The Disney Companys 10 Management Principles: 1) Make Everyones Dreams Come True 2) You Better Believe It 3) Never a Customer,

Always a Guest 4) All for One and One for All 5) Share the Spotlight 6) Dare to Dare 7) Practice, Practice, Practice 8) Make Your Elephant Fly 9) Capture the Magic with Storyboards 10) Give Details Top Billing In their book titled The Disney Way, the authors Capodagli and Jackson examine the leadership and motivational strategies at the Disney Company. Its founder, Walt Disney, is credited as the creative genius leading this one-time cartoon production studio to become a multi-billion dollar entertainment industry recognized worldwide. The authors, Fortune 100 consultants by trade, outline the methods they have successfully used to integrate the Disney management principles into other organizations. The authors explain that Walt Disney was consistently guided in his work by 4 concepts: to Dream, to Believe, to Dare and to Do. These concepts have become the foundation of the 10 management principles that remain to this day at the heart of every Disney strategy, despite almost 40 years since Walt Disneys death. Although outlined as 10 separate principles, the authors stress the importance of the collective integration and interplay of all of the principles. The first Disney management principle, Make Everyones Dream Come True, outlines the importance of allowing members of the organization to dream and develop their creative talents. The Disney Company employs hundreds of Imagineers whose sole purpose is to develop creative ideas. But this creative spirit is not limited to the Imagineers. The organization fosters a culture of creativity in all of its employees. This encourages participation and is credited with a decreased turnover rate as compared to the industrys competitors.

The second principle, You Better Believe It, examines the importance of a clear understanding of the basic beliefs and core values of the company. Product and service excellence is dependent on each employees understanding of the expectations and methods of prioritization. Thirdly, Disney is guided by the principle Never a Customer, Always a Guest. To this day, a visitor to a Disney theme park is always referred to as a guest. Walt Disney was insistent on being able to understand the wishes and needs of his guests. He believed that guests deserve respect and honesty. The authors outline that to best examine how an organization values its clients, one only needs to evaluate how the organization deals with complains. Walt Disney felt that solving guests problems sparks innovation. The forth principle, All for One and One for All, highlights the importance of teamwork and empowerment of the employees. Teamwork is described as a method of fostering intense loyalty, enthusiasm and commitment. Because the focus at the Disney Company is to make sure that each guest has a memorable and pleasant experience, it doesnt matter whose job it is to pick up a piece of trash. It becomes everyones responsibility. The book notes that even the current CEO, Michael Eisner, is compelled to pick up trash. Michael Eisner is also continuing in Walt Disneys legacy in fostering empowerment among his employees. It is not uncommon for him to be touring one of Disneys theme parks, requesting and implementing the opinions of his frontline workers. Disney management has adopted Share the Spotlight as its fifth principle, which outlines the importance of partnerships with other companies. Instead of utilizing a Disney group of musicians, the Philadelphia Philharmonic became a critical partner in the success of the Disney film Fantasia. Other large partners have included General Motors, Nestle, and Mattel. Every Disney supplier, big or small, is treated with respect. The Disney theme parks have specific reception areas for vendors to sign in, get directions, and receive coffee and use the telephone. Walt Disney felt that partnerships help expand the possibilities, although he did feel that the partnership with like-minded people was critical. The sixth principle, Dare to Dare, encourages risk-taking as a method of cultivating innovative ideas. Although the companys success is a result of the risks that Walt has taken, he does stress that risks need to be calculated risks, based on solid fundamentals. For Walt, the fundamental trademark was whether the risk passed his family entertainment test.

