I think I might be done with WDW.

[MrConbon]

It's not so much "the way it was" based on the parks themselves....that's just nostalgia.

What I'm talking about is the shift in TWDC's thinking.....instead of focusing on quality and thematic congruity in the attractions and shows, they're focusing solely on the corporate end of the equation; "How can we make the biggest return on investment?"
That in itself wouldn't be such a bad thing, but without an eye towards quality and congruity, we wind up with...

- The Norway Pavilion becoming more about "Frozen" than Norway. Whereas I gave Gran Fiesta Tour a pass because the Three Caballeros were actually exploring the country of Mexico, and I'm likely to give the Ratatouille ride a pass because it actually takes place in a Paris restaurant (as well as the Mary Poppins attraction rumored to be in the works for the UK Pavilion, because the movies actually take place in London), Frozen Ever After has absolutely no connection to Norway. It's a basic retelling of the movie, just like Peter Pan's Flight, Snow White's Scary Adventures, and Pinocchio's Daring Journey. It needs to be in the Magic Kingdom.

- The closure of Magic of Disney Animation in favor of Star Wars Launch Bay. I just learned through Facebook that former Disney animator Peter Reymundo is now doing drawing classes for kids at Orlando's Crayola Experience.
http://attractionsmagazine.com/crayola-experience-disney-drawing/
There exists a demand for it, Disney used to do it, but then got rid of it because hand drawn animation isn't where the money is anymore.

- The closure of the Great Movie Ride in favor of Mickey's Runaway Railway. That one is a real head-scratcher for me, as the new Mickey shorts aren't in keeping with the Chinese Theater exterior of the building. Ideally, they should have kicked out Launch Bay and built the ride in the animation area. Because.....animation. In that way, at least they would be paying tribute to what was there before. In fact, parts of the "Magic of Disney Animation" could have been kept as the pre- and post-show areas.

- Guardians of the Galaxy in Epcot. Not only are we getting a GotG roller coaster in the former Universe of Energy, which is a slap in the face to Epcot's mission statement.....but they've announced a GotG dance party at the American Adventure's American Gardens Theater.
https://blogmickey.com/2018/02/guardians-galaxy-dance-party-coming-epcot-may/

- The loss of Off Kilter at Epcot....in favor of a lackluster "Canadian Lumberjacks" show that was so terrible it only lasted a year before being shuttered ("axed" if you will).
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav...canadian-lumberjacks-epcot-20151124-post.html

I mean, in the Norway pavilion there’s a whole building explaining how Norway inspired the architecture and clothing of Frozen. So the ride definitely fits in Norway despite what some people think.

 

[UpAllNight]

I don’t think delaying a trip due to the current construction needs to be interpreted as falling out of love with the place. I’m obsessed with all of the Florida parks, but can’t justify a trip this year as I’m using the current construction as an opportunity to visit other places, so more is fresh and new when I do return for a lengthy stay in 2021.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Because lord knows, the perfect compliment to Ben Franklin and Mark Twain's tour of American history is CLEARLY Drax the Destroyer shaking his booty out front.

In one sentence you encapsulate the imbecilification of WDW. :'(

Disney is not high culture. But it is not superhero dance parties either. What a sad demise.

 

[Mickey5150]

Having been going to WDW for almost 40 years I feel the new WDW isn't better, isn't worse, just different. Times change and so do the parks. They're not museums. What my parents thought was fun as kids is not what I thought was fun and is not what my nieces and nephews think is fun and that's why the parks will always be changing.

 

[WDW_Jon]

People change, parks change. Each to their own but it’s one less in line which is a result for me!

 

[Lou Filerman]

There’s a good cop out.



But that’s not objective; that’s your opinion. I’m sure other people enjoy the dance parties and dessert parties.

I’m all for more hyperfans quitting Disney. They’ll be replaced by newer fans who spend more, thus ensuring the departing fans won’t be missed. And newer fans are easier to outplan.

Exactly this...people think their OPINION is fact these days. I for one love the dessert parties and so do many other people given the size of the crowds. Everyone is different and like different things. I never understood why people complain about Disney charging money for new experiences....don’t like it, just ignore it and don’t pay the money...it doesn’t impact you one bit.

