What do I find so interesting about Walt Disney

Toward the end of the most recent event up at the Walt Disney Family Museum, Walt’s granddaughter turned a question, asked of her and her siblings, around on the audience, “What you do find so interesting about her Grandpa?”

The question reignited a series of thoughts I have had for some time, and the real purpose of my blog.

So Joanna, here is my answer to your question.

There are, in my opinion, many the easy answers.  Walt was a master of storytelling, or he was a creative genius, or one of the true visionaries of his time.  There is the always present evidence that he was not afraid to fail.  Better put, he was always willing to try something new.  Walt always dreamed big, and had the amazing ability to continually reinvent himself.  He possessed a uniquely balanced view of nostalgia and progress…  This list could go on forever, and each and every one of these is reason enough to support anyone’s grounds for why they find Walt Disney so interesting.  I think there is a much deeper esoteric, and even more deeply psychological, reason for the huge number of people that find Walt Disney so interesting, and even the same reason some choose to admonish him.

A group of 10 year old boys was traversed stealthily into a field of mustard plants on an empty lot, quietly blazing hidden trails to a secret hideout in the center.  Once in this secret lair, the plants have been trampled to fashion a soft bed on the ground on which to lie, laughter rises into the air as these young tell stories, confess fantasies, and daydream of things not of this world.  A young man lies on a disguised platform, built onto the branches of a 100 year old oak, mesmerized by the patterns created as the afternoon light passes through the leaves.  That same young man lies under a nighttime sky, viewing all the stars in the heavens and dreams of alien worlds and the adventures to be had in that vast expanse.  These are the dreams and fantasies of a young mind as yet unfettered by the harsh truth of reality.  And… they are the memories of my youth, ones that I have had the pleasure of unburying and revisiting in recent years.  I think they are not so un-similar to the memories and dreams locked away within the psyche of many or most adults.  In 1^st Corinthians 13:11 Paul said, "When I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things."  As we approach adulthood we are encouraged, and in some cases almost forced, to put away childish things.  All too often those childish things include our youthful dreams and aspirations, which we sacrificed for the practicality of what we think, is real, and we live our lives in a quiet desperation trying to discover that thing which is missing.

So Joanna, what does this all have to do with my interest in your Grandpa?

My interest in Walt Disney lies in trying to understand the man, and what I believe is his true gift to us.  One of the paths to a truly fulfilling life, it was Walt who allowed me, through his body of work, the rediscovery of my inner child and not only my acceptance of his existence, but to embrace him.  I don’t know, nor do I think we will ever know for sure, but I believe your Grandpa had an innate understanding, if not the actual consciences realization, that we all need to embrace our inner child to lead a truly fulfilling life. 

I think those who are interested in Walt Disney, and his positive contributions to our society, are searching for these answers or have already discovered them, as I have in my life.  Those who choose to excoriate him for his accomplishments and contributions fear what they do not understand and cannot embrace, and they are angered by those who have or want to achieve that enlightenment.

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

You can find us on Facebook at:  Discovering Disney History on FB

D23 Expo Day 4

Day 4 of our D23 Expo trip, but Day 3 of the Expo, and the final day, on the agenda for this morning, the Marvel presentation in the Arena.  Don’t tell anyone from D23, but I cheated.  Yeah, I know me cheat?  Well, the only presentation of the Expo that Sam really wanted to attend was this session with Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer – Joe Quesada, so Mom and Sam switched tickets for the morning, so she could go in with me and get good seats.  Having listened to Joe on Episode 146 of Mousetalgia, I too was looking forward to this session and more from Joe.  We went in and got seats in the third row center stage.  About 20 minutes later, we were allowed to move up to the front two rows because the seats were not filling.  Sam got a seat in the front row and I was in the row right behind her.  Being of the vertically challenged nature, a front row guaranteed no one was going to obstruct her view.  For this, she was very happy.

The session opened with a video message from Mr. Marvel, himself – Stan Lee.  He told us that he was locked away in a secret bunker protecting the world, but that he had sent us a special emissary in Joe Quesada.  Since this was Marvel’s first real exposure to the Disney fan base, Joe gave us a bit of history lesson about Marvel, how it developed and it arrival in within the Disney fold.  At the tender age of 16, Stanley Martin Lieber joined Timely Comics as an assistant.  He filled inkwells, got the artists their lunch, proofread, and basically did anything they needed.  In 1941, Stanley Lieber made his comic-book debut in Captain America Comics #3.  With a childhood desire of writing more literary works and wanting to safe his given name for that purpose, Stanley the comic-book writer became Stan Lee, later which he took as his legal name.  Stan later became the Editor at Timely comics and eventually became Publisher of what we now know as Marvel.  Joe went on to explain how he came to the position he currently holds, and about the Disney acquisition.  I think the most important take away I got was that Disney wants Marvel to keep doing what they do well.  There doesn’t appear in Joe’s mind any effort to Disney-fy Marvel.  That, to me, is a good thing.  The last part of session, he dedicated to what he has been doing at many other presentations – A Cup of Joe.  Since he found it difficult to get answers and time with people in the business, this was his effort to make himself available to people trying to get into the business.  So, Cup of Joe is a Q&A session where the audience can ask any question they want.  Since this was my first Cup of Joe, I don’t have anything to judge by, but, I found almost all of the questions to be most people trying to get scoops on storylines, or why their favorite character was or wasn’t be developed.  But, all-in-all it was a fun experience.