Many of the aforementioned principles are dependent on the seventh principle, Practice, Practice, Practice, which outlines the importance of formal and continuous training. Employees are trained at the Disney University. There is one entire day of the training that is dedicated to the Disney traditions, which helps instill the companys beliefs and core values. It is felt that newly learned skills, once reinforced with coaching, practice and recognition, will become habit. When an employee is not performing a responsibility to the expected level, the original training of the employee is reexamined. The eighth principle, Make Your Elephant Fly, stresses planning. The long term vision must be aligned with short term execution. Walt Disney recognized that although creativity does require space to grow, the generation of ideas is considered part of the corporate process and requires careful management. This Project Management Process facilitates communication and the holistic thinking that everyone is working for the common good. Capture the Magic with Storyboards is Disneys ninth management principle. It outlines the usefulness of the storyboard technique as a method to generate solutions and to enhance communication. Walt Disney is credited to have conceived Storyboarding which, for the cartoon industry, is an effective method to keep track of thousands of drawings necessary to achieve full animation of cartoon features. Today, the technique has spread to many areas of the organizational process. It is helpful in conceptualizing a mission statement, in the analysis of barriers and in the creation of team solutions. It breaks situations into smaller, more manageable parts and focuses group attention on specific aspects of the problem. The tenth and final principle, Give Details Top Billing, outlines the importance of paying attention to detail. Walt Disney was relentlessly searching for perfection and always asking how something could be improved. Nonetheless, he recognized the need to have a careful balance between the financial bottom line and the quest for perfection, otherwise details can become expensive. Paying attention to detail also means measuring results to ensure that the effort matches the outcome. Walt Disney is truly a remarkable man, as outlined by the continued success of the organization he started in 1922. The Disney management principles have over time proven themselves true to the success of the organization. The authors of this book have outlined practical methods to make these principles equally

applicable to organizations of all sectors. This book is not only interesting but useful and methodical. It is a recommended book for any manager.
5 Secrets to Walt Disney World's Success
By Abbie Drew May 11, 2006 Wow! Last week, I had the pleasure of taking a little time off for a vacation. My family and I went to Orlando, FL and yes, of course, we visited Walt Disney World. If youve been reading DEMC for a while, you know this was not my first trip to visit Walt Disneys Magic Kingdom in Florida. In fact, Ive been numerous times and Im sure to go back. (smile) Every time I go, Im always impressed with the Disney business. It is well tuned and planned to every last detail. And the marketing I see at Walt Disney World is exceptional. These visits to Walt Disney World always inspire me to improve the marketing of my own business. As any business, large or small, can learn from their model. So today, lets review just a few of their marketing tactics and see how we can apply them to our Internet businesses. Here are 5 Walt Disney World marketing success strategies: 1) Sell More to Existing Customers While at the Walt Disney World theme parks you are continuously offered other products / services to purchase. * Upon exiting attractions, you enter a store themed to that attraction with gifts. * During travel on trams, monorails, trains, boats, etc. there are always marketing announcements. These recordings inform you of ways to upgrade your ticket, to stay longer, to visit other parks, to dine at restaurants, to stay at resorts or to go to other attractions. * Booths in the parks have representatives selling Disney vacation packages for future visits. * Stores with gifts and restaurants with food are on every corner for your convenience. Disney knows that current customers are the easiest customers to upsell. As a result, they take every opportunity to sell you more. Your Internet business can follow this same principle. When a customer buys have a backend sale you offer. Be it an upsell on your existing offer, an add on to your offer or another Email this article Printer friendly page

product. Immediate back-end sales will make your business money. So follow Disneys success strategy # 1 and sell more to your current customers! 2) Expand Your Marketplace Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL attracts visitors from all over the world, as does Disneyland in California. However, Disney realized they could grow their business if they offered their product to other marketplaces outside of the USA. As a result, Disney developed country specific theme parks and delivered them to these marketplaces. Disney built a Disneyland Paris, a Tokyo Disney and most recently a Hong Kong Disneyland. These parks bring in many visitors, as well as many repeat visitors who would not have traveled to the USA. Disney has increased their marketplace and expanded their brand worldwide by building these country specific theme parks. Your Internet business can again follow this business principle and do it with less of an investment. Its as easy as developing your site in other languages and then submitting your site to search engines in those languages. If youre hesitant to develop your site in other languages, you could expand your marketplace by creating landing pages specific to niche groups. For example, you might create a landing page just for Moms or a landing page for golfers or a landing page for dog enthusiasts. Depending upon what you sell, creating niche specific landing pages can expand your business into that marketplace. 3) Continuous Promotion Walt Disney World is always advertising. They do not start, stop and then start again. They have a marketing budget and plan thats designed to keep their message in front of audiences. You regularly see their ads on TV, in print publications, on the Internet and Ive even gotten their ads on grocery store coupon print-outs! Disney also continually sends direct mail pieces to past customers with varying offers. Disneys promotions are designed to keep them in your mind. So when its time for vacationing, you think of going to Disney World or perhaps another (undefined) destination. But as Disney has kept itself in your awareness it is always a consideration. Other vacation destination have not established themselves nearly as well! Your Internet business should consider the advantage of continuous promotion. Placing an ad here and there does not establish your business in the mind of potential prospects. Evaluate your marketing and determine how you can regular promote. What can you do to ensure every week youre sending out a marketing message? Plan out how youll place ads, submit articles, run press releases, improve search engine

