The Spirited 8th Wonder (WDW's Future & You!)

Mike S

Mike S

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
I know the answer, but have you ever met any of these people? Any Disney exec in the last 15 years?

It isn't hard to figure this out when you have.
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Can't say I've ever met a Disney exec, should I even want to? (aside from John Lasseter, him I want to meet)
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
lazyboy97o said:
Lutz had already been established as a personality for some time when he left MousePlanet to start MiceAge. I think what really ended up catching everyone's attention, and proving that he was right and not just a crank, was when a guest was killed on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in September 2003.
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I think that cemented his place. But I think he earned it around the 1999-2001 period when he kept sounding the bells on DCA and the thinking behind it and first started getting noticed by mainstream media. When DCA 1.0 opened with a thud, it was like he had scripted the entire thing.

And, after that, his sources got noticeably better and more accurate. He went from being right half the time to nailing things, often major things, months or more before it hit the real media or Disney acknowledged it.

It's a shame that he is so ill and can't continue his fine work.

I like reading the site ... hell, I even like Andy 'Fidel's Little Bro' Castro and his updates and his passion on subjects like the deplorable job that was done on Club 33, but the site lost its voice when it lost Al.
 
BrerJon

BrerJon

Well-Known Member
WDWDad13 said:
Atmosphere that isn't a mall and unique shopping and dining venues for starters
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I wouldn't be too sure it won't feel like a mall. Here's the nearby Orlando Premium Outlets Mall...

77124652.jpg


And here's the concept art for Disney Springs. Not too much different to me, especially as the real thing never lives up to the artwork. From the ceiling to the shop signs, it's very similar.

7443d1372353375-disney-unveils-vision-disney-springs-image2-590x260.jpg
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
flyerjab said:
Might as well chime in on this. At this time I am sitting at a table by the volcano pool at The Poly enjoying club level goodies as my family of 5 eagerly awaits the fireworks at MK. We are on day 7 of a 16 day trip into The World, staying at 6 different resorts - BWI club level (CL), VWL, KV, Poly CL, VGF, YC CL. And to make matters worse, WDW took a huge wad of pixie dust and MAGICally upgraded us from a studio to a 2 bedroom in the VWL. Just setting the picture so you can see my perspective.

I don't consider myself a pixie snorter though, as I will give credit where credit is due (Diagon Alley). That being said, I love WDW and so does my family. I have a WONDERful and MAGICal time here. Do we spend major money to do this? Absolutely. Did we buy into the VGF last year when they were first offered? You bet. For emphasis again though, I do not wear rose-colored
Disney glasses. We were in EPCOT today, and I weep every time because I know how incredible that park could be. For our next Orlando vacation, we will also be giving the boy who lived some of our money cause Diagon Alley looks amazing.

Do I think WDW makes great business decisions? I don't know. I don't have the business acumen that posters like @ParentsOf4 and other posters do. I can only hope that what they are doing works out in both the short and long term. Despite what a lot of people post about on this forum, I still fully enjoy what WDW world has to offer. Maybe cause I am not married to or are familiar with the legacy as some off you are. We are only 5 years into our time spent getting to know WDW. In truth though, I think that makes me the worst kind of nightmare for some of the posters on this thread. I have never soared with Dreamfinder or looked straight at the Chinese Theater prior to the arrival of the BAH. Nor have I needed to dodge the swipe of a yeti.

As far as WDW is concerned, I know what I know about the parks/resorts in more recent terms. And it suits my family just fine. Because of that, my wife and I will be purchasing more points in the not too distant future (most likely resale). We haven't tired of it or find WDW's offerings stale as we try to really build variety into the trip. DVC membership helps make that more possible. Next year we will be adding a stay at the HHI resort for even more options.

Looking over everything, I like to believe that WDW currently exists somewhere in between @jt04 's praise and @marni1971 's almost twitter-like negative reality. I know that WDW could be better and I know Iger has the money and the creative minds to do it. All things in the business world, however, are cyclical. For the past however many years, TDO has been crazy conservative, using creativity to support cost cutting and implement more austerity type measures as opposed to high-priced, innovative E-ticket attractions. Ultimately, this strategy will run its course, and declines in attendance and/or DVC sales either through lack of interest or stiff competition will occur, and the strategy pendulum will start to swing in the other direction. I actually think that Diagon Alley is the best thing that could have happened right now. I pray for a third gate and more hotels also, as we have no issues visiting UNI parks and strong competition is something I feel TDO just isn't used to. Right now, however, attendance doesn't seem to concern them. They are too busy trying to keep people on site and longer and I suppose they think DVC is the answer. DVC has been very successful so why not use what works, right? I think that is what TWDC thinks. @WDW1974 , during my first 7 days on this trip, I have been asked to participate in 4 separate surveys, and they were all about the same thing - how long are you visiting, are you staying on property, and - this is a telling question - how many days are you visiting the WDW parks. All questions geared towards are you staying on property and if so, how much time are you in our parks when staying on property. Never questions about my opinion of the parks. You can tell where their focus is right now.

Anyway, must get to bed. I love watching the workers putting up the bungalows from the Poly club at breakfast. I always enjoy your threads, @WDW1974 . Your in-your-face honesty and occasional 'snarkasm' is always welcome, as are your insights.
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Thanks for you post and opinion. First, I'm guessing you own DVC, yes?And six resorts in 16 days?!?! You must really enjoy packing and unpacking a lot. I've never done more than three on a trip and that was once and unplanned.

If your experiences with WDW began in 2009, then you are quite right. You are experiencing a vastly different quality product and you are enjoying it based on its current merits, not what it once was, not what Disney does elsewhere around the globe, not what UNI has shown it can do.

