Why Bother ...?

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

...giving an interview when you have absolutely nothing at all to say?

That's Michael Colglazier the VP of DAK and fomer strategic planner (that phrase should have any true fans running for their Disney bunkers) with O-Sentinel's Jason Garcia.

He says nothing and dodges every question. He won't even talk about guest responses to the new $129, but soon $189 and VERY soon $229 Wild Africa Trek (the only surviving remnant of Disney's Shangri-La park).

Typical.

And serious shots at Jason for not pouncing on Disco Yeti, MIA Flik and Dinos on the fritz. I am wondering if this puff piece was forced on him after getting heat for his Disco Yeti piece and for asking our Criminal Governor about his stance on casino gambling at the Dream Debut.

Anyway, you can read the waste of 3-4 minutes here:

<a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/os-talking-with-colglazier-0214-20110213,0,518386.story" target="_blank">http://www.orlandosentinel.com...86.story</a>

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

...giving an interview when you have absolutely nothing at all to say?

That's Michael Colglazier the VP of DAK and fomer strategic planner (that phrase should have any true fans running for their Disney bunkers) with O-Sentinel's Jason Garcia.

He says nothing and dodges every question. He won't even talk about guest responses to the new $129, but soon $189 and VERY soon $229 Wild Africa Trek (the only surviving remnant of Disney's Shangri-La park).

Typical.

And serious shots at Jason for not pouncing on Disco Yeti, MIA Flik and Dinos on the fritz. I am wondering if this puff piece was forced on him after getting heat for his Disco Yeti piece and for asking our Criminal Governor about his stance on casino gambling at the Dream Debut.

Anyway, you can read the waste of 3-4 minutes here:

<a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/the-daily-disney/os-talking-with-colglazier-0214-20110213,0,518386.story" target="_blank">http://www.orlandosentinel.com...86.story</a>

 

Originally Posted By SSE

I read it just now after seeing it on the LP homepage. I don't even think it was a page long and had literally nothing of value in it. People need to start asking hard questions that the Disney execs won't be able to dodge.

 

Originally Posted By Goofyernmost

You guys seem to mix up public servants from corporate executives. They are not required to "answer hard questions" and if you ask too many they will no longer grant interviews. There job is to put the best spin on the company that they can. No reporter will be able to force them to "fess up" and reveal any smoking gun. Mike Wallace doesn't do interviewing anymore and if he did he wouldn't spend much time on this type of report anyway.

Time to join the reality world. If Jason's goal was to never be able to ask another question in WDW then all he had to do was make an attempt to embarrass or put Mr. Colglazier on the spot. Sad, fact of life, but true.

So was it a fluff piece? Of course it was and that is all you will ever get out of Disney unless they discover that one of the higher ups is a mass murderer or something. Fluff is the company business.

 

Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer

>>>You guys seem to mix up public servants from corporate executives. They are not required to "answer hard questions" and if you ask too many they will no longer grant interviews. There job is to put the best spin on the company that they can. No reporter will be able to force them to "fess up" and reveal any smoking gun. Mike Wallace doesn't do interviewing anymore and if he did he wouldn't spend much time on this type of report anyway.<<<

I disagree with this. It's a public position. They should have to answer questions.


And total BS that he's focused on the guests. If he really was, we would have a working Yeti, a full park, and night entertainment.


DAK has details, that's about it.

 

Originally Posted By Goofyernmost

>>>I disagree with this. It's a public position. They should have to answer questions.<<<

There is a huge difference between a accountable Public Position and dealing with the public.

Let's but this back into focus. This is a theme park, this isn't suppressing fellow humans or causing them grief or taxation without representation or tying old folks to their bed so they will be less of a problem. In this case the individual is answerable to the public but not in the same way a publicly elected position might be. We vote with our wallet, not with a ballet. I don't know why I am even arguing this point. It is not even a little logical.

There are probably less than a thousand people on the entire planet that care enough to push for disclosure, if there is something to be disclosed, and those that do, have a tough time sounding like they have a real "problem" to expose.

 

Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer

>>>There is a huge difference between a accountable Public Position and dealing with the public<<<

Of course not. But the means to do both are roughly the same.


>>>Let's but this back into focus. This is a theme park, this isn't suppressing fellow humans or causing them grief or taxation without representation or tying old folks to their bed so they will be less of a problem. In this case the individual is answerable to the public but not in the same way a publicly elected position might be. We vote with our wallet, not with a ballet. I don't know why I am even arguing this point. It is not even a little logical.<<<

So? They should still be professional, and still react to the consumer's demands and questions.

At least be a showman about the product.

 

Originally Posted By Witches of Morva

ORDDU: Thank goodness not everyone has your attitude, Goofyernmost, duckling. While I understand your reasoning, I don't agree with it. It's time Disney fans took a stand and didn't let Disney executives get by so easily with lies.

ORWEN: Yeah!! Yesterday it was Egypt that was forced to face the music. Today it's the Walt Disney Company's turn!

