My Letter to Bob Chapek (should I send it?)

[Mickeynutty]

You can sign a petition to “fire Bob Chapek” at change.org. I just did! It has been signed by several former imagineers, as well.

 

[Brian Noble]

Why build more hotels when you're trying to reduce overall attendance?

What new hotels? The only new (cash) hotels they've opened since 9/11 (so, over 20 years) were POP, AoA, and the Gran Destino tower. POP was nearly done and several AOA buildings had been started before 9/11 happened. Gran Destino is mostly for convention business.

They have built plenty of DVC units, but many of those were replacing at least a few hotel rooms that were taken out of service: AKV-Jambo, CCV (minus the cabins), and GFV2 are straight-up replacements. SSR was built on the bones of the Disney Institute. BLT replaced North Garden. Riviera replaced a section of CBR. PVB converted a couple of Poly longhouses. The DVC buisness model is different; they sell today and have a guest coming back for 50 years---or, at least, a guest responsible for paying for the operation, maintenance, and upkeep of that room for that long. Someone is probably going to use those points, becuse they are already paid for. Disney has a built-in captive audience in DVC.

The other new hotels that have opened on/surrounded by WDW property in that time are all non-Disney: Four Seasons, Flamingo Crossings, the various Bonnet Creeks, and the new Swolphin building.

Even so: the Parks attendance is much more than just the Disney-owned or on-property hotels. Not many people stay at the hotels dotting US-192 because they want to see the sights on Irlo Bronson Drive. They are there for the parks. And, those offsite guests might well be more price sensitive, so if the offsite hotels are dis-proportionally impacted by this, Mickey won't shed many tears.

 

[piglet1979]

What new hotels? The only new (cash) hotels they've opened since 9/11 (so, over 20 years) were POP, AoA, and the Gran Destino tower. POP was nearly done and several AOA buildings had been started before 9/11 happened. Gran Destino is mostly for convention business.

They have built plenty of DVC units, but many of those were replacing at least a few hotel rooms that were taken out of service: AKV-Jambo, CCV (minus the cabins), and GFV2 are straight-up replacements. SSR was built on the bones of the Disney Institute. BLT replaced North Garden. Riviera replaced a section of CBR. PVB converted a couple of Poly longhouses. The DVC buisness model is different; they sell today and have a guest coming back for 50 years---or, at least, a guest responsible for paying for the operation, maintenance, and upkeep of that room for that long. Someone is probably going to use those points, becuse they are already paid for. Disney has a built-in captive audience in DVC.

The other new hotels that have opened on/surrounded by WDW property in that time are all non-Disney: Four Seasons, Flamingo Crossings, the various Bonnet Creeks, and the new Swolphin building.

Even so: the Parks attendance is much more than just the Disney-owned or on-property hotels. Not many people stay at the hotels dotting US-192 because they want to see the sights on Irlo Bronson Drive. They are there for the parks. And, those offsite guests might well be more price sensitive, so if the offsite hotels are dis-proportionally impacted by this, Mickey won't shed many tears.

You also have the Star Wars hotel and also Reflection. Though I think they have stopped construction on Reflections shortly after the pandemic started. I haven't heard anything for a very long time about this report. Also, It might have been DVC as well. Just not sure.

 

[iloveftwilderness]

The current situation with Disney's corporate decisions has been increasingly upsetting for me, and I've been feeling more and more of a need to make my voice heard. I drafted a very lengthy email to Bob Chapek highlighting the concerns that many of us have about the future of the company; I think I'll sleep on it and send it off tomorrow but I wanted to put my thoughts out here as well.

