Again, you're letting this site blind you. The amount of work going on at WDW right now is staggering, from next gen, hundred million dollar expansions, new resorts, new restaurants, etc.
I think you need to step back and allow a dose of realism through. The amount of money being spent at WDW may be staggering, on that point you'll get no disagreement from me, but take a look at what it's being spent on.
You tout NEXT GEN because being involved in fan communities on the 'net have you believing that this is some major improvement in vacationing akin to actual attractions (like UNI and SW are building and Disney is building in Anaheim and overseas) when the people who work at WDW are well into Year Three of the initiative and can't really describe it. And it isn't because it is veiled in secrecy. It's because it covers so many things from new ways of using FastPass to datamining guests to back of the house things like tagging costumes. Those aren't the type of things that will drive folks to plan $7,000 MAGical WDW vacations. NEXT GEN is simply a non-starter in any legit fan discussion on the merits of WDW because it has meant nothing to folks visiting and when it starts to, it likely will be in ways that many people won't like and many others won't even be able to take part in.
There's only one 'expansion' going on at WDW ... the relatively modest Fantasyland project. And let's again not let Disney PR spin change the fact that there is very little expansion actually taking place. replacing lost capacity with new capacity that doesn't result in a net gain isn't really expanding ... taking one land away and expanding another into its footprint isn't expanding either.
As to the new resorts and new restaurants, while those things may be good or bad (I'd argue that the resorts are bad because they inflate the inventory and often result in massive discounting to fill and in some cases, like GF DVC, simply put stress on an existing resort and lower its overall quality in a quick money grab for TDO), they aren't part of a discussion about the parks largely (yes, I suppose you could tout EPCOT's recent dining additions as a reason to visit ... but I tend to not eat $30 Mexican entrees or $50 pizzas in the real world and see no reason to do so at EPCOT).
If there were no parks, then there would be no reason for new hotels and timeshares. So I think to call them an attraction is weak (not saying you said it, just that people do) unless you own DVC and have to visit because you're tied to the Mouse.
This site likes to forget about all of it because there's no new thrill rides. This is why every thread here devolves into an anti Disney back patting party. You yourself just praised Universal for an unannounced expansion while completely ignoring an announced $500 million project at Disney. It's nothing new though. That's what this forum is all about. Unfortunately, it's also the best site by ten miles for the latest news and rumors. That's why I stick around, but it truly is obvious to see by anyone who isn't part of this culture of negativity.
I don't think thrill rides have anything to do with it. I think the fact WDW has four stale and neglected parks might be. The fact that a WDW visit four years ago and one today would give you the exact same experiences largely ... or that a visit in 2005 and now would largely be the exact same one ...
What UNI does or doesn't do is only used as a comparison for what Disney does or doesn't do. I think you are attempting to talk about Avatar, something that was announced nine months ago and we still have no details on. WDI and Cameron have been going back and forth in very contentious discussions that have delayed the project and for a while in the spring, it looked like it might not even happen. The earliest we will see anything is now 2017. That is FIVE years from now. The modest, by comparison, Fantasyland project is taking FOUR years to complete. Four years for a C/D Ticket clone from DCA, a kiddie coaster, doubling Dumbo, turning old meet and greets into new nicer ones and adding a new food facility, along with some area freshening and reskinning.
THAT is why you see negativity. Because UNI is doing better in O-Town ... and Disney can and is doing better all around the globe. That's what some fans here refuse to acknowledge. They can't handle the facts, so they get negative about negativity, which seems to me to be a very dumb way to spend time they won't get back at the end.
