CRISIS COMMUNICATION PLAN
MSC 529 – Crisis Communications Management
July 30, 2022
GROUP 2
Anthony Walker
C. Jewel Garcia
Donita Russell
Gwen Sullivan
Hiba Al Masoud
Leila Dorobantu
OVERVIEW
Crisis Communication Plan (CCP) for The Disney World Company. In the event of a crisis, use this plan as a guideline to follow to coordinate communications across internal and external channels. The crisis communication team will gather and analyze all external data related to the incident. It is imperative to keep the stakeholders always informed and ensure the safety of our customers.
MISSION
The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds, and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.
HISTORY
Walt Disney was born in Chicago in 1901 and started the Disney Brothers animation studio in 1923. In 1926 they changed the name of the company to Walt Disney Studios. On November 18, 1928, Walt created an innovative cartoon character named
Mickey Mouse, which became a national sensation.
Walt and Roy Disney sold Mickey Mouse merchandise and one million membership passes to the Mickey Mouse Club. As the company grew in characters and revenue, Disney Studio acquired a 50-acre lot in Burbank, California, to house their new studio. Disney’s early animated success story includes Snow white and seven Dwarfs, Dumbo, Bambi, Cinderella, and more.
In 1954, Walt bought 244 acres of land near Anaheim, CA, and opened Disneyland in 1955. After the success of Disneyland and its limited space, ten years later, Walt Disney Studios purchased over 28,000 acres of land in Orlando, FL, for the Disney World project. In 1966, Walt Disney died of cancer, and his brother Roy continued the family business. And Disney World opened its doors on October 1, 1971. Roy Disney died two months later from a stroke. (Disneyland Fact Sheet)
The Disney brand has Bob Chapek as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company. Six Disney resort destinations are California, Florida, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Paris, and China, with 12 theme parks. (Disney Fact sheet)
Disney has approximately 166,000 employees. As of 2019, Disney’s financials show sales revenue of $69.42 billion, with an increase in sales of 16.74%.
The Board of Directors:
Susan E. Arnold – Chairman of the Board
Bob Chapek -Director Since 2020
MARY T. BARRA - Director Since 2017
Safra A. Catz- Director Since 2018
Amy L. Chang - Director Since 2021
Francis A. DeSouza- Director Since 2018
Michael B.G. Froman - Director Since 2018
Maria Elena Lagomasino - Director Since 2015
Calvin R. McDonald- Director Since 2021
Mark G. Parker- Director Since 2016
Derica W. Rice – Director Since 2019
Executive Team
Bob Chapek, Chief Executive Officer
Alan Bergman – Chairman Content
Rebecca Campbell-Chairman International Content
Jennifer Cohen, Executive VP
Josh D’Amaro Chairman
Kareem Daniel-Chairman Disney Media and Entertainment
Carlos A Gomez-Senior VP and Treasurer
Horacio Gutierrez – Senior Exec. VP and General Counsel
Ronald Iden- Senior VP and Chief Security Officer
Dian Jurgens- Executive VP Enterprise Technology
Christine McCarthy- Senior VP and Financial Officer
Jolene Negre – Associate General Counsel
Latondra Newton- Senior VP, Chief Diversity Officer
James Pitaro -Chairman, ESPN, and Sports Content
Alexia S. Quadrani – Senior VP, Investors Relations
Paul Richardson – Senior Exec. VP and Chief Human Resources
Kristina Schake – Senior Exec. Vice President and Chief Communications Officer
Alicia Schwarz- Sr. VP Chief Compliance Officer
Dana Walden - Chairman of General Entertainment
Brent Woodford – CP Controllership and financial planning
The leaders of the Disney Parks, Experience, and Products include:
Josh D’Amaro ChairmanLisa Becket – Sr. VP, Global Marketing
Barbara Bouza – President Imagineering
Jill Estorino- President of Disney Parks International
Gail Evans – VP and Chief Digital Technology officer
Tashia Filiappatos -President, Disney Consumer Products, Games, and Publishing
Tami Garcia-Sr VP, Human Resources and Diversity and Inclusion
Margaret Giacalone -Chief Counsel Alannah Hall Smith- SR. VP. Communications and Public Affairs
George Kalogridis- President, Segment Development and Enrichment
Kevin Lansberry- Executive VP. And Chief Financial Officer
Thomas Mazloum – President, New Experiences Portfolio & Signature Experiences
Ken Potrock- President, Disneyland Resort
Jeff Vahle -President, Walt Disney World Resort
CRISIS IN THE PAST 10 YEARS
In October 2014, a 64-year-old woman lost consciousness on the ride and died. The death was not believed to be related to the ride.
