[Chat] What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyland?

[techskip]

I know it was in here briefly before being moved over to the Business section... for anyone who hasn't heard the news Disney had a major changeup of sorts
http://micechat.com/forums/disney-bu...d-threads.html

My question is how do the individual members of Micechat feel about this in relation to Disneyland? Is this seen as a good change, a bad change, or a moot point because it evens out? I realize it is too early for any conclusive arguments but I'd just as soon get a feel for what everyone thinks. If there is enough interest I might generate a poll.

[The International]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

Staggs, who has been Disney's CFO for 11 years, is well-regarded on Wall Street but lacked the operating experience that would position him for the No. 2 post.

He's a businessman.

[disneyfann121]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

It all depends on whether Staggs actually cares about what goes on in the parks. Hopefully he will care about something besides milking every imaginable dollar. Or am I dreaming in technicolor here?

[WestsideCM99]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

Great topic techskip!

As of today I would say that this is a moot point because in the grand scheme, Disney is trying to find some way for Parks and Resorts to generate as much of a profit as possible in a dead economy. This leads me to believe that Staggs is coming in to provide fresh ideas to an old unchanging philosophy being used to keep the Disney flag flying as high as it can in the stock market.

I expect to see the typical annual price increases but perhaps changes in price points. I expect to see a mass manipulation of merchandise and food prices while at the same time seeing a greater seperation between the quality of counter-service food vs. table service. I expect to see greater crowd increases during the off-season and sustained overcrowding issues during the holidays. I expect to see Total Guest Satisfaction take a backseat to Total Stockholder Satisfaction.

What I don't expect to see is (for the next 4 years at least) Disneyland Park getting anything more than a paint job, widened walkways, and some more retail vending locations built. This is what bugs me the most I guess.

Staggs, to me, seems more like the special agent that the members of the board will send in to adjust the numbers rather than the guy that will breathe some of the lost magic back into the resorts.

[Ride Warrior]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

Anything that takes Jay Rasulo directly out of Parks and Resorts' hair is a good thing. Let them try to groom Rasulo all that they want. There will be a big fight between the creatives and the accountaneers if they ever attempt to place that piece of headcheese on the Mouse's thrown.

Lasseter and his friends are well under way making quantom strides reestablishing the dominance of disney where both film and theme parks are concerned. Rasulo is politically well connected with government and big business. Still, they will not be able to rascal in another Eisner/Pressler era. Help is on the way, via Lasseter and those of his innovative common sense solutions/competitive nature.

[Eagleman]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

It all depends on whether Staggs actually cares about what goes on in the parks. Hopefully he will care about something besides milking every imaginable dollar. Or am I dreaming in technicolor here?

I just woundering how mush Mr.Staggs and his family goes to Disneyland?
This would give an ideal how mush he care's about the parks!

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

Neither of them are any good. In the end I'd say it's 6 of one, half a dozen of the other.

[techskip]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

While I don't doubt Tom's ability to squeeze a penny out of a rock I am curious as to how much more they can actually get out of the park. There comes a point where the product may not be accepted by the public without substantial discount. Considering his background Tom may be the one who demonstrates that spending money could generate far larger profits, and continue to do so over a prolonged period of time.

What I am really curious about is how this is perceived in the company. Is this seen as a promotion for Jay? Or is this seen as a demotion for Tom? Or is it simply the company re-evaluating the strengths of two of its executives? Likewise will this break Jay's hold on Disneyland? It is very early in the game so a lot remains to be seen but this another recent decision that has a potential for major changes (naming of the new DLR President being another one).

[WestsideCM99]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

What I am really curious about is how this is perceived in the company. Is this seen as a promotion for Jay? Or is this seen as a demotion for Tom? Or is it simply the company re-evaluating the strengths of two of its executives? Likewise will this break Jay's hold on Disneyland? It is very early in the game so a lot remains to be seen but this another recent decision that has a potential for major changes (naming of the new DLR President being another one).

I'm trying to wrap my brain around the dynamic here. Jay is promoted to CFO where he has control over Disney's expenditures and Tom is seemingly demoted to Parks and Resorts. Tom is responsible for lobbying his own budget to the chair for his depatrment and making project decisions based on the budget that is awarded to him HOWEVER Jay has obviously a higher seniority rank on the budget decisions.

This makes me concerned that budgets across the board are going to be shrinking, or atleast the one for Parks and Resorts. So (assuming) Tom is aware of these trends being the former CFO he is now being sent on a special task to cost-cut the Parks and Resorts even further than Jay. Perhaps Jay went crying to somebody about how budget cuts are driving him mad and became self destructive, or maybe Tom thought that he could do Jay's job better.