 

[CoasterSnoop]

Having been going to WDW for almost 40 years I feel the new WDW isn't better, isn't worse, just different. Times change and so do the parks. They're not museums. What my parents thought was fun as kids is not what I thought was fun and is not what my nieces and nephews think is fun and that's why the parks will always be changing.

So Haunted Mansion and Pirates should be closed right now because the parks must always be changing? My philosophy (and what it appeared WDI used to be based on as well) is if something still works as well as or better than it did on its opening day, there’s no reason to change it for the heck of it, but the opposite seems to be WDI’s course of action recently.

ToT is still as popular and memorable and thrilling today as it was opening day to the vast majority of crowds, so you know what we need to do? Replace it with a flavor-of-the-week IP-based ride that won’t last for longer than three years! Soarin’ is still as breathtaking of a ride as opening day, so you know what we need to do? Throw awkward transitions in and make a new video/CGI fest! That’ll hold up!

I’m all for change where’s it’s necessary (I don’t personally like a Guardians E-ticket coming to Epcot, but UoE was in desperate need of an update/replacement), but some of these decisions that have been made recently have been questionable.

 

[erasure fan1]

Exactly this...people think their OPINION is fact these days. I for one love the dessert parties and so do many other people given the size of the crowds.

So given the size of the audience, the Kardashians is a great show? If the biggest issue was desert parties I dont think people would have a big issue.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

You're totally missing my point here. It's about the need for TWDC to put stock prices above park quality and mission statements.
Epcot is no longer about science, technology, and building community....it's practically Magic Kingdom Backwash.

PS - as for the "million people offended"....that song on Kilimanjaro Safaris? That's the Lord's Prayer in Swahili.
But nobody is offended because most Americans are idiots who prefer not to dig deeper into what they see and hear.

I think that's great. Nothing wrong with the Lord's Prayer in another language for me. I think we all monitor the things Disney does these days. Or why they do it. Some of it I don't like either. I'd like to think there is enough people who want to keep the very important nostalgia within Disney that lacks so many other places. But would this be considered "progress" if they did this? To me, it still is.

This is where Universal is getting into being too much of a "flavour of the month" for me. Obviously I still love it, but if you tear down Jaws of all things, then that shows you nothing is safe, and that's never a good thing.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

So Haunted Mansion and Pirates should be closed right now because the parks must always be changing? My philosophy (and what it appeared WDI used to be based on as well) is if something still works as well as or better than it did on its opening day, there’s no reason to change it for the heck of it, but the opposite seems to be WDI’s course of action recently. ToT is still as popular and memorable and thrilling today as it was opening day to the vast majority of crowds, so you know what we need to do? Replace it with a flavor-of-the-week IP-based ride that won’t last for longer than three years! Soarin’ is still as breathtaking of a ride as opening day, so you know what we need to do? Throw awkward transitions in and make a new video/CGI fest! That’ll hold up! I’m all for change where’s it’s necessary (I don’t personally like a Guardians E-ticket coming to Epcot, but UoE was in desperate need of an update/replacement), but some of these decisions that have been made recently have been questionable.

People always ask "What would Walt do" and sometimes it is a bit of a question where you can't win because sometimes you don't know. But in a way we do. We have the 1955-'66 era to draw from. He obviously was always thinking of new things to do (Pirates was his last project, Haunted Mansion was being done as he died) but he also didn't touch a ton of opening day rides and this lasted 11 years.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

The one thing that I have a hard time understanding is how people don’t get it that Epcot Future will never be like it was when the park opened. In the amount of time it takes to conceive an idea and construct or redesign a building the idea is now old. Your cell phone/tablet/computer is outdated almost as soon as you open the box so how do people think Epcot can get ahead with some technology?

Remember when you were a kid and your grandparents said things were better in their day well guess what you are now that old person. Sometimes things were better and sometimes they were not. I was never a fan of Maelstrom so I was fine when it was switched over to Frozen but on the other hand I was very unhappy when Off Kilter left. I think M&G are a waste of valuable space but many people love them. People change, what I liked to do in the parks on my first trip in 1983 is not always the same things I like to do now.

