Do you care about Epcot's 25th?

[Enderikari]

A 25th anniversary celebration of Epcot makes sense in my mind, but solely because I see it as an opportunity for Disney to market themselves to different demographics than the status quo, which is something Disney needs to DESPERATELY start doing if they want to change the shift of tourist dollars shifting to the west coast and abroad instead of Orlando. Epcot is Disney's best change to go after a broad swath of different demographics that would otherwise spend their money at the beach or in Las Vegas. A big marketing campaign just for the park seems like a waste, but when you have something like an anniversary you have a foundation to build an effective campaign upon.

But effective marketing isn't done in large swaths... You have to effectively target specific markets in order to have effective marketing. To me, an Epcot 25th celebration only appeals to people who know/care that Epcot is turning 25, which, to me, is only the people who frequent Disney already. The appeal to different demographics has already started, though. David Beckham and Scarlett Johannsen appearing in print ads in Vanity Fair? That's a different demographic for Disney to target. Television commercials during Desperate Housewives and Lost touting the Disney website www.Disney.com/affordable? That's a slightly different demographic. The vault Disney haute coutre clothing line? That's a different demographic. Sexy Tinkerbell and Captain Jack in Hot Topic with WDW advertisements? That's a different demographic.

With the year of a million dreams going down in flames as the days go by, its not impossible to see Disney grab this bull by the horns and run. Of course, doing so would be an admission of failure on the part of Jay Rasulo and his puppets, which I don't see that ego-maniac ever doing. I really hope Bob Iger sees the long term picture and dismisses the current management in the coming weeks.

So, how was the YOAMD press event? Did you go? I understand it was pretty successful. International attention was directed towards Walt Disney World, and the Year of a Million Dreams message went out... even better, thanks to the efforts of the PR department, the information about Year of a Million Dreams went out as a news story, not an advertisement. In Birmingham, Alabama... a headline on the front page of their travel section... In Olive Branch, Mississippi... a main section third page story. All on a press release. Consider November - December kind of a test/adjust period for the YOAMD, and the year starts in January... the cats out of the bag.

 

[unkadug]

...With the year of a million dreams going down in flames as the days go by, its not impossible to see Disney grab this bull by the horns and run. Of course, doing so would be an admission of failure on the part of Jay Rasulo and his puppets, which I don't see that ego-maniac ever doing. I really hope Bob Iger sees the long term picture and dismisses the current management in the coming weeks.

Please explain....

 

[dxwwf3]

I would agree with your logic, except for one problem... You may have 90% of the public who voted in this poll agreeing there should be some sort of celebration... A total of 160 people at the time I am looking at it. But, those people are already disposed towards buying the product (visiting the parks). And people on the board tend towards the people who have historically visited WDW, and support the older vision of Epcot.. Which means most of the people would vote for having a huge 25th celebration...
But, in the grand scheme of things, the 160 people who are coming to WDW anyway are not necessarily the group which Disney has to market to... Merf, with all due respect, Disney has your money. How many times a month do YOU visit a Disney Theme Park? How many people who voted to have an Epcot celebration have a trip planned in the next 10 months?

Very well said. However, I think that an Epcot Celebration would be more to make the fans have a better visit than actually bring more people in. However I think merchandise could be a big thing for an event like that. There has to be a balance of that too. I'm sure every business has to do things to keep their guests happy and Disney has always been known to go the extra mile for their guests and fans. This would be a wonderful opportunity to do that.

 

[Enderikari]

Very well said. However, I think that an Epcot Celebration would be more to make the fans have a better visit than actually bring more people in. However I think merchandise could be a big thing for an event like that. There has to be a balance of that too. I'm sure every business has to do things to keep their guests happy and Disney has always been known to go the extra mile for their guests and fans. This would be a wonderful opportunity to do that.

True as well... And believe me, I have a feeling that merchandise for the 25th celebration will be available, and there will probably be some small presentations, annoucements, and speeches made... But the huge celebration with a pink castle or golden accents on the Sleeping Beauty Castle, are not in the cards for this birthday..

 

[unkadug]

True as well... And believe me, I have a feeling that merchandise for the 25th celebration will be available, and there will probably be some small presentations, annoucements, and speeches made... But the huge celebration with a pink castle or golden accents on the Sleeping Beauty Castle, are not in the cards for this birthday..

:lol:

Yeah, I guess not as they would have to build a castle first.

But, I know what you mean. :wave:

 

[pheneix]

But effective marketing isn't done in large swaths...

Tell that to Apple.

