In Defense of Bob Chapek

[Smugpugmug]

It should be noted that when Universal is totally packed, you can still wait 30 to 60 minutes WITH their Express Pass. That is never the case with Disney's comparable offerings.

Just trying to be fully transparent here.

I always buy the Express pass when I go and the longest I waited was 30 minutes for Gringotts. Everything else was a walk on. I am going again this Christmas so I'm expecting it to be a completely different story. I still 100% prefer Express to the nightmare that is Genie+.

 

[middlechild]

This post and included clip (starting at 9min and going for about 15min) brought in a new perspective for me. That Chapek is putting some content from movies out there intentionally. The idea is the lack of revenue supports the decision makers not to do the same things anymore.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/dis-shareholders-and-stock-info-only.3881254/post-64138099

If indeed Lucasfilm and Pixar can be reigned in, not allowed to go so far off the reservation, then we can go back to hating him only for park pricing and not for putting political issues inserted into "family friendly" Disney.

 

[Jonfw2]

I always buy the Express pass when I go and the longest I waited was 30 minutes for Gringotts. Everything else was a walk on. I am going again this Christmas so I'm expecting it to be a completely different story. I still 100% prefer Express to the nightmare that is Genie+.

At Christmas 2018, we waited between 45 and 60 minutes for both HP rides, Mummy, Hulk, and Minions with Express pass.

Now that has alleviated somewhat as crowds are absorbed by Velocicoaster and Hagrid's...but you can't use it for those so major double-edged sword there.

 

[Jonfw2]

This post and included clip (starting at 9min and going for about 15min) brought in a new perspective for me. That Chapek is putting some content from movies out there intentionally. The idea is the lack of revenue supports the decision makers not to do the same things anymore.
https://www.disboards.com/threads/dis-shareholders-and-stock-info-only.3881254/post-64138099

If indeed Lucasfilm and Pixar can be reigned in, not allowed to go so far off the reservation, then we can go back to hating him only for park pricing and not for putting political issues inserted into "family friendly" Disney.

It's an impossible fight- anything viewed as too Progressive will get 50% of your customer base angry and anything viewed as not Progressive enough will upset the other 50%.

To be clear: that's of people who actually care one way or the other. I, and I suspect many others, just don't.

 

[Jrb1979]

Hey no worries! More than maybe any other company out there, Disney decisions are unbelievably personal to people. So criticism of their stance on something- no matter how impersonal- is likely going to be taken personally.

It shouldn't be, but it is.

I get it, at the end of the day Disney is a business just every place else. At the same time it's not hard to see why people hate on Chapek when you look at the cuts and upcharges they have done to the parks. As a whole he's done an ok job but park wise it's not been a huge success.

 

[Smugpugmug]

At Christmas 2018, we waited between 45 and 60 minutes for both HP rides, Mummy, Hulk, and Minions with Express pass.

Now that has alleviated somewhat as crowds are absorbed by Velocicoaster and Hagrid's...but you can't use it for those so major double-edged sword there.

Yup that's what I'm expecting this Christmas. The simplicity of being able to just scan your pass and you're in line is superior to having to compete with the masses at 7 am for one E-ticket and then by the time you can grab something else, everything but Star Tours is gone.

But in terms of your initial post, I can't say that I can defend Chapek but I find it funny that people think he is the root cause of the issues in the US parks right now when arguably Iger initiated these changes before leaving.

 

[lugnut33]

Well, you literally ARE biased in the sense that you have a bias here against Bob Chapek.

True or false: you are biased against Chapek?

With that thinking you'd allow no criticism of Chapek. Completely not sure how you go from "give me details" to me being biased after I give you details.

 

[Jonfw2]

Yup that's what I'm expecting this Christmas. The simplicity of being able to just scan your pass and you're in line is superior to having to compete with the masses at 7 am for one E-ticket and then by the time you can grab something else, everything but Star Tours is gone.

But in terms of your initial post, I can't say that I can defend Chapek but I find it funny that people think he is the root cause of the issues in the US parks right now when arguably Iger initiated these changes before leaving.

Someone said earlier on their list of criticisms that Chapek needed the ex-CEO to come back to help. No- he didn't even WANT the ex-CEO to come back. That was all Iger. And again I ask (and I'm an Iger fan): what good did that actually do?

