Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Good for you DD. The parks arent important to you, but they certainly are for me, considering I worked for them for the past 3 years. But obviously I'm just pathetic.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 No it was the tone many of you took. Chimike didn't wish him any ill will but the tone of many posts did. I'm just saying a little perspective is needed.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Funny because I just read through the thread again and saw noone wishing ill will
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Oh cripes sake, you didn't like the parks while he was in charge. I'd say in the grand scheme of life that's pretty far down on the importance scale.<<<< In the grand scheme, sure. But in the scheme of DIsney discussion, which is what we are here for, this is a event. And it's something to be happy about, IMO. He's well off, anyway. Not like he'll need to hunt for a new job or collect unemployment...
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>He's retiring and after 39 years that's usually a good time to go. He never personally affected my life in a negative way. I've been to WDW ten times. I've had a great time each and every visit. << And that's fine. But we are all still pathetic, huh? Give me a break. For years we have called out and identified issues that he directly impacted. All the while being labeled as malcontents in the fan community, or worse those who hate change. Things we have been warning about for years and years are now becoming more prevalent, and folks who in the past thought WE were PATHETIC for being too negative are now trying to create Al Lutz websites and are crying about issues that have been under their noses for years. So Al Weiss is fired, again our criticism is now partially validated, and we're ABSOLUTELY pathetic. Can't win.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I don't wish Al any ill will at all. I've talked to him multiple times, last time at the Grand Californian expansion opening in '09. He's always pleasant and cordial. I also think he cares about the product. But that's not the issue. It's simple job performance. And WDW has nose-dived since he was first given the top spot in 1994 ... and his desire and efforts to homogenize the parks through One Disney is a disaster that could cause irreperable harm to the BRAND. When the REAL unemployment rate in much of the country is 30% or higher, Al gets zero sympathy from this Spirit. He's a multi-multi millionaire between salary and stock options over his 39 years. He never has to work a day again and can still live a top two percent lifestyle. I wish him well in the future, but the company will be better off without him. Simple as that.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper What do you have to say about Staggs apparently restructuring Parks and Resorts?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 ^^Not enough info, yet, Hokie. When I get some solid info as to what direction they're headed I'll put it out. Could be great. Could be bad. Could be not much of a change (this has always been the way Disney operates ... just rejuggles roles, titles, repsonsibilities ... just look at the park VP switch happening in O-Town next month). They need a fresh perspective and way of looking at growing the business and the BRAND because what's been done for years just isn't a long term recipe for anything but mediocrity.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Oh, and while I sit here anxiously hoping to get some information ... I can't help but wonder if Social Media played any role in Al's quite abrupt 'departure'. Hey, has anyone seen that ridculously long (almost MAGICal in length) thread on said subject here in the LP pond?
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "...and his desire and efforts to homogenize the parks through One Disney is a disaster that could cause irreperable harm to the BRAND." Al hasn't been my favorite person running the Parks division, however I actually think that this is the one thing that he did that made perfect sense.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<It's also a reminder that anyone over the age of 55 is considered done by Disney standards of today (Iger excepted naturally!)>> Not to mention Lasseter (55 next year) and Catmull, or any exec that Iger paid through the nose to acquire. You raise an interesting point about the greying of Disney, Spirit. Several years ago, it was reported that the median age of Imagineering was 47 years. Whoa. That is quite old for an industry which is predominately young, given the artistic/creative focus. I'm certain this is one of main driving factors in the "early retirement" efforts we've seen in Glendale in the past few years. Senior Imagineers like Delaney and Rothschild are no longer with the Mouse, while others like Baxter and Rohde are still around, but not contributing at the level they used to, when leading large development teams for entire parks. (Of course, Bob Weis is not a spring chicken and is currently heading up Shanghai. But he seems to be the exception these days, not the norm.) So... what does the ouster of Weiss ultimately mean for Imagineering's greying workforce? Will P&R be revamped from top to bottom, focusing on the elimination of other senior execs via forced retirement in the near future? What direction does Burbank wish to take, and what level of commitment is it willing to make in pursuit of that new direction? Truthfully, I wouldn't be surprised to see Glendale cleaned out of old timers over the next year or two. Imagineering is painfully absent from the Disney Legends Awards this year, as if by design. Perhaps the next ceremony in 2013 will be comprised of nothing but Imagineers who will receive their awards in the traditional manner, i.e., post-retirement. I feel as though Weiss is but the first of a long line of restructuring casualties. There are many more like him, waiting in the wings.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Anything that brings about good changes to the Disney theme parks is something worth celebrating. If the departure of Mr. Weiss is one of them, we say let's break out the brew from the cauldron and have a ball. ORGOCH: Got that right, sister! An' I can think of a lot more folks ta feel sorry fer than ol' Al. What about poor Marlin who got kicked ta the curb so's nobody can see the Sword in the Stone ceremony anymores? 'Bet Al could a stopped that poor ol' man from gittin' laid off if'n he'd wanted ta. ORWEN: That's MERLIN, old biddy--not Marlin! But I do agree that it's good to be rid of someone who wasn't doing a proper job of running the parks. And don't expect any apologies from us on that score! We don't wanna' be defenders of mediocrity!!
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: The more a witch mulls all this over, though, she fears that what will actually happen is that--whomever replaces Mr. Weiss--will most likely be just as bad or worse. Not meaning to be pessemistic, here, but it often seems that the days of wine and roses for Disney theme park management are long gone...
Originally Posted By ChiMike >>Truthfully, I wouldn't be surprised to see Glendale cleaned out of old timers over the next year or two.<< Maybe some of my wishes and magical dreams will come true very soon! Better book a vacation post haste and get there so I can wish upon a firework. Skinner, maybe 10 years ago I would be there with you worried about Tony, but at this point whatever will get Fitz, Jacobsen, et al. out the door will do ten-fold the good Al's departure might. WDI has been at the root of the cancer that has inflicted the U.S. park experience in the last 15 years. With all the layoffs at WDI during that same time period, for the most part, it was the wrong people either leaving or being shown the door. To me, this has lend itself to the many expensive disasters they have wreaked on the company and its customers.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>It's simple job performance. And WDW has nose-dived since he was first given the top spot in 1994 ... and his desire and efforts to homogenize the parks through One Disney is a disaster that could cause irreperable harm to the BRAND.<<<< Exactly. He could be the nicest guy on the planet, but he's a terrible manager.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Could be great. Could be bad. Could be not much of a change (this has always been the way Disney operates ... just rejuggles roles, titles, repsonsibilities ... just look at the park VP switch happening in O-Town next month).<<<< I'm hopeful, but what besides SWSA II has Staggs done? Could be more of the same.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Skinner, maybe 10 years ago I would be there with you worried about Tony, but at this point whatever will get Fitz, Jacobsen, et al. out the door will do ten-fold the good Al's departure might.>> Seriously, you're going to put Eric in that group? And Joe? What about Tom's success with Star Tours 2.0? Sure, these guys are a bit long in the tooth, but not worthless. Plus, the new kids are still not ready to remove their training wheels just yet. Sorry, but I don't agree with you. Age is not a bad thing. Getting rid of all the old school Imagineers is shortsighted and just plain dumb.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper I'd be fine win getting rid of Tom. Nothing he's done has really struck me as great.