After a Cup of Joe, another troll around the Expo floor to see if there was anything we might have missed.  Several of the Stores had be several hours waited to get into, so walked the floor to them out.  Disneystore.com, still a bust, there was at least 50 people waiting in the queue.  Next down to the Expo Dream Store…  What do you know; nobody in the queue, the lines here had been miserable before now.  After walking around the store for about 10 minutes, and being the tightwad that I am, turns out the only piece of merchandise I was really interested in was the Noah print that was commissioned for this Expo.  The original was, of course, priced far beyond my finances, but there were smaller litho’s available, so one walked out the door with me.  Now a stop at the Park and Resort Pavilion, yes we’d seen the presentation days before, but, it was a chance to actually see some of the models being mocked up to show what some of the new developments looked like.  The highlight for me was seeing what the new main street of California Adventure is going to look like when it’s finished, and the new statue of Walt and Mickey planned for the new hub.  There’s another miniature I’m going to have watch out for in the near future.   Though I didn’t get to try it, the new audio-animatronics fortune teller looked pretty interesting.

Leaving the pavilion, we saw the entrance for the Mickey’s of Glendale store – this is the store associated with the company store at the Imagineering Headquarters in Glendale, the line here was still, long, long, long…  So it was off to the Collectors’ Forum for one last look around.  Darn good thing we decided to do this…  as we were roaming the collectors’ forum, I ran across my Museum buddy Heather, and she told me Noah was in his booth there and signing things.  Thanks Heather!!!  So I head over and was able to get my print signed, and may I say Noah is a very friendly guy.  Side note: when I was back at the room I decided to go looking for the name of the piece, so I did a Google search and found a signed copy of “Remember… It All Started with a Mouse” on eBay for $295.  Funny thing, you can still get a signed copy at Noah’s web store for $50…  Go Figure!  Either way, mine’s not for sales.

Those of you who know me, know that there is a fan board that I’m not real fond of, and one that I hit at least once a day to check the happening.  Well both boards had a presence in the Collectors’ Forum, so I just kind of cruised by the unpopular one, and it appeared that I am not the only one not really interested in their drivel.  During the three days I never saw more than 3 or 4 people milling around, and they appeared to me to me mostly the same people every time.  My fav board usually had 10 or so people around the booth, with new traffic rotating through routinely.  All I can say is, “It serves you right, Yertle.”

Luckily, I stopped by the MiceChat booth for a final look, only to discover Don Ballard there doing a meet and greet.  I got to stop and talk to him about his Disneyland Hotel presentation from the first day.  I have a copy of his new book, but it wasn’t with me, so Don was gracious enough to sign a card that I know have on the inside cover.  Thank Don and thanks MiceChat for hosting him.  Another short visit at the Walt Disney Family Museum booth (what can I say, I really like the place) and it was time to head back to the hotel room for a rest before D23’s closing night soiree for the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Premiere pass holders.

Pam and I returned to the Expo later in the afternoon to be on hand for the Sorcerer’s Apprentice/Premiere closing party in the lounge that had been set up for us to use during the Expo.  During the Expo, we were treated to water, soda, and coffee… with cheese, crackers, and sweet treats and a place to rest our weary feet after walking the large convention center. There was even a massage service available, of which Pam treated herself to 10 minutes of work on her shoulder.  During the closing party there was the addition of a bar for beer and wine, and the staffers were circulating with a variety of different treats.  In the end, the head of D23 – Steven Clark, and Event Planner – Laura Sanchez came out and talked with us for a few minutes, thanks us for attending and hoping that we all had a good time.  After mingling with friends for a while, it was back to the hotel to rest up for the final day of our Expo trip before we head home.

All-in-all, the Expo was a really good event, but I was left with a few issues which I will run through now:

First, when I purchased the Premiere ticket package, I (and I learned, many others) was under impression that this ticket level was going to have some sort of reserved seating arrangement for all the presentation venues.  After attending the first Expo and spending hours on end in line, queue waits is one of the things that made this package so attractive.  As it turned out, the only reserved seating was for the Arena presentation.  We did get a sort of head of the line privilege for the first presentations in the morning at the other venues, as we were allowed into the Expo early before regularly ticketed members.  Over three days that amounted to three additional presentations, only one of which I was really interested in, over the 7 scheduled for the Arena.  The additional cost of the Premiere ticket might have been worth it to me had I had the choice of which 10 presentation I wanted to attend. 

Next, there seemed to me to be a lack of communications among the staff working the Expo.  Now, I do understand that the vast majority of the people working the Expo were not Disney Cast Members, but rather temps hired to work the Expo.  However, there didn’t appear to be enough people with accurate information available for attendees, particularly on day one.  As I said, I missed the Legends Ceremony because I could find the location for Sorcerer/Premiere ticket holders to enter the Arena.  It took me 5 individuals and over ½ an hour to just find someone who knew.  This is also out of Disney’s control, but, I encounter and couple of incidents and heard for others who encountered some very rude ACC employees and Security personnel.  Since Disney is actually footing the bill for these people, they should have some ability to demand a certain level and at least civility and courtesy, and in future, I hope they exercise it.  Also in the line of communications, on the Thursday evening check in, Sorcerer/Premiere attendees were allowed on to the Expo floor to access the Expo Dreamstore.  We arrived, we were told that only Sorcerer’s Apprentice attendees had access at the moment, and no one seems to know when the Premiere attendees were going to gain access.  I will admit my own falling in this one; the check package did detail the hours the store was going to be available to what level, and I didn’t read it.  But, I would venture a guess that most, if not all, Premiere attendees fail to read that sheet.  Since there was a notice in the check-in package, it would seem logical that someone manning the entrance of the Dreamstore should have known as well.

