The Year of a Million Dreams is over!

[krankenstein]

Quite possibly, but in these times of radical fat trimming you would think that every department would be under more scrutiny that ever before concerning expenditures. I am sure we are not the only ones that have questioned the need for in park promotion of a celebration. If they have the market research that supports a ROI on in park promotions then you can bet that they will always be there.

The other thing to remember is that Jay Rasulo seems to love these promotions. If he thinks they are necessary, which he seems to, they will continue.

 

[Master Yoda]

The other thing to remember is that Jay Rasulo seems to love these promotions. If he thinks they are necessary, which he seems to, they will continue.

Very true. Was there ever a time of no promotions or celebrations? Quite frankly I can not remember a time when there was not one going on.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Very true. Was there ever a time of no promotions or celebrations? Quite frankly I can not remember a time when there was not one going on.

Yep...There were few for in the 70's 80's and even 90's but I'm pretty sure it was not a constant thing.

 

[krankenstein]

Very true. Was there ever a time of no promotions or celebrations? Quite frankly I can not remember a time when there was not one going on.

Yep...There were few for in the 70's 80's and even 90's but I'm pretty sure it was not a constant thing.

Like Evan said, they were few and far between, but it happened. I think what makes me mad is how blatant the recent ones have been (YOMD to a lesser extent than WWYC) when compared to the past. I mean, the old ones were about Mickey's Birthday, Donald's Birthday, a park's birthday, etc. They weren't come to WDW and get something for free or come to WDW for free on your birthday......but stay for 6 extra days. They were about celebrating what truly is great about the parks. WWYC seems to be all about getting bodies through turnstiles. End of story.

 

[tomm4004]

Yep...There were few for in the 70's 80's and even 90's but I'm pretty sure it was not a constant thing.

I don't recall them prior to the past few years. We first went to WDW in 1986. The only things I'd ever seen about the place was the promo film that accompanied Snowball Express in 1971/2 (I'd love to see that again), and a magazine article about EPCOT. That made me want to go. I don't think a promo like the current ones would have prompted me to make the trip.

 

[imagineer boy]

Right, YOAMD is perfect for MK. Not for EPCOT. Not for DHS. Not for DAK.


Maybe they shoulda gotten a "Year of ...." for each of them?

Year of Discovery?-EPCOT?

Exactly. I think celebrations need to be restricted to only caertain parks, and leave resort wide celebrations for things like holidays and WDW's anniversaries.

The celebrations for the individual parks would last only a couple months at most and would include character birthdays, park anniversaries, little celebrations that coincide with the parks' themes, movie promotions, etc.

These are the things that would attract crowds. TDL and TDS use a similar formula, and it keeps people coming in the parks year round!

 

[MousDad]

Weren't the older ones more slogans / themes, rather than full-blown, integrated promotions encompassing all the parks?

 

[Master Yoda]

Yep...There were few for in the 70's 80's and even 90's but I'm pretty sure it was not a constant thing.

Seems like those days are over. Quite honestly I am pretty indifferent to it. Sure, I would like to see parks free from slogans and ads but I refuse to let them spoil my time in WDW. The place simply holds far to much joy for me.

 

[jakeman]

Like Evan said, they were few and far between, but it happened. I think what makes me mad is how blatant the recent ones have been (YOMD to a lesser extent than WWYC) when compared to the past. I mean, the old ones were about Mickey's Birthday, Donald's Birthday, a park's birthday, etc. They weren't come to WDW and get something for free or come to WDW for free on your birthday......but stay for 6 extra days. They were about celebrating what truly is great about the parks. WWYC seems to be all about getting bodies through turnstiles. End of story.

How is a character's birthday in any relation about the quality of the parks?

I would go out on a limb and say with the exception of DL's 50th there hasn't been a celebration that has celebrated just the parks.

Additionally, if this has made you angry, have you communicated your issue with Guest Relations and will you be abstaining from the parks this year? That is really the only way to have them stop.

