Originally Posted By HokieSkipper On top of that he seems to know how to run a Disney park. Any old shmo can run and make descisions for parks like Six Flags and Cedar Fair(not knocking those parks, but the creative descisions needed for them are pretty minimal), but to run the theme parks division of Disney, you need at least some vision.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> I've always liked Tom. He is a straight shooter with no bs. Smart fellow too. At an Open House when he first started he was asked "what is your goal at WDP&R?" and he replied "Not to screw it up" << That's a plan I can live with. I wish there were more executives out there that thought that way.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>> I've always liked Tom. He is a straight shooter with no bs. Smart fellow too. At an Open House when he first started he was asked "what is your goal at WDP&R?" and he replied "Not to screw it up". He has publicly acknowledged that it is only a two year gig before he ascends to the Prez role as Bob's No. 2. It is tough to have any lasting legacy in Parks & Resorts when you are only there for a short time. Jay, well, Jay is Jay. He has his shtick - he dons the rude obnoxious persona for meetings - which made it very difficult to like him. Jay is his own worse enemy at times - he tried the power play for the Prez role and got knocked back which is why he got moved to the CFO role to give Tom some operational experience. It will be interesting to see how long he lasts in that role. Jay came from hospitality whereas Tom was an investment banker - I'm not sure Jay will last long.<<<< Highly, highly, highly interesting, Lee. Thanks for posting. Honestly...do you see any change being broached from Staggs to Iger in regards to the types of attractions being built? (AKA a depart form synergy?) Also...Spending? Is there any difference between Rasulo and Staggs on this issue? I get the feeling that seeing they both have backgrounds as CFOs, they follow the "profit" plan of investment that we bandy around with so much on these boards (Invest only when needed to make profit bigger- and that's the only thing that matters) Thanks for your answers, and sorry if I seem like I'm grilling you...I'm just very curious about how these things actually work, and I want to see how my own information measures up to someone who REALLY knows their stuff.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>God I wish Matt Ouimet would be brought in.<<< Or McPhee. I think those two know and respect the parks well enough to make choices that pertain to running the park well, and in creative terms, too.
Originally Posted By Disneydanny <Wasn't there a time when Disneyland and Magic Kingdom each had thier own Electrical Parades? Or did one get shipped to Paris and that's why the U.S. parks have to share?> for the most part the WDW was shipped to Paris and debuted there in '92. in '97 & '98 elements from Tokyoand Anaheim were added. followeing the parade's conclusion the floats were shipped back to their respective resorts. Following some refurbishment the floats that came from Florida's version were sent to Hong kong and have yet to be used.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Thanks for your answers, and sorry if I seem like I'm grilling you...I'm just very curious about how these things actually work, and I want to see how my own information measures up to someone who REALLY knows their stuff. << Good luck on getting him to comment to that. Good effort though kissing up there at the last. However it just doesn't work on him.
Originally Posted By CaptainMichael <<<Or McPhee. I think those two know and respect the parks well enough to make choices that pertain to running the park well, and in creative terms, too.>>> I think he would at least need to take over Meg or Al's positions first. Would love to see a former 'Crafty in power.
Originally Posted By MPierce >>>God I wish Matt Ouimet would be brought in.<<< >> Or McPhee. I think those two know and respect the parks well enough to make choices that pertain to running the park well, and in creative terms, too. << There's no room for their kind anymore.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Good luck on getting him to comment to that. Good effort though kissing up there at the last. However it just doesn't work on him. <<< Shush, it's called being polite! Right, Lee...right?
Originally Posted By Lee hisownself >>Right, Lee...right? << Right! Wait.....what? Who? Oh.....nevermind. Carry on.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Honestly...do you see any change being broached from Staggs to Iger in regards to the types of attractions being built? (AKA a depart form synergy?) >> I doubt it for the US parks - there just isn't any evidence to suggest a change in tack for either DLR or WDW. As I said earlier Tom is surrounded by an ExCom that was entirely appointed during Jay's reign. All 8 other members of ExCom were nominated and appointed by Jay in his 7 year run in Burbank. Plus there isn't a single other park or resort executive that was in place prior to Jay's appointment. <<Also...Spending? Is there any difference between Rasulo and Staggs on this issue? I get the feeling that seeing they both have backgrounds as CFOs, they follow the "profit" plan of investment that we bandy around with so much on these boards (Invest only when needed to make profit bigger- and that's the only thing that matters)>> The full-cost model for future capex is Jim Hunt's baby - neither Tom or Bob will change that. It makes WDI an expensive place to be as everyone has to charge their time to a cost or project code. Jay's background isn't technically in finance. He was at Chase for a brief period working in forex but his run at both Marriott and Disney was centred around strategic planning. Tom was an investment banker at Merrill Lynch until he joined Disney in '90. He also came up within the strategic planning group but there is no love lost between the two - Tom was elevated to S-EVP/CFO very quickly. Michael has a lot more respect for Tom than Jay. No corporation is going to invest in major project unless it has a positive NPV - not one. Disney is no different to any other company that has large capex needs.