Disappointed

[auroralark]

I haven’t, but also didn’t feel the need to. I received the email sent out to all clients about where my money goes and between that and everything I have read here, I didn’t have any additional questions. I am choosing to keep my booked cruise with my TA because I am not going to punish her for PW’s actions.

Regarding future trips, I hope there will be some transparency about how/when Pete is fully removed from DUT before I decide if I would use their agency again or not

I feel the same way. I'm leaving on my first Disney cruise later this month, and recently received the basket of goodies they send. Every time I look at the stuff I feel so conflicted about it.

 

[mousefan73]

Moving back on topic, I kind of want to assess what has happened in the past few days. As a community, do we feel we have made an impact in our support for the victims? What now can be done to continue to support the victims? I'm more than happy to direct my rage at Pete Werner, but what is the best way to focus it that will have any kind of penalty for him? I want to help Sean and Dustin and I want to know the best way to directly help them.

I think Pete has already gotten the biggest penalty there is for him- He was knocked off his pedestal. .

 

[vikequeen]

And now somebody else from another podcast has a story to tell but he's afraid to say anything because he fears retribution. I would say the name of the podcast but I probably can't here. I used to listen to that podcast every week, too.

Is that Chris who no one knows and popped up on Twitter? I’m fully supportive of the victims but that one sounded like attention seeking.

 

[jamiek81]

I’m curious…has anyone who currently has trips booked contacted their travel agent since all this has come to light?

Yea I have but only to extend my support and to reassure them that I won’t cancel my travel.

 

[Jamie77]

I think Pete has already gotten the biggest penalty there is for him- He was knocked off his pedestal. .

I wonder what he's going to tell his mama.

 

[Jamie77]

Is that Chris who no one knows and popped up on Twitter? I’m fully supportive of the victims but that one sounded like attention seeking.

Yeah. If he's not going to say anything he should have said nothing until he's ready. As one of the Country Bears would say, "If you ain't gonna bite, don't growl."

 

[khertz]

I feel the same way. I'm leaving on my first Disney cruise later this month, and recently received the basket of goodies they send. Every time I look at the stuff I feel so conflicted about it.

Conflicted is a great way to describe it.

 

[ChrisFL]

Is that Chris who no one knows and popped up on Twitter? I’m fully supportive of the victims but that one sounded like attention seeking.

To be clear that Chris isn't me but I know who you're referring to

 

[starstruck93]

On the topic of media credentials, Len Testa posted this on another board last year:

The DIS' Dreams Unlimited is one of the 2 or 3 largest Disney-specific travel agencies in the world. They bring at least $25 million in business to Disney every year. And if you told me it was $40 million or $60 million or more, I'd believe it. They are enormous.

I spoke with Pete Werner when we started our travel agency, because I value his experience and counsel. And Pete will tell you exactly what he's thinking. I wanted to know how to deal with Disney. Pete's advice, which I'll paraphrase here, was "Generate enough revenue for them, and Disney won't care what you say about them."

So yeah, $25 to $60 million in business per year (plus a mandatory 10% increase year-over-year) buys you a lot of free speech. Credit Pete for everything he and his team did to get to that point.

Wow.... that's alot! I really enjoy Len Testa, his website, podcast etc.

 

[Divaofdisney]

I am just in complete and utter shock at what has happened. I would have never thought that Pete would have ever done what he is accused of doing. He was rather out there but even still i thought he was a decent person. Where can I read further on this and the exact nature of the SA as to those affected and what exactly happened to Sean Faulk. This has me reeling and I am so incredibly sad and heartbroken for everyone involved and who this has affected.

 

[Monykalyn]

So John either knew about the bullying and did nothing, or didn’t know, but should have known.

I'm sure the team did know it was an abusive work environment. I would imagine many if not most of them are additional victims of that environment.

Completely understood. None of us should.

I am only asking that we consider a reasonable request right now. The extent of enabling can only be assumed on our part. There are a lot of facts and memories being processed right now. Off the cuff responses to us may not be initially correct, and then we could be led to believe that there was dishonesty where none was intended.

