The Dis Unplugged #5 Stay Out of the Damn Employees

Status
Thread locked. We start a new thread when they have over 1000 posts, click the blue button to see all threads for this topic and find the latest open thread.
New to Tattle Life? Click "Order Thread by Most Liked Posts" button below to get an idea of what the site is about:
So all this shady stuff goes on, then logically he pulls shady stuff in his business. Probably the reason they do not need to update their site.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3
I remember Dustin's final episode where Pete ended the show with a cringy blubberfest farewell.
At first, I thought it was him simply saying goodbye to a valued employee and colleague.
(In fact, I was always confused when every other employee left with barely an acknowledgment of their contributions).

Looking back, it provides a powerful glimpse into just how much of a tortured stalker Werner is, and how he tortured and stalked you - even as you ran out the damn door. Who could possible work every day under those impossible conditions?

At one point Dustin cut off Pete from saying something even more embarrassing.
Little did I realize just how embarrassing it was likely about to get.
Dustin was always more professional and composed on camera than Pete - right until the very end.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 16
Off topic, but I just watched this week's DVC show. Extremely smamry episode. The title, "Is DVC for Everyone?" and the answer according to the panel is "yes."

I normally don't watch the show because I have no interest in DVC, but I've seen a few episodes from a year ago or so and one of the reasons I watched it was because it was pretty sensible in how it described DVC (it was actually my first introdcution to the Dis universe lol). In older episodes, Pete and the guests would talk about how DVC is a good investment if it's right for you and your family, that the points are really only valuable for Disney resorts, and that it's smarter to rent the points and pay cash for other vacations like DCL, ABD, or even non-DVC resorts rather than use your points for those places. This episode (lacking Pete) fawned about how you can use your DVC points to travel the world, go on vacations across the USA, etc.

They used a ton of time-share sales tactics, like saying that if you're a workaholic, buying DVC is a good idea because it'll force you to take a vacation. The classic, "if you don't like it, call us and we'll sell it for you!" was thrown around a lot too. You can definitely earn money by selling your DVC contracts, but probably not if you financed them.

The show is just a giant sales pitch (always was), but now it's getting as bad as being roped into a Club Wyndham pitch.

Also, LOL at Craig whining about the fact that he has to be on call during vacation. Welcome to the corporate world, buddy; when you're in any kind of leadership position, you're expected to be available in case of emergency.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 10
Jesus Dustin. These past 4 threads really made me think a lot less of Pete and he is worse than a predator.

I've said all along that I had a lot of respect for the rest of the original team (John, Kevin, Corey, Julie, Theresa, and Kathy and really like them but the Dustin info here is making me question all of them as well. I know Dustin won't talk badly about them and I won't ask him to but all of then in addition to Ryan and Craig have to know about this stuff, right? I'd assume most of them read here as well.

It might not be fair but I especially fault Corey, Julie, and Craig here. They are parents and if I worked for someone that was a sexual predator, straight or gay, there is no way I could look my child in the eye that I stood around and did nothing. The only thing going through my mind would be what if this was my kid one day.

John, who I've met and genuinely like and think is a good dude has also dropped a lot. He has the ability to put a stop to this or cut Pete out. No matter what contract they have staying connected to a sexual predator and not saying or doing anything is contributing to it.
 
  • Like
  • Heart
Reactions: 18
The show is just a giant sales pitch (always was), but now it's getting as bad as being roped into a Club Wyndham pitch.
This is what happens when the entire panel is employed by the sponsor of the show. Of course they are gonna sell, sell, sell....

Oh and they are all local, which baffles me how they don't have anyone on the panels from outside of FL considering it is generally used for WDW travel by people who don't live 20 min from the park...its just a mess much like the rest of the podcasts that are all done from the prism of someone who lives 20 mins away and doesn't include any knowledge/feedback from those who travel to WDW with DVC...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 7
Jesus Dustin. These past 4 threads really made me think a lot less of Pete and he is worse than a predator.

I've said all along that I had a lot of respect for the rest of the original team (John, Kevin, Corey, Julie, Theresa, and Kathy and really like them but the Dustin info here is making me question all of them as well. I know Dustin won't talk badly about them and I won't ask him to but all of then in addition to Ryan and Craig have to know about this stuff, right? I'd assume most of them read here as well.

It might not be fair but I especially fault Corey, Julie, and Craig here. They are parents and if I worked for someone that was a sexual predator, straight or gay, there is no way I could look my child in the eye that I stood around and did nothing. The only thing going through my mind would be what if this was my kid one day.