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>I doubt it for the US parks - there just isn't any evidence to suggest a change in tack for either DLR or WDW. As I said earlier Tom is surrounded by an ExCom that was entirely appointed during Jay's reign. All 8 other members of ExCom were nominated and appointed by Jay in his 7 year run in Burbank. Plus there isn't a single other park or resort executive that was in place prior to Jay's appointment. <<< That makes the outlook rather bleak... Or just a very large call for "evidence". Hmm. Thanks, Leemac, appreciate it.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I've always liked Tom. He is a straight shooter with no bs. Smart fellow too. At an Open House when he first started he was asked "what is your goal at WDP&R?" and he replied "Not to screw it up". He has publicly acknowledged that it is only a two year gig before he ascends to the Prez role as Bob's No. 2. It is tough to have any lasting legacy in Parks & Resorts when you are only there for a short time.>> And Bob has said repeatedly that Tom isn't being groomed for the No. 2 role, which makes you wonder what the real deal is. If indeed Tom is only there for two years, then what motivation does he have to try anything different ... to show vision ... to innovate? I'd say none. And that just means more of the same ... which may be great for Wall Street, but sucks for anyone who cares about Disney's Legacy. <<Jay, well, Jay is Jay. He has his shtick - he dons the rude obnoxious persona for meetings - which made it very difficult to like him.>> I think this is the first time I've seen you put in words what anyone who has ever met or worked with the man would say. The bloke comes off as someone who should be selling used autos in some semi-seedy dealership in the San Fernando Valley. <<Jay is his own worse enemy at times - he tried the power play for the Prez role and got knocked back which is why he got moved to the CFO role to give Tom some operational experience. It will be interesting to see how long he lasts in that role. Jay came from hospitality whereas Tom was an investment banker - I'm not sure Jay will last long.>> He's already lasted with the company a lot longer than I ever thought possible. Indeed, a guy that most everyone liked/loved in Dick Cook got unceremoniously canned for basically running the Studios as a fiefdom ... yet that's whay JR did ... every park exec at the VP level or higher are minions of his. And it's not like Tom has come in and replaced anyone. That speaks volumes. People like Al Weiss, George Kalogridis, Erin Wallace, Karl Holz, Meg Crofton etc are the same tired faces, perhaps in new places. That's very much true when you go down another rung to the VP level. Disney just reshuffles the same tired deck.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 >>>That's not the American Way, though.<<< I almost missed this ... <<Would it be bad and unpatriotic to say that the American Way sucks? Or would I get some "liberal pinko commie" points from you and Pierce? >> No, it's not unpatriotic to question things that are destroying this great nation of ours. If you want to be a Commie, you'll have to travel more first ...
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<My one hope is that Tom deals with Jim Hunt. Hunt as WDP&R CFO has done so much damage to the way that we do business but he has been given free reign to do so. However he is a Jay man - like the entire leadership of WDP&R these days - and I'm not sure Tom wants to "rock the boat".>> That's exactly my fears. That it will be business as usual in all regards.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Who do you suppose is waiting to tale the top parks and resorts spot when Tom moves up? Weiss?>> <<Al was offered a new gig in Burbank when the last reshuffle happened. He declined as he didn't want to move from central Florida. He decided that the Worldwide Ops role suited his skills base. However what happens when both WDW and DLR are fully aligned?>> My only half in jest response would be that would be when they decide that OneDisney isn't so smart, after all, and they start heading in the other direction again. And, honestly, Al? He's truly a nice enough fellow. He's been pleasant to the Spirit through the years ... but it's pretty easy to see that it was his rising to running the resort in 1994 that signaled the beginning of WalMarting the World. Why would anyone want to see him running all the parks? <<Al is a competent operator - I don't think he has the ability to run the division. Al's 40th anniversary with the company is in '12 and although he is only 56 I think his time has passed to become Chairman.>> Let us hope. <<Personally I'd question whether the division has any executives that could ascend to the chairmanship. Jay put his own people into every last senior role and I suspect that a future chairman may be brought in from the outside to bring fresh blood.>> At some point that's going to be needed. Without any personal animus toward any individuals (even if I may possess such feelings) Disney's P&R ranks are loaded with very, very bland, ordinary, non-creative thinkers ... did I mention they weren't the swiftest group in business school? Look at the fiasco in Anaheim with the WoC cancellations a few nights ago. They have no idea how to handle the most basics in Guest Service and Recovery as Al Lutz has pointed out. This is a very basic tenent of the Disney Difference (not giving CMs that are almost homeless 50% off rooms at the GF that they couldn't afford at 85% off!) Often you might as well be talking to a lawyer or a politcian when trying to solve a relatively simple issue.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<God I wish Matt Ouimet would be brought in.>> <<You got it spot-on. And you aren't alone. Matt should have bided his time a little better - instead he went up against Jay and lost his gig. He knew he was the sole outsider in the exec ranks and I just wished he had cooled his jets a bit. After 17 years with the company you would have thought that he knew how to play the game better.>> But that's just part of the problem ... Matt ... a great exec at both DCL and DLR ... was considered an oustider despite almost two decades at the company?!?! That speaks to the fiefdom I mentioned before ... Iger would have been much smarter to drop JR and elevate Matt into a position where he could have done great things. Someone who appreciates the bottom line, yet doesn't believe you sacrifice what made your 'brand' what it is ...oh, and someone who actually is a nice human being who cares about the needs of his guests and employees. Yep. That does NOT sound like the type of exec that could work in the current Disney environment.
