The World's Most Magical Celebration - Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary

[jrhwdw]

If I was a betting person, I’d bet my life.

Hopefully, when DLR Entertainment Returns, WDW will have at least have a return date!! Or be further along......

 

[DavidNoble]

Going through the last couple of pages on this thread, it makes it seem like it would be better to skip attending for the 50th Anniversary. This is really sad, but emblematic of the issue with the Disney parks as a whole. High prices, while not really investing to make something amazing.

 

[peter11435]

Going through the last couple of pages on this thread, it makes it seem like it would be better to skip attending for the 50th Anniversary. This is really sad, but emblematic of the issue with the Disney parks as a whole. High prices, while not really investing to make something amazing.

Yeah they haven’t invested billions over the last few years on Pandora, Toy Story Land, Galaxies Edge, Runaway Railway. Too bad they aren’t investing in anything currently like Tron, Ratatouille, Guardians of the Galaxy.....

 

[DavidNoble]

Yeah they haven’t invested billions over the last few years on Pandora, Toy Story Land, Galaxies Edge, Runaway Railway. Too bad they aren’t investing in anything currently like Tron, Ratatouille, Guardians of the Galaxy.....

You mistake the usual CapEx projects (how long had it been since Epcot and DHS got anything? You're giving them credit for letting those two parks wither to nothing?) for doing something special for the 50th anniversary?

 

[peter11435]

You mistake the usual CapEx projects (how long had it been since Epcot and DHS got anything? You're giving them credit for letting those two parks wither to nothing?) for doing something special for the 50th anniversary?

I’m pointing out the absurdity of stating that the problem of Disney parks is that they don’t not invest. Not everything I listed was in those two parks and my list was not exhaustive. The current global pandemic is why the 50th will be less than originally planned, not because Disney has a reluctance to spend money.

 

[DavidNoble]

I’m pointing out the absurdity of stating that the problem of Disney parks is that they don’t not invest. Not everything I listed was in those two parks and my list was not exhaustive. The current global pandemic is why the 50th will be less than originally planned, not because Disney has a reluctance to spend money.

How much investment did DHS and AK receive prior to Pandora/Star Wars/Toy Story Land/Mickie and Minnie? Now, EPCOT is finally receiving some kind of investment. MK, prior to TRON the last investment was... New Fantasyland?

I'm just saying, prior to the pandemic, what really was WDW going to be investing in?

 

[ToTBellHop]

I’m pointing out the absurdity of stating that the problem of Disney parks is that they don’t not invest. Not everything I listed was in those two parks and my list was not exhaustive. The current global pandemic is why the 50th will be less than originally planned, not because Disney has a reluctance to spend money.

They had cut it back before the pandemic. The pandemic just cut it back further.

 

[peter11435]

They had cut it back before the pandemic. The pandemic just cut it back further.

They did but it was still adequate

 

[peter11435]

How much investment did DHS and AK receive prior to Pandora/Star Wars/Toy Story Land/Mickie and Minnie? Now, EPCOT is finally receiving some kind of investment. MK, prior to TRON the last investment was... New Fantasyland?

I'm just saying, prior to the pandemic, what really was WDW going to be investing in?

So are we just supposed to exclude long lists of additions and then ask what else? Classic moving the goal post.

 

[DavidNoble]

So are we just supposed to exclude long lists of additions and then ask what else? Classic moving the goal post.

I think it's more recent bias than anything. Because they're now spending money, it ignores the work they should've done all along and thus we give them credit for doing what everyone was yelling at Disney about during the early 2010s and 2000s.

 

[castlecake2.0]

So are we just supposed to exclude long lists of additions and then ask what else? Classic moving the goal post.

Doesn’t even include the huge amount of new infrastructure around the property. New roads, bridges, skyliner, 5G install. The last few years have seen huge amount of money spent.

 

[peter11435]

I think it's more recent bias than anything. Because they're now spending money, it ignores the work they should've done all along and thus we give them credit for doing what everyone was yelling at Disney about during the early 2010s and 2000s.

There was certainly a dry spell. The late 2000s and early 2010s were rough. But not because they weren’t investing they were just investing poorly.

 

[peter11435]

Doesn’t even include the huge amount of new infrastructure around the property. New roads, bridges, skyliner, 5G install. The last few years have seen huge amount of money spent.

Yep. I just highlighted some of the more glamorous projects.

 

[DavidNoble]

There was certainly a dry spell. The late 2000s and early 2010s were rough. But not because they weren’t investing they were just investing poorly.

Then a boy wizard across the way made them smarten up

I'm happy that Disney is putting in quality stuff now. I love Pandora. Hopefully will love Star Wars and Toy Story Land on my next trip. Just feels like the 50th should be something special and it won't be.

Is Tron and GotG opening in time for the 50th?

 

[peter11435]

Is Tron and GotG opening in time for the 50th?

They would have if not for Covid.

 

[CastAStone]

My observation is that starting around 2011ish Iger ramped up spending that capitalizes, first at MK then AK then DHS and now at Epcot, but later started to cut back on spending that expenses, like streetmosphere and in park entertainment and just all of the little and medium things that make the parks special. Most recently we see Chapek continuing this with things like cutting DME.

When you pivot your investment from expense to capital, EBITDA improves and you can say you’re making more money per guest, even if your spending stays the same.

 

[CastAStone]

Doesn’t even include the huge amount of new infrastructure around the property. New roads, bridges, skyliner, 5G install. The last few years have seen huge amount of money spent.

Yeah they haven’t invested billions over the last few years on Pandora, Toy Story Land, Galaxies Edge, Runaway Railway. Too bad they aren’t investing in anything currently like Tron, Ratatouille, Guardians of the Galaxy.....

Don’t forget Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy

 

[uncle jimmy]

Don’t forget Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy

Disney Springs too, don't forget that investment

 

[wdwfan22]

Happily Ever After song was not originally made for the Magic Kingdom show. It was Hong Kong Disneyland's Anniversary theme song.

Happily Every after while not as bad as some of the others isn't one of my favorites either.

 

[UNCgolf]

There was certainly a dry spell. The late 2000s and early 2010s were rough. But not because they weren’t investing they were just investing poorly.

Which, unfortunately, is what they're still doing. While it may be an improvement over that time period, they're currently spending a lot of money on EPCOT to make the park worse in some ways, and even the things that are "better" (at least in terms of adding capacity) are generally not good fits for the park. Harmonious is a disaster.

Toy Story Land is one of the worst things they've ever built at WDW -- it did at least add capacity, but that's about the only positive thing to say about it. Pandora was a good addition. Galaxy's Edge is fine but ultimately disappointing outside of Rise (especially for what they spent on it). Even MMRR, which is a fine ride, was essentially treading water by replacing a ride instead of adding any new capacity to a park that needs it.

They're absolutely spending money, they just continue to spend it relatively poorly.