Longtime Imagineer Kevin Rafferty to retire in April 2021

[rteetz]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1349417256971862017

 

[Alicefan]

Seems like a LOT of big wigs and long time employees are bailing on Disney right now. I wonder if any of them have been ASKED to take early retirement or if they all just thought, "man, this is a hot mess, good time to call it a day." So many retirement and stepping down notices in the last couple of months.

 

[New Mouse]

Seems like a LOT of big wigs and long time employees are bailing on Disney right now. I wonder if any of them have been ASKED to take early retirement or if they all just thought, "man, this is a hot mess, good time to call it a day." So many retirement and stepping down notices in the last couple of months.

Its across the country in most industries right now. The extra stress combined with often times more hours and less pay is making retirement look awfully enticing.

 

[Alicefan]

Its across the country in most industries right now. The extra stress combined with often times more hours and less pay is making retirement look awfully enticing.

I can't say I blame them. I'd probably bail out too...heck, just to keep from having to go to work with a mask on lol. Aaah to be wealthy enough to quit my job.

 

[boop0524]

Seems like a LOT of big wigs and long time employees are bailing on Disney right now. I wonder if any of them have been ASKED to take early retirement or if they all just thought, "man, this is a hot mess, good time to call it a day." So many retirement and stepping down notices in the last couple of months.

I know at my company voluntary retirements for longstanding employees and those in high places are popping up all over the place. Maybe a similar case here. They’re getting a sweet deal to leave early

 

[Disney Bobby]

Hate to see these old timers go. A lot of Disney history walking out the door. I bet a lot of the 40+ year folks learned from the people that learned directly from Disney himself. Hopefully he has passed along some of the magical experience to many folks over the years.

 

[brockash]

Seems like a LOT of big wigs and long time employees are bailing on Disney right now. I wonder if any of them have been ASKED to take early retirement or if they all just thought, "man, this is a hot mess, good time to call it a day." So many retirement and stepping down notices in the last couple of months.

Yes, I think they've been "asked" to go...with their salary.

 

[ford91exploder]

Yes, I think they've been "asked" to go...with their salary.

This is sad, Guys like Rafferty had the Disney DNA and knew the correct answer for ‘what would Walt do’. He learned from the ‘9 old men’ who created along with walt the Disney Way. And just like the ‘HP Way’ its deader than dinosaur dung killed by beancounters who value short term profits above all.

For those who dont know HP used to be the world’s premier tech company who built everything from atomic clocks and survey gear to aerospace components. Now after all those businesses were sold off ‘to unlock shareholder value’ Its now known for cheap printers and laptops and very expensive ink and toner.


I was surprised there was anybody left with the title ‘imagineer’, When does the ‘For Rent or Lease’ sign go up on the imagineering building.

Hey we can hire some hipsters from some ranfom LA atelier for our next project.

And for the hotels the design department at Ikea does everything we need....

 

[AvidDisReader]

With COVID pretty much shutting down any new attractions being developed, it looks like a lot of long time Imagineers are taking retirement (whether they are being forced to do so or just realizing there is nothing to work on so it is time, we do not know). I see this in many industries across the country, but Disney to those on this forum is such a personal investment that it hits harder. All the more to hope the vaccines are distributed faster so this can be put behind us as soon as possible.

 

[ford91exploder]

With COVID pretty much shutting down any new attractions being developed, it looks like a lot of long time Imagineers are taking retirement (whether they are being forced to do so or just realizing there is nothing to work on so it is time, we do not know). I see this in many industries across the country, but Disney to those on this forum is such a personal investment that it hits harder. All the more to hope the vaccines are distributed faster so this can be put behind us as soon as possible.

Here's the problem, Disney is handling COVID bean counter style 'Going out of business, Everything Must GO nothing held back (in glaring neon colors)'

Back in 1934 Disney almost went under except for 'the train that saved Disney' the Disney museum website tells the story better than I can.

https://www.waltdisney.org/blog/disney-and-lionel.

Disney and Lionel designed a inexpensive toy that basically 'went viral' before it was a thing and the money from that saved Disney from dissolution.

