Why dislike for Iger?

[Tim Lohr]

Yeah in a nutshell this is everything wrong with this man in regards to the parks, he doesn't seem to understand or care that "the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts". His approach is that each individual attraction should be selling some IP, and the wider variety of IP in each park the better, but you end up with an experience that's totally disjointed, or with a lot of attractions that "some people" love and "other people skip". They don't seem to see things from the point of view that not that "Expedition Everest" is a reason to visit the park itself, they'd rather spend a ton of money on constantly advertising mediocre "new" attractions instead of designing "nondescript" or "timeless" stuff like "Expedition Everest" and "Space Mountain" and "Big Thunder Mountain" that everyone seems to love and are world famous "Theme Park Attractions".

When Micheal Esiner suggested adding the mermaid from the movie "Splash" at the end of "Splash Mountain", people seemed to think that idea was crass or just plain stupid, but under Bob Iger that type of thinking has become the norm

Yeah, and then he tried to save his hinder from it but, the damage was already done...

 

[Tim Lohr]

He’s a great businessman.

Pablo Escobar was a great businessman too

 

[The Pho]

Sorry, but I just can't let that stand. Every time I went on UofE there were perhaps 70 to 100 people in my showing. Did it draw small crowds? Yeah. But 100 a day? That's just silly hyperbole.

I’d say everytime I rode, it was roughly 20-30% full at a minimum, and it could fit 480. So roughly 120 each time. Certainly much more than 100 a day.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Pablo Escobar was a great businessman too

lol, Ok I know folks don't like him but come on. last I checked he has not murdered folks nor moved billions of dollars of coke into the country.

 

[Baron von Stenger]

Is there a reason people do not like Iger? What specifically did he do that made him not liked by Disney fans?

Want to know why everyone hates Iger? Ask anyone that misses the Main St. Bakery. This money grubbing corporate has ruined everything Walt started & Michael Eisner finished. ( God, I miss Eisner. )

 

[Baron von Stenger]

He’s a great businessman.

So is Donald Trump. NOT!

 

[Baron von Stenger]

Because he's a poopy head. There, I think I've sealed this debate.

NAILED IT !!!

 

[danyoung56]

I don’t believe you.

Hey, I've reported both what I've experienced and my opinion. If you have another opinion, it doesn't change mine.

 

[Ladybat]

Is there a reason people do not like Iger? What specifically did he do that made him not liked by Disney fans?

My grandchildren will never be able to see the way the parks were before this Ebenezer Scrooge of a man sunk his blood sucking fangs into Disney. Everyone knows a vampire can't come into your house unless you invite to come in. He was invited and now we probably will never get rid of him. I've heard for years that he's about to get tossed out but yet he still reigns. I'm even hearing now there is plans to do away with the Tiki Room! That was one of the few remaining attractions Walt was directly involved with. I bet if stingy Iger had his way we would probably kiss Pirates, Thunder mt, Small world, and even the haunted Mansion good by too!

I DON'T WANT ANY MORE SCREEN RIDES OR CARNIVAL TYPE CHEAP 6 FLAGS COASTERS WRAPPED IN FANCY DECORATIONS OR MORE OVER PRICED RESORTS! AND WALT WOULD HAVE NEVER DREAMED OF CHARGING US A FEE TO PARK OUR CARS IN ONE OF HIS HOTELS WE WERE PAYING TO STAY IN ALREADY! And I agree with what the other poster said about Spectro Magic. HOW CAN ANY ONE WHO SEES THAT SHOW EVER LIKE HAVING IT TAKEN AWAY AND FORCED TO ACCEPT THE ELECTRICAL PARADE OR LIGHT SHOW SPRINKLED ON THE CASTLE FOR THE SAME PRICE OF A TICKET INSTEAD OF IT?
My Grand kids will never get to see Spectro Magic. That was a mind blowing state of the art night time parade that nothing in this world has ever gotten close to comparing to. Now the floats used in it sit in storage rooms in pieces, spider webs growing all over them. DISGRACEFUL! And so very sad.