To me, an Epcot 25th celebration only appeals to people who know/care that Epcot is turning 25, which, to me, is only the people who frequent Disney already.

The 25th itself isn't why I invision a big marketing campaign around Epcot. Its the fact that the 25th provides a good foundation to create all kinds of commericials and ads featuring the fine dining offered at Epcot, the ability to interact and learn from different cultures throughout the world, a showcase of true live shows and entertainment in Central Florida instead of the fruity princess and cartoons that the other parks in the area offer. There is a lot there to take advantage of, but fully grown mature people are much harder to entertain than small children.

International attention was directed towards Walt Disney World, and the Year of a Million Dreams message went out... even better, thanks to the efforts of the PR department, the information about Year of a Million Dreams went out as a news story, not an advertisement.

Headlines from a Google News search for "Walt Disney World":

Pool is Best of Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom Lodge

building a better mouse trip

Disney banks on stars to attract park visitors

Walt Disney World Wins 2006 Florida Energy Achievement Award

Disney offers chance at 5 park 'jobs'

Disney Dining Plan: Deal or Drain on Your Walt Disney World Vacation?

Outsourcing at heart of Disney World labor talks

Jostens Inc. partners with Disney

So Disney got some press coverage in a few small town/quasi-metropolitan newspapers that had nothing better to cover in addition to those headlines. That is a small success. For the money they spent this week I'm sure they were looking for more. The night in cinderella's castle seems to be a bigger draw than the marketing campaign itself, which shows that the suite was a pretty good idea that would have taken off without a marketing blitz behind it.

So, how was the YOAMD press event? Did you go? I understand it was pretty successful.

The collective rolling of everyone's eyes when that celebrity photo job was announced made it a stunning success in my book. I also liked the party they threw for The Seas' grand opening. I wish they had that kind of entertainment for day guests at the park. It would have looked a lot better than having this cool looking party that 90% of the park's guests were locked out of.

But the huge celebration with a pink castle or golden accents on the Sleeping Beauty Castle, are not in the cards for this birthday..

That's a good thing. They still haven't cleaned up the smoldering ruins from the last attempt they made to "plus" Epcot's main icon.

 

[Enderikari]

::Sighs::
That's it, I'm through with trying to show you logic...

My final two words for you.... something that refutes everything you just said, something that seems to skew your reality ever so slightly.....

"Personal Bias"

 

[speck76]

You have a real attitude. If anyone disagrees with you, you just dismiss it along with some insults. This is not what this forum is about. Either have some respect for the people here or go elsewhere.

I apologize Steve....Enderikari said the same thing with a bit more class....

Ppl that voted in this poll (and are members of this site) are....umm...fans of Disney parks....

The "celebrations" are nothing but elaborate marketing campaigns designed to drive demand into the parks. Sometimes WDW needs to simply market the park, other times they need to target certain markets that they are under-performing in.

Disney does not need to attract the fans....because Disney already "owns" them. Members of this site are going to visit WDW regardless of what the latest marketing capaign is....many of the members of this site visit multiple times each year.

My complaint against the vast majority of members of this site "the fans" is that they have no imagination. More often than not there are "bring back Mr Toad" threads or the like (or god forbid Disney rip out an omnimover and put in a prototype attraction like Test Track or Mission Space)...yet when Disney does clone, that is a complaint too....so...I guess their POV is "Don't do anything new, but don't do anything old either"
Furthermore, Disney is a business, and their goal is to make money....yet the fans here seem to think they close popular attractions just for spite or something......

So, to link this all up, Disney has done anniversaries many times.....a big one ended last fall....so WHY is everyone here so GAGA for them to do something that has already been done a great number of times?....shouldn't we as FANS want them to try something NEW? :wave:

 

[DDuckFan130]

For the record, I am one of the 14 who doesn't really care either way :lookaroun

I think the ones who truly care for a celebration can be found on this website. For those many many others that visit the parks, they probably don't really care as long as they get to be at the park, enjoy the attractions and food, and that's it. How many of those guests even realize it's the 25th anniversary? :veryconfu And will they care? *shrug*

 

[speck76]

Speck,

From a business standpoint, I can look at this poll and say that I have a group of people more then willing to buy my product if I choose to sell it, then another smaller set that isn't going to dislike my product and send me nastey letters and leave my other services over it (the 8%) and then less then 3% (one of which was an admitted mis-vote) who don't think I should offer the product who might be turned-off by the celebration and offerings.