rank or offer incentives and then follow through. When you start to continuously promote youll find it will build your business. 4) Always Improve and Add to your Offerings Disney is never complacent. They are always growing, building, expanding and improving. With their existing theme parks they continuously work to add in new attractions and shows. They update old outdated rides, as well as refurbish and modernize long standing favorites. These regular improvements draw back repeat visitors, like myself, as well as impress new visitors so theyre sure to come back. In addition to improving their existing theme parks and building new theme parks in new marketplaces, as noted above, Disney is constantly creating new products to sell. The most well known of their products are their movies. Disney studios is always working to create new motion pictures. Constantly making and releasing movies to the marketplace brings in consistent profits for Disney. In addition, Disney further leverages their movies by creating products dolls, toys, games, etc -. as well as incorporating them into their theme park attractions. The synergy Disney has developed between their theme parks and their movies, helps drive movie sales in theaters as well as on dvds, leads to increased sales of their dolls, toys, games, etc, and continues to bring visitors to the parks. If Disney failed to continuously add and improve their profits would suffer. Your Internet business should recognize the importance of bettering your offerings. If youre not always working on expanding and improving what you sell youre falling behind. If you write just one ebook and think youll be rich, think again. Or if you have a single product to sell and believe youre set, youre not. Business is about constantly improving what you offer and developing new products / services to offer. If you dont keep working to offer the best product / service possible, your competitors will. And soon youll be out of business. 5) Tracking Business Disney knows the times of year which are busy and those that are slow. They track attendance at their parks and resorts and plan accordingly. Rather than simply accepting the slow times, Disney runs promotions to improve sales. If you look at Disney resort prices, each time of the year has a different rate. During summer time and Holiday weeks, when students are out of school, the price of a room is significantly higher than say in September. When times are slow, as they are in September, Disney offers free meals with your lower priced room. They also target their advertising to people who do not have children in school, such as empty nesters and parents with toddler children.

Disney entices school age children during the year by offering school bands, cheerleading squads and other student groups opportunities to come to the parks and perform. These packages work to boost attendance as well as improve Disneys reputation. Disneys determination to bring in customers year round has worked. If you examine crowd attendance levels over the years, their theme parks attendance overall has increased and slower times are not nearly as slow as they once were. How can this apply to your Internet business? Your business should be tracking your sales. You need to know when sales are up vs. down. You also should know why sales are better or worse. Once you know your business results you can run specials during slower times. You can test targeting different niche groups to see if sales improve. Good marketing is made up of tracking results and testing promotions. On the Internet tracking programs making it easy to know how your advertising and sales are doing. Use these programs and test out various offers. If you work to improve your promotions you will increase your sales.

There you have the 5 Walt Disney World marketing success strategies, I observed during my recent vacation. You do not need to be a huge, publicly owned company like Disney to succeed with your marketing. Employ these tactics in your Internet business, as Ive discussed and youre sure to see your profits rise!

Case Study: Walt Disney World Resorts and CRM Strategy

By CIOinsight | Posted 12-01-2003
LinkedIn 0 Twitter 5 Facebook 27 Share 32

With sliding attendance rates and a brand that's losing its luster among the children of the digital age, Walt Disney World is launching an ambitious, next-generation CRM play that's based on mobile, real-time interfaces with customers. The goal: to redef Sitting on a curb with their three children one humid afternoon in October inside Magic Kingdom, the oldest of Walt Disney World's four Orlando theme parks, Jeff Pawlowski and his wife were in a sour mood. Long lines demanded waits of as long as two hours at some rides inside the 47-square-mile fantasy extravaganza, and the lines at the food stalls and restaurants weren't much better. "Today has been the worst," Pawlowski complained. His wife agreed: "Our neighbor came home from Disney on Friday and said there were no lines. We came here on Saturday, and it's not what we expected." The Pawlowskis aren't alone. Throughout the amusement park industry, long lines, fidgety crowds and high ticket prices continue to rank as the top customer turnoffs. Meanwhile, Disney's theme parks have been particularly hard hit

