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TDA Changes Affecting WDW?
- Thread starter WDWFigment
- Start date
Boomerbilia
New Member
Disney World vs. Disneyland
Ya Know...
I've been reading Al Lutz's 'ramblings' and other comparisons between WDW and DL. What amazes me is the quality of Lutz's postings.
He must be spending a lot of time writing, editing and stealing photos (I mean unautrhorized use) from Disney to create his articles on his web site.
Of course, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he does have Disney's permission to use those photos!
My big question is WHY. Why is he spending so much time creating his "statements" that are ever so slightly off the straight and truthful track?
Come on. WDW is growing and expanding. It is not a question of 'this park needs to expand', it is more of 47 square miles that need attention all the time.
When a refurb gets done or a new attraction gets created, how to promote it and when to promote it is a very important fact.
More is going on at WDW than DL at any second of any day. Reality is there, not someone who can write his own form of history and make it look good, so a casual reader will think that the 'creator' knows it all.
Mr. Lutz may have some of his info correct, but the reality that he paints is through his very tainted glasses.
I guess the expression, even though it isn't exactly the right one, is "Buyer Beware". Here, it would be Reader Beware".
Communism sounded great in writing as long as you took the premises to be correct... but we all know now that it not only didn't work, it was wrong.
So is our dear buddy, Al Lutz.
This is my own opinion as a frail ole Cast Member who sees WDW from the inside.
Ya Know...
I've been reading Al Lutz's 'ramblings' and other comparisons between WDW and DL. What amazes me is the quality of Lutz's postings.
He must be spending a lot of time writing, editing and stealing photos (I mean unautrhorized use) from Disney to create his articles on his web site.
Of course, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe he does have Disney's permission to use those photos!
My big question is WHY. Why is he spending so much time creating his "statements" that are ever so slightly off the straight and truthful track?
Come on. WDW is growing and expanding. It is not a question of 'this park needs to expand', it is more of 47 square miles that need attention all the time.
When a refurb gets done or a new attraction gets created, how to promote it and when to promote it is a very important fact.
More is going on at WDW than DL at any second of any day. Reality is there, not someone who can write his own form of history and make it look good, so a casual reader will think that the 'creator' knows it all.
Mr. Lutz may have some of his info correct, but the reality that he paints is through his very tainted glasses.
I guess the expression, even though it isn't exactly the right one, is "Buyer Beware". Here, it would be Reader Beware".
Communism sounded great in writing as long as you took the premises to be correct... but we all know now that it not only didn't work, it was wrong.
So is our dear buddy, Al Lutz.
This is my own opinion as a frail ole Cast Member who sees WDW from the inside.
jmuboy
Well-Known Member
Al Lutz is opinionated.......but often right with his facts. In addition, WDW could use some positive influence from DL. There is a lot that DL does right that WDW REALLY REALLY gets wrong (and vice versa). Hopefully the idea sharing will benefit both resorts.
Nicole220
Well-Known Member
Which pics are you talking about? The ones in the middle of his articles? Cause if those are them, they are taken by Darkbeer, a local who goes to DL a lot to give us pic updates.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
I do love the criticisms from the folks who clearly do not actually read Lutz's articles...gives me a chuckle. Al recognizes Darkbeer in every update.
Haven't you heard about the new forum rule (although I guess this would be the new websites-on-Disney rule)? No one can interject their opinion into a post if it somehow could be misconstrued as offensive by anyone. If someone for some reason does feel offended, they are to immediately bash the post and poster in question with a blatant disregard for facts or reason.
I have read two books that would apply to improving WDW. Good to Great discusses "hedgehog concepts", knowing 2 or 3 things that you do great and sticking with them. Maybe leaving AK or MGM alone and focusing on Epcot and MK point to this. The second I think is First, Break All the Rules. You focus your effort on where you can get the most benefits. I go to WDW because of MK and Epcot. If there was only AK and MGM, I would go to Universal and Seaworld. Disney needs to continue to make sure MK and Epcot are the best, something that they appear to be doing and bring the others along as they can.
jmuboy
Well-Known Member
Please don't take offense, as this is ONLY a personal opinion. But WDW has done little to really help make the MK better. Repairing the HM, IASW and Pirates, because they were old and outdated - and their regular maintenance cancled for years - does NOT count in my book. WDW is VERY lazy with their MK park. You only have to look at the oldest DL in CA or the one in Tokyo to see this is true.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I think we're getting hung up on semantics here. Talk to any Fantasyland Attractions CM and they'll say "I work the dark rides", meaning "I work Peter Pan, Snow White, Alice, Mr. Toad, etc."
