I have to say that I just got back from a Disney cruise and had a great time. The ship was filled with families having fun and a lot of Disney fanatics who are still captivated by the institutional magic of the Disney brand. "Finding Nemo" was on the big screen and there was a lot of laughter at Monsters Inc. trivia.
But what does the current generation of young kids have to look forward to in the Disney universe? A live-action remake of "Frozen"? The pending "women are funny get over it" reincarnation of "The Marvels?" How many kids are going to be watching "Lightyear" on repeat?
Disney got lazy and politically correct and the sub-$80, 10-year low in the stock price reflects how the paying public has turned against the brand. I say this out of sadness: some of my best times were at Disney World and I've thought about taking my (future) grandkids there. But the relentless price increases have pushed people away from the parks and sub-par movies have pushed people away from the shows. The cruise line is doing just fine but how much longer will that last once the memories of "Tangled" and "Moana" fade away? Walt Disney, who was continuously looking forward to the next great story, would be saddened to the lackadaisical cash-grab that now defines this company.
I'd like to see Disney turn it around but I fear the Bob Iger-era has looked to short-term profit at the expense of developing long-term and meaningful stories.
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