Eddie Sotto
Premium Member
That would be true. I went there to research what Main Street should be. Funny how it remains true to it's theme and is well attended since 1929.
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Eddie Sotto's take on the current state of the parks (Part II)
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
That would be true. I went there to research what Main Street should be. Funny how it remains true to it's theme and is well attended since 1929.
Eddie Sotto
Premium Member
Kevin Yee discusses Universal versus Disney and what the theme park wars may bring.
http://micechat.com/39908-the-disney-empire-strikes-back/
What do you think?
http://micechat.com/39908-the-disney-empire-strikes-back/
What do you think?
Thessair
Well-Known Member
Quite honestly, and no offense to Kevin Yee, it sounds like wishful thinking to me. He is countering things Universal is actually doing, with some things Disney has talked about or may be doing (with the exception of MM+). They don't match up at all in my mind. Wish in one hand and all that.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
It's a lot of empty optimism, is what I think. Although I am curious as to what commenter Dusty Sage was referring to when he said that there was another land (besides SW and Avatar) that Kevin Yee hadn't even mentioned. But it's probably all gas anyway. TDO is a laughingstock right now. All it's done is create a much-hyped but overrated New Fantasyland and poured millions into high-tech bracelets designed not only to track your every move at WDW but con you into FastPasses for attractions that mostly sit empty (such as Muppetvision, and don't ream my tookus over that, another commenter on the site said it first). I've said it before and I'll say it again: Universal has the mojo right now. And it's likely to stay that way in the forseeable future.
flynnibus
Premium Member
Let's see.. he says from the 10,000ft view it's not so bleak because
- dwarves coaster - it is what it is
- we have avatar which the biggest thing Kevin offers is 'air conditioning in DAK'. Not a single true carrot out there yet for people to hang on..
- carsland... which in itself is rumored to not happen... and again... nothing solid to hang on
- star tours land... with nothing but talking about surface lots to encourage you... just warnings to disney to 'not go cheap!'
- MM+ - which many people are already weary of due to FP+ and other implications
So if @KevinYee 's point is to say 'don't worry kids, there is stuff coming' - it falls flat because it offers nothing to show Disney changing its ways or giving us the 'killer app' that we all for.
Let's be blunt... we have a land even Disney is shy to say ANYTHING about after having the CEO personally lay out the deal... a rumored land that was expected to be trimmed down from the successful original... and solid rumors of using a proven franchise, but nothing solid about it.
Sounds like stringing people out with positive thoughts... and not much substance.
KevinYee
Well-Known Member
I guess my larger point in the article could have been underlined differently (more effectively); I was trying to say that Disney is the industry leader and the 800 pound gorilla for a reason, and it is entirely possible that they can blow us away with these projects still.
Put another way: I'm as much against knee-jerk dislike of announced Disney projects as I am against knee-jerk praise of announced Disney projects.
In the past, Disney has wowed us (AMAZINGLY so). In the past, Disney has also underwhelmed us. Is it possible avatar, Carsland, and Star Wars land will underwhelm? Sure it is. But it's also possible they will overwhelm. Corporate is starting to sense the shift to Universal in fan momentum (and in dollars spent by overseas tourists) and if it makes them panic, so much the better.
The customer, as always, will win in any theme park war.
Put another way: I'm as much against knee-jerk dislike of announced Disney projects as I am against knee-jerk praise of announced Disney projects.
In the past, Disney has wowed us (AMAZINGLY so). In the past, Disney has also underwhelmed us. Is it possible avatar, Carsland, and Star Wars land will underwhelm? Sure it is. But it's also possible they will overwhelm. Corporate is starting to sense the shift to Universal in fan momentum (and in dollars spent by overseas tourists) and if it makes them panic, so much the better.
The customer, as always, will win in any theme park war.
flynnibus
Premium Member
You reference past performance repeatedly Kevin - but skip over the recent track record and how it differs from that past. This attitude is frightening parallel to the idea that a company keeps telling themselves how great they are.. because of what they USED to be instead of what they are doing now and going forward. Coasting on their history
UNI is a different type of property than WDW... I don't see them ever being two of the same... but WDW has been faltering at it's own format while UNI has been improving at theirs. The audience for each overlaps a good bit but one will never completely drain the other. But when it comes to who has mindshare, and dollars spent... WDW is coasting.
