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George's Epic WDW predictions
- Thread starter George
- Start date
Enderikari
Well-Known Member
Ghostbuster626 said:
nice edit....
SpenceMan01
Well-Known Member
I think another thing that hasn't been mentioned is the bottom line. When management/the board/etc. becomes short sighted and only looks at the bottom line, you get attractions/experiences/etc. that might make a quick buck (or not), but don't stand the test of time and have little to know return value.
I think a great example of this is Stitch's Great Escape. Sure, many will argue that the concept was doomed from the beginning and never should have gotten out of blue sky. I think the budget was also at work here. When WDI began bidding for the job, they were quoting (approximately, I think) $25 million. In the end, WDI ended up with a budget that was about half that, most of which going to the Stitch AA's. Animation for the preshow had to be outsourced, storylines were probably rushed, and so on.
I personally believe that given the opportunity and the budget, WDI could have really turned SGE into something cool. It could have become something that drew people back, trip after trip, but only if the 'suits' would have had the foresight to invest more funds into it. Think about it... would the saturation of Stitch at WDW made as many people upset had the attraction been a wildly popular success?
I think the 'suits' need to shift focus to the long term, despite what shareholders may think. In the long run, it will be better for the company, better for the shareholders, and better for the guests.
That's my $.02
I think a great example of this is Stitch's Great Escape. Sure, many will argue that the concept was doomed from the beginning and never should have gotten out of blue sky. I think the budget was also at work here. When WDI began bidding for the job, they were quoting (approximately, I think) $25 million. In the end, WDI ended up with a budget that was about half that, most of which going to the Stitch AA's. Animation for the preshow had to be outsourced, storylines were probably rushed, and so on.
I personally believe that given the opportunity and the budget, WDI could have really turned SGE into something cool. It could have become something that drew people back, trip after trip, but only if the 'suits' would have had the foresight to invest more funds into it. Think about it... would the saturation of Stitch at WDW made as many people upset had the attraction been a wildly popular success?
I think the 'suits' need to shift focus to the long term, despite what shareholders may think. In the long run, it will be better for the company, better for the shareholders, and better for the guests.
That's my $.02
GenerationX
Well-Known Member
I agree completely. As for the human tendency to look at the past with rose-colored glasses, Paul Simon said it best in "Kodachrome":peter11435 said:
If you took all the girls that I knew when I was single
Brought them all together for one night
I know they'd never match my sweet imagination
Everything looks worse in black-and-white.
speck76
Well-Known Member
SpenceMan01 said:
But is SGE the rule, or the exception?
One thing I have noticed is that the big complainers that used to frequent these parts would always focus on the one or two misses, but ignore the hits.
Look at the other newer attractions....EE, Soarin, LMAX, Philharmagic, Mission Space......they can't be compared with Stitch
NadieMasK2
Active Member
LOL :lol:Krenshar said:Hey now...watch what you're saying.
Guess you never know who could be lurking around these parts!
I agree with what others have said about the post 9/11 slump. However I feel that we are on the verge of a return to glory, and with new management and the creative minds of Pixar it should be an exciting time!
wannab@dis
Well-Known Member
:lol:
I didn't really notice that there were fewer topiaries, but I did think there were some really good ones last December. Maybe they are going for quality now instead of quantity. *shrug*
I didn't really notice that there were fewer topiaries, but I did think there were some really good ones last December. Maybe they are going for quality now instead of quantity. *shrug*
JimboJones123
Well-Known Member
ASJHLJ said:Here is my main question – Is the quality of WDW slowing declining? I don’t know if it is true or not, but I thought a general discussion about this would be nice. I’ve seen countless allusions to this on other threads (i.e. someone will claim that such and such isn’t as good as it used to be and some people will agree with them and some won’t). I sometimes feel as though the quality of the WDW experience has declined over the years, but I could be wrong. Since I’m about to give you my take on things, you should know what lenses I am looking at the WDW experience through. I don’t work for WDW, I’m not privy to inside information, I don’t know anyone important (relative to Disney) first hand. However, I do love Disney and have been going to WDW since ffice:smarttags" /><ST1lace><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
1) I’m older. It could just be that. As a middle aged man, I’ve seen a lot more, traveled a lot more and am harder to please. Also, I’m now the family patriarch and now care a lot more when I pay 5 bucks for a churro.
