Over the course of my many adventures in theme parks around the globe, I have seen many different takes on some of my favorite attractions. I think that, at one point, WDW was the quintessential Disney experience. But, as time has moved on, certain aspects of the experience have not been updated to the extent of the other Disney resorts around the globe. So, here is my list as to things WDW can improve on in order to regain the title as the quintessential Disney experience. I wanted to start a thread to share my thoughts on improving WDW's theme parks and to start a discussion.
Magic Kingdom:
-Fix sight line issues around the park. For example, when standing in Liberty Square, you can see the Contemporary resort. This is an extreme example, and one not easily fixed for sure, but you get the idea. On certain rooftops around the park, particularly when standing in front of the Crystal Palace looking at Casey's Corner, you can see unthemed bits such as rails and ropes that need to be there; however, they can be themed! Also, when you are on the second lift hill of BTMRR, if you look left, you can see the parking lot/parade staging ground and light poles and stuff! Poor show!
-Open seasonal restaurants year round with good menus. TL Terrace for example is a hideous eyesore and a waste of potential. It needs to be refreshed aesthetically to balance out the CP on the other side of MSUSA and needs to be open year round to help handle crowds. The menu also needs to be updated.
-Keep park open later. Most days during summer now, MK is open to 10 or 11. There was a time when it was open till 2:00 am or 12:00 am at least every night during summer. I know a nighttime parade is in the works for the 50th and that should help keep crowds in longer which would justify longer hours. Right now, after HEA, there is a mass exodus that jams the transportation system.
-Operate at least three ferries during and after HEA. Expand transportation capacity. This is pretty self explanatory. The transportation system at MK is swamped at nighttime when everyone leaves at the same time. Alternatively, they could also operate the trams to supplement the monorails and ferries like they used to.
-Maintain all parts of the park. Currently, if you ride the PM, you will see parts of the track and roofs that are filthy. When we were taking pictures of the new paint recently, we noticed footsteps on one of the buildings' roofs in front of MILF. The footsteps were in all the dust that had collected there! Meanwhile, MSUSA is extremely clean most of the time, as is Fantasyland. The imbalance in cleanliness is alarming and should be fixed.
-Update outdated attractions. This is a simple one that would enhance the guest experience and bring it up to par with other resorts. At one time, MK was the best castle park. Most attractions have not been updated frequently though, and it has gradually lost that title. Attractions like Peter Pan, Jungle Cruise, BTMRR, IASW, Space Mountain, and the WDWRR need to be updated.
Epcot:
-Just saying update FW is too broad a statement and cliche and I know Disney is working on it. Recent updates to M:S and TT plus some new attractions should help FW out. Imagination needs help. Its needed help for about two decades now.
-Update the films around the park. The Pixar Short Film thing is ridiculous. I love the shorts but something along the lines of Magic Journeys is needed. It should be cutting edge. Circle of Life also needs to have a replacement. Canada needs the kind of update China is getting. IDF is great. The new projectors are amazing.
-Enhance FW QS food offerings and gift shops. This is another broad stroke that Disney is working on. The Sunshine Seasons is great and has a huge capacity but it feels like any ordinary mall. Electric Umbrella has had a menu update recently but is still outdated as heck and the upstairs portion is rarely open. The gift shop end needs some work too. Mouse Gears is well decorated but not themed. I want more FW specific merchandise too.
-Making pavilions. One of the things I liked about EC was the fact that most of the FW attractions were pavilions, for example: World of Motion. M:S at least attempts this with the awesome team game that is unfortunately not played often and the play area. TT again has some aspects of it. JIYI has components. As does the Land and SSE. The only FW attraction that is really a pavilion is the Living Seas. I like how it uses Nemo to draw people in, then uses instructors and exhibits to inspire and educate (to an extent). I think this is a great format for future pavilions. Use the IP to draw people in, then use engaging exhibits to inspire people.
-Flesh out World Showcase with attractions. The entertainment roster in WS is good with some staples and some that change. But, over the years it has been scaled back (rip Fife & Drum Corps). I also miss the omnibus (sadly will never return). What WS needs is some solid attractions. Fortunately, Disney has picked up on this and is building Rat and hopefully Poppins. I would however love another AA show like AA. The recent redo of the Norway exhibit about the Norse gods is amazingly well done.
