Yep, and at the time, a themed spinner was impressive to people. But that was nearly 57 years ago. Most 5-year olds know how to use a computer nowadays. I'm pretty sure they would appreciate something more advanced than a spinner.
A soft open is not supposed to be a premature open. It is about working out final little details, not big things like a show building sitting out in the open. We who are not connected also know a great deal about the biggest part of the project, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, is a duplicate of an attraction that has been open since last summer.
The principles of the Magic Kingdom have widely been deemed passé inside The Walt Disney Company. The parks are not about creating worlds, they are just another outlet for film and television franchises.
This of course comes down to opinion but I believe the new version is a wonderful improvement over the previous. When a dark ride can convey its story through mostly the visuals and can compel a solid emotional response it succeeds on a cinematic level. There are very few rides that have achieved that in my opinion. Sinbad doesn't need exposition, which is effective in a book but not nearly as much in an attraction. I felt the old version was more a collection of impassive tableaus where I didn't care about the characters. Yes the AAs were spiffy but without the context of the unifying song there was no connection other than looking at nice sets and animatronics.
JT, you are a hoot (hey Lee ... you got an owl smiley handy?) ... do I have to bring out the Walt quote about 'if you aim for kids, you're dead?'
The MK has gone from being a place where MOST of the park was fit for ages 7-97 to one where everything has to appeal to impressionable 5-year-olds. It is NOT at all what the MK was supposed to be about. It's laughable when you say there wasn't enough for the younger demos when that is what the park has become. What attractions are unfit for most children?
And where has Disney spent billions on things for older demos? They shuttered PI (as I'm sure you must have noticed
It's just your typical schtick of trying to be argumentative just for the sake of it.
~Some people should go work for Disney Social Media!~
Hence the problem...typical corporate MBA thinking that will never allow for progress. Despite the lagging economy WDW has consistently maintained a very steady, if not growing, attendance. I realize some of this is due to discounting but the fact remains that the parks themselves are packed, even in what used to be slow seasons.
Besides that the best times for expansion are when construction costs are low and vendors are desperate. First it was 911, then it was the economy, then the economy again. Enough of the excuses! The economy has very little to do with why they aren't producing top quality product, it's a philosophy straight out of the pits of MBA Hell
I had an epiphany today, while out at one of my jobsites. We're building a gigantic lazy river right now. There's an inspector on the job who nitpicks everything apart.
When he yells about something not being right, or doesn't match the plans, or doesn't look perfect - we continually remind him that, "We're not done yet!"
I'm going to step back and give Disney the courtesy that my company deserves on our project. When it's all complete, and all the walls are down, and they have the dedication - that's when we can either say, "Oh, great, they DID put up a small forest behind Dumbo and the building is gone." or "They really blew it on this one."
Until then, I will keep reminding myself that I'm happy there isn't an internet full of forums analyzing my construction projects
