Sorry Baron, if they throw me out of the car I will be driving bike #1 all the way to the gates
- but thanks for the offer.
Well, you have finally tuned into a level of ignorance I do have
. I have not read the bios and all the books. Perhaps you can point me to the single best OBJECTIVE source of info, preferably written during the 70's as WDW was exploding. You know how I feel about the way many look back upon deceased people.
However, I stand behind everything I say. I know a bit about business, and I know a bit about human nature, and I know a bit about WDW (but not as much as some others around here). I know Walt was a different breed - but he wasn't from another planet.
Damn the torpedoes, bottom line smottom line, we have to do THIS.
Now I was trying for the life of me to find it in one of these thread and can't seem to. However, someone pointed out a number of the truely Magical things in WDW that our beloved Walt would have done differently, or wouldn't have done at all. Perhaps it was someone who possessed that little layer of ignorance that I do, or maybe they are right. I will try and learn more and speak intelligently from fact when I have time to compose more for you to think about. But I would ask this - do you think if Walt was alive today, operating in todays business environment, that all his decisions would be diametrically opposed to those of the management teams since he departed? I know, your answer is yes - but is that a knee jerk response? Mull it over for a while.
I was a kid in the 70's and only know the business environment from the history books. However, I do believe that Walt had more freedom to operate his way in the 60's and 70's. Things were cheaper, even in relative dollars. Accountability to stockholders, Wall St., banks, etc. was not what it is today. I think it was easier for Walt to put his plans into place then, and I don't know that, if he had to do it all over agin in todays environment, it could be done again the same way. I don' t know that a strict showman could pull it off today. I know that probably isn't enough to appease you, but I do believe it is more than just words - that is is so.
The relevant factor of doing as little as possible for as much return as possible?
Come on now - this is a bit extreme. I have agreed that current management doesn't do things as good as Walt did, but to this extreme? As for relevant factors - well, there certainly weren't the same competitive pressures back then. Also, while I know you will say it is part of your downfall of Disney, the company wasn't as complex back then, was it? Disney management needs to be cognizant of probably half a dozen business units today that are as large as Walt's company was back then. Come on someone in Car #1 - help me with some numbers
. Is this because current management are bumbling idiots? (again, I know your knee jerk answer) - or is it because there are many more people to answer to today then there were back then.
WHAT!!!! Youve got to be kidding!!!! You just wanted me to use capital letters and the bold function, right? You are just yanking my chain, arent you? Please tell youre kidding. Or you better get specific!!! Cause I havent got the faintest idea what you could possibly mean.
I mean exactly what I said in the context of the discussion
. I may be a bit naive to some things, but please. Can you tell me there was not one decision made by Walt as he built his empire that wasn't in some way based on dollars, or something other than what would be the ABSOLUTE best thing for the guest. I still maintain that THAT is a bit naive. He never said, 'yeah, I think that would be great but it is just too expensive'
. Come on, everyone has a wish list, and even Walt couldn't have gotten all of his.
I am glad that got you going though, after what you did to Scoop
.
Is that little heart of yours racing a bit? Did your breathing increase ever so much? Are you pounding your fists into the desk, or worse into your temples? Are you pulling out you hair? Sorry! I couldnt resist.
As for AK - I know people got the expectation to have their expectations exceeded from Disney (and they do that for me
). However, did Disney give the expectation that AK would be THE best zoo, THE best theme park (rides, shows, etc.) all wrapped up into one? I don't think so, and we have been there from the beginning - AP preview and all. It is that misplaced expectation that leads to so much AK disappointment, despite the fact that it is a wonderful park - but I'm giving up on getting any of the #2 and 3 folks to grasp that.
BTW, you are welcome
.
One observation as I was searching through old posts looking for things. You, Mr. Baron hop easily to Car #1 while in the World, but revert when you get home and look back to the past. We had you for 10 minutes until you looked to your signature line from the past. See a theme here. You are always looking back, and there is nothing wrong with that, it is part of the Disney legacy and Magic - unless it clouds your enjoyment of the ever present magic today
.