_Scar
Active Member
No offense, but I take it you have never been to Disneyland or Tokyo Disneyland? If you are basing your Disney park experience solely on the Florida property, and solely on the last 10 or 15 years, then I would strongly encourage you to get out and visit the Disney properties in California and Japan.
That said, my criticism earlier of Magic Kingdom was not aimed at the front line CM's working the attractions, shops and restaurants. There are great CM's in Florida, and some grumpy or unpolished ones too. There are great CM's in California, and some bored OC teens who simply don't have the service gene. Japanese CM's however are darn near perfect.
My criticism that Magic Kingdom lacked a sense of style and showmanship and elegance is rooted primarily in their physical facilities, their choice of operational decisions, and their aim at certain demographics without thought to showmanship. There's a hundred examples both huge and tiny, but some of the easiest off the top of my head are:
The Rivers of America. At Disneyland they've got the classic Riverboat, the rafts to a refreshed and snazzy Tom Sawyer Island, plus the fabulous Sailing Ship Columbia and a fleet of Davy Crockett Canoes traveling around the river. At Magic Kingdom every time I've been there it's just a lone riverboat and a single raft going back and forth. At Disneyland the Rivers of America are alive with activity and excitement every time you glance at it, but at Magic Kingdom the Rivers of America just sort of sits there empty for long stretches of time like a stagnant flood control channel.
Magic Kingdom would be wise to get in on this kind of river action;
Then there's Main Street USA. Disneyland has worked hard to keep the street fresh and entertaining, yet kept it from becoming one giant Disney Store. The Main Street Cinema still plays Mickey Mouse cartoons, the Penny Arcade still has period games of skill and fun for a penny or a nickel, and the Fire Station still has real firefighting equipment and displays just for fun without a cash register in sight. All of those things in Magic Kingdom have become shop after shop selling the same t-shirts, pins, and stuffed animals. When Disneyland's Bank of Main Street became the new Disney Gallery (partly because no one needs a real bank anymore in the debit card age), they did an amazing job refreshing and reinventing the space into a gorgeous bank-themed art gallery that's twice as pretty as the old bank it replaced.
Or silly little things like the Big Thunder Ranch petting farm. Goats you can pet, cows and donkeys and cookie decorating. The farm gets totally decorated for Halloween, and they dress the animals up in silly costumes for HalloweenTime. And at Christmas, Disneyland ships in the pardoned Presidential Turkey and a fleet of real, live Reindeer from Alaska. Just for fun, just because it's cool. There's no cash register at the ranch, just animals.
But more and more Magic Kingdom just seems to be operated based on a spreadsheet aimed at middle-class DVC members who have 9 year old girls, without thought to what might be simply fun or cool or unique. Let's hope this New Fantasyland for 2013 can be a springboard for Magic Kingdom management to get some Disneyland-style spring in their step and showmanship that isn't tied to a spreadsheet.
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But a petting zoo can be found at any faire. Not what Walt wanted. I hate it in DAK, I hate it in DL. I don't see how that can be something positive for a theme park built not to be like a faire. The Disney Galery, from what I've read, has not gotten very good reviews. Parts of the bank remain like the bank vault door, which seem awkwardy placed. Tom Sawyer Island should of never changed over to the Pirate's theme IMO. Another original inhabitant of Disneyland sadly evicted for Jack Sparrow? That stinks. Also the canoes in the hot Florida sun would be such a pain in the-. I do get our Main Street offers a lot of merch, but you have to look past that. Tony's Restaurant, Casey's Corner, The Crystal Palace, the Main Street Confectionary, and the Main Street Cinema are ALL great parts of our Main Street. I don't see how you can just overlook these.