-Overall for Epcot: focus on inspiration. Epcot is not meant to educate, for me at least. The theme park medium is not well suited IMHO to dishing out facts. Instead, it is best suited for igniting a spark to learn.
DHS:
-Theming building facades. This park still has many remnants of its days as a studio and this is most evident in Animation Courtyard. Theming these bare bones and cheap looking buildings is a good start to enhancing the storytelling of this park.
-Stop showing previews in WDP. The One Man's Dream film has always been a favorite of mine. It has inspired me with Walt's story and it infuriates me that Disney uses this masterpiece of an exhibit and film to show previews. There are other underutilized theaters in DHS that can be used for previews, leave Walt's story alone.
-Updating the shows. Now that the studio theme is on its way out, Indy needs to be upgraded and refreshed to reflect this shift in theme. Furthermore, Fantasmic, Mermaid, Frozen (less so, I like this show but it feels cheap, especially given its prominent location), and BatB need to be updated or replaced outright. I don't think I need to explain this one.
-Add a daytime parade. I was going to say add a parade to Epcot, but all the booths now make the parade route cluttered. DHS is now going to need all the attractions it can get, and a daytime parade will help with that end.
-Better utilize theaters. Disney loves saving money, so here's an idea: why not use the same theater to host multiple shows in a day? There are space limitations for props and stuff. But, the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater is a great candidate for a daytime extravaganza, a la lights motors action, but more Disney focused. Like a daytime Fantasmic. The other theaters go underutilized at nighttime. What they did with the Pixar orchestra was fantastic last summer and they should do more things like that.
-Enhance food offerings. I love the Brown Derby. Unfortunately, it's only so big. Anyways, Pizzerizo is only open most days until 4:00 and serves just pizza (I love that pizza mind you, classic WDW frozen but delicious pizza). Diversifying the menu a bit and maybe adding an extra quick service location possibly in Animation Courtyard or wherever would be a good idea. The new joint on grand avenue is great (I don't drink but the pretzel was amazing).
Disney's Animal Kingdom:
-Do something with Dinoland. Disney should either double down on the theme and upgrade Dinosaur or replace it entirely. C&H's must go no matter what. It's an example of amazing execution, but poor idea. Theming the Theater In the Wild and adding a show that actually fits the theme is a good idea; also, they should enhance the facade so it's not a plain, ugly building.
-Add more animals. DAK's best attractions are its animals. Most people only see them on the safari and it's a bloody shame. The walking trails do have to close at 4:00 for the animal's sake but adding more walking trails and exhibits would help handle midday crowds. I would especially enjoy a walking trail into the actual savanna without having to pay a king's ransom.
-Enhance Discovery Island's theming. The buildings in DI are very bland for the most part aside from Pizzafari and obviously the ToL. The metal roofs look kind of weird. Maybe I'm wrong on this one.
-Bring back the boat rides. I draw a lot of connections between this park and TDS. Call me crazy but if you look at the layout of the parks they are exceedingly similar and are both variations of the hub and spoke model. The boats around TDS provide beautiful views and I wish I spent more time on them. DAK has the infrastructure already in place to bring them back. But there is one stipulation: the boats must be similar in style to those of the Jungle Cruise. The previous boats were boring and contemporary. But, a colonial riverboat theme would work perfectly.
-Enhance Kali River Rapids. I love Kali River Rapids. It's fun. But obviously there is room to improve. Adding extra stuff to look at while going through would be great. The length is also short but that ship has sailed (get it? it's a water ride!). I also think you get the right amount of soaked and I applaud the free lockers move. But, there needs to be more to look at. The queue is also amazing.
-Give Rafiki's Planet Watch some TLC. I love Rafiki's. It's easily my favorite attraction at DAK. While I wish the locomotives were real steam locomotives, I have to say I love the fact that at least there's a train. I love trains! Anyway, I like both stations. And, I think the theming works as in Disney Parks, trains continually have a magical transportation ability. Whether you look at TDS' railway taking you from PD to AW, or around MK's taking you from FL to FL. I also love how they have just started to offer the free backstage tours. However, some of the exhibits could do with a little updating and the facilities should be expanded.
-Connect DAK to other parks with some form of mass transit other than buses.
