How badly Leave a Legacy failed!

[scottnj1966]

I think the agreement says they have to keep it displayed for ten years. So when the last one was sold it would be ten years from that date.

 

[mousermerf]

If Legacy was so grandly profitable like people keep saying - why did they end it?

And I like how all the arguments of their profitability ignore the initial capital expenditure for unused spaces. Again - 1/4th of those giant slabs infront of SSE were a waste of money and a loss.

Do you suppose completely remodeling Epcot's entrance plaza was cheap?

Why do you suppose the kiosk around the mirror column was removed? If it was attractive it would have stayed. It was made out of the same materials as the slabs. How about the shop? The cameras and computers to do the imaging?

Lest we forget the 8 years of staffing 9am to 9pm.

That 11million is a drop in the bucket - and that's assuming the majority were paid for and not given away as freebies.

 

[mousermerf]

About them not promoting Legacy - since when does Disney not promote something that is still being sold and very profitable? You've got your cause-effect backwards.

That kiosk that got abandoned at the base of SSE - it had a shelf life. It was set to function for as long as Disney thought it would be selling the tiles. Apparently they didn't think they would be using it for very long, because it was shuttered fairly quickly.

 

[scottnj1966]

If Legacy was so grandly profitable like people keep saying - why did they end it?

They end lots of things that were profitable. Things change.


And I like how all the arguments of their profitability ignore the initial capital expenditure for unused spaces. Again - 1/4th of those giant slabs infront of SSE were a waste of money and a loss.

Do you think Disney paid that much for all that. They are experts in getting the best deal.

Do you suppose completely remodeling Epcot's entrance plaza was cheap?

Why do you suppose the kiosk around the mirror column was removed? If it was attractive it would have stayed. It was made out of the same materials as the slabs. How about the shop? The cameras and computers to do the imaging?

ATT is gone. Seimens wants changes. That is what happens when soemone else takes over.

Lest we forget the 8 years of staffing 9am to 9pm.

They were never staffed the whole day, plus they made minumum wage.
That was between 4.50 and 6 bucks an hour.

That 11million is a drop in the bucket - and that's assuming the majority were paid for and not given away as freebies.

A drop in the bucket....It is still at least 4 to 5 million to the bottom line. No company would ever say that was a drop in the bucket. No matter what you think, that is alot of money. It would pay for another 5 miles of monorail track.

 

[uklad79]

I have a tile before the bashing starts.
I would like to see a couple of changes that could be a small start. First get rid of the stupid paint effect on SSE legs no on is beliving that they are made of the same material and it look cheap and nasty. Then cut the larger slabs down to size. Finally remove the unused ones nearer SSE as there is no use for them now.

This will give it a bit of a tidy up until they can come up with a better idea.

 

[Sherrybaby]

I happen to love Leave a Legacy and decided to get one for my son and myself so when I'm gone and he goes to visit he can still see it there. I have paperwork from LAL that states the tiles are guaranteed for 50 years, not 20. Now if they changed that and I missed some Disney memo I do not know. But that is the paperwork I received when we had our photo taken. If it was only going to stay for 20 years I probably would not have purchased, oh maybe I would have--since I'm not that healthy and have a terminal illness I won't be around that long anyway and it's (again) something my son can go back to remember when he visits WDW.

That all being said--I'm wondering how much more some of the people on the boards want removed? The wand, the tiles, the "tombstones"...what's next? How about we just gut all the parks and start over and have votes on what goes in? No one ever really seems happy here with anything that is going on.

And I agree with another poster--this is neither news or a rumor--this post is purely an opinion that the LAL was a failure. How about praising something for once? First we had ten million posts about the failure of the "Dreams" promotion...then the wand...now this. If you don't like the place please just quit torturing yourself and stop going. All this negativity is no good for anyone. And coming from someone who knows that every moment of life has to be treasured. I just don't see the point of the negativity. I guess some people just thrive on it so in that case then....good for you! :sohappy:

 

[Brock615]

LaL was a GREAT IDEA, imho!

I too love the Leave a Legacy tiles. When I made my 2000 trip I was thrilled to purchase my first tile (FYI - I have 4, 1 each for my trips in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, & 2005). I have 3 photo tiles & 2 "Happy Birthday" messages to myself. Yes, it became a personal tradition. I loved the idea of actually "being a part" of Epcot!

Similarly, I've had a Walk Around the World brick out between the TTC & the Polynesian for the past 9 years and during my first & so-far only trip to Disneyland in June 2006 I purchased a Walk of Magical Memories brick. The common thread running through all these purchases was the 1) the memorializing of a vacation & 2) the feeling of "being a part" of a Disney theme park.

