flynnibus
Premium Member
Nicely said. Let's hope more people learn to enjoy their time together rather than simply race to hit checkboxes. Life is too short and unpredictable.
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The Spirited 8th Wonder (WDW's Future & You!)
- Thread starter WDW1974
- Start date
Nicely said. Let's hope more people learn to enjoy their time together rather than simply race to hit checkboxes. Life is too short and unpredictable.
flynnibus
Premium Member
I point to things like DisneySea... not contractually obligated to reach that high and far. And as much as Disney won't enforce decorum on it's own guests or park operations.. do you really see them threatening OLC if they slide below some standard agreed to 30+ years ago? All MHO.. but I'd wager OLC's operational track record is based on their own pride and duty.. not fear of Disney legal hawks.
StageFrenzy
Well-Known Member
Wasn't on the list, to get it back on track I can't see staying at a Disney resort anytime in the near future. Did you already weigh in on how the DVC conversion on WL makes you feel?
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Disney definitely enjoys pushing for them to spend more on design since that is profit for Disney. A lot of it is not just the Oriental Land Company themselves, but Japanese culture in general.
Cesar R M
Well-Known Member
and force them into multiple days into the parks.. as the capacity is so low.. you cant visit every thing you wanted to do in a single day or two?
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
Don't you realize that adding dvc to a resort drives up the cost for that resort?
That way dvc seems like a great bargain.
ThemeParkJunkee
Well-Known Member
This. Absolutely. I used to see everything I wanted in four days. Then five. Last visit...six days. Now, to assure I can see everything it will be eight. I only go every 4 or so years. Some of it is a new attraction or two at the parks but on each of our visits, something else was down for refurb so that wasn't it. The crowds during the slower times I usually go have increased greatly each trip. There are no crowd level "1-2" days in a row anymore. FP+ has increased standby waits now that the mass marketing of the program has convinced everyone it is a necessity to "lock it in". Late February, late October and mid November used to be soooooo easy. Now, not so much.
I have become a bit of a "food snob" now that the kids are grown so I want to eat at certain restaurants requiring 185 day in advance reservations. Really? I actually did this? I actually accept this? I didn't used to.
I have to figure wait times. I have to figure twice as much time to visit Food and Wine booths than before. And...I have to figure twice as much time to get from point A to point B.
I've not had a full restaurant meal there but really enjoyed the main bar and the room service breakfast was quite good. Also loved the pool area. I was there visiting a friend whose company paid for the room for 2 weeks for a conference. I stayed 2 nights with him -- really regretted having to get back to the O-town house and day job.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
I grew up in the middle of those forested mountains. In Beckley, WV. When driving west, it's where I-64 joins I-77 (WV Turnpike). It is a beautiful state and the people have this quaint "sort of like Duck Dynasty but with out all that class" quality.I just drove I-81 to I-64 this past week to drive to Kentucky. The forested mountains you drive through crossing WV are quite stunning. I-81 was full of state troopers!
I got to spend a few extra hours in Charleston too... without choice. The wife learned that just because a gas pump is green, that doesn't mean it's necessarily diesel gas
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You just proved next gen is working. Of course Disney is locking people into staying on property. Universal is doing the same thing with their new hotels. Before long they will both cut things out of season tickets unless you stay on property or at an affiliate hotel/timeshare. These parks are for the vacationer and not locals. Times change places change and people change. It's been pointed out time and time again on this thread. But I have to thank you because you clearly proved next gen is working with your complaints and just wait on 8/5/2014 you will see the financial proof with the quarterly statement. I am sure their increase in profits from the parks will be more than 2.5% on revenue growth of 9.4% like universal.
danpam1024
Well-Known Member
I've thought these very same things, but when you actually list them out on paper- WOW! So very true and so VERY sad
So glad we opted NOT to have a second mortgage for a DVC Mouse trap! DH thinks in time things will change, but I doubt it will EVER return to it's former glory. RIP PI, AC, RC, deluxe accommodations with class, specialty souvieneers (resort specific mugs), edible qs meals, unique ts meals.......
