The Walt Disney Company, 2068

“The riskiest thing thing we can do is maintain the status quo.”

—Robert Iger, CEO of Disney

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Dear Delegates,

My name is Thomas Moy and it is my pleasure to welcome you to WUMUNS 2018! I am a member of the Class of 2021 at Washington University where I study International Area Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. Before I arrived here on campus, I had never participated in Model UN. Since I joined, however, it has become a staple of my college experience. The idea for this committee arose from my love of all things Disney, something I hope you share as well. In this committee, delegates will represent various executives and employees within The Walt Disney Company and others from outside the company. The year is 2068, and Disneyland in California has just closed its doors for the final time. Disney has been on a steady decline over the past few decades, and the closure of this legendary park may be the beginning of the end of the company. Your job as a committee is to save Disney from its impending doom and restore it to its former glory. As a director, I hope to create a challenging and fun experience that will make you think both critically and creatively. This is a futuristic committee, which can be challenging for research efforts. I encourage you to focus your preparation on what you as a delegate and as a character would like to accomplish. One does not need to know all of the details of the world fifty years in advance to interact with it successfully; much of the world will be shaped by the way you as individuals and a body interact with it. Be creative and embrace the flexibility presented to you as an opportunity, not an obstacle. That being said, if you have any questions or concerns, please email me at [email protected].

Walt Disney once said, “the way to get started is to stop talking and start doing.” With that, I wish you good luck.

Sincerely,

Thomas Moy [email protected]

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Contents

Committee Mandate……………….…………..……………………… 5

Historical Background…….……………………………...…………. 6 Battle for the Spotlight: A Profile of Time Warner.…………….. 8 Innovation & Change of the 21st Century……………………...... 9 Topic A: Competition and External Affairs………………. 10 Topic B: Content and Creativity...... 11 Topic C: Management and Internal Affairs……….……… 12

Delegate Positions………………………………………………………. 14 Sources………………………………………………………..………………. 22

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Committee Mandate

Lights. Camera. Showbusiness. You all gather today as members of the Special Emergency Board of the Walt Disney Corporation. The year is 2068. After a century-and-a-half of upward momentum, the juggernaut of media that is Disney has faltered. Market forces are shifting. Concept wells are running dry. Old competitors are bursting with new energy. The stakes are high and the future is uncertain; that’s why the shareholders have called on you, the helmsmen and women of one of the world’s largest entertainment empires, to guide Disney and its subsidiaries through this tumultuous time. Members include leaders who represent Disney Corporation as a whole and others who represent specific entities, such as theme park or movie divisions. The meeting takes place in 2068 at the Disney headquarters in Burbank, California. Business experts, creative geniuses, and assorted representatives from all walks of life gather now in the Executive Boardroom. Your task will be to save the company from failure. The committee will be given full power as to what actions the company will take; anything the committee decides goes. The committee will also have full access to any product or service the company provides (movies, parks, toys, etc.). This being said, certain members will have specific advantages with these products depending on their positions. For example, an animator will be more able to utilize resources in the film production department than the director of parks. Each member of committee is encouraged to use these advantages for both the good of the group and for personal gain. While the focus of the committee will mainly be contained to the United States, it may be expanded internationally. By your efforts, Disney will rise again to the international spotlight, or tumble, like so many great corporations of the past, into oblivion. Ladies and gentlemen, the future of Disney is in your hands.