Could we debate the aesthetic designs, sure! I personally have no problem with how LaL was designed. It never struck me as a graveyard (although I can see how people see that). However, I've had a blast visiting my tiles & bricks during past vacations and I love having friends go & find "me" in the parks. I'd prefer that Disney continue selling both the tiles & the bricks and give others a "stake" in the dream.

I maintain that both the bricks & tiles were wonderful Disney ideas that should've been expanded, not ended.

 

[garyhoov]

I think the bricks outside MK work wonderfully because they don't intrude. They're just there and don't get in the way, but they give you a nice sense of history as you're walking in. It's fun to think about all the people and stories and love for Disney represented on those bricks as you walk in.

They tried to manufacture a similar thing with Leave a Legacy, but, like many things, it just couldn't capture the magic of the original.

I'd like to see them find a way to display the tiles (i'd say get rid of the big granite blocks and find a way to mount the metal panels on a simpler frame) tastefully along the walkway from the bus area to the ticket booths. That would make it more like the bricks at MK because you could get a sense for some of the people who have visited as you walk by, but you could also ignore them easily and they wouldn't intrude so dramatically in the actual park.

 

[Passport]

You're assuming people actually paid for all of them. I've been reading on other threads that many people have received them FREE as part of some package or another when booking their Disney trips. If they have to give them away, that doesn't exactly indicate success to me. Then you also have to factor in the cost of upkeep and maintenance, staffing the Leave a Legacy kiosks, and plaque costs. I'm sure they did make money off of it, but was it a success? I think if they had sold out of spaces (and not given them away) and had had to put in more, then perhaps. I could be wrong, though.

ed: You beat me to it, Epcot82guy! One other point I'd like to make about its success is a personal one. I am a huge Disney geek. I have a brick at Disneyland and would love to have one at Disney World. I buy anything I can afford that has anything to do with the Disney Parks, and I even keep articles and pictures from newspapers. So, if they couldn't even get me to want to buy one of those things at a measly $35, then from my viewpoint, it was a MASSIVE failure. Again, this is a personal opinion and I know others don't feel this way.

And for awhile American Express was offering a buy 1 get 1 free if you use your Amex card.

 

[ROEFan88]

LaL never really bothered me that much - they're not the prettiest stones in the world, but I like the way they seem to be designed around SSE, with the stones starting low then getting higher before you reach the sphere itself.

One thing that's always distracted me is the fact that they painted stones on the supports of Spaceship Earth - I've always thought they looked more stupid than the stones themselves. It just seems like a silly, cheap afterthought to me - totally uncharacteristic of Disney.

 

[KevinPage]

Did Jim Hill start this thread? Maybe Al Lutz invaded someones' account in an attempt to prove how superior DL is over WDW?

Let's leave the bold, unverified, completely subjective statistic opinions to those "other sites".

:wave: :wave: :wave:

 

[DisneyWorld30th]

When Leave a Legacy first opened in 1999, the tiles were very expensive. They were around $100. When you had your photo taken, it was on display under Spaceship Earth the very next day for all to see. They said it would take 30-45 days to have the title filled, produced and mounted to its permanent home.

In 2001, they added the Leave a Legacy Message area. This is where you could put a message on it (Similar to Walk Around the Word). I happened to be on my honeymoon and my wife and I have a tile with our Wedding Date on It. We were told it would take 2-3 months to have the tile at its permanent home.

On my trip in 2005, I went to the Leave a Legacy kiosk to find which area my name was at (Also, to find out where NSYNC was - for my sister) they prices were around $50 and there were lots of promotions to get it free or half price with AP discount. I asked the Cast Member how long will it take to have our picture mounted and I was told 6-8 months.

I have two bricks at the Walk Arround the World at the MK and one title at Epcot.

I believe in our contract for the Walk Arround the World, Disney can remove the bricks in the next year or so. I think it was a 11 year guarantee that the brick will remain in place. Some may be able to be removed now.

Thats my 3 cents...

 

[jt04]

The rumor I heard, way back when (no, not from a Transportation H/H) was that LAL would move into a park-like setting near what is now the Nemo pavilion.

We should be sensitive about the many, many reasons people Left A Legacy. I wonder how many "Wish Kids" are on those tiles?

With all respect to every one of them, the granite structures could be moved to an area where... perhaps with additional fountains and landscaping... they look better. Spend some of the 11 mil that was made on the tiles and move them to where they will not detract from the main entrance, and are preserved for at least the 20 years promised. It would have to be somewhere adjacent to Future World; a quiet, but not hidden alcove maybe featuring other sculptures or futuristic exhibits, and providing shade and seating. Maybe put in a stage for Magic Music Days.

