Delaying Dinosaurs Means Monster Year...

So Universal Studios put the breaks on their fourth Dino film...

"Jurassic Park 4" has been put on hold by the Uni suits.  And that's a good thing, because the release date was going to be extremely difficult to meet.  It's exactly one year away and the filming schedule, as welll as FX calender would have been insane.  The earliest we'll see the film now would be Christmas 2014.  But depending on when they come closer to a realization of what Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed) wants to do means the release date could slip into the following year:

2015.

That year is going to be gargantuan.  Can you imagine a year when so many film releases came to a head?  It makes you wonder if there are enough dates and theaters to show all these films.  Personally, it's a good thing not to rush this film into production before it's fully ready.

Here is the official statement released by Universal:

In coordination with filmmakers, Universal has decided to release Jurassic Park 4 at a later date giving the studio and filmmakers adequate time to bring audiences the best possible version of the fourth installment in Universal’s beloved franchise.  We could not be more excited about the vision that Colin Trevorrow has created for this film, and we look forward to watching as he and the producers create another great chapter in this franchise’s storied history.

I'm sure Calvin and Hobbes will be waiting to see this just as I will whenever it's released.  There's something genetic in people, particularly males that loves the idea of seeing a T-Rex running around demolishing things.  Although I love the original film, the second one had what every young boy dreams of: a Tyrannosaurus Rex smashing up a city.  Unfortunately, it also has a kid gymnast that unnecessarily weighed down the story.  The third one was a mess all the way around (sorry Joe Johnston).

Lets cross our fingers that the fourth will be much better than that...

Hat Tip to /Film.

ElecTRONic Chatter...

It's amazing how times change your perception of things...

Take the film "Tron" for example. When it came out it was a huge disappointment to Walt Disney Productions. They expected this to be their new "Star Wars" and when it was released not that many went and saw it. Over time, the storyline has proven to be ahead of its time (not the script, mind you). And as the passage of years goes by it's gathered more and more followers to where it's now a cult hit. Over the past decade there has been talk of finally making a sequel, but most of it was rumors that never made it anywhere other that the whispers of fan boys in pop culture's hallway.

Then there was that concept trailer that Walt Disney Pictures snuck in as a surprise for Comic-Con attendees a couple years ago. The crowds reaction was the final element needed to get the Suits to pull the trigger on the sequel. Soon with the release of "Alice" an actual 3D teaser for the film can be seen for the first time. This is the one many people got to check out last week when they followed that viral campaign to several locations across the country. And come late summer you can expect an actual trailer with more of the journey into the world of Tron. It's evolved a lot in a generation and this holiday season we're finally going to get to see it. We're a long way from the disappointment of 1982.

It's taken twenty-eight years to change this. 2010 will be a huge year for the sequel to Tron. Huge. And should the box office returns provide what Disney Suits with smiling faces then you can expect a whole lot more over the coming years. On the theatrical front, this could be the beginning of a new trilogy. And I'm not talking about including the original Tron. If all goes according to plan you could see this as the first in a trilogy of films that start with the word "Tron" and end somewhere else... Legacy is only the beginning. There are preliminary plans to milk this into a franchise of "Pirate" proportions. And the buzz from it so far is very good.

And that's not the only Tron project they're planning on having for us in the possible future. The plans have been put into motion for a computer animated television series that could conceivably be up by late 2011/early 2012. This would be something of a placeholder to keep the fans interest still peaked in between this first film and the next one. No word yet on where it will wind up being broadcast. It's not known if it'll be staged for the Mouse's fledgling boy channel Disney XD or the more mainstream ABC network, but as of now the concept has been greenlit for a pilot. We'll see how this project evolves down the development line as the film's release gets closer.

Then there is the merchandise that you're going to see flood the parks come this October/November. Expect Tomorrowland to be filled with all things Tron. And some of the areas are being talked about getting "thematic" makeovers. If you're into Retro-Eighties with the Captain Eo attraction back for a limited run, then prepare for more, albeit fictional nostalgia. Should it get approved, you might get to see the arcade next to Space Mountain turned into a variation of "Flynn's Arcade." We'll cross our fingers and see if the Suits make the call on this one.

Naturally, there's the talk of a Tron attraction at Disneyland and various other theme parks. WDI is working on concepts for a Tron experience, but don't expect a fully immersive Tron Legacy attraction by the time the film opens. Any attraction wouldn't be seen in Tommowland until 2012 at the earliest... but that doesn't mean there won't be surprises between now and then.

I've been told that nothing has been signed off on for an E-Ticket, but Imagineers are working to create an impressive addition to the already talked about elaborate expansion of Disneyland for the sixtieth anniversary. While my Bothans were spare with the details since they are in the embryonic phase, they none-the-less said that the concepts are pure, Disney spectacle and absolute techno-geek magic. There are many things that are being planned in this blue sky phase, but remember that it's early. Just like the Tron universe, these designs/plans are likely to evolve.

Box office results will factor into this so remember that mileage may vary depending on what the final tally is. Either way, the word for Disney's future is out there.

And it's spelled T-R-O-N...

- Cook + Ross x Suit = Walt Disney Studios...

Well, the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Rich Ross has been named head of Walt Disney Studios...

It appears Cook wasn't the only studio suit to be replaced. It'll be interesting to see what pictures Ross lines up to turn around the live-action film division of the Mouse. As much as I love Dick Cook, the last few films that have come out under the Disney name were underwhelming at best. That said, I really cringe at the thought of seeing something along the lines of Hannah Montana or High School Musical material define the theatrical brand. I want to be wrong and would like to be surprised by his choices in a good way. Bob Iger was so right in his business decisions on Lasseter and Pixar; he'd better be right on this one as well.

Interesting that the LA Times took down their article, but others are still reporting the news...

UPDATE: Brooks Barnes over at the New York Times is confirming the story as well.

Here's a press release:

Rich Ross Named Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios

Rich Ross, President of Disney Channels Worldwide, has been named Chairman of The Walt Disney Studios (NYSE: DIS), it was announced today by Disney President and CEO Robert A. Iger.

Ross will oversee worldwide production, distribution and marketing for the company’s range of live-action and feature animated film labels, including Walt Disney, Touchstone, Miramax and Disney/Pixar. In his new role, which he assumes immediately, he will also head Disney’s theatrical and music groups.