My final complaint is with the process Disney appears to have taken with the Sorcerer/Premiere ticket sales.  I have not been able to confirm this claim, but, I heard from several attendees that Disney also additional Sorcerer and Premiere level tickets after the initial allotments where sold.  To my best of my memory D23 claim, when these special tickets were announced, that the original allotments were going to be 75/500 respectively.  My sources claim that those numbers where at least doubled, and some claimed tripled.  Know I don’t know how Disney decided to make these tickets available, but, I know that I was never notified that there was a possibility of upgrading, let alone that additional tickets were available.  So, I am a little ticked at that one.

For my closing thoughts on this Expo and D23 in general,  I have written before that I think Disney’s intent with D23 is to let it grow and develop more organically.  They could throw large sums of money and many cast members at the club, and pretty much overwhelm the other clubs that have grown over the years, with their own in-house efforts.  I do applaud Disney for what I believe is their intent, but, come on guys and gals, you are masters at logistics, and guest experience, you’d think you’d be able to apply that better to the D23 experience.  One suggestion that I think would be of benefit in the future; if you’re going offer special access tickets to future Expos, something like the Premiere pass should come with be ability to select the (stay 10) presentations that you want guaranteed seating, just a thought.  And finally TWDC, I not really sure what you’re real intent for D23 is, but, there are quite a few members out there that think it only ‘dollar and cents.’ 

I have had the pleasure of attending a number of D23 events over the past couple of years, and the joy of meeting several of the staff members.  These are some of the nicest and passionate Disney people I have ever had the delight to meet, and every one of the smaller events have been the most fun.  But, by my understanding, there are less than 10 people actually tasked to D23 and few of whom have other responsibilities as well as their D23 duties.  For most of the events, they do a fantastic job, but for an event as complex as the Expo, I don’t think that staff is adequately staffed to the task.  Even at every two years, I’d think that would take a dedicated staff of 5 to 10 to really pull off the Expo with the traditional Disney flair.  It would appear to me, that the D23 effort lacks a clear vision.  If you have a real vision, you need to communicate it better and adapt the operation to it.  If don’t, you need to find one and build the organization around it, or you are ultimately going lose the momentum you’ve created to this point, and you are going to lose members.

Just a few thoughts, but, I have more if anyone is interested.  J

Coming next…  Expo Day 5.  Can’t go down to Anaheim without at least one day in the Parks.

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

You can find us on Facebook at:  Discovering Disney History on FB

D23 Expo Days 2

I’ll be posting an overall view of how the Expo ran later, but for now, here are the highlights.

Well the Disney Geekfest, known as the D23 Expo got underway on Friday.  Three lines had already formed up when we arrived at 6:30 for an 8:00 AM early entry for D23 members.  One for the Sorcerer’s Apprentice ticket holders one Premiere people, and one for General D23 Ticket holders.  The line for the general D23 members was already stretching from the front doors of the Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) down to the end of the building down towards Katella.  With no one yet in place to direct the queue, people chose their own directions and the line began doubling back on itself up the sidewalk toward the ACC entrance until it started to interfere with the line positions for the Sorcerers and Premieres.  Enter security staff to direct the attendees out through the ACC plaza on Katella.  As the line for these D23 devotees continued to grow, it zigged and zagged across the plaza in a serpentine mass of bodies out to the fountain.  It was just barely 7:00AM.  Poor… poor Sam was attending on a general ticket, while Mom and I had Premiere tickets, so we were keeping her company in the general line.  Being the social butterfly that I can be, I left Pam and Sam in the general members’ line and charted off to see if I saw anyone else that I knew.  Stopped to talk with a few people I’ve met up at the Museum.  Got a chance to walk and talk with the Disney Geek for a few minutes, and generally walked up to the entrance to the convention center.  That’s when I spied the fourth line, the general admission line off by themselves on the other side of the entrances.  Guess, someone didn’t want to sully the pre-ticketed members gathering with the unwashed masses (said with tongue in cheek J )  So it was back to the pair I left in the other line.  When I arrived back, this line had grown to encompass the entire plaza out to Katella and down the street some.  The girls told me to go ahead and head up to the Premiere line so I could get something to eat and get us a spot in line for the first presentation of the day.  I of course complied.  The 8:00AM early entry time came and went, finally close to 8:30 we were allowed in.  Not a great start to this day, but the first presentation of morning was really good.

First presentation of the day was that on Don Ballard’s “History of the Disneyland Hotel.”  I recently met Don online through another friend’s Facebook group, and it turns out Don and I only live a few miles apart in Northern California.  Don has amassed a great deal of knowledge about the Disneyland Hotel and the Wrather’s who built and own it.  I’m not going to go into details about Don’s work, he done a far better job in his books than I ever could, beside… he has pictures!  J  But Don’s presentation was peppered with rarely seen video footage highlighting the Hotel and the Wrathers.  Again, my word pale in comparison to witnessing these videos.  But, if you have interest in the little 5 Star resort that sprang out of an orange grove, I highly recommend Don Ballard’s work, “Disneyland Hotel 1954-1959: The Little Motel in the Middle of the Orange Grove.”  Also, thank you to MiceChat for hosting Don at their booth in the Collectors Forum; otherwise, I’d have missed meeting him in person.

