Well if the rumors we've been discussing for months now hold any weight and become reality then I would argue that Disney World will be better than it ever was before.
I agree. I am excited for the future of the World.
While the rumors of what is to come with the DHS windfall (and it's trickle down funds to EPCOT and MK) and Pandora are promising lights at the end of a dark tunnel the resort has been in for what will be approaching 2 decades by the time we reach the "promised land", it is important to keep in mind that the real issues the resort is faced with go beyond simply "adding more attractions". The real change that needs to come for the 50th is a change of heart.
What good will a wonderful Pandora, Pixar Place, and Star Wars Land be if they open in a resort that is struggling to uphold the tenets of what made the place so special to begin with? If these new additions (not New Editions, cool it now) come to fruition in a resort that is run like the current resort is - how long will the luster last? Will Star Wars land open and quickly have the headlining attraction deteriorate as effects break and don't get repaired. Will the forests of Endor need to be clear cut to make more room to squeeze in occupants to handle all the crowds that will be enticed to the new additions?
If the underlying pillars of safety/show quality/and customer service aren't righted as part of the "makeover" and we are left with a resort where it is perfectly acceptable to run a project like the Hub refurb over the course of years and then leave exposed sightlines in it's wake, or continue to reduce hours at the expense of more upcharge events, or simply continue to cut back on in park entertainment options - then I'm afraid the three billion dollars will go to waste.
WDW is at a major crossroads. The opportunity is there for the taking. The fork in the road will either take us back towards the core values that we all fell in love with or further away from where we started. The money that is being spent needs to account for more than just the pretty new scenery the road takes us by. The destination is what matters.
I honestly hope this opportunity is seized and we see a return to a new golden age. Disneyland is what give me that hope. When Disneyland was at its lowest during the Pressler years, it was the failure to hit the core values where they struggled most. Thankfully, what changed after that dark time was a fundamental return to those values and that pride has continued to lead on to this day. Even now when someone like Colglazier is in charge - there is a sense of perpetual motion in that the ship is on the right course. That is what is lacking in Orlando. The revolving doors of leadership haven't had any change in direction because the morale compass guiding them is what is amiss.
I hope the light at the end of tunnel is the DHS windfall for WDW or else the ship will still be lost at sea.