John, who I've met and genuinely like and think is a good dude has also dropped a lot. He has the ability to put a stop to this or cut Pete out. No matter what contract they have staying connected to a sexual predator and not saying or doing anything is contributing to it.
Even more unacceptable when you realize current members are aware of and have read these threads. They've never admitted it flat out on the show, but there have been a few instances where Craig and Ryno have made subtle references to posts here.

This is what happens when the entire panel is employed by the sponsor of the show. Of course they are gonna sell, sell, sell....

Oh and they are all local, which baffles me how they don't have anyone on the panels from outside of FL considering it is generally used for WDW travel by people who don't live 20 min from the park...its just a mess much like the rest of the podcasts that are all done from the prism of someone who lives 20 mins away and doesn't include any knowledge/feedback from those who travel to WDW with DVC...
Agreed. Shockingly, Craig was pretty sensible for most of this episode. Paul referred to him as "the only person he's talked with who's rebuffed DVC" and Craig flat out said it's pointless for him since he lives so close and also works for a company that constantly puts him up deluxe/DVC resorts.

I'm also local to the area and I can tell you right now that buying a multi-thousand dollar contract for "staycations" is about the dumbest thing I can imagine. I'd much rather spend 10k+ going on a Mediterranean cruise or living like a king in Southeast Asia instead of buying a timeshare for a resort I could feasibly walk to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 13
Jesus Dustin. These past 4 threads really made me think a lot less of Pete and he is worse than a predator.

I've said all along that I had a lot of respect for the rest of the original team (John, Kevin, Corey, Julie, Theresa, and Kathy and really like them but the Dustin info here is making me question all of them as well. I know Dustin won't talk badly about them and I won't ask him to but all of then in addition to Ryan and Craig have to know about this stuff, right? I'd assume most of them read here as well.

It might not be fair but I especially fault Corey, Julie, and Craig here. They are parents and if I worked for someone that was a sexual predator, straight or gay, there is no way I could look my child in the eye that I stood around and did nothing. The only thing going through my mind would be what if this was my kid one day.

John, who I've met and genuinely like and think is a good dude has also dropped a lot. He has the ability to put a stop to this or cut Pete out. No matter what contract they have staying connected to a sexual predator and not saying or doing anything is contributing to it.
Many times in situations like this people are afraid of the repercussions. Job loss, legal bills. These people aren’t paid well (except John has money). Pete is theoretically good for the business because is well loved and the face of the company. They don’t want to ruin a “good” thing. It’s an endless cycle that by no means is a good one but people’s livelihoods are at stake.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5
I don't even know when I started watching/listening to the DIS shows. There were the DL and WDW shows, Dis Daily Fix, Dis Pop, the Dreams Travel Show, DCL Show and Off the Rails...and I was an avid listener/watcher. This was my DIS fix when I didn't live 45 minutes from a park. Pete and Ryno and Craig and John and Kevin were like family...but I also got some kind of creepy feeling from what was happening in the shows. I never could put my finger on it, and figured I was just being weird.

I had read a rumor here or there that corroborated my gut, but I chalked them up to rumors. I would casually laugh over some of the stupid stuff that was said, enjoy content and move on with life. But after Pete left, the first few shows really grated on me for different reasons. The fun wasn't there anymore and I unsubscribed to all the shows...except Connecting with Walt. That's the only one left in my feed. (I really want to keep it, but I'm not I morally can at this point.)

Man, I feel like a moron for not following my gut way back when. What could I have done? Probably nothing aside from unsubscribing. From a guy who came to the shows after (some) of this crap happened, I'm sorry I ever gave Pete the time of day in my ears and eyes and allowed him to be the douche he is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 14
Many times in situations like this people are afraid of the repercussions. Job loss, legal bills. These people aren’t paid well (except John has money). Pete is theoretically good for the business because is well loved and the face of the company. They don’t want to ruin a “good” thing. It’s an endless cycle that by no means is a good one but people’s livelihoods are at stake.
Fair enough but I hope if it is ever a loved one being put in that situation the other workers would do what is right, not just what is financially expedient. No matter the reasons you tell your hypothetical self in the mirror they are just excuses for not doing the right thing.

I've personally put myself in a bad situation to report this kind of thing and it was nowhere near as bad as what we are reading here.
 
  • Like
  • Heart
Reactions: 9
Off topic, but I just watched this week's DVC show. Extremely smamry episode. The title, "Is DVC for Everyone?" and the answer according to the panel is "yes."