Sam head off to do her own thing and we headed down to attend the Legends ceremony which we wound up missing because of some miscommunications, more on that in a later post, so we head up to Christmas in August – a preview of this seasons Prep and Landing.  If you’re as big and fan of Christmas as me, and Disney fan to boot, you’re going to want watch Lanny, Wayne, and the Prep and Landing team do their thing for this Christmas.  The session was hosted by the Disney Geek – Jeffrey Epstein.  After a few sneak previews, Jeffrey was joined on stage by the directors; Stevie Wermer-Skelton and Kevin Deters (also the writers), and producer Dorothy McKim, later to be joined by Musical Director; Micheal Giacchino, and the voice talents of Chris Parnell and Dave Foley, to discuss the making of the latest installment of Prep & Landing.  All the panelists pretty much agree to being influenced by the great Rankin/Bass animated Christmas special from their childhood.  I too remember those fondly and still pull out the DVD’s during the Christmas season along with other classic like the Disney Santa Clause movies.  Prep & Landing will be added to this collection of holiday viewing, which reminds me…  Yikes!!! That Holiday Season rapidly approaches.  At the end of the session everyone was instructed to check under their chairs for a possible special surprise…  Pam won!!! NOTHING???  turned out to be a leftover from some other event.  L  More on this in my upcoming overall impressions post.

Finally presentation of the day for us was the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.  It was a great presentation, but it started about 30 minutes late and finished on time, so I kind of wonder what got left out?  We heard about the reboot of Fantasyland and Walt Disney World, and I looking forward to seeing it someday.  The concept art looks really interesting.  But, it’s not my home park.  We heard about the groundbreaking for Disneyland Shanghai, but, it’s not my home park.  Heard some great things about other resorts news, and some kid won a trip for 4 to the new Aulani resort in Hawaii.  COOL!!!  But, what about Anaheim?  Disneyland resort, that’s home.  Carsland is cool, and the concert art is great.  The progress video was neat.  But, I can’t see new for Disneyland.  Fantasy Faire, sure, but what about Tomorrowland?  Tomorrowland is in need of serious attention.  Somebody get Tony Baxter on the phone and give him a budget.  Presentation was good, but nothing exciting or that I didn’t already know about.

By the time the Parks and Resorts presentation let out, the Ultimate Disney Trivia Tournament queue was filled and closes, and there were informal lines forming for the next event in that venue.  Dick Van Dyke and the Vantastics, no surprise there was big demand for that one.  So we head back to the hotel to rest up for next day, hearing rumors that the Expo had sold out for Saturday as we were leaving.

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

You can find us on Facebook at:  Discovering Disney History on FB

D23 Expo – Day 1

Here we are at the end of Day 1 of the D23 Expo.  Yeah, I know the expo starts tomorrow, but, I’m counting the travel day as Day 1.  My story… my rules.  J

Day started by hitting the road at 6 AM.  We actually got out 10 minutes ahead of schedule…  WOW, how’d that happen?  To the guy on 101 southbound in the Coyote Valley, who had to apply his brakes rather quickly…  You’ll find that happening frequently when you tailgate 4 feet off my bumper at 70.  Dude!!! Learn to back off.  Other than that, it was clean sailing all the way to Paso Robles and our traditional breakfast stop at Jose’s – damn those sausage patties are big, double quarter pounder has nothing on Jose.

By now you’ve all realized, I don’t use I-5 to make my transit to Disneyland.  I prefer the coast route, as its more scenic, and it doesn’t take me all that much longer.  Besides, my grandparents and cousin resident permanently at Conejo Mountain Cemetery, and as I am the only one the travels south regularly, I use the opportunity to stop, visit, and place flowers on just about every trip.  Love you always Nana, Grandpa, and Sean.  So, score first real bonus of the day…  I stop at the same florist on every trip – Camarillo Flower Shop.  Pam called ahead just outside Ventura and ordered our normal three little bouquets.  While Pam was getting some sandwiches next door, I went in to get the flowers.  The gal that owns the shop was working to today and running a little behind.  So, while she was finishing up we were just shooting the breeze, talking about Disneyland, yup, she knows by now where we’re head, and a recent trip with her young  ones, and how she likes that I take the time to stop a visit the family…  not many people do that these days.  Anyway, as she comes out from the back she hands me the flowers, and tells me these are on the house.  She said she was sorry for making me waiting…  really it was that long, but I really appreciate the gift.  I think a little Mickey and Minnie are going to make a stop on the way home.  AND, if you ever find yourself in Camarillo and in need of Flowers, may I strongly recommend Camarillo Flower Shop, 77A Daily Drive, 805-482-2320.  They’re right off of Las Posas Road.

