Update: It’s official now. Although AB-InBev doesn’t come right out and say it, they’ve effectively announced that their theme parks (aka, non-core business lines) are up for sale. The folks at Busch Entertainment Center have been waiting for the other shoe to drop and now… Read More »For Sale Sign Up For SeaWorld and Related Parks
Theme Park Guy, whose mission is to visit and chronicle every theme park on the planet, has an extra-early report from the future site of Disney’s next theme park. As has been rumored for months, it will be located outside of Shanghai, which is on… Read More »Shanghai’s Disney Theme Park, an early visit
I’ve written a bit about the Central Florida theme parks offering deals on theme park admission (and they keep getting better ($99 for a week at Universal Studios Orlando)), but this is the first I’ve heard of the non-US Disney parks offering some sort of… Read More »Disneyland Paris Free Ticket Offer
I’m suddenly getting tons of traffic from a story in the Dallas News rehashing the rumors of the Walt Disney Company building a new theme park on a plot of land it supposedly owns north of Dallas, Texas. I have to say, don’t get your… Read More »Welcome Texans! But Sorry, No Disney Park For You.
This is the first video, not shot by Disney, I’ve seen of the backstage areas of the American Idol Experience. These are the areas that only guests who successfully pass the 30-second a cappella audition and the producer’s requirements ever see. But now thanks to… Read More »American Idol Experience – Backstage Video
The Orlando Sentinel has some of the first details of how the newly reorganized executive levels of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will look. Erin Wallace gains more responsibility and Jim MacPhee moves up as well. Erin Wallace, who has been the senior vice president… Read More »Promotions at WDW, first signs of reorganization
The change that we all knew was coming has been announced. Once Disney announced that they would be offering severance packages to hundreds of Parks and Resorts Division Executives, I knew the next shoe to drop would be a further consolidation of the east and west coast management structures.
Frankly, Disney has been trending this way a long time. Disneyland lifers have been holding out against the move fearing they would lose some of what makes Walt Disney’s original park special, but the economic crisis has given Jay Rasulo the ammunition to install the changes.
This new action will result in some job loss even below the executive level that was offered severance packages. Unfortunately the details were not announced so we don’t know how deep job loss will go.
Two areas we know are going to get hit hard are: Imagineering and Theme Park Operations. At Walt Disney Imagineering everyone will be consolidated into a single group that handles design for all parks.
The operating infrastructure at Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Resort will also be merged to create a single domestic organization and “back-of-house” operation.
Disney execs were putting the final touches on these changes last week while in town for the American Idol Experience launch.
The changes announced today are effective immediately.
Disney’s Press Release on the reorganization is below the cut and don’t miss Jason Garcia’s coverage at the Orlando Sentinel.:
Read More »Disney Parks and Resorts Division Restructures for Cost Savings
Kevin Lively (right) and Mickey Wright winners of funniest skipper spiel contest (photo courtesy Disneyland Resort/Dan Downing) Earlier this year, Jungle Cruise skippers all around the world were preparing their funniest material for a chance at representing their respective Disney Parks in Tokyo this month.… Read More »Two Disneyland Jungle Cruise Skippers ‘Spiel’ Their Way to Tokyo Disney Resort