Independent Audit Blasts Disney For Pulling ‘Bait And Switch’ On Florida: ‘A Mousetrap’

[whiteness]

And that’s great, your daughter is free to have that stance on Disney. As is any other individual who are free to choose whether or not they support Disney going forward.

My opinion and any individual’s opinion on the stances of Disney and what we do with our $$ in regards to Disney are irrelevant to the subject matter. We as individuals can and should support or withhold support from companies based upon any of their stances and companies will be forced to adjust accordingly.

Again, that’s not the problem here.

Well, fine, if you don't want to visit SeaWorld or Universal Studios because they haven't come out strongly enough on the politics you support, that's also your choice. But I think most people just want to enjoy themselves when they spend their hard earned money on entertainment, and there's nothing wrong with that, either.

 

[wvjules]

I said at the beginning that the DeSantis/Disney fight was gonna be lose/lose for both parties. Nothing has changed my mind so far.

DeSantis's star has lost its shine.
Disney's theatrical releases have gotten crushed, even more worldwide than domestic, which means Disney may not have lost the PR battle here, but they have lost it worldwide, and it's not close. And their brand power has dropped through survey after survey.

At this point, a ceasefire could only benefit both parties, one more than the other. But neither seems ready for it, so both parties will continue to lose and lose more.

Disney has more to lose b/c it's hard to make people spend money as it is, and they have to have worldwide reach, not Floridian reach (I mean, DeSantis not winning a 2024 pres nom would be...exactly what would be expected at this point, so he has nothing more to lose, so no big reason to quit b/c a ceasefire might not be enough to get him a nom now either). And Disney will probably keep losing. Their lawyers are giving them bad PR/maximizing corporate profit advice, but this is why you don't use lawyers for that.

Is that because of their statement or were the movies just bad?

I'm still not understanding how what they said in their statement was so offensive to some that they feel a boycott and all the uproar is warranted.

Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law. Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country.

Oh no! They want to stand up for the right of ALL of their employees. How dare they! Not sure when standing up for what is right became a bad thing.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Well, fine, if you don't want to visit SeaWorld or Universal Studios because they haven't come out strongly enough on the politics you support, that's also your choice. But I think most people just want to enjoy themselves when they spend their hard earned money on entertainment, and there's nothing wrong with that, either.

I mean, Universal already supports the LGBT community. They do better pride events than WDW does IMO but the only difference is that they didn't make a statement like Chapek did (which, I admit, was very clumsily executed in practice).

 

[HokieRaven5]

Well, fine, if you don't want to visit SeaWorld or Universal Studios because they haven't come out strongly enough on the politics you support, that's also your choice. But I think most people just want to enjoy themselves when they spend their hard earned money on entertainment, and there's nothing wrong with that, either.

I’ll visit both because I’m not bothered by most companies and any of their perceived political stances.

An individual’s response to a statement made by a company is irrelevant to the subject at hand. Individuals are free to hold a company accountable for its choice in speech.

 

[BrianL]

Is that because of their statement or were the movies just bad?

It's neither. Most people don't care one way or another about Disney's statements on issues like this. It's the same for other studios as well. Some movies are big hits and others are misses. The quality of the movie isn't even relevant as good movies often fail and bad movies do well. It has more to do with marketing and timing than anything else. There is also the effect of streaming canibalizing the box-office, which is an issue today as well.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

I said at the beginning that the DeSantis/Disney fight was gonna be lose/lose for both parties. Nothing has changed my mind so far.

DeSantis's star has lost its shine.
Disney's theatrical releases have gotten crushed, even more worldwide than domestic, which means Disney may not have lost the PR battle here, but they have lost it worldwide, and it's not close. And their brand power has dropped through survey after survey.

At this point, a ceasefire could only benefit both parties, one more than the other. But neither seems ready for it, so both parties will continue to lose and lose more.

Disney has more to lose b/c it's hard to make people spend money as it is, and they have to have worldwide reach, not Floridian reach (I mean, DeSantis not winning a 2024 pres nom would be...exactly what would be expected at this point, so he has nothing more to lose, so no big reason to quit b/c a ceasefire might not be enough to get him a nom now either). And Disney will probably keep losing. Their lawyers are giving them bad PR/maximizing corporate profit advice, but this is why you don't use lawyers for that.

I have said for a long time that Iger and DeSantis need to have a private meeting and make this go away….

There is middle ground, where both parties can get some of what they want and get this mess under control and out of the press ….

 

[HokieRaven5]

Is that because of their statement or were the movies just bad?

Box office as a whole is still down about 30% from Pre-Covid and Disney has certainly taken a hit on it, but is still essentially atop the global box office for the year.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Is that because of their statement or were the movies just bad?

I'm still not understanding how what they said in their statement was so offensive to some that they feel a boycott and all the uproar is warranted.



Oh no! They want to stand up for the right of ALL of their employees. How dare they! Not sure when standing up for what is right became a bad thing.

It's probably all of the above and more...but if you look this year, Disney is getting crushed, and it's getting worse by the month, both in their releases (which they are now pushing off any releases til April next year after the November back-to-back debacle) and their survey results. Digging in, done by both sides, is bringing the losses up more and more.

As folks said, other studios have made bad or more liberal movies, but no one's stopping to see their movies. Other companies have hosted pride days and other cultural events, but no one's taking their brand survey numbers down.

