I have a lot to say here, so I will be separating this trip report into separate posts. This first post will contain a background and some quick overall thoughts regarding the quality of my vacation. Subsequent posts will tackle each day.
About 5 months ago, I became aware of the apparentness that WDW would be doing away with Dinosaur. We've since learned that it will be the last thing to go after Tropical Americas are complete, but at the time it wasn't clear if it would even be around by December. And me, being someone who likes thrill rides and dinosaurs - but somehow also never got the chance to ride it - was shocked. I needed to get that in! And so it was that I began planning what would balloon into the greatest theme park vacation I have ever experienced.
In total, I had been to WDW four times, most recently when I was 14. More than 15 years had passed since then- in the ensuing years I'd opted instead to spend my theme park excursions with Six Flags, Sea World, Busch Gardens, and Universal. I do love me a good rollercoaster. While I had core memories of the Epcot "ball," River District, plush toys, and bits of the classic rides, nothing was fresh in my mind (except a retrospectively hilarious 2000 incident where I was terrified by a seagull stealing my soft pretzel in World Showcase- that one is pretty vivid). I never took in what WDW really was, because I'd never been there when old enough to really appreciate it. This is not to say that I didn't read plenty about it. This year especially, blogs, videos, books, and documentaries have given me a sense for the history of the company and the creation of WDW. And with this development came some strong opinions.
The stripping from Epcot of Horizons, World of Motion, Journey Into Imagination, and the entire Wonders of Life pavilion ensure that today's version of the park does not hold a candle to what it was 30 years ago- an embarrassing quality for any vacation destination. Bob Iger's philosophies have largely struck me as gross- particularly his insistence on IP integration and the needless replacement of classic attractions. Misgivings such as this came to such a head that when news broke that he would be replacing River District with a land full of talking cars, I became convinced that this would be my farewell to the entire WDW property. Sure, I'd go again if a wife or child wanted, but not of my own volition.
Boy, was I wrong.
Walt Disney World is a testament to the human appetite for adventure and travel. Iger and his cronies are throwing a little gravel into the machine, but what a massive and well-running machine it is! This is bigger than anyone in charge, bigger than the company itself. Sprawling resorts, unforgettable sights and sounds, and most impactfully, children having a blast. Walt's future city may have never come to pass, but what we have today is unparalleled in its own way. Walt Disney World is a crowning achievement of American ingenuity and passion- truly the vacation kingdom of the world. Of course I'm coming back.
Needless to say my vacation was a huge success. In the coming days, I will be breaking down each day in a separate post, and then combining them together in this original post for the sake of reader friendliness. While my post has been glowing thus far, nothing I saw has improved my impression of current top-level management. Almost all of my favorite experiences were conceptualized before the ascension of Bob Iger. A few of them are on the chopping block. So expect a pinch of salt here and there as I reminisce on this wonderful adventure. But by and large, this will be a very positive report.
Stay tuned!
About 5 months ago, I became aware of the apparentness that WDW would be doing away with Dinosaur. We've since learned that it will be the last thing to go after Tropical Americas are complete, but at the time it wasn't clear if it would even be around by December. And me, being someone who likes thrill rides and dinosaurs - but somehow also never got the chance to ride it - was shocked. I needed to get that in! And so it was that I began planning what would balloon into the greatest theme park vacation I have ever experienced.
In total, I had been to WDW four times, most recently when I was 14. More than 15 years had passed since then- in the ensuing years I'd opted instead to spend my theme park excursions with Six Flags, Sea World, Busch Gardens, and Universal. I do love me a good rollercoaster. While I had core memories of the Epcot "ball," River District, plush toys, and bits of the classic rides, nothing was fresh in my mind (except a retrospectively hilarious 2000 incident where I was terrified by a seagull stealing my soft pretzel in World Showcase- that one is pretty vivid). I never took in what WDW really was, because I'd never been there when old enough to really appreciate it. This is not to say that I didn't read plenty about it. This year especially, blogs, videos, books, and documentaries have given me a sense for the history of the company and the creation of WDW. And with this development came some strong opinions.
The stripping from Epcot of Horizons, World of Motion, Journey Into Imagination, and the entire Wonders of Life pavilion ensure that today's version of the park does not hold a candle to what it was 30 years ago- an embarrassing quality for any vacation destination. Bob Iger's philosophies have largely struck me as gross- particularly his insistence on IP integration and the needless replacement of classic attractions. Misgivings such as this came to such a head that when news broke that he would be replacing River District with a land full of talking cars, I became convinced that this would be my farewell to the entire WDW property. Sure, I'd go again if a wife or child wanted, but not of my own volition.
Boy, was I wrong.
Walt Disney World is a testament to the human appetite for adventure and travel. Iger and his cronies are throwing a little gravel into the machine, but what a massive and well-running machine it is! This is bigger than anyone in charge, bigger than the company itself. Sprawling resorts, unforgettable sights and sounds, and most impactfully, children having a blast. Walt's future city may have never come to pass, but what we have today is unparalleled in its own way. Walt Disney World is a crowning achievement of American ingenuity and passion- truly the vacation kingdom of the world. Of course I'm coming back.
Needless to say my vacation was a huge success. In the coming days, I will be breaking down each day in a separate post, and then combining them together in this original post for the sake of reader friendliness. While my post has been glowing thus far, nothing I saw has improved my impression of current top-level management. Almost all of my favorite experiences were conceptualized before the ascension of Bob Iger. A few of them are on the chopping block. So expect a pinch of salt here and there as I reminisce on this wonderful adventure. But by and large, this will be a very positive report.
Stay tuned!