After a nice visit, it was back on the road to Anaheim, and really uneventful, which when driving is pretty good.  Since I’ve started taking 405 down to Katella, its much shorter, time wise.  Have I mentioned I’m not fond of I-5?  Through the central valley or L.A.!!! J

We get to the Paradise Pier Hotel at about 2:30, get the bag, park the car, and check-in.  After waiting about 10 minute for our room to be finished, we head up to the 8^th floor.  Who should get on the elevator right behind us, but ¼ of Mousetaglia, truthfully, it was 2/5’s.  It’s always a pleasure to see Becky, and little Button looked to be plum tuckered out.  But, it was great to see them.  After resting for a few minutes, we headed over the Convention Center to do our Premiere ticket check-in and check out the shopping.  DreamStore was a bit of a bust because we weren’t schedule of admittance until 5:30, and I, nor the girls, want to hang around until then.  So, I trucked it up to the 2^nd floor and checked out the Archive Treasures Store.  Not a couple of nice things.  If anyone shows any interest, I may down a pictures page for the blog???  As I was headed to the escalator, I ran into Don Iwerks.  How do I know this?  I’ve seen him a few times up at the Walt Disney Family Museum.  Very Cool!!!

Just finished watching World of Color from our room, couldn’t see any of the projections, but the fountains and lights are really color sync’d to the music pipe in to our room.  The one thing that stuck me was how amazingly well timed the music is to the water show.  It escaped me when I first saw World of Color, but, seeing it from up high and not seeing the projections made it very apparent, and very cool!

Something new at the Paradise Pier Hotel, maybe at the others too, but, I’m just noticing it.  The shower has a rotating head on it.  As you stand there, the water spray kind of massages your body, again… VERY COOL!

Well, I’m off to bed to get rest for a very busy day to tomorrow.  I’ll try to post as the Expo progresses, but, may well be too tired after very full days.

Hope everyone else is having as Disney-rific days as I am experiencing.  J

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

You can find us on Facebook at:  Discovering Disney History on FB

The Disney Fan Community

In just a few short days the 2^nd D23 Expo will take place, again at the Anaheim Convention Center.  The D23 Expo is a Disney event for the Disney Fan, so I thought it might be fitting to have a little discussion of the Disney Fan community.  The Disney fan community is much like any other special interest community, a microcosm of society in general.  It just seems to be more vocal than most.  

This fan community is populated by a vast array of individuals, from the casual to the fanatic.  Interestingly, fan is a shortened variant of fanatic…  You’ll find those who know a little about Disney, and those who are very knowledgeable. You’ll even find a few sycophants and conspiracy theorists thrown in for good measure.

As part of my research, I spend a part of my day perusing some of the Fan sites looking for tidbits of information or ideas to pursue.  In doing so, I do find those occasional little tidbits of gold to mine, but, I also see a lot of comments, often based on false or inaccurate information.  Like IRL (in real life), opinions are all too often formed regardless any real consideration of facts, or in the absence of facts.  Also like IRL, we often think our opinion is the only one that is correct or important, regardless of any facts presented.  The Disney fan community is no exception to these rules that guide society, but, the Disney fans do take their experience of the magic very personally.  There is one thing I have discovered; for the most part Disney fans are very friendly and not afraid to share their views.

An unsolicited (well, I am usually in my Disney regalia when it happens) question I get frequently is where Walt Disney was a Mason?  If you look out on the internet, you’ll find many claims that Walt was a Master Mason and an “illuminatus.”  Of course, these are what I consider conspiracy theory sites that take a fact or two to skew a story to the ridiculous.  I’ve written some of this in previous postings.  The other myth that keeps resurfacing is whether Walt was cryogenically frozen after his death. I heard that the question was even asked at a recent presentation at the Walt Disney Family Museum.  No one has ever presented on iota of evidence to support this claim, yet it continues to flourish, most because some people will believe anything told to them.  But one of my absolute favorites was a conversation I had with a “fan” at our local Costco.  Pass down one isle, I passed a gentleman sporting his Disney regalia, we acknowledged each other and move on.  As we approached each other again a few isles later, we stopped and talked for a bit.  I started looking for an exit as soon as he informed me that he had actually met Walt Disney as a kid in 1965 as he was sitting next to the Partners Statue in the Hub.  I was polite and didn’t exclaim it out loud, but in my mind, I was screaming, WTF!!!  The Partners Statue was not installed in the Hub until 1993.  There is no way this guy met Walt sitting next to that Statue.  But, instead of created a confrontation, I simply thanked him and said I really had to go.  Always interesting to hear the stories - really or imagined - that Disney fans have to share.

There are some fans who are more informed than others, and I think it behoove anyone with an interest to do a little more research before just accepting someone view as fact.  To that end, I have recently had the please and honor to begin to develop friendships with a special group within the Disney Fan community; The Disney Historians and Authorities.  Walt Disney is truly such a global Icon, and created an organization that inspired so many other talented individuals, that he has, in turn, created a cottage industry of individuals exploring the various impacts of his life and talents.  No matter what your interest in Walt is, you can find someone, somewhere, who has or is researching it, and is willing to share his or her efforts.  One other great bonus, I’ve yet to me one of these individuals who isn’t one of the nicest people you’d want to meet.  The Walt Disney Family Museum has been one the greatest sources for expanding my Disney knowledge, and meeting some of these Disney authorities.  And, of course, the Museum’s staff and volunteers are the greatest.

