[Park Hopper]

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting in this morning's editions that Walt Disney Studios is expected to announce Monday it will close the Orlando feature-animation studio. Approximately 260 artists are expected to lose thier jobs.

The Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida studio had risen in scope and stature since opening in 1989. Among the major films it produced are Mulan, Lilo & Stitch and Brother Bear. Disney is saying it will shutter the Orlando operation to reduce overhead and consolidate production. Animation studios in Paris and Tokyo have already bitten the dust.

In all, Disney has cut more than 700 animation jobs in recent years.

[JM0318]

I am so sorry to hear that... I guess next they will not be doing any filming there either....:devil :devil :devil
:heart :) :heart Judy

[Dana]

How horrible for those people! They have families to support.

[crystalrp]

Oh man, that's awful!! Bet Roy wouldn't have been for that. And dang it, I love going thru there when at the studios to try to see what is coming up next!!

[Captgoodguy]

I too loved going through just to see what was coming up next. I always tried to make sure I went on a weekday so I could see the real actual people working at their jobs.

One more cutback to remove the Magic.

[15 mins to wdw]

well they laid off most of the animators in nov or dec. can't remember, most of the animators have joined up now and opened Legacy animation in Winter Garden, Flordia.

[geeman]

That is sad. I wonder if that will affect the attraction in any way?
I always felt "priveledged" to have been able to see many of the big hits being created. The early sketches of "Aladdin", "The Lion King", "Hunchback" and "Pocahontas", during the Disney Resurgence of the 90's was such a thrill to catch each time.
I specifically remember spotting early sketches for "The King of The Jungle" - a movie about lions loosely based on the tale of "Macbeth". This became the Lion King.

In 1996 I got to go on a backstage "White Gloves" tour that took us through the studios, which I thought was so fascinating and memorable. At the time, they were in production of "Hercules", and they premiered a song-filled trailer of it for us to view.

Animation as a whole is evolving. A lot of this probably has more to do with the digital revolution rather than with Disney Co. Since they are not the blockbusters they used to be, companies are hesitant to spend money on them.

[Park Hopper]

Originally posted by geeman
A lot of this probably has more to do with the digital revolution rather than with Disney Co. Since they are not the blockbusters they used to be, companies are hesitant to spend money on them.

You're absolutly right, geeman. The slow, painstaking, expensive hand-drawn animation work is being pushed aside by digital animation. And, digital is what seems to draw the audiences, too.

Disney apparently plans to keep the MGM attraction open, although there were no artists on hand there Friday. A guest doing the tour wondered where the artists were and commented to a friend, "This is the best job, if they don't come in before 11." A cast member simply said they hadn't come in yet.

[15 mins to wdw]

some will tell you the truth others will follow the script and say there on Break. thats been empty for at least a month now.

[Dana]

Let me get this straigh. They have no artists on hand for the animation attraction, but are still using it? strange... This wasn't something I did regularly at MGm, but have no intention of doing now if there isn't even anyone there. Thanks for the heads-up.

[Greg Marling]

Chalk another one up for ol' penny-pinching Eisner. Having just returned from a week at Disney World, the changes since the last visit were QUITE evident. 1) cutback in amenities at the so-called "deluxe" hotels 2)examples of deferred maintenance on various structures at the parks. 3)the turning of the Main Street shops at the Magic Kingdom into one bog "Mouse 'n' Pooh" emporium. 4)The abomination (a pin store shaped like a sorcerer's hat that sits in front of the Chinese Theater in MGM Studios. 5)A definite cutback in the number of staff at rides and attractions. For all of the 3-D shows we went to, such as Mickey's Philharmagic, we had to look for the bins containing the 3-D glasses and pull them out ourselves, rather than having someone to hand them out as in the past. Keep up the good work, Mikey, because once you alienate enough of your customers, then you won't have to worry about any employees, because you won't have any. Walt must be spinning in his freezer!:devil

[Linda]

Come to think of it, the animators were not there the week after Thanksgiving either! There was a great animator sitting at a desk at the tour level that we got to stop and talk to. She was quite pleasant.

You know, being boss is never an easy job. When you do good, everyone tells you that you are splurging or over doing things, and when you do bad, everyone tells you that you have "lost your touch". We have to remember that Eisner came in at a time that Disney was losing money constantly on the stock market. He had to come in and "clean house" and everyone has been quite please with him up till recently.

I wouldn't want to have his job, but he is the one that turned Disney around since 1984 and made it the place we love today. You have to be tough to run an organization like this one. When Eisner came in, Roy and others weren't doing such a good job.

Of course, a new broom always sweeps clean. But you have to remember that eventually that new broom's bristles will wear down and everyone will be looking for a new one again!

[Amneris]

Greg, what cut backs did you notice at the deluxe resorts???

I too am upset by the merchadise Disney is choosing to sell. It's all character t-shirts and plastic junk primarily now. I was sooo looking forward to picking up some exotic hand-made items in the Asia section of AK (last year I got a jewlery box), and this year the nice stuff was no where to be seen!! So it seems Animal Kingdom Lodge's gift shop is the only place that has nice stuff from other parts of the world for sale ... if THAT is even still there now (haven't been since last December :( ).

[tinkerbell]

Originally posted by geeman
That is sad. I wonder if that will affect the attraction in any way?
I always felt "priveledged" to have been able to see many of the big hits being created. The early sketches of "Aladdin", "The Lion King", "Hunchback" and "Pocahontas", during the Disney Resurgence of the 90's was such a thrill to catch each time.
I specifically remember spotting early sketches for "The King of The Jungle" - a movie about lions loosely based on the tale of "Macbeth". This became the Lion King.

Same here .. I remember when we saw the early art work of Pocahontas they told us it was going to be Hawiwatha (spelling?)
and when it came out as Pocahontas we were surprised at the change.

My Granddaughters loved the animation tour. Special the story about Robin Williams being turned in to a lost boy. The both got the animator to draw Stitch in thier autograph books last August

[gregc]

It's hard to know who to blame. 'Brother Bear' has been called the lousyest thing since 'Lilo and Stitch' by the same people who loved BBeast and LMermain. Pixar makes quality product - Disney's lucky to have a relationship with them. Disney found their heritage with Belle and Ariel then got lazy and formulaic - straight to video or straight to the Disney Channel stuff. Sloppy body-function humor sitcoms.

It's a shame for the talented artists.

One look at a kid schlepping a Harry Potter book and you're reminded kids entertainment doesn't have to be drivel.

Somebody needs to re-remind the Walt Disney Company for EVERY part of the business: Quality is profitable, especially long term.