Overall:
-I know it's a huge pipe dream but I wish the Fort Wilderness Railroad would come back and with real steam locos. Who knows, maybe with the new DVC resort they'll link up FW, WL and it with a railroad! One can dream!
Magic Kingdom:
-Fix sight line issues around the park. For example, when standing in Liberty Square, you can see the Contemporary resort. This is an extreme example, and one not easily fixed for sure, but you get the idea. On certain rooftops around the park, particularly when standing in front of the Crystal Palace looking at Casey's Corner, you can see unthemed bits such as rails and ropes that need to be there; however, they can be themed! Also, when you are on the second lift hill of BTMRR, if you look left, you can see the parking lot/parade staging ground and light poles and stuff! Poor show!
-Open seasonal restaurants year round with good menus. TL Terrace for example is a hideous eyesore and a waste of potential. It needs to be refreshed aesthetically to balance out the CP on the other side of MSUSA and needs to be open year round to help handle crowds. The menu also needs to be updated.
-Keep park open later. Most days during summer now, MK is open to 10 or 11. There was a time when it was open till 2:00 am or 12:00 am at least every night during summer. I know a nighttime parade is in the works for the 50th and that should help keep crowds in longer which would justify longer hours. Right now, after HEA, there is a mass exodus that jams the transportation system.
-Operate at least three ferries during and after HEA. Expand transportation capacity. This is pretty self explanatory. The transportation system at MK is swamped at nighttime when everyone leaves at the same time. Alternatively, they could also operate the trams to supplement the monorails and ferries like they used to.
-Maintain all parts of the park. Currently, if you ride the PM, you will see parts of the track and roofs that are filthy. When we were taking pictures of the new paint recently, we noticed footsteps on one of the buildings' roofs in front of MILF. The footsteps were in all the dust that had collected there! Meanwhile, MSUSA is extremely clean most of the time, as is Fantasyland. The imbalance in cleanliness is alarming and should be fixed.
-Update outdated attractions. This is a simple one that would enhance the guest experience and bring it up to par with other resorts. At one time, MK was the best castle park. Most attractions have not been updated frequently though, and it has gradually lost that title. Attractions like Peter Pan, Jungle Cruise, BTMRR, IASW, Space Mountain, and the WDWRR need to be updated.
Epcot:
-Just saying update FW is too broad a statement and cliche and I know Disney is working on it. Recent updates to M:S and TT plus some new attractions should help FW out. Imagination needs help. Its needed help for about two decades now.
-Update the films around the park. The Pixar Short Film thing is ridiculous. I love the shorts but something along the lines of Magic Journeys is needed. It should be cutting edge. Circle of Life also needs to have a replacement. Canada needs the kind of update China is getting. IDF is great. The new projectors are amazing.
-Enhance FW QS food offerings and gift shops. This is another broad stroke that Disney is working on. The Sunshine Seasons is great and has a huge capacity but it feels like any ordinary mall. Electric Umbrella has had a menu update recently but is still outdated as heck and the upstairs portion is rarely open. The gift shop end needs some work too. Mouse Gears is well decorated but not themed. I want more FW specific merchandise too.
-Making pavilions. One of the things I liked about EC was the fact that most of the FW attractions were pavilions, for example: World of Motion. M:S at least attempts this with the awesome team game that is unfortunately not played often and the play area. TT again has some aspects of it. JIYI has components. As does the Land and SSE. The only FW attraction that is really a pavilion is the Living Seas. I like how it uses Nemo to draw people in, then uses instructors and exhibits to inspire and educate (to an extent). I think this is a great format for future pavilions. Use the IP to draw people in, then use engaging exhibits to inspire people.
-Flesh out World Showcase with attractions. The entertainment roster in WS is good with some staples and some that change. But, over the years it has been scaled back (rip Fife & Drum Corps). I also miss the omnibus (sadly will never return). What WS needs is some solid attractions. Fortunately, Disney has picked up on this and is building Rat and hopefully Poppins. I would however love another AA show like AA. The recent redo of the Norway exhibit about the Norse gods is amazingly well done.
-Overall for Epcot: focus on inspiration. Epcot is not meant to educate, for me at least. The theme park medium is not well suited IMHO to dishing out facts. Instead, it is best suited for igniting a spark to learn.
