You know, I'm not sure if TDO has had these kinds of talks. Honestly, I wonder if they ever get that deep into thought with regard to the MK. It's plowing right along... Still the top park in attendance in the world. And that's with very little infusion of capital for upkeep and new venues. My guess is their thought process stops there. Why think any further about it? It's a complete "win-win" for them right now.
I don't know 100% for certain, but what I do know largely backs your opinion.
Just like WDW is viewed as the cash cow of the theme park chain, the MK is viewed as the cash cow of WDW.
Very few people would make a WDW visit and skip MK, despite how stale, poorly maintained and managed it may be.
Plenty of people visit WDW and skip one or more of the other parks, even when buying parkhopping tix.
MKs are viewed as the flagship style park, where the MAGIC is.
While the other resorts invest and add to their MKs, for many different reasons, in Orlando it's largely felt they don't have to do anything.
The fact the other parks have all gotten major additions over the past five years, you could (and I would argue) that TPFKaTD-MGMS hasn't really, tells you where the powers believe they need to spend.
If someone decided to spend a day somewhere that isn't at WDW, they likely won't take that day away from MK ... but they will skip EPCOT and the others.
It's obvious that as a whole, TDO doesn't think about the big picture like TDA (or other resorts around the world) do. And I worry that some day it's gonna come crashing down around them. People will wake up. Might take a long time... But they will. Some would say we're 10 plus years into the process already. And the internets will help speed it all along.
Well, I'd argue they do think about the big picture ... just in a different way.
They assume if someone isn't happy at one park for whatever reason, they'll just hop to another. So what if the Diamond Horseshoe is empty, go see Nemo The Musical at DAK. Who cares if Tomorrowland is a toon-filled disaster, go be a part of the AIE. Space Mountain's a joke? Go ride Mission Space.
That's how they think.
That the total is greater than the sum of its parts.
It's a recipe for disaster, no doubt.
And I'd love to see MI... But only if it were done right, like in TDR. With virtually no budget. I almost worry that if they did it here in Orlando, it would be so butchered and half-way that it wouldn't compare at all. Think Pirates DL (or TDL, or DLP for that matter) vs. Pirates MK. Ugh. :brick:
You'll (likely) get a decent family coaster with a few kewl effects in O-Town and you better like it!
~Four Parks: One Stale World~