Why dislike for Iger?

[drizgirl]

I have no idea but again the why isn't important, at least not right now, the fact is with all the money they are dumping into SWGE and GoTG, they are not going to suddenly rip that out and design something different.
That's what I mean in dealing in reality, we can postulate all day long on why they are doing what they are doing but how do you lower park attendance WITH what we will have for the next say 5 years.

Well, of course they aren't ripping something out and starting over. It's more of a theoretical discussion. At least on my end. They aren't done with the parks now. Maybe the next thing they add needs to be a quality people eater type of attraction.

 

[larryz]

How?? serious question. I hear that a lot, that they could easily lower the ticket prices and lower the crowds, so I am interested in knowing how they would do that. with the rides they have now.

If, for example, they held ticket prices at $100 per day, and limited the gate to 25,000 per day, there would be less crowding.

Spoiler

But the resale market on Disney tickets would go through the roof.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Well, of course they aren't ripping something out and starting over. It's more of a theoretical discussion. At least on my end. They aren't done with the parks now. Maybe the next thing they add needs to be a quality people eater type of attraction.

I think you just hit on one of the problems and why I posted the question. so much is pretty much us playing monday morning quarterback, it actually would have been nice if the powers to be would have paid attention to the parks, long before these things became an issue but unfortunately they didn't and they darn near let the parks collapse.
So where do we go from here. you're a bit more optimistic than me, I do think they are done with any major additions for a while. Epcot's getting Rat ride and Guardians, a new show (good or bad is to be determined) a new entrance and a new play pavilion. can't see them springing for a another ride especially an expensive people eater.
Hollywood studios? two major new lands.

I really can't see the overcrowding as getting anything but worst.

lol, maybe they should show the parks like they really are in their commercials, that would scare a few thousand folks.

 

[Shouldigo12]

Ralf 2 was terrible

And it's fine you think that. My point though was "I don't like these movies" isn't good reasoning for why Iger is a bad CEO. You may not like them, but 1. Most people did and 2. They earned a lot of money. Critically and commercially, the movies Disney has been making have been successful for the most part. The parks are increasing in attendance and bringing in more profit, so those are also a success. And I don't follow the Disney tv channel, but I imagine Its also doing well. It's one thing to say you don't like I get, it's another to say he's a bad CEO. I'm not a huge fan myself, but you can't really argue that the general public (AKA not this forum) like what he's doing and are paying a good amount of money to see it.

 

[danyoung56]

They misspelled "bought."

You're kidding, right?

 

[baymenxpac]

Anyone seen the stock prices lately? The man is making the company money. I certainly don't like what has been done with the parks but overall I think he has been successful.

who cares? seriously, i doubt many people on these boards are vacationing in st. barts off of the dividends of their disney stock. also, that's basically the point: iger is a great businessman for/subservient to wall street. it just so happens that eschewing quality to prop up profits is a strategy that was diametrically opposed to the company's standards, and also what made it the company many of us fell in love with in the first place.

 

[larryz]

You're kidding, right?

"Brought" leaves room for interpretation that some sort of brilliant management acumen was involved. "Bought" makes it clear that he had no creative input other than "take my money."

 

[eliza61nyc]

who cares? seriously, i doubt many people on these boards are vacationing in st. barts off of the dividends of their disney stock. also, that's basically the point: iger is a great businessman for/subservient to wall street. it just so happens that eschewing quality to prop up profits is a strategy that was diametrically opposed to the company's standards, and also what made it the company many of us fell in love with in the first place.

lol no they may not be vacationing off of St. Barts but they may be planning on their retirement with stocks they have in their portfolion. then I assure you, they care very much. NO one invest in the stock to lose money. you invest because you want your investment to grow.
Investors are only concern in how the parks do in as much as it effects the value of their investment. they are buying stock for either dividends or growth potential.

Five years ago, I think the stock was in the 80 dollar range, now it's worth about 133 bucks a share. A guy with say 200 shares is about 12K ahead.

Just saying, don't discount the business side of the coin. a guy who's never even been to the world but still has his cash tied up is a factor

 

[MattFrees71]

Did you forget Mission:Space is an Eisner era ride? And even with that being said, I actually do prefer Mission:Space, a sophisticated space flight simulator unlike anything else in the world, than Horizons, an omnimover that might’ve told a cool story in 1988. Next, Maelstrom was never packed. Third, are you seriously suggesting that being an omnimover made them good rides? That’s a ridiculous premise. Not many people in the general public loved EPCOT in its original form. It’s everyones nostalgia.

