Stupid Guest Tricks

Another icon gone. So sad. :(

Thank you Roy for keeping Walt's legacy and vision alive.

Anyone else concerned for Disney's future path with Roy's passing? Roy seemed, at times, to be the only one keeping the corporation from becoming just another "big business." It seems to be slipping away from Walt's true vision more each year (the "Disney Parks" homogenization in food, rides, and merchandise has really ticked me off) and with Roy now gone I question what will happen next.....

The message from Bob Iger:

"It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of our friend and colleague Roy E. Disney. After a courageous year-long fight with stomach cancer, he passed away peacefully this morning at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, surrounded by his loving family.

"Roy played an important role in our lives here at Disney, and in the success of our Company over many years. Along the way, he touched many of us in a personal way. During his 56-year association with the Company, his true passion and focus was preserving and building upon the amazing legacy of Disney animation that was started by his father and uncle. His commitment to the art of animation was unparalleled and will always remain his personal legacy and one of the greatest contributions to Disney’s past, present and future.

"Roy not only helped to keep the legacy alive, but he also embraced new technologies, and gave the filmmakers the tools they needed to tell their stories in new and exciting ways. He encouraged talent, and loved working with the creative community. And they loved working with him.

"Roy was a Disney Legend in every sense of the word, and his contributions to this great company have been profound and will always be remembered. For the next week we will be flying the Disney flag at half mast here at the Studio and at our parks, and I know you join me in sending thoughts and prayers to Roy’s wife, Leslie, his four children, and his 16 grandchildren. For those who wish to pay their respects, the family has requested that donations be made in Roy’s name to the California International Sailing Association (CISA) to benefit youth sailing."

I only met Roy E once, but it told me a lot about the man.

We were having a rededication ceremony for the Roy O. Disney, the locomotive named for his father, on the occasion of its return from major rehab, as we had done for the other engines in their turn. Roy got word of it -- it seems he kept track of that engine -- and decided to join us.

The event was unremarkable, lots of conductors and engineers standing around the locomotive with Roy at the throttle for a group photo. But even that felt more like a "welcome home" party than the usual corporate photo op.

After the photos, Roy shook hands with all in the cab, then started to work his way through the crowd of perhaps sixty cast members there. His aide tried to remind him of an appointment he was going to be late for, and Roy informed him, "These are the people that make this Railroad, and this whole Park, work. I have a lot more in common with them than with those stuffed shirts at the meeting -- they can wait a bit."

He may have inherited his uncle's famous looks, but he got all of his father's knack for understanding how to reach people, and which people were important enough to reach out to.

Good show, "Idiot Nephew"!

DisneyChick7 wrote:Thank you Roy for keeping Walt's legacy and vision alive.

Anyone else concerned for Disney's future path with Roy's passing? Roy seemed, at times, to be the only one keeping the corporation from becoming just another "big business." It seems to be slipping away from Walt's true vision more each year (the "Disney Parks" homogenization in food, rides, and merchandise has really ticked me off) and with Roy now gone I question what will happen next.....

I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Make no mistake; I am truly saddened by Roy's passing. He will most definitely be missed.

But generally speaking, the Walt Disney Company as a whole has been doing a lot better since Micheal Eisner left.

Roy E. Disney was especially involved with Disney Animation, and recently, the Walt Disney Animation Studios has been doing very well, thanks to the new leadership from John Lasseter, among others.

Regardless of what one may think of Pixar, John Lasseter believes in quality and that STORY is the most important thing.

Now obviously, not everything in the company is perfect, but nothing is ever perfect.

All we can ever do is hope for the best.

Well dammit... other than Jiminy Cricket, there is no conscious left in the Company.

I did notice that a flag on property was at half-mast today. Now I know.

I truly don't want to believe he is the last "Disney" to give a damn. Maybe one day one of the grand kids will step up to the plate and take a firm hold on family legacy and tradition.

D23 has a nice article remembering Roy;

http://d23.disney.go.com/articles/12160 ... isney.html

hobie16 wrote:Hell of a sailor. He owned the TransPac.

He sure did hobie. :) Roy lived for TransPac. Roy's smile would light up Newport Bay just like the Christmas Boat Parade as TransPac neared. We saw him but never met him. Roy always seemed friendly, smiled & waved at those he passed. I loved his many colorful sailing sweaters. Roy, you were always beneath wings, yet you gave The Disney Co. so very much. A sailor's salute to you. R I P Roy E. Disney.

Oh wow! This is so sad :(