I normally don't watch the show because I have no interest in DVC, but I've seen a few episodes from a year ago or so and one of the reasons I watched it was because it was pretty sensible in how it described DVC (it was actually my first introdcution to the Dis universe lol). In older episodes, Pete and the guests would talk about how DVC is a good investment if it's right for you and your family, that the points are really only valuable for Disney resorts, and that it's smarter to rent the points and pay cash for other vacations like DCL, ABD, or even non-DVC resorts rather than use your points for those places. This episode (lacking Pete) fawned about how you can use your DVC points to travel the world, go on vacations across the USA, etc.

They used a ton of time-share sales tactics, like saying that if you're a workaholic, buying DVC is a good idea because it'll force you to take a vacation. The classic, "if you don't like it, call us and we'll sell it for you!" was thrown around a lot too. You can definitely earn money by selling your DVC contracts, but probably not if you financed them.

The show is just a giant sales pitch (always was), but now it's getting as bad as being roped into a Club Wyndham pitch.

Also, LOL at Craig whining about the fact that he has to be on call during vacation. Welcome to the corporate world, buddy; when you're in any kind of leadership position, you're expected to be available in case of emergency.
When the DVC show switched sponsors, it changed alot. When it first started and DVCStore was the sponsor, it had a much more honest feel to it. The owner of the DVCStore (Jerry Seido sp??) was the panelist from the sponsor and he came across well. Of course he wanted you to buy resale DVC contracts, but he would at least be critical of DVC at points, or admit when it didn't make sense to buy DVC. IN fact, theres an entire early show titled "Who Does NOT Need to Buy DVC".

In addition one of the original panelists Pete Sheindle (sp??) was really on point with his charts, spreadsheets and research on how to use DVC, how to maximize it and who it would and wouldn't work for. It was a good show. To be fair it was an example of Pete's better moments creatively....

Until it wasn't. The new sponsors immediately came across as Used Car Salesmen. You can almost see the armpit sweat stains and smell the coffee breath as they say things like "DVC is the best, if you don't like it, call us and we'll sell it for you" They dominate the show and it went from a show about DVC to essentially a sales pitch for Resale DVC.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 14
Fair enough but I hope if it is ever a loved one being put in that situation the other workers would do what is right, not just what is financially expedient. No matter the reasons you tell your hypothetical self in the mirror they are just excuses for not doing the right thing.

I've personally put myself in a bad situation to report this kind of thing and it was nowhere near as bad as what we are reading here.
Also remember this is Pete - I'm sure he uses his mind games to convince them they need him. They are nothing without him. Without him they will fail. That he personally must be protected for the greater good.

Sickening.
---
Until it wasn't. The new sponsors immediately came across as Used Car Salesmen. You can almost see the armpit sweat stains and smell the coffee breath as they say things like "DVC is the best, if you don't like it, call us and we'll sell it for you" They dominate the show and it went from a show about DVC to essentially a sales pitch for Resale DVC.
I cannot stand a single timeshare saleperson from World of DVC. I stopped watching because of them. So fake and so timesharey.

As they say in the world of timeshare owners - "You can tell the salesperson is lying when you see their lips moving."
 
  • Like
Reactions: 9
When the DVC show switched sponsors, it changed alot. When it first started and DVCStore was the sponsor, it had a much more honest feel to it. The owner of the DVCStore (Jerry Seido sp??) was the panelist from the sponsor and he came across well. Of course he wanted you to buy resale DVC contracts, but he would at least be critical of DVC at points, or admit when it didn't make sense to buy DVC. IN fact, theres an entire early show titled "Who Does NOT Need to Buy DVC".

In addition one of the original panelists Pete Sheindle (sp??) was really on point with his charts, spreadsheets and research on how to use DVC, how to maximize it and who it would and wouldn't work for. It was a good show. To be fair it was an example of Pete's better moments creatively....

Until it wasn't. The new sponsors immediately came across as Used Car Salesmen. You can almost see the armpit sweat stains and smell the coffee breath as they say things like "DVC is the best, if you don't like it, call us and we'll sell it for you" They dominate the show and it went from a show about DVC to essentially a sales pitch for Resale DVC.
The old shows were refreshing and got me interested in the Dis in the first place. They weren't overly positive like DFB or overly negative like WDWNT. It seemed like they had pretty balanced takes on the parks at a time when everyone is an extremist on one end or the other.

The new DVC show/panel is just a sales show. I'm sure Paul thought he'd be able to turn Craig today after the other salespeople said things like "I've only ever told one person DVC wasn't right for them, and they bought anyway!" Kind of funny to see Craig say no lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 6
The old shows were refreshing and got me interested in the Dis in the first place. They weren't overly positive like DFB or overly negative like WDWNT. It seemed like they had pretty balanced takes on the parks at a time when everyone is an extremist on one end or the other.