Disney made themselves a flash point in politics with the fight with the Gov through the media and then the nonstop AND CONTINUING lawsuits, and being a flash point is not where you want to be as a corporation that thrived on mass market appeal. And they can't escape the continuing flashpoint b/c they won't ask for the ceasefire. They just keep doubling down, just like DeSantis, and he has so much less to lose at this point.

It's just lose/lose and it won't stop...but ego is a thing at the top, whether for Govs or CEOs. A replacement of Disney's top staff might be warranted to reverse strategy and stop the bleed.

 

[HokieRaven5]

I have said for a long time that Iger and DeSantis need to have a private meeting and make this go away….

There is middle ground, where both parties can get some of what they want and get this mess under control and out of the press ….

It’s the word of Bob Iger but he did recently state that he’s attempted to have negotiations but has to date been denied.

 

[longboard55]

Movies have not done well because they are not good. Watch what the new Inside Out does, good movies will do well. Parks have been packed world wide. You look at the typical Disney customer, mostly gen z, gen x or millennials. They support Disney politics 110%. The people complaining are ones that would never go to Disney, they play cards and go on cruises.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

It’s the word of Bob Iger but he did recently state that he’s attempted to have negotiations but has to date been denied.

Maybe a show of good faith on IGER’s part would be to dismiss his lawsuit against the state…

But as you said you one have one side of the story …

Either way both sides need this to go away

 

[Kwami]

Movies have not done well because they are not good. Watch what the new Inside Out does, good movies will do well. Parks have been packed world wide. You look at the typical Disney customer, mostly gen z, gen x or millennials. They support Disney politics 110%. The people complaining are ones that would never go to Disney, they play cards and go on cruises.

Elemental was pretty good and didn't do as well as it should have. But, I think the marketing was weak. I'd barely heard of it before I saw it on a cruise. I wonder if Disney's just had trouble getting their ads and other marketing to the right people lately.

Maybe a show of good faith on IGER’s part would be to dismiss his lawsuit against the state…

But as you said you one have one side of the story …

Either way both sides need this to go away

That's not a show of good faith. That's unilateral surrender.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Movies have not done well because they are not good. Watch what the new Inside Out does, good movies will do well. Parks have been packed world wide. You look at the typical Disney customer, mostly gen z, gen x or millennials. They support Disney politics 110%. The people complaining are ones that would never go to Disney, they play cards and go on cruises.

Didn’t Disney recently state to the SEC that their movies have tanked because Disney has become “disconnected” for the audiences’ view point?

 

[HokieRaven5]

Didn’t Disney recently state to the SEC that their movies have tanked because Disney has become “disconnected” for the audiences’ view point?

They’ve kind of always had that boilerplate language in the SEC filings.

Maybe a show of good faith on IGER’s part would be to dismiss his lawsuit against the state…

But as you said you one have one side of the story …

Either way both sides need this to go away

I would disagree that Disney should remove the lawsuit, dropping it provides no incentive for a negotiation.

The suits were deemed necessary by Disney to protect what they perceive to be their business interests, I would expect any company faced with the same scenario to do the same.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Movies have not done well because they are not good. Watch what the new Inside Out does, good movies will do well. Parks have been packed world wide. You look at the typical Disney customer, mostly gen z, gen x or millennials. They support Disney politics 110%. The people complaining are ones that would never go to Disney, they play cards and go on cruises.

Right. Wish bombed because it wasn't a good film. I had a friend who is a Disney fan tell me that she's waiting for Disney+ to watch it because it looks boring. Not sure if I agree that all Disney customers support their politics. I think it's just that most people don't care or don't know that this situation is even going on.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Elemental was pretty good and didn't do as well as it should have. But, I think the marketing was weak. I'd barely heard of it before I saw it on a cruise. I wonder if Disney's just had trouble getting their ads and other marketing to the right people lately.


That's not a show of good faith. That's unilateral surrender.

It might be, but Iger needs to decide if this is the hill he wants the mouse to die on.

However, if it brings DeSantis to the table and puts the matter to bed,

 

[Robbie Cottam]

They’ve kind of always had that boilerplate language in the SEC filings.


I would disagree that Disney should remove the lawsuit, dropping it provides no incentive for a negotiation.

The suits were deemed necessary by Disney to protect what they perceive to be their business interests, I would expect any company faced with the same scenario to do the same.

How s that working out for Disney?

 

[soccerdad72]

I have said for a long time that Iger and DeSantis need to have a private meeting and make this go away….

There is middle ground, where both parties can get some of what they want and get this mess under control and out of the press ….

Private meetings don't earn you any votes - everything DeSantis is doing right now, he's doing in full view of whatever media he can find.

 

[HokieRaven5]

How s that working out for Disney?

From a parks perspective most profitable year ever.

Linear TV has reduced revenue from cord cutting but still operating at around 30% profit.

The Studios and Entertainment with all the reported bombs at the box office reported a total fiscal loss of $179M

Streaming losses shrunk 27% and the company is stating profitability is coming next year as originally anticipated. Whether that’s accurate or not will be provided in data.

Sports segment operating at 14-15% profit

 

[Sykes]

The general public stopped caring about the Disney/DeSantis feud almost a year ago. The only people still paying attention are people that have a specific axe to grind with one side or another and aren't going to change their minds regardless of the outcome of the litigation.