Jim Hill for President!! - Another GREAT article!!

[HBK]

but Eisner is never given the credit he deserves for what Disney America would have been but for a well-heeled lobby against it.

All of the plans start out big. Ei$ner will EARN my credit by learning how to cut down intial plans with a xacto knife instead of a Machette.

The goal shouldn't be to see who can cut the most. It should be who can cut the most un-needed fat from a proposal.

 

[Patch'sD]

I am begining to see DVC Landbaron's point of view. However, I am still not blaming Eisner as he is giving the $tocholder$ what they want. Reduced Capital Spending with Higher Profit Margins. I have not seen Atlantis, Which I am sure is excellent, but could it be that JQ Public is no longer interested in Hand Drawn Animation ( Atlantis) and wants more Computer Generated ( Shrek & Toy Story) Animation. Perhaps Pearl Harbor, missed the mark due to it's lack of Star Drawing Power. Ben Aflek vs Tom Hanks for Saving Private Ryan. Disney's two other Smash Block Buster Hits, the Sixth Sense and Armegadon, Had Bruce Willis's Name behind them. I don't know who did the Casting, But Eisner did have final Authority. As for the parks, In this day of reduced Capital Investment, E-Rides will be few and far between, That is what the Stock Holders want. Disney has to get the Stock price up now, to do that Long Term ROI projects will be delayed and Short Term Savings ( Layoffs and Reduced Maintenance will be implemented. Once the Parks profitabiltiy Starts to suffer, than and only then will you see a change. Becuase the old adage is If it's not broke don't fix it applies here. I know than it will be to late and quick fixes will be applied. I am not defending that type of strategy, but that is what must be done to survive. I would hate to go to Yahoo-Disney Walt Disney World or even worse a WGW, William Gates World.

But I do have one question, Does anyone know where I would find, Disney's Corporate Strategy and Long term Plan

Thanx

 

[YoHo]

First of all, Landbaron, HOW DARE YOU call the 70's the golden age of Disney. That is the most ludicrous statement ever made on these boards, and that includes every debate thread. The golden age of Disney was I would posit some time between the end of WWII and Walt's Death. If you want to make the 70's the silver age, that's fine, but calling it the golden age is offensive. How can the golden age exist after Walt died?


As to Disney's America, I will give Eisner Credit for coming up with a good idea that I think Walt would have loved, What I am mad at him about and LB's quote cuts to the heart of it, is that he let a bunch of old money rich fools ruin it for him. You know, he could have built it somewhere else. there are plenty of other equally historic parts of the country that don't contain certifiably insane rich neighbors who block your plans. (and then build a strip mall on the site.

I've argued that Eisner had the basic creative skills needed to build disney parks, but needed his partner. and apparently a foil to keep him in check. He has shown that he doesn't have the ability to function in his job at the level required alone. THAT is what is relevent.

 

[WDWfanatic288]

of course-Jim Hill is the greatest...he writes real and I love that about him..I about died when he left mp.com but luckily went to lp.com so I can still read his columns!!!

 

[wdwguide]

Originally posted by thedscoop
Don't forget. DCA was a backup plan. Disney's America was first choice and by all means was going to be a unique park. Colonial Williamsburg with attractions and rides and much more history. And DA was Eisner's baby. After the pub hit though, DCA sure was safer. Playing it safe was likely a mistake, but Eisner is never given the credit he deserves for what Disney America would have been but for a well-heeled lobby against it.

DCA and Disney's America were completely independent projects. The plan's for the Disneyland expansion were announced years before Disney's America made its way into the headlines.

 

[YoHo]

Right, they let mainly certifieably insane (can you say Dupont, good, I knew that you could) old rich people convince the media that they were building on hallowed ground (the battlefield was miles away) which let the acedemia get a bunch in thier shorts. Like I said, Walt never had these kinds of problems.


I still say Eisner should have found a way to build it.

 

[Testtrack321]

Fact: Esiner is stering the company into the oblivion.

Fact: If Disney Studios Paris flyies and so does Disney Seas, look for big things.

Atlantis will get a good proffit. Many people I know have already seen or are going to see the movie.

 

[larworth]

If only management decisions were like mathematics. There at least two negatives make a positive.

So, now we've introduced another early 1990's event to go along with the DLP fiasco that has influenced the thinking of current management.

DA ultimately gets recorded as an error on the Eisner team scoresheet. Now, it just might be possible that the sun did get in their eyes on this one. I didn't follow this one all that closely. Maybe someone could articulate whether this was a clear case of mis-management (arrogance, imcompetence??) or just one of those fluke PR events that no one ever expects to take hold.

I mean there are tons of fringe groups wailing against big business. Many seem to succeed and fail, not on merit, but on chance. I'm sure it all could have been prevented, but there are probably hundreds of these windmills out there and you can't see everyone.

Seminal events tend to change an organization's thinking. It is critical to learn from them. It's not prudent to let them scar you so much that you are now afraid to get back into the batter's box.

 

[wdwguide]

Originally posted by thedscoop

Again, I hope that this further explains my position that Wells' death and Disney America's death were seminal events in the current Disney because they placed Disney in situations with which it had never encountered.

Absolutely. Wells' death is THE event that started the instability we are seeing today.