What if, instead of saying dark rides, we said "Traditional Walt Disney Rides With A Little Car Going Past Sets In The Dark"? How about that? It's kind of wordy though.
I would still like to know why Magic Kingdom wasn't built with more dar... uh... the kinds of little rides we are talking about. Magic Kingdom has three of them, and Disneyland has seven, plus an extra at DCA for a total of eight. There's got to be a good story behind that odd decision.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Here's a confirmation from an interesting Imagineering-centric blog. I've read this blog before, and it always has good stuff. It looks like Al Lutz was right on this one when it comes to the Billion Bucks For DCA story.
Plus there's a few mentions of projects coming to both Disneyland and WDW.
http://blueskydisney.blogspot.com/2007/07/blue-sky-alert-america-anaheim-deeds-to.html
Plus there's a few mentions of projects coming to both Disneyland and WDW.
http://blueskydisney.blogspot.com/2007/07/blue-sky-alert-america-anaheim-deeds-to.html
Nicole220
Well-Known Member
Agreed 100%.
mickey04
Member
I've been reading Al Lutz for a few years now, and I find his articles to be some of the best out there for understanding the politics of the Parks and Resorts division. Is he always right? No, and the way things change so rapidly at Disney, I'm not sure he really could be. But he definitely seems to have a better track record than anyone else out there right now.
I will agree that he seems to go out of his way to insult WDW, and I find it to be the weakest part of his articles. However, I think there is some validity to his argument. Since the HCOE, DL has shown itself to have quite a bit more potential than once thought. Couple that with lots of attention from John Lassetter (who seems to have quite a bit of clout with Bob Iger) and you can understand why DL is being so lavished upon right now.
While I don't think anyone would argue that WDW is being ignored, there are certainly major problems. MK, while still a fantastic park, is really showing its age these days, MGM is in desperate need of help (which it looks like it will be getting ) and DAK is still considered by many as a half-day park.
It seems like people think that Al Lutz hates Disney, or maybe just WDW. I really don't believe this to be the case. Hating something and wanting better for it are two totally seperate things. I think Lutz sees serious problems in an overly beaurocratic organizational structure that sometimes forgets to focus on creative improvement. How else do you explain an attraction like Stitch's Great Escape or JII? Or the fact that rides like HM, Space Mountain and JC have been allowed to run until they're practically falling apart without a refurbishment? Or that CM's are compensated so poorly? It's not because the money isn't there, as pointed out, Disney is operating the top parks in the world.
I believe DL was able to overcome some of these problems in small part due to watchdogs like Lutz. He pointed out management's flaws and gained some attention doing it. Was this a spiteful thing to pay back Disney for some unknown wrong against him? I can't believe people really would think that's the case. Just look at the mostly positive tone he has about those parks now, and you can see he has good intentions. I personally hope he focuses more on WDW in the future, so that we can see some positive movement here as well.
I will agree that he seems to go out of his way to insult WDW, and I find it to be the weakest part of his articles. However, I think there is some validity to his argument. Since the HCOE, DL has shown itself to have quite a bit more potential than once thought. Couple that with lots of attention from John Lassetter (who seems to have quite a bit of clout with Bob Iger) and you can understand why DL is being so lavished upon right now.
While I don't think anyone would argue that WDW is being ignored, there are certainly major problems. MK, while still a fantastic park, is really showing its age these days, MGM is in desperate need of help (which it looks like it will be getting
) and DAK is still considered by many as a half-day park. It seems like people think that Al Lutz hates Disney, or maybe just WDW. I really don't believe this to be the case. Hating something and wanting better for it are two totally seperate things. I think Lutz sees serious problems in an overly beaurocratic organizational structure that sometimes forgets to focus on creative improvement. How else do you explain an attraction like Stitch's Great Escape or JII? Or the fact that rides like HM, Space Mountain and JC have been allowed to run until they're practically falling apart without a refurbishment? Or that CM's are compensated so poorly? It's not because the money isn't there, as pointed out, Disney is operating the top parks in the world.
I believe DL was able to overcome some of these problems in small part due to watchdogs like Lutz. He pointed out management's flaws and gained some attention doing it. Was this a spiteful thing to pay back Disney for some unknown wrong against him? I can't believe people really would think that's the case. Just look at the mostly positive tone he has about those parks now, and you can see he has good intentions. I personally hope he focuses more on WDW in the future, so that we can see some positive movement here as well.
DisneyNut2007
Active Member
It's a major shame that so many of you are so blindly devoted to people as incompetent as Al Lutz.
The search for Enderikari continues...