danpam1024
Well-Known Member
danpam1024
Well-Known Member
how is that? Any new hotel doesn't offer EP- what most people love about the deluxes. The meal plan is not really pushed, there is no ME and there are PLENTY of taxis to get you to where you need to go. And Uni isn't dooming themselves with timeshares on property, but rather provide affordable resorts that aren't cheap motels with giant statues.
alphac2005
Well-Known Member
The launch of Journey into Imagination 2.0 to me was the real telling point of the downward trajectory, let alone the gimmicks the prior several years of closing attractions or running them on a "seasonal" basis. The writing was on the wall. Most just didn't see what were pretty damning nuggets back then.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
They were planning on 11% revenue growth and for the project to cost 40% of what it did. Just because revenue growth happens doesn't mean it served it's purpose. There are people that liked John Carter... that doesn't make it successful, they still had to write off $200 million.
MerlinTheGoat
Well-Known Member
I'd say the second half of 1994 was the start from guest perspective. At least the point in which the downward spiral had gotten to a point where it was becoming apparent enough that the regular park-going guest could begin noticing the tide was turning (assuming you had visited previously and weren't a newcomer as most WDW goers are nowadays). Imagination 2.0 was far from the first sign, that was 1998 when they ruined that ride (though it may have been a good indication of how bad new projects were going to be moving forward).
It had probably been occurring a bit before even 94 from the internal perspective of the old guard executives (the good type of execs that Eisner fired and replaced with the kinds of jackasses who run the company today), but 94 was when I personally first started seeing things turning really sour on an almost constant basis. As in an almost exclusive string of bad decisions with far too little positive things to speak of. Animal Kingdom is the only arguable exception of positives occurring since 1994, though even that was and still is riddled with an absurd amount of problems of its own (from the original crippling budget cuts that Eisner helped to impose during its creation and construction along with far too little expansion over the years). Kilimanjaro Safari is probably the ONLY ride i'd say lives up to established oldschool Disney standards of excellence built between 1994 and the present time (a true quality E ticket that I feel pretty much fully lives up to its potential, and one I only rode for the first time in 2010 with no nostalgic connections whatsoever). The park itself was and still is a gorgeous place, masterfully designed from an aesthetic point of view (despite every effort from bean counters to ruin various visual aspects of it). The rides apart from the Safari however are all very flawed in their own ways to varying extents, none come anywhere close to the potential they had or should have attained. Compare Kali with the Tiger River concept or Dinosaur where the ride was supposed to be several times the length of the final prior to budget mutilation. Not to mention the hideous mess of a mistake that is Dinorama (no problems with Dinoland or some kind of prehistoric land at all, just the egregious and horrendous roadside carnival that desperately needs to be killed with fire).
I've often wondered if Frank Wells' death had anything to do with the problems that started appearing. I'll also mention that I was only a relatively young kid of 5-6 years at the time who had only begun visiting in '91 to start (though I visited too many times to recall during those years so I had a lot of experience at the time). Even at that age it was quite apparent that bad things were beginning.
There were still some good projects left over happening in 1994. Such as Tower of Terror and the excellent Jeremy Irons version of SSE (and my personal favorite version of the ride by far). Bit 1994 was the year in which 20k Leagues Under the Sea closed, later stated here and elsewhere to be because the company didn't want to pay to properly maintain it anymore. The early signs of their stingy budget cuts regarding maintenance of rides. Horizons I believe was also shut down in 1994 for some time after losing its sponsor the previous year. It did continue to operate seasonally until 1999 while World of Motion was being transformed (i prefer mutilated and ruined) into Test Track, but Disney's attempts to throw Horizons under the bus was a clear sign that WDW was on the downward path, even if it did manage to hobble along for a few more years.
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
I couldn't believe that last friday at 9:45 am, SSE already had a 30 min standby wait because it now has FP. wth?
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
What are you talking about?
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
Does anyone know the occupancy rates for DVC? I think it was mentioned before but I can't find it.
Just tried to rent point for one weekend in October and was told every single DVC studio and 1 bedroom is booked solid.
Even OKW and SSR... I was a little shocked.
Just tried to rent point for one weekend in October and was told every single DVC studio and 1 bedroom is booked solid.
Even OKW and SSR... I was a little shocked.