So, if Epcot has new tours celebrating its history, that's profit. Also the merchandise, people wont not enter the stores because of it - except maybe a tiny fraction.

An exhibit would probably garner turnstile clicks, and lets face it - what are the chances that the people who don't want to see it done are even going to be in Epcot?

And presented properly, I've swayed even the most cranky WDW-hating DL AP-holders to think that some nice retro-Epcot swag would be fun to own, and that it might be nice to visit Epcot during the big event - if there is one.

It is not that it would be BAD.....but it is not the best available option. If celebrating Epcot is only going to appeal to a small group, perhaps there is something better that appeals to a large crowd..

 

[Xadllas]

Well only 2 major anniversary Celebrations have been done for Disney Theme Parks (i.e. WDW's 25th, DLR's 50th) with 100 years for Walt Disney. And I dont see why its so hard to nderstand that Disney before Eisner came along was more than some business. It was and is more than a business. The parks are places where you escape reality for once. Walt Disney didn't create Disneyland because he wanted money, he wanted a place where a family could spend time together. To have families safe from the carnivals and fairs. And towards the end of his life he came up with a place ccalled EPCOT, a city of tomorrow in which lives could be made better. But sadly he died before construction on his world ever started. But thankfully almost 2 decades later WDW built EPCOT CENTER in his honor as a theme park but better than nothing. But today his dream lives on.. though we have lost alot of our favorites from that park its still loved by fans. So I dont see a reason why Epcot's 25th shouldn't be celebrated.

 

[dxwwf3]

True as well... And believe me, I have a feeling that merchandise for the 25th celebration will be available, and there will probably be some small presentations, annoucements, and speeches made... But the huge celebration with a pink castle or golden accents on the Sleeping Beauty Castle, are not in the cards for this birthday..

And I think that's all that most of us would be asking for. There's no need for a huge celebration, but what you mentioned there would sure be nice and I would certainly thank Disney at Guest Relations if they did do something like that for us.

 

[dxwwf3]

So, to link this all up, Disney has done anniversaries many times.....a big one ended last fall....so WHY is everyone here so GAGA for them to do something that has already been done a great number of times?....shouldn't we as FANS want them to try something NEW? :wave:

I think the big difference is, this is an anniversary that we actually care about. Sure we should care about Disneyland's 50th, but it's not our park. And nobody has any emotional attachment to the Year Of A Million Dreams....unless maybe you win something. Epcot has a special place in many people's hearts because of the past attractions yes, but also because of what it is now and the concept behind the park. Not the educational concepts, but the thought of bringing two separate ideas together to create one park.

 

[DDuckFan130]

I think the big difference is, this is an anniversary that we actually care about. Sure we should care about Disneyland's 50th, but it's not our park. And nobody has any emotional attachment to the Year Of A Million Dreams....unless maybe you win something. Epcot has a special place in many people's hearts because of the past attractions yes, but also because of what it is now and the concept behind the park. Not the educational concepts, but the thought of bringing two separate ideas together to create one park.

I see your points. But honestly, how many people hold Epcot in their hearts like you or the other 160 something here? My family are fans of WDW and have been since my mom first came in 1971 and every opening since then. We go multiple times a year so yeah I'd say we're fans. Unfortunately though, we just don't care for the past attractions and whatnot. I can ask a lot of WDW fans I know down here, and I bet most of them just don't care. It'd be more of like "ooh 25th anniversay? That's nice!"...and that would probably be the extent of it. We enjoy WDW and Epcot for what they are now because if we didn't we wouldn't be going back. And I'm sure when Test Track, Mission Space, etc get replaced, we won't care then either :lol:

So is it really that many people who care? I do hope that there is merchandise acknowledging it though because I see it's a big deal to you guys

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I see your points. But honestly, how many people hold Epcot in their hearts like you or the other 160 something here? My family are fans of WDW and have been since my mom first came in 1971 and every opening since then. We go multiple times a year so yeah I'd say we're fans. Unfortunately though, we just don't care for the past attractions and whatnot. I can ask a lot of WDW fans I know down here, and I bet most of them just don't care. It'd be more of like "ooh 25th anniversay? That's nice!"...and that would probably be the extent of it. We enjoy WDW and Epcot for what they are now because if we didn't we wouldn't be going back. And I'm sure when Test Track, Mission Space, etc get replaced, we won't care then either :lol:

So is it really that many people who care? I do hope that there is merchandise acknowledging it though because I see it's a big deal to you guys

and then there will be protests a la Horizons:lol:

Most people don't even like Epcot because it has no roller coasters, but there are some that do, and thats why Epcot needs a celebration. True, Disney may already "own" their fans but whats stopping them from leaving Disney for good? Disney's special little touches like their character meet and greets, their clean streets and parks, their futuristic transportation system, and yes, their celebrations. Without them Disney would be put in the same league as ordinary places. (and without the fans, who would come back and buy such ridiculous things as a plush depicting Mickey as Dreamfinder) Disney needs their fans to generate money and Disney needs to find ways to celebrate their parks through special celebrations.