In terms of scale, quality and effort- Horizons can't be compared with Mission Space. Horizons combined multiple top of the line practical effects, audio-animatronics, 2 omnispheres, in-tandem ride projection, forced perspective, painstakingly detailed, immersive, sets into one ride. This was all done by imagineers and people directly associated with Walt Disney's era. Mission Space is simply a ride simulator with the main attraction having various g-forces simulated from a space launch. Compared to Horizons, it is a mindless thrill with no meaningfully explained message of current/future technology or optimistic futurism. And it's not like Horizons was inherently sentenced to stay in its 1983 version forever, as it should have been updated through the years to keep up with the times and showcase what was on the horizon as the 21st century came. But under Eisner, they took the easy way out and demolished the whole thing. Iger is of that same mentality.

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

Marc Davis Fan, I feel that has a lot more to do with Islands of Adventure and Universal's Growth post trust in great design and competition. If anything Iger Stifled it until they had to do something.

I don't think Universal explains the huge investments in improving DCA (Buena Vista Street, Cars Land, etc), HKDL (Mystic Point, Grizzly Gulch, forthcoming things), WDSP (Remy land, forthcoming things), and much else. Those are best explained by recognizing that quality lands and attractions will bring people into the parks, which is exactly what those additions accomplished.

WDW additions were done later because those three (late-Eisner-era) parks were considered emergencies, as their quality was so poor. If it had not been for those parks, the major additions would have come to WDW much sooner.

I'm nor saying Iger is great - indeed I think the overuse of IPs is severely damaging to the Disney theme park experience - but we have to give credit where credit is due, and if it weren't for Iger things would probably be a lot worse for the parks.

 

[JusticeDisney]

Wow, where do I begin...?

I despise him because he's not just the flip side of Walt, he's in a despicable class of his own.

For instance, according to reliable insiders here, he tried to sell the Disney parks to a foreign country. Walt would deck him for that alone. The parks were Walt's pride and joy. To Iger they're a nuisance he'd rather not deal with.

His disdain for the parks is further illustrated by the fact that he's let a broken AA - the yeti figure in Expedition Everest - stay broken for literally years because he figures that park guests are too stupid to notice and dealing with it would cost money. Instead of fixing it, he put a strobe light on it. Because that's how contemptuous he is regarding quality and park guests, whom he sees as stooges and hicks who must be squeezed for every dime they have, usually via ridiculous "upcharge" events that involve such "pluses" as commemorative cupcakes.

Speaking of foreign influence, the brilliance and magic of overseas parks such as Tokyo Disneyland and Disneysea prove what a Disney park can really be like when its designers and builders are willing to spend the money. Whereas in the States, budget cuts are applied to just about every new attraction, and new builds are frequently subpar in quality - look at the mess the new Toy Story Land is in Florida, with peeling paint all over the place. Iger won't spend the money to enhance the parks the way they should be, because he'd rather spend the money buying up every studio in Hollywood that has some sort of decent profitability, because risk and innovation are words Iger hates. It's all about the stockholders - people Walt had little interest in if they threatened to curtail his creativity. Iger, in contrast, has no idea what creativity is, except that it costs a lot and therefore he despises it. And he's stupid too. He built a whole land in Florida's AK revolving around the snoozefest Avatar films because that was his solution to the Potter lands in Universal. He has no taste or appreciation for the Disney legacy. He cares about the Disney "brand" (a description that Roy Disney Jr. despised - "Disney is not a brand!") in that it can be leveraged for profit across "platforms". A man that crass should be head of Wal-mart, not the (Walt) Disney Company.

PLUS he was going to destroy the flawless Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in WDW to stick idiot Marvel characters in it. That destruction was necessary because he bought Marvel and by God the characters were going to be injected like a virus into the parks come hell or high water. Thank god public outcry saved the Tower in Florida. Too bad about the loud hideous eyesore in Anaheim, which is a brazen and all-too-accurate visual testament to Iger's lack of taste and class. A fitting monument to a man who turned the caricature of the Disney company being an evil greedy corporate empire into a reality. Nice work, Bob!

I can't wait for that soulless cement-head to be shown the door. The only downside of that is that the toadies that will remain will likely pick someone worse. I think the Walt part of the Disney company is truly dead now. And I weep because everything Walt worked for has been discarded in favor of quick and easy profit. Iger sold the company's soul to enrich himself. And he's destroying the company's legacy not only of quality, but of values, demonstrated by his rehire of a man posing as a pedophile on Twitter (funny how Iger was disparaging Twitter the other day - how awful that those pesky Tweets from James Gunn came to light, eh?) despite what that did to Disney's legacy of family values and entertainment. He is a lowlife scumbag. I wish that every fate that happened to Disney villains would befall him. Because to me, he's a Disney villain in real life. And that's my take.