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Background

On October 16,1923, Walt Disney and his brother Roy signed a contract with a distributor to create a series of films called “Alice Comedies.” The studio was originally called “Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio,” but was later changed to the “Walt Disney Studio.” Then on November 18, 1928, Steamboat Willy opened in New York City, marking the birth of the famous Mickey Mouse. As time went on, Disney’s success grew. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was released in 1937; it soon became the highest grossing film of all time until Gone With the Wind broke that record two years later. The momentum continued on July 17, 1955 when Disneyland in Anaheim, California first opened its doors. This marked the world’s first “theme park.” However, in 1966, the company hit a large bump when Walt Disney passed away. Despite the fact Walt’s brother, Roy, took over, Disney became dormant. Except for the opening of Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida in 1971, not much was accomplished during the 70’s and 80’s. This era was subsequently labelled “The Dark Age of Disney.” In 1989, The Little Mermaid was released. Produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, this new take on the old animated musical romance story kick-started the Disney Renaissance. The film was a massive success. It won two Academy Awards and marked Disney’s return to prominence after more than a decade of relative obscurity. The Little Mermaid was followed by a plethora of iconic movies, including Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Mulan and Tarzan within a ten year period from 1989-1999. The movies won 11 Oscars and many of the songs were awarded multi-platinum status by the Recording Industry Association of America. In the next decade, Disney returned to its pre-Renaissance state. Though the recently acquired Pixar studio churned out a few successes, such as Finding Nemo, Toy Story and Monster’s Inc., the era was marked by a lack of consistency in Disney studio projects. Chicken Little, Bolt, and The Princess and the Frog were all generally received as dissapointments. In 2005, Robert Iger took over as president of the company. Under Iger’s watch, Disney rebounded from a period of hardship. In 2013, Frozen came out and became the highest grossing animated film of all time. Then, in 2016, Moana was released, and the second Disney Renaissance begun. The acquisition of Marvel in 2009 and Lucasfilm in 2012 proved to be genius, as 6 the continuation of the Star Wars saga and Marvel Cinematic Universe was a lucrative endeavor. Its success continued throughout the 2020’s and 2030’s. During this time period, Disney surpassed Comcast over as the largest entertainment company by a large margin. However, this momentum abruptly ended with the sudden death of Robert Iger in 2042. Without a clear leader, the quality of Disney’s product severely decreased and thus so did viewership, attendance at parks, and toy and merchandise sales. In 2056, one of Disney’s primary competitors became a true threat when Time Warner, Inc. (former parent company of Time Warner Cable and current owner of Warner Brothers Studios) entered a period of explosive expansion when the company purchased Snap Inc., owner of Snapchat, massively expanding its social media capabilities. It had an unparalled ability to distribute its content to a large portion of the American population. This greatly increased the new entertainment behemoth’s technological capabilities and influence in society. In 2020, it opened its first park in Abu Dhabi. The park closed after a few years due to political instability in the region, but from it Time Warner learned some valuable lessons about how to run a theme park. In 2060, Time Warner opened its first park in America, in Miami, Florida. Unlike its Middle Eastern predescesor, it was a huge success. Its ticket sales rivaled those of nearby Disneyworld. Characters under the Warner Brothers dominion became the vanguard of pop culture as the classic cast of DC Comics and Loony Toons stars joined with new icons from HBO’s premium television shows. Mickey Mouse, Captain America, and Han Solo were losing out to Bugs Bunny, Batman, and Daenerys Targaryen. As Time Warner began to grow in terms of parks, movies and merchandise, and overall cultural significance, Disney began to fade. In 2063, Time Warner surpassed Comcast, leaving it and Disney as the top 2 entertainment companies in the world. Every year, Disney and Time Warner vie for the title of most influential entertainment company; however, Time Warner has come on top every year in the past 5 years. Compounding Disney’s plight was the deterioration of Orlando, Florida, home to the famous Disney World. After years of protests from animal rights activists, Sea World eventually closed. As the smallest of the three main attractions in the area, the damage was minimal. However, the real tragedy came in 2060, when the Comcast-owned Universal Studios closed its doors for the final time. In 2057, Time Warner purchased the rights to Comcast’s most valuable asset, the Harry Potter franchise, marking the beginning of the end for Comcast. 7

With Time Warner’s rapid ascent, Universal Studios could no longer compete, leaving Disney World as the only major attraction in Orlando. As Disney World’s attendance fell, tourism in the city sharply decreased, causing the economy to deteriorate, with crime rising rapidly as a result. Gangs are now in control of the streets and a disproportionate amount of its citizens live in poverty. It now ranks as one of the most dangerous cities in America. Disney’s greatest symbolic blow came in 2068, when after over a century of service, Disneyland in California closed. Its closure was mainly caused by a failure of Disney to create new, exciting movies to draw customers in, and the rise of Time Warner’s parks’ popularity.

Battle for the Disney’s main competition is Time Warner. After Time Warner’s Spotlight: A meteoric rise in the past few decades, it has become clear that Disney will not Profile of Time return to prominence without a new competitive edge. Its finances are Warner particularly strong; it owns a variety of entertainment companies such as HBO, Warner Brothers and Turner Broadcasting system, which includes brands such as Adult Swim, Bleacher Report, Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS and TNT.

Of those companies, three particularly successful assets that will be important to committee are addressed below: Content - HBO: HBO has always been a pioneer in the field of premium TV, but after massive hits like Westworld and Game of Thrones, it became a leader in the creation of original content. Since the original series concluded its history-making 8-season run in 2018, Game of Thrones spin-offs continue to be successfully produced to the present day. Its online presence makes it accessible to almost anyone in the world and increases its viewership. Producution Studio - Warner Brothers: Warner Brothers is the primary entertainment arm of Time Warner, and is thus the biggest threat to Disney’s film and amusement park divisions. After recovering from some lackluster efforts in the first few decades of the century, DC Films and Entertainment is now constantly in contention with Marvel on the superhero movies front. After seeing the success of the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings films, Warner Brothers has cemented itself as every author’s go-to if he or she wants their book into a movie. Though still lacking on the animated film front, Warner Brothers is world renowned for its flexibility and attention to detail. Their studios in Los Angeles are able to churn out film after film that is not only low-cost but high quality. News - CNN: CNN is the news media arm of Time Warner. After constantly being attacked during the 2010’s, CNN came out of the Trump presidency stronger than ever. Since the era of Anderson Cooper, many CNN anchors and personalities are revered as intellectual celebrities. Perhaps no better example is Alejandra Lopez, a vibrant young woman described as a mix of Walter Kronkite and Oprah Winfrey. But the area where CNN has succeeded most over its rivals (Disney’s ABC and Comcast’s NBC) is its 8

digital presence. CNN is the news source of technology, from the latest smartphones to social media to smart home appliances. It has a dedicated userbase among young adults. Its impeccable journalism regarding all things politics has given it a very solid reputation. It’s rock solid reputation has made it the most viewed news network in the country.