On October 10, 2015, a mechanical failure stranded guests aboard Monorail Yellow traveling between the Magic Kingdom and Disney's Contemporary Resort. Firefighters could rescue all the passengers about two hours after their arrival.
On June 14, 2016, a 2-year-old boy from Elkhorn, Nebraska, was attacked by an alligator at 9:15 pm on the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon. At approximately 1:45 PM the following afternoon, his body was found near where he went missing. Since the incident, Disney has added warning signs and rope barriers to waterways around the entire resort. For a short time, references to alligators were removed from several attractions, including the Jungle Cruise.
On January 29, 2018, a 20-year-old man from Venezuela was accused and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior after he molested an 8-year-old boy on the ride. The boy and his mother were seated next to the man who put one of his arms around the boy's chest, his hand on the boy’s knee, and touched the boy’s groin during the ride. He was arrested shortly after that, although he claimed it was an accident.
On December 11, 2018, two buses collided near the Epcot Park entrance, and 15 people were taken to local hospitals suffering from minor injuries.
2019- Shut down due to Hurricane Dorian
2020 - Covid 19 Pandemic
RISK /VULNERABILITY CRISIS
Type
Likelihood
Impact on Organization
Impact on Stakeholders
Total
Disney World Alligator Attack
4
2
5
11/15
73.33%
-
This crisis has happened recently, prompting this CCP to be created. It had a minimal impact on Disney’s brand. It resulted in the death of a child stakeholder. This is a moderately severe potential crisis.
(2016) Body of a two-year-old attacked by an alligator at Disney World was recovered from the lake.
The Guardian.https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/15/disney-world-alligator-attack-boy-search
(2016) Disney handles a crisis right. Strategic Vision PR Group.https://www.strategicvisionpr.com/disney-handling-crisis-right/
Disney World Alligator Attack
5
1
2
8/15
53.33%
-
Box Office Failure
This happened every few years. It has a minimal impact on the Disney brand. It has a minimal effect on company stakeholders, who lose some money. This is a low-impact problem.
Kristopherll. (2021). Animated Disney box office bombs. IMDB.https://www.imdb.com/list/ls084011110/
4
2
2
8/15
53.33%
-
Toy Recall
4
1
2
7/15
46.67%
-
Employee Walk Out
This has happened this year. It has had a minimal organizational impact because only 75-100 people walked out, making the CEO look bad. It has had minimal stakeholder impact, only really impacting one studio. It has had a low overall impact.
Wallenstein, A. (2022). Disney is in crisis. Battling bobs doesn’t help. Variety. https://variety.com/vip/disney-is-in-crisis-battling-bobs-doesnt-help-1235211812/
4
2
2
8/15
53%
-
This often happens at Disney World. It has no real impact on the Disney brand because people keep coming to Disney World and buying Disney products. It has a minimal effect on customers who may feel disappointed. In general, it is not very important.
McOmber, S. (2022). 7 shocking Disney world ride malfunctions. All Ears.https://allears.net/2022/01/23/7-shocking-disney-world-ride-malfunctions/
This happened every few years. It has virtually no impact on the Disney brand. It has a minimal effect on customer stakeholders who return the products. This is a low-impact problem.
(2019) Disney Recalls the Forky 11” Plush Toy due to choking hazard.
The United States Consumer Protection and Safety Commission. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2019/Disney-Recalls-the-Forky-11%E2%80%9D-Plush-Toy-Due-to-Choking-Hazard
(2021) Walgreens recalls Disney baby Winnie the Pooh rattle sets due to choking hazards. The United States Consumer Protection and Safety Commission. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Walgreens-Recalls-Disney-Baby-Winnie-the-Pooh-Rattle-Sets-Due-to-Choking-Hazard
STAKEHOLDER IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION
Internal Stockholders
Top 10 Owners of Walt Disney Co.