(as a side note: I do think parts of Epcot do (and were meant to) evoke nostalgia. The pavilions in World showcase all depict countries for what they were not what they are now (France is the beautiful time, 1890-1910). Also older future world attractions like World of Motion and Horizons create nostalgia through their depictions of once glorious transportation systems and older visions of the future)

 

[speck76]

From when I recently tried to visit disneyworld.com

This site is temporarily too busy to process your request. Please try again later.

so much for YOAMD crashing and burning, as someone previously posted :zipit:

 

[GoofyFan1]

There should definitely be something done.

 

[ZapperZ]

Why Epcot Should be Honored and Celebrated

1. Illuminations - Reflections of Earth
This is still my #1 most favorite show anywhere in WDW. There isn't anything like it anywhere, and no music has come close to matching it, as far as I'm concerned.

2. It is unlike any other "theme park". It throws people off of their pre-conception of what a theme park is supposed to be. I used to not like it, but now it is my favorite park.

3. They dare to be different and did not go for the cutsey stuff.

4. Let's face it, the World Showcase feels out of place. But since it is there, on its own merit, it's a terrific concept. It is certainly something adults would enjoy more than kids, and what's wrong with that?

5. I know it WDW is for entertainment and no one wants to "learn" while on a vacation. Still, we cannot overlook the fact that they DO perform important research work there, and Epcot and its staff have produced scholarly papers. I have done quite a bit of search for the kind of important scientific research that they have done, and have logged them in my blog below:

http://mydisneymania.blogspot.com/2007/01/research-done-at-epcots-living-seas.html
http://mydisneymania.blogspot.com/2007/01/food-crop-at-land-greenhouses.html

There is even a short description on how Epcot compares with other places as a "Science Center".

http://mydisneymania.blogspot.com/2007/01/epcot-as-science-center.html

Bottom line is, I know they're in business to entertain, so I admire them to sticking with their mission of being more than just a theme park, but actually a place that people can learn, and do actual, important research. This is why I believe that Epcot's 25th Anniversary should be celebrated, not just for what it was or should be, but for what it is now.

Zz.

 

[dxwwf3]

But honestly, how many people hold Epcot in their hearts like you or the other 160 something here?

I think you would be VERY surprised. There are many other message boards on the net, many fans who do not frequent message boards, and even people who are new to the parks but would enjoy learning about the past. For example, a friend of mine spent his honeymoon at WDW this past summer mainly because of hearing me talk about the place all the time and whatnot. And he absolutely loved it. And guess what? He wanted to know more about previous attractions when he got back and I gave him some videos from my computer.

My family are fans of WDW and have been since my mom first came in 1971 and every opening since then. We go multiple times a year so yeah I'd say we're fans. Unfortunately though, we just don't care for the past attractions and whatnot. I can ask a lot of WDW fans I know down here, and I bet most of them just don't care. It'd be more of like "ooh 25th anniversay? That's nice!"...and that would probably be the extent of it. We enjoy WDW and Epcot for what they are now because if we didn't we wouldn't be going back. And I'm sure when Test Track, Mission Space, etc get replaced, we won't care then either :lol:

Just because you go a lot doesn't mean you're a big "fan". There are plenty of people that fill sports stadiums that could honestly care less about the outcome of the game, but they enjoy the atmosphere and the social aspects. And then there are also people who go that care about the outcome, but it doesn't really bother them when their team loses. I am not either and I'm not that way about WDW either. I'm not saying you like the parks less than me, but it's obvious you don't care about the attractions and park history as much as I do. You just go and enjoy what is there and love the atmosphere, but you don't really care who "wins or loses" and that's fine. But the easy way out of things like this is to say the majority won't care. However, if it's done well, people who know or care nothing about Epcot's past still might enjoy the exhibits and learn something as well.

 

[CaptainMichael]

But honestly, how many people hold Epcot in their hearts like you or the other 160 something here?

Well, it is the second highest attended park at Walt Disney World...must be doing something right.

*shrug*