One of my new favorite places to hit every couple of days is the Disney History Institute.  The site is run by Paul F. Anderson and Todd J. Pierce.  I got the chance to see Paul present at the D23 Destination D: Disneyland 55 last September, and more recent at the Walt Disney Family Museum (without his spear).  Paul is a very funny guy, but more importantly, very knowledgeable and a great speaker.  Todd, I have not met yet, but, hopefully some day soon.  Another very helpful blog the Walt Disney Family Museum’s storyboard.  They publish interesting articles that coincide with the current months activities and presentations.  Some of the other blog sites that I check regular are; 2719 Hyperion, Disney Dean’s, The Disney Blog, MiceChat Blogs, http://www.laughingplace.com/Page-LP-Blogs.asp, and to keep up on what’s happening currently at the parks The Disney Parks Blog.  There are so many more, but, these are some of my favorites.  There are many other sources for the Disney aficionado, in books, videos, and especially on the internet.  Just be careful on those site the claim truth to some of the more absurd myths and legends, remember I did say there are a few fans out there that fall into the conspiracy theory realm.  J

So, no matter what your Disney interest might be, there’s a source of information out there for you.

If you happen to be in the San Francisco area, definitely take the opportunity to visit the Walt Disney Family Museum, I have yet to meet a fan there that I would not want to include in my circle of friend, and have actually added a few.  As for the rest of Disney related venues, I have rarely met a fan that I did not enjoy meeting and talking Disney.

So if you’re a fan and you want to learn more about the Disney magic, find a reliable source or sources of information, there are plenty out there...  It’ll make your Disney journey a much more enjoyable experience.

And, I’ll be publishing my thought about the D23 Expo in a couple of weeks.  In the mean while, have a Disney-rific day!  J

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

You can find us on Facebook at:  Discovering Disney History on FB

Laying Siege to the Castle, Part II

Laying Siege to the Castle, Part II – July 18, 2011

When last we met, I am sure to some, even many Disney fan, I committed blasphemy!  To most, I laid responsibility for the attempted hostile takeover at the feet of Disney Legend Card Walker.  Even more blasphemous, I intimated that even Walt and Roy’s management style were somehow to blame, or that Ron Miller is somehow faultless in these activities.  Nothing could be further from the truth…  While all of this contributed to the ultimate come of 1984, none it is directly responsible.  It was the culmination of many factors that led to the hostile takeover attempt of Walt Disney Productions, as well as many other corporation of that time.  The following is a synoptic generalization, these are topics that can, have and will continue to fill volumes, and here it is just a primer to build a foundation it is in no way conclusive.

I am continually amazed at the number of people who believe that any corporate board is a collection of logical, unemotional, and egoless individuals with absolutely nothing more than the best interested of the company at heart.  So, so, so wrong a perception.  I have worked with executive management teams and a few corporate boards throughout my career.  I have seen as many illogical, emotional, ego-driven decisions enacted in these executive offices and board rooms, as in life in general.   Anyone with any experience will tell you that the corporate board room is nothing more than a microcosm of life in general.  Also in as a general rule, most shareholders in corporation have no real emotional attachment to the company or management.  It’s about making money.  Where in nature the motto is “Survival of the fittest,” a concept many believe applies to business, the axiom there would be “Survival of the Smartest,” or maybe “Survival of the Quickest.”

While trading in corporate securities had been going on for many decades, centuries even… it was generally an activity reserved for the wealthiest in society.  After America successfully emerge from the Great Depression and World War II, a revitalization of the American middle class began to take hold, and a relatively untapped resource for the capitalization of American business presented itself.  As this new resource began to be exploited, vehicles such as mutual funds, first popularized in the 20’s, resurfaced as an investment opportunity for the smaller, and normally less informed, investors – generally the middle class investor looking build a nest egg for the future.  These smaller investors put their faith in the mutual fund institutions to monitor and protect their nest eggs; they had no tangible attachment to the companies being held in the fund.  The Wall Street analyst, and financial performance, became the unemotional arbiter of corporate success.  Starting in the 60s, as the public’s changing desires for entertainment choices, business was undergoing a change as well.  The focus was changing from long term growth, to short term profits to judge executive management effectiveness.

So what does all this have to do with our beloved Disney?  Well, the board and management of Walt Disney Productions failed to recognize and address the changing environment in which they were operating.  Disney’s management, like so many of us – individually, being resistant to change, chose rather to hold fast to what they believed represented the value that had allowed their co-founders such success.  Instead of embracing creativity and the change it requires, they tried desperately to imitate Walt’s creativity.  A laudable idea, but, a truly impossible effort to accomplish, there is and has only been, or will ever be one Walt Disney at the The Walt Disney Company.  Success is only going to continue by understand the man and his creative process and philosophies, and find ways to embraces those philosophies and continue that creative process in the changing world we live in.  That is in fact what Roy and Walt did to build The Disney Brothers Studio, and then Walt Disney Productions.

Now let’s explore some of the more current events of the period that contributed to the Siege.

The two individuals who remain somewhat enigmatic adversaries in all this are Ron Miller and Roy E. Disney.  Since Roy is no longer with us, unless his family allows someone access to his personal archives, we will never know what he was thinking as all this was transpiring.  Likewise, unless someone can get Ron to sit down and talk about this period in Disney’s history, we are not likely to hear his thoughts on the matter.  As I have observed, in my rather limited interact with Ron, it’s going to take much encouragement to get him to open up.  While I would love to be involved in either endeavor, there are certainly more qualified individuals out there, and I hope they are successful.  I will look to seeing the results of their efforts.  But, to accomplish my efforts to understand this wonderful and sometime strange history that is The Walt Disney Company, I must delve into an examination of these gentlemen with the information I was available to me now.

