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Lost Boy
07-02-2003, 08:03 AM
After reading David Koneg's column on today's Mouse Planet about Disney treatment of Cast Members last Saturday at the POTC Movie Premier, I am just outraged. I would like to offer my sincere condolances to all Employess of Disneyland who were treated like convicted criminals and imprisoned in darkness Saturday night. Know that we who love this Park and it's Cast Member are on your side in this. That was no way for the Studio in Burbank to treat empoyees of it's "Crown Jewel". I think everyone here should write a scathing letter to the Studio and let them know that this is unacceptable treatment.:mad:

Does anyone doubt me now when I say who really owns Disneyland? I think it just became very clear who's in charge here.

hbquikcomjamesl
07-02-2003, 08:14 AM
It seems to me that this calls not only for a letter-writing campaign, but for an organized boycott of the movie.

The latter is easy enough for me, as I wasn't planning on seeing it anyway (I think the last non-Star Trek, non-Star Wars movie I saw was MIIB, the last quasi-Disney film I saw was Monsters, Inc., and the last real Disney film I saw in a theatre was probably Fantasia 2000 [and before that, the original release of Beauty and the Beast]), but does anybody have a mailing address for a "scathing letter to the studio"?

MontanaKC
07-02-2003, 08:16 AM
After reading David Koneg's column on today's Mouse Planet about Disney treatment of Cast Members last Saturday at the POTC Movie Premier, I am just outraged. I would like to offer my sincere condolances to all Employess of Disneyland who were treated like convicted criminals and imprisoned in darkness Saturday night.

I am a new poster to this board, so I apologize in advance if this is common knowledge.

Where can I read this column?

Thanks -

Kim

hbquikcomjamesl
07-02-2003, 08:19 AM
Where can I read this column?Here. (http://www.mouseplanet.com/david/dk030702.htm)

MontanaKC
07-02-2003, 08:25 AM
Boy, what service!

That sounds AWFUL. I guess Disney CM's aren't entitled to the same rights outlined in the Geneva convention.....

justagrrl
07-02-2003, 08:44 AM
That's pretty sad.

dnyduck
07-02-2003, 08:47 AM
I read that column this morning and felt like I had been hit by a truck. I could not believe how poorly the CM were treated. I remember growing up in So. Cal thinking that I couldn't wait to be old enough to work so that I could go work for D-land. My father was/is a Deputy Labor Commisionier for the State of CA and he always said that D-land had glowing reports on how they treated their empolyees and they had great pay...especially compared to other theme parks. Apparently this has changed since our move to Nor. Cal. I wonder what the Labor Commisionier would think about this?!?! Hmmm.....what about Cal/OSHA? That could be considered a safety problem that they were made to stay in a pitch dark area for 3 hours. I'm so mad that I could just...... I better stop now. Time to go calm down.

Grrrr.... :mad:

HBTiggerFan
07-02-2003, 09:07 AM
:mad: This is outrageous! I heard before that this happened, but to read about it and how bad it really was. :mad:

Letters, scathing letters must be sent straight to the studios.

MonorailMan
07-02-2003, 09:41 AM
It's a stinkin' movie. people! A week from today, anyone can see it! I think it would have been nice if they would have just let the CMs see the movie.

Wilted sandwhices, no light!? Come on Burbank, this isn't good PR with the Disney Geeks. I wonder if the celberties knew how the CMs were treated.

Afterall, if there were no CMs, there would have been no premier. :mad: :mad:

(I'll be writing a letter to Burbank) :)

Flubber
07-02-2003, 09:42 AM
I had heard the rumor on Saturday that the CMs were going to be told to stay under the bleachers during the actual screening of the movie. Preposterous! That would never happen. Nobody treats employees that poorly. It's a movie screening not a presentation of our national defense strategy.

Boy was I wrong.

I'm sorry park management used such a poor plan to respond to the studios demands. Small incidents like this keep adding up to an ugly picture of how the Disney Company regards their employees and customers. This particular episode also clarifies the heirarchy within the company, the parks (at least in California) are just above parking lot in critical assets.

stagedoorjonny
07-02-2003, 09:47 AM
Where should we send the letters to? Was this even legal with the labor laws and union contracts?

crc9998
07-02-2003, 09:54 AM
That is just horrible! :(

Disneyphile
07-02-2003, 10:05 AM
Well, looks like Disney is finally living up to that internal "Mousewitz" nickname.

This is really, really sad.

Just like that one CM mentioned, why couldn't they move everybody into Fantasyland Theater, and even if they didn't want to show POTC - how about some other movie or something? And then at least open up the snackbar back there to give them all pizza and hotdogs at least. Good grief! :mad:

Walt has *got* to be "churning in his urn" over this one.

hbquikcomjamesl
07-02-2003, 10:21 AM
A model letter:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It has come to my attention that during the special screening of your new Pirates of the Caribbean movie, virtually every Disneyland cast member on the West Side was forced to endure three hours of confinement in near-total darkness, because of your demands that only the invited guests be allowed to see the film.

If this were inflicted upon death-row inmates in a U. S. prison, for anything less than starting a prison riot, their attorneys would almost certainly be invoking the Eighth Amendment. If a nation were to inflict this upon prisoners of war, the Red Cross would be on its proverbial back.