Dear Mr. Chapek,
First of all, I don't expect you to read this. I know that someone of your job caliber has to deal with a nearly endless stream of emails, most of which are deleted unless the name or subject is something you recognize. Even if this ends up getting lost in the mess, however, I felt the need to make my voice heard. I appreciate any time you're willing to commit to my experiences and concerns.
Disney was my first love. For as long as I can remember, it's been my second home, my happy place, my escape from reality. The day I learned about Hidden Mickeys (and all the other hidden attention to detail that makes the parks special) changed my life, and the day I learned the word Imagineer, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. Annual trips to Disney World have always been some of the highlights of my year. I used to follow Disney news obsessively, checking construction updates, new announcements, and ride opening predictions every day. When watching the "real world" news was anxiety-inducing, I could be confident that there would be good news in the parks; watching construction updates as Galaxy's Edge came to life felt like watching magic being born. Recently, however, I've taken a step back from Disney news; more often than not, it does me more harm than good.
Mr. Chapek, watching the changes you've made over the last year has made me afraid for the future of the Disney company. As a super-fan who has spent countless hours diving into the early history of the parks and found comfort in Walt's voice as he described his vision for Disneyland, I am sad to see the way the company has strayed from his vision and values. Walt imagined a place for families to escape the real world and have fun together, he hoped his parks would be a "source of joy and inspiration to all the world." How can that be true when a Disney vacation is becoming less and less attainable to the average family? I understand that you are running a company and that numbers often speak louder than any words the fans can throw at you, but the "pay more, get less" approach the parks have taken is not the best or only way to attain those numbers. Constantly raising prices, taking away benefits like extra magic hours and entertainment that has not returned since Covid, and implementing new systems like Genie+ to squeeze every last penny out of your already high paying guests only serves to cheapen the experience and close the gap between Disney and its competitors. The high standards set Disney apart are falling rapidly, and this lapse has not gone unnoticed.
Beyond this, it has been extremely upsetting to see the way the Imagineers have been treated as of late. While you may see them as dispensable, they are your most valuable asset; your brand is creating magic, and nobody can bring this magic to life quite like the brilliant minds of WDI. Several of their most recent endeavors (namely the 50th anniversary offerings at WDW) have fallen severely short of the Disney standard, and from where we stand as fans, it looks like restrictions on creativity have caused these shortcomings. It genuinely hurts my heart to see the way incredible people and innovators are being pushed out of WDI by the move to Florida. This talent is irreplaceable. After seeing the latest Animal Kingdom offering to open without Joe Rohde's oversight, I am worried for the future of the parks if the talent that has made them so special is pushed out.
You can't be oblivious to the criticism you've faced online as of late. The Disney social media sphere is not a happy place, and I'm sure you know that you've been far from a fan-favorite as of late. While it's true that no one complains about Disney more than Disney fans, I've never seen them quite like this. And so I urge you to pay attention and listen. Some of your most loyal fans are swearing off Disney until changes are made, and the risk this poses is something you should be scared of. You can make decisions for Wall Street, you can make your numbers look good so your shareholders are happy, but you need to remember your place; your brand is magic, your company is built on nostalgia. Disney has been successful for so long because people remember the good memories they have made, and they keep coming back. And you are at risk of losing your most loyal, most nostalgic fans. Mr. Chapek, you need to remember that when you walk into work each morning you are not just running a company, you are running the Walt Disney Company; your job is to continue on the legacy of nearly 100 years of creating magic, and that is a legacy that won't last much longer unless changes are made. As an avid researcher of Disney history, I have to believe that this dark period in the company is temporary, and that a new era of creativity and growth will return the parks to their former glory. But if the future of the parks is anything like the past, this can't happen until the balance between business and creativity is restored. To quote the 50th anniversary theme song, the magic is calling you. It's calling you to change the direction the company has been going since March 2020. It's calling you to make decisions that allow the parks to evolve and improve; it's calling you to make decisions that make this park experience accessible and affordable again. It's calling you to return the Walt Disney Company to its brand of happiness, nostalgia, and magic. Mr. Chapek, the magic is calling you to turn things around; all I can do is urge you to answer the call.

I heard this morning that Disneyland is increasing ticket pricing and parking again. Better send this quick!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Guests at the "Star Wars hotel" won't be visiting the parks except for HS. guests who want to do so will have to add on an additional stay at a traditional resort. Or offsite. (I guess they could spend days in the parks - they won't be held captive - but that isn't what they are paying for, and why would anyone pay what Starcruiser costs to treat it like a regular hotel? It only has 100 rooms anyway.)

Reflections was going to be DVC and I believe it has been cancelled.

 

[DebbieB]

DISNEY IS TOO EXPENSIVE! BUT IT'S ALSO TOO CROWDED!

That’s the Catch 22. If it’s too crowded, then increase the prices so less people come. If they lower prices, more people want to come and it will be more crowded. I think they are going with the first option.

 

[Lumpy1106]

To the OP;
You included a lot of (passionate) generality, but what SPECIFICALLY do you want Mr. Chapek to do? Example: "It's a family tradition of mine to chew your gum, but due to recent changes in your product I don't enjoy your gum like I used to. I won't be buying any more of your gum until changes are made and this makes me sad." should read instead "I really enjoyed your spearmint gum but you discontinued that flavor. Can you please bring back the SPEARMINT flavored gum?"

I know, Disney doesn't sell gum in the parks - it's an analogy.

 

[buzlite]

No return fast passes after a ride malfunctions may be the biggest mistake Chapek has made. He has no understanding of customer service if this is true. Only way this makes sense is of he wants to get rid of regular people visiting the parks. One of the reasons I was bitter on universal for years was when I rode spiderman for the first time after waiting an hour it had no sound. When I complained to staff members I got mostly shrugs. Finally one staffer let me use the Express pass line. Keep in mind I was very polite and just asked what I should do. The worker that let me on basically said you're lucky and I'll help you out this time but otherwise you will be S*it out of luck.
Led me to be bitter for years. I have since jumped back on the universal bandwagon since they've improved so much. But Disney is digging itself a deep hole. We may switch our 22 Disneyland grand Californian trip to universal.

 

[buzlite]

Also no I would not send that letter. Business people do not respond to that type of wording. It would be better to focus on value, customer experience and satisfaction, driving revenue while improving guest experiences etc. No one ever likes price increases. The question is whether the new price is worth it over the competitors.

