Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/Latest-ID-81879.asp" target="_blank"><b>Latest: Joe Rohde Apparently No Longer a Part of Animal Kingdom's 15th Celebration</b></a> <p>On April 9th <a href="Latest-ID-81842.asp">we posted</a> information from the Official Disney Parks Blog with details on Animal Kingdom's 15th anniversary celebration to be held on April 22nd. Looking at that post now on the blog, Joe Rohde's name is no longer mentioned. In addition, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/animal-kingdom/news/15apr2013-joe-rohde-withdraws-from-disney's-animal-kingdom-15th-anniversary.htm">WDWMagic.com is reporting</a> Animal Kingdom cast members have been told he's no longer going to be a part of the festivities. Here's how it currently reads on the Official Disney Parks Blog...</p> <p> </p> <p>Here are a few of the details of what’s planned for the park’s anniversary.</p> <ul> <li>Special opening ceremony – Meet at the Tree of Life at 8:40 a.m., to hear from Josh D’Amaro, Vice President of Disney’s Animal Kingdom; Dr. Jackie Ogden, Vice President of Animals, Science and Environment. Make sure you arrive early for this!</li> <li>Earth Day “Party for the Planet” festivities – Special interactive activities that focus on animals and nature will take place throughout the park from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.</li> <li>Artists and other vendors will present their work on in Africa and on Discovery Island, with their work available for purchase.</li> <li>Opportunity to purchase special 15th anniversary merchandise, available in limited quantities.</li> <li>Special food & beverage.</li> </ul> <p>The first bullet point initially included Joe Rohde as one of the opening ceremony participants. </p> <p> </p>
Originally Posted By phruby I hear he is going into surgery because his left ear lobe just snapped off.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox "White courtesy phone for leemac. Lee MacDonald... white courtesy phone please."
Originally Posted By skinnerbox I'm betting between now and April 22, Joe Rohde will be getting the Tony Baxter Treatment™.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I'm betting between now and April 22, Joe Rohde will be getting the Tony Baxter Treatment™.>> That was honestly my first thought when I heard this. Reports are Joe and Jimmy "Avatar" Cameron are not necessarily on the same page, and that WDI was interested in dumping Joe's large salary.
Originally Posted By TP2000 phruby, I thought the same thing. Mr. Rohde's physical appearance makes me not want to look at him or listen to what he is saying. It's one thing when a dorky 19 year old without meaningful employment does that to himself and his earlobes, if only to prevent himself from ever having meaningful employment. But when you are old enough to belong to AARP it's just not a good look, nor can your aging body tissue cope with it. Luckily, Mr. Rohde can well afford the cosmetic recontstructive surgery needed to fix his body modification, if he so chooses to stop grossing out the audience at fan events. ;-)
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance Dang, and I just learned who Joe is, and now they're going to go and get rid of him!? I'm back to knowing zero WDIs!
Originally Posted By FerretAfros That's very interesting that he's no longer listed. While it seems like a short timeframe (and a little too obvious) to let him "spend more time with his family", I wouldn't be too surprised if it quietly happened in the days following the somewhat-high-profile event. And is Jane Goodall still involved with the park as much as she used to be? I know that she made appearances at several anniversaries in the past, and with 15 being a milestone it seems like an obvious choice, though I have no idea how often she makes appearances any more.
Originally Posted By hopemax What's kind of odd about this, is that there was a D23 pin event at WDI on Saturday. There were many Imagineers, including Joe present for that. So did something happen today?
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< I'm betting between now and April 22, Joe Rohde will be getting the Tony Baxter Treatment™. >>> Do you think we'll get a manifesto?
Originally Posted By leemac <<I'm betting between now and April 22, Joe Rohde will be getting the Tony Baxter Treatment™.>> I'm in Tokyo at the moment - and Vaughn has been with us too. I'm heading to Hong Kong today with some folks so I'll ask around - I haven't spoken to Joe for a while but he seemed content with his work when we last discussed DAK.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I think Joe hurt himself with the extreme cost overruns on Aulani.>> I'm not sure you can level any of the cost overruns on Aulani with Joe - the project was all designed and under construction when Wing abruptly retired and he got given the design responsibility. The color scheme was deemed too dark and so Joe and the team lightened it - and a host of other changes. The biggest cost overrun on Aulani was on shipping material to the island - fuel costs increased massively between budgeting and actual construction. That alone added millions of dollars. There was also additional costs for material that manufacturers decided to flip to China where costs were skyrocketing. I'm no fan of Aulani at all - but I think the failures stem from the initial team rather than Joe's cosmetic overhaul.
Originally Posted By Blufusion12 He always freaked me out. And I agree the ear lobe thing is what did it. And if he did Aulani. Which I got to see last year while stay at the Marriott right down the road from it. It's nice I agree but it waas not what I would expect for the moey it cost . Land must have been expensive for it. I alwasy thought of him as the uncle you didn't leave your kids alone with.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I know the luster has certainly come off Rohde's halo over the past 15 years, but I still think his original work at the AK was absolute genius. The settings at the AK are by far the most evocative of any WDW theme-park. The park may be short on attractions, but it is still one of my favorites for the sense of place it imparts. The dude could wear a bone through his nose and it wouldn't make me any difference.
Originally Posted By dagobert That'sad if he has to leave WDI. He did some really nice projects. I always liked him and especially his look. I expect to have crazy people, in a good way, to work at creative companies. Take a look at John Lasseter and his shirts. You should also watch "Waking Sleeping Beauty". The animators back then were also a bit crazy. What does that mean for DLP's Villages Natures?
Originally Posted By leemac <<He always freaked me out.>> Really? Joe is a wonderful individual - one of the most talented folks to ever work at WDI (his artistry is stunning) and a great team player. He is an incredibly articulate man too - there are few folks I've ever encountered in my professional life that I could imagine talking to for days - Joe is one of them. WDI will be a sadder place when Joe retires.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>WDI will be a sadder place when Joe retires.<<< How old is Joe Rohde? I know him from the Travel Channel documentaries about Disney Parks. So for me Tony Baxter, Marty Sklar, Eric Jacobson and Joe Rohde were the faces of WDI, but it seems that soon there will only be Jacobson left.
