AMartin777
Member
Letter I wrote to Disney about all this.
OK. Risking getting flamed once again, I will repost here the letter written by myself and thoughtfully edited by a Rec.Art.Disney.Parks user. Please understand that this letter was meant to be a personal statement not just a complaint or "business" address. I must admit, I do feel that some things have improved at Disney since I wrote this letter but its core still applies. I thought it fit with the discussion topic. Thanks.
To Walt Disney World Management Group:
I am writing this letter to address concerns I have with the state of
operations for the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. I am
compelled by deep-seated thoughts and feelings about changes taking place at Disney Parks.
Though it seems cliché to say, my experiences at Walt Disney World have always revolved around one central concept. Magic. I can remember very vividly the awe I felt even at a young age taking my first monorail ride, seeing Cinderella's castle, and riding through the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. My wife Barbara and I celebrated our
honeymoon at the Caribbean Beach Resort in 1996. This was her first
trip to Disney and she was as awe-struck with the experience as I ever
was. We returned again in 2001 for our 5-year anniversary less than a
month after the September 11th terrorist attacks. We could easily
have changed our plans but we felt there was no better way to
celebrate all that is America than share our love on Main Street, USA.
Things that I witnessed during recent visits to the parks as well
as information garnered from other Disney fans has given me pause
however. It seems that at some point in the early 1990s, disturbing
changes started to take place at Walt Disney World.
Disney has always been, until recently, a pillar of consistent thought
and execution. The idea that every single element in WDW should be
interconnected was apparent even from their initial conception.
Examples of this include:
· Resorts are themed not only to be independent experiences in
themselves, but also as visual references within the overall make up
of the Disney property. Especially in relation to other elements
(e.g. The Contemporary as a visual backdrop to Tommorrowland).
· Cast Member hiring and training procedures
· Cleanliness in parks, resorts, natural grounds and Cast Member
appearance
· High level of maintenance and upkeep for all areas of WDW
There are many issues that disturb me and reflect a lack of
consistency among elements at WDW. Aging parks demand a more
direct and aggressive maintenance and upkeep plan.
Cracked and chipped boards, faded and peeling paint, signposts and
display signs in disrepair are just a few of many examples of poor
maintenance that I and others have recently witnessed at WDW parks and
facilities. With the resources at your disposal, there is simply no
excuse for the appalling conditions I have witnessed at WDW as of late. Again it seems so cliché to say but would Walt have expected things this way? I don't believe he would and neither do the thousands of visitors to
WDW every day.
Recent years have shown a business direction that seems
to indicate a greater desire to "fight fire with fire" than to
maintain the course of original thought in aspects of development.
This is apparent with your addition of "thrill ride" attractions at
parks such as the "Rocking Roller-coaster" ride at Disney MGM Studios.
However, "Thrill Ride" theme parks such as Cedar Point in Sandusky,
Ohio fulfill that type of entertainment demand with better concepts
than Disney ever could. People visit WDW because no other
resort can offer the original and unique attractions that the Disney
name is known for. I beg you to take a moment and revisit the basic
innovative elements that built WDW. A concerted refocus on the basic
ideals upon which the Disney parks were founded will lead Walt Disney
World back to being a unique collection of experiences that cannot be
gained from any other "Theme Park" anywhere.
The last thing I would like to address with you is the ability of the
WDW parks to allow one to exist in another place. an imaginary place.
"Imagination, Imagination. A dream can be a dream come true, with
that little spark.in me and you!" Could it be said any better? I
don't think so and yet, ironically, the attraction is removed. I
believe that the removal of wonderful attractions such as the original
"Journey Into Imagination" show a disturbing trend among Disney
management. Why remove the "attraction" when it directly represents a
basic element that is so important to the Disney Theme Parks?
Everything that WDW stands for could all be culminated into one
distinct word.. Imagination.
I implore you to take the time to re-evaluate your company's approach
and direction to the Walt Disney World resort. I know that I speak
for many people when I say that I feel all of the things that I have
discussed are of vital importance to the foundation of Walt Disney
World. I have full faith in the Disney management's ability to
recapture the soul of what the Disney World Theme Parks are really
about. Remember. it all began with a mouse, an innovative,
imaginative, magical little mouse. I hope that it can be that way
again so that it never ends.
