I've been a spectator as this story unfolded over the past three weeks or so. I wanted to attempt to let the details shake out as much as possible, especially as an outsider before I commented on anything. I'm going to attempt to cover the bases on a very complex story and give my opinion on it, with the hope that maybe some discussion can provide a level of clarity for everyone still reeling from this.
First, I must say that I've watched The Dis for years and much of why I enjoyed the parks (as well as took my first trip) was because of the enthusiasm from those on the team. Craig reminds me so much of Charlie Brown, he seems like such a genuine and lovable guy. His dynamic with Ryno is so great, they seem like such great friends that pal around to have fun like it's a buddy comedy. Corey and his family seem so wholesome. I really looked forward to the Tuesday shows and the other channel content. I wasn't much into the dining shows, as fancy food isn't my thing, as I'm more of a wings and fries guy, but the fun that Craig, Ryno, and the team had on their adventures was a little slice of Disney.
The accusations against Werner are horrific and applauding. It goes against everything that Disney stands for, bringing happiness into each other's lives. If those claims are true, Werner should be held responsible for his actions. Given Dustin's posts on the other forum and the live stream that he did on Youtube earlier this month, I must say that I believe his story. He seemingly doesn't have anything to gain from this other than to tell his story to allow others to understand who they are dealing with as far as Werner.
The fact that Werner does have a lawsuit against him from American Express for a staggering amount of credit card debt lends credibility to claims of erratic behavior. Each strike against him on their own is more than enough for him to be exiled from The Dis/
Dreams Unlimited Travel. If I understand it correctly, Werner took out a credit card in the company's name without knowledge or permission and ran up massive debt. That alone should be a red flag for anyone dealing with him in any financial capacity. I would never want my money to be anywhere near Werner in any way, shape, or form. What would stop him from compromising a client's financial information?
How The Dis and the
travel agency continue forward is anyone's guess. I hate to say it, but Werner was more or less the public face of the organization. I'm not sure if the company can shake the black cloud that he created, and it's very possible that the stain of Werner might be permanently on The Dis.
That said, I hope there's a way for the team to keep their jobs. Again, Craig and Ryno clearly have such a passion for what they do. The remaining team didn't deserve to be included in the Werner abyss. Dustin has stated very directly that the team didn't know what happened to him, and given how upfront he has been, you must take his word for it. I believe that the team didn't know so the understandable animosity should be directed at Werner, not them.
Something that I often noticed about Werner from the Tuesday shows, his trademark "sassiness" or "everyone loves a good rant" mode seemed to cross over into just being rude. It happened more and more often to the point that instead of rightful criticism of the Disney corporation, it became Werner being mean to the team if they didn't agree with him.
I wish Dustin the best and I hope he can continue to heal from this tragic situation. I wish Craig, Ryno, Corey, and the rest of the team the best during this very difficult situation. I'm not sure what can be said legally, but if The Dis is truly going to move forward, something will have to be said about Werner's departure from the organization on the show.
The saddest aspect of this whole story is how Werner ruined so much of what was joyful about Disney. He turned Dustin's dream job into an awful situation, he associated his monstrous actions with The Dis, and he was resposible for such a tragedy that affected the Disney community.