Mass WDI Layoffs

[Mad Dog]

Over at Magic, they're saying a number of Imagineers were just fired. If true, that would possibly confirm what BriMan & Test Track were saying that Imagineers were making up and leaking rumors of new attractions to try to get interest in the new projects, and save themselves from job cuts.

 

[Viator]

Over at Magic, they're saying a number of Imagineers were just fired. If true, that would possibly confirm what BriMan & Test Track were saying that Imagineers were making up and leaking rumors of new attractions to try to get interest in the new projects, and save themselves from job cuts.

....

....I have the slightest feeling that History is going to repeat itself for some strange reason on a certain thing...

 

[Mad Dog]

....

....I have the slightest feeling that History is going to repeat itself for some strange reason on a certain thing...

Yeah, Universal may be hiring a number of ex Imagineers for their third park, just like they did for IOA. Is that your thought?

 

[Viator]

Yeah, Universal may be hiring a number of ex Imagineers for their third park, just like they did for IOA. Is that your thought?

*Quietly nods in the distance*

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Over at Magic, they're saying a number of Imagineers were just fired. If true, that would possibly confirm what BriMan & Test Track were saying that Imagineers were making up and leaking rumors of new attractions to try to get interest in the new projects, and save themselves from job cuts.

Never said they were making up projects they were working on.

 

[Viator]

Never said they were making up projects they were working on.

Yep...

 

[Mad Dog]

Never said they were making up projects they were working on.

I probably worded that too loosely.. I meant starting the rumors & leaking their projects to get interest in them.

 

[Viator]

As with getting some more time reading the posts from WDWMagic; I am very interested to see of how the future may hold for WDI and more importantly..on what UC may get out of this..

 

[Mad Dog]

As with getting some more time reading the posts from WDWMagic; I am very interested to see of how the future may hold for WDI and more importantly..on what UC may get out of this..

Lots of good talent, that can actually use their talents to the fullest :thumbsup:.....That was a paid Universal political announcement.

 

[sparky]

As with getting some more time reading the posts from WDWMagic; I am very interested to see of how the future may hold for WDI and more importantly..on what UC may get out of this..

Why would Disney be doing that? Is it because they already have the toy story land and star wars lands planned out? thinning the herd? Is it common for Disney to thin out imagineers from time to time? So, many many questions

 

[Viator]

Why would Disney be doing that? Is it because they already have the toy story land and star wars lands planned out? thinning the herd? Is it common for Disney to thin out imagineers from time to time? So, many many questions

From what it seems on WDWMagic, the layoff this time is due to different reasons.

Hence, why I wonder how the future may hold in the way WDI works; because of mr. Chapek being..an interesting fellow if you know what he did before being appointed to WDI.

 

[sparky]

From what it seems on WDWMagic, the layoff this time is due to different reasons.

Hence, why I wonder how the future may hold in the way WDI works; because of mr. Chapek being..an interesting fellow if you know what he did before being appointed to WDI.

Is the thinking WDI may go the way of outsourcing rather than in house? The problem with outsourcing is they may lose the ability to prevent leaks on projects.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

Over at Magic, they're saying a number of Imagineers were just fired. If true, that would possibly confirm what BriMan & Test Track were saying that Imagineers were making up and leaking rumors of new attractions to try to get interest in the new projects, and save themselves from job cuts.

Oh, good. More of a talent pool for Universal Creative to hire from.

 

[Viator]

Oh, good. More of a talent pool for Universal Creative to hire from.

Funny enough, similar events sort of played out about 20 years ago, when IOA was in the early process of creation.

In a way; it's quite funny but it should be something to note in how WDI is probably going to suffer for a while, especially with Bob Chapek being very..interesting.

 

[Mad Dog]

I was hearing one really big name that I can't repeat. Anybody hear anything on which ones for sure. Supposed to be a lot of them. Like you people said, a good talent pool for the third park, Beijing, expansions etc. It'll be just like Beastly Kingdom laid off Imagineers coming in & doing Lost Continent. This is big.

 

[Nick]

Obviously Rohde didn't get the axe, but any other big names I can think of would be Kathy Magnum, Tom Fitzgerald, Scott Trowbridge (although i'd think that would be unlikely since he's doing SWL)....

There's once other name i'm struggling to think of who used to work in entertainment at Uni and is being given crap projects by Disney recently.

 

[JungleSkip]

I was hearing one really big name that I can't repeat. Anybody hear anything on which ones for sure. Supposed to be a lot of them. Like you people said, a good talent pool for the third park, Beijing, expansions etc. It'll be just like Beastly Kingdom laid off Imagineers coming in & doing Lost Continent. This is big.

Meh. There's one name I know for sure I'd be interested in. Otherwise, let them enjoy early retirements.

Obviously Rohde didn't get the axe

I would not assume anyone is safe, FYI

 

[JungleSkip]

Also, on this topic, I think this is a good thing. WDI has been a bloated, dying whale for well over a decade now. Inflated budgets with little return, lack of overall vision, and mediocre execution of even more mediocre concepts. Let the division morph into something leaner and meaner.

 

[Nick]

I would not assume anyone is safe, FYI

I mean I know he's among the top salaried Imagineers, so he's likely to go one of these days, but he's heading up all Marvel projects at the moment. I'd just think it a bit odd for them to drop him now.

 

[JungleSkip]

I mean I know he's among the the salaried Imagineers, so he's likely to go one of these days, but he's heading up all Marvel projects at the moment. I'd just think it a bit odd for them to drop him now.

There's nothing normal about what they're doing here. It sounds like it's more or less a complete transformation of WDI.