Disneyland’s President Moves to Global Post

Walt Disney Co. on Friday promoted Disneyland President Paul Pressler to the No. 2 job in its global theme park and resort empire.

In four years at Disneyland, the 42-year-old Pressler played a key role in the planning to make Anaheim a “destination resort” by adding a second park with a fancy new hotel and a separate retail, entertainment and dining zone.

But his regime also produced detractors who said he overemphasized retailing and cost-cutting and paid too little attention to new attractions.

Pressler will now oversee operations in Anaheim, Florida, Tokyo and Paris. He also will supervise Walt Disney Imagineering, the company’s design team, and Disney Regional Entertainment, which is opening smaller attractions such as DisneyQuest “virtual theme parks” and ESPN Sports Zones, sports-oriented dining, viewing and game complexes.

The Imagineering and Regional Entertainment units were run separately in the past.

Pressler said his successor at Disneyland will be picked in the next few weeks from within the company.

Pressler’s new title is president of Walt Disney Attractions. In that job, he takes over from Judson Green, who will become chairman and focus on expansions in China and other countries. Green replaces Richard Nunis, 66, who will retire as attractions chairman but remain on the Disney board.

Pressler said he learned only last week that Disney Chairman Michael Eisner had decided to promote him.

Theme parks and resorts contributed about a quarter of Disney’s $23 billion in revenue this year and a third of its $4 billion in operating profits.

“The good news is all of our businesses are incredibly healthy,” Pressler said in an interview.

He noted that additional hotels in Florida and perhaps in Anaheim as well are potentially part of Disney’s “aggressive expansion plans.”

As he departs from Disneyland, some longtime fans and employees of the park complained that Pressler’s background in licensing and the Disney Stores resulted in too many plush animals and glow-in-the-dark toys at the park and too little attention to maintaining and developing attractions.

Pressler drew criticism for closing some older attractions, such as the Submarine Voyage. A Tomorrowland overhaul opened to mixed reviews. And critics blasted a recent move--quickly rescinded--to shut down some major attractions early to save money.

Pressler insisted, however, that he is committed to Disney-style storytelling and quality.

“My primary mission is to continue to preserve the heritage,”

Daniel L. Head, a marketing consultant and former Disneyland employee, said Pressler leaves behind “a new management team that is unfocused and inexperienced.”

An Imagineering source said many on the creative team are taking a wait-and-see attitude toward the promotion, not being well-acquainted with Pressler. But his perceived penchant for the bottom line has some on edge.

“He’s known as a businessman, not a creative type,” the source said. “Ideally, we want to make more money for the company by creating better attractions, not by cutting corners. . . . That’s his reputation.” The Imagineers have always regarded themselves, along with the studio, as Disney’s creative heart, and Eisner has remarked on the frequent tensions between them and the park operators.

But Eisner said Friday that it’s time to arrange a marriage of convenience. “It streamlines our resort and regional operations in preparation for future expansion and growth,” he said in a prepared statement.

Longtime Disney board member Ray Watson said conversations about merging Imagineering with the parks operations have taken place since before Eisner joined Disney in 1984.

“If you ask the Imagineers who they’d like to report to, they’ll say no one except for Michael Eisner,” Watson said.

“But if you say they have to report to someone else, it would be Pressler. And that’s as a result of working with him on the second [park] in Anaheim.”

Green, the attractions division chairman, noted that Disney this year opened the Animal Kingdom park and the Disney Cruise Line in Florida. With that done and planning nearly complete for second Disney parks in Anaheim and Tokyo, “it is now time to turn up our potential elsewhere in the world,” he said.

He said full-fledged parks, as well as smaller attractions, are possible abroad.

With tourism a huge growth industry worldwide, Disney is eyeing the Pacific-Asia region, Brazil and Europe for new park sites, Green said. But the world’s most populous country tops the list.

A recent visit to China persuaded Eisner the time is right to expand Disney’s film, consumer products and parks operations there, Green said. He said “serious conversations with the Chinese” will soon be held about what shape the ventures will take.

PaineWebber entertainment analyst Christopher Dixon said the reorganization is welcome and shows “the depth of the company’s bench.”

As Disney expands, the 90,000-square-foot DisneyQuest centers--which among other things allow visitors to design their own roller coasters and ride them on simulators--are especially important to watch, he said.

“DisneyQuest is one of the hidden gems of the Walt Disney Co.,” Dixon said. “What an idea--putting a theme park in a box and bringing it to local neighborhoods.”

Arthur Levitt, president of Disney Regional Entertainment, said he expects that a DisneyQuest will eventually become part of the Anaheim complex, Disney’s California Adventure, although not necessarily when the new park opens in 2001.

Times staff writer Marla Dickerson contributed to this story.

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Profile: Paul Pressler

Age: 42

New position: President of the newly formed Walt Disney Attractions segment

Previous position: President of Disneyland Resort

Background: Named president of Disneyland in 1994. Joined Disney in 1987 as vice president of Disney Licensing, later becoming vice president of Disney Consumer Products, then executive vice president and general manager of the Disney Store, increasing stores worldwide from 160 to 335.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in business economics from State University of New York at Oneonta

Personal: Married, two children

Residence: Pacific Palisades

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Disneyland Under Pressler’s Term

1994

* November: Pressler appointed president

1995

March

* Indiana Jones ride opens

July

* Park celebrates 40th anniversary

1996

February

* Whimsical new Disneyland administrative headquarters building designed by architect Frank Gehry opens adjacent to park

March

* Disneyland’s strict employee dress code updated to include business casual attire, jewelry and nail polish

October

* Plans for the $1.4-billion Disney’s California Adventure, a second theme park to be built adjacent to Disneyland, get the green light

November

* Record crowds flock to see final appearances of the Main Street Electrical Parade

* Disneyland devotees criticize quality and overabundance of merchandise for sale in the park as “cheap carny goods.” Critics also note downturn in park’s spotless appearance after maintenance and cleaning crews are reduced to cut costs

1997

September

* Light Magic, a $20-million street extravaganza, flops as a replacement for the Electrical Parade

1998

May

* Submarine ride closes without a replacement attraction

* Remodeled Tomorrowland opens to mixed reviews

June

* Mulan parade opens to rave reviews

Sources: Walt Disney Co., Times reports

Researched by JANICE JONES DODDS / Los Angeles Times