I don’t know exactly how tall Ron Miller is, but from my perspective at 5’9”, he is at least 6’4”, and at first look has what can be expressed as an intimating appearance.  Not surprising he played football professionally.  But, he never completed college, so the impression by some at the studio was that he was there, because he married into the family.  Include the professional football, and a somewhat menacing presence, could easily foster the notion that he was nothing more than a “jock.”  A characterization that he acknowledged bothered him.  Having met him, I have no problem imagining a younger Ron Miller, developing into a shy and reserved person to compensate for the intimidation some would feel from his size.  I have seen more than a few of my taller friends develop similar traits.  By all reports I’ve seen, Ron is always described precisely as a I conclude, a gentle, shy, and quiet man.  I have even heard the Walt Disney himself would get frustrate when his protégé and son-in-law would fail to speak up for himself in meetings. 

In an earlier time Ron Miller might have made an excellent corporate leader, he was, after all, mentored by a creative genius.  But, in the shark infested waters of 1980’s corporate leadership and investors, his lack of business experience place him at a serious disadvantage.  This situation was further exacerbated when he was promoted to CEO.  While I am sure he felt he could do the job, it could not have helped his confidence when Card Walker, himself concerned about Ron’s experience, approached Raymond Watson about becoming an “interim” Chairman of the Board act pro forma CEO, while Ron obtained some additional experience.  The top leadership position of a major U.S. corporation is not an appropriate environment for on-the-job training.  I am sure that Card had the best of intentions, and was trying to be loyal to the family of his mentor, but his appointment of Ron to the top management positions in the manner he did it, further weaken Disney in the eyes of the stockholders and Wall Street.  Given time Ray and Ron could have very easily become as effective a management team as Walt and Roy O, but, there was already blood in the waters, and the sharks were circling.  There was no time to be had.  Even though Ron’s tenure at the helm was short, he still demonstrated an understanding of the changing movie business and the need for the studio to reassert itself.  As I said in my last article, the creation of Touchstone Pictures and the first Silver Screen Partners under Ron’s leadership demonstrated the need for the Disney Studio to change, and laid significant groundwork for his successors’ early achievement.  But it was not to be, for Ron – with only a few allies on the Board, and even fewer among the larger minority interest shareholders… including his cousin-in-law Roy E. Disney, the clock had run out almost as soon as it had started.

Sitting across the board room table from Ron and Ray was Roy E. Disney – the son of co-founder Roy O. Disney.  Roy E.  Remember the Card Walker claim of Walt’s view of his nephew?  Well, I betting Roy as well and many of the board members were aware of Card’s claim, as well.  Apparently, from the details I’ve culled, Roy, much like his cousin-in-law – Ron, had a somewhat timid personality.  While he was active on the board, and often made strategic management recommendation, his input was apparently never considered.  Where Card’s focus as Chief Executive appeared to be on the park operations and expansion, Ron seemed more focused on the studio’s live action products, and Roy’s focus on animation.  All three, laudable points, but with all vying for attention and resources, and with the Disney movie offering not doing well at the box office, the studio operations began to take a back seat to other operations.  Roy showed concerned about losing one of the company’s founding cornerstones, didn’t seem to have the pulled or personality to push his point as hard as the others.   He wound up choosing to leave the board, and pursue changes in other way.

If Ron and Roy had been able to get in a room and discuss the situation without the perception baggage they both seemed to be carrying, I think they would have found that they had more with which ally themselves then their apparently adversarial relationship would seem to allow.  Regardless of how they were family, the two as allies would have made a formidable pair, as the founders’ family.  But, that was not to be, as much as people would like to think that running a company the size of Disney would be mechanical and unemotional, it is never that easy.

In Part III of “Laying Siege to the Castle,” we’ll explore the actions and activities that led to the arrival of Michael Eisner and Frank Wells.

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

You can find us on Facebook at:  Discovering Disney History on FB

The Mouse under Attack revisited

First off, thank you, thank you, thank you, to my buddy and Museum Volunteer – Joseph!!!  “Storming the Magic Kingdom” is a marvelous account of the attempted hostile takeover of Disney in 1984.  So again Joseph, THANK YOU!!! 

Side Note:

After some travails with one of Amazon’s affiliate sellers, they came through on the second attempt to acquire to the book.  For those who use Amazon’s affiliate sellers frequently, I’d be cautious buying anything from Charleston Wholesale.  While they have a good rating on Amazon, I find the seller to be unreliable, temperamental, with somewhat questionable ethics, and an extreme dislike of the Postal Service.  Buy from them at your own risk.

                                                                                                                                                          

I have been asked by a few people if studying the history of The Walt Disney Company from the management angle destroys the magic for me?  It doesn’t, in fact it actually enhances it.  At least for me, when you learn of the dysfunctional executive management throughout its history, I am in reality more impressed by the “magic” that the company manages to create.  I seem to be someone who has been able to separate the appreciation and enjoyment of fantasy with the need for, and understanding of, reality.  When I’m seeing a Disney movie, or am in one of the theme parks, I don’t give a second thought to how the companies are run, or the personalities of the individuals involved.  If they can allow me, even for a few moments, to escape the bonds of reality and experience enjoyment, I am great with that idea.  But, that doesn’t discount the amazing story of how Disney to where it is today, or how it almost didn’t…  I find that part of the magic very interesting as well.

