Originally Posted By leemac <<So Tom Fitzgerald, who is responsible for DLP, is now the head of WDI?>> Tom's story is very strange. Marty's right hand guy for years and he got the gig to replace Marty effectively after DCA opened. So he got elevated to EVP senior creative executive then. Then in '07 there is a senior staff meeting that was hijacked to introduce Bruce Vaughn as the new creative lead - EVP and CHIEF creative executive. Typical WDI style Tom had no idea he had been replaced - and by a close friend. Bruce had previously been in VP - it is almost impossible to jump to EVP without a stop at SVP at Disney. Jay wanted someone more pliable in the role and hence moved up Vaughn. They are the two EVPs on the creative side. Craig Russell leads the delivery side. Annie Hamburger and Wing Chao were also EVPs but their roles were not replaced when they left WDI.
Originally Posted By leemac <<As I mentioned before you should listen to the Season Pass Podcast with Tim Delaney about Epcot, DLP and HKDL. Tim was very passionate about Discoveryland and Space Mountain.>> I've travelled the world with Tim - he is a great guy. We spent a lot of time with him and his wife during HKDL's development and opening. He also deserved a lot better from WDI over his ouster.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>I've travelled the world with Tim - he is a great guy. We spent a lot of time with him and his wife during HKDL's development and opening. He also deserved a lot better from WDI over his ouster.<<< It must have been great to meet so many fantastic Imagineers. Although I know this Tim Delaney podcast already by heart, I still listen to it very often.
Originally Posted By leemac <<However IJA and SM are considered to be one of Disney's best rides. For me even EE is a wonderful attraction.>> I'm not disagreeing at all - both are exceptional (albeit with story issues). The problem is that current management won't sign off capex like that. I always remember Eisner being given a run through on the financials for ToT at D/MGM. This analyst spent ages going through the impact that the attraction would have on attendance, guest spend etc. MDE stopped him in his tracks and said "I think this is a really cool attraction and we are going to do it no matter what. Go spend the money." He was prepared to think bigger and take the consequences if it failed and the plaudits if it succeeded. D/MGM needed a marquee attraction and got it. Under the current scenario an attraction like ToT is less likely to get built. Cars Land was the anomaly as SOMETHING had to be done to save DCA.
Originally Posted By leemac <<It must have been great to meet so many fantastic Imagineers. Although I know this Tim Delaney podcast already by heart, I still listen to it very often.>> I've been lucky to work with some of the finest around. However I've also worked with a lot of crap ones too! And still do.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>I always remember Eisner being given a run through on the financials for ToT at D/MGM. This analyst spent ages going through the impact that the attraction would have on attendance, guest spend etc. MDE stopped him in his tracks and said "I think this is a really cool attraction and we are going to do it no matter what. Go spend the money." He was prepared to think bigger and take the consequences if it failed and the plaudits if it succeeded. D/MGM needed a marquee attraction and got it. Under the current scenario an attraction like ToT is less likely to get built. Cars Land was the anomaly as SOMETHING had to be done to save DCA.<<< That's why I still think that Eisner was a fantastic CEO, despite his latter years. And the DCA makeover was the reason why I also thought at first that Iger is the right CEO for Disney. I was proven wrong. Unfortunately now we only get cheap rides with a franchise layover. However there is hope that quality rides not based on franchises are still coming, like MM or GG. Although Ratatouile is based on a movie, it looks like a quality ride, unlike TSPL.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>I've been lucky to work with some of the finest around. However I've also worked with a lot of crap ones too! And still do. <<< I know you won't tell, but I would really like to know what you are doing at Disney.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>That's why I still think that Eisner was a fantastic CEO, despite his latter years.<< I completely agree. While he was a business guy, he had the creative heart and the balls to stand behind some pretty big risks. Of course, things started to unravel after Wells died and wasn't replaced, but even then I think he did a pretty good job managing the brand and continuing to expand it in different directions. Although Iger has expanded the brand, he hasn't really done much of anything to grow the existing stuff, relying almost exclusively on the newly-acquired companies to prop up the huge conglomerate; it just doesn't make sense. >>And the DCA makeover was the reason why I also thought at first that Iger is the right CEO for Disney. I was proven wrong. Unfortunately now we only get cheap rides with a franchise layover.