Exactly. I think celebrations need to be restricted to only caertain parks, and leave resort wide celebrations for things like holidays and WDW's anniversaries.

The celebrations for the individual parks would last only a couple months at most and would include character birthdays, park anniversaries, little celebrations that coincide with the parks' themes, movie promotions, etc.

These are the things that would attract crowds. TDL and TDS use a similar formula, and it keeps people coming in the parks year round!

They are entirely different types of crowds. You are talking about two resorts that has a very large local base and WDW that attracts visitors globally only a much fewer times per year.

While people on this board may go to Disney multiple times a year a vast majority most likely don't.

Seems like those days are over. Quite honestly I am pretty indifferent to it. Sure, I would like to see parks free from slogans and ads but I refuse to let them spoil my time in WDW. The place simply holds far to much joy for me.

Very well said. This is a very minor thing that doesn't really affect most people unless you let it affect you.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Exactly. I think celebrations need to be restricted to only caertain parks, and leave resort wide celebrations for things like holidays and WDW's anniversaries.

The celebrations for the individual parks would last only a couple months at most and would include character birthdays, park anniversaries, little celebrations that coincide with the parks' themes, movie promotions, etc.

These are the things that would attract crowds. TDL and TDS use a similar formula, and it keeps people coming in the parks year round!

Weren't the older ones more slogans / themes, rather than full-blown, integrated promotions encompassing all the parks?

Yep and Yep.

Seems like those days are over. Quite honestly I am pretty indifferent to it. Sure, I would like to see parks free from slogans and ads but I refuse to let them spoil my time in WDW. The place simply holds far to much joy for me.

So do I! I might like to discuss WDW's shortcomings, but I still love WDW. It's a place of pure magic, banners or not.

 

[krankenstein]

How is a character's birthday in any relation about the quality of the parks?

I would go out on a limb and say with the exception of DL's 50th there hasn't been a celebration that has celebrated just the parks.

Additionally, if this has made you angry, have you communicated your issue with Guest Relations and will you be abstaining from the parks this year? That is really the only way to have them stop.

I would go out on the same limb and say, without the characters, we wouldn't have a park. The characters are an important part of the company and as a result the parks. When the decision was made to make the parks where the Disney characters "live" it became appropriate for such celebrations to be held, IMO.

Next part, we have had numerous instance of the parks being celebrate. From WDW's 25th on back. Heck, every 5 years DL celebrates a new milestone in style. Why couldn't WDW celebrate EPCOT's 25th instead of a having the YOMDs promotion?

And yes, I have told my feelings on such promotions to the company. However, no amount of fanboy complaints will stop the chairman from cramming another crap celebration down our throat if he deems it necessary.

 

[tirian]

I don't recall them prior to the past few years. We first went to WDW in 1986. The only things I'd ever seen about the place was the promo film that accompanied Snowball Express in 1971/2 (I'd love to see that again), and a magazine article about EPCOT. That made me want to go. I don't think a promo like the current ones would have prompted me to make the trip.

The old-school marketing emphasized WDW's "vacation kingdom" status. The new campaigns just scream, "PIXIE DUST! MAGIC!" over and over, and hope you know what they're talking about.

If my only impression of WDW were a modern commercial, I would assume that it was...

A) A place only for families with very young children obsessed with princesses and pirates.

B) One park with a castle icon and some attractions that don't even exist in Florida (outdoor teacups, dual-seater Space Mt., the Matterhorn).

C) A place with minimal crowds and where characters roamed freely.

I would not know about Epcot, DHS, DAK, the golf courses, mini golf, the water parks, DTD, the Boardwalk, Fort Wilderness, various watersports, convention opportunities, or anything else the "World" has to offer.

Disney is relying on getting people to visit the web site and see everything the resort encompasses, but if the marketing campaign doesn't appeal to people in the first place, why would anybody want to visit the web site?

