News Walt Disney World and other major Disney accounts stop posting on social media platform X

[Andrew C]

The several thousand employees in San Fran won’t be so lucky, nor will San Fran itself.

They created the cesspool well before Elon. If it was up to them, it would be like before, a voice for one side saying horrible things, with bots mixed in. Let it burn...

 

[Trauma]

Clearly Iger is making changes at the studio. Many of their films have been poorer quality and not very entertaining recently. The studio needs some changes and I’m glad Iger is addressing them.

My disagreement lies in the claim that there‘s a significant percentage of potential moviegoers that are boycotting Disney movies because they’re Disney movies and that is a significant cause of their relatively poor box office performance compared to prior years. That’s nonsense.

Elemental was still the fifth most streamed movie across all streaming services 6 weeks after it was released on Disney+, according to the latest data from Nielsen. People are watching Disney’s good films, but many are more than willing to wait if they’re already subscribed to the relevant streaming service in order to save money, I think especially on movies for the whole family where the cost of tickets adds up.

Migration, Illumination’s latest flick, is currently tracking a $13 million 4-day opening. And the trailer actually looks good, IMO. If this figure holds, I think the era of big budget animated films may be in jeopardy.
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Only 3 people in my entire extended family still consume Disney. ( One of my Uncles lives in California )

This is a family of over 50 people who would go to all the movies, go to the parks twice a year, large pool of DVC points etc.

I am probably one of the least angry among them since I haven’t sold my DVC points like the rest.

Can we just assume for a minute that we are both insulated from each others perspective ?

I get that I don’t understand where you are coming from, but it’s silly of me to just write you off. You have your beliefs and I have a great respect for that.

The point I am trying to communicate with some difficulty, due to forum rules, is there is a DEEP rage towards Disney.

If you are to believe current polling that group represents more than 50% of Americans.

Now let’s say that polling is wrong and it’s only 40%. That’s still a huge swath of Americans that may not agree with at least some of Disneys messaging.

I think just writing that off as trivial is a little dangerous if you want to make $$$.

To your second point about big budget animation being in jeopardy.

Does that mean that super hero movies are also in Jeopardy?

Action adventure movies like Indy dead also?

 

[Stripes]

The sad part is Musk will be fine, they could close X tomorrow and he’ll still have a couple hundred Billion in worth. The several thousand employees in San Fran won’t be so lucky, nor will San Fran itself.

Reports are many of them are quitting already so it may not matter either way.

Yup. $44 billion down the drain but still plenty left.

San Fran is already hopeless but that’s another discussion.

 

[Casper Gutman]

They created the cesspool well before Elon. If it was up to them, it would be like before, a voice for one side saying horrible things, with bots mixed in. Let it burn...

Pre-Elon Twitter had issues, but it could be a useful source of news or interesting conversation from time to time.

 

[Stripes]

Can we just assume for a minute that we are both insulated from each others perspective ?

Almost my entire immediate and extended family is right wing. I’m not insulated. Furthermore, I’m not going based off of anecdotal experience. I’m looking at the data and the business environment.

The point I am trying to communicate with some difficulty, due to forum rules, is there is a DEEP rage towards Disney.

If you are to believe current polling that group represents more than 50% of Americans.

Now let’s say that polling is wrong and it’s only 40%. That’s still a huge swath of Americans that may not agree with at least some of Disneys messaging.

What polling data? A poll conducted earlier this year found that Disney was viewed by Americans as the second most patriotic brand.

Now let’s say that polling is wrong and it’s only 40%. That’s still a huge swath of Americans that may not agree with at least some of Disneys messaging.

Frankly, most people aren’t invested in politics enough to hate a company and boycott their products because they disagreed with a particular message. Even still, what message has Disney communicated that would be viewed as offensive to 40% of Americans?

To your second point about big budget animation being in jeopardy.

Does that mean that super hero movies are also in Jeopardy?

Action adventure movies like Indy dead also?

Not necessarily. I think animated films that appeal significantly to the 12 and younger crowd are going to be viewed as more risky by studios and they won’t invest as much in those types of films.

Given the cost of tickets and concessions, it costs a great deal to take the family to see those films. And it’s hard to justify the price when it will be streaming in 4 months anyway. Films that target an older demographic will be seen as less risky.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The sad part is Musk will be fine, they could close X tomorrow and he’ll still have a couple hundred Billion in worth. The several thousand employees in San Fran won’t be so lucky, nor will San Fran itself.

Reports are many of them are quitting already so it may not matter either way.

Are the Saudis as willing to lose a few billion? While he owns a clear, controlling interest, there are a number of others with a stake in the company.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

What polling data? A poll conducted earlier this year found that Disney was viewed by Americans as the second most patriotic brand.

In the last couple years they’ve dropped from 4th to 77th in the Axios Harris poll, which tracks the reputations of Americas top 100 companies.