Emotions are high. Time has been requested. It is not unreasonable

Whether anyone else “knew” or not consider the environment was SO TOXIC that no one felt ok going to the other co-owners. And no one felt ok to come forward until Sean did.

 

[RedHead0186]

I am just in complete and utter shock at what has happened. I would have never thought that Pete would have ever done what he is accused of doing. He was rather out there but even still i thought he was a decent person. Where can I read further on this and the exact nature of the SA as to those affected and what exactly happened to Sean Faulk. This has me reeling and I am so incredibly sad and heartbroken for everyone involved and who this has affected.

If you go back through this thread you will see multiple references to another site, as well as how to search for it.

 

[Divaofdisney]

If you go back through this thread you will see multiple references to another site, as well as how to search for it.

I really do not have time to go thru 76 pages worth of comments. I was hoping someone could post a few links here.

 

[RedHead0186]

I really do not have time to go thru 76 pages worth of comments. I was hoping someone could post a few links here.

The site cannot be referenced here, nor can links to it be shared. Page 64 of this thread contains some tips on how to find it.

 

[Jamie77]

I am just in complete and utter shock at what has happened. I would have never thought that Pete would have ever done what he is accused of doing. He was rather out there but even still i thought he was a decent person. Where can I read further on this and the exact nature of the SA as to those affected and what exactly happened to Sean Faulk. This has me reeling and I am so incredibly sad and heartbroken for everyone involved and who this has affected.

You would think that if a person had a lot of skeletons in their closet, they would lay low and not try to be seen so much. If I recall correctly, on one of the podcasts he said about someone else: "Oh, how the mighty have fallen!"

 

[nfreeman]

I think it’s fair to say Nobody will ever truly know what happened behind the curtain at the DIS. It will likely forever stay a mystery.

 

[john7994]

How do you know people are not already doing these things? It doesn't have to be an "either/or," it can be a "both/and." Trauma is trauma, and there's a lot of it around now, including secondary trauma and vicarious trauma (in addition to primary trauma). As I learned in a training there are no trauma Olympics. People should be allowed to feel what they are feeling; we don't need to redirect them because somehow others out there have it worse. It's not really any of our places to say one type of trauma/struggle is more deserving of energy than another.

Not to say those areas you noted aren't all deserving of our help, but you assume that people aren't already putting attention on them, and suggesting that what's been expressed here isn't as deserving as people in those situations. It can be a both/and-people can feel their feelings here and also give attention to those other areas (if they choose).

I wasn’t responding to a group of people, but to one poster with a specific question (which wasn’t you) and they clarified their original statement.

 

[Friendly Frog]

First of all well done for all the people being so brave. You are supported and thought highly of for your act of bravery. I want to make it clear that I was shocked to read all about this from the last live show. l however I did know something was up subconsciously.

I am sure many of us did. I started questioning my following of the Dis after Fiasco left and now looking back when the Disneyland team were just dropped. We had a massive fanfare when Steve left but nothing for Fiasco or the DL team vanished. I noticed that Fiasco was regularly spoken over or quips were made about him by Pete.

I hung on untill Deni left. Then once Pete had his rehab and the team dynamics changed I stopped my Patreon as I felt something was off.

The show was once outward looking and I enjoyed Kevin, John's and other experiences of non USA parks and trips. People like Fiasco and Deni who had never been to a non USA park were so outward looking and willing to try new things or had done research on other parks and experiences. Now the show hardly gets over copy and pasting the latest press release from WDW. It's all so insular.

The team just praise each other, are political and we just hear about food intolerances and gym trips from one member! (And I'm a gym junkie who has food intolerances!!!!)

As a UK member of this community it's become 'another Disney press release centre'. It's lost direction. And I find myself pressing skip alot.

However I don't believe that all hope is lost. Craig is very skilled and I have a similar job to him. He manages time well and I believe a short break and fresh start could be what he needs to revive the shows. It's difficult making content constantly, and with the choice of onscreen talent he now has it makes it extra hard.

