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If only Walt Disney were in office

THEMEPARKPIONEER

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I was watching a youtube video of an old show called Whas My Line and Walt Disney appeared on it. Someone in the show asked him how his projects he had discussed were going including Tom Sawyers Island and he said... "where already preparing for next summer, everything's done", you dont hear that anymore. All you get today is a bunch of rumors and half the time these rumors or ideas just get shot down. I could only imagine what Disney World would be and how much would get done of he were in office today.http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Of7_K1e_x3Y&feature=related
 

Vader2112

Well-Known Member
I was watching a youtube video of an old show called Whas My Line and Walt Disney appeared on it. Someone in the show asked him how his projects he had discussed were going including Tom Sawyers Island and he said... "where already preparing for next summer, everything's done", you dont hear that anymore. All you get today is a bunch of rumors and half the time these rumors or ideas just get shot down. I could only imagine what Disney World would be and how much would get done of he were in office today.http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Of7_K1e_x3Y&feature=related
Roy was the one that really pushed things to get done.
Being 111 right now, I'm pretty sure he would be long gone even if he lived healthy lifestyle.
He is in his Cryo Crypt waiting for the day when he will be revived...lol
 

bsiev1977

Well-Known Member
I was watching a youtube video of an old show called Whas My Line and Walt Disney appeared on it. Someone in the show asked him how his projects he had discussed were going including Tom Sawyers Island and he said... "where already preparing for next summer, everything's done", you dont hear that anymore. All you get today is a bunch of rumors and half the time these rumors or ideas just get shot down. I could only imagine what Disney World would be and how much would get done of he were in office today.http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Of7_K1e_x3Y&feature=related

The whole thing with rumors and ideas getting shot down has nothing to do with Walt being in charge or not.
There was no Internet when Walt was alive, so there was no way for rumors as we know them, to spread to the public. Things kinda just happened because we as guests of the resorts wouldn't have known anything about them ahead of time.

I think WDW would be, if at all, very little different now if Walt was still around somehow.
A lot of people seem to think that Walt wouldn't have changed with the times. That he would always be stuck in a mindset of the past.
 

Vader2112

Well-Known Member
The whole thing with rumors and ideas getting shot down has nothing to do with Walt being in charge or not.
There was no Internet when Walt was alive, so there was no way for rumors as we know the, to spread to the public. Things kinda just happened because we as guests of the resorts wouldn't have known anything about them ahead of time.

I think WDW would be, if at all, very little different now if Walt was still around somehow.
A lot of people seem to think that Walt wouldn't have changed with the times. That he would always be stuck in a mindset of the past.
I agree If anything he was constantly looking to change and improve upon things.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
I think WDW would be, if at all, very little different now if Walt was still around somehow.
A lot of people seem to think that Walt wouldn't have changed with the times. That he would always be stuck in a mindset of the past.
Walt had no interest in building a theme park in Florida, much less multiple theme parks. I think Walt Disney World would be quite different.
 

Goofyernmost

Premium Member
Walt had no interest in building a theme park in Florida, much less multiple theme parks. I think Walt Disney World would be quite different.
Partially true, his interest in Theme parks was behind him, but, he had known that he needed a Theme park in the Florida project and that was further in the planning then EPCOT was. His involvement in the planning was minimal because his primary interest was EPCOT, but EPCOT needed the support of a Theme Park. Even though he had left it up to others to design, even thinking that he didn't pop his head in every once in a while and either raise or lower an eyebrow, is not very realistic.

Had EPCOT come to be, successful or not, he would have found some other interest, maybe Disney Universe located on Mars or something. I don't for a minute, believe that he wouldn't have backed more Parks if he saw it as beneficial to his other pursuits. :)
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Partially true, his interest in Theme parks was behind him, but, he had known that he needed a Theme park in the Florida project and that was further in the planning then EPCOT was.
What became the Magic Kingdom was only known as filler to Walt. He presented an identical copy of Disneyland. The actual design work on the Magic Kingdom only began after his death.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Roy had no choice, everyday they were losing more money. But if it were up to Roy, we wouldn't even have a Disneyland.
Roy had Walt Disney Products invest in Disneyland. He wasn't willing or able to fund the whole project, but Walt also wanted more control over Disneyland than he would have had if it was executed solely by Walt Disney Productions.
 

WED99

Well-Known Member
Roy had Walt Disney Products invest in Disneyland. He wasn't willing or able to fund the whole project, but Walt also wanted more control over Disneyland than he would have had if it was executed solely by Walt Disney Productions.
Can you explain that last part again, I'm confused.

And yes Roy supported it in the end, but he was hesitant at the start.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Can you explain that last part again, I'm confused.

And yes Roy supported it in the end, but he was hesitant at the start.
Walt had always enjoyed and romanticized the early days of the studio, envisioning himself as a sort of father figure to his staff. He often referred to the animator as "my boys." Despite the massive growth of the Studio through the 1930s, Walt retained this image of himself as a father figure heading up a family. Then came the 1941 strike. Walt saw this as an attack against him personally and in the aftermath of its settlement, the Studio had to be more rigidly organized in a manner outside of Walt's control. Creating a new organization, WED Enterprises, wholly owned by himself gave Walt that unfettered control and direct engagement on his new pet projects. Having Disneyland Inc. not be entirely controlled by the Studio gave Walt greater control as he was de facto decision maker at Walt Disney Productions and the sole owner of WED Enterprises, who together owned 2/3s of Disneyland. Even when WED Enterprises was eventually sold to Walt Disney productions, Walt, via Retlaw, retained ownership of his personal favorites at Disneyland.
 

WED99

Well-Known Member
Walt had always enjoyed and romanticized the early days of the studio, envisioning himself as a sort of father figure to his staff. He often referred to the animator as "my boys." Despite the massive growth of the Studio through the 1930s, Walt retained this image of himself as a father figure heading up a family. Then came the 1941 strike. Walt saw this as an attack against him personally and in the aftermath of its settlement, the Studio had to be more rigidly organized in a manner outside of Walt's control. Creating a new organization, WED Enterprises, wholly owned by himself gave Walt that unfettered control and direct engagement on his new pet projects. Having Disneyland Inc. not be entirely controlled by the Studio gave Walt greater control as he was de facto decision maker at Walt Disney Productions and the sole owner of WED Enterprises, who together owned 2/3s of Disneyland. Even when WED Enterprises was eventually sold to Walt Disney productions, Walt, via Retlaw, retained ownership of his personal favorites at Disneyland.
Now I understand, thanks for explaining.
 

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