 

[Jonfw2]

With that thinking you'd allow no criticism of Chapek. Completely not sure how you go from "give me details" to me being biased after I give you details.

Again: it's a very fair list. I just wanted to make it clear that most of those points are personal opinion and not fact.

And to be clear: of COURSE I am fine with criticism of Chapek. I have plenty of my own. It's just not the Code Blue type criticism that many here have.

 

[jade1]

Yup that's what I'm expecting this Christmas. The simplicity of being able to just scan your pass and you're in line is superior to having to compete with the masses at 7 am for one E-ticket and then by the time you can grab something else, everything but Star Tours is gone.

But in terms of your initial post, I can't say that I can defend Chapek but I find it funny that people think he is the root cause of the issues in the US parks right now when arguably Iger initiated these changes before leaving.

Just curious what it's likely to cost that week. Or is it pre purchased already?

I've seen days its $179 ea, prob well worth if you have the funds-but just curious.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Just curious what it's likely to cost that week. Or is it pre purchased already?

I've seen days its $179 ea, prob well worth if you have the funds-but just curious.

You mean Christmas week? The one time Express is $200 per person and the unlimited is $250. Undercovertourist had the unlimited for $179 but it was sold out as of 2 weeks ago when I checked. I did a chat with an employee on UC that confirmed that it was sold out and not just blacked out.

I'm going with all adults and we each paid for our own but I can't imagine a family with more than 2 kids paying that.

 

[jade1]

You mean Christmas week? The one time Express is $200 per person and the unlimited is $250. Undercovertourist had the unlimited for $175 but it was sold out as of 2 weeks ago when I checked. I did a chat with an employee on UC that confirmed that it was sold out and not just blacked out.

I'm going with all adults and we each paid for our own but I can't imagine a family with more than 2 kids paying that.

OK thanks. Yea figured about that. I guess might as well do $50 more for unlimited at that point.

I wonder what room rates are that include it that week. Prob makes more sense if say a family of 4.

Plus doesn't a one night stay get you 2 days of EX Pass?

 

[Jwaire]

I think you are leaving out the #1 issue.... The biggest issue that I have with him is that he is continuing the pattern over the last 20 years of prioritizing the California Parks at the expense of the Florida Parks. I was shocked how much the experience in Florida has been devalued, lousy rides, bad maintenance, closed restaurants, etc.... The local guests in California would never tolerate that nonsense and DIsney knows it. Consequently the California parks get the best rides, best shows, best maintenance, and full resources to run the parks and give guests a A+ experience. Does Disney know guests to the Florida parks will accept a C- experience?

It's not the California Parks that are being prioritized, and locals did tolerate it for years (Paul Pressler anyone?). Disneyland Resort just got better in the last 10ish years when John Lassiter became involved in the parks and Tom Staggs took over as Parks chairman. It was a disaster before that. People were getting injured.

Chapek's Disney is using profits from the domestic parks (primarily World) to prop up the entire division. They don't have much choice. Multi-billion dollar Shanghai Disneyland has been closed up until last week. Hong Kong Disneyland has just reopened. Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland have never made Disney much money and have operated at a loss most of their existence. COVID just added to those problems.

Walt Disney World is a cash cow. Obviously, the last year has shown that World guests are willing to accept a subpar guest experience with higher prices and less entertainment. Then there's economic problems like a labor shortage and inflation putting more pressure on the parks.

I'm not defending Chapek, but Iger put the company in a terrible position before he left. The Fox acquisition put the company in billions of dollars in debt, there's the looming Hulu problem where Disney will be forced to purchase the remaining shares from Comcast by January 2024 for billions and the studios (other than Marvel) aren't releasing hits (Encanto aside which still failed at the box office).

It's going to be years before the company fully recovers. I wouldn't want Chapek's job.

 

[Smugpugmug]

OK thanks. Yea figured about that. I guess might as well do $50 more for unlimited at that point.

I wonder what room rates are that include it that week. Prob makes more sense if say a family of 4.

Plus doesn't a one night stay get you 2 days of EX Pass?