For much of the past half-century, particularly during the years when Disney theatrical films were a laughingstock, it was the theme parks, and Disneyland in particular, that kept the Disney organization afloat, and it was the Disney theme park Cast Members who kept the parks afloat. Disneyland cast and management extended you every courtesy, far beyond what any reasonable person might expect. Yet you have treated Disneyland as your own private doormat, and treated the Cast Members in a manner that would, in any other industry, cause massive labor disputes.

You should know that until I have received word of a public acknowledgement of your deplorable act, and a public apology to all of the affected Cast Members, I will not watch this film. I will not go to any theatre to see it, I will not rent or purchase it on videotape or DVD, and I will not watch any television broadcast of it; I will also make my friends, colleagues, and family aware of what you have done, and encourage them to also boycott the film.

================

Use your own words, of course, but be sure to include a statement that you are boycotting the film.

NOW ALL WE NEED IS AN ADDRESS!

MontanaKC
07-02-2003, 10:32 AM
I am in awe of your entire letter!

::::bowing::::: We're not worthy! We're not worthy!

That was amazing, and I'll be happy to add my name to a letter just like that one.

On a side note, I have a friend who works at Disney in Burbank. She said she was asked if she wanted to work at the Premiere. She usually loves to do those things, but couldn't do it this time.

Sounds like she dodged the proverbial bullet.

Fantasmic Fan
07-02-2003, 10:33 AM
I too just read the article and I am outraged and very angry about the way the CMs that worked the event were treated! :mad: Some of the CMs signed up to work the event because they thought that it would be fun but then to be treated like a herd of cattle during the premiere. Either the CMs should have been allowed to view the film at the ROA, watch it or another movie at Fantasyland Theater, or they should have opened up a land for the CMs to hang out for the next three hours as an appreciation for working such a publicized event that Disney has never held before. Disney hit bottom with its CMs on Saturday. I do feel very sorry for those CMs who worked the event and had to be treated that way. The Cast Members are people and should be treated as people...equals!


The company and guests should be lucky that the CMs of the Disneyland Resort are still able to experience the magic of the parks after such an event like Saturday because those CMs who continue to strive to provide over the top guest service are the ones who are there for what Disney stands for and believe in the magic.

Fantasmic Fan
07-02-2003, 10:38 AM
I just read your model letter hbquikcomjamesl and all I have to say is...nice work! I really like the letter! :)

Lost Boy
07-02-2003, 10:47 AM
Send the letters to:

The Walt Disney Studios
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-7710

I am not sure which division or dept it should be directed to. But at least we have the address.

Andrew
07-02-2003, 11:01 AM
Mighty Alweg's Dear Disneyland (http://members.tripod.com/~MightyAlweg/) has a list of mailing addresses and telephone numbers for both the Resort and the Company.

timl33
07-02-2003, 11:10 AM
Just make several copies and send it to several different departments, including the President and all the Vice Presidents of the company.


Originally posted by Lost Boy
Send the letters to:

The Walt Disney Studios
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-7710

I am not sure which division or dept it should be directed to. But at least we have the address.

Disneyphile
07-02-2003, 11:25 AM
A friend of mine works at the studios, and I've asked them for an actual name of a person in charge of film PR there. I'll post it as soon as they reply, so we can get those lettings going. :~D

dnyduck
07-02-2003, 11:30 AM
Originally posted by stagedoorjonny
Where should we send the letters to? Was this even legal with the labor laws and union contracts?

It depends on if the CMs are union or not. I seem to remember that they are. If that is the case, then the CMs need to file a complaint with their Union, who in turn should fight for the employees. If they are not union, then a complaint should be filed with Cal/OSHA (and the Department of Industrial Relations if there are wage problems in relation to this event). I just spoke to my father (the Dep. Labor Commisionier) and he said he is almost positive that the CMs are union employees. He was also very surprised to hear how they were treated (as I stated before, Disney has always had a great record with them).

As far as us Disney Fan-atics, we can write letters, boycott, et cetera. You can bet I will be writing a letter and telling everyone I know about this.

Someone You Dont Know
07-02-2003, 11:42 AM
"Hey! Disneyland wasn't nice to its cast members for the Pirates premiere and even though it's a really good movie and the performances are wonderful, lets boycott it!! Yeah, that'll teach 'em!!!!" :rolleyes: Oh, puh-leeeeeeze... gimme a break. Why should the artists that worked on the film be punished just because Disneyland didn't treat their cast members right?

If you honestly think it'll make a difference, hold your breath. ;)

dnyduck
07-02-2003, 11:46 AM
According to "The Walt Disney Studios Online" this is a list of their "Key Contacts":

Gil Gagnon Vice President 818-560-8115

Buena Vista Sound
Kristen Janusis Sr. Manager, Dubbing 818-560-1576
Deborah Dacher Sr. Manager, Editorial 818-560-5233
Glenn Ragland Sr. Manager, DVD & Sound Transfer 818-295-3125
Steve Boze Director, Engineering 818-560-1769
Kenney Escher Manager, Scheduling 818-560-2731

Buena Vista Imaging
John Chambers Executive Director 818-560-5542
Donnine Moeller Sr. Manager 818-560-1119
Hal Cohen Effects Producer 818-560-5339
Ben Hendricks Film Librarian 818-560-1270

Andy Henry Manager Media Services 818-560-1915

Morrigoon
07-02-2003, 11:51 AM
Unions are useless. Especially Disney ones. Unless you're a CM who should be fired - the unions are great at keeping bad CMs on the payroll.