2) WDW has gotten too big. Mixed emotions here. I think part of the grandeur of WDW is its size and I get excited every time something new opens. However, the size has diluted things to some degree. When the two newer parks opened they weren’t any where near as attraction dense as their older siblings. The monorails weren’t extended to the two nearer parks or nearby deluxe resorts. More employees almost certainly decreases the level of pickiness about hires and increases the chances of getting someone who is rude or doesn’t know anything. Going to WDW has become like going to my local hardware store. There is a 2.6 in ten chance that I’m going to get an employee that knows more than me.
3) The existence of Universal. I know this may be controversial, but I think the fact that two pretty good theme parks that seem to be cheaper to maintain and don’t/haven’t had an ownership group into theme parks as much as Disney kind of hurts Disney in a subconscious way. Especially the existence of the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman. The ride has been around for 7 years and I still haven’t seen anything better. If I were to rank the top 5 attractions in Orlando, Disney would hold spots 2-5, but AAS would be number 1 and I’d have to include some other Universal attractions in the top ten.
4) Shoddier maintenance. I don’t know if this is true, but upkeep sure doesn’t seem to be as good as when I was a kid/teenager. Dinosaur is a shining example of this. Before I stumbled on this website, I was writing reviews of theme park attractions (for fun, just as a theme park fan) on another website and I found Dinosaur to be almost impossible to rate. I mean when everything works, it is awesome. But if something only works 15% of the time do all the awesome effects matter?
Anyhoo, I really do love Disney and would like to have a constructive debate on this. On a side note – I’m a scientist so I’m used to my thoughts/ideas being picked apart. What would bother me more is if no one responded to this thread. I’m not going to be able to check for a while, so please don’t assume if I don’t respond in the next few hours that I posted this and quit caring. Quite the opposite, this website is such an entertaining diversion for me that it concerns the wife.
churros aren't five bucks -- don't get the first point wrong in your big opus -- you look the fool!
rd0127
New Member
Last March (2005), was our first time to Disney and it was MAGICAL! We are going again this year (03/2006)! We have a disabled daughter and we have had many people tell us that this was the vacation place for her. Well, I can honestly say, they were 100% right. NO WHERE on earth (vacation wise), is more accomodating to guest with special needs and I truly believe my whole family believes it is a magical place! 
KrazyKemp
Member
The quality of Disney parks has not gone down...if you compare quality of rides, atmosphere, employee friendliness, and overall number of potential problems that never come up....Disney is very much still in the top spot.
Walking around Disney World next time, look on the ground. A CM walks over that area of ground once every 15 or so minutes, just sweeping and cleaning.
Universal's quality is much lower than Disney's...having gone there last year, most of their top rides were either broken, or shut down every 10 minutes. I waited in line for the Mummy ride for 2 hours, when the sign said 30 minutes. (mechanical problems) And even got stuck in the middle of the ride as well.
Disney almost never has ride problems...and that is because they care enough to think of the attraction as just that. It is not a "ride" to Disney-goers it is an adventure.
You will not find quality like Disney's anywhere else...that is why competitors study Disney...trying to be better...
Walking around Disney World next time, look on the ground. A CM walks over that area of ground once every 15 or so minutes, just sweeping and cleaning.
Universal's quality is much lower than Disney's...having gone there last year, most of their top rides were either broken, or shut down every 10 minutes. I waited in line for the Mummy ride for 2 hours, when the sign said 30 minutes. (mechanical problems) And even got stuck in the middle of the ride as well.
Disney almost never has ride problems...and that is because they care enough to think of the attraction as just that. It is not a "ride" to Disney-goers it is an adventure.
You will not find quality like Disney's anywhere else...that is why competitors study Disney...trying to be better...
peter11435
Well-Known Member
Enderikari said:
Not during the Flower and Garden Festival.
Ghostbuster626
Member
Enderikari said:nice edit....
:lookaroun
Epcot82Guy said: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
Sounds like an offer I can't pass up. Unfortunately, we have another thing in common. I'm about to go on a long Disney dry spell (I believe you said its been 3.5 years in this thread or another?). I've decided to wait until both kids are out of diapers. However, I think I've talked the wife into a quick day at DAK next time we're in Florida provided we can talk the grandparents into watching the kids. That way we can get a few EE rides in and I could feel that I was staying partially up to date.
Anyhoo - getting read to start the hellish commute.
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
JimboJones123 said:
Clearly! They're $14. Don't you watch the Simpsons?