PLUS the web site rarely works right, anyway. Somebody needs to stop drinking the Flash-is-Everything Kool-Aid and get the stupid site to WORK.

And for what it's worth, a few days ago, I heard a high-ranking officer in a certain national marketing association rip Disney's new campaign to shreds, calling it some of the worst graphic design work and most idiotic slogan he'd ever seen. I didn't say a word.

 

[tirian]

I'll add my voice to the others in that the slogans don't mean a hill of beans to me while I'm at the parks. I just ignore the banners and enjoy the immersive environment.

 

[krankenstein]

I'm also going to throw out that the promotions and campaigns do not bother me while I am at the parks. I always have a good time at WDW.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

The old-school marketing emphasized WDW's "vacation kingdom" status. The new campaigns just scream, "PIXIE DUST! MAGIC!" over and over, and hope you know what they're talking about.

If my only impression of WDW were a modern commercial, I would assume that it was...

A) A place only for families with very young children obsessed with princesses and pirates.

B) One park with a castle icon and some attractions that don't even exist in Florida (outdoor teacups, dual-seater Space Mt., the Matterhorn).

C) A place with minimal crowds and where characters roamed freely.

I would not know about Epcot, DHS, DAK, the golf courses, mini golf, the water parks, DTD, the Boardwalk, Fort Wilderness, various watersports, convention opportunities, or anything else the "World" has to offer.

Disney is relying on getting people to visit the web site and see everything the resort encompasses, but if the marketing campaign doesn't appeal to people in the first place, why would anybody want to visit the web site?

PLUS the web site rarely works right, anyway. Somebody needs to stop drinking the Flash-is-Everything Kool-Aid and get the stupid site to WORK.

And for what it's worth, a few days ago, I heard a high-ranking officer in a certain national marketing association rip Disney's new campaign to shreds, calling it some of the worst graphic design work and most idiotic slogan he'd ever seen. I didn't say a word.

Agreed in full!


I have not seen a comercial for EPCOT in ages. I have seen on youtube some of the promo's from the 80's...WOW. Now THAT was promotion.

Even the planning DVD is overly generic.

 

[krankenstein]

Agreed in full!


I have not seen a comercial for EPCOT in ages. I have seen on youtube some of the promo's from the 80's...WOW. Now THAT was promotion.

Even the planning DVD is overly generic.

Remember Mickey standing on top of SSE waving at the end of the commercials.

*Sighs*

 

[CaptainMichael]

Even the planning DVD is overly generic.

Generic doesn't even begin to describe it. Synergeneric seems appropriate.

 

[tirian]

Generic doesn't even begin to describe it. Synergeneric seems appropriate.

I remember when Disney was exalted as a golden example of how to market a movie, theme park, etc. to appeal to everybody.

Now their campaigns are used as examples of how NOT to do something.



On the other hand, the parks themselves are still used to illustrate great theming, design, service, and attractions.

Too bad the campaigns are designed in Microsoft Excel instead of in a creative team's brainstorm session.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Remember Mickey standing on top of SSE waving at the end of the commercials.

*Sighs*

Generic doesn't even begin to describe it. Synergeneric seems appropriate.

*calm male voice* Ever wanted to swim with the turtles or blast off in space...?

*little girl* I like traveling the world...and seeing new things...

*father* And it's FUN...

That line kills me most of all.:brick: Like they HAVE TO TELL YOU EPCOT IS FUN! ARGHHHH!!!!!


:fork::fork::fork:



:lol::lol::lol:

 

[Master Yoda]

I remember when Disney was exalted as a golden example of how to market a movie, theme park, etc. to appeal to everybody.

Now their campaigns are used as examples of how NOT to do something.



On the other hand, the parks themselves are still used to illustrate great theming, design, service, and attractions.

Too bad the campaigns are designed in Microsoft Excel instead of in a creative team's brainstorm session.

That seems to be a common problem. Imagination never shows up on a spread sheet.