 

Originally Posted By davewasbaloo

I also think this is why bloggers are given free cruises. Disney has spent the last 10 years bigging up every little thing and dodging every tough question, that the legitimate media seem to be quite disinterested in the whole affair. Remember when A & B listers used to turn out to Disney events? THose days are long gone too.

Disney went from being the Bloomingdales of entertainment to Penny's, and if they are not careful they could end up the Kmart.

 

Originally Posted By CaptainMichael

Okay Goofyernmost, that brings us back to Spirit's original question: "Why bother?"

The way I see it is that these park VP's are the spokespersons for their respective parties. Garcia is the theme park reporter for Orlando. It is his job to ask the VP's questions. He totally missed the mark on everything that should have been asked about DAK...except for the expansion question. I don't think it would have hurt the DAK VP's feelings to ask about the Yeti which is a total valid question, and if it would have, this guy doesn't have the stones to be a VP of such a major operation.

 

Originally Posted By CaptainMichael

It's like when Kevin Lansberry called me in 2009 trying to convince me that there was still worthy nightlife in WDW while listing a worthless list of 3rd parties...

 

Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer

>>>ORWEN: Yeah!! Yesterday it was Egypt that was forced to face the music. Today it's the Walt Disney Company's turn!<<<

Protest in Town Square?

 

Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer

>>>It's like when Kevin Lansberry called me in 2009 trying to convince me that there was still worthy nightlife in WDW while listing a worthless list of 3rd parties...<<<

To which you said...?

 

Originally Posted By CaptainMichael

<<To which you said...?>>

I don't remember exactly, but I'm sure you can imagine that I wasn't throwing softballs like Mr. Garcia, but I was respectful.

The full transcript is in some MAGICal place, but it would take some searching...which would require a working account.

 

Originally Posted By SeventyOne

Took Google as well, but here you go (well, not a full transcript, but I think what you meant):

<He said that he that he received my email and proceeded to list all of the things on property that are open late at night. (Ragland Rd, Bongos, House of Blues, Atlantic Dance, ESPN Club, etc) and asked me if I spent anytime on property in the evening on my last trip. I told him that I went to Downtown Orlando for a concert on Church Street and had dinner off property. He said that I understand you're upset about the Adventurers Club, so am I (orly?) but everything is closed and they aren't coming back. Some things are coming but they are going to take a while, about 2-3 years.

I said that I wanted a place to spend time with my family in a place like the Adventurers Club or Comedy Warehouse because they were adult without being too adult and that my family (being older) would have enjoyed them.

I told him that I appreciated him calling and that I never expected him to. He said that he hopes my family will return to WDW and do business with them again ( or something to that effect).

I closed by saying that I know that AC and CW are closed and currently not coming back but to please, please, please reconsider. You would make so many people happy.

He said okay and rushed to get off the phone. I said Kungaloosh, he said "bye".

I'm still in shock..... >

 

Originally Posted By DlandDug

Bear in mind that this was almost certainly not the full content of the interview. It most likely is an edited version with the best responses to various questions.

That said, it's a good example of how skillful-- or NOT skillful-- some Company reps are when dealing with the press. There's a way to dodge a question without coming off like a Stepford Executive. The final answer, about expansion, is a great case in point. It's insulting to both parties to willfully not answer the question at hand, while parroting talking points. Better to be forthright and just say, "I can't tell you anything about that right now."

 

Originally Posted By DlandDug

Oh, and in response to the question, "Why bother."

Bother because it's important to keep the lines of communication open. Today's puff piece buys just that much goodwill which will be needed on another day.

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

"I disagree with this. It's a public position. They should have to answer questions."

At most large firms the "Standards of Business Conduct" forbids employees from speaking to the press. We were instructed to say "No comment" and to walk away if ever questioned by a reporter. Speaking to the press was the PR departments job, and it usually involves nothing more than fluffy press releases.

Corporations are under no legal obligation to speak to the press and will only do so when it is convenient for them. The last thing they will do is self incriminate the company.

>>CFB: You don't care to make a major capital announcement in Talking With, huh?

I thought it'd be best to probably let others do that, when appropriate. But it's worthy of you to ask.<<

Didi you really expect him to say anytthing else? What were you expecting him to say? "Our corporate goal is to raise reveneue as much as possible with the mimimum investment and operating expenses possible. We will focus on profit centers that leverage off of existing assets in order to minimize costs"?

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

"I also think this is why bloggers are given free cruises. Disney has spent the last 10 years bigging up every little thing and dodging every tough question"

This has become standard operating procedure for Corporate America. Corporations are now hiring their own bloggers, with titles such as "social media engineer" whose job is to hype the company on facebook and blogs.

 

Originally Posted By CaptainMichael

<<Took Google as well, but here you go (well, not a full transcript, but I think what you meant):>>

Ah, thanks! I still cannot believe he had the nerve to call a rabid AC fanboi. He must have been drinking or something.