In his thirteen years at Disney, Ross has consistently created hit original programming, effectively expanded a worldwide creative and distribution organization, skillfully built the Disney brand with global franchises that work across borders and technology platforms and put in place a strong management team.

"Rich has an outstanding record of creating high-quality family entertainment that delights audiences around the world,” said Iger. "With his success in building the Disney brand across many of our businesses, his astute marketing sensibility, his proven ability in working effectively with talent and his skill at navigating complex global markets, I’m confident he’s the perfect leader for our studio group.”

"I am very excited to play a key role in continuing the storytelling legacy of The Walt Disney Studios. There has never been a better time to entertain our global audiences with high-quality and compelling content and introduce new characters that will become family favorites. I look forward to working with Bob, the team at the studios and all of our Disney family towards that goal,” said Ross.

Under Ross’s leadership, the performance of Disney Channels Worldwide has been consistently strong in both creative and competitive terms, in the U.S. and globally. The group now includes a total of 94 channels and channel feeds available in 163 countries in 32 languages and features such brands as the flagship Disney Channel, the boy-focused Disney XD and Playhouse Disney for younger kids.

Ross has also overseen the growth of Radio Disney and of the group’s multiplatform offerings, which includes subscription video-on-demand and content-rich broadband websites DisneyXD.com and DisneyChannel.com, the number one kid’s entertainment website among Kids 6-14.

In the U.S., Disney Channel has been the #1 TV network among Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14 for the last seven and nine years respectively, buoyed by such breakout series as Lizzie McGuire, That’s So Raven, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place and Sonny With A Chance. Stars of Disney Channel programs, including Raven-Symone, Selena Gomez, Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato and Miley Cyrus, have become household names.

Disney Channel’s record with original movies is equally impressive. With recent blockbusters like High School Musical 2, Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie and Camp Rock, Disney Channel can claim cable’s top two movies of all time and three of the top five.

Disney Channel programming has also helped build other Disney businesses, including the quadruple-Platinum-selling Hannah Montana soundtrack and the number one US album in 2006, High School Musical soundtrack. Books, stage shows, feature films, video games and merchandise featuring original Disney Channel characters have become a critical part of The Walt Disney Company’s success in recent years.

Ross joined Disney in 1996 as Disney Channel’s Senior Vice President, Programming and Production and was promoted to positions of increasing responsibility before being named Disney Channel president in April 2004. Prior to his tenure at Disney, he was a member of the executive team that launched FX Networks. Ross also held several senior positions at Nickelodeon from 1986 to 1993 where he oversaw talent booking, casting and program development and was involved in the launch of the channel’s first successful syndicated show and its first international network.

Ross is a member of the Board of Directors for Hollywood Radio Television Society and Cable in the Classroom – an organization that represents the cable telecommunication industry’s commitment to education. A native of New York and a 1983 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International and English, Ross received his J.D. degree from New York’s Fordham University in 1986.

Disney Fires Its Cook...

The Walt Disney Company has fired Dick Cook...

Or he resigned, depending on who you believe. Wow, now that's a surprise I wasn't expecting after his D23 Expo keynote which was held a week ago today.

Now who to replace him? I like Cook, he's been a good Suit. It's going to be hard to replace someone with the connections he has in Hollywood. But two names are floating around as replacements. One is Kevin Feige, who is head of Marvel Productions. The other choice is John Lasseter, currently head of Pixar and Disney Animation, and Head of Creativity at Imagineering. Wow, Lasseter has a shot at running the whole Disney film division. Now as interesting as that could be, I don't want the animated division to suffer. He's a very, very busy man now. But imagine what the Disney line up would look like under his guidance. More commentary to follow later.

Here's Dick Cook's official statement:

"STATEMENT FROM RICHARD W. COOK, CHAIRMAN, THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

I am stepping down from my role as chairman of The Walt Disney Studios, effective immediately.

I have loved every minute of my 38 years that I have worked at Disney…from the beginning as a ride operator on Disneyland’s steam train and monorail to my position as chairman of The Walt Disney Studios. To wrap up my Disney experience in a neatly bundled statement is close to impossible. But what I will say is, during my time at the Studio, we have achieved many industry and Company milestones. Our talent roster is simply the best in the business. I believe our slate of upcoming motion pictures is the best in our history. But most of all, I love the people, my colleagues, my teammates, who are the most talented, dedicated and loyal folks in the world. I know that I leave the Studio in their exceptional hands.

I have been contemplating this for some time now and feel it’s the right time for me to move on to new adventures…and in the words of one of my baseball heroes, Yogi Berra, “If you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

Here's Bob Iger's official statement:

"STATEMENT FROM ROBERT A. IGER, PRESIDENT AND CEO, THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY

Throughout his distinguished 38-year Disney career, Dick Cook’s outstanding creative instincts and incomparable showmanship have truly enriched this company and significantly impacted Disney’s great legacy,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger. “We thank Dick for his tremendous passion for Disney, and his many accomplishments and contributions to The Walt Disney Studios, including a very promising upcoming film slate. On behalf of everyone at Disney, we wish him the best with all the future has to offer."

If only this story was about Rasulo I'd be throwing a party instead of a wake...

Marvel Vs. Mouse...

Those wacky guys over at The Motley Crew have started an interesting duel/fight...

It seems Tim Beyers and Rick Aristotle Munarriz are in a disagreement over whose stock you should buy, Disney or Marvel. It's an interesting analysis of the companies and a good read. Give it a look. Rick Aristotle Munarriz's pitch for Mickey Mouse is here. Tim Beyers's pitch for Mighty Marvel is here.

See? Stock markets can be fun...

20th Century Fox/21st Century Fool...

Between genius and failure lies mediocrity...

That's how I pretty much sum up Fox's "Wolverine" spin off. It's not so much that it's a bad film, it's that it's a shining example of the phrase: "Too many cooks spoiled the soup." Very little remains of David Benioff's taught, lean script that was brimming with emotion and putting on display why fans love Wolverine. I don't know much about Skip Woods, but with gems like "Hitman" and "Swordfish" to his credit I can see how everything has been dumbed down and all the interesting characters have been replaced by cardboard cutouts of what these Suits think comic book fans want. I had heard that the executives kept wanting to add more and more mutants to the storyline, essentially turning this into "X-Men 4: The Prequel." Can you imagine if someone had done the same to "Dark Knight" what the result would have been? Some Warner's Suit would of said something like: "Nolan we love your script! Batman is awesome. But you know what would make the story even better? Let's put Wonder Woman in the background! And then well have a scene where Bats is interrogating a thug inside a building and he sees Supes fly by! While we're at it lets somehow throw the Flash and Green Lantern into the plot as well! Won't that make the story even better?"