Time Warner also owns four amusement parks around the world: two in the United States, one in London, England, and one in Seoul, South Korea. These parks are the main regional competition for its Disney counterparts. For example, Disneyland Paris and Time Warner’s Park in London compete annually for highest attendance in Europe. The company’s meteoric rise came in 2056 when it bought Snapchat. This came in wake of the failed 2018 merger with AT&T that was shot down by the Justice Department due to a violation of the nation’s anti-trust laws. The company took advantage of Snapchat’s unparalleled ability to access millions of people across the world. It made it especially easy for people to share content with each other, thus increasing the company’s viewership. Snapchat’s ability to instantly reach millions of people truly revolutionized the industry, something Disney has failed to adapt to.

The past fifty years have seen a number of groundbreaking innovations Innovation & and several continued patterns in technological capabilities. Smartphones, Change of laptops, and tablets remain popular and have improved in processing speed and the 21st power, but these devices have seen little radical change. Social media continues Century to be a major presence in daily life with Facebook still reigning supreme as the major player in the industry, despite several anti-trust scares. Thanks to philanthropic (and profit building) partnerships between companies like Google and Amazon and national governments, only a tiny fraction of the world has no access to the internet. Even the most remote villages of India or Amazonian Brazil now have access to communal tech centers where they can stay connected to the world. Perhaps the most notable development has been in the field of automated labor. Robots of today – mobile and fixed varities – are more efficient, reliable, and capable than ever before. A majority of industrial facilities now operate almost entirely by automation, supervised by a handful of engineers. Despite a slew of early failures lasting through the late 2030s, self-driving cars are now considered a safe and mundane technology. It is estimated that less than a third of the cars currently on America’s highways are driven by a human. This has had the most profound impact on shipping industries, as trucks are now able to operate and drive goods around the country twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Improvements in language modeling software has improved synthetic speech recognition and production capabilities to the point where many robotic workers have a seamless user interface. This has contributed to the newest and most significant breakthrough: the entry of robotic workers into service-sector jobs. Set up costs are high, but automated labor runs without complaint and without need for wages. This makes the prospect extremely enticing for many employers, especially struggling companies like Disney. While the conversation is

9 only emerging, worries are already flying around the HR department as whispered rumors say Disneyland never would have closed if low-level jobs had instead been automated. Introduction of automated workers would surely lower Disney’s operating costs substantially – perhaps making parks profitable once again – but would cause extreme rifts internally as thousands of employees are fired and entire departments are cut down. As the committee convenes, automation of santitaion, food, and entertainment workers is a question that simmers quietly below the surface of professional pleasantries.

Topic A: Competition and External Affairs

Due to Disney’s financial misfortunes, there are a plethora of companies that would be willing to merge with it. Reminiscent of the 2056 merger between Google and Time Warner, any potential merger would cause a seismic shift in the industry. Disney is a massive company, worth roughly $165 billion, so a full buyout may not be feasible, however, a partial buyout of any of Disney’s assets is possible. Any potential deal must avoid inference breaching any anti-trust laws and thus, governmental interference. In America, there are three core anti-trust laws: the Sherman Act (1890), Clayton Act (1914) and Federal Trade Commission Act (1914). According to the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”), the Sherman Act outlaws “every contract, combination, or conspiracy resistant to trade” and any “monopolization, attempted monopolization or conspiracy or combination to monopolize.” The Clayton Act and Federal Trade Commission Act both essentially double down and reinforce the Sherman Act. Any violation of these laws can have serious consequences. Companies may be fined $100 million and individuals $1 million, accompanied by up to 10 years in jail. Both the FTC and Department of Justice (“DOJ”) enforce these laws. The FTC may go to federal courts to obtain an injunction or civil penalties, while only the DOJ can use criminal punishment.

Disney’s major assets include: - Content – Walt Disney Pictures: Walt Disney Pictures absorbed its sister companies, Lucas Films and Marvel Studios, and now houses most of the company’s creative personel. Lucas Films is best known for its

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creation of two legendary franchises: Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Both of these hold considerable nostalgic weight for older demographics, but Star Wars is held in much higher regard within the public. However, it has failed to engage a younger audience. While many of the spin-off series were successful in the 20’s and 30’s, any attempt after that was relatively unsuccessful. Constant remakes of what seems like the same movie has caused the public to lose interest. The movies no longer routinely break box office records like the sequels and anthology series in the 10’s and 20’s. The Marvel Cinematic universe is one that is ever expanding and remains profitable for Disney. While it started with Spider Man and Captain America, Marvel has evolved into an entertainment company that has a more diverse cast. The wide range of characters has given it the reputation of being a progressive entertainment company, a characteristic Disney values due to its past problems with racism and sexism. - Production Studio – Walt Disney Studios: Though the company is struggling, Disney remains king in one arena: animation. As successful as Time Warner has gotten, they can’t seem to figure out what makes Disney’s animation so… magical. That being said, producing animated films is not only time consuming, but costly. They simply cannot produce movies at the same rate as Warner Brothers. Additonally, all of the content it produces is generated in-house; it has trouble attracting people from outside the company, whether they be authors or other creative speciallists. - News - ABC: ABC is made up of two main divisions: news and entertainment (including ABC, ESPN, etc.). Its entertainment division is consistent and, while it doesn’t produce any massive successes, Disney is looking for a new strategy to promote its content and stable revenue growth after its failed attempt at creating a streaming service to cmpete with Netflix deacades ago. there are shows that will bring are a constant and stable source of revenue. The news, division, however, is struggling in line with current trends in the U.S. television news industry.