The search for Enderikari continues...
Lee
Adventurer
It's a major shame that so many of you are so blindly devoted to people as incompetent as Al Lutz.
It's also a shame that so many people dislike Lutz so much that even when he has information that is accurate, they refuse to believe it and ridicule those that do.
I'm not here to defend him (I don't know him and could care less), but I don't mind confirming when he is giving accurate info, as he is in his latest article.
Also, in what way is he "incompetent"?
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
mmmhmmm...and when he's right and DCA is a sparkling park by 2012...you know what, I won't even laugh at people like you, cuz I'll be having too much fun in the park. I do not blindly believe Al Lutz any more than I blindly believe our best sources here. Sounds like you are just jealous that Al is still popular after all these years and seems to have bona fide sources.It's a major shame that so many of you are so blindly devoted to people as incompetent as Al Lutz.
The search for Enderikari continues...
Does Al Lutz hate Disney? I don't know.
Does he hate WDW? I don't know.
I do not know how anybody feels unless they come out and say those words. Even in DL oriented message boards, there are many who think he is out to get Disney and will defend every decision that TDA makes no matter what.
I have learned that there are always going to be 2 extremes in the situation, but I happen to find Lutz's track record enough to at least keep me reading.
Does he hate WDW? I don't know.
I do not know how anybody feels unless they come out and say those words. Even in DL oriented message boards, there are many who think he is out to get Disney and will defend every decision that TDA makes no matter what.
I have learned that there are always going to be 2 extremes in the situation, but I happen to find Lutz's track record enough to at least keep me reading.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Al Lutz's batting average over the years is very good. Some might call it excellent, particularly in the last year with some of the big stories he has broken.
And on this current "Lasseter Wants DCA To Have A Huge Budget For An Extreme Makeover" story that Lutz broke, then developed over a few months, then wrapped up with the big news this Tuesday.... Al Lutz seems to be very right if all of the other "insiders" who are now confirming the story and dollar figures are to be believed. On this website, and several other prominent Disneyland sites, every reliable insider worth their avatar has confirmed the Al Lutz information this week. :sohappy: And that's good news for any Disney fan.
Who wouldn't want to see a Disney theme park get over a Billion Dollars for new rides and beautification projects?
And on this current "Lasseter Wants DCA To Have A Huge Budget For An Extreme Makeover" story that Lutz broke, then developed over a few months, then wrapped up with the big news this Tuesday.... Al Lutz seems to be very right if all of the other "insiders" who are now confirming the story and dollar figures are to be believed. On this website, and several other prominent Disneyland sites, every reliable insider worth their avatar has confirmed the Al Lutz information this week. :sohappy: And that's good news for any Disney fan.
Who wouldn't want to see a Disney theme park get over a Billion Dollars for new rides and beautification projects?
mousermerf
Account Suspended
Well, according to one of the most accurate sources I know of - Al has some of the details right, but pretty much made up the reasoning as to why/how things happened.
Lasseter had nothing to do with it, WDW is not getting neglected or fewer projects then usual, and everything is far less dramatic and interesting then Al made it out to be. Oh, and the budget approved it actually higher then Al stated, like around 1.2billion, about 0.3 billion was cut and management is leaving it up to Imagineering to figure out what gets the axe and what stays from the original plans.
Lasseter had nothing to do with it, WDW is not getting neglected or fewer projects then usual, and everything is far less dramatic and interesting then Al made it out to be. Oh, and the budget approved it actually higher then Al stated, like around 1.2billion, about 0.3 billion was cut and management is leaving it up to Imagineering to figure out what gets the axe and what stays from the original plans.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I read Marcie's reply over on Mouseinfo too. But that wasn't exactly what I remember reading from her. http://www.mouseinfo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90135&page=19
Lasseter had nothing to do with DCA getting over a Billion dollars this week??? How is that possible when John Lasseter is the Chief Creative Executive for WDI? Every other story has been how Lasseter has shepherded this huge Anaheim plan through the approval process, pushed the Imagineers to go big, and got Iger to take it all to the board.
That Marice has taken Al's huge price tag for DCA Makeover and actually uppped it by a hundred million or two is fascinating. If you had tried to tell me five years ago that Marcie would be increasing the figures Al gave on the DCA Extreme Makeover budget, even though DCA is doing "just fine" and "TDA is happy with its performance" according to Marcie, I would have never believed you.
It's amazing what five years time and a little spin can do. :lol:
mousermerf
Account Suspended
Well, she's a lot nicer about Epcot now, too. I think her move to Glendale got her off the "DLR is the alpha and omega" kick.