Is it a demotion or promotion for either of them? It's an enigma to me.

[BlueSkyDriveBy]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

This makes me concerned that budgets across the board are going to be shrinking, or at least the one for Parks and Resorts. So (assuming) Tom is aware of these trends being the former CFO he is now being sent on a special task to cost-cut the Parks and Resorts even further than Jay.

Precisely what I believe is the ulterior motive for the switch.

Re-Imagineering is not particularly pleased with this development, either.

[animagusurreal]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

If he does turn out to be just another tow-the-line, status-quo kind of guy, we could call it "Stagg-nation" Hopefully, the company won't hit another "Rasu-low". Okay, that's enough puns for now .

[MrLiver]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

Precisely what I believe is the ulterior motive for the switch.

And seeing how they decided to keep Jay (and even give him a promotion), it just proves that Iger and the rest are quite happy with the direction that Jay has taken the parks.

[SnorkletsMom]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

I fear that they are focused on money and only money. The end result will be that they will squeeze any remaining magic, uniqueness and essential spirit of Disneyland right out of the park, making it just another overpriced amusement park with cheapened attractions themed and re-themed to whatever meat puppets they're churning out of the Disney Channel stable. Generic merchandise, horrible food and over-promotion combined with no real imagination or vision can only result in a park that's lost all its glory. I guess that will take care of the overcrowding problem.

[DLFreak71]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

I don't know much about Tom.
I know I'm not a Rasulo fan.
He's still in the company (higher up)
so I don't see much change.
We need Matt O. back and in a place where ppl can't tell him no

[SodaInTheMorning]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

When you get a new boss, it is easier to suggest changes. People want to make a good impression, and will suggest things that they wouldn't have with the old boss. I think it might open up the possibility of dealing with any problems that were created while the old guy was still in charge and that people were too afraid to address because the old guy might get offended. If this does happen, then some of the changes will be good and some will be bad.

[rgrant999]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

While I don't doubt Tom's ability to squeeze a penny out of a rock I am curious as to how much more they can actually get out of the park. There comes a point where the product may not be accepted by the public without substantial discount. Considering his background Tom may be the one who demonstrates that spending money could generate far larger profits, and continue to do so over a prolonged period of time.

What I am really curious about is how this is perceived in the company. Is this seen as a promotion for Jay? Or is this seen as a demotion for Tom? Or is it simply the company re-evaluating the strengths of two of its executives? Likewise will this break Jay's hold on Disneyland? It is very early in the game so a lot remains to be seen but this another recent decision that has a potential for major changes (naming of the new DLR President being another one).

This is seen for what it is - giving both executives some growth opportunities. Tom is a pure CFO and his approach to the park will make Jay look like Walt himself.

[Jachywalcott]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

A lot of people seem fairly worried about this. I don't know anything about Staggs but I'm willing to see how he goes about things before I judge.
I'm beginning to wonder if maybe Lasseter should be making a bid for creative control of the parks. I mean, his animation responsibilities put a lot on his plate already but if anyone's qualified to take over the parks... Maybe put one of the other high-up Pixar guys in charge of Animation?
That would work well for me.

[WestsideCM99]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

If he does turn out to be just another tow-the-line, status-quo kind of guy, we could call it "Stagg-nation" Hopefully, the company won't hit another "Rasu-low". Okay, that's enough puns for now .

^ love this!! )

[WestsideCM99]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

I fear that they are focused on money and only money. The end result will be that they will squeeze any remaining magic, uniqueness and essential spirit of Disneyland right out of the park, making it just another overpriced amusement park with cheapened attractions themed and re-themed to whatever meat puppets they're churning out of the Disney Channel stable. Generic merchandise, horrible food and over-promotion combined with no real imagination or vision can only result in a park that's lost all its glory. I guess that will take care of the overcrowding problem.

Haha, I could never imagine a Disneyland where 80% of the attendance is all gangsters. That's what we have Magic Mountain for. But if Disneyland really did fail like you mentioned, that's exactly the direction that the park will be heading to, another L.A. gangster's paradise.

[Eagleman]

Re: What effect do you think the Tom Staggs/Jay Rasulo changeup will have on Disneyla

Haha, I could never imagine a Disneyland where 80% of the attendance is all gangsters. That's what we have Magic Mountain for. But if Disneyland really did fail like you mentioned, that's exactly the direction that the park will be heading to, another L.A. gangster's paradise.

This Statement is so true so true.....
Disneyland have fell to new low....
Is the Magic ",going ,going ,GONE" ?