I can't really say much more beyond I hope you and your family are having a good time. :)

Those survey questions are absolutely 100% trying to see if you are staying at Disney's resorts and staying there (i.e. not visiting The Boy Who Lived and his pals!)
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
ParentsOf4 said:
It occurs to me that Disney's apparent decision to convert additional Deluxe Resort rooms to DVC is exactly the kind of move corporate leadership makes when it doesn't believe in its own ability to grow the business. It's indicative of an organization that has given up on "best in class" and has instead settled for "good enough".

Nearly all great business ventures were started by those who were passionate about what they did. Those businesses thrived as long as leadership remained passionate and had vision.

As I've suggested before, today's Disney leadership lacks passion for what they do. They have no vision. To them, the theme parks are nothing more than (very large) paychecks.

I typically avoid the 'What would Walt do?" hypotheticals but, in this case, I can't help but think that Walt Disney would be mortified by how WDW is being run.
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Shockingly, but one of your shortest posts -- and one devoid of numbers -- is actually one of the best.

See, shorter can be better (as folks have been telling me!)
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
SpaceMountain77 said:
I had the fortunate opportunity to visit the Disneyland Resort over 70 times in 2011. There were many nights that I would stop by, after work, to have dinner at the French Market, stroll through the shops and enjoy a few attractions.

Although DLR has had its dark days, I always left Disneyland thinking that it is impossible to truly copy an original. The first time I returned to WDW, after my numerous DLR visits, I was somewhat disappointed because I realized that WDW is missing something that I long thought it had. WDW is missing a heart.
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I've felt that way for many years now. A friend of mine's wife (he is a big parks fan, she not so much) describes the MK as ''a mass market caricature of DL'' and she is dead on. All of the castle parks suffer some of this, but WDW's most of all because it has less and so much detail, so much of the layering of the Disney experience has disappeared over the past few decades. When I see the park open from 8-1 (and then 3 a.m for EMH) like July 3rd when I was there I just wonder how people find stuff to do after 8-9 hours. I get bored there after 4-5, even when with friends. I have never felt boredom at DL or DLP or TDL or HKDL.
 
WDWDad13

WDWDad13

Well-Known Member
BrerJon said:
I wouldn't be too sure it won't feel like a mall. Here's the nearby Orlando Premium Outlets Mall...

77124652.jpg


And here's the concept art for Disney Springs. Not too much different to me, especially as the real thing never lives up to the artwork. From the ceiling to the shop signs, it's very similar.

7443d1372353375-disney-unveils-vision-disney-springs-image2-590x260.jpg
Click to expand...

lol that's like saying one of the parking lots look the same therefore it is
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Great post @Brian Noble ...

I don't know why Disney can't get its deluxe resorts act down. They certainly used to do a much better job in the 70s-90s. One part is this idea that everything from the CMs to the cups and napkins and pool towels should be the same at the Grand Flo as at the ASMu. That's just insane. The very best of the best CMs should be at the better resorts. Let CPers and CTs run the operation at Pop Century. Those folks won't know or care.

I do get the idea that Four Seasons was done because Disney had decided to throw in the towel of the type of guests who used to stay at Disney deluxe resorts. Disney knew it couldn't even compete with the service at the Bonnet Creek Hilton so it wasn't ever going to come close to Four Seasons.

Your point about having a 9/11 mindset is also well-taken. A Wall Street analyst once told me the same thing. Disney has never truly gotten over the mindset of 'what if?' ... It's not a healthy way of living. It's sorta like going to bed every night and worrying about whether you'll get up instead of planning what you'll be doing when the alarm rings.
 
SpaceMountain77

SpaceMountain77

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
I've felt that way for many years now. A friend of mine's wife (he is a big parks fan, she not so much) describes the MK as ''a mass market caricature of DL'' and she is dead on. All of the castle parks suffer some of this, but WDW's most of all because it has less and so much detail, so much of the layering of the Disney experience has disappeared over the past few decades. When I see the park open from 8-1 (and then 3 a.m for EMH) like July 3rd when I was there I just wonder how people find stuff to do after 8-9 hours. I get bored there after 4-5, even when with friends. I have never felt boredom at DL or DLP or TDL or HKDL.
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This may sound silly, but I would buy a mint julep and Mickey beignets from the Mint Julep Bar and sit by the fountain between the French Market and Haunted Mansion. Not for 5-minutes, but, many times, for 30 minutes or more. I truly savored the atmosphere and it is Disneyland moments like this that I truly treasure. From listening to the sounds of the seer in New Orleans Square to eating Dole Whips in the Enchanted Tiki Garden and watching the pre-show, I, too, never felt bored.

Magic Kingdom is now very hard for me because, to me, it is not Disneyland Park.
 
Cosmic Commando

Cosmic Commando

Well-Known Member
SpaceMountain77 said:
This may sound silly, but I would buy a mint julep and Mickey beignets from the Mint Julep Bar and sit by the fountain between the French Market and Haunted Mansion. Not for 5-minutes, but, many times, for 30 minutes or more. I truly savored the atmosphere and it is Disneyland moments like this that I truly treasure. From listening to the sounds of the seer in New Orleans Square to eating Dole Whips in the Enchanted Tiki Garden and watching the pre-show, I, too, never felt bored.

Magic Kingdom is now very hard for me because, to me, it is not Disneyland Park.
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To be fair, I think WDW has plenty of wonderful spots like this, but MK is certainly no Disneyland. And MK at 60 won't be anything close to DL at 60, either.
 

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