Questions to Consider: • How can Disney surpass Time Warner and become the top company in the entertainment industry? • Should the company merge with another company or sell some of its assets or keep them and hope they improve in the long run?

Topic B: Content and Creativity

Due to Disney’s many failures over the past few decades, its public image has dropped significantly. Starting in the early 2000’s, Disney was constantly ranked as one the world’s most reputable companies. It maintained this reputation in following years and was often at the top of that list during its peak years in 20’s and 30’s. However, when the company failed to produce popular movies after the death of Iger in 2042, its public image declined drastically. This, in turn, resulted in a significant drop in ticket and toy sales along and a moderate slump in television viewership. The greatest humiliation came with the closure of

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Disneyland. Amusement parks are now and have forever been the most visible symbol of Disney’s power – what child born in the last century doesn’t instantly recognize Cinderella’s castle? Yet the Anaheim facility’s doors have now been shut and the numerous rides and attractions have begun to rust. This closure has tarnished the company’s public standing. The sense of wonder the Disney logo once instilled is increasingly being replaced by ridicule and dismissal. If Disney is to reclaim its spot as the top company in the entertainment industry, this must be remedied. In addition, it has been decades since Disney has released a legendary movie akin to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves or The Lion King causing its popularity to decrease dramatically. The success of Time Warner has led many creativity specialists to go to it instead of Disney. It has also caused these employees that work at Disney to leave and work at Time Warner. Committee must find a way to attract creativity specialists to the company and keep those already employed. Engaging and emotionally compelling movies have been the hallmark of Disney’s success, in order to once again rise to the top, it must go back to that.

Questions to Consider: • How does Disney prevent employees from leaving the company and going to work for competitors? • How will Disney create an iconic movie to bring the company back to prominence?

Topic C: Management and Internal Affairs

A large part of Disney’s legacy and influence in society is its various theme parks and resorts around the world. According to the Themed Entertainment Association (“TEA”), Disney’s theme parks attracted 132.5 million visitors in 2013, more than double its closest competitor. However, attendance at the parks fell sharply in the 40’s. Part of this trend was attributed to shifting vacation preferences in the market as a whole, but the impact of guests attending rival parks is certainly another important factor. With the closure of Disneyland in California, the company has 6 parks and resorts left around the world: Disney World in Florida, Aulani (resort in Hawaii), Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney, Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disney. While these attractions remain profitable, current operating costs of $1.718 billion could certainly be spent elsewhere to help improve the company. The committee may decide to close any, some, or all of the parks through committee directive. Committee also has the option to improve the parks to increase attendance. Recently, the parks have failed to attract high school and younger visitors who lack that sentimental value that many adults possess. Finding a way to draw visitors from this demographic is vital for the revival of Disney. In order to run the parks, Disney maintains a massive staff. Disney World alone employs over 62,000 people. There is a sense of uncertainty amongst them. After the closing of Disneyland, they know that the company isn’t doing very well and that there is a chance they will all be out of a job very soon. This is

12 leading to a frustrated and inefficient workforce which in turn is harming the park experience for visitors. A movement among park workers to ensure safety net measures are implemented in case their parks are closed as well is starting to spread in Orlando. There are rumors spreading throughout the employees of drastic action being taken in order to ensure their future safety.

Questions to Consider: • How can the company increase attendance at its parks? • How can another park closing be avoided? • How can the company create a better working environment for its employees?

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Delegate Positions

A decorated officer of the United States Army, White is a disciplined man. Jonathon White distinguished himself as an outstanding serviceman through White, Vice exemplary leadership during the United States’ response to violent uprisings President for that threw Puerto Rico into chaos during the 2050s. Ultimately retiring at the Security rank of Colonel, White has spent the last fifteen years bouncing from company to company. He developed an impressive resume in security services, eventually landing at Disney. In his current role, he oversees all divisions of corporate security including park security personnel, office security and survaillance systems, and cyber defense. Throughout his career, one thing has motivated him: his steadfast belief in the law. He will protect this principle at any cost, whether it be on park grounds or surrounding areas.

Disney’s failures may have been a public relations nighmare, but they could Sabrina Garcia, always be worse. Sabrina Garcia is the reason they aren’t worse. She is, by the Chief report of her many secretaries and assistants, the perfect mix of intelligence, Communications charisma and toughness. The statements she issues to the press are Officer compelling and convincing enough that often it seems as if she can manipulate the media anyway she wants. There’s just one problem; Garcia wants more. She feels as if she is going to put a pretty face on a struggling company, she deserves more of a voice at the decision-making table and her department deserves more funds and more respect. As meetings of the committee begin, Sabrina is dedicated to the company but determined to work with others in the company to ensure her needs are satisfied.

Kenji is a recent addition to Disney’s board of directors. Originally hailing Kenji from Osaka, Japan, Kenji is a very successful busnissman with a unique Yakamoto, international perspective. But Kenji’s success was not entirely a result of his Representative own hard work and perserverence. His brother, Hideki, is a prominent gang of the Board of leader in Orlando. By pulling a few strings with certain Disney World officials, Hideki was able to vault Kenji from a job as a director of park infrastructure Directors and technology all the way up to the executive penthouse. Thus far, Kenji has largely been kept clean but his brothers influence always looms behind him. For many other executives in upper management, Kenji’s dark ties represent the corruption that has crept into the company and undermined the principled values upon which it was built. With a powerful new position and a great deal of savvy at his disposal, Kenji must seize the opportunity to redefine his reputation or face the consequences of suspicion.