Ryno seems like a good man but I just wish he did more research. The whole JK thing was led by the American media and selected communities and he commented without the true facts. His opinions without looking at the source or UK context made me cringe.

I do feel sorry for the agents now as they must be seeing bookings drop. I will support dreams and the dis once I know none of it goes to Pete.

Over the years I've had disagreements with Kevin (Meghan Merkel - but I was right in the end ;-)) but we made up on twitter and actually I have more of a respect for him. Craig (was offended and I'm still blocked) but that's his choice.

What I'm trying to say is we all had different opinions and life experience and that's what made the dis great, now it's full of people from similar walks of life, ages and life stages and it's full of mutual praise without any spark.

I hope the dis survives or rebrands but in its current form I can't see how it will. It need elders, young people, less politics, less self indulgent people, less reading from press releases and less food intolerances!!!!

I've switched my support to wdwnt but would consider Patreon and the dis again if the show gets back on an even keel.

My thoughts are with the team, the agents and those treated badly and bullied. I hope this is not the end but for the dis but for me and the dis it's as Tigger would say

"TTFN - tar tar for now!!"

I agree. I have followed the podcasts and this forum a long time. ( The podcasts back from the near beginning. )They did lose their diversification along the way. They need a group dynamic going forward that is more like the original crew. The original crew was young to old, and even someone with mobility issues. All with differing opinions on attractions. I am not saying anyone on the show should leave, just maybe they need to find a way to add other voices and to take into consideration more age diversity in the future?

By the way, I think those of us who were around a long time watching got to where we could tell when another team member was not currently in good standing. It showed on their faces even if not directly being teased.

I have often wondered about Steve. I never saw anyone picked on more than I felt he was. It got to where I felt like I wanted to hear more of what he had to say, but so often he would get mocked or shut down. It was really sad to watch. Does anyone still have contact with him?

 

[Jamie77]

I agree. I have followed the podcasts and this forum a long time. The podcasts back from the near beginning. They did lose their diversification along the way. They desperately need a group dynamics like the original crew. All ages and with different perspectives on how and what to do in the parks. Not saying anyone on the show should leave, just maybe a way to add other voices.

By the way, I think those of us who were around a long time watching got to where we could tell when another team member was on good standing. It showed on their faces even when not directly being mocked.
I have often wondered about Steve. I never saw anyone picked on more than he was. The few times he was allowed to speak it sounded like he had some good perspectives, but would get mocked or shut down, and not always just by Pete. It was really sad to watch? Does anyone still have contact with him? Is he ok?;

Steve responded to the news yesterday on social media (Instagram?) showing his support for the team and for their being able to breathe easier going forward.

 

[BluEye]

On the topic of media credentials, Len Testa posted this on another board last year:

The DIS' Dreams Unlimited is one of the 2 or 3 largest Disney-specific travel agencies in the world. They bring at least $25 million in business to Disney every year. And if you told me it was $40 million or $60 million or more, I'd believe it. They are enormous.

I spoke with Pete Werner when we started our travel agency, because I value his experience and counsel. And Pete will tell you exactly what he's thinking. I wanted to know how to deal with Disney. Pete's advice, which I'll paraphrase here, was "Generate enough revenue for them, and Disney won't care what you say about them."

So yeah, $25 to $60 million in business per year (plus a mandatory 10% increase year-over-year) buys you a lot of free speech. Credit Pete for everything he and his team did to get to that point.

Sean said the DU books $50 - $60 million per year. But that is not their net income. They get a % and that amount depends on if it’s a cruise or hotel vacation. It was between 10-20%.
So there is a lot at stake here.
I think PW has to be held accountable for at least the drugging and assault of Dustin in Hawaii. And something should be done to ensure that he does not repeat these acts on vulnerable men in the future. Like being registered as a sex offender or worse. My God sounds like he was also lurking at the prisons looking for a hot guy to sponsor for AA in addition to hiring guys to hit on at his company. What a vile and dangerous man. I hope he can be stopped.