Disney Name Is Losing Its Cachet

“Disney Hopes to Revive Magic by Selling More Stuff” [July 8] points out what many consumers have known for years: Disney has lost whatever magic touch it had and there are other places to turn for entertainment.

The Disney Store used to be a fun, special place to shop for gifts or the occasional fun Disney item for the house. Andy Mooney and his team have turned it into an ersatz Baby Gap.

What the executives at Disney seem to have lost sight of is that since the earliest days it has been adults, not just children, who have brought Disney its success.

Walt Disney Co. has in many ways transcended pure industry and become a public trust. Unfortunately, Disney has grown increasingly arrogant and betrayed that trust too many times--and the public has grown weary.

You’ve got to wonder: What, exactly, has Disney’s board of directors been doing for the past few years?

John Josephs

Studio City

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Who needs a Disney toothbrush, suppositories or trash-can bags?

I know it must be tempting to wring every last bit of cash out of the Disney name, but at some point a company, especially one as sacred in pop culture as this one, should know when enough is enough.

To Disney I say, “Stick to the movies, television and theme parks, and preserve the specialness of your namesake. It’s what you do so well and are truly identified with, not orange juice or soup.”

Paul Gentry

Granada Hills