As daughter of Christine McCarthy. Disney’s former CFO, Taylor grew up Taylor experiencing Disney’s second renaissance from the inside. Every evening, her McCarthy, mother would come home exhausted yet satisfied from the work of the day. Chief As the company began to spiral downward, she feels as if she has contributed Financial to destroying the legacy her mother helped to create. For Taylor, this is a personal matter. Armed with an outstanding education from one America’s Officer finest private schools and undergraduate and graduate degrees from an outstanding universities, Taylor feels confident in her capabilities. Her 14

numerous wealthy friends on Wall Street, in the federal government, and in main competitor Time Warner itself don’t hurt either. She is willing to do anything it takes and spend any amount of money to return the company to its former glory.

Jacque Bernard, Jacque was born in Paris to a French-American family. If you ask him about his upbringing, he will tell you his Parisian mother gave him his love of food Executive while his Texan father taught him discipline and the meaning of hard work. Coordinator for In 2052, Jacque saw that hard work pay off when he graduated from International Washington University in St. Louis at the top of his class. With a double major in international relations and corporate strategy, Bernard started work Interests at the Walt Disney Company. He quickly rose up the ranks of Disney before becoming head of international affairs for the company at the young age of 38. Perhaps due to his success or perhaps due to his French accent, he is extrememly cocky. As time has passed, he has come to realize that the American spirit his father spoke of in his youth has vanished. Now, he firmly believes that Americans live in a lazy, technology-dependent culture. Further investment in America, in Bernard’s opinion, is a lost cause. If Disney is to prosper and remain competitive, it must look outward and break into new markets.

Carter has worked extremely hard to get to the position he is at today. He Carter Fox, began working as a sanitation working right out of high school, and has Head of Park slowly worked his way into being Head of Park Staff. At the ripe old age of 70, Staff he has seen ebbs and flows of the company. Ultimately, doesn’t want the career he worked so hard to build to be destroyed. That’s why the issue of automated staff infuriates him. He feels that he cannot sit idly by and watch as robots replace the hard-working concession stand workers and clean-up crews that he loves and respects. There are very few things that get past Fox’s mild and kind-hearted disposition but the prospect of over-reaching executives firing his staff and cutting his division does the trick. Fox is a firm believer that the old ways are the best ways. From janitors to food-concession workers to costumed characters, Fox loves his employees and will protect their interests with steadfast resolve. That honest and earnest personality has made him extremely well respected by his staff who will do just about anything for him.

Through hard work and sometimes cutthroat determination, Rebecca Rebecca Goldstein has been successful throughout her whole life. She wasn’t use to Goldstein, failure. That is why the closure of Disneyland was extrememly embarrassing Chairman of and a large blow to her ego. She has promised herself that she will not allow Walt Disney another failure of such a magnitude and severity. Recently, Goldstein’s marriage has suffered as she spends many a sleepness, coffee-fueled night in Parks and her study drawing up new ideas for resort package deals or new advertising Resorts campaigns for Disney world. Delegation has always been a weakness of hers, America and though her skill is high she must be careful she does not push herself too far. Still, there is nothing worse to Rebecca than failing to do her job correctly. She must prove to the board that she is still capable of doing it well.

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Disney has always prided itself in its ability to transport its park visitors to Maria another world. This cannot be done without the imagineers. They work Peterson, tirelessly to create rides and attractions that are seemingly impossible to Director of create. There is no better example than Maria Peterson. Throughout her Park many years at Disney, she has played a role in many of the company’s most successful attractions. Before rising through the ranks of management, she Improvement was a front-line imagineer. A graduate of the California Institute of and Chief Technology, she was responsible for numerous technological integrations that Imagineer improved customer experience within the park. Her advocacy of automated concessions and sanitation services threatens to cut numerous park employees, putting her at odds with numerous officials in the Park Staff department. Yet given the recent closure of Disneyland and the troubling financial records of other parks, Maria sees little other choice. Pushback on the issue of automated staff and restrictions on her creativity in new projects have increasingly frustrated Peterson. She has a job offer from Time Warner and while she would never want to betray Disney, she is seriously considering it

Animation is what Disney does best and nobody does it better than David David Gonzalez. During his time at Disney, he has overseen and directed many of Gonzalez, its most iconic films in the past few decades. However, he has seen far too Chief many of his colleagues leave for the green pastures at Time Warner. Though none of them are as skilled as he is, every departure feels like a betrayal. The Creative toughest blow came when his closest pupil -- and his son -- Adrian, went to Officer of the rival company. They still remain in close contact, sometimes even Pixar Studios exchanging ideas. Gonzalez remains one of the most trusted and powerful – voices in Disney’s creative process. While recent new ideas have been a flop, Gonzalez feels that something big is coming – the idea that will save the company and save his career. Until that idea comes, David will continue tinkering around in his studio and writing to his many e-mail pen pals in the creative arts.

