Do you miss Michael Eisner?

[Jwaire]

I just finished listening to Progress City's interview with Disney VP for Resorts Bob Holland. They discussed a bunch of issues including the unbuilt Mediterranean Resort, the plot of land between Poly & Contemporary it was going to sit on, building Epcot and building Grand Floridian.

He talks a lot of about Michael Eisner and his affinity for architecture. I feel like a lot of Disney's greatest growth at World was in the late 80's and 90's. Other than the Pixar & Animation debacle, which ultimately did him in, does anyone else miss Michael Eisner? MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, Downtown Disney, DVC, Swan & Dolphin, Crescent Lake resorts, etc.—he did a lot.

Yeah some things ultimately were failures (like the opening of Euro Disney), but the man really built Disney World as we know it.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Yes, I miss him. I believe Pleasure Island would still be there today if Eisner were at the helm.

 

[Chuck S]

I miss Eisner, but like Walt and Roy, it takes two people...the creative side and the financial side. When Eisner lost Frank Wells, he lost half of what was needed...and sadly, he didn't find an adequate replacement.

On the other hand, we have the Star Wars Franchise and the Marvel Franchise, which may not have happened under Eisner. But Disney really needs to find some creative people.

 

[RivShore]

I miss Eisner, but like Walt and Roy, it takes two people...the creative side and the financial side. When Eisner lost Frank Wells, he lost half of what was needed...and sadly, he didn't find an adequate replacement.

On the other hand, we have the Star Wars Franchise and the Marvel Franchise, which may not have happened under Eisner. But Disney really needs to find some creative people.

I was just about to post that it took two. Without Wells, the parks slowly degraded from lack of general maintenance and investment, Eisner's era did not end well from a parks perspective. I don't think the re-engagement with Pixar under Iger gets enough credit for revitalizing the entire company, Pixar brought Disney animation back to life and added some very popular rides/experiences to the parks. There is no way that merger would have happened under Eisner.
And lets not forget all the recent park investments from Toy Story Land to Star Wars to Pandora in the US and new and upgraded parks around the world.
So to answer the original question, I miss Eisner/Wells but not necessarily the solo version. And if the question is you could have the Eisner/Wells era back or Pixar/Iger, the latter wins, by far, in my mind.

 

[RivShore]

I just finished listening to Progress City's interview with Disney VP for Resorts Bob Holland. They discussed a bunch of issues including the unbuilt Mediterranean Resort, the plot of land between Poly & Contemporary it was going to sit on, building Epcot and building Grand Floridian.

He talks a lot of about Michael Eisner and his affinity for architecture. I feel like a lot of Disney's greatest growth at World was in the late 80's and 90's. Other than the Pixar & Animation debacle, which ultimately did him in, does anyone else miss Michael Eisner? MGM Studios, Animal Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, Downtown Disney, DVC, Swan & Dolphin, Crescent Lake resorts, etc.—he did a lot.

Yeah some things ultimately were failures (like the opening of Euro Disney), but the man really built Disney World as we know it.

Thanks for the podcast link, very interesting stuff!

 

[AvidDisReader]

I was just about to post that it took two. Without Wells, the parks slowly degraded from lack of general maintenance and investment, Eisner's era did not end well from a parks perspective. I don't think the re-engagement with Pixar under Iger gets enough credit for revitalizing the entire company, Pixar brought Disney animation back to life and added some very popular rides/experiences to the parks. There is no way that merger would have happened under Eisner.
And lets not forget all the recent park investments from Toy Story Land to Star Wars to Pandora in the US and new and upgraded parks around the world.
So to answer the original question, I miss Eisner/Wells but not necessarily the solo version. And if the question is you could have the Eisner/Wells era back or Pixar/Iger, the latter wins, by far, in my mind.

Eisner the last several years was not good. Let us not have revisionist history and as the above post states, Eisner became known for trying to milk all profits as possible-so much so that there was a serious take over attempt by Comcast. Nobody's perfect, but Iger was in my opinion the best CEO/President since Walt. If you want to get a real eye opener on Eisner, google the power struggle with Ortiz.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Not at all. For me, he was the worst of those at the helm. I think The Imagineering Story captured a lot of the reasons why I personally feel he did more harm than good (without writing a novel here). But there are going to be ebbs and flows.