The new DVC show/panel is just a sales show. I'm sure Paul thought he'd be able to turn Craig today after the other salespeople said things like "I've only ever told one person DVC wasn't right for them, and they bought anyway!" Kind of funny to see Craig say no lol.
@The Mando is it true Pete switched sponsors to be able to give you the Moving to Orlando business because the broker for the current sponsor, DVC Rental/Resale Market, was willing to be the broker for MTO? I always figured that was another way for Pete to keep you close by making you a business partner.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1
occu
@The Mando is it true Pete switched sponsors to be able to give you the Moving to Orlando business because the broker for the current sponsor, DVC Rental/Resale Market, was willing to be the broker for MTO? I always figured that was another way for Pete to keep you close by making you a business partner.
No, not at all. When it was Moving to the Magic, Eric was the realtor and he was with Fathom realty which is a cloud type brokerage, so there’s not a physical building and you just pay like $300-$500 per closing but you don’t really get hands on help.

I don’t remember when the DVC switch happened but I took over MTO in March 2020 when Eric left. I immediately switched from Fathom because Eric had only ever sold 2 houses before starting the shows and there had been complaints so I said I needed to be with a bigger brokerage so I could get the help I needed since I didn’t know how to do real estate. Pete insisted on Keller Williams At The Parks, which is in Winter Park area. He thought it was appear more ‘Disney’ since it was called ‘at the parks’ and wanted me to rent a cubicle space so I could have an office. I protested this because I lived in Kissimmee and there was a Keller Williams at Celebration and if Pete wanted me at a physical office, it made sense to be 10 minutes from my house and for clients to be close to Disney and be able to get to the office quick. Winter Park is over an hour from that house. Pete flipped out and said I was selfish and didn’t care about him and all that, so I went with the Winter Park one. Within 2 weeks he got in a fight with them and demanded we leave.

So we hopped around from broker to broker and in the meantime I had hit it off with Nick and LaToya because I was still over the DVC side of things. At that point, they cut us a good deal and I was already working with them on DVC.

Eventually, I built a team and the team wanted more opportunities for training and growth so we needed a more traditional brokerage that was a better fit for them. I talked to Pete about it and he was level headed but worried that Nick and LaToya would be upset so I told him to throw me under the bus because he still needed his DVC deal and since I was no longer doing anything with that (by this point) that it wouldn’t matter as much if they were mad at me, I just have to do what is right for the staff. So I moved the team away from Forever Magic.

I do believe part of the appeal for Pete was since he had that deal with them that he knew he could way overstep.

After the move happened, he says I tricked him into moving the company away so that he would lose that control, which I actually hadn’t ever thought of, but it did tell me that he had been thinking of that and was reluctant to let me move us.
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: 9
Hi everyone. I am a casual reader here every now and then and I am just catching up on the whirlwind of the last few pages.

i know Sean and Dustin are here and posting, but who are "jafar" and "rufiosghost"?? Are they also former members of the disunplugged team? Sorry just trying to get this all straight!!

thank you!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4
The old shows were refreshing and got me interested in the Dis in the first place. They weren't overly positive like DFB or overly negative like WDWNT. It seemed like they had pretty balanced takes on the parks at a time when everyone is an extremist on one end or the other.

The new DVC show/panel is just a sales show. I'm sure Paul thought he'd be able to turn Craig today after the other salespeople said things like "I've only ever told one person DVC wasn't right for them, and they bought anyway!" Kind of funny to see Craig say no lol.
Are you serious about Craig? His signature line he says all the time is "I'm one of the rare people who do or do not like this thing."
 
This is what happens when the entire panel is employed by the sponsor of the show. Of course they are gonna sell, sell, sell....

Oh and they are all local, which baffles me how they don't have anyone on the panels from outside of FL considering it is generally used for WDW travel by people who don't live 20 min from the park...its just a mess much like the rest of the podcasts that are all done from the prism of someone who lives 20 mins away and doesn't include any knowledge/feedback from those who travel to WDW with DVC...
I agree with all of this. This is also my general opinion of the Dis too. I wish they would focus more on connecting with their audience.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Sean, I had a question about Moving to The Magic. On one of the shows Pete said something like he cut ties with the old agent due to some information he received. I'm not sure if that was Eric or someone else. I'm trying to recall this from memory and likely doing a bad job. He made is sound like the guy was a criminal or something like that, what was that deal? If you already covered it I'm sorry I missed it and I get the feeling now maybe it was Pete drama he blamed on someone else.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 5
Status
Thread locked. We start a new thread when they have over 1000 posts, click the blue button to see all threads for this topic and find the latest open thread.