FP plus exec gone, how many more will follow?

[flicx]

So it now appears this FP plus rollout has already taken a casualty. I'm just wondering how many more will follow. How long will the" this a test" moniker last? Looks like upper management is now admitting what many of us on the boards have already spoke up about. The system has more holes in it than swiss cheese.

 

[andyman8]

Let's get this party started!

 

[kmb584]

I have to say, I'm not surprised one bit.

 

[kastoney]

Any details or specifics on why? We can assume but I'd love to know the disney side of the story

 

[flicx]

I too would love to know the details. I am sure Disney probably will have no comment as to why. I would venture the fact that they are way over budget and still many issues with the product as the reason why.

 

[mom2rtk]

Executives are rarely let go for rolling out a new product too well.

 

[Bluegrrl]

If you read the story, it said something like, "left to pursue other interests" or implement the tech elsewhere". Something like that.
To me, it sounds like the book, "the Lorax". Once the guy has come in, screwed everything up and ruined it, he's off to other pastures to do the same thing.

All we can do it speak for the trees...err, Disney fans.

(Ok, a little over dramatic, I know! )

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't know why this guy left or was let go, but I do know that most executives don't leave positions that high up voluntarily. It's not easy to land a job making what he was probably making. But who knows.

 

[Polydweller]

I don't know why this guy left or was let go, but I do know that most executives don't leave positions that high up voluntarily. It's not easy to land a job making what he was probably making. But who knows.

Not true at all. Executives move around a lot and he wasn't that high. They keep trying to move up the corporate ladder and if they perceive that it's going to take too long in their current company they jump to another. Most executive level jumps don't get much press and/or don't catch the public's interest. If you follow financial blogs and news there are almost weekly announcements of a person jumping to a company and going upwards like Vice President to president. Very common and voluntary.

 

[PEC]

MY guess would be overbudget and technical problems. Example was somebody posted today that they lost there SDMT FP. OF course I believe the 2 are tied together. The technical problems led to having to hire more programmers to fix it. Hence overbudget.
Despite some threads, the FP- vs FP+ debate has had little if any to do with it. The wait times at POTC and HM has had little if any to do with it. Many guest probably dont even recognize the 5-10 minute average longer wait. The technical problems lead to mad customers. Over budget leads to too much off the bottomline. Execs are released for BIG issues. In this case too many technical problems and overrun of budget.

 

[DebbieB]

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...519_1_mymagic-walt-disney-world-nick-franklin

 

[luvsTink]

I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest that just possibly....maybe.....the "typical" Disney guest is not the uber-fan that many of us here are. And if not uber-fans, at least committed trip planners.

So, with that said, there are a fair number of people that will be at WDW that have no clue what is different. I mean, seriously....there are people that will wait 90 minutes to ride Space Mountain. I have seen people at the parks that clearly don't even know what a fast pass is, let alone the difference between FP- and FP+.

I should withhold this next statment until I get back later next month, but is the new system really a tremendous failure or just glitchy?

JMHO
Anne

 

[morethananyonex]

Executives are rarely let go for rolling out a new product too well.

That's the Disney difference everyone is always talking about.

 

[MuddyTires]

Disney's stock is double what it was just in early 2012, and up about 25% over in the past year. Of 20 research analysts following the stock, 11 have Disney as a strong buy, 2 a moderate buy, and 7 a hold. Of course, Disney is much much more than the parks, but attendance, revenue, and profitability of Parks and Resorts are all up. They had record second quarter attendance at WDW.

Given those awful results, I'm sure we'll continue to see heads rolling.

 

[Fratthouse]

Not true at all. Executives move around a lot and he wasn't that high. They keep trying to move up the corporate ladder and if they perceive that it's going to take too long in their current company they jump to another. Most executive level jumps don't get much press and/or don't catch the public's interest. If you follow financial blogs and news there are almost weekly announcements of a person jumping to a company and going upwards like Vice President to president. Very common and voluntary.

The article states he was one of Tom Skaggs 11-member executive committee. I would consider that pretty high.

From the article: "He is the longest-serving member on the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts executive committee, the elite circle of executives overseeing Disney's global vacation empire."


http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...519_1_mymagic-walt-disney-world-nick-franklin

 

[skylizard]

Not true at all. Executives move around a lot and he wasn't that high. They keep trying to move up the corporate ladder and if they perceive that it's going to take too long in their current company they jump to another. Most executive level jumps don't get much press and/or don't catch the public's interest. If you follow financial blogs and news there are almost weekly announcements of a person jumping to a company and going upwards like Vice President to president. Very common and voluntary.

Exactly. The article says he had been with Disney for 17 years. I wouldn't be surprised if he had found a better position and decided it was time to move on.

 

[mom2rtk]

Exactly. The article says he had been with Disney for 17 years. I wouldn't be surprised if he had found a better position and decided it was time to move on.

Hmmmm..... I would have thought he'd stick around long enough to get his big bonus for rolling out MM+ so successfully. I hope he negotiated that into his package.

 

[practicallyperfect77]

All I know is that at the company I work for "leaving to pursue other interests" means the employee got the "tap on the shoulder" to retire early. Looks much better if the announcement says "pursuing other interests" vs got fired.

 

[dbramer]

From reading the press release, it sounds like he is probably headed to a new corp with a higher paycheck and a promotion.

We will never know if the whole MM system was over-budget or not unless we are on the board of directors. We don't know the amortization schedule or the projected gains over the next fiscal year or five. We are speculating on things that we know nothing of. We will never know what the true roll-out plan for FP+ was or is or even what the final shape of it will look like.

Judging from the responses on the boards and word of mouth I have received, the system is much preferable to the old system for many guests. The super-users find it limiting, but the folks I have talked to have been very happy with the product.

 

[larryz]

From reading the press release, it sounds like he is probably headed to a new corp with a higher paycheck and a promotion.

Let us know if anyone finds out where he went. That's a company whose stock I will watch with great interest!