In addition to IT issues I get the sense that the Disney marketing team is not up to par with its usual level. I used to marvel at Disney for their brilliant marketing - both strategic and advertising. I think I’ve studied them as a company more than anything else in life. They were the gold standard. Lately I‘ve definitely noticed a change in tone. I’m not sure if this is different personnel and decision makers due to Chapek, or if it’s new personnel due to the pandemic, but either way, it is different and I don’t think for the better.
I had not read the Genie announcement on my own in its entirety and in the Disney presentation of ituntil a few days ago. The attitude of “we‘ve been listening to your feedback, you want this and that” was actually really in contrast to the way that they usually market. To tell us “we’ve made significant investments” - that’s language for an earnings call, not an advertisement/or release. For me, even tho it logically makes sense that they are trying to sell it as we really care about what u say, it breaks a subconscious expectation that I have with Disney - disney is about magic. I don’t want them to speak directly to me as a company. I just want them to make my day magical. They didn’t need to mention these things that people evidently didn’t like about them (too much planning needed etc). And to advertise that they are ALMOST ready to tell us about it - It really is not a good look. So i agree that they are probably having IT bugs to finish up. But I also think this is a sign that they don’t have the same Disney mentality in marketing that they used to. Not just in guest experience, but also in actual advertising.
