We've been told continually, perhaps even spoon-fed that anyone born since the 90s has a short attention span, is glued to a digital device, and maybe...just maybe was prescribed Ritalen from their family doctor.
I have a different take on this, particularly as someone, who works in advertising and there's a few spirited fanbois on here as well that work in "the industry" too that have seen the downfall of classic WDW related to Disney's spin on consumer wants and needs vs the reality of what consumers are experiencing.
The problem with how classic attractions are dealt with today and how they must be dealt with in the future isn't soley because of the way they were originally written or designed, the problem is two-fold:
1.) WDI and the overiding management are not capable of creating a new version of a classic attraction in the spirit of the original intent and instead chop at and erode the original version to help bring ridership capacity to each of the four WDW parks which are suffering from capacity issues.
and/or
2.) In some rare instances WDI and overriding management are capable of tasteful refurbs in the spirit of the original intent i.e. Haunted Mansion 2007 refurb and Hall of Presidents 2008 refurb, but are seen as rare moments of goodness in the same generation of Imagineers and management that brought us Imagination 2.0, the return of Captain EO with no plans for an entirely new film to replace it, the addition of Jack Sparrow and others to an attraction that becomes a hunt to find Jack Sparrow and destroys the original intent of the attraction to begin with, the same folks, who brought us The Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management, the same folks, who can not create a budget to offer us a new fireworks show for Epcot or the Magic Kingdom, and the same folks, who cannot create a budget to refurb the Carousel of Progress, which in 2014 will be celebrating it's 50th anniversary and 20th anniversary of being the very same show we have watched since 1994.
Classic Attractions aren't always outdated by storyline per say. They are mostly outdated by technology.
We have seen how technology has helped attractions such as the Haunted Mansion, the updated 2007 animatronics for Spaceship Earth, and the digital star projections and galaxies that were added to Space Mountain a couple years ago that greatly improve the atmosphere of the attraction.
Yet, worse, is that nothing is done to improve on many of these attractions in their original intent.
While the Country Bear Jamboree now sports a refreshed theater, and fluid animatronics, the show has been edited down to be nothing more than a seemingly randomized performance from singing and dancing bears, gutting the entire intent and snarky dialogue of one big bear family.
The Enchanted Tiki Room 2.0, which many fans have agreed was more tastefully edited down by removing the Offenbach number, among a few other things, the problem is it's the same show from 1963 that predates the Magic Kingdom. No new Hawain or Polynesian songs have been added to create a new, but still in the spirit of the original show. Now new dialogue, etc.
The Carousel of Progress and the Jungle Cruise are the last classic attractions at the Magic Kingdom due for an upgrade. I'm mostly concerned for the Carousel of Progress, especially with Disney's track record of editing down and gutting out the story behind attractions.
Finally, regarding the current generation of guests...
While many of them rely on instant communication, digital experiences, and overall fun. An actual 3D in person experience is no substitute for a 2D experience. Out of home advertising and guerilla advertising have gained popularity and greater response from consumers over the last five years because most consumers live in a 2D world. They are more intrigued by things happening to them in person. From our computers to our mobile devices we are constantly clicking and sifting and texting and receiving flat spaced ads and experiences.
Disney was about immersion, but it can't be willing to be just immersion in a digital space. The way someone immerses themselves on Youtube or Facebook is not the same way someone immerses themselves on an attraction in a theme park.
Attractions don't need to be passive experiences, or all animatronic experiences, but for the few attractions that date back to the 60s and 70s that still remain, their goal must be to be maintained in top notch quality, to be offered the best in sound and light technology,and animatronic technology, as well as have the most creative minds and thoughtful management that can make sure tasteful story lines are either preserved or created in the spirit of the original attraction without creating a rushed, dumbed down experience for the sake of a turnstile click.
I have a different take on this, particularly as someone, who works in advertising and there's a few spirited fanbois on here as well that work in "the industry" too that have seen the downfall of classic WDW related to Disney's spin on consumer wants and needs vs the reality of what consumers are experiencing.
The problem with how classic attractions are dealt with today and how they must be dealt with in the future isn't soley because of the way they were originally written or designed, the problem is two-fold:
1.) WDI and the overiding management are not capable of creating a new version of a classic attraction in the spirit of the original intent and instead chop at and erode the original version to help bring ridership capacity to each of the four WDW parks which are suffering from capacity issues.
and/or
2.) In some rare instances WDI and overriding management are capable of tasteful refurbs in the spirit of the original intent i.e. Haunted Mansion 2007 refurb and Hall of Presidents 2008 refurb, but are seen as rare moments of goodness in the same generation of Imagineers and management that brought us Imagination 2.0, the return of Captain EO with no plans for an entirely new film to replace it, the addition of Jack Sparrow and others to an attraction that becomes a hunt to find Jack Sparrow and destroys the original intent of the attraction to begin with, the same folks, who brought us The Enchanted Tiki Room Under New Management, the same folks, who can not create a budget to offer us a new fireworks show for Epcot or the Magic Kingdom, and the same folks, who cannot create a budget to refurb the Carousel of Progress, which in 2014 will be celebrating it's 50th anniversary and 20th anniversary of being the very same show we have watched since 1994.
Classic Attractions aren't always outdated by storyline per say. They are mostly outdated by technology.
We have seen how technology has helped attractions such as the Haunted Mansion, the updated 2007 animatronics for Spaceship Earth, and the digital star projections and galaxies that were added to Space Mountain a couple years ago that greatly improve the atmosphere of the attraction.
Yet, worse, is that nothing is done to improve on many of these attractions in their original intent.
While the Country Bear Jamboree now sports a refreshed theater, and fluid animatronics, the show has been edited down to be nothing more than a seemingly randomized performance from singing and dancing bears, gutting the entire intent and snarky dialogue of one big bear family.
The Enchanted Tiki Room 2.0, which many fans have agreed was more tastefully edited down by removing the Offenbach number, among a few other things, the problem is it's the same show from 1963 that predates the Magic Kingdom. No new Hawain or Polynesian songs have been added to create a new, but still in the spirit of the original show. Now new dialogue, etc.
The Carousel of Progress and the Jungle Cruise are the last classic attractions at the Magic Kingdom due for an upgrade. I'm mostly concerned for the Carousel of Progress, especially with Disney's track record of editing down and gutting out the story behind attractions.
Finally, regarding the current generation of guests...
While many of them rely on instant communication, digital experiences, and overall fun. An actual 3D in person experience is no substitute for a 2D experience. Out of home advertising and guerilla advertising have gained popularity and greater response from consumers over the last five years because most consumers live in a 2D world. They are more intrigued by things happening to them in person. From our computers to our mobile devices we are constantly clicking and sifting and texting and receiving flat spaced ads and experiences.
Disney was about immersion, but it can't be willing to be just immersion in a digital space. The way someone immerses themselves on Youtube or Facebook is not the same way someone immerses themselves on an attraction in a theme park.
Attractions don't need to be passive experiences, or all animatronic experiences, but for the few attractions that date back to the 60s and 70s that still remain, their goal must be to be maintained in top notch quality, to be offered the best in sound and light technology,and animatronic technology, as well as have the most creative minds and thoughtful management that can make sure tasteful story lines are either preserved or created in the spirit of the original attraction without creating a rushed, dumbed down experience for the sake of a turnstile click.