Aaron has been under an extreme amount of pressure lately. Disney has failed Aaron to produce a successful move in quite a long time. It was the recent failure of Jenkins, live-action catastrophe 1,001 Dalmations that cost the last Chairman his job Chairman of – Jenkins hopes with all his heart he will avoid such a calamity. As Chairman, Walt Disney Jenkins has a great deal of influence over the production and brainstorming of new movies; he can even veto a concept, though this is far form a popular Studios option. Before landing the job as Chairmanship, Aaron was a successful director and maintains connetions with many of the top producers and directors in the entertainment industry. Despite recent instability, Jenkins is a long-time leader in Disney and his word is highly respected among others in the company – including the CEO, XXXXX, a close friend and ally. He plans to use his connections and this status as an “elder statesman” to ensure success of the company.

The daughter of South Korean automotive tycoons, Emily has never really Emily Kim, had to work for anything in her life. Generally acting with a somewhat ditzy Owner and yet loveably professional demeanor, she is a regular judge on the long- Proprietor of running ABC show Shark Tank. On the show, she comes across as a spoiled Huingae heiress. In reality, she is anything but. Kim is tight-fisted genius when it Capital 16

comes to managing her money – and she has a lot of money. When she was 21, she used her inheritance to found Huingae Capital, a massively successfully venture capitalism firm. Every second of her free-time is spent on the phone with her clients, her employees, and her legion of brokers on Wall Street. She herself very rarely funds new projects – only the best of the best make the cut. Only once on the show has she funded a contestants project; it was an instant pizza maker that made millions of dollars on the market. Disney invited Huingae in hopes that the company could provide the spark of expertise and cash that could ignite its restoration. On the board, she hopes to provide such a service but will only do so when she is sure it will benefit her interests.

Growing up in Los Angeles, Amelia spent her childhood less than an hour Amelia Brown, away from Disneyland. She first visited when she was sixth months old. By Representative the time she was two, she was more comfortable toddling around the park from D23 than she was in her living room. At age four, her family purchased the Disney Fan highest-tier frequent visitor pass. By the time she entered grade school, her average week consisted of five days in the class, one day with her devout Club mother at church, and one day in Disneyland. While her mother may be a Christian, Amelia’s relgion is Disney. Her bedroom is filled wall to wall with Moana and Aladdin posters. Every night, she slept with tattered BB-8 plushie. She can sing the entire Lion King soundtrack, backwards. It’s safe to say that she is the biggest Disney fan there currently is, and probably ever will be. When Disneyland closed, she was heart-broken. Rumor has it the nineteen year old still wakes up early every Saturday morning to deliver a bouquet of roses to the foot the Mickey statue that stands outside the parks chained gates. Somehow, she caught wind of this secret meeting, she snuck past the guards, and got a seat. Once the executives realized she provided a direct link to the legions of fans who still love Disney dearly, they allowed her to stay. Now, she hopes to see the company she loves – and she wishes to hold whoever closed her favorite place in the world responsible.

Jackson has made some… questionable calls in the past. As Director of Jackson Programming, Jackson has a singnificant influence over what content goes on Bryant, air and what time slot each show gets. Starting as an intern on Good Morning Director of America with his long time rival Shelly Klein, Bryant has risen rapidly up the Programming, ranks. There is no doubt he is talented – ABC remains very popular among viewers, despite the fact that network television has largely declined as an ABC News industry. Yet many of Bryants calls have been almost disastarous; the decision to interrupt the 8 o’clock news with ad breaks every two minutes decimated viewership numbers for a solid six months and almost became a public relations fiasco. Looking forward, Bryant knows he will continue in the ambitious and innovative strategies that have built his career – he just hopes he will be able to be a little more careful.

In 2060, Feinstein was a rising star within the ranks of Snap Inc. He Frederick successfully created a streaming service through the Snapchat app, adding a Feinstein, whole new dimension to the viewership experience. However, his superior, Director of Ben James, took the credit for this breakthrough. Frederick quit in outrage Social Media over the betrayal. Eventually he sued James and his former employer but lost the case in court. The whole experience left Feinstein with a bitter resentment – 17

of other social media companies and a strong distrust of lawyers. In his duties as Director of Social Media, he is known for his intuitive knowledge of what resonates with users, his knowledge of the industry, and his uncompromising yet effective skill as a negotiator. Now he must balance the interests of the company with his own interest in sweet, sweet, vengance.

In an industry full of people willing to stab you in the back, Liam is propably Liam Jacobs, the most pure-hearted person outhere. In high school, he was voted the best Vice counselor at the summer camp where he worked. In college, the Chancellor President for himself gave him an award for outstanding service as an RA. Now, he has no Human other motivation other than for the good of the employees. As a good friend of Carter Fox, Head of Park Staff, he has worked tirelessly to make sure all of the Resources employees are treated fairly and well. But sometimes Liam’s dreams of fair and equitable treatment for all don’t materialize. The primary source of his headaches is his own department. Disney’s Human Resources Department is a massive sprawling enterpise that attempts to manage and coordinate across all subsidies with limited success. Liam would like to see this complicated network simplified and cut down, to the point where he can oversee and direct more day-to-day operations. While his wholesome reputation has earned access to the personal files of all employees, the increases in power and oversight that Jacobs desires will be much harder to achieve.

