George's Epic WDW predictions

[MagliteL13]

Whether people realize it or not, no attraction ever has ALL of its effects working at the same time. There's always gonna be something that either is pulled for work or broken. As much as I wish everything worked every single time I rode through an attraction, there's always gonna be at least one thing that's missing or not working. I think the quality is progressively getting better though.

 

[GoofyMike29]

There are some things that are different, and generally, I think we are at the start of a significant upswing. The two major changes that I see are

2) guests are so much worse! a) too many think because they paid money that they are entitled to everything when they want it b) people are pigs....with probably more garbage cans per square foot than anywhere else, so many still drop their trash or throw it on a ride or whatever. c) a surprising number of people show no respect for the property or others. Some go out of their way with vandalism, d) rudeness tends to color the overall experience to the negative, so park and CM's are already working at a disadvantage.

JMHO

WORD--people = ridiculous!

 

[George]

The reason people think that Disney is declining is because of the stupid friggin internet. Anytime a single small thing is less than perfect - it is posted all over the internet for everyone to see and read..

Interesting thought. I think what the internet has done is create an environment where many opinons can be disseminated and shared. It does make more information available and I can see where that would contribute to your feelings.

I've been going to the parks for nearly 25 years. They are better now than ever before. Thanks to Michael Eisner, Disney World has become a total vacation destination unlike anywhere else.

To a large degree you're spot on. The resorts, etc. are completely due to Eisner. However, I think if you peruse the boards a lot of long time Disney lovers aren't 100% thrilled with the direction the theme parks took under his reign. I think the debates over DAK, DCA, and the Paris Studios may go on for years.

Another problem is people for some reason have all become nearsighted. They are so focused on up close things like a piece of chipped paint that they fail to see the enormous, mind-blowing, beautiful things that surround them in the distance. And if they encounter one cast member who is having a bad day, they become oblivious to the thousands of other cast members who are working hard and creating magic..

I would never complain about a chip of paint or one bad cast member. I'm thinking about the experience as a whole. Also, I think some details are a big deal (the attention to detail is what attracted me and others I daresay to WDW in the first place). For example, did you know on Dinosaur there's a cool effect with lasers and mist that makes it look like you're going back through the time portal to the present. I think out of 15 rides its been working once. Its an awesome effect and this is the kind of thing that really sets WDW apart. If I was a manager in charge of this I would be a complete b**st*** until it worked.

But the bottom line is, I could care less if you all enjoy WDW or not. To me it is unique, magical, and indescribable. And I feel privileged to be able to enjoy such a place, and I'm not gonna let the negativity of others ruin my experience.

I love WDW. I have a Disney VISA card and I'm not trying to be negative. In fact, WDW is the vacation I get excited for the most. I just want to make sure it stays that way.

Look - when you're with a group of people and you see a movie - I'm the guy who always brings up plot inconsistencies and filmmaking errors. Everyone always jumps all over me and says relax and enjoy the movie. Usually, I did enjoy the movie. I'm . WDW's attention to detail is what attracted me to it in my youth. I just don't want to see that slip completely away.

 

[Enderikari]

The reason people think that Disney is declining is because of the stupid friggin internet. Anytime a single small thing is less than perfect - it is posted all over the internet for everyone to see and read.

I've been going to the parks for nearly 25 years. They are better now than ever before. Thanks to Michael Eisner, Disney World has become a total vacation destination unlike anywhere else.

Another problem is people for some reason have all become nearsighted. They are so focused on up close things like a piece of chipped paint that they fail to see the enormous, mind-blowing, beautiful things that surround them in the distance. And if they encounter one cast member who is having a bad day, they become oblivious to the thousands of other cast members who are working hard and creating magic.

But the bottom line is, I could care less if you all enjoy WDW or not. To me it is unique, magical, and indescribable. And I feel privileged to be able to enjoy such a place, and I'm not gonna let the negativity of others ruin my experience.

Yeah, but one things for certain... there are less topiaries than ever before.

 

[George]

Enderikari - The person who made that comment about you on the now defunct "white power" thread was out of line. I'm glad you reported them.

 

[wannab@dis]

I would never complain about a chip of paint or one bad cast member.

That's good... if you watch closely, you'll notice that many of the people around here that do complain about the paint chips or one bad CM are the ones that think like this...

However, I think if you peruse the boards a lot of long time Disney lovers aren't 100% thrilled with the direction the theme parks took under his [Eisner] reign.

With the abundance of information in cyberspace, too many have taken the little problems and turned them into huge issues.

