DCA, Future Expansion
Topic: Latest: Jim Hill on the Imagineering shortage

#	Author	Message
1	AutoPost Mon 5/12/2008 12:56p	This topic is for Discussion of Latest: Jim Hill on the Imagineering shortage Jim Hill reports that Walt Disney Imagineering is having a staffing issue due, in part, to all the development currently occuring in Dubai. He says shortage is causing a delay in DCA's major expansion. Click here to read his story.
2	TP2000 Tue 5/13/2008 2:10a	This all reeks of hogwash. In true Jim Hill style the entire article is built off of vague assumptions and one or two statements heard around a WDI water cooler from a lone disgruntled employee. It all amounts to a pile of hogwash. And the Dubailand thing is hilarious! Dubailand is the biggest shell game of the 21st century. All they have to show for themselves is a series of splashy press releases and some scale models set up in temporary buildings in the sand most remembered for their air conditioning systems more than their theme park models. And yet these are the same press releases and same models that have been routinely trotted out by men in white robes since 2003. But there still is no construction on any of these theme parks, and still no proof that a market actually exists for a Universal Studios in the middle of Arabia. This article is more laughable than the usual Jim Hill article. Check back in 5 years and it will be even funnier.
3	fkurucz Tue 5/13/2008 10:31a	My guess is that if there is an Imagineer shortage its because of: 1) Job instability. If you get laid off there aren't too many other places to work. Its likely that former imagineers who got dejobbed in the past just moved on to new careers. 2) High cost of living in SoCal. Locals often fail to realize how daunting this is for anyone thinking relocating to SoCal. It involves a major hit to one's standard of living. Plus the below average wages Disney pays doesn't help at all. Sure, for some its a labor of love. But even then one still has to pay the bills.
4	2001DLFan Wed 5/14/2008 9:33p	Well, if the political climate and creative restrictions aren't corrected at WDI, I can see some of the remaining quality Imagineers leaving for the better opportunities that might be offered by those companies working on the Dubai theme parks. Dedication and loyalty to a company can go only so far if your talents and skills keep being stifled. And if these new entertainment projects are being supported by those for who money is no object, the opportunity to let creativity fly may be irresistible.
5	fkurucz Thu 5/15/2008 12:37p	And as the price of oil continues to rise these guys will have more money to burn than ever before.
6	DlandDug Fri 5/16/2008 12:19a	Wow. WDI is just desparate for top notch designers to fill their ranks. Who knew? Need proof? Just look at he dazzling array of positions being offered over at the Disney Job Opportunities site: https://disney.recruitmax.com/main/careerportal/Job_List.cfm?szSearchType=Advanced There are no less than, uh, 18 jobs being offered, including: Art Intern Advanced Projects, WDPRO Finance Intern, Production Intern - Advanced Projects, Website Production Intern (Celebration), Media Design Intern (Glendale), and Electronic Engineering Intern (Show Ride). The only two posts remotely associated with design are Project Architect and Project Architect Principal, which are largely administrative. Add to that a couple of sound engineers and business managers, and there's the current crop of available jobs at WDI...
7	ArchtMig Fri 5/16/2008 12:27a	Project Architects have more to do with a project than just "administrate".
8	Westsider Fri 5/16/2008 6:26p	HA! 18 jobs available at WDI. Yup, Jim Hill has really got an inside scoop on the dearth of talent available after all the good ones got sucked to plan parks that will never be built in Dubai. This entire story by Mr. Hill is a crock. I have a friend who worked in Operations for years and now works in WDI-Anaheim. There is no shortage of Imagineers. They are fully staffed right now, with the usual old dinosaurs in dusty offices still hanging on and fiddling with pet projects unrelated to anything useful and that will never see the light of day. This article is another fine piece of Jim Hill fiction. Dubailand! HAHAHA!
9	2001DLFan Sat 5/17/2008 6:21p	<<DlandDug: There are no less than, uh, 18 jobs being offered, including: Art Intern Advanced Projects, WDPRO Finance Intern, Production Intern - Advanced Projects, Website Production Intern (Celebration), Media Design Intern (Glendale), and Electronic Engineering Intern (Show Ride). The only two posts remotely associated with design are Project Architect and Project Architect Principal, which are largely administrative. Add to that a couple of sound engineers and business managers, and there's the current crop of available jobs at WDI...>> Actually, you've shown what is probably the biggest problem that many of WDI's creative people are having to deal with: INTERNS. WDI is able to get these interns CHEAP. They (former management and their existing remnants) have been sticking them into every project and allowing them a LOT of creative input, frustrating more senior creative Imagineers. While some may see this as infusing new blood into the organization, in actuality, these people, not being mentored by those senior Imagineers, don't get the in-depth Disney background they need to develop true Disney Level attractions. This is why many of the recent concepts have been lacking. They have been envisioned by these comic book bred kids and given priority without the benefit of strong guidance. So, as WDI continues to lose skilled long-term Imagineers, and continue to bring in uninitiated "new blood", Disney's attractions may continue to become less Disney Classic and more "edgy generic".
10	DlandDug Wed 5/21/2008 11:03p	>>Project Architects have more to do with a project than just "administrate".<< Yes, which is why I said they were "largely administrative" and "associated with design," albeit remotely. The distinction doesn't change the fact that WDI's own web site belies the basis of the story.

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