Catherine was formerly employed by the Federal Trade Commission, working Catherine in its anti-trust division. She eventually left the noble yet mind-numbing work Whelan, of civil service for the glitz and glamor of corporate entertainment Director of conglomorates. Flipping sides lost her a lot of friends in Washington, but her Government charm, expertise, and restriction-free corporate credit has earned her plenty more. Now, she uses her anti-trust law expertise to defend the mergers, Lobbying buyouts, and bold corporate moves that Disney wishes to make. Given recent Caucus struggles, Disney Executives know that the corporate empire has grown too large and unweildy. Selling off divisions may be on the horizon. Whelan is the first line of defense and the spearpoint of offense in such a deal. Although she is many years out of her government job, she still has the know-how and close contacts that may help the company push through big deals and avoid punitive regulations.

Who can forget Dominic Waters, who starred as Troy Bolton in Disney’s 2043 Dominic remake of High School Musical, the most successful movie of the decade? Waters, Certainly not Dominic Waters. He’s never forgotten what it felt to bathe in the Actor and spotlight. During the fever of HSM, “America’s Sweetheart” was treated to Former Teen weeks of special treatment, constant media attention, and exclusive party invitations. Waters thrived. Tragically, after the excitement surrounding the Idol movie died down and Dominic’s youthful faces started to garner wrinkles, he faded into irrelevance. Many thought the name Waters would never heard again. Until now. Now in his mid forties and spiraling in a mid-life crisis, Dominic has started using his charisma, his powerful Hollywood friends, and his personal fortune to weasel his way back into the center of the national stage. As one of the most iconic Disney actors of the past few years, he was invited to the board meeting. While he’s happy to see the company succeed, his first priority is to get back into the spotlight and return to his pampered life.

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Every morning, the sun rises over America. The birds chip, the coffee is Shelly Klein, brewed, and the beaming bleach-blonde face of Shelly Klein beams into living Host of Good rooms around the country. As a host on Good Morning America, Klein is on Morning TV almost everyday and is the face of ABC. But while the peppy banter she America shares with her co-host is entertaining, it leaves Shelly feeling… empty. Her dream job is to be a true journalist, to be the anchor of the 8 o’clock news. Sadly, obstacles stand her way. Many circle around her long-time nemisis, Jackson Bryant. The two interned together during their first days at ABC with Shelly in front of the camera and Jackson behind it. A fragile but necessary truce currently exists between the two as calculating Jackson handles the programming logistics of ABC’s daily schedule and widely beloved but hot- headed Shelly brings in the viewership numbers the company desperately needs. Still, Shelly’s dream persists. With a little bit of luck, a good deal of diligent networking, and a whole lot of smiles it may yet be hers…

Chad made his name as a YouTube icon. From hilarious pranks to gut-busting Chad Pesto, commentary on popular movies (including Disney’s popular yet painfully YouTube over-recycled Cars 13), Chad was the name on everyone’s lips throughout the Sensation early 2060’s. He was especially famous for his vlog series, Chad Abroad, in and Celebrity which he traveled the globe and lived in various international cities. In April of 2064, Pesto broke the record for most views on a single video in YouTube’s Vlogger Lifestyle and Vlogging category. Recently, other vloggers have started to move in on his dominance. These aren’t imitators replicating his distinct style or stealing his famous catchphrase.1 This is much worse. This is new talent. Tweens and teens are flocking to this next generation of YouTube celebrity, causing Chad to turn to employment from Disney for more stable income streams and causing him to worry constantly about his ever-increasing age. Hopefully no one in the audience notices this insecuirty – or the single grey hair he found on his left temple yesterday morning. While he is still the best, a gnawing fear in his gut says won’t be for long. He comes into the board meeting wanting to maintain his level of fame—at any price.

Disney has always prided itself in its use of music to enhance its movies. Julia Quinn, Songs like The Circle of Life, How Far I’ll Go, and Let it Go are a large part of Broadway the legacies of their respective movies. These are songs of wonder and Representative imagination, the kind of stuff parents and kids can’t get enough of. There’s no bigger hub for that kind of razzle dazzle than Broadway. For precisely that reason Julia Quinn, famed actress turned producer extraordinaire, was invited to the meeting. Quinn brings decades of Broadway experience, bother writing and performing. Though she’s a old name, she is well-versed in technology and is a forward-thinker; thespians and fans alike all remember her heart-wrenching revival of Phantom of the Opera which seamlessly incorporated cutting edge virtual reality technology to make the audience members feel like they themselves had been dragged down to the catacombs of Paris with Christine. Her disposition is quintessential broadway – cheery and enthusiastic yet histrionic and more than mildly narcisscistic. But don’t be fooled, Quinn’s more than just a character: she’s also a ruthless busniness woman. After seeing the success of both the Lion King and Frozen Broadway

1 “Life’s better with a little bit of Pesto!” 19

shows, she wants to get the rights to another Disney franchise and turn it into a show for her benefit.

