WDW Social 'Media' and Conspiracy

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Not saying the fact this goes on justifies anyone else giving tours--just saying I find it hard to believe he's still off WDW's radar.>>

Seventyone, it is crystal clear at this point that none of these folks are off WDW's radar.

But what they may not understand (and kissing up to Disney 'celebs' at D23 this weekend ain't gonna help them) is not only are they finally on Burbank's radar ... but there are individuals in the company on the Left Coast who ....

Are zealously working on the best strategy to shut them down and remove them from the parks ... and that my friends is a reason to celebrate.

Sadly, perhaps, I think this is going to bring scrutiny on the smaller players ... as they get caught in the wake of the more unscrupulous characters.

 

Originally Posted By SeventyOne

I work in corporate America, so I guess I shouldn't be shocked, but still...shaking my head that Burbank had no idea what Orlando was, at the very least, turning a blind eye to.

 

Originally Posted By MousDad

Just to clarify on post 120, as I see where you are going with it: This guy Tour Guide Mike doesn't give the same kind of "tour" that you're talking about.

You're thinking of a narrated/historical/museum-like tour. But this TGM guy is more of a "touring strategy" guru - in other words his is more of an escort service for optimal touring, rather than a historical type tour.

Which doesn't matter in regards to your overall point, but I thought it should just be clarified that he and Hill/Lou are slightly different animals.

 

Originally Posted By ReelJustice

<<But what they may not understand (and kissing up to Disney 'celebs' at D23 this weekend ain't gonna help them) is not only are they finally on Burbank's radar ... but there are individuals in the company on the Left Coast who ....

Are zealously working on the best strategy to shut them down and remove them from the parks ... and that my friends is a reason to celebrate.>>

Awesome!

 

Originally Posted By -em

>>Otherwise, anything can be a tour. When I was hanging out at EPCOT last week with four friends telling Disney tales, that could be a tour except (sit down for this one ... ) shockingly enough, I don't actually charge friends for spending time with me (I know what you're thinking, what a truly kind/belevolent Spirit I am ... of good heart and generous disposition).<<

Shocking

I think while it may be harder to describe than see the difference on what constitutes a "tour" and "group of people"

-em

 

Originally Posted By Lee hisownself

>>I think while it may be harder to describe than see the difference on what constitutes a "tour" and "group of people<<

In the case of Spirit...I believe the correct term is "entourage."

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

The complete term is "entourage of minions".

 

Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1

"And you are surprised by this why???? It has been the modus operandi for a while."


Yeah.

Really.


But I DID love the "Hoarders" comment.

LMAO!!!

 

Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1

"Just looking at the dude's website now and I am amazed ... truly.

The web has become a great source for people to simply leech off of Disney and make 'a living' by living at the parks.

And this dude, being an ex-lawyer and all (I wonder how that went!) seems like the worst I have seen.

Amazing. Just amazing."


Yeah and I have been posting about my *ahem* disdain for the guy here for almost two years now.

He just gives off this VERY creepy "Disney is MY LIFE and it should be YOUR LIFEE TOO!!!!!!" vibe on his podcast. I knew I had to delete it from my itunes list about two years back when I realized listening to him was making me really angry. He had this, "I'm at the parks and YOU'RE NOT!!!!!" vibe. It became really obvious when he interviewed the Sherman brothers and Julie Andrews that he had MAJOR upstairs(backstairs?)access at TDO/TWDC.

His interviews and indeed his entire podcast are just SO twee and have SO MUCH gushing it makes you feel a little bit sick after you hear them.

I gave up listening when I realized I HATED the guy and was only listening to a company-sanctioned "safe" and "sanitized" show.

 

Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1

"As for Lou Mongello's podcast. I actually really liked it early on, especially when he would have a guy named Jeff Pepper on. They would focus on an attraction or hotel in detail. I liked the history aspect of it. But then Jeff was gone and those segments pretty much disappeared."


Indeed.

Jeff was great and I REALLY enjoyed his input. It was obvious at some point they had a falling out and Pepper disappeared from the "show". I also seem to remember it going downhill a bit after that(although the rot was certainly already there).

 

Originally Posted By MPierce

>> In the case of Spirit...I believe the correct term is "entourage." <<

I thought gaggle of rabble would be more appropriate.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<I work in corporate America, so I guess I shouldn't be shocked, but still...shaking my head that Burbank had no idea what Orlando was, at the very least, turning a blind eye to.>>

I don't know Lou or Tour Guide Mike or any of these people who have taken whoring to a whole new world at da World. I will say what they are doing is against Disney policy, much like Jim Hill, but they are tacitly being allowed to do what they do in a quid pro quo deal where they say everything is wonderful and MAGICal at WDW and the place has never been better or run by more caring and intelligent and creative execs.

Disney is turning a blind eye in Orlando, but I can tell you for a fact that people in Burbank (some who amazingly haven't been aware of this cottage industry) are now clued in and working on a strategy for dealing with them. I think many people have had a rough few days and it will likely get worse.

