Another bad decision by Disney management

[justcruisin]

We'll miss him, but that's another "storey"

Best wishes to a great performer.

 

[eeyoresnr]

There are nightly entertainers on the Boardwalk 7 days a week from about
7pm-10pm. Brian performed there 3-5 nights per week.

too funny, we even stayed at the BWV and still never saw them...go figure

 

[joe1946]

The Amazing Carlos was the best. I was upset when they didn't renew him and this guy took over. I guess they want to keep it fresh.

Yes! I still miss Carlo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv9fQqGnJP4

 

[Planogirl]

Disney routinely lets talented people go and only they really know why. I remember when they basically gutted the talent at Epcot and DHS a few years ago.

 

[Snurk71]

Anyone have a picture of Brian? I think we've seen most of the performers but don't know their names - just their faces.

Sent from my SAMSUNG Note2 using DISBoards

 

[DisneyDorx]

Probably just one of his magic tricks...Disappears...only to be found in a guests pocket... I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Jonell]

Anyone have a picture of Brian? I think we've seen most of the performers but don't know their names - just their faces.

Sent from my SAMSUNG Note2 using DISBoards

Brianstaron.com

 

[WDSearcher]

Completely pointless comparison. First off, the entertainment budget at DHS is separate from that at MK, Epcot, or any other part of property. Within DHS an increase in one entertainment area would indeed most likely be offset by a decrease in another. Except bringing up F! is a strange one. As they already were running daily shows. Which they then cut back, presumably as they thought there would be demand for Idol, and could save costs by not running both. When Idol mostly bombed, and people complained, they brought back F! to a nightly status. But during the downturn I don't recall seeing an increase in entertainment elsewhere in DHS that would equal offsetting the 30-40 performers in F! plus however many techs. If there was and I missed it, I would love to know what they added in the park. Also, F! has been back to full time for a while, but they just recently cancelled both the afternoon parade, and the Disney Channel Rocks!, once again with no apparent offset elsewhere in the park.

It's not a completely pointless comparison. My point was that the trade-off isn't often immediate. Budgets stretch and bend and contract at Disney just like they do for you and me. With F!, they took it down for a while to push Idol, but it also obviously saved them money. If, at that point, upper management was calling for budget cuts, it also helped achieve that without having to lose anything else. When guest complaints brought back F! to nightly status, that money (which had probably been taken out of the budget for the year) had to come from somewhere, and so there were likely characters or atmo performers who were not added or other show improvements (backstage as well as onstage) that were cut in order to pay for it. Just because you didn't see it, doesn't mean things weren't added or taken away. A lot of what entertainment budgets pay for also happens backstage. New character costumes, additional rehearsals, upgrading of stage fixtures, adding a technician to a crew, etc. Cutting Fant! for several nights a week could have gone to pay for anything from new decking for the B&B stage to a new group of costumes for the characters at the Hat. You may not notice that, but it's still money out the door.

Neither was the Tapestry of Nations/Dreams replaced, Skytastic!, etc etc.

Then again, a lot of shows are limited-run shows. Tapestry was supposed to be a one year event (2000), and then it was supposed to go away. Those puppets and floats weren't built to last the normal lifespan of a Disney parade. They were for the millennium celebration, scheduled to close at the end of that year. The parade proved to be popular, so Disney rebuilt some puppets and retrofitted some floats and kept the parade out there a couple years longer. So no ... nothing directly replaced Tapestry. But then again ... nothing was supposed to. Tapestry was a "Year 2000 Special Event" that got to stay around longer than planned. If anything, Epcot got a "free" parade for a couple of years that they were never supposed to have. Not everything Disney puts on the street or in the air is meant as a permanent fixture. There was a lot of stuff added for the millenium that went away right after -- it was supposed to.

See above. Also see Brer Bear and the other characters that used to meet in the AK entry area. Or the 3rd Pooh & Friends character being cut when they move at AK, or the 3PM parade at AK that sounds like it will be done at the end of the year with no announced replacement. I'm sure someone else can chime in with additional decreases in entertainment around the world.

So while this specific case might have a good reason behind the change, at the same point, there is precedence to think that WDW might be acting in a cost saving measure.
Yes, there are instances where new hires do offset ones that have been let go, the Silly Saxtet replaced the Fantasyland Quartet, the British Revolution replacing the British Invasion, etc. But lately it does seem to follow the trend of less across the board.

I don't know ... they're building a new parade for MK, there were new entertainment offerings in NFL when it opened (Giggle Gang, new character greeting area, ETWB, Gaston M&G); the new princess location is opening soon. Epcot is getting a new character space and will probably have something to do with "Frozen" when it comes out (yay Norway!). We'll likely see Sofia and / or Doc at the Studios before long, plus whatever they might be planning for Star Wars / Lucasfilm properties. Fant! updated its audio system not too long ago. DAK just opened a couple of new M&G areas and have done lots of smaller "festival" type things, plus whatever needs to be done (relocating FoLK) to accomodate future expansion (whether that's Avatar or something else). And we have no idea what kind of work is being done backstage to build, change or improve.