WDW's attention to detail is what attracted me to it in my youth. I just don't want to see that slip completely away.

It hasn't slipped in all the years that I've been. In fact, I'd say it's better than ever. Our last trip in December was as close to perfection as it can possibly get.

 

[NadieMasK2]

Look - when you're with a group of people and you see a movie - I'm the guy who always brings up plot inconsistencies and filmmaking errors. Everyone always jumps all over me and says relax and enjoy the movie. Usually, I did enjoy the movie. I'm . WDW's attention to detail is what attracted me to it in my youth. I just don't want to see that slip completely away.

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Are you sure you are not my husband under another name!! He is EXACTLY like you! A real technical guy! Sometimes can't see the forest through the trees. And did you see how close we are...I work in Westfield!

 

[George]

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Are you sure you are not my husband under another name!! He is EXACTLY like you! A real technical guy! Sometimes can't see the forest through the trees. And did you see how close we are...I work in Westfield!

Wow - you'll understand this then - We live here because my wife (analytical chemist) works at Lilly and I (physical chemist) work in the physics dept. at Purdue. If you vacation with us anywhere - you'd better be prepared for in depth discussion about details. To make matters worse - I gourmet cook as a hobby, so you won't even get a break at the meals.
Tomorrow I'll be getting up at 4 so I can be Purdue by 6. Going to bed soon. Currenlty, my son (almost 3) is sitting on my lap and looking at the mouse ears and park icons on the website as I type this and asking me - "Are we going to Disney World?"

 

[nyfrenchy]

Don't get me wrong, I loved EE. Thought it was fun and worked a story into the thrills. But how long can those thrills last for? I remember when TOT drew in long lines. Last time I was there, I walked onto ToT 5 times in a row. I remember when Star Tours drew long lines. I haven't waited in a line for that ride in years.

I think this is just a problem of perception. The attendance does increase, yet you feel the lines are shorter. Two reasons:

1). I too remember very long lines for ToT back in 1995, but then there was no FASTPASS!

2) When Star Tours drew long line, there was no RnC or ToT or LMAX. Adding more shows & rides dilute queues, and I think that's a good thing!

 

[NadieMasK2]

Wow - you'll understand this then - We live here because my wife (analytical chemist) works at Lilly and I (physical chemist) work in the physics dept. at Purdue. If you vacation with us anywhere - you'd better be prepared for in depth discussion about details. To make matters worse - I gourmet cook as a hobby, so you won't even get a break at the meals.
Tomorrow I'll be getting up at 4 so I can be Purdue by 6. Going to bed soon. Currenlty, my son (almost 3) is sitting on my lap and looking at the mouse ears and park icons on the website as I type this and asking me - "Are we going to Disney World?"

So...not much "light dinner conversation" at your household, then. :lol:
Purdue is a long commute for you - yuck! Anyway nice to meet a neighbor!

 

[jesserin]

Wow - you'll understand this then - We live here because my wife (analytical chemist) works at Lilly and I (physical chemist) work in the physics dept. at Purdue. If you vacation with us anywhere - you'd better be prepared for in depth discussion about details. To make matters worse - I gourmet cook as a hobby, so you won't even get a break at the meals.
Tomorrow I'll be getting up at 4 so I can be Purdue by 6. Going to bed soon. Currenlty, my son (almost 3) is sitting on my lap and looking at the mouse ears and park icons on the website as I type this and asking me - "Are we going to Disney World?"

too cute Doesn't that make you want to not sweat the small things?

 

[NadieMasK2]

too cute Doesn't that make you want to not sweat the small things?

Makes me feel grateful for having the opportunity to share such a magical place with my kids. It still makes me feel all warm and fuzzy every time!

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Wow - you'll understand this then - We live here because my wife (analytical chemist) works at Lilly and I (physical chemist) work in the physics dept. at Purdue. If you vacation with us anywhere - you'd better be prepared for in depth discussion about details. To make matters worse - I gourmet cook as a hobby, so you won't even get a break at the meals.
Tomorrow I'll be getting up at 4 so I can be Purdue by 6. Going to bed soon. Currenlty, my son (almost 3) is sitting on my lap and looking at the mouse ears and park icons on the website as I type this and asking me - "Are we going to Disney World?"

You are my new hero. This is pretty much my life. Analyze everything, love Disney because of that, entertaining-based food as a hobby. How odd that I grew up in South Bend and went to school less than an hour from you guys at DePauw! Maybe it's the water there!

Anyway, let me know if you ever want a pick-apart vacation. Analyzing everything is lots of fun, especially when things actually have some layers to peel back.