Stockholder
Stake
Shares
owned
Total value ($)
Shares
bought / sold
Total
change
The Vanguard Group, Inc.
7.32%
133,300,322
12,583,550,397
+2,683,024
+2.05%
BlackRock Fund Advisors
4.12%
75,039,128
7,083,693,683
+419,317
+0.56%
SSgA Funds Management, Inc.
3.96%
72,175,793
6,813,394,859
-964,401
-1.32%
State Farm Investment Management ...
1.87%
33,996,592
3,209,278,285
-407,622
-1.18%
Geode Capital Management LLC
1.63%
29,671,741
2,801,012,350
+869,039
+3.02%
Northern Trust Investments, Inc.(...
1.32%
23,964,933
2,262,289,675
-225,517
-0.93%
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (...
1.06%
19,323,587
1,824,146,613
+731,470
+3.93%
T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (I...
0.95%
17,329,563
1,635,910,747
-8,035,522
-31.68%
Norges Bank Investment Management
0.81%
14,789,436
1,396,122,758
-2,099,368
-12.43%
BlackRock Investment Management (...
0.79%
14,411,383
1,360,434,555
-612,536
-4.08%
The Stakeholder analysis:
- The Walt Disney Company stakeholders are comprised of communities, business partners, board of directors/shareholders, employees, customers/guests, and major business segments.
- The board of directors/shareholders and the major business segments are in the section of high power and high importance.
- Internal stakeholders may include top management, project team members, internal manager, peers, resource manager, and internal customers.
- External stakeholders may include external customers, government, contractors and subcontractors, and suppliers.
CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM (CMT):
Head of Crisis Communication Team
CRISIS MANAGEMENT TEAM (CMT):
Head of Crisis Communication Team
Bob Chapek Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company
Josh D’Amaro - Chairman of Disney Parks, Experience, and Products
The CEO is responsible for the vision and success of The Walt Disney Company.
Legal –
Horacio Gutierrez, Chief legal officer, and Margaret Giacalone, Chief Counsel
The legal team will play a crucial role in the specific crisis. They will need to offer Disney World company legal advice on the attack and work with internal and external investigations.
Communication –
Alannah Hall Smith- SR. VP. Communications and Public Affairs
Kristina Schake – Senior Exec. Vice President and Chief Communications Officer
Manages all point of contact on all platforms, employees, stakeholders, customers, media, and social media. This role typically monitors and responds to all comments regarding the issue.
Safety Regulations-
Ronald L. Iden – Senior V.P. and Chief Security Officer, The Walt Disney
Focuses on developing the security efforts for all Disney locations. He will ensure the safety of the guests and employees. He will also work with the Orange County Wildlife Team (External) Team of people who monitors the alligators around the lake.
Compliance and Regulations-
Alicia Schwarz- Sr. VP Chief Compliance Officer
Oversee the culture of compliance and administer policies, procedures, and training throughout the organization. Closed the beach and reviewed the signs' systems, wording, and placement that warn guests about the reptiles.
APPENDIX
Press Release
Walt Disney World's president releases an official statement regarding the tragic alligator attack on the property - Inside the Magic.
The above link is the immediate response from the president of Walt Disney World “George A. Kalogridis” he gives this statement immediately after the incident. He was telling the public what happened and giving His and the family of Disney world condolences to the family of the victim. The president never admits guilt or wrongdoing. Mr. Kalogridis states facts of what happened and shows empathy to the public and family. The point is Disney is showing transparency and compassion.
https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/the-walt-disney-company-declares-semi-annual-cash-dividend-of-0-71-per-share-2/
On June 29th, Disney released the fiscal year profit report to all subsidiaries and stakeholders. They are announcing shares of stock and gross profits of 52.5 billion.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/15/alligator-two-year-old-child-disney-world-hotel-florida
On June 20th, the Guardian and other news sources reported on what happened to toddlers; there were signs indicating no swimming. The child’s father was said to have tried to save the child to no avail. An interesting wildlife officer on a news report states that alligators are very uncommon to attack humans.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/05/11/226-alligators-removed-from-disney-world-since-toddlers-death-5-years-ago/
-In 2020, another 46 alligators were plucked from Walt Disney World waterways. Nearly half of those removals occurred between late March and early July, while the resort’s hotels and theme parks were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
-In 2016, the year of the fatal attack, 83 alligators were removed from the resort. The following year, 57 alligators were captured.