Thank you,
Alan J. Martin
OK. Risking getting flamed once again, I will repost here the letter written by myself and thoughtfully edited by a Rec.Art.Disney.Parks user. Please understand that this letter was meant to be a personal statement not just a complaint or "business" address. I must admit, I do feel that some things have improved at Disney since I wrote this letter but its core still applies. I thought it fit with the discussion topic. Thanks.
To Walt Disney World Management Group:
I am writing this letter to address concerns I have with the state of
operations for the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. I am
compelled by deep-seated thoughts and feelings about changes taking place at Disney Parks.
Though it seems cliché to say, my experiences at Walt Disney World have always revolved around one central concept. Magic. I can remember very vividly the awe I felt even at a young age taking my first monorail ride, seeing Cinderella's castle, and riding through the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. My wife Barbara and I celebrated our
honeymoon at the Caribbean Beach Resort in 1996. This was her first
trip to Disney and she was as awe-struck with the experience as I ever
was. We returned again in 2001 for our 5-year anniversary less than a
month after the September 11th terrorist attacks. We could easily
have changed our plans but we felt there was no better way to
celebrate all that is America than share our love on Main Street, USA.
Things that I witnessed during recent visits to the parks as well
as information garnered from other Disney fans has given me pause
however. It seems that at some point in the early 1990s, disturbing
changes started to take place at Walt Disney World.
Disney has always been, until recently, a pillar of consistent thought
and execution. The idea that every single element in WDW should be
interconnected was apparent even from their initial conception.
Examples of this include:
· Resorts are themed not only to be independent experiences in
themselves, but also as visual references within the overall make up
of the Disney property. Especially in relation to other elements
(e.g. The Contemporary as a visual backdrop to Tommorrowland).
· Cast Member hiring and training procedures
· Cleanliness in parks, resorts, natural grounds and Cast Member
appearance
· High level of maintenance and upkeep for all areas of WDW
There are many issues that disturb me and reflect a lack of
consistency among elements at WDW. Aging parks demand a more
direct and aggressive maintenance and upkeep plan.
Cracked and chipped boards, faded and peeling paint, signposts and
display signs in disrepair are just a few of many examples of poor
maintenance that I and others have recently witnessed at WDW parks and
facilities. With the resources at your disposal, there is simply no
excuse for the appalling conditions I have witnessed at WDW as of late. Again it seems so cliché to say but would Walt have expected things this way? I don't believe he would and neither do the thousands of visitors to
WDW every day.
Recent years have shown a business direction that seems
to indicate a greater desire to "fight fire with fire" than to
maintain the course of original thought in aspects of development.
This is apparent with your addition of "thrill ride" attractions at
parks such as the "Rocking Roller-coaster" ride at Disney MGM Studios.
However, "Thrill Ride" theme parks such as Cedar Point in Sandusky,
Ohio fulfill that type of entertainment demand with better concepts
than Disney ever could. People visit WDW because no other
resort can offer the original and unique attractions that the Disney
name is known for. I beg you to take a moment and revisit the basic
innovative elements that built WDW. A concerted refocus on the basic
ideals upon which the Disney parks were founded will lead Walt Disney
World back to being a unique collection of experiences that cannot be
gained from any other "Theme Park" anywhere.
The last thing I would like to address with you is the ability of the
WDW parks to allow one to exist in another place. an imaginary place.
"Imagination, Imagination. A dream can be a dream come true, with
that little spark.in me and you!" Could it be said any better? I
don't think so and yet, ironically, the attraction is removed. I
believe that the removal of wonderful attractions such as the original
"Journey Into Imagination" show a disturbing trend among Disney
management. Why remove the "attraction" when it directly represents a
basic element that is so important to the Disney Theme Parks?
Everything that WDW stands for could all be culminated into one
distinct word.. Imagination.
I implore you to take the time to re-evaluate your company's approach
and direction to the Walt Disney World resort. I know that I speak
for many people when I say that I feel all of the things that I have
discussed are of vital importance to the foundation of Walt Disney
World. I have full faith in the Disney management's ability to
recapture the soul of what the Disney World Theme Parks are really
about. Remember. it all began with a mouse, an innovative,
imaginative, magical little mouse. I hope that it can be that way
again so that it never ends.
Thank you,
Alan J. Martin