Fast forward to today Disney is busily firing its most talented and creative people to save a few bucks instead of putting those same people in a room and asking how do we deliver a Disney experience to a locked down population and I'm sure they would have some brilliant and readily implementable ideas. I've dropped one of my ideas but I'm an engineer who spends most of his professional life doing failure analysys 'why it broke and how to fix it'

Without even breaking a sweat how about a 'Virtual Magic Kingdom' using something like the Oculus VR system, Want to try tinkerbell's zipline, Want to be the guy who launches Wishes, see a virtual FoTLK or Nemo, Be the engineer of the monorail or steam train. I know I'd spend the money for that. Tour the park heck make a virtual shopping experience where you browse the store and use your magic band to make purchases (that would be shipped to you).

Disney was based on CREATIVITY not Financial Engineering. Yet everything Disney does of late stinks to high heaven of financial engineering.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Here's the problem, Disney is handling COVID bean counter style 'Going out of business, Everything Must GO nothing held back (in glaring neon colors)'

Back in 1934 Disney almost went under except for 'the train that saved Disney' the Disney museum website tells the story better than I can.

https://www.waltdisney.org/blog/disney-and-lionel.

Disney and Lionel designed a inexpensive toy that basically 'went viral' before it was a thing and the money from that saved Disney from dissolution.

Fast forward to today Disney is busily firing its most talented and creative people to save a few bucks instead of putting those same people in a room and asking how do we deliver a Disney experience to a locked down population and I'm sure they would have some brilliant and readily implementable ideas. I've dropped one of my ideas but I'm an engineer who spends most of his professional life doing failure analysys 'why it broke and how to fix it'

Without even breaking a sweat how about a 'Virtual Magic Kingdom' using something like the Oculus VR system, Want to try tinkerbell's zipline, Want to be the guy who launches Wishes, see a virtual FoTLK or Nemo, Be the engineer of the monorail or steam train. I know I'd spend the money for that. Tour the park heck make a virtual shopping experience where you browse the store and use your magic band to make purchases (that would be shipped to you).

Disney was based on CREATIVITY not Financial Engineering. Yet everything Disney does of late stinks to high heaven of financial engineering.

Like most large corporations Disney now has ALL the data and, like most, they’re using it against the consumer. I’ve said for months I’ve been unimpressed with Disney’s pandemic approach. Very little innovation or leading the charge on changes, lots of bandaids that don’t make sense, and what feels like zero customer consideration. In a time where every other company or business is clamoring for creative ways to retain or win business, Disney is doing opposite. Who knows maybe they’ll blow everyone away with relief packages and offerings as time goes on and things recover slightly but for right now they’re in cut only mode.

When universal is regularly trolling your decisions on Twitter you know you have issues.

 

[ford91exploder]

Like most large corporations Disney now has ALL the data and, like most, they’re using it against the consumer. I’ve said for months I’ve been unimpressed with Disney’s pandemic approach. Very little innovation or leading the charge on changes, lots of bandaids that don’t make sense, and what feels like zero customer consideration. In a time where every other company or business is clamoring for creative ways to retain or win business, Disney is doing opposite. Who knows maybe they’ll blow everyone away with relief packages and offerings as time goes on and things recover slightly but for right now they’re in cut only mode.

When universal is regularly trolling your decisions on Twitter you know you have issues.

there is a old accounting joke, ‘Accountants know the cost of everything and the value of nothing’

its not so much that companies are using the data against us. Senior management’s compensation is tightly coupled to stock price so stock price is the only metric driving decisions.

Bloomberg did a survey a couple of years back where most CEO’s would not invest in a profitable line of business if it resulted in a short term dip in stock price.

there is a vast gulf between healthy businesses and a high stock price they are not related

 

[Tiki Birdland]

there is a old accounting joke, ‘Accountants know the cost of everything and the value of nothing’

its not so much that companies are using the data against us. Senior management’s compensation is tightly coupled to stock price so stock price is the only metric driving decisions.

Bloomberg did a survey a couple of years back where most CEO’s would not invest in a profitable line of business if it resulted in a short term dip in stock price.

there is a vast gulf between healthy businesses and a high stock price they are not related

Quite true! One look at the history of Enron will demonstrate that.