by sliding attendance figures and decreasing revenues. Bob Iger, Walt Disney Co.'s president and COO, told securities analysts on Nov. 20 that the Parks & Resorts division took in $6.4 billion in revenues in the year ended Sept.30, 1 percent less than 2002's $6.5 billion, which was already down 8 percent from 2001. Iger blamed the sluggish performance on lower hotel occupancy rates and a further decline in attendance, which had already fallen 14 percent, to 37.7 million, in 2002, from a peak of 43.2 million in 2000. Analysts say international visitors are staying away, thanks to the flat global economy, rising anti-American sentiment and a continued fear of flying since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Ticket prices aren't helping: They've risen 20 percent since 1998, and at $52 per person per day, they're already at the psychological limit of what consumers are willing to spend for the theme park experience, say some analysts. Disney has cut ticket prices by up to 42 percent in some cases this year in an effort to drum up more business. That's stemmed some of the attendance erosion, Disney executives say, but it hasn't done much to the division's operating income, which fell 18 percent in fiscal 2003, to $957 million from $1.2 billion in fiscal 2002. At the same time, Disney's costs continue to rise: Analysts say insurance premiums have nearly doubled since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and health care and pension costs for the company's 54,000 employees in Orlando alone cost the company nearly $250 million in 2003. Analysts also note that capital expenditures for the parks were down significantly in fiscal 2002. That's exactly the cost-conscious environment that prompted Roy Disney, nephew of founder Walt Disney, to refer, in his Nov. 30 letter of resignation from the company's board of directors, to "the timidity of [the company's] investments in our theme park business." Clearly, the goal for now is to do more with less. And Walt Disney Co. CIO Roger Berry is at the center of that mandatebut not for all the usual reasons. To help Disney usher in what Disney Chairman Michael Eisner has called the company's "digital decade," Berry has been helping to create a risky but cutting-edge technology strategy designed to help Walt Disney World restore the luster of its aging brand, increase efficiencies and boost attendanceas well as the bottom line. Berry's mission: to use Walt Disney World as a test bed for one of corporate America's most ambitious tryouts of the business use of IT convergencethe combination of global positioning satellites, smart sensors, wireless technology and mobile devices, including one that looks like Mickey Mouse himselfto reinvent the customer experience, influence visitor behavior and ease crowding throughout the parks. The goal: to reduce the hassle for visitors to the park by creating a more personalized environment, with IT at the core. "The role of IT is changing," says Berry. "It's not simply an organization that deploys technology, but one that now integrates technology from a lot of different angles to improve the customer experience."

Case Study: Walt Disney World Resorts and CRM Strategy

By CIOinsight | Posted 12-01-2003
LinkedIn 0 Twitter 5 Facebook 27 Share 32

With sliding attendance rates and a brand that's losing its luster among the children of the digital age, Walt Disney World is launching an ambitious, next-generation CRM play that's based on mobile, real-time interfaces with customers. The goal: to redef Sitting on a curb with their three children one humid afternoon in October inside Magic Kingdom, the oldest of Walt Disney World's four Orlando theme parks, Jeff Pawlowski and his wife were in a sour mood. Long lines demanded waits of as long as two hours at some rides inside the 47-square-mile fantasy extravaganza, and the lines at the food stalls and restaurants weren't much better. "Today has been the worst," Pawlowski complained. His wife agreed: "Our neighbor came home from Disney on Friday and said there were no lines. We came here on Saturday, and it's not what we expected." The Pawlowskis aren't alone. Throughout the amusement park industry, long lines, fidgety crowds and high ticket prices continue to rank as the top customer turnoffs. Meanwhile, Disney's theme parks have been particularly hard hit by sliding attendance figures and decreasing revenues. Bob Iger, Walt Disney Co.'s president and COO, told securities analysts on Nov. 20 that the Parks & Resorts division took in $6.4 billion in revenues in the year ended