We actually looked into booking 1 night to get the unlimited Express. 1 night in the most basic room at Royal Pacific (2 queens beds, standard view) was $1075. For a family of 4, that's not bad if you're doing 2 days. My family doesn't want to do 2 days so we ended up not doing it.

Anyway, sorry for sidetracking the thread. Everyone may continue to bash or defend Chapek as much as they please.

 

[Jrb1979]

Again: it's a very fair list. I just wanted to make it clear that most of those points are personal opinion and not fact.

And to be clear: of COURSE I am fine with criticism of Chapek. I have plenty of my own. It's just not the Code Blue type criticism that many here have.

I get there are issues due to how Iger left things but the way he is treating WDW is a joke.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

I always buy the Express pass when I go and the longest I waited was 30 minutes for Gringotts. Everything else was a walk on. I am going again this Christmas so I'm expecting it to be a completely different story. I still 100% prefer Express to the nightmare that is Genie+.

I went peak attendance for both it is not even comparable how better Universal system works. It looks more like to me that Disney system has feature for them allow Disney to manipulate the crowd where they want it to go. This is to their benefit not the attendee.

 

[luv2cheer92]

Get back to me after you try using Genie+. It's expensive, and it just doesn't work. To me, it's a good example of a lot of recent Disney choices.

I've used it plenty and loved it, I agree with every word of the OP.

 

[Jaymarkm]

Went in June and I thought Genie+ was pretty good. Got on everything in the 3 parks we went to (MK/E/HS). Then again, I don’t drink and happily get up at 6:30ish to sit on the patio and drink coffee in peace.

I do feel for everybody on here who self-identify so much as Disney long-term fanatics…it’s impossible to care that much and be objective about things (I STILL want to have a chat with John Henry about trading Mookie, for instance, just like a lot you probably would love to give Chapek a piece of your mind).

I think that’s a key takeaway for me personally from reading all these replies—need to stay a Disney fan even as a new DVC fam, not become fanatic. I’ve got sports teams to drive me crazy already.

 

[Jrb1979]

Went in June and I thought Genie+ was pretty good. Got on everything in the 3 parks we went to (MK/E/HS). Then again, I don’t drink and happily get up at 6:30ish to sit on the patio and drink coffee in peace.

I do feel for everybody on here who self-identify so much as Disney long-term fanstics…it’s impossible to care that much and be objective about things (I STILL want to have a chat with John Henry about trading Mookie, for instance, just like a lot you probably would love to give Chapek a piece of your mind).

I think that’s a key takeaway for me personally from reading all these replies—need to stay a Disney fan even as a new DVC fam, not become fanatic. I’ve got sports teams to drive me crazy already.

I don't know. I think what it comes down to is people's expectations. Those that are the most upset want the parks to go back to what they were pre-covid. Where as those those that are not bothered by much just are happy that Disney is open and around.

From my view I think there is some good and some bad at Disney right now. My biggest issue with Disney is how complex they make it to visit.

 

[Wakey]

No one was left destitute. Stop. Those folks received both a dramatically increased unemployment benefit AND multiple stimulus checks.

Also, isn't Ryanair the company that tried to charge people for using the toilet?

You obviously didn’t read the stories I did. For example, this is an extract from one in the Washington Post.

“Her job waiting tables at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort had sustained her through the painful end of her marriage and the struggles of being a single parent to two teenage girls, one of whom is autistic and struggles with basic motor skills and speaking. Throughout the summer and fall as lawmakers were fighting over an economic relief bill and the number of coronavirus cases was climbing, Flaviana was scouring the Disney fan blogs for glimmers of hope that the tourists might be returning. But the once famously long lines at Disney World remained short even as Orlando’s free food lines, packed with laid-off hotel and theme park workers, grew longer. All the while Flaviana’s unemployment checks shrank from more than $800 a week in July to $247 a week in October, which didn’t even cover her rent.


The hardest parts for Flaviana were accepting the reality that her Disney job was gone; that she wouldn’t be able to provide Victoria, a bright and imaginative teenager whose autism made everyday tasks difficult, with the classes and therapists that enabled her to learn and share her thoughts and feelings.”

Here‘s a good article. There were many, including on places like Bloomberg with some very sad stories. I think it’s bad to just dismiss this and many shareholders didn’t like to see this.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/dec/02/walt-disney-layoffs-workers-struggle