<< The worst part of this is that the 'cheap' rides were actually really expensive. The only new ride at DCA that wasn't shockingly expensive was Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, which I believe still cost over $30M. For an outdoor spinner. With the new DCA, WDI has proven that they still know what they're doing. They're just so handicapped by the mandate of in-jokes, self references, and franchise tie-ins that it doesn't mee the mark for me. Buena Vista Street is really nice, but the incredibly convoluted storyline about the shop names being inspiration for Walt's future cartoons is completely fabricated (nice way to rewrite history there) and does nothing to add depth to the land. Instead, it cheapens the whole experience. Had they stuck to a strictly LA theme, with occasional Walt references, I think it would have been a much more dramatic opening statement. Then again, this version sets people up to expect branding and corporate synergy around every corner, so it's probably much more appropriate for that park.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I know you won't tell, but I would really like to know what you are doing at Disney.>> It is complicated and not very interesting. I work for the APAC Parks & Resorts. <<While he was a business guy, he had the creative heart and the balls to stand behind some pretty big risks.>> I guess it depends on your definition of what a creative is - but his entire tenure at ABC and Paramount was on the creative side, picking projects to make and getting them through production. MDE wasn't a MBA - he typically went with his gut feel for what audiences would respond to as a consumer himself. <<The only new ride at DCA that wasn't shockingly expensive was Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, which I believe still cost over $30M. For an outdoor spinner. >> Try $40m. Baxter built Pooh at DL for less.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Then again, this version sets people up to expect branding and corporate synergy around every corner, so it's probably much more appropriate for that park.>> You and I think alike FA. I'm glad audiences seem to love the "makeover" but it leaves me cold. I'm just not a fan of walking through a movie set (Cars Land) or being force-fed story (BVS). I'm just happy that Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point at HKDL were so much more inventive and original. And all three mini-lands at HKDL cost less than Cars Land. Much less.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 Lee, maybe you've said this before, but did Marty not really like Tony? What was the reason behind the rift there?
Originally Posted By choco choco <<Lee, maybe you've said this before, but did Marty not really like Tony? What was the reason behind the rift there? >> Does anybody find it creepy that we're talking about these people like this? These are real humans and we're treating them like we're trying to craft a soap opera narrative onto them from hearsay and gossip. We all say we want the politics out of WDI and yet here we are slinging dirt around like we're an old ladies bridge club.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Does anybody find it creepy that we're talking about these people like this? These are real humans and we're treating them like we're trying to craft a soap opera narrative onto them from hearsay and gossip. >> Actually no. They opt to put themselves in the public eye for their own personal gain and therefore I don't have an issue with discussing their body of work or their personality traits. I don't think this is crossing any moral line here. We aren't speculating on his private life for example.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Lee, maybe you've said this before, but did Marty not really like Tony? What was the reason behind the rift there?>> I've seen little evidence to suggest that Marty didn't like Tony. Ultimately it was Marty giving out the assignments and he definitely shielded Tony from several folks - particularly on the DDC side - that really didn't like working with him at all. I think Tony had two key individuals that didn't like him - there was mutual hatred between him and Paul Pressler and he really didn't get on with Tom Fitzgerald too (he always thought TPP wielded way too much power over WDI).
Originally Posted By lesmisfan I liked Oz for what it was, and it could have been a whole lot better but instead of a land of Oz, cant we have some sort of version of river expedition? or heck I would love to see a villians village which would tie in well with fantasyland.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer "I would love to see a villians village which would tie in well with fantasyland. " They already have that. It's called the TDA building. Hey-ooo
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Does anybody find it creepy that we're talking about these people like this?" Yes.
Originally Posted By kennect I still want to know is there anything truly behind this rumor or not? Sounds strictly rumor to me at this point.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <"Does anybody find it creepy that we're talking about these people like this?" Yes> Really? Why? I think it's like talking Washington DC or celebrity news. I wonder about the inner-workings and the politics of Disney and find it all fascinating.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I think it's like talking Washington DC or celebrity news. I wonder about the inner-workings and the politics of Disney and find it all fascinating." See, and I don't Jim. I have no interest in the ugly stuff that happens behind the curtains, and when the threads turn into a WDI gossip session and revealing details about Disney personalities in Glendale my mind starts to wander. I'm only interested in discussing the parks, people's opinions about them, and park development rumors.