-FWC has granted Walt Disney World special permits that allow the company to contact a trapper directly to remove nuisance alligators
-Under Disney’s Targeted Harvest Area permits, which were initially issued in 2009, two designated trappers are allowed to remove up to 500 alligators through April 2023
-Trappers, including those who work on Disney property, receive a $30 stipend from FWC for each nuisance alligator captured
Florida Fish Wildlife Conservation Commission (Law Enforcement Team)
Mission; – Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.
-FWC officers are trained and equipped to respond to emergencies, natural disasters, search and rescue mission
-Specialized response units are equipped to operate by sea, land, and air
Works with other law enforcement agencies to provide intelligence, security support, and critical incident investigations
Worked w/Disney Emergence Respond team on the search and rescue mission (in the recovery of Lane Graves)
Routinely remove alligators from the Seven Seas Lagoon when they are a threat (requested by Disney staff who monitors the alligators).
Disney Cast Member's Secrete Code
Code - Description
Alpha Unit - Signals that Emergency Medical Services is arriving via ambulance in response to a 911 call
Code 70 - Signal that a child is lost and cast members will guide the child to a Baby Care Center
Code 25 - Alert cast members of smoke or fire emergencies, which occurred in the past on theme park attractions, monorail, at fireworks presentation and shows with electrical systems
Code 101 or 102 - Announces that a ride has malfunctioned
Code V- Indicates a cast member mixed too much alcohol or food with the thrilling attractions around Disney Park which produced vomiting that requires instant attention to prevent contamination
Treasure Guest - Refers to a troublesome person who displays rude behaviors towards cast members/guests or disrupts performances
White Powder Alert - Cast members use this phrase when guests contemplate dumping their loved ones cremated ashes among the headstones at Haunted Mansion. This incident results in an immediate evacuation and a code 101 at the attraction where it occurs. Spreading loved one’s cremated ashes on Disney property is against their policy and is consider a crime. The individual will no longer be allowed in any of Disney Parks
Cast Member - This code applies to Disney’s entire staff. This is the idea Walt wanted to convey when he created the term. Everyone who works for Disney acted in the performance of his theme parks
REFERENCES
Watson, K. (2016). How Disney handles their crisis during a celebration. Public Relations Student Society of America. https://progressions.prsa.org/index.php/2016/06/30/disney-handled-crisis/
McOmber, S. (2022). 7 shocking Disney world ride malfunctions. All Ears. https://allears.net/2022/01/23/7-shocking-disney-world-ride-malfunctions/
(2016) Disney handles a crisis right. Strategic Vision PR Group. https://www.strategicvisionpr.com/disney-handling-crisis-right/
(2019) Disney Recalls the Forky 11” Plush Toy due to choking hazard. The United States Consumer Protection and Safety Commission. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2019/Disney-Recalls-the-Forky-11%E2%80%9D-Plush-Toy-Due-to-Choking-Hazard
Article (2016) Final report: Alligator bit boy’s head during Disney attack. Associated Press https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2016/08/22/report-alligator-bit-boys-head-during-disney-attack/987192007/
(2021) Walgreens recalls Disney baby Winnie the Pooh rattle sets due to choking hazards. The United States Consumer Protection and Safety Commission. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2021/Walgreens-Recalls-Disney-Baby-Winnie-the-Pooh-Rattle-Sets-Due-to-Choking-Hazard
(2015) The Walt Disney Company. History. (Online) https://www.waltdisneystudios.com/history/
(2015) The Official Disney Fan Club. 2015. Disney History. (Online) https://d23.com/disney-history/.