I agree with a lot of what you say, but the jab at Avatar is misplaced. That movie was, indeed, the highest grossing film of all time. And there are a bunch of sequels on the way which will only increase the attention for that franchise. Not exactly a horrible idea to build a new land around that.

 

[justintheharris]

In terms of scale, quality and effort- Horizons can't be compared with Mission Space. Horizons combined multiple top of the line practical effects, audio-animatronics, 2 omnispheres, in-tandem ride projection, forced perspective, painstakingly detailed, immersive, sets into one ride. This was all done by imagineers and people directly associated with Walt Disney's era. Mission Space is simply a ride simulator with the main attraction having various g-forces simulated from a space launch. Compared to Horizons, it is a mindless thrill with no meaningfully explained message of current/future technology or optimistic futurism. And it's not like Horizons was inherently sentenced to stay in its 1983 version forever, as it should have been updated through the years to keep up with the times and showcase what was on the horizon as the 21st century came. But under Eisner, they took the easy way out and demolished the whole thing. Iger is of that same mentality.

Anyone can aggrandize the details of one attraction and write off the details of the one it’s being compared to in attempt to sell it. There’s nothing like Mission:Space in the world and there’s plenty of well done dark rides at Disney. The message doesn’t make an attraction good (look at Imagination and It’s Tough To Be A Bug). And I love how you try and save face at the end with an “okay maybe Iger didn’t do it but HE WOULD HAVE!”

 

[MinnieWaffles]

The Disney characters, yes.
But not the Marvel and other non Disney creations.
Only a leech like Iger would populate Walt Disneys dream parks with cheap, tawdry, super hero types created for the comic book audience by other studios.
I remember watching Walt every week on his TV shows where he was constantly promoting his Imagineers as the people who brought the Disney dream to life and how they worked exclusively on Walts dreams of creating affordable family orientated parks.
Now all Iger has to do is dip into the vault of other peoples characters that he's purchased with the parks profits, and make believe that they are somehow remotely related to Walts dreams.
Well, they're not..........
Sorry to rant, but Igers disregard for the foundation on which the Disney empire was built royally honks me off...........

Affordable?! When were the Disney parks ever meant to be affordable for everyone? There's no point really arguing with you, but you're a silly sausage.

In terms of scale, quality and effort- Horizons can't be compared with Mission Space. Horizons combined multiple top of the line practical effects, audio-animatronics, 2 omnispheres, in-tandem ride projection, forced perspective, painstakingly detailed, immersive, sets into one ride. This was all done by imagineers and people directly associated with Walt Disney's era. Mission Space is simply a ride simulator with the main attraction having various g-forces simulated from a space launch. Compared to Horizons, it is a mindless thrill with no meaningfully explained message of current/future technology or optimistic futurism. And it's not like Horizons was inherently sentenced to stay in its 1983 version forever, as it should have been updated through the years to keep up with the times and showcase what was on the horizon as the 21st century came. But under Eisner, they took the easy way out and demolished the whole thing. Iger is of that same mentality.

To be fair, you have to have a very high IQ to understand Epcot..

 

[Brer Oswald]

And the budget is also a choice that Disney makes. The parks produce high profit margins for Disney. They are just making a choice not to make high capacity a priority when adding new things to the parks.

Everything is a choice.

 

[danyoung56]

... but you're a silly sausage.

Funniest thing I've seen all day!

 

[UncleMike101]

Affordable?! When were the Disney parks ever meant to be affordable for everyone? There's no point really arguing with you, but you're a silly sausage.

Long before you came along.
Of course you likely haven't bothered to study the history of Disney.
In 1955 Adult admission to Disneyland was $1.00 and the rides were $.10 to $.30 each.
Those prices were well within the affordable range for average Americans.
Also from The Orlando Sentinel; When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, adult admission was $3.50 and $1 for children — but that cost didn't include rides. “… the rides and attractions ranged from 10 cents to 90 cents on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Again, well within the affordable range for average Americans.
A great number of people's daily wage today is less than a one day admission to one of the WDW parks.
With the pricing in 1971 I could have entered The Magic Kingdom and ridden from two to twenty rides for my hourly wage as a factory worker at the time.
And you're right.
There's no sense in arguing.
You don't have the knowledge or experience to engage in an intelligent discussion about Disney parks.

 

[MattFrees71]

Anyone can aggrandize the details of one attraction and write off the details of the one it’s being compared to in attempt to sell it. There’s nothing like Mission:Space in the world and there’s plenty of well done dark rides at Disney. The message doesn’t make an attraction good (look at Imagination and It’s Tough To Be A Bug). And I love how you try and save face at the end with an “okay maybe Iger didn’t do it but HE WOULD HAVE!”

