Here's my question for those in-the-know:
Why was Baxter so hated in the halls of WDI?
Just as some pixie-dust snorters are accused of being blind to the problems at TDO, I know its easy to put Baxter on a pedestal. There's no denying he was and is a brilliant Imagineer. But it seems too simplistic to cast Baxter as the white knight who was shunned by the evil lords in Glendale and Burbank who didn't appreciate his talent.
Why did Baxter rub others the wrong way? Was he an outspoken Prima Donna that came across as negative or old-fashioned even if his heart was in the right place? Did others feel threatened by him and try to sabotage his career so they could rise above him? Did he try to sabotage others' careers that he didn't think fit his vision for Imagineering?
A politician can have great ideas, but if he can't work with Congress nothing gets done. Why wasn't Baxter able to work with the rest of WDI?
Oh, this is a great question. And it isn't easy to answer.
Tony was a GREAT Imagineer, a great CM, a great ambassador for the BRAND.
What he was also was a great self-promoter and great at going around the politcians in Glendale right to the powers in Burbank. He was outspoken. (I have a post on his feelings toward NGE waiting, but am not posting it until I get more info.)
Unfortunately, his talent exceeded his ability to play politics. And like most very talented artists, yes, Tony certainly could play Prima Donna and did from time to time.
I could go over his history with the company, but you can find that elsewhere. But what you have to grasp is Tony was the driving force behind the amazing Euro Disney, which opened as a creative success and to big crowds (it immediately became the top tourist attraction in Europe) but was blamed when folks didn't fill up the hotels or buy the same amount of Mickey plush and ears that Americans did. None of that was his doing.
His next major project was T-land'98 and that was a disaster from the start. First, they nixed the pricey and ambitious T-land 2055 concept for basically doing the land over in a DLP Discoverland-esque way and then they made the huge mistake of attempting to put a thrill ride on the Peoplemover infrastructure for way too little $$$. And when GM pulled out of a sponsorship deal at the 11th hour, Tony wasn't given funds to make up tae difference.
On the heels of Light Magic, which was a disaster he had nothing to do with, it was enough to get the DLR portfolio taken away from him and handed to the human disaster that is Barry Braverman. I know they wanted to fire Tony around 2000, when he was desperately telling people what a disaster DCA was going to be. I have heard rumours that he threatened them with legal action and they backed down opting to hope to bore him out of his job.
While he is quite well-liked by a small group, his personality definitely grates on some. I think the man is wonderful, but he'd take credit for creating DL if he could. He certainly didn't have fans in Glendale to push for him as the century turned. So, he wound up what in essence was a purgatory. Most of the other portfolio leaders couldnt stand him (especially Tom Fitzgerald and Eric Jacobson) and others (like the two Joes) opted to stay as far away from him and his situation as they could.
Tony felt if he could hang on eventually change would come and he'd wind up able to help lead a return to the 'old ways' at WDI. First, he hoped that change would be Iger. Then, he thought it would be Lasseter. Finally, he realized he might be 108 before the type of change he'd need would happen.
I do feel that Marty really let him down years ago and should have fought for him, but he was at the stage of his tenure where he just didn't want to be shown the door either.
On a serious note, did Mr.Baxter ever have a chance at having creative input on the makeup/attractions on DL Shanghai? They probably wouldn't have given him permission to do so anyway.