To the OP I suggest on your next trip every day get on a ride you have never ridden, eat a meal at a new restaurant and watch a new show. Don’t schedule your vacation the same way every time. Try to get to all four parks in one day. Try to get to every ice cream shop or bakery on property during the next trip. Make a point to take your picture in front of every attraction sign that you ride or watch. There are plenty of ways to keep your trips fun and fresh.

 

[Starlight67]

I never understood why people complain about Disney charging money for new experiences....don’t like it, just ignore it and don’t pay the money...it doesn’t impact you one bit.

But can't some of the upcharge stuff affect the 'chooses not to or cannot pay' guests --like the Christmas and Halloween parties? (I might be not be remembering accurately because it's been a while since I have been there over one of these holidays; please correct me if I'm wrong).

But isn't everyone who didn't pay the extra kicked out of Magic Kingdom in the evening when party starts and paid -the -money folks can stay? If that's the way it is then it would affect the non-payers, as they would not have access to that park on that night.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

But can't some of the upcharge stuff affect the 'chooses not to or cannot pay' guests --like the Christmas and Halloween parties? (I might be not be remembering accurately because it's been a while since I have been there over one of these holidays; please correct me if I'm wrong).

But isn't everyone who didn't pay the extra kicked out of Magic Kingdom in the evening when party starts and paid -the -money folks can stay? If that's the way it is then it would affect the non-payers, as they would not have access to that park on that night.

Um, yes it does affect the regular admission guests. I know from experience. My daughter and I went to MK on a party day. The party was from 7 to 10pm. Great......Why let people in at 4pm? Why not just say 4pm to l0 pm, then the regular paying guests would know what was happening. When they opened the flood gaits at 4pm, it was a madhouse! You could not even walk in the walkways due to the crowds. Forget about the rides! We left as soon as we could fight our way out of the MK. Not able to ride, only if you wanted to wait behind a huge crowd in line. Not able to even stop in the crowd to do anything, (ie: get a snack, look at store fronts, etc).
It was miserable, and YES it does affect the regular paying guest, at least this one.

 

[OneofThree]

As someone whose first trip was in 84', I can attest to the fact that criticisms are not simply a matter of nostalgia. IMO, there are two elements which have contributed to philosophy change at WDW and its subsequent manifestations. First I think (and as others have said), is the amount time that's past since key figures who lived and breathed Walt's vision have exerted any real influence. The second plays off of the first, in that the company is now, like any MNC, concerned almost exclusively with providing value to shareholders. Vision, depth, and consistency of these across the WDW experience is evidently not necessary to maximize profits. Truth be told, the company's theme park arm would never have been able to build the empire if it had marketed this product from 1971 through, say 1990 due to the consumer base during that time. I really believe Disney markets the garbage they do now primarily because they can. In a lot cases, younger families just don't know what they're missing.

 

[erasure fan1]

I was never a fan of Maelstrom so I was fine when it was switched over to Frozen

I guess it boils down to if you think theme makes something better. For me, it does. Its not losing Maelstrom, its losing it for an IP that was shoe horned in. The decision behind it had nothing to do with making the parks better, but cashing in as quickly as possible. Did I like frozen? Meh it was average for me. Do I believe it deserves something a whole lot better than it got? Heck yea I do.

 

[21stamps]

I wonder if people will ever live in the present.

Accept what is, or.. choose not to partake in something that no longer fits your wants.
Crying over spilled milk never made much sense to me though.

Imagine how freeing it will be when someday you just cut ties or make peace. Choose one, see what happens.

 

[CoasterSnoop]

I wonder if people will ever live in the present.

Accept what is, or.. choose not to partake in something that no longer fits your wants.
Crying over spilled milk never made much sense to me though.

Imagine how freeing it will be when someday you just cut ties or make peace. Choose one, see what happens.

It’s a little more than spilled milk, though — theme park rides aren’t inexpensive, and as Disney fans, at the end of the day, we all just want to see Disney succeed. If they continuously pump out SGEs and Mission: Breakouts and nothing truly great in between, they may begin to lose this success. Now, we still have our Everests and Pandoras, but if Disney decides that kind of effort is no longer profitable and easy, brainless replacements are better for their bottom line, what does that mean for the most magical place on Earth? It’s a dangerously slippery slope that Disney’s inching toward here.

