Post by Admin on Sept 24, 2019 0:21:46 GMT
www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-parks-veteran-steps-down-sluggish-star-wars-land-attendance-1242748
Disney Parks Veteran Steps Down Amid Sluggish Star Wars Land Attendance
Catherine Powell, a 15-year veteran at Disney, is leaving the company after the 'Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge' attraction launches fell flat.
Catherine Powell, who oversees the U.S. and Paris theme parks for The Walt Disney Company, is leaving the studio, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
As president of Disney Parks West, Powell was in charge Disneyland Paris, Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Powell was also in her post during the recent openings for two new Star Wars lands — Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Walt Disney World in Orlando, and another at the California Disneyland park — that fell flat on attendance.
Disney had to follow up the poor turnout for the Star Wars attraction launches with discount pricing and aggressive marketing.
It's understood from sources at Disney that Powell's post has been eliminated, and she will help in the transition as her staff reports to Disney Parks, Experiences & Products Chairman Bob Chapek.
The studio had high expectations for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, which feature two rides — Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run — and varied sci-fi shops and restaurants with Star Wars themes.
But hype around the new Star Wars lands appears to have dissuaded some from attending soon after the launches. Shortly after it was announced that Galaxy's Edge would open late May, Disney revealed that a no-cost reservation (in addition to a park ticket) would be needed to access the Star Wars land from May 31 through June 23.
Powell has been with Disney for 15 years, joining the company in 2004 following senior management roles at BBC Worldwide covering TV sales for central and eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Her departure also stands in contrast to Disney CEO Bob Iger in a New York Times profile on Sunday promising to put more women in top executive positions at the Hollywood studio, with an eye to greater gender parity.