You see the problem here? These idiotic Suits have wasted a golden opportunity to start a new franchise by simply throwing everything, regardless of if it works or not into the story. I can clearly tell the Executives at Fox, starting with Tom Rothman, have no idea what they have and don't know how to properly exploit it. This film also confirms to me that Lauren Shuler Donner wasn't smart and right when she produced "X-Men," she was lucky... that luck has finally ran out. Someone needs to gut the talentless pool of Suits over at Fox and find some people who actually have brains to go with all those pretty degrees they hold. This is a film mired in committee and this combined with "Spider-Man 3" shows how bad these executives are at having their thumb on the pulse of what is a great filmed comic adaption is.

I won't even dignify this film with a review other than to tell you that seeing it is a waste of two hours. Instead, just rent Dark Knight or Spider-Man 2 or better yet, pick up a book and avoid anything to do with men wearing their underwear on the outside of their clothes. If you want to go see Wolverine this weekend, lower your expectations. After the brilliance that was Chris Nolan's film, Fox Suits and some inept producers have shown us what they really think of comic book geeks. We'll take almost anything they serve up. Quality doesn't count, just throw a bunch of mindless dreak on the screen and these fanboys will eat it up and send us all the cash in their wallets. They've learned nothing from films like Iron Man. Spider-Man 2, Dark Knight or even the original Superman. It's as if their brains were turned off. That assumes they have brains of course. I'm also torn, because I'd love to see Hugh Jackman in another Wolverine movie, but not another bad one. One where he goes to Japan(hinted at after the credits) and kicks some major assage. But for that to happen this one will have to be successful and recoup back all that money that somehow didn't show up on the screen. I really want this movie to fail. I want Rothman and all his ilk to get thrown out in some great purge over at the Fox lot, but that could also doom the chances of a sequel. But then again, maybe that's what needs to happen. Maybe stopping any more of these films will result in their rights expiring and Marvel getting them back. Maybe they know how to treat their characters better than the nimbwhitted Suits of Fox. I know that Hugh Jackman would be much older then, but he is Wolverine after all and he doesn't age that badly. Does he?

When it's all said and done, the real villains in this film aren't Stryker, Sabertooth or even Deadpool... the real villains are Tom Rothman, Lauren Shuler Donner and the assortment of badguys around them. Now those are the people I'd like to see Logan take those Adamantium claws to. But those villains always excape to fight another day, screw up another feature.

Cruses, foiled again!

I can't wait for next week's "Star Trek" film to come along and wash the bad taste that has been put in my mouth by these fools. Let the weekend box office do its wonder. Or its wraith.

Time will tell...

Failure To Communicate...

You know, one of the reasons I'm glad to see John Lasseter in charge of the Mouse is that he has a vision of clarity that those before him did not...

One of Eisner's biggest mistakes in the mid 90's was putting some truly incompetent morons in charge of divisions that they knew nothing about(Pressler anyone?)

One of those Suits that was a glittering jewel of ignorance when it comes to animation was the head of Walt Disney Feature Animation during the latter part of that decade. David Stainton, whom appears now to be suffering from delusions of grandeur and is in the process of a complete whitewash of his tenure as head of the Mouse's animation division. We know that many people pad their resume, but I think Stainton isn't just padding, he's creating it from whole cloth.

I believe the propagandist in the old Soviet Union would be proud of his revisionist history. One would be hard pressed to find any negative attention to the turds he cranked out while there. No mention is also made of how demeaning and belittling he was to the talent. He was the Anti-Lasseter to be quite blunt. But with all his blathering on his new website, you wouldn't know this, somehow facts seem to get in the way of men like Mr. Stainton. History thankfully, doesn't and won't be so kind to such pompous egos...

Hat Tip to Cartoon Brew.

Some Suits Should Burn...

"It's a long, long process. It's so hard when people start leaking tidbits. They're very, very early on [with it] – not that it won't happen happen, it's just early."

Zac Efron regarding his involvement in the live-action "Johnny Quest" film.

Read the actual article over at Superhero Hype and cross your fingers that the current crop of Warner Bros. Suits that came up with this version/casting of the animated classic are looking for a job soon.

Real soon...

No Nothings...

Arrrrghhh!

I hate doing this... Really, I do.

I don't like being negative. I think it's way too easy to go around being that way. You'll find it far more probable that someone says "no" to something. It's just the easier way to do things in life.

But...

When I saw this, I knew it was wrong. I knew it was another one of those "No" moments. And now it's going to be another one of those "No" posts. Only this one is not about McG and Nemo. But like those posts, this is about another part of my childhood that Suits just can't seem to stop molesting. So here it is...

The rumors are going around that Zach Efron(High School Musical) is going to be playing a certain iconic youth in Warner Bros. live-action "The Adventures of Johnny Quest" and I just have to say something to the Suits. Wait. No, I have to watch my language since yung'ns might be around. But do these WB Suits actually have functioning brains or did God somehow forget to install them? Sorry, I can't blame God for the behavior of Suits. But I for the life of me can't understand why we can't find more producers that "get" a project like this. Johnny Quest is a twelve or thirteen year old boy not a seventeen or eighteen year old boy. Which I might mention that Efron doesn't even look like anymore... I'd have trouble buying him as a freshman in college, much less high school. But the whole point about Johnny Quest is that he's just entering puberty. He's on the cusp of adolescence and he's not really into girls yet. He's into adventure and travelling the world with his dad and pals. If they truly are offering this part to Zach then they're going a whole other route. One that I don't care for. I also know that there's talk of having Dwayne Johnson play Race Bannon and while I don't really think he's right for the part, I can understand the casting there. But Zach Efron? Really!?

And I can tell that it's probably going to be a modern take in a modern setting. If I were doing JQ, it'd be set in the early 60's like the classic animated series. It's set in a more innocent time when these adventures were more believable. A time of optimism where the world that awaited us was scary and exciting, but also positive and fun. Setting it in contemporary society does nothing for the story. It's clear that the people in charge over at Warner really don't know how to protect their own properties. If they put as much care into Quest as they do Batman then I wouldn't be worried about this one. My fear is we've got another misfire on our hands here, just like "Superman Returns" was. But I really hate being negative. It makes you feel so old, like you've become your dad... or granddad. So I'm going to just shut up now.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go tell some kids to get off my lawn...

