Roy Disney rallies the faithful at Disneyana convention......

[Dan Murphy]

Miami Herald

Roy Disney rallies the faithful at Disneyana convention
GARY GENTILE
Associated Press

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. - Roy E. Disney got a standing ovation Saturday as he brought his campaign to oust Walt Disney Co. chairman and chief executive Michael Eisner to lovers of all things Disney.

Disney said management decisions have dulled the creative edge of the entertainment giant.

"One of the reasons for my leaving, other than the fact that they fired me, was that I saw that quality slipping away from us," Disney told collectors of Disney memorabilia at their semiannual meeting.

The 72-year-old son of company co-founder Roy O. Disney resigned from the board of directors in November after learning that that the board's governance and nominating committee was going to enforce the mandatory retirement age of 72.

Disney and longtime supporter Stanley Gold, who also resigned from the board, are trying to drum up support to replace Eisner, saying he is to blame for embarrassing management missteps and a focus on short-term profits over the company's core mission.

"I want to thank you for all your enormous support for the Disney idea," Roy Disney told about 200 people from around the country gathered for a meeting of "NFFC - The Club for Disneyana Enthusiasts."

"It stands for quality," he said of the Disney brand. "It stands for families, it stands for getting your money's worth and it stands for a lot of innovation and a lot of new and creative ideas that make things fun every time you visit a park or go to a film."

Disney was asked to comment on changes since his departure that he has seen at the Disneyland theme park, just two miles north of the hotel hosting the convention.

"I have to pay to get in now, that's one thing," he replied.

Disney did not offer many specifics about his continued campaign against Eisner and acknowledged "a sense of frustration" about the time his efforts were taking.

"It may take awhile," he said. "We've got to figure out how to keep the ball in the air and keep the heat on these people."

Disney, who still has some shareholder voting privileges, said he planned to attend the company's annual meeting March 3 in Philadelphia, when management will present a slate of nominees for election to the board. Eisner is expected to be up for re-election.

"We will at some point let you know how we're going to vote," Roy Disney said. "I guess you can probably guess."

Disney, who also gave up his chairmanship of Disney's animation unit when he resigned, decried the recent closing of the company's animation studio in Orlando, which resulted in about 230 layoffs.

"To me, it's a failure of management to figure out what to do with creative people, a failure to realize creativity is the basis of this company," he said.

"He said everything everyone in this room feels," said Anita Schaengold, from Dayton, Ohio.

She and others in attendance said they wished Eisner would speak out and address Roy Disney and Gold's concerns.

While the Disney board formally rejected Disney and Gold's criticism as "untrue and unwarranted allegations," Eisner has not spoken publicly about the resignations.

"I don't think this is a crusade against Michael Eisner," she said. "But he has not come out to rally the troops, so who do you believe? Roy is here pouring his heart out."

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On the Net:

http://savedisney.com

 

[djkeenan]

Thanks Dan, for taking the time to share this with us.

 

[Sheree Bobbins]

Wow. Roy Disney is a going concern at age 72. I hope I am as energetic. It's great to see he still has hopes and dreams!

 

[Kallison]

Go Roy! Eisner has definitely moved away from Walt's vision of a quality product at any cost.

 

[*Flower*]

Thanks Dan.........

 

[luv2nascar]

go Roy save the magic

 

[always quiet]

I really hope he is able to convince the voting shareholders to oust Eisner. Wonder where in Philly he is going to be!