Rapacious, soul-less, and always looking for the

December 2, 2003 8:37 AM

Walt would turn over in his cryonic chamber...(I know, I know, it's not true.) Speaking of family trees, Roy Disney (the last board member with ties to the founding family) resigned from the company Sunday, calling for the ouster of Chairman Michael Eisner. Stanley Gold soon soon followed. In a harsh letter, Disney said the entertainment conglomerate had "lost its focus, its creative energy, and its heritage" and that the public now held the perception that company is "rapacious, soul-less, and always looking for the 'quick buck'." No word yet from the Disneyland obsessives, but the folks at MousePlanet 's Mousepad seem optimistic about this development...
posted by Fofer (18 comments total)

I totally agree. I had totally no enjoyment at my last disney trip and i have no intention of going again.
posted by MrLint at 8:41 AM on December 2, 2003

resigned from the company Sunday,
(needs registration to read) He resigned because force retirement?
posted by thomcatspike at 8:51 AM on December 2, 2003

I like the concept of "selectively enforced mandatory age limit" that they used to get rid of him.
posted by smackfu at 8:53 AM on December 2, 2003

From here:
George Mitchell, presiding director of the board, said in a statement that Roy Disney and two other directors, Thomas Murphy and Raymond Watson, would have to leave because of the mandatory retirement age, which is 72. Disney will be 74 by January, when the board is expected to pick a new slate of directors. The board's nominating committee, which had waived the retirement age cap in the past, had decided to apply the rule, Mitchell said.
posted by smackfu at 8:57 AM on December 2, 2003

Has Disney/world/land/Inc. ever not been creepy? I never understood the fascination.
posted by xmutex at 9:08 AM on December 2, 2003

Oops, sorry about the registration-required links... here's an alternative.

As smackfu mentioned, it's interesting that the retirement age cap seems to only be invoked on a case-by-case basis. Also interesting that Roy is credited with the recruitment of Eisner in the first place. I just love boardroom politics.
posted by Fofer at 9:17 AM on December 2, 2003

smackfu thanks.
posted by thomcatspike at 9:25 AM on December 2, 2003

It's amazing how much someone can totally lose it. Eisner and his team built Disney into the megacorp we all love or loathe today and then set about engineering its stagnation. How or why he did this with such aplomb is a mystery.

But you don't have to be a theme park expert to understand that California Adventure and the Disney Studios Paris are both lemons and should either not have been built or should have been invested in far more heavily. Bravo to Mr. Disney for his efforts in making the whole travesty public.
posted by skylar at 9:35 AM on December 2, 2003

my last disney trip
Way too crowded. To ride the rides in a timely manner, two rides an hour. While waiting in one line we had a person from our group go to another ride obtain a " time pass" tickets that allowed us cutting in line at a specific time frame. Found it to be ridiculous then remembered about a decade back being told that the prices are raised higher hoping to keep the neighboring folks out. They do give the neighboring folks special discounts during off peak days. Tues & Weds are your best bet during the Summer. Winter any week day. When it rains, wide open yet your out door coasters will be closed due to no friction for braking. Go to Knott's Berry Farm yet it too is no longer family owned.
posted by thomcatspike at 9:44 AM on December 2, 2003

So, how soon before they force Mickey's retirement?
posted by ZachsMind at 9:53 AM on December 2, 2003

So, how soon before they force Mickey's retirement?

Sheesh - like with all that coke he'd even notice....
posted by jalexei at 9:59 AM on December 2, 2003

Mickey's actually a nitrous huffer. It's Scrooge McDuck that's into coke.

As for Mickey's retirement, what role has he really played for Disney recently? Mickey Mouse is some kind of Big Fat Giant Icon for my parents' generation, but sometimes I wonder whether kids even know who he is? Aren't they more into the Little Mermaid and Aladdin these days?
posted by scarabic at 10:14 AM on December 2, 2003

Little Mermaid & Aladdin? They are SO last Thursday.

Actually I thought the latest short duration personal savior for children at the moment was Dori of Finding Nemo, but it's been 15 minutes since I last checked. I'm sure it's changed by now.
posted by ZachsMind at 10:18 AM on December 2, 2003

...Thanks to Sonny Bono, Mickey will be working for Disney long after we're dead.
posted by keswick at 10:23 AM on December 2, 2003

What a bunch of Shiite Muslims!
posted by Steve_at_Linnwood at 11:00 AM on December 2, 2003

> Walt would turn over in his cryonic chamber... (I know, I know, it's not true.)

To dam' bad it isn't. I'd love to see Walt walk into a Disney board meeting looking pale but rested.
posted by jfuller at 12:04 PM on December 2, 2003

Dori's way kewl, but Mulan absolutely rocks my world.
posted by alumshubby at 6:49 AM on December 3, 2003

When I saw the headline here, my first thought was, who ever suggested that Whitman was cryogenically frozen? Maybe I had just come from the "gay is a bad word" thread and made subconscious assumptions.

Anyway. I fully support actions that would have made talentless corporate cartoonists experience less than fully restful states of suspended animation. For what it's worth.
posted by mdn at 7:35 AM on December 3, 2003