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

[JohnD]

I recall there were a few things considered or suggested for the fiftieth before this pandemic began... refurbishments for attractions, Disney characters added to It's a Small World, stuff like that...

I suppose we should be grateful for a 50th anniversary celebration. DL didn’t get a 65th at all. Doesn’t mean it couldn’t have been better.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Didn’t we learn very recently that a lot of the “save Disney,” DL in crisis stuff was very carefully stage-managed by… interested parties within the company? I want to make sure my memory of this is correct…

That allegation was indeed made, introducing us all to the name Zenia Mucha!

Regardless of the extent to which that was or wasn't the case, I remember the period clearly and the issues with the park and the company were plainly obvious.

We may not have had the barges, but for about 7 years this was the view across World Showcase lagoon:

 

[Disney Analyst]

That allegation was indeed made, introducing us all to the name Zenia Mucha!

Regardless of the extent to which that was or wasn't the case, I remember the period clearly and the issues with the park and the company were plainly obvious.

We may not have had the barges, but for about 7 years this was the view across World Showcase lagoon:

I’ll never forget the day that atrocity was finally being demolished.

 

[Andrew C]

I’ll never forget the day that atrocity was finally being demolished.

I miss the hat.

 

[JohnD]

I miss the hat.

You mean the Big A** Hat (BAH)

 

[Jrb1979]

100% agree. I always find it puzzling when people start saying that they want Eisner back. There are issues now and I complain plenty(!), but I really don't think people remember clearly or know how bad things were by the time he left. As you say, this went beyond the parks to Disney's reputation more broadly being nickel and dimed away.

I kind of feel that when people accuse Disney of being cheap it is a hangover from that period when Disney was very actively and openly trying to do everything on the cheap, including allowing Disneyland in particular to get into very bad shape. Whatever other complaints may exist about him, I think Iger was ultimately willing to spend big on the parks and resorts. I also think he meddled less than Eisner, who seemed to think of himself as Walt 2.0 but whose instincts often weren't all that great.

That's not to dismiss all the complaints people have about Iger, but it's just to say that a lot of the revisionism about the Eisner period involves forgetting almost a decade of the parks progressively going into decline and the company as a whole no longer seeming an industry leader even in animation.

As bad as Eisner was with some things. I do give him credit for trying to push boundaries and put in some more adult oriented attractions.

 

[ToTBellHop]

A Pirate’s Adventure—Treasures of the High Seas has reopened.

Enjoy.

 

[beertiki]

I have been at Disney for a week now. Resorts seem empty. Parks other than MK yesterday were empty.

We are from the Florida Keys - Key West. Tourism has been busy for a year. This is not a travel issue, its a destination issue.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

You mean the Big A** Hat (BAH)

That was so weird! They put a giant metal hat at the end of the street with the poor little Chinese Theatre peaking over from behind!

The one thing about that period was that you never knew what they were going to come up with next.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

That allegation was indeed made, introducing us all to the name Zenia Mucha!

Regardless of the extent to which that was or wasn't the case, I remember the period clearly and the issues with the park and the company were plainly obvious.

We may not have had the barges, but for about 7 years this was the view across World Showcase lagoon:

I try to be an optimist with some of the questionable things currently happening but my first thought when I saw this was “better than the tacos”. Lol.

 

[JohnD]

So I jut got out of American Adventure. That show needs some love. Will Rogers was dead (didn’t move at all). No Rosie #2 rising into the ceiling. Curtains didn’t raise behind the statues.

 

[Trauma]

I have been at Disney for a week now. Resorts seem empty. Parks other than MK yesterday were empty.

We are from the Florida Keys - Key West. Tourism has been busy for a year. This is not a travel issue, its a destination issue.

People keep making the Covid excuse but everywhere I go everything is packed.

I actually think Disney is big trouble.

People are questioning the value of the parks and canceling plans.

Disney+ subscription rate is prematurely slowing.

Who knows what’s going on with theatrical releases long term.

They have ruined Star Wars with only Mando keeping it relevant.

Marvel might be slowing down.

Cruises are still in flux.

Once Cheapek can’t blame everything on Covid what is he going to do to save his job?

You can’t cut value and raise prices forever.

 

[mikejs78]

People keep making the Covid excuse but everywhere I go everything is packed.

I actually think Disney is big trouble.

People are questioning the value of the parks and canceling plans.

Disney+ subscription rate is prematurely slowing.

Who knows what’s going on with theatrical releases long term.

They have ruined Star Wars with only Mando keeping it relevant.

Marvel might be slowing down.

Cruises are still in flux.

Once Cheapek can’t blame everything on Covid what is he going to do to save his job?

You can’t cut value and raise prices forever.

Your experience doesn't match reality. The whole travel industry is suffering.

Delta Variant Derails Travel Industry Rebound As Online Bookings, Flight Prices Plummet

Domestic flight prices had been climbing until August this year and July was the first month they were back to 2019 levels.

www.google.com

 

[mattpeto]

People keep making the Covid excuse but everywhere I go everything is packed.

I actually think Disney is big trouble.

People are questioning the value of the parks and canceling plans.

Disney+ subscription rate is prematurely slowing.

Who knows what’s going on with theatrical releases long term.

They have ruined Star Wars with only Mando keeping it relevant.

Marvel might be slowing down.

Cruises are still in flux.

Once Cheapek can’t blame everything on Covid what is he going to do to save his job?

You can’t cut value and raise prices forever.

“everything you said is wrong”

 

[Trauma]

“everything you said is wrong”

Disney Plus global paid subscribers will increase by “low single-digit millions of subscribers” for the quarter ending September 2021, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said — marking a slowdown from recent periods for the Mouse House’s flagship streamer.

But hey keep sniffing the pixie dust…

 

[mikejs78]

Disney Plus global paid subscribers will increase by “low single-digit millions of subscribers” for the quarter ending September 2021, Disney CEO Bob Chapek said — marking a slowdown from recent periods for the Mouse House’s flagship streamer.

But hey keep sniffing the pixie dust…

After having grown significantly beyond initial projections and expectations. They are still way ahead.

 

[durangojim]

So I jut got out of American Adventure. That show needs some love. Will Rogers was dead (didn’t move at all). No Rosie #2 rising into the ceiling. Curtains didn’t raise behind the statues.

Curtains haven’t been raising for months unfortunately. As an aside I wish they would sell a miniature set of all those statues.

 

[Trauma]

After having grown significantly beyond initial projections and expectations. They are still way ahead.

A lot of those subscriptions are coming from India.

This is leading to lower revenue per subscriber by nearly 30%.

It is coming into question if Disney will be able to hit the 5 year target they themselves set.

 

[JohnD]

So there is a post show on the Harmonious screens. Better than the main show, IMHO. (No fireworks). It’s the type of music to get you marching out of the park, similar to Tapestry of Nations.

 

[Andrew M]

So is it just me, or are the crowds lower than expected? I know Main St was packed yesterday, but judging by the wait times today it didn't seem all that bad.