Disney reads DISboards - Fact!

[DVC Dude]

I am at a DVC right now and my kid was playing with another kid and I started to talk to the dad....low and behold he was a CM that worked in the finance departemtn of Disney. I talked to him for a while and told him about DIS and he said that Disney REGULARLY reads DIS and monitors the posts. They sometimes leak some info out and see how it flies here. He did not want me to post his name and I agreed.

Whe I told him the things I liked and did not like...he said Disney makes most decisions on the best financial outcome for Disney, but will cave to pressure from members. He gave a simple example that when Disney stopped charging for Cokes on the DCL...it cost them over $2m, but felt it was what the market wanted.

 

[keishashadow]

pssst....

Contemporary Resort Villas

 

[bababear_50]

Ahhhh
We want a DVC at CR PLEASE!!!!!!!!

 

[nbodyhome]

I know that Disney has been watching Disney websites for a long time. I didn't realize they were leaking info here, I thought they did that with Jim Hill.

I wouldn't doubt that IF free dining came out, that it's in part because of everyone talking about it.

 

[bababear_50]

I read some of the Dining post yesterday and alot of people are saying they made ressies based on Free Dining and some were saying they would cancel if no free dining. To me free dining would be nice but I wouldn't let having or not having it stop me from going to DW.

 

[Mtnman44]

I hope Disney continues to make decsions based on the best financial outcomes for the company.

 

[nbodyhome]

I read some of the Dining post yesterday and alot of people are saying they made ressies based on Free Dining and some were saying they would cancel if no free dining. To me free dining would be nice but I wouldn't let having or not having it stop me from going to DW.

I don't think Disney owes guests free dining - but it is a nice gesture if they do (even for just a few weeks of the year). And I would definitely take advantage of it!

 

[disneynutz]

I hope Disney continues to make decsions based on the best financial outcomes for the company.

I don't.

What made Disney the place that we love was Walt. If Walt had made his decisions based upon financial outcomes there probably wouldn't be a Disney today. Walt was a dreamer and a, make it happen kind of guy who was not the best money manager. He left the finances up to his brother Roy. They new that if they did it right a reasonable profit would come some day in the future. They were in it for the long hall.

Today corporations want ridiculously high profits and they want it now. Left unchecked they will cut, cut, cut, until it breaks. The executive management team are rewarded with millions of dollars for cutting and there is very little pride in what they do. If on paper they can save a buck by having someone else do it, they will. They don't expect to be around for very long. They collect their bonuses, move on, and let someone else clean up the mess. Walt believed in keeping it within the Disney family. Even if it cost a little more. He knew that he could expect and receive the Disney level of quality from his own people.

 

[DVCconvert]

I hope Disney continues to make decsions based on the best financial outcomes for the company.

Believe me...they will!

 

[Boston5602]

I don't.

What made Disney the place that we love was Walt. If Walt had made his decisions based upon financial outcomes there probably wouldn't be a Disney today. Walt was a dreamer and a, make it happen kind of guy who was not the best money manager. He left the finances up to his brother Roy. They new that if they did it right a reasonable profit would come some day in the future. They were in it for the long hall.

Today corporations want ridiculously high profits and they want it now. Left unchecked they will cut, cut, cut, until it breaks. The executive management team are rewarded with millions of dollars for cutting and there is very little pride in what they do. If on paper they can save a buck by having someone else do it, they will. They don't expect to be around for very long. They collect their bonuses, move on, and let someone else clean up the mess. Walt believed in keeping it within the Disney family. Even if it cost a little more. He knew that he could expect and receive the Disney level of quality from his own people.

AMEN !

 

[Sammie]

It has long been known that Disney reads many Net forums, including this one, the comment about leaking info, I would take with a grain of salt.

 

[DVCconvert]

Disney reads DISboards - Fact!

shocking!!!!

 

[pb4ugo]

I read some of the Dining post yesterday and alot of people are saying they made ressies based on Free Dining and some were saying they would cancel if no free dining. To me free dining would be nice but I wouldn't let having or not having it stop me from going to DW.

free dining is not a big deal for me - but going back to feature menus at restaurants rather than the current uniform menu offerings would be appreciated...we get more variety eating off-site nowadays.

 

[DVC Dude]

By leaking info...I meant that they have posted messages along with simply reading them, not necessarly breaking new ground...if I see him again...I will make a request for CR!

