Iger is back and Chapek is out...

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

Is it too late for him to cancel the Polynesian DVC hotel project? Kinda hate what they are doing over there

 

[KimMcGowan]

Chapek was 100% guaranteed installed as CEO because of COVID. Zero questions.

But I disagree with the premise that Chapek was 100% used as a fall guy for COVID. Iger had told the board for a long time he was leaving. They did NOTHING to prepare, they let Staggs leave, they just kept working like Iger wasn't serious. When he gave them an ultimatum there was no one there to take over that was fully qualified and we got what we got. This mess is on the Board as well.

Just because you say there are no questions does not make it so. He very well may have had an idea by the time he stepped down. However, as a CEO you don’t just give a two week notice, you announce your intention far in advance so that plans can be put in place. AND if you think back, the first big disagreement was that he decided he needed to stay and help Chapek navigate the company through the issues of Covid. Bob the Second was having no part of that. He wasn’t a fall guy - he was just fairly crappy in the position.

 

[Figvention]

From your fingertips to Iger's eyeballs...let it be so. I hate the 2:00 rule thing.

You have no idea how much I hated paying the cost to stay at boardwalk, but my price induced rage was soothed by being able to walk over to world showcase in the AM before heading off to other park for late day/park closing days. Made the park hopper price worth it to have festival snacks for breakfast!

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Is it too late for him to cancel the Polynesian DVC hotel project? Kinda hate what they are doing over there

The housing market is crashing. Recession looms. May not be built anyway.

 

[wishman35]

Definitely hope the 2pm thing changes. Especially with a little one in tow. Would rather hit a 2nd park on our way back from the 1st for nap time.

 

[lowlight]

There is no reason to change the parks until the vacancy numbers start to drop. I'm sure they'll discount and go back to the old days for stuff once a recession hits.

There is no financial motivation in the short term, for sure, but from the recent article about Iger, it seems he was very unhappy with Chapek's direction affecting the soul of Disney. Look at how many diehard fans here stopped going. Yes, a lot say they are stopping and continue to go, but a lot just stop and never say a word to anyone. There was long term damage being done to the parks in the sake of short term profitability, so I'm hopeful Iger can see that.

 

[Chuckdlc]

I think the reality is that he has to change some things for the sake of changing them. The manner in which they removed Chapek almost mandates that Igor implement some changes here and there (studios, parks, streaming, etc.) in order to give the impression that they are aware of the complaints/issues and want to course correct.

Now, what they change as far as the parks are concerned is likely to be whatever gives them the biggest bang for the least buck. Doing away with park reservations would serve that purpose but they may not actually want to do that. And they can't remove the 2 p.m. rule by itself without virtually negating the need for park reservations.

This upcoming town hall is exactly what I'm talking about. Fans and cast members felt as though they had no voice and were not being heard. Conducting this town hall gives them the impression that they are being heard and do have a voice - even if they elect to completely ignore anything and everything the cast members bring up at that town hall.

 

[Miffy]

While I'm wishing for things that Iger might do . . . Please bring back bounceback. This is one thing I really really miss. And it would show that Disney does, indeed, care for its repeat visitors.

 

[GeorgeG]

Definitely good news that Chapek is out. Iger has a lot of work ahead, but I'm really not expecting too much along the lines of making the parks and resorts better. We gave up on Walt Disney World before Chapek and Covid took over. After thirty years of being very loyal fans, we could see a downward turn in much of what made WDW attractive to us. It was no longer fun. Disney management has to shoulder a lot of the blame, but some of it was, and is, beyond their control. I'm referring to the guests. The culture has changed, and not for the better. Before I get flamed, I realize there are still a lot of nice, polite guests who know how to behave in public, but it doesn't take many to ruin the day. We found ourselves leaving the "happiest place on Earth" at the end of a day in a park not like people very much. That's not the WDW we used to know and love.