Would I like more entertainment in the parks? Absolutely! I don't necessarily think that DHS needs another parade -- and I certainly don't miss DCR -- but it would be nice to see more ... something ... in that park. I'd love to double what's at Epcot so that you literally could not walk the promenade without getting assaulted by entertainment. But I'd also be okay if they just changed things up a little. I like Off Kilter, but I wouldn't mind if they were replaced with something fresher and new. Same goes with the Mariachis in Mexico. Put something -- anything! -- at Norway. A lot more strolling performers at France. Get some entertainment back into Future World.

I see growth, but then I also remember the year or two after 9/11 when entertainment was cut to the bone because money needed to be saved and entertainment is the easiest thing to cut. It's very flexible. You can add something for a few months and then take it away when it's less busy. Attractions, restaurants, resorts ... those budgets are harder to play with, so entertainment gets the short end a lot of the time.

 

[UConnFan]

We were in Disney last week and I had to chance to speak to Brian. I asked him if it was true, that he would be leaving. He told me they didn't agree with his "politics". I didn't want to pry any deeper, cause I felt it would not be my place to do so, but felt that he wasn't leaving on a good note. I did let him know he will be missed. I have many great memories of his shows, especially those where my grandsons had to chance to participate.

That makes sense. I'm not surprised there was some bad blood between them. I've never seen this performer, so I can't comment on his leaving, but, generally, I would think there has to be a reason to no re-up the contract.

Sometimes it's hard to remember that Disney is a business. They have to make decisions that are best for the company, and that means making decisions that we may not always agree with. Whether they be budgetary or if he was not aligning with their strict CM guidelines, there are always reasons for these decisions.

 

[cruisingkat]

All entertainment be it group r individual are only signed to one year contracts (or at least the is what we were taught in the entertainment show product course in my CP). His yearly contract was up an whatever the reason Disney choose not to extend another contract.

Also just read that the gentleman who had performed for years during the evening at the Scat Cat Club at Port Orleans French Quarter was let go in early May. There is no one performing there now, to the best of my knowledge.

It's not only when their contract expires that they can be let go. Elliot Dyson the performer at the Scat Cat Club at POFQ was let go - in fact they terminated his contract which wasn't up unitl October. That is really a shame as he was the only one at Disney who performed that kind of music (from Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Neil Diamond, Elvis, Jimmy Buffet, to Ray Charles, the Beatles, etc) in the evenings in area where there was space enough to dance a little if the mood struck you.

 

[Fargoman2]

I am very disappointed to see this news, especially since we are set to return to the Boardwalk in less than 2 weeks. Over the years, we have come to look forward to his shows as a real highlight of our time in WDW. He added so much life and ambiance to the whole experience on the Boardwalk.

Of course, everyone is right in noting that only Brian and Disney management know the "real" reason his contract is not being renewed. But after reading in the middle of this thread that someone had actually talked to Brian and he referenced that (paraphrasing) Disney did not like his "politics," it struck a curiosity chord with me. What "politics" could he be referring to? After doing some sleuthing on this, I did discover some hints at some potential/conceivable political disconnects between himself and Disney. But then again, it's all extremely speculative conjecture on my part to imagine what, where and how "politics" resulted in his departure.

Long story short-- our family will really miss him. We wish him the best. He is talented and very witty so I have no doubts he will thrive moving forward.

 

[Glenn]

Sounds typical for Disney over the last few yrs. Yes things change, but there is a difference between change & elimination. What is true will come out if they replace both staron & dyson with someone just as good or will it be something cheaper or not at all. I will bet that nothing will replace these 2 entertainers. The parade at Epcot was canceled due to low attendance, worn costumes & so on. The parks have been bursting at the seams for some time & still no parade at Epcot. The winter of lights ? at Epcot were canceled due to needing repairs & old technology but never replaced. They were lights sinced to music. You see amazing displays on the news at home around Christmas & Disney doesnt have the skill to come up with similar? And last even the talking drinking fountain in Epcot bit the dust sometime ago. How costly was it to keep that going. I just believe that they are cutting little things that added to the delight of the parks to beef up the huge bottom line & bonuses for the brass

 

[HMANSION LOVER]

I just learned that Disney did not renew/extend Brian Starons contract. For those of you who don't know, Brian is the magician with the 3 wheeled bike who performs on the Boardwalk. In my opinion, he is the best show, with the largest following on the Boardwalk. So once again, prices go up and talent level goes down.

That stinks, my family stayed at BWV and without a doubt he was one of the entertainers we truly enjoyed. But let's not jump to conclusions. It is always possible when it came time to renew his contract he wanted too much money or something. He is talented and can always get work, maybe his head got to big OR Disney execs were being a-holes. Lets face it, it wouldn't be the first time disney execs did the wrong thing (ie. Eisner telling Pixar to take a leap) etc................