Cracked.com article about opening day

[jocarol]

"It wasn't fun. But I also remember that I wanted to go again. So much had gone wrong, yet there was still something to it. I reread all my journal before the interview, and it's bringing back memories of still being memorable and likable, and I remember not liking it. There was still something right there when everything seemed to go wrong. It's Disney. Maybe you can't explain it. Even with so much going wrong, you wanted to love it."

http://www.cracked.com/personal-exp...ghtmare-that-was-disneylands-opening-day.html

 

[Magenta Panther]

"It wasn't fun. But I also remember that I wanted to go again. So much had gone wrong, yet there was still something to it. I reread all my journal before the interview, and it's bringing back memories of still being memorable and likable, and I remember not liking it. There was still something right there when everything seemed to go wrong. It's Disney. Maybe you can't explain it. Even with so much going wrong, you wanted to love it."

http://www.cracked.com/personal-exp...ghtmare-that-was-disneylands-opening-day.html

Not much has changed since then, has it? The magic and philosophy Walt built into his signature park still lives in its nooks and crannies, and THEY are what keep pulling people in. They are something a bean-counter like Iger will never understand. It's not Avatar and Star Wars and Marvel that will enchant generation after generation. They're completely unnecessary additions to any Disney park. It's genuine Disney people crave. If that weren't true, then Universal's parks would be on top right now. They're pretty great and in some ways, they've surpassed the Disney parks (I have seldom been in any parks more immersive than Universal Florida's Islands of Adventure and the Harry Potter areas). Universal parks are fabulously creative, have wonderful sights and sounds...but they don't have the spark that awakens people's dreams and desires, that reawakens childhood. Only Disney parks have that. But for how long now? How many more off-studio purchases and intrusions will happen to Walt's parks until they finally turn into Universal-wannabes? That's what worries me. That's what breaks my heart.

 

[mickEblu]

I can relate to the "it wasn't fun but I wanted to go back" line. Even though I'm an AP and that probably makes me sound crazy. I feel that this guests opinion of opening day is still oddly relevant today. Not to say I don't have fun at the park. But going to the park these days, especially with kid(s) is not exactly.... a walk in the park. I've figured out that I go for those reassuring and pleasant sights, sounds and smells that make me feel good. And to a lesser extent, some of the attractions. In between these pleasantries, the crowds, lines and traffic to get there dominate the day. But there is something about the place that keeps me (and many others) going back.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

If you're like me and visited DL in the 70s and 80s regularly then you have a completely different perspective on how a day at the park feels compared to today. The WDCo was delivering experiences that were fresh, one-of-a-kind and special, and the average guest wasn't battling what feels like a million people while fixated on attack strategies to deal with the crowds. Disneyland hasn't completely lost the foundational spirit it was built upon, but in its efforts to scale for APs and year-round crowds something has been lost, and I'm afraid it's been detrimental to the Disney brand and overall experience.