 

[JimC]

...Today corporations want ridiculously high profits and they want it now. Left unchecked they will cut, cut, cut, until it breaks. The executive management team are rewarded with millions of dollars for cutting and there is very little pride in what they do. If on paper they can save a buck by having someone else do it, they will. They don't expect to be around for very long. They collect their bonuses, move on, and let someone else clean up the mess. Walt believed in keeping it within the Disney family. Even if it cost a little more. He knew that he could expect and receive the Disney level of quality from his own people.

That is the pressure of public ownership, electronic media, activist shareholders and management/boards not held accountable to shareholders.

But not all public companies are as extreme as you portray. And the Disney brothers did quite nicely for themselves and their heirs. And that is fine. It is challenging to do right by all stakeholders all the time.

 

[simzac]

I don't.

What made Disney the place that we love was Walt. If Walt had made his decisions based upon financial outcomes there probably wouldn't be a Disney today. Walt was a dreamer and a, make it happen kind of guy who was not the best money manager. He left the finances up to his brother Roy. They new that if they did it right a reasonable profit would come some day in the future. They were in it for the long hall.

Today corporations want ridiculously high profits and they want it now. Left unchecked they will cut, cut, cut, until it breaks. The executive management team are rewarded with millions of dollars for cutting and there is very little pride in what they do. If on paper they can save a buck by having someone else do it, they will. They don't expect to be around for very long. They collect their bonuses, move on, and let someone else clean up the mess. Walt believed in keeping it within the Disney family. Even if it cost a little more. He knew that he could expect and receive the Disney level of quality from his own people.

While I don't disagree with your post, there is no way anyone knows for sure if Walt would have been successful if he had lived in today's world instead of the period he lived in. Times have changed very much during the past 40-50 years. JMO

 

[Budshark]

I don't.

What made Disney the place that we love was Walt. If Walt had made his decisions based upon financial outcomes there probably wouldn't be a Disney today.

I don't disagree that Walt made Disney - not one bit. However... if you don't believe that Walt did what he did with financial outcomes in mind you are mistaken. The Disney "magic" that Walt created was to help build a product differentiation. Walt bought the land in Florida believing he could build a mega-empire that could be built into something that would attract people for multiple days. The parks were an extension of the movies/cartoons and the movies/cartoons an extension of the parks. All meant to drive profits. Now - did he want to do things special, provide an escape for people - YES - but not at the finanical loss to his employees, company, and self.

Perfect example that I live. The company I work for (hmm... BUDshark... St. Louis) believes in quality. We drive it into everything we do. If its perfect and spotless from 5 inches away, we don't ever have to worry about what the customer sees because they are 5 feet away and it will look stupendous (similar to Disney - focus on quality of the little things). With that said, we've shown over time that quality quality quality can build a product differentiation that overcomes the cost. The key is, the product differentiation overcomes the increased cost. Without it overcoming the increased cost, it'd be gone.

Walt believed that by focusing on the little things and creating a land that was clean, safe, secure he could differentiate his product. And he was right. And we are all recipients. As long as Disney as a company believes that differentiation outweighs their increased costs - we'll benefit. If they stop...

Chris

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

FYI...I work for an auto restoration shop that does work nationwide, and I monitor the forums looking for information/opinions/requests from our company and our competitors.

The Internet is a great marketing/research tool! I can see why Disney would be very eager to use it, and bounce ideas off the unsuspecting public via rumors.

Smart, smart, smart!

Oh... if the powers that be are reading...I'd really like to see a Poly DVC.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

If Disney folks are listening:

Please Create
Contemporary DVC
Gatlinburg DVC
Orange Beach DVC
(Southerners will buy DVC, really!)

Keep
Fort Wilderness Campground

Dump
the scary clown at the boardwalk pool

I've also heard that Disney bought property in Alabama. Is this true?

 

[disneynutz]

That is the pressure of public ownership, electronic media, activist shareholders and management/boards not held accountable to shareholders.

But not all public companies are as extreme as you portray. And the Disney brothers did quite nicely for themselves and their heirs. And that is fine. It is challenging to do right by all stakeholders all the time.

I am sure that not all companies are greedy, just the majority. We hear it every day in the news and it seems to be getting worse. Walt and company were on the cutting edge of business deals. Look at Reedy Creek and his deal with the State of Florida. The difference is Walt had a vested interest. He demanded perfection and he believed that the Guest was number one. Back in the 70s I worked for Pacific Bell and was assigned to Disneyland. My first day on the job I got my butt chewed by a plan clothes Manager and the Chef Telephone Operator for being seen by Guests with my tools on. Boy were they strict. It was all about the Guest experience.