Eddie Sotto
Premium Member
Universal is this year's Samsung. Disney is post Jobs Apple. Simmering. Refinements versus breakthroughs. Disney has the heart, potential and talent to blow us away, or just add a Retina Display. I never bet agains't them. Only time will tell.
Omnispace
Well-Known Member
Greenfield Village and the very early concepts for Disney's little park across the street from the studios seem very similar to me. Greenfield Village is much more sparse than Disneyland but it has the train and wonderful antique cars you can ride around in. Many of the Disney elements are there.
Omnispace
Well-Known Member
I see a lot of Disney's recent moves at WDW as being indicative of the corporate mentality. The projects seem to be of the type that would appeal to a board of directors rather than creative types, or even much of the general public -- the offerings of the sort that can be pushed by tour planners.
Dads 2 Boys
Well-Known Member
Wikkler
Well-Known Member
I think I have the reasoning for why Starbucks is on Main Street:
"It doesn't fit in the world of tomorrow, fairy tales, westerns, critters, New Orleans, and tropical jungles. Main Street it is."
or for Floridians:
"It doesn't fit in the world of tomorrow, fairy tales, the circus, colonial America, westerns, and tropical jungles. Main Street it is."
"It doesn't fit in the world of tomorrow, fairy tales, westerns, critters, New Orleans, and tropical jungles. Main Street it is."
or for Floridians:
"It doesn't fit in the world of tomorrow, fairy tales, the circus, colonial America, westerns, and tropical jungles. Main Street it is."
Eddie Sotto
Premium Member
Yes. It had a Riverboat circling an island in a river.. a Main Street encircled by a train and you entered and exited through it... and a tribute to Thomas Edison. Edison Square? Hmmm. Walt visited there in 1929 or something like that. I thought it was brand research 101 for Main Street DLP and loved every second of being there. That's why MSUSA DLP is such a "museum". We had lost the connection to authentic culture that makes things so believeable.
Eddie Sotto
Premium Member
If it's a success on Main Street, in a year you can be sure it will be made to work on a corner in the world of tomorrow, the old west, fairy tales, new orleans, and tropical jungles.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
The museum quality is part of why I love Main Street, USA at Disneyland Paris so much. Even my little brothers, who had been bored by so much of the museums we had been visiting, got caught up in exploring the Arcades. We spent so little time on rides on our only day at the park because we were walking and exploring a highly engaging environment. No good museum is built and left as is, they continue to engage. The small vignettes to discover create a greater depth to the experience.
Eddie Sotto
Premium Member
I'm so glad you found it all so interesting. We put in the extra effort not really knowing wether anyone would really stop to inspect those historic details and authentic touches. We're glad you did!
Sped2424
Well-Known Member
Its weird how accurate this is, just like apple if they keep serving the same model with 1 or 2 upgraded features that are still behind competitors specs they will start to see a decline just like apple is now. That's not to say apple isn't selling, just like Disney is still very successful. Which unfortunately means this gives the higher ups little incentive to change the game plan, its not until they start to get nervous that we will start to see some serious change. For apple that might be sooner than Disney, however I really believe that potterland phase 2 will serious start making a dent. I think both companies need to go back to the game plan that made them both a household names in the first place. A big part of that is innovation in each of their respective fields.
michmousefan
Well-Known Member
Sadly, the boat does not operate any longer, but Greenfield Village has continued to up their game... more "streetscape" costumed performers, more pop-up themed/period entertainment, and you will also find daily presentations by a young "Edison" and the like. Along with Henry Ford Museum, which continues to modernize, it's a great destination... not a lot of good news for us here in the Motown area lately, but GV and HFM continue to exceed expectations. The 4th of July concerts by the Detroit Symphony are superb and always sell out for four nights.
Cosmic Commando
Well-Known Member
It only surprises me that it's Starbucks and not Tim Horton's.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
That surprised me too, but in Toronto Starbucks was EVERYWHERE and Tim Hortons was nohwhere to be found