Chapek in the Theme Parks

[choiski]

Has Bob Chapek shown up in the U.S. parks recently? I don’t think there’s been a prior Disney CEO that would not be welcomed by park guests.

 

[MICKIMINI]

CM's in plain clothes do blend in well (I did a gig at EPCOT with guests) and unless you are paying attention, you wouldn't know it. They took care of what I needed so I've seen them in action front and backstage.

Mr Chapek should be on the ground at the parks periodically undercover (baseball cap and sunglasses should do it) so he can see what is going on without being recognized. The CM's with him would blend in perhaps pretending to be a family. That is the only way he can understand what a guest experiences, from rope drop, to ride lines, to meals and things like cleanliness and restroom appearance. Being recognized would just be a distraction IMO.

I don't get the feeling he is much of a people person but it is his responsibility to understand what goes on at the parks and interact with guests if possible. If he chatted in a line, I really don't think I'd know who he is. Just my opinion.

 

[jhglassman]

Has Bob Chapek shown up in the U.S. parks recently? I don’t think there’s been a prior Disney CEO that would not be welcomed by park guests.

How much of it is him and how much of it is how different the world is?

 

[Orion Nebula]

I don't get the feeling he is much of a people person

From the articles I have read he is indeed not. His entire persona seems to be sketchy.

 

[bbeagle]

Maybe Bob Chapek can be on the next Undercover Boss!

Everyone here is blaming Chapek, but I really think most of it has to do with Covid. The parks since they opened after covid have been mostly rides. That's not Disney! That's Six Flags!

The shows, character interactions, Dapper Dan-type small shows, Parades, etc. aborb a LOT of people. Without those, everything seems crowded. And you couldn't have those with the covid distancing/mask rules, and the lack of employees able to be hired.

Plus the huge influx of people who missed vacationing the past 2-3 years are going now. None of that is Bob Chapek's fault.

Plenty of things to blame him for, but I don't think crowds are one of them.

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

Does this sign count?



Sincerely, Bob Chapek's Unofficial Apologist.

 

[lockets]

Chapek “has people for that.” Not trying to be sarcastic. These people have people for that lol.

They don’t go on site visits unless it’s tied into a major event, and are prone to last minute cancellations. Chapek canx an appearance at WDW last year just days before to be elsewhere.

The recent article circulating on the boards lays out that the focus of Disney is to become a technologyyyyyy entertainment company a la Netflix. Not an entertainmenttttt company with some technology . Also mentions emotional intelligence is not his strong suit.

I'd imagine the theme park division is the least "sexy" division right now, and execs are nodding and smiling at it while they focus on tech/disney+/etc instead

Every time staffers run into tech issues they probably joke quietly “but we are a tech company now, rightttt?!” and have a great laugh. Just to cope with all the change.

Here’s the article btw

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/20/dis...are|com.apple.UIKit.activity.CopyToPasteboard

 

[zumfelde]

Maybe Bob Chapek can be on the next Undercover Boss!

Everyone here is blaming Chapek, but I really think most of it has to do with Covid. The parks since they opened after covid have been mostly rides. That's not Disney! That's Six Flags!

The shows, character interactions, Dapper Dan-type small shows, Parades, etc. aborb a LOT of people. Without those, everything seems crowded. And you couldn't have those with the covid distancing/mask rules, and the lack of employees able to be hired.

Plus the huge influx of people who missed vacationing the past 2-3 years are going now. None of that is Bob Chapek's fault.

Plenty of things to blame him for, but I don't think crowds are one of them.

Yes he is to blame because he said he was keeping the park reservation system to control crowds to improve the customer experience but is not doing it. If everything is not open to absorb the crowds then don't let so many in. He is all about charging more for less and has been doing it for years.

 

[FCDub]

Y’all gotta seek help for this Bob Chapek obsession. It’s not healthy.

 

[4orm]

I read he's having large investors out to the park this week https://deadline.com/2022/03/disney...florida-orlando-walt-disney-world-1234986664/

 

[Stratman50th]

Yes he is to blame because he said he was keeping the park reservation system to control crowds to improve the customer experience but is not doing it. If everything is not open to absorb the crowds then don't let so many in. He is all about charging more for less and has been doing it for years.

I agree with your comment and want to add it's time to stop blaming everything on Covid.

 

[bbeagle]

I agree with your comment and want to add it's time to stop blaming everything on Covid.

Why? Covid is not over. All the resorts aren't yet open, all the shows aren't open yet due to Covid, rides aren't open yet due to Covid. There are STILL covid restrictions in the park beyond Disney's control.

This is mostly a staffing issue - all due to Covid. It takes time to ramp up. We're still in the ramp-up phase. In a few months, after ramp-up has been completed, THAT part of the Covid blaming is over.

There will STILL be lingering issues due to Covid for the next year, as huge numbers of people are finally going on their 2020-2021 vacations in 2022/2023.

 

[DduzDis]

Why? Covid is not over. All the resorts aren't yet open, all the shows aren't open yet due to Covid, rides aren't open yet due to Covid. There are STILL covid restrictions in the park beyond Disney's control.

This is mostly a staffing issue - all due to Covid. It takes time to ramp up. We're still in the ramp-up phase. In a few months, after ramp-up has been completed, THAT part of the Covid blaming is over.

There will STILL be lingering issues due to Covid for the next year, as huge numbers of people are finally going on their 2020-2021 vacations in 2022/2023.

Universal seems to be doing just fine... I believe Covid was the impetus to make changes and we are seeing the results of Disney sticking with cost cutting measures simply to cash in. Parks are full so why not? Just my opinion; obviously nothing to prove correct or incorrect.

 

[bbeagle]

Universal seems to be doing just fine

Univeral is 80% smaller compared to Disney

 

[popy]

My past experience, when the Boss takes a tour, get ready for the
JOBS to fall.
Cut offs coming around the bend.

 

[Chilbert]

Univeral is 80% smaller compared to Disney

Not in Customer Satisfaction....

 

[mom2rtk]

Univeral is 80% smaller compared to Disney

I actually prefer smaller. It’s not all about size. Which is why I prefer DL to WDW.

 

[cheryllarsen]

No other theme park had the magic like Disney. I haven't felt it since covid hit.

 

[cheryllarsen]

I wouldn't recognize Capnik.

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

I wouldn't recognize Capnik.

I think this is a fairly older picture of Capnik...