Mine! Mine! Mine!

"Success is simply a matter of luck. Ask any failure."

- Earl Nightingale


Yes, I know...

Some of you think I hate the Suits and love the Creatives. You're half right...

While I do love the Creatives, I don't hate Suits. I simply hate it when they overstep their boundaries. I've seen and heard too many stories where a project that started out good or even great evolved into nothing more than a mess of incomprehensible proportions. In Hollywood in particular, and entertainment in general, everyone looks for a meaning to why they're given such large salaries. To justify the lifestyle they live they tend to believe they have powers beyond those of mortal men(or Suits). An executive for the Mouse or some other company will ask for a plot point/character to be changed so that he may take credit when the film is a hit, a bean counter will ask for a cut from a particular scene on a film or lower the budget needed to add an addition AA figure so that he can show his boss he was able to contain cost, and on and on it goes. I've got a friend that actually sold a script about a bunch of older priest involved in a supernatural thriller. The executive said to loose the old guy(the lead character in the script) and add some sexy, hot nuns(there were no women in the story). They proceeded to turn his script which was quite good into something unrecognizable. Something like this goes on all the time in the entertainment business. Sometimes it's films... other times it's theme parks...

As I said earlier, there are good Suits, most that I know are a hybrid of Suit/Creative. That said, there are also good Suits that are in no way Creatives. Bob Iger is one of these. In fact, he's the primary one of these. My favorite Suits tend to be the hybrids, the ones that are equal parts Suit and Creative. John Lasseter is this, although he is a little more Creative than Suit... he tends to have great organization skills. The great thing about Iger is his ability to know where the limits of his creativity end and he doesn't overstep them. He knows when to hand off the responsibility to others.

Unfortunately, there are still people within the company that still have the pre-Eisner mentality. Jay Rasulo is the primary Suit that needs to be removed, but he's not the only one. Some of the executives in charge of Parks and resorts still haven't gotten a clue...

The most notorious examples of this are in Florida at Walt Disney World. It's distance and notoriety insulate it from the scrutiny that it deserves. For several park managers its almost a fiefdom that control without the prying eyes of Burbank looking over their shoulders. Sure, there are bright spots. The new head of Epcot has so far been a pleasant surprise. Hopefully, he'll get the ability to let this park blossom again. My main problem with the Little Mermaid attraction cloning for this park stems from these Suits and many of their middle management. Instead of trying to find things that make WDW different from the other parks it tries to emulate them(Disneyland in particular). Like a bigger, younger brother that is always jealous of the attention his sibling gets, the Suits at WDW are constantly trying to imitate it's Anaheim counterpart and also trying to force it at times to bend to the marketing and promotions it uses for Florida. The problem there is that the guests that enter Florida are different than those that wind up going to California. You can't operate these parks as if they were built with a cookie-cutter no matter how much Rasulo would like.

The reasoning behind TLM ride's planned addition to Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom is cost. They justify it as spreading it across two or sometimes three parks. From a shortsighted perspective it makes sense. But if you look at the opportunity it provided to get travellers to come to WDW for the unique experience an original attraction would offer, it would be better to focus on a long term strategy. Imagine if WDW had built that Western River Expedition and it was only available in Florida? Think of the foreign travellers, not to mention Californians that would decide to make the trek east to experience what could only be experienced in WDW. This is only one of many, many attractions that WDI has proposed that have been waved aside over the last two decades. Granted, there have been several projects that made it through. Mission: Space and Expedition Everest being the primary examples... but trust me when I say there were many more that would have given you thrills and wonder beyond any experience you've had with these rides. I'm not complaining that they're there, I like them quite a bit. But the Suits at the Magic Kingdom have had plenty of opportunity over the last two decades to add E-tickets only to hid the E-Stop on plans based on soulless projections by bean counters. The same people that would have told Walt his plan for a park in Anaheim was going to be a bust...

When executives only look at the bottom line they don't see the attendance lines. The ones people stand in to ride these things they build. Several attractions that have been constructed over the past two decades... mostly C and D-Tickets haven't gotten the lines or projections they've expected. This is where my "If You Build It, They Will Come" philosophy comes into play. Both Winnie the Pooh attractions are a result of this. Particularly the one here in California, but Florida's as well. When you deliver an experience that is adequate the amount of guest riding it also turns out to be adequate. When you go on Pooh's Hunny Hunt in Tokyo, you get a genuinely "Disney" experience... and next year when Monster's Inc: Find and Seek opens up it'll be another case of a totally immersive "Disney" experience. Just not in the American parks... and most certainly not in the Florida Project that Walt envisioned.

As long as Suits remain unimaginative and just scream and whine that they want what Disneyland has then the parks won't be independent destinations that people can plan so as to enjoy all the different experiences each location has to offer. A variety of individuality will create more reason to go to more parks, not less... Instead of building what Disneyland has... built something that Disneyland would want. Create some envy back in the opposite direction.

Now wouldn't that be a change?

Blue Sky Buzz (Orlando): Part Of Your "Disney" World...

You guys are so lucky...

After all the many e-mails I received asking for a Blue Sky Alert(now know as Blue Sky Buzz, btw), you not only got a full report, but two mini-updates about Anaheim and now...

you get another mini-update about Orlando.

That's right guys, finally something I can report about the Florida part of the Mouse's empire. Kinda good/kinda bad info. At least from my perspective, I'm sure you Disney Fans/Geeks in Florida might have a different perspective. Now, in truth this is sort of an update/commentary so understand that going in...

But I thought I'd fill you in to some of the inner workings of WDI and TeamDisney Burbank. Ahhhh... Suits. Ya gotta love 'em, huh? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Well, the big word is that the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World is finally getting a new "E-Ticket". Now this is great news since the last one they got was I believe 1992. Has it really been that long? Wow...

And if you remember that was "Splash Mountain" if I remember. Not that other parks haven't gotten more rides and more "E-Tickets", but I believe that that's the last one the MK got(I could be wrong, but I don't think so).

Now that's good right?

Well yes... and no. You see, they are getting a big, expansive, immersive ticket BUT...