Legacy Gardens. Legacy Park. Garden of Dreams. whatever, some able Imagineer (not a marketeer) can come up with the concept. Disney can do it.

BEST IDEA I HAVE HEARD YET!

 

[Hakunamatata]

That 11million is a drop in the bucket - and that's assuming the majority were paid for and not given away as freebies.

I would argue that nothing at Disney is free. If you purchased a package that had them included, the cost of the "complimentary" item is figured into the cost of the package.

 

[KevinPage]

Merf - Im talking to you and others here, but primarily you. I have read your posts and usually enjoyed them. It is obvious that you take a sincere interest in the forum community here. That being said Im getting really sick of the attitude on this subject and for this thread you seem to be the ringleader.

There is an unfortunate act of cowardice being displayed by people hiding behind statements that imply that not only was LAL a failure, but that it was cheesy, commercialized, and that someone would have to be a fool to be involved with it but then not actually calling the participants out as idiots. If you think that we were all fools and suckers for being a part of LAL than go ahead and call us out. Im tired of the implications being thrown about with no responsibilty for the statements being made.

Unfortunately some people on here have the attitude of: You're either with me or against me. If you're against them, you're a complete idiot, attacked with no rationale logic or open discussion. Best thing to do is ignore it. Threads like this are created solely to get people annoyed/upset, no other way around it.

For some reason: Disney is a money grubbing machine by doing Leave a Legacy AND since they didn't fill them up they are utter failures to boot. It can't possibly be in the scope of comprehension with WDW demagogues that MAYBE just MAYBE people besides them enjoyed it (I do along with The Wand) & MAYBE Disney thought it was a nice thing to do for guests (along with a way to make $$$$).

Disney is damned if they do damned if they don't with those types. Trying something that isn't a smash success and they are humiliated in their failure. Being successful at something means they are a greedy soulless corporation.

Don't worry about being banned, Steve doesn't penalize rationale thinking discussion.

 

[Hakunamatata]

... which isn't a cheerful way to enter a theme park about the possibilities of the future.

So naming a whole resort area after a dead man is somehow different?:shrug:

 

[Sir_Cliff]

To summarize my thoughts: Knock it the heck off.

He's allowed to have an opinion and it is one that is shared by many people. No offence to anyone who has a tile there, but to a large extent his logic is far more rational that that of those saying "I have a picture of me, my relative, etc. on it so it is good and must stay!" Many of us just don't think it looks good and serves no purpose other than to make money. Now that it's closed because it stopped making money it serves no purpose other than for those who gave Disney money to put their pictures on it. Why not then move it to an area where these people can see it but not have it detract from the entrance for other guests?

.
Will it be there forever, no. Will it probably be moved soon, yes. Did Disney go into this with the thought of profit margin, maybe, but there is a larger profit margin on a soda more than likely. Disney very likely went into this with the idea that LAL would do just what it was advertised to do. Allow people to feel like part of the magic.

Perhaps. I think they thought it was a good money making scheme and marketing gimmick for the millennium celebration. My memories from when it was announced were that the expectation was that it would sell out pretty quickly. There's a larger profit margin on a soda than a theme park more than likely, yet they still get built.

 

[Hakunamatata]

He's allowed to have an opinion and it is one that is shared by many people. No offence to anyone who has a tile there, but to a large extent his logic is far more rational that that of those saying "I have a picture of me, my relative, etc. on it so it is good and must stay!" Many of us just don't think it looks good and serves no purpose other than to make money. Now that it's closed because it stopped making money it serves no purpose other than for those who gave Disney money to put their pictures on it. Why not then move it to an area where these people can see it but not have it detract from the entrance for other guests?

If Merf had commented that it was a financial failure for Disney, that would be one thing. Maybe there would have been little to no arguing that and this would have been a one post thread. The issue is, Merf used this statement...

What a complete and utter failure.

Most people interpret complete and utter failure to include all facets of the tiles, what and who they represent. I believe this is what most who have a problem with his statement are taking issue with.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Most people interpret complete and utter failure to include all facets of the tiles, what and who they represent. I believe this is what most who have a problem with his statement are taking issue with.

I can understand this, but the thing is that his entire post was based around why it appears to have been a financial failure. So he runs through a bunch of statistics and then concludes with that statement, leading me to think he meant that the business venture was a failure, not necessarily implying anything about the pictures or people who appear on it.

 

[RiversideBunny]

Isn't 'utter failure' what happens when a dairy farm goes bankrupt?

:lol: