Whether or not you listed your age, it doesn’t matter…the opinions in most cases will give everyone’s ages away…just like we “get off our lawn” old timers give ourselves away…I’m not one to belittle or knock anyone intentionally (and if I do, I sincerely apologize). The problem is that WE remember how AWESOME WDW was not that long ago. Speaking for myself (although I hope many will agree with me), it just seems like the “new crew” is just satisfied with the mediocrity that the mouse has become. If fans, guests and critics DON’T hold their feet to the fire, you are going to CONSISTENTLY have to deal with attractions like the old FEA heads, TBA going into B mode after a few short months…complacency BREEDS mediocrity…THATS what WILL happen if people don’t speak out…do people on hear get loud & obnoxious? ABSOLUTELY! I will be the FIRST one to admit I can be VERY sarcastic in some of my posts but MY intentions are only to see this place we ALL love SO much stay the best & the most elite theme park/ resort in the world….WDW used to be the G.O.A.T…now sometimes it looks REAL ratty…we have to stop that before the company thinks we’re happy & satisfied with that…some on here think it’s already too late…if that indeed happens, we’ve lost the war and our beloved parks will become a higher class Six Flags…
Go on the internet…Google what the parks used to look like…watch Martin’s videos on WDW in its glory days…THAT’s what makes us so crotchety, grumpy & annoyed…don’t take it personally…you’re the future of this place…hold their feet to the fire and DEMAND perfection (or close to perfection)…we’re soon going to be added to the tombstones at HM…don’t let them get away with it, because they WILL & you’ll have nobody to blame but yourselves…I’ll get off my soapbox now…
Here is the divide between us then. When I go to the parks, I view them as their own unique eperience that is 100% uncomparable to anything else. Even Universal doesn't really have that Disney feel to it, it's a completely unique thing. When I go to the parks, I have an amazing time, every time. I LOVE the new rides, I also love the old rides. I don't mind old things closing because hey, I got to experience it and I can't wait to see what they do next with it. Tiana's is unfortunate but to me its one of those rare instances where they had a "miss" and the "miss" is ONLY in the maintainence of the animatronics. While the plot is not perfect, I do love it as an attraction and want the best for it. (I think they should add in Dr Facilier's shadow or something still but hey with stuff like Frozen Ever After, we know that's possible now) Disney is willing to spend the money to put the care in these rides. They are updating rides constantly right now to have small changes that don't move merch or lightning lanes much. They don't move the needle but they cost millions, they're still doing amazing work and getting rid of sections that they are not happy with.
I know what the parks used to look like, I watch archival footage all of the time. Some things in those, I wish stayed so I can experience them. Others, not so much. I like what we have and it doesn't do me any good to look back onto stuff that is long gone to try and reminesce about a memory I do not have and nostalgia I don't really care for.
I have NEVER seen the Disney parks look ratty or Six Flags like. When I go to the Disney hotels, I see the cast members touching up the paint, meticiously trimming stuff, and being absolute delights. I see areas that look amazing. I have seen images of some stuff that should not be happening but I also see that it's usually fairly quickly fixed up and polished after being mentioned anywhere.
There are certain things that modern Disney failed with. The in-ground EPCOT lighting, maintenance of Tiana's, etc.
My understanding though is that we have had tons of mistakes and missteps. Areas that were never "perfect" as you claim. And I like that. I don't need things to be 100% perfect because it reminds me that the people who worked on these projects are human. They have lapses in judgement sometimes. They get things wrong. Amazing imagineers get things wrong. Rohde got some things wrong. Tony Baxter got some things wrong. Walt Disney himself get plenty wrong. You can't label Disney as some perfect experience when that's not true.
Disneyland opened to toilets not working and people sinking into the concrete. It was fundamentally rushed. It all turned out good and made what many call the best theme park in America and paved the way for every major 'theme" park after. But... Walt made a mistake. He didn't give ample time and wasn't really realistic in building an entire perfect theme park in 1 year. He bought the land in Florida because he realized he could never do his true vision in CA. They announced things early that never came to be. They've done this throughout all of Disney history. We are just more exposed than ever because of the internet being a whole different beast.
Let's be honest. How many people back then knew about and would get angry for Edison Square, Liberty Street, Discovery Bay, Lilliputian Land, the EPCOT Countries.
The truth is Disney is under much more scrutiny than before because EVERYTHING they do in blasted in the media, on forums that never existed in Walt's age, on TV, etc, etc.
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