I think the tides are slowly turning that will eventually bring about the changes in society necessary to make these improvements happen (or make the demise of Walt Disney World happen), not necessarily quickly, but over time. I think this is the case because we are at the beginning of a new era in the United States of “anti-apathy” (I could have just used a positive phrase, but I think this more apt).
You mention the "Wal-Marting" of in America. I think this attitude has come into prominence since the mid-1990s. Most people didn’t recognize the eventual problems that would be caused by going with “cheap and easy”. A large portion of the minority who recognized a problem complained, but didn’t do anything to stop the problem.
Similarly, many people going to Walt Disney World weren’t savvy enough to recognize the cheapening of the parks, and simply bought into the changes hook, line, and sinker. These people are the reason you have generic merchandise everywhere, and everything is dumbed down—because the lowest common denominator was also the common denominator. Others, who didn’t necessarily enjoy what was going on, facilitated it by shrugging it off as what the “market dictated”.
I think this is beginning to change, and will continue to change. People are understanding that the market doesn’t dictate anything independent of what the people dictate to it. There will always be ignorant folks—but instead of trying to appeal to these consumers, I think companies are beginning to understand they need to appeal to a more astute consumer (the idiots will buy whatever everyone else is buying, so it’s not like anything needs to be offered that directly “appeals” to them).
What I mean by this is that many people are reviewing their purchases and starting to determine if the items they’re buying have requisite levels of quality (look at the growth of “health food” stores in recent years—even with the current economic circumstances). People are beginning to scrutinize the decisions of the places in which they invest their money (both in a investment sense and otherwise). In short, Americans are finally starting to drop the laziness, and care. I think today is a prime example of this, with record numbers getting out of their houses (now other factors besides anti-apathy could explain this, but let’s not go down that route—minimally, there is some anti-apathy going on there)…
Management at Walt Disney World can look at the upcoming lull in attendance as simply a result of the economic times. That is probably what they will do. It’s a much more simple solution and spares them any culpability. Alternatively, they could look at it and question what they can do to offer a product that people will continue to buy even when they are trimming the fat out of their budgets.
Maybe management won’t take the latter approach right away. However, I think they will when America’s economy recovers, and they still find themselves having people put up for sale their DVC contracts, or not planning as many annual visits, or beginning to embrace competitors who, although they may not yet have the same level of quality as Disney, are actively challenging Disney (even if this only means one day away from Disney on a trip, if Disney loses one day from each family who normally visited for seven, that is a huge hit).
In my mind, Disney cannot continue to only cater itself towards casual (read: few or once-in-a-lifetime) visitors. It has done so much to sell itself to other demographics, and if it doesn't keep these folks happy, it will suffer financially.
The one way I disagree with you, WDW1974, is on the idea that registering complaints works for us all. This is for a very reason to which you alluded--that you can levy a complaint with someone 'higher up' than the Main Street CM. Most of us cannot do this. Our best recourse is to hurt WDW financially. While I still feel too strongly about the place to ever think about going there less, I can give them less of my money when I'm there. Even this will make a palpable dent and should make a difference.
Don't get me wrong, I think voicing your opinion is important for everyone. At the very least, you can break the rose-colored glasses of others, and get them to think critically about even those things for which they hold a sacred reverence. If you still, overall, enjoy the experience about WDW, but dislike some aspects, hit those aspects financially. That's what I will do, I would encourage others to do the same. Don't like the lower standards of dining? Bring food. Don't like the merchandise? Don't buy it.
I know this post is going to catch flak for being “elitist” or “condescending”, and that’s fine. I have a firm belief that Americans need to raise our standards—not be lazy, not accept cheap and “a lot”, and not embrace mediocrity. Overall, Americans are a great and intelligent people, I just expect us to always act like it. If that makes me an elitist, well, then so be it.