And don't even get me started on what he did to Epcot. Especially with Journey Into Imagination. I wish they would have just taken it out all together rather than to have butchered it the way they did.

Iger the great, better remember the story of the tortes and the hare.... the tortes knew all he had to do was keep on walking and not give up and have patience because the hare was arrogant and, though fast, was also stupid.

Thats exactly what Universal Studios is thinking about Disney now. Its only a matter of time.

Keep on making Disney nothing but a handfull of fancy looking parks that contain nothing but over priced carnival rides and I'll just spend my vacations at Universal. Maybe even stay at one of their resorts. WHERE I DON'T GET CHARGED A PARKING FEE!

 

[It Is What It Is]

I am fascinated by how short sighted people choose to be. I'm also going to assume most here don't run businesses.

In 2004 Comcast failed at a hostile bid to takeover Disney. I can think of nothing more to detract from the legacy Walt Disney than another company taking the reins. In 2005 the value of a Disney share was in the mid-twenties. Eisner resigned, Iger enters. There were talks of splitting the company into segments, Espn, Parks, Studios, etc. Iger thought the company was better as a whole. Iger goes on his IP spending spree. Why? Eisner, great for the company in the eighties, couldn't get along with Steve Jobs. Pixar was making hits like The Incredibles, Disney was making Chicken Little. Disney needed Pixar. Iger gets it done. Stock starts to rise, Iger sees that great franchises, IP, work. Lucasfilm, Marvel, and would have had Harry Potter rights if not for being cheap on Imagineering.

Jump ahead twelve years. Disney is valued around one hundred dollars per share. Verizon, it is rumored is interested in acquiring Disney. This is kind of a joke, as it is next to impossible for Verizon to pull this off with their (at the time) financial situation. Rumors start circulating that Disney is interested in 20th Century Fox. We are eventually told that Disney wants to, in essence, compete with Netflix. Another reason, which is not talked about, is that Disney wants to remain Disney. It is one of the most globally known and respected brands on the planet. A couple things to look at: A, it is hard to buy out/hostile takeover when a company is going through a myriad of governments scrutiny. B, if Disney's strategy works and its shares go higher, Disney becomes much harder to acquire. There are still a handful of US companies that could pull this off. Alphabet, Amazon and Apple are the ones that come to mind. It is good that Iger sis on the board of one of those companies.

All that to say, if you would like Disney to stay Disney, you should be cheering on Iger.

As far as the parks go, Radiator Springs is amazing. A billion plus for Star Wars GE, investments in Europe and China parks, I don't understand the rationale that parks aren't getting attention, maybe just not the attention you want for them. An argument can be made for the loss of Harry Potter, but in hindsight that will be a positive for parks fans. Did I mention one billion (and probably closer to two) for a new land? Maybe you aren't a fan of that property, but many are.

There is a sadness that many middle income families cannot afford to visit the parks as often as they like, but these are the laws of economics. It is also sad that when I drive to work I see a homeless encampment of tents because most in my area can't afford the rent. Sadness exists I think as I hand a couple bucks to the guy with the cardboard sign.

 

[MaryJaneP]

In addition to all of the foregoing, may we add that if, say, the company experiences a $1 profit, how much of that $1 goes back into investment in the park versus how much of that $1 goes into stockholders hands and is this the same now as when Walt ran the show? Also, please remind us of the IP upon which IASW, POTC, SpaceMountain, and COP are based. IP, phooey.

 

[larryz]

I am fascinated by how short sighted people choose to be. I'm also going to assume most here don't run businesses.

In 2004 Comcast failed at a hostile bid to takeover Disney. I can think of nothing more to detract from the legacy Walt Disney than another company taking the reins. In 2005 the value of a Disney share was in the mid-twenties. Eisner resigned, Iger enters. There were talks of splitting the company into segments, Espn, Parks, Studios, etc. Iger thought the company was better as a whole. Iger goes on his IP spending spree. Why? Eisner, great for the company in the eighties, couldn't get along with Steve Jobs. Pixar was making hits like The Incredibles, Disney was making Chicken Little. Disney needed Pixar. Iger gets it done. Stock starts to rise, Iger sees that great franchises, IP, work. Lucasfilm, Marvel, and would have had Harry Potter rights if not for being cheap on Imagineering.