Formerly an executive at Google, Sherman has contacts throughout the Kurt Sherman, software industry. After getting his masters in computer science from Software Stanford, Sherman founded Goliath, his own database and communications Development management firm. Disney currently has a contract with Goliath for a variety Consultant of internal operations, from human resources to research & development. In this respect, Sherman primarily works with Anna French, who is in charge of online security, to protect the company’s electric files from outside forces. He couldn’t be happier. Born and raised on classics like Coco and Incredibles 2, Kurt has an almost fanatical devoution to Disney’s animated movies. Privately, however, he is disatsified with his work. He believes his talents could be used in other ways, ways that actively benefit Disney and turn Goliath into something more than an electronic bureaucrat. He wants to go on the offensive and use his skills to attack Disney’s enemies. He’s got the know-how and he’s got the capabilities. All he needs now the authorization to act.

Anna French is charge of security for all of Disney’s digital files. If Disney Anna French, operates through its own cloud server, imagine French as the vigilent and Director of mildly wrathful angel perched on top of that cloud. While she manages a very Information large and very nerd division of engineers and automated protocol algoritms, Security she ultimately has perview over everything from the company’s financial data to everyone’s weekly lunch order. But Anna would never think of misusing this power; she always remains true to her ethics. Rather than mess about in the darkness, French sees herself as the moralistic beacon of light that brings justice to those who do wrong and keeps unscrupulous business professionals on the straight and narrow. While the nature of her job allows her to see the company’s deepest secrets, she does her best to squint whenever she looks. It’s good that she stays so grounded – after all, she is constantly monitored by her the higher-ups in the company to make sure there is no breach in security.

Mikhail “Mike” Abadi was born in Munich, Germany to a family of refugees Mike Abadi, who fled the civil war decimated Syria in the 2010s. To support his struggling General family, he began working in a local pub at age 15 as a dish washer. Through Counsel diligent work and a patient and earnest personality, he soon rose through the ranks until he was a host and waiter. Because the job was at a rather fancy restaurant, Abadi had exposure to many members of the visiting international elite. One such guest was Melinda Dagtree, a prominent New York lawyer. The two quickly began a friendship that blossomed beyond service formalities into a true close connection. Dagtreee became Abadi’s mentor, ultimately guiding him through and partially financing undergraduate and law school degrees from Columbia University in New York. Abadi is now the happy resident of a manhattan penthouse apartment, a fluent trilingual (Arabic, German, and English), and the pride and joy of Disney’s legal team. Be it worker’s rights disputes or mergers and acquisitions, Abadi is the first man to call when things get tricky. His status as a legal authority also gives him a great deal of leverage over other committee members; he can halt all work on a project if he fears it violates copyright law or safety regulations. While the

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hard-working Abadi is generally against aggressive use of these powers, he is pragmatic enough to know that desperate times for the company call for desperate measures from its employees.

Research and Development is an often overlooked division of the Andrea entertainment giant that is Disney. Funding is generally low and projects are Lawrence, Vice often sidelined by the Board of Directors for being too ambitious or risky. It’s President for frustrating work. Thankfully, Lawrence has the enthusiasm and manic Research and creativity to drown that frustration. She’s never afraid to get down into the weeds of her numerous project, be it designing new toys with the Development merchandising department or consulting with the imagineers on a park’s newest ride. Because her personal knowledge of everything from chemistry to electrical engineering is near unlimited, many of her coworkers have called her Disney’s own “mad scientist.” But while she may be a energetic force of a person, Lawrence remains extremely responsible. As VP of R&D, she oversees the imagineering department and keeps them on a fairly tight leash of high expectations. An innovator who believes the boundaries of science must always be pushed, Lawrence believes automation is the way forward in many of Disney’s struggling projects.

Some of the most beloved—and some of the strangest—Disney products of the Patty Okwando, past 20 years have been the direct brain-children of Patty Okwando. The life- Vice President sized Mike Wazowski plushie, featuring a two-foot diameter glass eye? Patty’s for creation. The autonomous BB-8 home companion, designed to follow its Merchandising owner around the house and chirp in a cute yet slightly unnerving way? Patty pulled some strings in R&D and made it happen. The mildly disastarous yet extremely profitable Mickey and Friends Sticker Gun, which launched extremely adhesive plastic stickers of the beloved cartoon figures as far as 50 feet in calm air conditions? Once again, Patty. If there’s one thing that surpasses Okwando’s creativity, it is her belligerent team of ace salespeople. Patty can push any product and turn even semi-dangerous flops into lucrative money makers. No one’s quite sure how Merchandising does it, but do it they do. While this has made Okwando’s department one of the most reliable in the current profit sink that is the Disney Corporation, it has gotten her into some trouble with legal officials. Rumor has it Patty owes General Counsel Mikhail Abadi more favors than Patty has employees. Rumor has it Patty’s close connections to R&D officials are the only reason she hasn’t been fired. Rumor has it Patty is the reason why HR recommended that Chief Communications Officer Sabrina Garcia see a therapist for workplace anxiety. As Disney moves forward, Patty is determined to leverage her business contacts and her many friends in foreign manufacturing to keep the merchandising profit flowing – even if it means going where no sane member of the board would.

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Strauss, Karsten. “The World's Most Reputable Companies In 2017.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 2 Mar. 2017

Sylt, Christian. “The Secrets Behind Disney's $2.2 Billion Theme Park Profits.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 21 Nov. 2014

Telling, Gillian. “10 Crazy Things You Never Knew about Walt Disney World.” TODAY.com,

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