 

[DebbieB]

No return fast passes after a ride malfunctions may be the biggest mistake Chapek has made. He has no understanding of customer service if this is true. Only way this makes sense is of he wants to get rid of regular people visiting the parks. One of the reasons I was bitter on universal for years was when I rode spiderman for the first time after waiting an hour it had no sound. When I complained to staff members I got mostly shrugs. Finally one staffer let me use the Express pass line. Keep in mind I was very polite and just asked what I should do. The worker that let me on basically said you're lucky and I'll help you out this time but otherwise you will be S*it out of luck.
Led me to be bitter for years. I have since jumped back on the universal bandwagon since they've improved so much. But Disney is digging itself a deep hole. We may switch our 22 Disneyland grand Californian trip to universal.

He’s in charge of the entire Disney company. I doubt he personally made that decision.

 

[Kbrb]

They claim disney listens to feedback.

My complaint email got a phone call from disney. I can only assume it was from the US as they where asking for good UK times to call. I complained about all the stuff we all hate, ME, Hours, prce increases, Genie. Suggested they look very closely at social media the DIS and and DIBB boards.

At one stage i even said i wanted my reservation cancelled and handed over the number.

The response was MEH. We will pass this on. You have along time before your trip "things change" Did they pass it on? probably. Will it make a difference? Not while they ram the parks and get the cash. Am i still going? Until they release the new "magic 14 day pass" they magic being its seasonally priced i have no idea.

International travel appears to be openly discouraged by disney unless you have super deep pockets. They fact you cant buy a ticket less that 7 days with all the resulting up charges shows me that

 

[RanDIZ]

Nothing will ever change as long as people continue to support the greed. Remember, Disney needs us. Not the other way around.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

They're not going to change their minds on charging for Genie+ or ILLS, price increases, or discontinuing Magical Express because some people complain about it online, or write in and say they are cancelling their trips, or sign a petition saying they want the CEO fired.

They might be amenable to hear reasons why value has deteriorated to the point where vacation bucks are going elsewhere, but it won't matter until they lose enough customers to notice.

 

[Brian Noble]

Reflections was going to be DVC and I believe it has been cancelled.

IIRC, it was planned as a mixed-use resort: part intended to be cash rooms, part DVC. I think Aulani was structured similarly. I thought it was "officially" cancelled but apparently not-quite-officially: https://dvcfan.com/2021/04/02/rumor-reflections-a-disney-lakeside-lodge-canceled/

 

[HopperFan]

Honestly writing to Chapek is pointless. You need to be addressing all the members of the Board and those that have the power to remove him.

Here is an interesting article .... dynamics at the top, he likely wasn't top choice, Chapek's complete reorganization, a bit of a power trip ... perhaps he is removable .... but engaging him won't help.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/b...disney-exit-bob-chapek-succession-1235025504/

 

[Narcoossee11]

Stockholders LOVE the return on their money.
The parks can't get any bigger. Only choice is to raise prices. This is just the beginning
.

 

[portocall]

In all honesty, I tuned out after reading that Disney was your first love and I agree with you.

The best way to talk is with your wallet. If enough people agree with you, and also talk with their wallets, you will see change. As long as people gripe, but still continue shelling out the money, Disney has no reason to change because they know eventually the griping will settle down. It always has in the past and the past predicts the future.

I feel a letter is pointless right now. At this point, Disney is ignoring everyone and waiting for the chips to fall where they land. It will be more effective at part of a long sustained loud campaign of opposition as long as the opposition also refrains from spending at Disney. I would wait to send it. Also, as others suggested, edit it down. Be clear and concise.

Good luck.

 

[Donald13]

Unpopular opinion, this is the most pretentious letter I’ve ever seen on here. It’s long and wordy and you just come across as some know it all who thinks they can run a billion dollar company better then he can. Send it if you want, but he won’t see it and if he does nothing will happen. And also what do you want them to do? Change it all back to what it was 5 years ago? Disney is a business they need to make money. They are not your friend

 

[Klismania]

They might be amenable to hear reasons why value has deteriorated to the point where vacation bucks are going elsewhere, but it won't matter until they lose enough customers to notice.

This is why I wrote my letter. I wasn't expecting anything to change because of my input, but they can add my reasons to their study group when they eventually wonder why they're losing money.

 

[DebbieB]

This is why I wrote my letter. I wasn't expecting anything to change because of my input, but they can add my reasons to their study group when they eventually wonder why they're losing money.

Starcruiser reservations went on sale to the general public today. Lines were tied up for hours, despite the cost. Pete Werner said on his podcast that the average Starcruiser reservation in his travel agency is $6,000. Doesn't sound like they will be losing money. Crowd size is the biggest complaint. The reality is they are willing to lose crowd numbers if the people coming pay more money. They aren't going to lose money. All the need to say is "free dining" and the phone lines will be ringing non-stop. Right now the resorts are booked solid.