 

[nuts]

Go read the book DISNEY WARS and then come back and comment. Eisner did not look good.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Go read the book DISNEY WARS and then come back and comment. Eisner did not look good.

I liked him more after reading that book. Sure, he came across as cutthroat, but he also came across as a very creative person who believed in Walt Disney’s vision. Kind of ironic, because he wasn’t a Disney lover before moving over to the company. But as he immersed himself in company history to learn about it, he fell in love so to speak. Iger doesn’t believe in walt’s vision. He is soulless. And so are his minions. They are dismantling a lot of it as we speak. Pretty sad.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Superstar Limo, and in fact nearly then entire original DCA (GRR and Ca Screaming and Soarin' excluded)
Rocket Rods
Dinoland
Need I go on? Hard "no" from me.

 

[bwvBound]

Superstar Limo, and in fact nearly then entire original DCA (GRR and Ca Screaming and Soarin' excluded)
Rocket Rods
Dinoland
Need I go on? Hard "no" from me.

Superstar Limo and Rocket Rods! Uuuuuuugh. Bleck.

 

[RivShore]

Superstar Limo, and in fact nearly then entire original DCA (GRR and Ca Screaming and Soarin' excluded)
Rocket Rods
Dinoland
Need I go on? Hard "no" from me.

Original DCA...UGHH...I forgot about that disaster.

 

[nuts]

I liked him more after reading that book. Sure, he came across as cutthroat, but he also came across as a very creative person who believed in Walt Disney’s vision. Kind of ironic, because he wasn’t a Disney lover before moving over to the company. But as he immersed himself in company history to learn about it, he fell in love so to speak. Iger doesn’t believe in walt’s vision. He is soulless. And so are his minions. They are dismantling a lot of it as we speak. Pretty sad.

It's interesting how two people can walk away with different views. I think when he was with Wells, it went well (no pun intended). But after Wells death, he lost site of what was important (my view).

 

[WDWEPCOT]

I’ve read the books
I think he was great for the most part
He should have kept Jeffrey K
The Parks were never cleaner / they were open longer and Cast Members were friendly
Things not same now - it’s a money grab
To each his own but I liked him

 

[shawthorne44]

This is how I see things happening. Crowd, "Eisner is the worst." Cheap-ek, "Hold my beer."

 

[chalee94]

This is how I see things happening. Crowd, "Eisner is the worst." Cheap-ek, "Hold my beer."

Yeah, I'm not clear if I'm being asked if I prefer Eisner to Iger or Chapek? Not saying Eisner was the best ever but Chapek is looking to be really really remarkably bad.

 

[Bearval]

I miss Eisner, but like Walt and Roy, it takes two people...the creative side and the financial side. When Eisner lost Frank Wells, he lost half of what was needed...and sadly, he didn't find an adequate replacement.

On the other hand, we have the Star Wars Franchise and the Marvel Franchise, which may not have happened under Eisner. But Disney really needs to find some creative people.

They already have except they seem to only be able to find creative ways to separate you from your money.

 

[RivShore]

I’ve read the books
I think he was great for the most part
He should have kept Jeffrey K
The Parks were never cleaner / they were open longer and Cast Members were friendly
Things not same now - it’s a money grab
To each his own but I liked him

But towards the end of Eisner's era the parks were not in very good shape at all.

 

[ScubaCat]

I don't really miss him. To be honest, we weren't that close.

 

[71 Truck]

Miss him or not Michael Eisner and Frank Wells along with Roy Disney and the Bass brothers saved Disney.
Disney was in bad shape and if I am not mistaken there was a threaten take over attempt by an investor who would have probably would have broken up the company and sold off the assets.

I liked Eisner,I think he did a great job at saving the company and helping grow it into what it is today.
Did he make mistakes,yes, no one is perfect.