Disney isn’t the universally beloved company they were just a few years ago.

 

[LittleBuford]

The entertainment should have a positive message, as all Disney films do, but first and foremost it needs to be entertaining. That’s the problem, and it’s what Iger meant.

I somewhat disagree. To me, it did seem like he was conceding something to those bleating on about Disney's "agenda". It was disappointing but not altogether surprising (when you consider what he said about Ellen back in the day).

 

[LittleBuford]

The point I am trying to communicate with some difficulty, due to forum rules, is there is a DEEP rage towards Disney.

Among all the entertainment companies out there, what is Disney doing in particular to elicit such a level of rage?

 

[Trauma]

Among all the entertainment companies out there, what is Disney doing in particular to elicit such a level of rage?

You know I can’t answer that.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Among all the entertainment companies out there, what is Disney doing in particular to elicit such a level of rage?

Nothing more than anyone else, it's just Disney has become the punching bag due to multiple other factors (populist politics being a big one).

But I'd also remind everyone, Disney is a global brand, and not just American.

As the global box office has also been weak for Disney, I would have to agree with @Stripes that the "political boycott" some American's may be doing against Disney is NOT the biggest or really pressing factor impacting their performance at the box office, I would agree there are a myriad of other factors WAY ahead of any sort of political nonsense boycott.

 

[Lilofan]

I can’t even imagine growing up in this age

I'm glad I did not grow up pre social media , internet BS . Times were delivering the newspaper on my Schwinn 10 speed in the early dawn morning, go to school, afternoon sports, eat Moms dinner then hit the books before sleep. Rinse and repeat daily. If I needed to look up information, I went to the library and looked it up on microfilm.

 

[LittleBuford]

You know I can’t answer that.

What I meant is are they really doing anything different from any other major studio or entertainment company out there? How is Disney's "messaging" or "pandering" (not my preferred terms) substantively unlike that of its competitors? This is the part that really confuses me, because as far as I can see, Disney is eminently mainstream in this regard and not all that daring.

 

[Andrew C]

the "political boycott" some American's may be doing against Disney is NOT the biggest or really pressing factor impacting their performance at the box office, I would agree there are a myriad of other factors WAY ahead of any sort of political nonsense boycott.

I have agreed with this. "Make better movies, you will be fine." But I feel like maybe the above isn't accurate. Bob's recent words are making me rethink a bit..its interesting.

 

[Disney Analyst]

I have agreed with this. "Make better movies, you will be fine." But I feel like maybe the above isn't accurate. Bob's recent words are making me rethink a bit..its interesting.

I think everything he said is exactly what you think. I feel he is saying the creatives (aka the CEO and creative heads) were getting a bit too stuck in the weeds, and he is saying, back to basics, focus on an entertaining story first.

 

[Andrew C]

I think everything he said is exactly what you think. I feel he is saying the creatives (aka the CEO and creative heads) were getting a bit too stuck in the weeds, and he is saying, back to basics, focus on an entertaining story first.

Fair enough, we will see how it plays out.

 

[Trauma]

What I meant is are they really doing anything different from any other major studio or entertainment company out there? How is Disney's "messaging" or "pandering" (not my preferred terms) substantively unlike that of its competitors? This is the part that really confuses me, because as far as I can see, Disney is eminently mainstream in this regard and not all that daring.

Great question.

I don’t think Disney is unique I think they are the lightning rod.

I think Hollywood in general is struggling many people tuned out.

 

[Lilofan]

I think everything he said is exactly what you think. I feel he is saying the creatives (aka the CEO and creative heads) were getting a bit too stuck in the weeds, and he is saying, back to basics, focus on an entertaining story first.

Who knows the Iger message to the creatives was in your face. Shape up or get shipped out.

 

[LittleBuford]

Great question.

I don’t think Disney is unique I think they are the lightning rod.

I think Hollywood in general is struggling many people tuned out.

Thank you for your answer. Disney's iconic visibility does appear to be as much a curse as it is a blessing.

 

[Stripes]

In the last couple years they’ve dropped from 4th to 77th in the Axios Harris poll, which tracks the reputations of Americas top 100 companies.

Disney isn’t the universally beloved company they were just a few years ago.

I don’t love Disney as much as I did a couple years ago either. The company has made some poor decisions and their product quality has worsened. I am definitely happy with the decisions Iger is making though and I can see 2024 being a transformational year for the company.

With that said, the Axios poll seems far more volatile than one would expect. I’m also very surprised by the rankings. For instance, in 2020 The Clorox Company had the best reputation according to them. I didn’t know Clorox even had a reputation. Look at how drastic the change in ranking is on this poll.

Please take a look. Don’t you find the results odd?

https://www.axios.com/2023/05/23/corporate-brands-reputation-america