I want to be crystal clear, here. I want them all shut down, put out of business and off property. what they are doing is sleezy and I do think some folks (Thomas.Smith@disney.com would be one) should likely lose their jobs over this. I can say the entire Social Media and Press and Publicity Department are under a microscope ... and someone is about to take a red-eye out of LA to get a closer look at the situation!

Very little escapes me in the Disney world, but this certainly did because it is so blatantly against Disney's own rules and anyone's sense of ethics and fair play. (although I'm sure all these folks are reporting their Disney income to the IRS every year, right?)

Someone told me that Lou has his head way up Meg Crofton's behind, and that may well be true. But I'm not that fond of her, either.

Very little leaves me speechless these days ... but this did.

I would advise anyone who thinks this isn't the way Disney should be operating (basically taking and endorsing and enriching individuals in the fan community who will do and say anything for free hotels, meals, swag and access to Imagineers and execs) to email and phone any/every Disney exec, D23 cast, and O-Town media to expose this fraud for what it is.

Anyone need help with individuals as far as phone numbers or email, drop me a note ... or just call the WDW switchboard 407.824.2222 and ask to be connected to the individual you seek.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

>>I think while it may be harder to describe than see the difference on what constitutes a "tour" and "group of people<<

<<In the case of Spirit...I believe the correct term is "entourage." >>

(Some) Women and (most) fanbois want him. Men just want to be him.

And you ... You are just happy that I allow you to bask in my heavenly light as part of said entourage! ;-)

(and I don't even charge you for it!)

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

<<Just to clarify on post 120, as I see where you are going with it: This guy Tour Guide Mike doesn't give the same kind of "tour" that you're talking about.

You're thinking of a narrated/historical/museum-like tour. But this TGM guy is more of a "touring strategy" guru - in other words his is more of an escort service for optimal touring, rather than a historical type tour.

Which doesn't matter in regards to your overall point, but I thought it should just be clarified that he and Hill/Lou are slightly different animals.>>

I think that's just a differnce in stripes, really.

The idea that anyone needs someone to walk them around a park and escort them to the right FP machine is beyond laughable. I would find the folks who do this (on both ends) to be truly pathetic to an absurd degree.

Hell, I'll undercut him by 50% of whatever he charges and have people see and do more just by using experience and common sense (no, you don't need to get a Space Mountain FP at 9 a.m.)

The more I hear and talk about this subject, the dirtier I feel.

UGh ... screw it. Time to laugh at the funny bunny!

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

So ... just read on The Latest about Disney going after dudes selling counterfeit pins.

Funny how they don't seem to care about counterfeit tours.

So typically 21st century USA that a company decides what theft they'll allow based on the perceived value of the thief's PR. ;-)

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

Is it just me or does anyone else actually think there's an issue here?

 

Originally Posted By SpokkerJones

The pins?

I've always though those pins were a waste of time, counterfeit or not. That there is selective enforcement going on is not surprising.

I wonder how that guy and his daughter filmed those "secret tour of Disneyland" DVDs or whatever they are called. I guess they look the other way in that case.

 

Originally Posted By skinnerbox

<<Is it just me or does anyone else actually think there's an issue here?>>

I think there's an issue, only because of the selective enforcement of intellectual theft.

Disney doesn't allow everyone to do these tours. And because they don't allow everyone to do it, and definitely turn a blind eye to those bloggers who give Disney nothing but praise praise and more praise whenever they're tossed a few freebies and special event tickets, it does tick me off.

Disney is essentially being disingenuous and allowing these amateur cheerleaders to prostitute themselves in exchange for park perks and goodies. What happened to journalistic integrity? Oh yeah... that went out with financial regulations and realistic CEO compensation.

If Disney needs these people so much, they should put them on the payroll and make them conform to the guidelines that all other CMs are required to adopt. By allowing third party tour guides to conduct for-profit business on Disney property, they are diluting the brand. They're obviously doing this because it's cheaper than enlarging their own labor pool, which also ticks me off. Disney should be creating good jobs for Florida and California residents instead of limiting them in favor of cottage industry hucksters whom they have zero control over regarding their operations and/or messages.

 

Originally Posted By Spirit of 74

I'm wondering if folks at TDO and WDW Social Media are encouraging the behavior because of the shrinkage of legit sources, these whores could be keeping people employed ...

I'm also wondering if any of this could possibly fall outside the bounds of what is legal ... Disney policy aside because if they wanted to have a blogger do a podcast from the top of SSE, they could do so.

Clearly, we all can't go to WDW and start giving tours, although I'd to test that. And if Disney is allowing some folks then by what criteria is it doing so ... so many legal issues are on the plate and Disney is acting as if the buffet is closed.

Far from it ...

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

I'm not a lawyer, but it seems a gray area to me. I do think the guys doing this are slime and among the many in America that will put aside ethics in order to make money.

But is giving an un-official tour of WDW that different from a person who's staff spends hundreds of hours on-site every year so that their observations can be reported in "An Unofficial Guide to DisneyWorld"? Either way you are making money off Disney intellectual property in a way that has not been approved by Disney.