It's going to be "The Little Mermaid" ride that DCA is getting. The EXACT ride. So the unique appeal of this ride will be watered down since there will now be one on the West Coast in DCA and one on the East Coast in MK. Just like "Midway Mania" which was supposed to be a DCA exclusive, TLM will now go into the back part of Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom. It should fit there rather nicely. It should really bring in the guest, but there was something to be said for having it be a ride only experienced at the Disneyland Resort. Those WDW Suits along with the remaining spawn of Eisner's Era that still survives deep in the bowels of Burbank have decided to clone the attraction. The rational is that for the development cost to be justified it helps to have it spread out over two parks instead of one. Can someone please do me a favor and take Jay Rasulo and give him his walking papers? Please? I've written about the death of the "McPark" but as long as Jay is still around this concept will refuse to die because he keeps bringing it up in various incarnations.

While it will be nice to have a new ride at WDW, it's not like WDI is empty of ideas. The problem is the Suits in Burbank keep shooting them down. They have proposed many, many new interesting and innovative attractions. Their logic... brilliant bean counters that they are is that "People are going to come to WDW world anyway, so why should we spend money on a big, new attraction?"... I know, I know. I'm shaking my head that these kind of short sighted lame brained, dim light bulbs are still there. Sorry if I'm a little ticked. I tend to be positive but I'm human and sometimes I even get frustrated. Here's a bit of good news about these Suits: There aren't nearly as many as there was before. But there are still a few in high positions that have enough sway to get things to feel like they were under the Pressler regime.

Just so you know the logic follows that they don't want to risk a lot of money on something very big and expensive unless it's a proven thing. Like Mermaid... which I love, btw. But some of the concepts(before you ask, no I can't tell you what they are) that HAVE been proposed for WDW and DL and even Hong Kong have been amazingly cool. But the executives up in Burbank will only squeeze out the money if they're sure it'll be a hit from the get go. Now John Lasseter has been working with the teams inside Glendale to try and get some of these concepts out, but he's still not able to do everything. If "Wall-E" and the new Disney animated films do well it's going to help dim the glow from Rasulo's ego, but until that man is out of the picture we'll still be subjected to the "Disney Parks" brand which is Jay's attempt to homogenize the parks and resorts like franchises of burger joints all across America. If you go to one, you'll sure know what to expect and get.

Now wouldn't it be nice to have something unique about DCA? Something that would make you want to fly all the way across from say, Florida or some other state back east? Many Imagineers have pressed for attractions that could go into various parks to give them an appeal that would make each stand out. Imagine that... giving the guest a reason to try and go to as many Disney theme parks to experience the aspects of each that are different. Jay doesn't want that. He and the insulated bean counting Suits in his circle want you to see no difference between Anaheim or Orlando or Paris or Hong Kong.

Notice any park I left out? That's right. Tokyo. Try finding some of the rides they have there in another park. "Pooh's Hunny Hunt" is nowhere else in the world and it's an amazing attraction. "Monster's Inc." in Tokyo Disneyland? Wait until this attraction opens up next year and puts DCA's to shame... while both Pooh and Monsters here cost around 30 million, their counterparts in Tokyo cost over 100 million. And it shows... For some reason the Suits at the Oriental Land Company seem to recognize that you need unique and elaborate attractions to get people to keep coming back. The ones in Burbank seemed to have still not learned the lessons of the late 90's and DCA...

I know that some of you are asking: "What about Cars Land, will it be cloned too?". Now, nothing is written in stone, but it's very unlikely that this one will be cloned. It's not just a ride after all... it's a whole new land. It would be far harder to reproduce this in Florida than Mermaid. Not that it would be impossible, but just harder. I would hope that if the Suits were to somehow decide to spend 300 million on a new land or area in WDW that they would approve some other idea they've been presented with. Perhaps use some of that money and greenlight the proposed "Beastly Kingdom" area of DAK that has languished now for over a decade. Right now... it's anyones guess what happens with this project(although Lasseter's involvement in certain areas is encouraging).

Hopefully this didn't sound like too down a report for you. It's just me doing a little editorial venting. It is good news for WDW fans though. You guys get a big, brand new spanking attraction. You just don't get anything original that could make you stand out...

For that you have to go East. Not the East Coast of America, but the Far East...

As in Tokyo.

A Guide To Blue Sky Disney-Speak...

Well, I've gotten a few e-mails over the summer that have asked me what certain terms I used meant or for a clearer explanation of something. Some of you will remember my post on "Creatives Vs. Suits" that was published a while back... I guess it was time I created a mini-dictionary... a guide sort of. One that explains terms used on this blog so that visitors new to Blue Sky DIsney can catch up...

Here we go:

Battle For Pooh - The long, ongoing fight between the Slesinger family and the Walt Disney Company over the rights to the billions-of-dollars-generating characters.

Blue Sky Alert - A Blue Sky Alert is when we publish a detailed account of the goings on in Glendale(read: WDI)... it most likely will refer to things happening at the Disneyland Resort, but periodically we'll have Alerts about Walt Disney World, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong. There are no specific times that these are published, it usually happens when my Bothans have gotten/given sufficient information to make a post worthwhile...

Bothans - Speaking of the Devil... Bothans are my sources throughout the Walt Disney Company. Some are Corporate, Animators, Imagineers and a few Cast Members. Oh, and the term for you that aren't Sci-Fi Geeks comes from "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" where Mon Mothra was describing how "many Bothans died to bring us this information"...

Convergence - This is a term used only recently to describe a coming together of information, technology and the ability to have action to create a change. Basically, it's the power of the new media(read: blogs, YouTube, cable and other sources) to influence and educate people... in our case, Disney Geeks/Fans.

Creative, A - The ones within the Walt Disney Company that believe in creativity. Art is the highest achievement. The creation of something noble, something entertaining that captivates the observer. These would be the Imagineers, the directors, writers and other storytellers with in the company.

Disney Geek/Fan - If you are new to this site, please take a moment to go to the mirror, look in it and then come back. Are you back? Chances are you now know what one of these is...

Eeyore, A - A person that is exceedingly, unnecessarily negative. Even if there heart is pure, they forecast doom and gloom without noticing it.

Forgotten Mouse Tales - Movie projects that were under development at Walt Disney Studios that were never made for a variety of reasons.

Fun Factories - An endearing term used as a nick-name for Walt Disney Parks across the world.