I believe the change started around the time a lot of really good restaurants became "signature" restaurants. Prices went up, food quality went down, and reservations got harder to get. Marketing genius, I suspect. Then there were crowds like never before. Being somewhat local, we used to like last-minute decisions to pop on down for a day in a park and there were certain times of year the crowds were light. That has changed. Even with the ill-conceived park reservations, a "slow" day isn't what we old fogeys used to enjoy. With the crowd came more rude guests. Disney added to the stress by creating an app-driven culture where folks walk into others because they have their noses glued to their phones. Rides and attractions are more likely to break down these days, likely due to cutting costs on maintenance.

Sadly, raising prices and cutting back on quality hasn't stopped folks from forking over their hard-earned cash and filling the parks to capacity. Even sadder, the corporate side seems to have lost any grasp of what made the company so great. I have to wonder if Bob Iger can pull off what needs to be done.

 

[gratefulfred]

Bring back the little boat rentals please

 

[FigmentSpark]

I have to agree... fast food prices are too expensive for the below par food you get and the next choice are expensive sit-down restaurants. I want decent food I can eat quickly between touring the park. I do like the sit-down restaurants, but there needs to be decent food for those that don't want to spend the time and money on high end restaurants, many of which are serving mid-range food.

Last time we were at WDW, I was shocked that the CMs were not nearly as polite or helpful as they had been. I don't blame them. I think they are bombarded by entitled guests making demands that can't be met and it takes a toll. And let's face it, they aren't paid enough to deal with some of the guests they are forced to be nice to.

And I agree... having my face in my phone, whether it was looking for FPs or using Genie+/LL is not conducive to family time. I normally never have my phone out, but at WDW, I was so busy checking for FPs and looking up wait times that my kids (normally the real phone culprits) were complaining that I was missing stuff.

 

[Gentry2004]

What I want is never coming back - deluxe and moderate hotels at prices normal people can pay. I will forever mourn my $300/night AKL trip that never happened in 2020. That's never coming back or anything close.

 

[scrappinginontario]

What I want is never coming back - deluxe and moderate hotels at prices normal people can pay. I will forever mourn my $300/night AKL trip that never happened in 2020. That's never coming back or anything close.

Let’s add Values to that. Their prices are crazy too! There’s a reason why so many stay value, it’s what we can afford.

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

What I want is never coming back - deluxe and moderate hotels at prices normal people can pay. I will forever mourn my $300/night AKL trip that never happened in 2020. That's never coming back or anything close.

Over $200 a night now for a campsite where you bring your own hotel room with you!

 

[Gentry2004]

Over $200 a night now for a campsite where you bring your own hotel room with you!

Reminds me of another lost relic! $69 campsites that got you 2 days of free parking, Magic bands, and 60 day rolling fastpasses! What value! Those were the days…

 

[DCLMP]

What I want is never coming back - deluxe and moderate hotels at prices normal people can pay. I will forever mourn my $300/night AKL trip that never happened in 2020. That's never coming back or anything close.

This is why I started renting points. I paid 250.00 a night for 3 nights at the Boardwalk and 240 a night for 4 nights at SSR tax included on both back in May. I'm paying 300 a night tax included for SSR this January. It's actually pretty simple and cancellation policies are no worse than booking a cruise. I'd rather get the 40% off and flexibility of pre-2022, but I think those discounts will come back probably later next year or early 2024.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Latest is that Chapek's exit package will be much larger than Iger's compensation.

I don’t care what they had to pay Chapek to leave, it was worth every penny.

 

[Mickey's Best Girl]

Gotcha. Then yeah, I agree. I never used it but I do think getting rid of Magical Express was one of the worst cost cutting measures that Disney implemented.

Another thing that cost Disney money from my wallet was the removal of resort package deliverey.

We browsed A LOT during our past trip (Nov 5-22) and I brought $2000 to spend on whatever the heck I wanted because we hadn’t been to WDW in five years and we used to visit at minimum once per year - so I decided I would let myself splurge. I came home with $1400 and the money I did spend was done at the Springs (and the majority of it not in Disney Stores because WOD was stupid busy).

I didn’t realize how enabling that darn resort delivery was.

If it‘s a shortage of staffing then I completely understand but if its a cost cutting measure I’m not sure they aren’t shooting themselves in the foot.