While Horizons had a good "message," that wasn't it's only appeal (re: previously mentioned features found in the ride). The bottom line is that Mission Space was a thrill ride that replaced something with a lot more meaning and artistry. The original Epcot rides were intellectual and something you couldn't find at other amusement parks. While Mission Space is indeed technologically advanced, it doesn't mean it is intellectual or inspiring- it is attractive mainly for a quick dopamine release (a thrill ride). (And by the way, many times I've walked by Mission Space, its lines are pitifully short compared to other attractions). The dumbing down of Epcot sickens me. Only Spaceship Earth, the Land, and Journey Into Imagination (sort of) are the last glimmers remaining from the true Future World. The way Iger ties into this is that he is perpetuating the indifference to Future World's original intent and putting the cherry on the top of its desecration with the crude injection of the GotG roller coaster in place of an original Future World pavilion. And I will acknowledge the one exception to this with the new nature film coming to the Land pavilion, but that alone is not not enough to remedy everything else.

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

I believe he honestly couldn't care less what Walt's vision was whatsoever. Walt was a man of artistic integrity. Iger is a man of no integrity. The dude managed to puke out more Star Wars films in 3 years than George Lucas did in 40 it seems like. I mean people can hate on Lucas for all the choices he made in regarding the prequels and certainly Star Wars has been a milked franchise since 1977 but that's mostly from things BESIDES the films. Toys, games, merch, etc. But when Iger got his hands on it we got two main films pretty quickly and then a Han Solo and Rogue One spinoff. Not to mention the Boba Fett movie and another Star Wars film as well. Not only that but I'd say he couldn't care less if the Avengers replaced Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Donald, and Goofy as the main characters of the Magic Kingdom as well. I could see him replacing Cinderella's Castle with Stark Tower if he thought it would turn a quick buck. I can't stand him. Can not and will not. Ever.

 

[justintheharris]

While Horizons had a good "message," that wasn't it's only appeal (re: previously mentioned features found in the ride). The bottom line is that Mission Space was a thrill ride that replaced something with a lot more meaning and artistry. The original Epcot rides were intellectual and something you couldn't find at other amusement parks. While Mission Space is indeed technologically advanced, it doesn't mean it is intellectual or inspiring- it is attractive mainly for a quick dopamine release (a thrill ride). (And by the way, many times I've walked by Mission Space, its lines are pitifully short compared to other attractions). The dumbing down of Epcot sickens me. Only Spaceship Earth, the Land, and Journey Into Imagination (sort of) are the last glimmers remaining from the true Future World. The way Iger ties into this is that he is perpetuating the indifference to Future World's original intent and putting the cherry on the top of its desecration with the crude injection of the GotG roller coaster in place of an original Future World pavilion. And I will acknowledge the one exception to this with the new nature film coming to the Land pavilion, but that alone is not not enough to remedy everything else.

Sorry, Future World needs that Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster. I took my friend to EPCOT for the first time yesterday and he didn't really enjoy anything in Future World except Mission:Space. The ride hasn't even come out yet and we've all decided it doesn't work when quite honestly, Guardians of the Galaxy might be among the more futuristic things in Future World. Spaceship Earth is a look at the past (granted, for the sake of where we are headed in the future), Test Track is... I don't even know.. about trying to make cars more efficient capable powerful and responsive? Soarin' is not futuristic, Seas with Nemo and Friends is not futuristic, Figment is not futuristic. Mission:Space might be the only futuristic thing as its about spaceflight! An experience that only a couple hundred humans have ever experienced.

 

[justintheharris]

Long before you came along.
Of course you likely haven't bothered to study the history of Disney.
In 1955 Adult admission to Disneyland was $1.00 and the rides were $.10 to $.30 each.
Those prices were well within the affordable range for average Americans.
Also from The Orlando Sentinel; When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, adult admission was $3.50 and $1 for children — but that cost didn't include rides. “… the rides and attractions ranged from 10 cents to 90 cents on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Again, well within the affordable range for average Americans.
A great number of people's daily wage today is less than a one day admission to one of the WDW parks.
With the pricing in 1971 I could have entered The Magic Kingdom and ridden from two to twenty rides for my hourly wage as a factory worker at the time.
And you're right.
There's no sense in arguing.
You don't have the knowledge or experience to engage in an intelligent discussion about Disney parks.

But with that being said, Disney wasn't the world renowned place receiving millions of visitors back then. Is greed part of the reason the prices are so high? Perhaps. But remember the laws of supply and demand.