Al Lutz Update at MiceAge

[Werner Weiss]

I received an e-mail note about a new Disneyland Update from Al Lutz. Not surprisingly, the ariticle has negative comments about DCA and positive comments about Disneyland park -- that's been the case for many of of Al's Disneyland Updates at MousePalnet. I enjoy reading Al's news, rumors, and observations.

But here's the interesting part... the article is not on MousePlanet. It's on a new site called MiceAge at http://www.MiceAge.com/

 

[Tannerman]

Looks like Al is taking the Jim Hill route of creating a site just for his own content... isn't that how he started out in the first place? I wonder what the backstory is there?

 

[WDWHound]

Looks like Al has left Mouseplanet. Here is a quote from a moderator on a Mousepad thread that annouces Al's Departure:

"Ok, here's the deal, and let's see if I can cut off incorrect speculation."

"Al has decided to leave MousePlanet and begin his own web site. He will no longer be writing here. Kevin Yee will apparently be joining him."

"This has little to do with the dearth of Disneyland material lately (my explanation above is still correct, in my opinion) but it probably explains why Al hasn't written anything recently."

"Just to cut off speculation, this was completely Al's decision. In fact, it is a decision we were only informed of very recently, and final details were only given today (Sunday)."

"We regret the decision Al has made and will do our best to adjust and keep all our readers satisfied."

Here is a link to the thread if anyone is interested:
http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12160

This is a bit confusing. I thought Al ran Mouse Planet. Why would he need to leave?

 

[larry_poppins]

I missed Al's columns. I am glad he will still be writing on the Net even if it is not at Mouseplanet. Still there must be more to this story than what we know.

Larry

 

[Mooobooks]

Ding Dong the Witch is dead is all I can say. Can't say who I'm happier about hitting the road, Paul Pressler, or Al Lutz.
While Lutz sometimes does correctly point out failings in the Disney company, his consistently negative slant and personal hatred of Pressler (who was responsible for Lutz getting canned from his job at Delos records) rendered his "news" unreliable and his opinions suspect. MousePlanet, if it can survive, will be better without him.

 

[meowthew2]

Pressler (who was responsible for Lutz getting canned from his job at Delos records)

For real? That would explain a LOT.

 

[larworth]

Al does often try too hard to make his point. However, I still find that he adds to my knowledge base and have learned to look past some of the agenda plays.

He actually seems to be pretty complimentary lately of upkeep at DL. Yes, he never passes on a chance to bash DCA. I guess there is just too much material there to resist.

There was some pretty earnest attempts to debuke all of his commentary by a Disney insider on another site. It will be interesting to see if he changes his tact (softens or hardens) now that he has another site to try to establish.

 

[Mooobooks]

If you read Lutz' new dribble on MiceAge you'll find that it's the same drivel on a different spot on the electronic highway!
And, yes, the story about Lutz being canned from Delos because of Presler is, my sources confirm, quite true.

 

[Werner Weiss]

Just a friendly suggestion to the readers of this board not to believe everything you read on the Internet... even if someone says their sources confirm.

 

[Mooobooks]

Gee Werner, does that mean we shouldn't believe what you write?

 

[Another Voice]

The fact of the matter is that Al Lutz is far more accurate than the other alleged Disney insiders out there (even the “rumored” marketing people pretending to be insiders). And it’s also true that Al is far more kind and gentle about things Disney than a lot of the people who work for The Mouse are.

Most rumors are nothing more than comments about what is planned. And plans change all the time. If Al mentions something and it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t mean that Al was wrong when he wrote it. And whatever his employment status doesn’t “render his news unreliable” that California Adventure is a disaster beyond imagination, the decrepit state of Disneyland’s maintenance or glaring lack of skills shown by management.

Like him or not, just don’t let your own personal bias blind you to the truth.

 

[DisneyFanGuy]

I read many sites, and Al is very accurate. He seems to have an absolute gift for irritating people though. To me, that's entertaining!

As an annual visitor to DL and WDW every year, I often agree with what he says. I love the parks, but think that Disney has completely lost their corporate minds with recent decisions and have lost their vision with the theme parks. That doesn't stop my visits, but it made me sell their stock a few years ago. Al had nothing to do with it.

 

[raidermatt]

I read many sites, and Al is very accurate. He seems to have an absolute gift for irritating people though.

I agree with this 100%.

When you look at his track record, he's pretty darn good when compared to others. And while some may not like his commentary, he backs it up whenever he can. If he says maintenance is poor, he shows you pictures of old paint. If he says Legal is going wild, he shows you yellow caution tape around the steps to a drinking fountain. (and, when its removed, he shows that too).

Its hard for somebody who personally likes a park like DCA to listen to all of the criticism, but when you look at the big picture, theres a lot more evidence to support the criticism than there is to support the praise.

It does make you wonder about "insiders" who have such a rosy view of things.... (NOT directed at any of the regular posters on this board)