“Storming the Magic Kingdom” by John Taylor is an account of the individuals who attempted and in some cases succeeded in exploiting the effects of dysfunctional executive management of a company, and management’s efforts to thwart hostile takeover.  Any account of the many hostile takeovers, that have occurred, would be the same.  Some of you may be thinking that I’m being overly negative when I assert the claim of dysfunctionality, it’s not intended to be negative, but rather matter of fact.  Whether it be family, friends, non-profit or for-profit business, any where there are parties great than one involved in control, ego and personal agenda becomes involved.  Dominant egos tend to take or try to take control of the situation.  Supported by “Storming the Magic Kingdom” and several other tomes (check the side bar links for these resources) I have read about Disney management the following is my conjecture:

So what led to this attempted siege of Magic Kingdom’s castle?

The groundwork of this siege was actually laid when the company was started.  With the co-founders being brothers there was, at its inception, a dynamic to the company operation not found in most business.  Add to that, the personalities of the two brother being so diametrically opposed.  Walt Disney, the very gregarious, effusive, and the creative part of the relationship.  Roy Disney, the quiet, reserved, behind the scene, financial mastermind of the business.  To paraphrase Walt, he was a little bee, flying from garden to meadow pollinating the flower (the company’s creative project).  What hasn’t been clearing communicated was Roy’s position of rather quietly following behind Walt, creating and managing the financial requirement needed to allow these flowers (projects) to blossom.  This worked, and worked quite well, as the company began to experience success and grow, but the company grew to the point where this relationship began to create strains on the brothers’ relationship.  Had the brothers been just friends instead of family, we can speculate that the friends would just part ways, and what we have come to know as The Walt Disney Company would have most likely ceased to exist.  But, instead, the brothers soldiered on; Walt building and mentoring his cadre of creative people, and Roy doing the same for his operations people. 

Any hard core Disney fan has heard the company classifications of Walt’s Boys and Roy’s Boys.  Unless someone produces some, as yet unknown to me, recordings or personal notes between Walt and Roy, we will only have the recollections of the people around Walt and Roy to rely on.  I’m not knocking any of these people, but ask any attorney; some of the most unreliable evidence in a court case is eyewitness testimony.  You may see or hear something, but have no idea of the context of the situation.  With that in mind, one simple little comment may have been the catalyst which ultimately became the event and theatrics of 1984.  It is well publicized that Card Walker claimed that Walt once referred to Roy E. Disney as his “idiot nephew.”  Was Walt making a little joke at his nephew’s expense, was he taking a jab at his brother during one of their squabbles, did he really believe his nephew was an idiot.  If he were still with us today, I relatively sure that Card would say he knew Walt well enough to know his intent, but did he, really?  I don’t know of any of Walt’s other boys who have made similar claims to have heard Walt make comments like this about Roy E.  What I have learned about Walt from my research is that he was not a person to filter his feeling that much.  As far as I can tell, if Walt did make reference to his nephew’s intelligence to any of his other boys, they had the discretion not to repeat it to anyone else, a short coming, in my opinion, in Card’s character.

One of the key points I took from “Storming the Magic Kingdom” was Ray Watson acknowledging that Disney had no acknowledged corporate plan in place when he became the Chairman of the Board.  Not surprising, given what I’ve address in the previous paragraph, and Walt’s Boys and Roy’s Boy trying continue management as they’d been mentored by their respective co-founder.  What I don’t think was understood was that Walt and Roy, as brothers, had (my conjecture) an unspoken and therefore un-communicated plan under which they operated.  Even as the rife open and grew between them, this unacknowledged plan allowed the company to continue to flourish.  Unfortunately for the boys, this is something that can’t really be mentored.  Once Roy passed away, after the opening of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the unique dynamic of the Disney Brothers intuitive relationship at the helm was completely lost.

Don Tatum as CEO and Card Walker as COO, lacking the co-founding brothers relationship and without any real plan, where handicapped from the start.  By all accounts, Card became the dominant force in Disney leadership, and with the oft heard mantra, “What would Walt Do?”  …established himself as the protector of Walt Disney’s legacy.  Unfortunately, in my opinion, in protecting his mentor’s legacy, he lost touch with Walt’s forward looking philosophy.  While Walt had, in effect, move on from the studio, to the development of his theme park in the early 50’s, even though the studio was in capable hands he continued to monitor and inject his creative input when needed.  If you look at the movies produced by the studio in 50’s and 60’s, under Walt’s guidance, I see offering, that while rather formulaic and holding to his family entertainment values, were in fact evolving as the audiences began to change.  A look at movies produced after Walt’s death in 1966, and you find a listing of offering that, while holding true to Walt’s legacy and the Disney brand, failed to evolve with changing family entertainment demands, resulting in declining revenues and hence reductions in offerings, and ultimately the perceived importance of the studio to the overall success of the company.

As much as I don’t like to do it, and find it hard to fault the man, in the noble effort to protect and preserve Walt Disney’s legacy, Card Walker almost destroyed it.

When next we meet, I’ll be revealing how I still think Ron Miller is someone how deserves much more recognition for his contributions to The Walt Disney Company then he has received, and how two rather introverted family members played roles important roles in the outcome of the siege on the Magic Kingdom.

In-between now and then watch for a couple of trip reports for upcoming events.

Have a Disney-rific Day!!!

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

You can find us on Facebook at:  Discovering Disney History on FB