I am waiting for the day, though, when I will be the one staring at my child's screen asking if we are going to Disney World, though. ha ha

 

[jmicro59]

Please no!!! I can't take any of his over-emoting!! I swear, that guy's gestures remind me of Celine Dion when she's performing onstage.

So you admit you watch Celiine Dion? :lol:

 

[NadieMasK2]

DePauw is such a beautiful campus!

Hmmm......sounds like we need to form an Indiana Chapter of the Obsessive Culinary Disneyphile association (I'd be happy to sample the gourmet offerings :animwink: )

My husband is an IT administrator - enough said.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

DePauw is such a beautiful campus!

Hmmm......sounds like we need to form an Indiana Chapter of the Obsessive Culinary Disneyphile association (I'd be happy to sample the gourmet offerings :animwink: )

My husband is an IT administrator - enough said.

ha ha perhaps. And DPU was a nice place to live for four years. Down in Tennessee at Vandy at the moment (also a beautiful place), and going to Atlanta next, so maybe I can spread our chapters down to the southland!

 

[jmicro59]

Just my take on this, Disney for the most part hasn't changed, but we have, all of us. Our views and how we interpret our little slice of life. When we were young everything at Disney looked and felt magical. People/characters we saw on T.V. were now standing right in front of us. We were in awe. And that's what we remember not chipped paint or anything like that. Our parents do remember the bad. They put up with all the issues that we as adults and parents put up with today. How do you compete with that as an adult, your childhood image of Disney? IMO you can't. The way I liken it is, it's like watching the original Star Wars. I thought that movie was great and saw it over 45 times in 1977 but I watch it now and it's not as good as it seemed to be. Something changed. Me and the times we live in. I’ve been tainted by buildings being hit by passenger airliners, wars still killing innocent people, ¾ of the world still living under some type of oppression. I still enjoy Disney, probably not as much as when I was younger but I enjoy it in another way, through the eyes of my 8 year old DD. We go at least once a year for her b'day in July. She doesn't see the chipped paint, the jerks, the shop lifters, the cost and the stress it puts my wife and I through. She only sees the Monorail, Mickey, Donald, Cindy’s castle and all the rest. And for me that's just the way it should be.

 

[peter11435]

I'm waiting for the punchline.

No punch line. That’s my honest opinion. As Ben Franklin says in the American Adventure "the golden age never was the present age." You see when you look back things always seem better, but in reality they rarely were. Other posters are 100% right that most of the problem today is the Internet. The fact is lights went out and things stopped working in the 70's. The only difference now is that you don't only have one chance to see these problems on your annual trip. Now even those who only go once a year have the power to know every little flaw on WDW property. Not to mention the fact that in the 70's on your once a year trip if you say a light out at Mk you just assumed it would be replaced the next day. And most times you had no way of knowing if it had or had not. Now with the power of the Internet it has become possible to track every little light out (read: flaw of any kind) from start to finish (read: being fixed).

The other problem is that at 20-30 years ago most of us on this board were most likely kids/teenagers in the early days of WDW. I don't think that issue needs explained.

 

[Ghostbuster626]

I blame Paul Pressler...:lookaroun

 

[speck76]

On a side note, I will be interested to see how/if my viewpoint changes after my trip this summer. It will be just over 3.5 years (which is devastating to me), and I think I hit it as a CPer at a fairly low point (2002). I do think, as Speck76 has said, that things are being addressed. I still have my issues with some lack of creative original attractions, especially at MK and a character invasion at Epcot, BUT I will be the first to admit those are incredibly personal opinions. If Disney is replacing and adding quality attractions, and the CM training is high and preserved, I will not call that fault. It's a difference of opinion. However, I had noticed bad show, bad training, and bad guest behavior. Even worse, it seemed things were being addressed by saying "It's all wonderful" and "Look at our pretty cardboard cut outs" that added a level of superficiality. Those are the things that make me feel like WDW was slipping. However, again, I do believe they are being addressed and can't wait to see it first hand.

On a side note, I am surprised the CP issue has not been raised yet. I personally like it and think it merely is not being utilized to its fullest extent. It does foster 6 months of partying, but you have some very dedicated folks, and I think upping the requirements a bit more for successful completion could make this a extremely strong workforce. Sorry for the drift, but just always wished they would do a bit more with this so that it became a HUGE benefit to the magic instead of just a cheaper workforce.

One thing that people do not get is that "it can not all be fixed overnight"...some things still need help, but it really looks like the park management is trying to address everything.

I too like the CP employees....especially considering that they are usually more the "Disney Image" than the Orlando locals