Sept.30, 1 percent less than 2002's $6.5 billion, which was already down 8 percent from 2001. Iger blamed the sluggish performance on lower hotel occupancy rates and a further decline in attendance, which had already fallen 14 percent, to 37.7 million, in 2002, from a peak of 43.2 million in 2000. Analysts say international visitors are staying away, thanks to the flat global economy, rising anti-American sentiment and a continued fear of flying since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Ticket prices aren't helping: They've risen 20 percent since 1998, and at $52 per person per day, they're already at the psychological limit of what consumers are willing to spend for the theme park experience, say some analysts. Disney has cut ticket prices by up to 42 percent in some cases this year in an effort to drum up more business. That's stemmed some of the attendance erosion, Disney executives say, but it hasn't done much to the division's operating income, which fell 18 percent in fiscal 2003, to $957 million from $1.2 billion in fiscal 2002. At the same time, Disney's costs continue to rise: Analysts say insurance premiums have nearly doubled since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and health care and pension costs for the company's 54,000 employees in Orlando alone cost the company nearly $250 million in 2003. Analysts also note that capital expenditures for the parks were down significantly in fiscal 2002. That's exactly the cost-conscious environment that prompted Roy Disney, nephew of founder Walt Disney, to refer, in his Nov. 30 letter of resignation from the company's board of directors, to "the timidity of [the company's] investments in our theme park business." Clearly, the goal for now is to do more with less. And Walt Disney Co. CIO Roger Berry is at the center of that mandatebut not for all the usual reasons. To help Disney usher in what Disney Chairman Michael Eisner has called the company's "digital decade," Berry has been helping to create a risky but cutting-edge technology strategy designed to help Walt Disney World restore the luster of its aging brand, increase efficiencies and boost attendanceas well as the bottom line. Berry's mission: to use Walt Disney World as a test bed for one of corporate America's most ambitious tryouts of the business use of IT convergencethe combination of global positioning satellites, smart sensors, wireless technology and mobile devices, including one that looks like Mickey Mouse himselfto reinvent the customer experience, influence visitor behavior and ease crowding throughout the parks. The goal: to reduce the hassle for visitors to the park by creating a more personalized environment, with IT at the core. "The role of IT is changing," says Berry. "It's not simply an organization that deploys technology, but one that now integrates technology from a lot of different angles to improve the customer experience."

Case Study: Walt Disney World Resorts and CRM Strategy

By CIOinsight | Posted 12-01-2003
LinkedIn 0 Twitter 5 Facebook 27 Share 32

With sliding attendance rates and a brand that's losing its luster among the children of the digital age, Walt Disney World is launching an ambitious, next-generation CRM play that's based on mobile, real-time interfaces with customers. The goal: to redef Sitting on a curb with their three children one humid afternoon in October inside Magic Kingdom, the oldest of Walt Disney World's four Orlando theme parks, Jeff Pawlowski and his wife were in a sour mood. Long lines demanded waits of as long as two hours at some rides inside the 47-square-mile fantasy extravaganza, and the lines at the food stalls and restaurants weren't much better. "Today has been the worst," Pawlowski complained. His wife agreed: "Our neighbor came home from Disney on Friday and said there were no lines. We came here on Saturday, and it's not what we expected." The Pawlowskis aren't alone. Throughout the amusement park industry, long lines, fidgety crowds and high ticket prices continue to rank as the top customer turnoffs. Meanwhile, Disney's theme parks have been particularly hard hit by sliding attendance figures and decreasing revenues. Bob Iger, Walt Disney Co.'s president and COO, told securities analysts on Nov. 20 that the Parks & Resorts division took in $6.4 billion in revenues in the year ended Sept.30, 1 percent less than 2002's $6.5 billion, which was already down 8 percent from 2001. Iger blamed the sluggish performance on lower hotel occupancy rates and a further decline in attendance, which had already fallen 14

percent, to 37.7 million, in 2002, from a peak of 43.2 million in 2000. Analysts say international visitors are staying away, thanks to the flat global economy, rising anti-American sentiment and a continued fear of flying since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Ticket prices aren't helping: They've risen 20 percent since 1998, and at $52 per person per day, they're already at the psychological limit of what consumers are willing to spend for the theme park experience, say some analysts. Disney has cut ticket prices by up to 42 percent in some cases this year in an effort to drum up more business. That's stemmed some of the attendance erosion, Disney executives say, but it hasn't done much to the division's operating income, which fell 18 percent in fiscal 2003, to $957 million from $1.2 billion in fiscal 2002. At the same time, Disney's costs continue to rise: Analysts say insurance premiums have nearly doubled since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and health care and pension costs for the company's 54,000 employees in Orlando alone cost the company nearly $250 million in 2003. Analysts also note that capital expenditures for the parks were down significantly in fiscal 2002. That's exactly the cost-conscious environment that prompted Roy Disney, nephew of founder Walt Disney, to refer, in his Nov. 30 letter of resignation from the company's board of directors, to "the timidity of [the company's] investments in our theme park business." Clearly, the goal for now is to do more with less. And Walt Disney Co. CIO Roger Berry is at the center of that mandatebut not for all the usual reasons. To help Disney usher in what Disney Chairman Michael Eisner has called the company's "digital decade," Berry has been helping to create a risky but cutting-edge technology strategy designed to help Walt Disney World restore the luster of its aging brand, increase efficiencies and boost attendanceas well as the bottom line. Berry's mission: to use Walt Disney World as a test bed for one of corporate America's most ambitious tryouts of the business use of IT convergencethe combination of global positioning satellites, smart sensors, wireless technology and mobile devices, including one that looks like Mickey Mouse himselfto reinvent the customer experience, influence visitor behavior and ease crowding throughout the parks. The goal: to reduce the hassle for visitors to the park by creating a more personalized environment, with IT at the core. "The role of IT is changing," says Berry. "It's not simply an organization that deploys technology, but one that now integrates technology from a lot of different angles to improve the customer experience."