DHS:
-Theming building facades. This park still has many remnants of its days as a studio and this is most evident in Animation Courtyard. Theming these bare bones and cheap looking buildings is a good start to enhancing the storytelling of this park.
-Stop showing previews in WDP. The One Man's Dream film has always been a favorite of mine. It has inspired me with Walt's story and it infuriates me that Disney uses this masterpiece of an exhibit and film to show previews. There are other underutilized theaters in DHS that can be used for previews, leave Walt's story alone.
-Updating the shows. Now that the studio theme is on its way out, Indy needs to be upgraded and refreshed to reflect this shift in theme. Furthermore, Fantasmic, Mermaid, Frozen (less so, I like this show but it feels cheap, especially given its prominent location), and BatB need to be updated or replaced outright. I don't think I need to explain this one.
-Add a daytime parade. I was going to say add a parade to Epcot, but all the booths now make the parade route cluttered. DHS is now going to need all the attractions it can get, and a daytime parade will help with that end.
-Better utilize theaters. Disney loves saving money, so here's an idea: why not use the same theater to host multiple shows in a day? There are space limitations for props and stuff. But, the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater is a great candidate for a daytime extravaganza, a la lights motors action, but more Disney focused. Like a daytime Fantasmic. The other theaters go underutilized at nighttime. What they did with the Pixar orchestra was fantastic last summer and they should do more things like that.
-Enhance food offerings. I love the Brown Derby. Unfortunately, it's only so big. Anyways, Pizzerizo is only open most days until 4:00 and serves just pizza (I love that pizza mind you, classic WDW frozen but delicious pizza). Diversifying the menu a bit and maybe adding an extra quick service location possibly in Animation Courtyard or wherever would be a good idea. The new joint on grand avenue is great (I don't drink but the pretzel was amazing).
Disney's Animal Kingdom:
-Do something with Dinoland. Disney should either double down on the theme and upgrade Dinosaur or replace it entirely. C&H's must go no matter what. It's an example of amazing execution, but poor idea. Theming the Theater In the Wild and adding a show that actually fits the theme is a good idea; also, they should enhance the facade so it's not a plain, ugly building.
-Add more animals. DAK's best attractions are its animals. Most people only see them on the safari and it's a bloody shame. The walking trails do have to close at 4:00 for the animal's sake but adding more walking trails and exhibits would help handle midday crowds. I would especially enjoy a walking trail into the actual savanna without having to pay a king's ransom.
-Enhance Discovery Island's theming. The buildings in DI are very bland for the most part aside from Pizzafari and obviously the ToL. The metal roofs look kind of weird. Maybe I'm wrong on this one.
-Bring back the boat rides. I draw a lot of connections between this park and TDS. Call me crazy but if you look at the layout of the parks they are exceedingly similar and are both variations of the hub and spoke model. The boats around TDS provide beautiful views and I wish I spent more time on them. DAK has the infrastructure already in place to bring them back. But there is one stipulation: the boats must be similar in style to those of the Jungle Cruise. The previous boats were boring and contemporary. But, a colonial riverboat theme would work perfectly.
-Enhance Kali River Rapids. I love Kali River Rapids. It's fun. But obviously there is room to improve. Adding extra stuff to look at while going through would be great. The length is also short but that ship has sailed (get it? it's a water ride!). I also think you get the right amount of soaked and I applaud the free lockers move. But, there needs to be more to look at. The queue is also amazing.
-Give Rafiki's Planet Watch some TLC. I love Rafiki's. It's easily my favorite attraction at DAK. While I wish the locomotives were real steam locomotives, I have to say I love the fact that at least there's a train. I love trains! Anyway, I like both stations. And, I think the theming works as in Disney Parks, trains continually have a magical transportation ability. Whether you look at TDS' railway taking you from PD to AW, or around MK's taking you from FL to FL. I also love how they have just started to offer the free backstage tours. However, some of the exhibits could do with a little updating and the facilities should be expanded.
-Connect DAK to other parks with some form of mass transit other than buses.
Overall:
-I know it's a huge pipe dream but I wish the Fort Wilderness Railroad would come back and with real steam locos. Who knows, maybe with the new DVC resort they'll link up FW, WL and it with a railroad! One can dream!