Jump ahead twelve years. Disney is valued around one hundred dollars per share. Verizon, it is rumored is interested in acquiring Disney. This is kind of a joke, as it is next to impossible for Verizon to pull this off with their (at the time) financial situation. Rumors start circulating that Disney is interested in 20th Century Fox. We are eventually told that Disney wants to, in essence, compete with Netflix. Another reason, which is not talked about, is that Disney wants to remain Disney. It is one of the most globally known and respected brands on the planet. There are a couple things to look at here: A, it is hard to buy out/hostile takeover when a company is going through a myriad of governments scrutiny. B, if Disney's strategy works and its shares go higher, Disney becomes much harder to acquire. There are still a handful of US companies that could pull this off. Alphabet, Amazon and Apple are the ones that come to mind. It is good that Iger sis on the board of one of those companies.

All that to say, if you would like Disney to stay Disney, you should be cheering on Iger.

As far as the parks go, Radiator Springs is amazing. A billion plus for Star Wars GE, investments in Europe and China parks, I don't understand the rationale that parks aren't getting attention, maybe just not the attention you want for them. An argument can be made for the loss of Harry Potter, but in hindsight that will be a positive for parks fans. Did I mention one billion (and probably closer to two) for a new land? Maybe you aren't a fan of that property, but many are.

There is a sadness that many middle income families are cannot afford to visit the parks as often as they like, but these are the laws of economics. It is also sad that when I drive to work I see a homeless encampment of tents because most in my area can't afford the rent. Sadness exists I think as I hand a couple bucks to the guy with the cardboard sign.

Disney bought ABC, but now it's a failed ABC weatherman running Disney. I(ge)ronic, wouldn't you say?

 

[eliza61nyc]

I am fascinated by how short sighted people choose to be. I'm also going to assume most here don't run businesses.

LOL that is confirmed every time someone says "Walt" would NEVER do this to his customers. I'm grateful that WD had to take his company public.

 

[Indy_UK]

Some on here need to understand that there's more to Disney than just the parks

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

lol, Ok I know folks don't like him but come on. last I checked he has not murdered folks nor moved billions of dollars of coke into the country.

Well you’re just looking at the minor “illegal” part of it....

Pablo (I worked with a geologist that grew up in Medellin - funny as hell dude)....artificially controlled supply and demand to sell “product” at its maximum value in the maximum volume allowed to hold the prices...

...he just wasn’t “publicly traded”...at least not in that way

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Some on here need to understand that there's more to Disney than just the parks

And some need to understand parks are a FOUNDATION of that business...both from a PR perspective and financial.

Because of that - it has to be built with “insulation” from whim and trend. To follow those on relative impulse causes problems in down times or high costs to repeatedly redo/update.

Eisner (until he lost his mind) understood that...Roy Disney (both) understood that. Retirement bob is suspect.

Basically: you don’t gamble with your mortgage payment or give it to destiny at the club.

 

[Lyman]

According to employee outside EPCOT international gate some idiot(s) wanted to take xmas decoration out of the hotels but got shouted down. Didn't think they were necessary. There goes that bottom line mentality.

I have been going to WDW since it opened. The parks and hotels were loaded with decorations.

If read it right those park extra hour now cost money.

 

[Lyman]

If only they had replaced them with something better.

You can thank Eisner for that. CEOs have a strong say so on who replaces them!

 

[Lyman]

The ticket prices go up every year.
The parks are more crowded than ever.
He doesn't give a rats behind how crowded the parks become. (Unless the State Fire Marshall gets involved.)
Iger is in Hog Heaven as long as he keeps making his "Performance Bonus" money from the price increases and the dip stick add on fees that he keeps dumping onto to everyone.
And....
I don't complain about the crowds.
I work within the crowd parameters and make the most of my vacation time.

It's amazing that people believe raising ticket prices is to reduce crowds. more like improving bottom line.

 

[Lyman]

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.



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

But at one time you got high quality, now not so high quality.