Case Study: Walt Disney World Resorts and CRM Strategy

By CIOinsight | Posted 12-01-2003
LinkedIn 0 Twitter 5 Facebook 27 Share 32

With sliding attendance rates and a brand that's losing its luster among the children of the digital age, Walt Disney World is launching an ambitious, next-generation CRM play that's based on mobile, real-time interfaces with customers. The goal: to redef Sitting on a curb with their three children one humid afternoon in October inside Magic Kingdom, the oldest of Walt Disney World's four Orlando theme parks, Jeff Pawlowski and his wife were in a sour mood. Long lines demanded waits of as long as two hours at some rides inside the 47-square-mile fantasy extravaganza, and the lines at the food stalls and restaurants weren't much better. "Today has been the worst," Pawlowski complained. His wife agreed: "Our neighbor came home from Disney on Friday and said there were no lines. We came here on Saturday, and it's not what we expected." The Pawlowskis aren't alone. Throughout the amusement park industry, long lines, fidgety crowds and high ticket prices continue to rank as the top customer turnoffs. Meanwhile, Disney's theme parks have been particularly hard hit by sliding attendance figures and decreasing revenues. Bob Iger, Walt Disney Co.'s president and COO, told securities analysts on Nov. 20 that the Parks & Resorts division took in $6.4 billion in revenues in the year ended Sept.30, 1 percent less than 2002's $6.5 billion, which was already down 8 percent from 2001. Iger blamed the sluggish performance on lower hotel occupancy rates and a further decline in attendance, which had already fallen 14 percent, to 37.7 million, in 2002, from a peak of 43.2 million in 2000. Analysts say international visitors are staying

away, thanks to the flat global economy, rising anti-American sentiment and a continued fear of flying since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Ticket prices aren't helping: They've risen 20 percent since 1998, and at $52 per person per day, they're already at the psychological limit of what consumers are willing to spend for the theme park experience, say some analysts. Disney has cut ticket prices by up to 42 percent in some cases this year in an effort to drum up more business. That's stemmed some of the attendance erosion, Disney executives say, but it hasn't done much to the division's operating income, which fell 18 percent in fiscal 2003, to $957 million from $1.2 billion in fiscal 2002. At the same time, Disney's costs continue to rise: Analysts say insurance premiums have nearly doubled since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and health care and pension costs for the company's 54,000 employees in Orlando alone cost the company nearly $250 million in 2003. Analysts also note that capital expenditures for the parks were down significantly in fiscal 2002. That's exactly the cost-conscious environment that prompted Roy Disney, nephew of founder Walt Disney, to refer, in his Nov. 30 letter of resignation from the company's board of directors, to "the timidity of [the company's] investments in our theme park business." Clearly, the goal for now is to do more with less. And Walt Disney Co. CIO Roger Berry is at the center of that mandatebut not for all the usual reasons. To help Disney usher in what Disney Chairman Michael Eisner has called the company's "digital decade," Berry has been helping to create a risky but cutting-edge technology strategy designed to help Walt Disney World restore the luster of its aging brand, increase efficiencies and boost attendanceas well as the bottom line. Berry's mission: to use Walt Disney World as a test bed for one of corporate America's most ambitious tryouts of the business use of IT convergencethe combination of global positioning satellites, smart sensors, wireless technology and mobile devices, including one that looks like Mickey Mouse himselfto reinvent the customer experience, influence visitor behavior and ease crowding throughout the parks. The goal: to reduce the hassle for visitors to the park by creating a more personalized environment, with IT at the core. "The role of IT is changing," says Berry. "It's not simply an organization that deploys technology, but one that now integrates technology from a lot of different angles to improve the customer experience."