Disney Current Events
Topic: Disney to out-source Audio Animatronics - OC Regis

#	Author	Message
1	Darkbeer Fri 6/13/2008 2:52p	http://ocresort.freedombloggin...tronics/ >>The Walt Disney Co. will begin out-sourcing the manufacturing of Audio Animatronics because of too much demand on staff time, according to an Imagineering memo sent to the Orange County Register. Audio-Animatronics figures are basically moving and talking (or signing) robotic figures that were started by Walt Disney's company. Today, Audio-Animatronics can be seen in several Disneyland attractions, which include: "it's a small world," Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones Adventure, Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! and the upcoming Toy Story Mania!. The memo is dated June 12, 2008, and was sent to all Walt Disney Imagineering employees from Bruce Vaughn, chief creative executive, Craig Russell, chief development and delivery executive, and Kevin Eld, vice president of Disney Creative Production. The memo was sent to and received by the Orange County Register today. Imagineers is Disney's a word for designers and engineers. The memo states that after review manufacturing all Audio-Animatronics figures in-house is not feasible in terms of cost and staffing. Instead, Imagineering's Manufacturing and Prototype Operations group based in North Hollywood will "build some select, highly complex" figures in-house.<< More at the link.....
2	Jim in Merced CA Fri 6/13/2008 3:41p	So, the more advanced figures will still continue to be done in-house -- it's the smaller scale things [like in 'it's a small world'] that might be given over to an outside vendor. Makes sense I suppose...
3	mawnck Fri 6/13/2008 3:53p	Shoot, they outsourced the animation in "Enchanted" and everyone was pleased as punch. I just want the attractions to be up to the Disney standard, IE not suck. I don't care who puts 'em together.
4	Jim in Merced CA Fri 6/13/2008 6:22p	Hey, they're talking about outsourcing animatronics over at this thread too.. http://mb.laughingplace.com/Ms....asp?C=1 It's like this topic has been outsourced er something...
5	Elderp Sat 6/14/2008 4:02a	Disneyland has been outsourcing its animatronics for a long time. http://www.garnerholt.com/
6	Darkbeer Mon 6/16/2008 4:20p	Chuck Oberleitner over at O-Meon.com has a copy of the actual memo and these comments.... http://www.o-meon.com/pages/ne...cing.htm >>Here is a copy of the actual memo released by Bruce Vaughn, Craig Russell, and Kevin Eld. There were a total of 22 layoffs out of a division of 50 staff members in MAPO (Manufacturing and Prototype Operations) or almost 40 percent. Layoffs occurred on Wednesday June 11th. Not surprisingly, all the animated characters you mention in your article (Lucky, Wall-E) have been created by the R&D division (where Bruce Vaughn came from) with an unlimited budget and with no help from the talent at MAPO. It is a sad day for MAPO especially now that the "kids" are running the candy store.<<

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