 

[21stamps]

It’s a little more than spilled milk, though — theme park rides aren’t inexpensive, and as Disney fans, at the end of the day, we all just want to see Disney succeed. If they continuously pump out SGEs and Mission: Breakouts and nothing truly great in between, they may begin to lose this success. Now, we still have our Everests and Pandoras, but if Disney decides that kind of effort is no longer profitable and easy, brainless replacements are better for their bottom line, what does that mean for the most magical place on Earth? It’s a dangerously slippery slope that Disney’s inching toward here.

It is what you make it. Nothing can change what exists right now.
Either someone enjoys it, or they don’t.

These threads are the same.. over and over. We are talking about a theme park.. not a child or a spouse.. it’s ok to grow away from something like a theme park. Even when you love it. Cherish your memories, but cut the cord if it brings you pain and negativity.

Seriously, it just doesn’t make sense to constantly complain about things that can’t be changed.

 

[JusticeDisney]

Last weekend, the Philadelphia Eagles won the Superbowl....and quarterback Nick Foles was asked the customary question, "What are you going to do now?" to which he responded "I'm going to Disney World!"

I was at a family party watching, and my mother pipes in "I think it's about time for us to have another Disney trip!"
I responded with "Not this year. Half of the Studios is closed down for construction and Epcot's barely any better."
Mom: "Oh..."

Just a few years ago, I would have jumped on board with this....start looking at hotel deals, including wanting to see how much I could save at the Swan or Dolphin using the discount they offer to teachers. But not anymore.

Maybe it's me "growing up", maybe it's that so much at WDW is changing in a way (that I feel) is in such a huge departure from the core values created by Walt Disney and maintained by the previous generations of Imagineers, such as the destruction of the Studios into what is essentially "Star Wars World" (even as a Star Wars fan, I'm totally burned out by the oversaturation) and the decimation of Epcot Center from a showcase of science, technology, and community into "Magic Kingdom 2" by replacing Norway with Frozen, replacing Test Track with Diet Tron, and replacing Universe of Energy with Guardians of the Galaxy.

I just don't LOVE Walt Disney World anymore. I get more of a thrill watching YouTube videos of Backyard Imagineering projects than I do thinking about the parks themselves.

Because, for me....the men and women who put their effort into those projects do so with a passion that has been sorely absent from Walt Disney World for at least the past decade.

PS. Here's a video of a guy who built a miniature version of DCA's "World of Color" in his backyard.

He's far truer to the spirit of Disney than anything TDO's been doing recently.

I wish more people felt the way you do. Sure would thin out the crowds for the rest of us!

 

[CoasterSnoop]

It is what you make it. Nothing can change what exists right now.
Either someone enjoys it, or they don’t.

These threads are the same.. over and over. We are talking about a theme park.. not a child or a spouse.. it’s ok to grow away from something like a theme park. Even when you love it. Cherish your memories, but cut the cord if it brings you pain and negativity.

Seriously, it just doesn’t make sense to constantly complain about things that can’t be changed.

This is true. But I’m trying to emphasize that for many, it’s not as much personal enjoyment as it is wanting to see Disney succeed. It’s true that nobody can change what exists right now, the point is to try to prevent the same mistakes being made again and again, which is what WDI is doing. It’s hard to find someone who likes SGE these days, and it’ll be hard to find someone who really enjoys Mission: Breakout in about five years. That kind of constant updating leads to losses, or if it isn’t updated at all, it’s just a quickly-outdated attraction. It’s lose-lose for Disney.

I personally still quite enjoy all four Florida Disney parks as they are right now, and will still be going and enjoying myself. But if every attraction is replaced with soulless, corporate cash-grabs, that’ll change for me, and most likely for countless others. It’s our job as consumers to show Disney what works and what doesn’t, and there are only two courses of action when it comes to theme parks: voicing your opinion, or not going at all. Because of this, I can’t be expected, as a consumer, to bite my tongue every time Disney destroys thematic integrity within their parks or mindlessly shoehorns an IP that’ll last a solid three weeks I nto an otherwise-unchanged attraction.