Glendale Kingdom, The - Blue Sky Disney's description of the business complex in Glendale that houses Walt Disney Imagineering, DIsney Toons and Walt Disney Animation Studios(Walt Disney Television Animation is located on the studio lot in Burbank).

Golden Age, First - This is the time usually referred to the period from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" through Bambi and basically includes the first five Disney films: Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi.

Golden Age, Second - This is the time usually refereed to the period from "The Little Mermaid" through "The Lion King" and from Blue Sky's view actually includes these DIsney films: The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King.

Lamp, The - Slang for Pixar Animation Studios.

Mouse, The - Slang for the Walt Disney Company.

Mouse Traps - Originally a description of the new off-site properties and entertainment centers that Jay Rasulo has planned for the company. Usually used to refer to projects/attractions that Disney planned on building to seperate guests and their cash.

Nerdvana - Slang used to describe the San Diego Comic Con. If you've ever been there... you know why we use it.

Old Maestro, The - Not a term we came up with, but one used periodically here at BSD. It was a nick-name given to Walt referring to his ability to grasp creative talent and play it like a symphony.

Owl, A - Someone who bloviates on and on about a subject... hey, whatayoulooking at?

Pooh, A - Someone who is exceedingly, unrepentantly positive. A person who always sees the bright spots and is contagiously optimistic without noticing it.

Rabbit, A - Someone that is a pragmatist. One who goes about their belief that good can happening, but preparing for the worst and expecting it.

Suit, A - These are the people whose main concern is the bottom line. The essential part of the company where cost is all that matters. Everything has to be looked at through the prism of how it affects the bottom line. You've heard the term "Money is God"... well, these are the true believers.

Uncle John - Our endearing term for John Lasseter... a homage to the dear founder of our obsession, your host... Walt Disney.

Virtual Shareholder - A term used to describe the internet community of Disney Geeks/Fans that use their keyboards to display love and affection or hatred and venom toward the actions of the Walt Disney Company and its Executives.

As time goes by I'm sure we'll develope more to add to this short list...

Regarding Bothans...

I've received many e-mails asking me about the Bothans. Some questions are serious, other simply inquiring and a few just down right... uhm, how do I put this... silly? Something like that...

Some people have demanded I name who my sources are. That if I don't then it proves I have no credibility and if I have an ounce of integrity I'll name names so that my post can be validated.

To those people I say sorry, but I'm not going to jeopardize someone's job for a little ole' blog like mine. If you choose to not believe what I write I won't be offended. As a matter of fact, I tend to tell people to take everything I say with a grain of salt... this is "Blue Sky" Disney, after-all. I can guarantee that everything you read here is something that has been proposed, not everything will get made, because the majority of projects that go through the pipeline eventually die of their own weaknesses... either of design or bureaucratic weight. So if someone doesn't want to believe me I have to say... there's an off button on the TV that you can turn off... wait a minute, that was soooo Twentieth Century. Let's try that again... if you don't believe me, you don't have to come here. Simply delete Blue Sky Disney from your favorites list and you'll never have to be bothered by me again. Promise.

Some people have expressed genuine concern over the health and safety of my Bothans. Fear not. So far, none of them have been fired... several have gotten in warm(not hot) water, but all are safely accounted for.

Other's have sent me e-mails with specific Imagineers that they want to know if these are my sources. Uhm... now even if these particular people were my sources, I would not tell you. That being said... No, and you know who you are... No, your friend is not one of my sources. I don't care what he says about sending me e-mails, I don't know him, never have talked to him and apparently he's not even an Imagineer. There. Enough of that.

Finally, many of you have asked about the Blue Sky Alerts, wondering why there are so many Anaheim updates over all the rest. The answer is really, really simple. Most of my Bothans are working on Anaheim projects... by a three to one margin I'd say... it simply takes longer to get information about Orlando(not as much as the rest, though), Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong. And yes we do have several BSA's coming up... so keep yer shirt on.

Well now, I nope that clears up some of your e-mails regarding those sneaky Bothans. Just so the Suits know, no Bothans were harmed in the making of this post.

Was Kingdom Of The Sun... More Fun?

Blah...


MousePlanet has an interesting article about a documentary made about the making of "The Emperor's New Groove" that focuses all the way back to when it was originally called "The Kingdom of the Sun". There's no way we're going to find out if it was better, although it is my belief it probably would have since TENG is one of my least favorite Disney films, but one thing is sure... it sounded really interesting.

The 87 minute documentary was known as "The Sweatbox" and unfortunately is not available for viewing. It sounds like a literal example of how to let Suits screw up a story. So what was "The Kingdom Of The Sun" about? How was it different than "The Emperor's New Groove"?

I'll let Wade Sampson describe it:

"Pacha, the peasant llama herder, was not a heavyset middle-aged married man but a carefree, good-hearted 18-year-old who was a dead ringer for Emperor Manco. (In the final version, the character is renamed Kuzco following Fullmer's horrified discovery of the Japanese slang term "omanco" that politely translates into the word "vagina.") A young Owen Wilson provides the voice for Pacha.

Sting wrote "Walk the Llama Llama" that Pacha was to sing as he led his trio of llamas down the mountainside and into the marketplace. There was concern that Hartley's clever lyrics were too sophisticated for an unsophisticated peasant boy who would never use words and phrases like "panorama" and "the perfect fashion statement."

Manco (voiced by David Spade) had grown bored with being ruler of his mountain kingdom so when he discovers the kindly llama herder who is his doppelganger, he decides to get away from his duties of state by switching places. Unfortunately, a sorceress named Yzma who has her own agenda turns Manco into a llama who cannot talk so Pacha must continue the masquerade.

The situation becomes more complicated when Manco's betroved, the handmaiden Nina, finds the arrogant and haughty emperor is now kind and funny. She finds herself drawn to the seemingly transformed emperor. Pacha also finds himself falling in love with Nina even though she is promised to the emperor.

Sting wrote "One Day She'll Love Me" that was to appear midway through the movie where Pacha and Nina are at a party at the palace and the two teens fight their growing attraction to one another.

Yzma had once been an incredible beauty in the Incan royal court. However, time and the sun have cruelly robbed her of her good looks. Yzma begins dabbling in the dark arts in an attempt to revive her beauty although she firmly believes it is the sun that has robbed her of her beauty.

She wants to snuff out all light on earth by unleashing the demon, Supai who is a force of darkness, to block out the sun. In a world locked in perpetual darkness, Yzma feels that her great beauty will finally be restored."

Like the sound of that? There's more. Go over to MousePlanet and give it a look. Also for your perusal is an older article about "The Sweatbox" over in the Fox News archives.

Suits Vs. Creatives, Heroes Vs. Villains...

After some of the e-mail I've received of late, I figured it was time we labeled the players in this game. A scorecard is in order...

You know that proverbial story of a you man at the ball park... shouting with a pamphlet in his hand - "Get your scorecard, you can't tell a player without a scorecard!".

So I deemed it necessary to come up with one for the "Walt Disney Company Game"...

Now in this game as I've talked endlessly about there are heroes. There are villains. There are people who have switched sides and people who could do no wrong in Disney lore.

Having just read the screenplay to "Thor" by Mark Protosevich... which is awesome, I might add. It's like "Lord of the Rings" meets Conan/13th Warrior while still staying true to the comic and the Nordic legend. This will be a great movie if the right casting takes place. But, I digress... anyway, the great Nordic gods (the Aesir) face off against their enemy/opponents, the Frost Giants (the Jotun). Now this is not to say that there are good and evil people within the Disney company. But there are good and bad... both are trying for what they see is best for themselves and the company. I'm sure neither want bad to be done to the company as Paul Pressler never really intended to have the company be perceived as it while he was in charge of the parks. Even people whose action result in grave harm usually do so without ever intending to get that result. Heroes, Villains and Adversaries. Superman has Lex Luthor, Batman has the Joker, Spidey has Doc Ock... and in the Disney World we have our pathos. All part of of the Disney echo-sphere, I believe.

Like the gods of mythology, we have two sides in this game...

On one side of the company we have the Creatives. These are the ones within the company that believe in creativity. Art is the highest achievement. The creation of something noble, something entertaining that captivates the observer. These would be the Imagineers, the directors, writers and other storytellers with in the company.

The on the other side of the company we have the Suits. These are the people whose main concern is the bottom line. The essential part of the company where cost is all that matters. Everything has to be looked at through the prism of how it affects the bottom line.

Now this belief that the Suits have is really not a bad idea. The Disney company can't spend endless amounts of money on projects... it does have a finite supply and it's goal is to make more. I have no fault with this general idea.

Now before I begin, I wish to say one doesn't have to be bad to be a Suit. As well, someone may not be good who is a Creative. And lastly, some people can be a combination of both.

Ok, are we clear? Good, here we go...

Bob Iger(CEO & President, Walt Disney Company) - A Suit. But a prime examples of how one should run the company. He has a clear grasp of where his expertise is and how to cultivate and mine the talent of those around him. And the one thing he has over Eisner... his ego doesn't seem to need to be pampered to let everyone know that he's the boss. The results speak for themselves.

Steve Jobs(CEO, Apple Inc., Walt Disney Company Board Member) - A Creative with strong organizational skills... Jobs used to be just a creative known for his temper tantrums, but his years out in the wilderness away from Apple served him well. When he saw the potential of Pixar, after initially thinking it would be a software company is a prime example of a keen eye toward creativity and quality. As well as his return to Apple as it's triumphant savior, his position on the board is a hugh asset to guide the Walt Disney Company into the next decade... both for Suits and Creatives. Oh, and being the largest share holder in the company counts for something.

John Lasseter(Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and Principal Creative Advisor, Walt Disney Imagineering) - A Creative. Of course he has Suit skills, but like Walt his primary focus is on the creative aspects of the company. John is all about the creative process and his dealings with WDI, WDAS and Pixar are directed toward relationships that fuel and stoke this process. As I've said in an earlier post... John is Walt Disney 2.0.

Ed Catmull(President, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation Studios) - A Suit. But one with excellent organization abilities. He's a brilliant organizer of internal structure of business. His ability to tap talent and make it grow while watching the bottom line is a prime skill that will help him guide WDAS back to its former glory. Think of Ed as the new Roy Disney.

Tony Baxter(Senior Vice President, Creative Development, Walt Disney Imagineering and Head of WDI development for Disneyland Park) - A Creative. Tony has handled Suit responsibilities for a long time, but he is a prime example of a Creative. He's done good and bad, creatively speaking... but mostly the good that has come from his proposals greatly outweigh the negative. It should also be said that most of the bad projects he were in charge of were underfunded and not his fault.

Tom Fitzgerald(Former Executive Vice President and Senior Creative Executive, Head of WDI development for Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot Park and Disney's Hollywood Studios Park) - A Suit... that used to be a Creative. Tom is a Creative, but over the past decade he's recessed back into the order of a Suit... so much so that some of the creativity he once had has been forgotten. Now that he's been put in charge of WDW we will see if he can regain that creative spark under the watchful eye of John Lasseter.

Joe Rodhe(Head of WDI development for Disney's Animal Kingdom Park) - A Creative. Joe came up with the creation of DAK in the early 90's and has been its head creatively since the beginning. While Joe has the skills to deal with Suits and knows his limitations, he is at heart a Creative... always was, always will be.

Bob Weiss(Head of WDI development for Disney's California Adventure Park) - A Creative/Suit, having run departments within WDI and then his own company in Florida: Design Island Associates. Bob is one of the best examples of what I call a blend of both. Based on his designs for Disney-MGM Studios Paris and Disney's America he knows how to properly balance both... now with DCA he's been given the chance to show his chops. By the end of the decade we should be seeing some prime examples of his work.

Michael Eisner(Former CEO & Chairman, Walt Disney Company) - A Suit. A Suit that had taste but let it fly out the window when ego and the bottom line got in the way. Eisner has creative taste... after-all, he's the one that realized the WDW property was undervalued and set out to exploit it. His first step was the decision to build the Grand Floridian which I commend him for. His support of Creatives in his first decade earn high marks... his abandonment of them during his last decade show ones own self worth can be very destructive.

Paul Pressler(Former Chairman, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts) - A Suit of the highest mode. The Uber Suit... Pressler was Eisner's Angel of the Death of Creativity. He will NOT be missed. I could say much more about Paul, but that would be giving him much more time and space than he deserves... way more.

Jay Rasulo(Chairman, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts) - A Suit. An uncreative Suit to be specific. The only thing Rasulo has going for him is the fact that he stays out of the way of Lasseter because of Uncle John's direct access to Iger. In turn, he winds up looking good from letting Lasseter push through projects that Rasulo wouldn't had the wonder boy not been hired by Iger to begin with.

Matt Ouimet(Former President, Disneyland Resort) - A Suit. Just like Iger though, one with great skills dealing with the Creatives. He'd make an absolutely outstanding head of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts... as I say this I pray Rasulo is planning a retirement party and Iger is looking up Ouimet on his rolodex.

Lastly, we have...

Bothans(Imagineers, WDC Executives, Various Park Employees, and Mysterious Others) - These are the ones within the Mouse's kingdom that are working on preserving the legacy. These are the ones that risk sending Blue Sky Disney and other websites the info to give us hope or warn us of impending doom. In the last two years they've been mainly harbingers of hope... let's hope their position doesn't change anytime soon.

Beyond all these players we're all just geeks... but Disney Geeks.

The Success Of Failure...

I've heard all the chatter. I've listened to the rumors. I've ease-dropped on the comments people have made about it.

What am I talking about?

The people on various sites that seem to talk about "sources" at the Walt Disney Company that are just waiting for Pixar to fall flat on it's face. These people that are quoted seem to relish the day the little company in Emeryville turns out a dud. They wait, rubbing their hands, fingers crossed and eyes darting around wondering if this is the time they can say "See, John Lasseter isn't perfect"... Sigh...

No one has ever said he's perfect. I don't even believe he can walk on water. But certain people seem intent on proving that the man has flaws and Pixar's not perfect. It shows how no success in Hollywood goes without the punishment. Some of these people are the Suits in middle management. Some are the Executives left over from the Eisner Era that want to wash their hands of any blame for the mediocrity that's been churned out over the past decade. Some happen to be the wonderful Bean Counters that Lasseter told have no business being in the animation building because they can't draw. Then of course there are the views of some people on the internet that report the box office numbers that don't match up to the last film. As if every film HAS to make more than the last.

You get my point?

The focus of this post is mainly on the ones who work for Disney. Most of these people are suffering from a severe case of the "Envies". Quite a few are by my definition "Deadweight" and will hopefully be sending out job resumes to other film companies by the end of the year. But that's only a semi-hope. I don't expect Iger, Catmull and Lasseter will have excised themselves of all the negative nabobs by the end of this year... or ever for that matter. All companies have their bad apples. But I think that these people should reflect on the fact that they work for a company that happens to thrive upon the success of it's Creatives. If they fail... somewhere down the line, maybe not now, but at a point in time it'll come back and haunt them. It may even cost them THEIR jobs. These people wishing for John Lasseter to fail is akin to a member of your family wanting one of their siblings to fail because of the success he's had and they have not. Some of these groups will point to the box office or merchandise sells or the favorite beaten to death story of Pixar's purchase price. None look at this from a long perspective and most don't have any perspective to work with in the first place.

Take for example how everyone was so disappointed with "Cars" when it didn't do as well as the last Pixar film. Even though it made close to half a billion world wide. The letdown was tempered by the fact that "Cars" merchandise sold so much better than was expected. Now as we've reported earlier, "Cars" is on track to make two billion dollars in merchandising this year and that's without a film to back it up. I'd say that the majority of executives over at Team Disney are pretty happy with the situation. I sure know the ones in Disney Consumer Products are. There's supposed to be a new cars short that is working it's way down the production process which will only add to the credibility of these characters. And I'm not saying this because "Cars" is a favorite of mine. If you remember my review of "Ratatouille" I placed it almost last in my opinion of Pixar movies. Still there are those that always see a dark lining in every silver cloud and refuse to think about anything further than the next fiscal quarter.

I'm certainly glad the founder of this company never thought like this. Most people forget that "Snow White" was a tremendous success, but most of Walt's other animated films up until after World War II were considered failures or disappointments at the box office. What would we think of someone criticizing Disney for it's decision to make these films that are now considered classics? History has forgotten that these films were initially disappointments...over the passage of time we've come to realize them for their value and the company has more importantly profited greatly from them. It's my belief that the films released by Pixar will be properties that can be mined well into the future. The hand-ringing certain people on Wall Street and other members of the web community have been doing will be forgotten. The films will not. The stories won't be forgotten. The ideas will remain and the profits that the nay-sayers wonder about will drown out their cries. Hopefully, the people that wish for part of their own company to fail will have moved on to bankrupt and ruin some other company. Maybe the Suits that helped lead Walt Disney Feature Animation to this point can move over to the Weinstein Company and help them with the brilliant animation decisions they've made.

The company is now being led by people who realize that the business community takes an instant gratification view toward profitability. But Bob Iger, Steve Jobs, Dick Cook, Ed Catmull and Uncle John are thinking about long term. Not next year or five years, but what will the company look like in a decade or more. I realize that changes to these plans will be made. Changes always happen... they must and will happen because life throws problems at you. But the Walt Disney Company now has the vision and direction, which tempered with its current leadership has the courage to follow through with its plan and to weather the storm of negativity that comes its way. Am I saying that they are perfect? Am I saying that there are no flaws to this plan? No to both. WDC is being run by people and people make mistakes. But I believe Iger and his crew have the unique prism of Eisner's reign to guide it clear of most of the difficulties that are ahead. My one worry is the direction that Jay Rasulo is taking with his "Disney Parks" strategy. His direction has the potential to turn certain aspects of the resorts into "McDisney" destinations. Luckily, we have Lasseter's sway with Iger to temper his strategy and as Lasseter's power grows he seems to be a correcting compass for some of Jay's plans for the resort... not all of them, but a good deal of them. Were Matt Ouimet to take control of the Parks and Resorts I'd consider this to be Disney's strongest leadership since Walt Disney ran the company.

You remember how people critiqued Walt in his decisions? How "Snow White" was being talked about in Hollywood as "Disney's Folly"? How "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" was going to bankrupt the company. That anyone investing in that carnival Disney was building down in Anaheim was crazy. Many times Walt Disney showed everyone just how wrong they were about him. Iger and crew are not Walt, but I have a feeling they too will show the critics how wrong they are. It's easy to think negative. It's hard to succeed, otherwise everyone would already be a success. The only success these people have is in failure. What a horrible way to see Disney... to view the world... to live your life. They wish to have Lasseter and Disney fail, but it's their own failure they seem to be most afraid of. For Lasseter to fail helps them validate their worth and erase the bitter sting of the bad decisions they made.

I don't envy them...