Disney has released more details about ESPN The Weekend a one-of-a-kind sports-themed special event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park Feb. 27-March 1. Surprisingly, there doesn’t appear to be one person announced as the host this year. ESPN personalities John Anderson, Colin Cowherd, Jay Crawford,… Read More »ESPN The Weekend 2009, More Details
A story on WESH.com reveals it’s not all bad news at Walt Disney World as far as cast member layoffs are concerned. In fact, Disney’s Casting Center continues to hire new employees. Union workers, including characters, custodians and many people on the front lines have… Read More »Not all bad news at Walt Disney World
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
Marketing
There’s still more news coming from Disney’s American Idol Experience this week. A commercial for the attraction ran during tonight’s airing of American Idol. The tagline was “You can be part of the next Cinderella Story”, which is the same message they’re using on billboards around town.
I like the theme of the commercial, although I found some of the technical parts of it less than inspiring. I’m expecting dozens of people lining up each morning for expressly to have a chance at their Cinderella story in the attraction.
A Winners List
Tonight marked the fourth night of public performances of the show and the fifth Dream Ticket awarded. I have the names of three of those Dream Ticket holders and have started a list in an attempt to collect all of them going forward. If the winner so chooses, they can then provide me links to their YouTube, MySpace, or other internet pages for a chance at growing a following before they even get to the real auditions for the television show.
I’m counting on you readers to help me build this list as I can’t be there every night (although it may seem that way sometimes). The winners name and their song would be excellent.
The F. A. Q.’s
Finally, click below the link for a great list of Facts and Trivia from The American Idol Experience
Here’s a great slide show of photos from the Gala Premiere of Disney’s The American Idol Experience including many shots I’ve not seen anywhere else. Also included are a few videos you may have seen before. The gala premiere was attended by all seven previous… Read More »American Idol Experience Premiere – Slideshow
Today at Disney’s Hollywood Studios they’re throwing a huge party to celebrate the opening of the American Idol Experience, the latest attraction to make magical Disney memories for Guests of all ages. We’re expecting plenty of celebrities including former winners and contestants of American Idol… Read More »Live from Disney’s American Idol Experience Premiere
Ahhh February. In Central Florida that means one thing… the Daytona 500. So I wasn’t at all surprised to see this photo of four-time Nascar Champ and three-time Daytona 500 winner Jeff Gordon with his wife and daughter enjoying the Magic Carpets of Aladdin attraction… Read More »Nascar Champion Jeff Gordon at Disney World