Well, it’s been a little more than a week now since JHM first broke that story about how Disneyland President Matt Ouimet is reportedly campaigning for Al Weiss’ old job. So that Matt & his family can then return to the lifestyle they once enjoyed in Central Florida.
And while other websites have been quick to expand on that article and/or insist that my info is “dead wrong,” have you noticed something interesting? There’s been absolutely no official comment from Disney Corporate regarding this rumor.
Oh, I know. The Walt Disney Company has a standing policy where it doesn’t comment on any internet rumors. But given that there was some mainstream press sniffing around this story last week, you’d think that it would have been in the Mouse’s best interest that — if this rumor about Matt wanting to go back to Orlando were actually wrong — to get out there and quash it.
But instead, Disney’s PR flaks have opted to ignore the story. Deliberately not returning the phone calls of any reporters who were asking about whether Matt Ouimet was really interested in becoming the Walt Disney World Resort’s next president.
“And why was that?,” you ask. Because it’s hard to deny something that’s actually true.
That’s why you see such carefully crafted language now entering the discussion. Witness Al Lutz’s article today over at MiceAge.com. Which basically puts the official Disneyland spin on the does-Matt-Ouimet-actually-want-to-take-his-family-back-to-Central-Florida story out there on the Web.
As you read Al’s column, please note that phrases like ” … he’s been adamant with many in TDA that he is staying in Anaheim for the time being” and ” … so for now, we get to keep Matt Ouimet” are sprinkled throughout the piece. I’ve taken the liberty of bolding the qualifiers here.
“But why include qualifiers like that if Matt’s really staying on as Disneyland’s President?,” you query. Because — to be honest — it gives Al ( And — more importantly — Disneyland Resort officials) a somewhat graceful out when Matt Ouimet actually does exit Anaheim and takes his family back to Orlando.
“So what sort of time frame are we talking about here?,” you continue. Well … That’s where this all gets really
|
Advertisement |
interesting. Based on all those query calls that Ouimet supposedly made last month (I.E. Where Matt reportedly reached out to several old friends who still work at the Walt Disney World Resort and asked if they’d be interested in being part of his WDW transition team), Ouimet obviously wants this to happen sooner rather than later. Ideally sometime during the first half of 2006.
Whereas the folks at Disney Corporate (Not to mention all the suits currently working in the Team Disney Anaheim building), they’d prefer a much less rushed transition. Ideally, what they’d like to see happen is that Greg Emmer is slowly transitioned into becoming a much more public presence at the Disneyland Resort. Someone that Disneyland’s notoriously vocal annual passholders can then get to know and (hopefully) grow to like. So that — once Matt & his family finally do head back to Central Florida — it will still seem like Disneyland is in very good hands. Thereby making this all a relatively painless transfer of power.
That’s why I find the last three paragraphs of Mr. Lutz’s column today to be so fascinating. While Al goes out of his way to try & let some of the air out of JHM’s Matt-Ouimet-wants-to-take-his-family-back-to-Orlando story, insisting that Disneyland’s president is staying right where he is for now … Lutz then goes on to use those last three paragraphs to talk about what a great guy Greg Emmer is. How Disneyland’s 50th anniversary celebration wouldn’t have been nearly as successful as it was if it weren’t for Greg’s amazing attention to detail, Emmer’s encyclopedic knowledge of how the Disney theme parks actually run,etc.
Doesn’t all that upbeat chatter by Al make Mr. Emmer sound like someone who’s being positioned for something bigger & better? Like — say — becoming President of the Disneyland Resort?
Anyway … Look for lots more stories like this — which slowly move Greg Emmer out into the spotlight — to start appearing in the mainstream press as well as on the internet in the coming months. As the Walt Disney Company tries to position Greg as being the most obvious candidate to replace Matt Ouimet.
As to when Matt & his family will actually return to Orlando … I’m afraid that it’s looking like the story that I originally heard late last month from all those middle managers at Epcot may prove to be true. That Al Weiss’ old position at President of the Walt Disney World Resort could be left open for as long as 15 months.
Which means that it may be as long as early 2007 before Ouimet finally gets what he wants. Which is to be able to take his family back to Central Florida and assume WDW’s presidency.
Of course, the upside of this scenario is that this puts Matt on the ground in Orlando just as that resort is getting ready to celebrate Epcot’s 25th anniversary. Given what Ouimet was able to do on such short notice with Disneyland’s 50th anniversary, it’ll be interesting to see if he’ll be able to achieve a similar effect with Epcot’s silver anniversary.
Anywho … My apologies to those of you who may interpret today’s column as Al bashing. It’s honestly not meant to be. I genuinely enjoy reading Mr. Lutz’s articles over at MiceAge.com. He often has some keen insights into the way the Disneyland Resort actually operates. Which is understandable. Given the killer sources that Al allegedly has inside the Team Disney Anaheim building.
But — that said — I still find it kind of intriguing that Mr. Lutz now appears to be helping to get the official Disneyland spin on the whole does-Matt-really-want-to-take-his-family-back-to-Central-Florida story out there on the internet. Which is to not officially deny that Matt is interested in (and — in fact — actively campaigning to be) returned to Orlando. But — rather — to say things like ” …for now, we get to keep Matt Ouimet.“
That’s kind of an interesting approach for a writer who actually starts off today’s column by emphatically stating that “We won’t compromise our editorial for Disney (or any other) approval,” don’t you think?
Your thoughts?