don't like that at all." Even if 80% of the public likes 80% of the changes, there still are going to be a lot of people turned off by the changes. Even without the headlines, if 10% of the people decide they just don't like MyMagic+ and stay away, that's another business disaster for TWDC.

I'll say it again. NextGen fails only if Disney tries to change too much too quickly. Disney needs to give the public time to warm up to all the changes.

I agree that Disney needs to spin this in their favor and I fully believe they will. The fact is most people booking a Disney vacation want to believe it will be truly magical. If they didn't they would just go to the beach, it's much cheaper. These same people will receive most of their info from the Disney website or maybe a travel agent (those still exist right?) or a Disney travel book or website. In those cases the positives of the system will be highlighted and in most cases none of the perceived negatives. Sure someone could stumble into this place, but the people here will get dismissed as angry, bitter Disney haters. Happens all the time. No, all those first time posters who come in swinging are not Disney plants, they are people who don't understand this place and get offended by the negativity. My point is when the dust settles on the headline grabbing articles and Congressional investigation it will be back to business as usual where Disney controls the PR spin for their parks. The media will move on to the next attention grabbing headline and the Congressman will be "offered a deal he can't refuse" but replace the horse head with a bag of cash marked campaign contributions. The only critics left will be some fanbois and even they will move on eventually.

 

[GoofGoof]

When Walt Disney World first opened, some of the CM's went nuts trying to placate whinny New Yorkers and they'd go bowling and pretend that the pins were the pinheads from New York. I've lived all over the country and the northeast, in general, has an attitude problem based on my observations.

Don't pin that on all New Yorkers, it's just the ones from Long Island.

In all seriousness, in my experience people in the Midwest are generally a lot friendlier and laid back than those of us from the Northeast. There is a different pace to life or something. It's a huge stereotype which has many holes in it, but as a generalization it's fairly accurate.

 

[GoofGoof]

I really don't think a guest will be happy when a ride like Pirates or Mansion or Star Tours has 1-2 hour waits in the off season. The average guest can't tolerate it when rides like Soarin' or Toy Story Mania have 2-3 hour waits, what happens if that's the norm for 60-80% of rides?

I think this is the biggest issue. The privacy concerns will fade eventually, but if the advertised benefits aren't enough of an actual benefit to offset the speculated increase in standby lines people will be turned off. If you told people they could cut to the head of every line if they agreed to wear a camera that recorded and broadcast their every move in the park a lot of people would take you up on it. They would gladly give up their privacy in exchange for not waiting in lines. Unfortunately, it seems likely that the system will not actually result in less waiting in lines.

 

[ParentsOf4]

If you told people they could cut to the head of every line

If cutting to the front of the line truly matters the most, then people will stay onsite at Universal.

 

[asianway]

C'mon guys, let's respect the thread and each other. No BS about politics in general and let's keep the insults against New Englanders (I am a proud Boston elitist!) out of this. It also would be nice to not debate the same point. I firmly KNOW that Iger handled the situation wrong, but I have worked in media and PR. Others may be of the opinion that Markey had no right to question Iger publically (that actually IS part of his job), but that's been debated and discussed in this thread. Much like how much Disney can track you, I think it has played out until more info comes out.

You may have worked in Media & PR, but have you ever been quoted anonymously in the NY TImes?

 

[Goofyernmost]

I have asked 10 of my friends, who are snorting pixie dust on a daily basis (just not forum members) and they all said this sounds horrible and don't like the fact Disney will be tracking them... I venture to say the 10 you know don't speak for the rest of the population of the world..

Nor do yours...I'm just saying what I heard from them and you are saying what you heard from your friends. I guess if you average them out it is a 50/50 situation. Perhaps the real life background of the people we talked to were different enough to warrant different responses. I don't know! I just know what they said to me and there wasn't one paranoid, I'm being watched, response among them. Most, including myself, already know that we are being watched and counted in theme parks and in many of our regular everyday encounters. There's been nothing new about that since, oh, I don't know, maybe 1984.

 

[PirateFrank]

When Walt Disney World first opened, some of the CM's went nuts trying to placate whinny New Yorkers and they'd go bowling and pretend that the pins were the pinheads from New York. I've lived all over the country and the northeast, in general, has an attitude problem based on my observations.

I whole-heartedly agree with this and I *live* in NY. NYer's are a-holes. So are bostonians. Go to a Yankee v. Redsox if you disagree. You will see some of the most inhuman things done or said.....I often wonder what makes people from the Northeast more high-strung, more quick to argue, more demanding, more in a rush.

Maybe we work more -- who knows. Or maybe the pressure to work more is a better answer. A great deal of us NYers work 60-80 hours a week in manhattan, commute 2.5-3 hours a day and then have zero time to take care of oneself or properly raise a family. The cost of living here is much greater than the rest of the country -- and many of us *have* to work these crazy hours to afford this ridiculously over-prices houses we live in. Not to get political, but I often get very angry when the president calls people making 250k, "millionaires." Here in the NYC area, depending on where you live, making 250k is upper middle class at best! Im sure people in the middle of the country will either laugh at me or get angry that I say that, but it is absolutely true....and until you live in NY and understand that the cost spread of things like car insurance, housing, etc...you can't comment.

I would kill to move south and slow down...I would do it in a, no-pun intended, NY minute. I would gladly take the cut in salary. My wife wont. I've tried, for years. She's got too many attachments here to the area....but someday, maybe.

But getting back to point, when I vacation in WDW...I can be *very* demanding.....when these vacations cost as much as they do and you fight to find time to leave work without putting your job at risk and you work as hard as you do just to afford these trips, when an incompetent cast member costs you time or money, you can react strongly. But having said that, I'm no where near the worst NY has to offer. I will quite often, roll my eyes or become quite ashamed at the behavior of other NYers while down in WDW. Also, it takes me a good week or so to 'come off' NY time and relax. It's an adjustment and by the time I've been on vacation for 5-7 days, things are rolling off my back, that would have made me go into orbit when the vacation first started.

But yes, folks from NY, NJ, CT, MA....if you're from up here and don't agree that we can be a-holes either at times or all the time, then you're blind.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Intellectually, I understand what you're saying, and certainly there are nice and mean people everywhere, and I probably should have attached a percentage to the level of rudeness . . . but having lived in the northeast for an extended period of time, I'm kinda biased. I actually picked up some of New Englanders' attitude when I came back, and yes, it does come out from time to time.

People in different parts of the country eat different types of food, and may well have different traditions . . . it is a state-wide pastime in Mass to complain about things all the time.

I basically lived 63 years in New York (15) and New England (the rest). I am not arrogant to anyone that doesn't show me disrespect first. If we do come across a little angry sometimes, imagine what it's like to live in Winter for 18 months out of the year! Oops! Exaggeration there...it's 11 months of winter and 1 month of tough sledding.