As we were buttoning up today’s edition of JimHillMedia.com yesterday evening, word came down that Cynthia Harris, president of the Disneyland Resort, was resigning. This news — while it wasn’t exactly a surprise — still made me sad.
Why for? Well, say what you will about the woman and her stewardship of Disney’s Anaheim resort, but Cynthia was a class act. By that I mean: Over the past three years, I have written some incredibly cutting things about the Walt Disney Company. Particularly about Disney’s California Adventure theme park (which was Ms. Harris’ baby).
But — whenever I’d run into Cynthia (whether at a press event or just when I was out for a day in the park with my daughter) — she’d never bring up any of the nasty things that I’d written about her or her parks. She’d just greet me warmly as we were actually old friends. Not adversaries.
Now the cynics out there may think this was all an act. But I don’t think so. In all our conversations, Ms. Harris came across as this genuinely nice person. Witty, warm, gracious. In short, she made an excellent front person for the Disneyland Resort.
Yeah, Cynthia’s going to be a hard act to follow …
So let’s hope that Matt Ouimet, the new incoming President of the Disneyland Resort, is up to the challenge. Giving that he’s coming to Anaheim directly from the Disney Cruise Line, here’s hoping that Ouimet has smooth sailing during the upcoming transition period.
And Matt … if — after you get settled in the Team Disney Anaheim building — you’d like to chat, Matt … well, you know where to find me.
Jim Hill
Cynthia Harris with Jim and Michelle’s daughter Alice.
After much consideration, I have decided to leave the Company to enjoy more time with loved ones. I leave this position with the fondest of memories and know that my successor, Matt Ouimet, will lead the Disneyland Resort into a wonderful future.
All my best,
Cynthia
Cynthia’s gone, and it’s probably a good thing.
Why is this good? I hear Matt’s “old-school” and not beholden to Paul Pressler in any way, shape or form. He’s kept the Cruise Lines in beautiful shape, delivering consistent high quality without allegience erosion – in fact, doing just the opposite and attaining high repeatability for the Disney Cruise Line. This is good news, especially if he can do the same for Disneyland.
This is also good for Cynthia. She needs to find a position where she answers to no one but the general public, where she can really take wing. She’s a beautiful person to know and, from what those who work directly for her say, to work for. I hope that wherever she goes, she works with the public a lot. Nobody’s better than her at that. How about public office? More importantly, let her go somewhere where there aren’t a bunch of rabid people gunning for her. Unfortunately, I’m being literal here.
Cynthia made history as the first woman to become President of Disneyland, following the beleagured Paul Pressler, infamous for cutbacks in the parks’ service and quality, but quite popular with the shareholder firms that hold huge amounts of Disney stock for his ability to create short-term gains by any legal means necessary. Paul was put in charge of all of the theme parks, and Cynthia was named President of Disneyland.
When Pressler left Disney for the GAP, it was rumored that Cynthia would follow very shortly. These rumors were not true. Cynthia brought a warmth and humanity to the face of Corporate Disney that was like a breath of fresh air, appearing at park functions and merchandise events. But maybe now it’s time to lose that. How many people recall Jack Lindquist personally, or could — or can — spot him without subtitles? Maybe it’s time to focus on the parks now and not the personalities inside the big building in back. On the results of what happens there, not who’s sitting at the meeting table. I don’t care if TDA is being run by apes so long as we get a 50th Anniversary Celebration that will make all of the best moments of my life dim in comparison.
Cynthia, you leave well-loved and you will be missed.
Fab
Michelle Smith