Two coasts: One very different world

[WDW1974]

So, on one coast Disney officially debuts the end product of a five year $1.7 billion (yes, that is what it cost when you add in TSMM and WoC) project where quality and care and the Disney Details all came together to vastly improve a troubled (although quality) park.

Fans are getting all hot and bothered over this (and the three-hour plus waits for RSRs) and who can blame them.

Quality should be celebrated and rewarded. That's what makes the creative and financial worlds sing together in harmony.

Now, on the other coast ... you have some walls removed around a children's water play area ... with theming to be sure, but not that far removed from McDonald's playlands and Chuck E Cheese type ballpits.

Really. A tiny (insiginificant?) 'addition' (that WDI likely billed an absurd sum of money to build and design) that only diaper dandies can enjoy and one might wonder whether it even should have a place in the MK getting the same type of over-the-top praise and attention amongst the WDW fan community as a multi-year, multi-billion dollar project's completion is on the other coast.

Does anyone see why things are so different at WDW? It's not hard.

 

[rioriz]

I am uber excited to go see Carsland and all DCA now has to offer! I am super excited to see the finished product of FLE and like Carsland oh and ah when more and more is detailed. I remember the DL boards ooooing and ahhhing over a new lamp post put up on BVS. It is the nature of finding what's behind the curtain. Eventually all the walls will go down and people will get on with their business. SBC was not prior and now not geared for my age group but I think it looks worlds better visually! I love WDW and DL Resort and am happy to see, no matter how much money was spent, Disney still able to put out quality attractions regardless of where they are located.

 

[WDW1974]

The question boils down to whether a children's water and urine and poopie play area should even be called an attraction.

Call me cynical, but I don't think it qualifies.

Sometimes a trash can is just a trash can, even if it is nicely themed.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'll just say this. I'm glad I live in SoCal. The Casey Jr playground is cute though.

 

[lebeau]

The question boils down to whether a children's water and urine and poopie play area should even be called an attraction.

Call me cynical, but I don't think it qualifies.

Sometimes a trash can is just a trash can, even if it is nicely themed.

Is it an attraction? Sure. But my kids can splash around all summer at our local Cedar Fair park. They don't really care if the water is spraying from a train or this...

​

Casey Jr is a nice minor addition. For the vast majority of guests, it won't have any impact. And for those with young kids who want to get wet, it will be a minor distraction. It's nothing to get excited about.​

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I know it's been mentioned earlier, but it's still worth mentioning. Maybe we should stop going to WDW for a while? With the quality of the new attractions at DCA and the quality of the maintenance at both parks, It seems appropriate to punish TDO for not putting out a quality product. If only more people would realize this...
Heck, an even better idea, go travel to a foreign country. I hear Norway is nice this time of year! Maybe we'll find some trolls... Oh Wait!

 

[Kiff]

The question boils down to whether a children's water and urine and poopie play area should even be called an attraction.

Call me cynical, but I don't think it qualifies.

Sometimes a trash can is just a trash can, even if it is nicely themed.

Attraction? No. Repulsion? Probably.

A nice little distraction for the little ones. No more interesting than the splash fountains in Epcot on the walkway between FW and WS. It definitely shouldn't be listed on a park map.

 

[NYBaloo]

I'm not giving my opinion one way or another, or that one park is better. I have only been to WDW. What I can say is that everyone that I have talked to that has been to DL and WDW always say they prefer WDW and that I would find DL and DCA boring. I still want to go out there someday and see for myself, but I did find it odd. Of course, these folks are just regular people and not fanbois. SO who knows. But I must say that Carsland looks amazing, but I also think that FLE will be amazing too. Two different worlds indeed.

 

[xdan0920]

Carsland debuts to rave reviews, and from what I can see, well deserved. Rumors tumbling out of USO about Potter 2.0, and a possible Transformers attraction or something else entirely, but exciting none the less. And at WDW, duel Dumbos and a water play area. I am as big a fan of WDW as anyone, and even I am struggling with all this today. I want something major, I want something ground breaking, I want something to make me come back to WDW this year. Oh well, I guess it's gonna be a trip out to the original this year.

 

[xdan0920]

I'm not giving my opinion one way or another, or that one park is better. I have only been to WDW. What I can say is that everyone that I have talked to that has been to DL and WDW always say they prefer WDW and that I would find DL and DCA boring. I still want to go out there someday and see for myself, but I did find it odd. Of course, these folks are just regular people and not fanbois. SO who knows. But I must say that Carsland looks amazing, but I also think that FLE will be amazing too. Two different worlds indeed.

I have been to both resorts, and I can assure you, with 100% certainty, that the west coast parks are so far removed from "boring" that it is comical to even make a statement like that. Yes there is less property, but how that = boring, I do not know.

 

[NYBaloo]

I have been to both resorts, and I can assure you, with 100% certainty, that the west coast parks are so far removed from "boring" that it is comical to even make a statement like that. Yes there is less property, but how that = boring, I do not know.

OH, I'm not saying they are right! I just found it odd that folks were saying this. Maybe it had to do with the size and amount of attractions. Who knows. Hopefully I will find out for myself soon. Maybe a train trip to the west coast will be in my future.

 

[bubbles1812]

I know it's been mentioned earlier, but it's still worth mentioning. Maybe we should stop going to WDW for a while? With the quality of the new attractions at DCA and the quality of the maintenance at both parks, It seems appropriate to punish TDO for not putting out a quality product. If only more people would realize this...
Heck, an even better idea, go travel to a foreign country. I hear Norway is nice this time of year! Maybe we'll find some trolls... Oh Wait!

I don't think he was trolling if you thought that. He just stated the facts about what is going on at DL vs. WDW. I think Casey's whatever it's called is cute, but at the end of the day it's a pretty playground. NFE is opening but it's no Carsland. It's not revolutionary. It doesn't push boundaries. I'm sure I'll enjoy it but they certainly could have done more.

And random, but by the way I love your icon. Have loved that movie since I was little. I def have My Neighbor Totoro on DVD (With the original voice dub, not the, sorry, but IMO, really crappy Disney dub. The original voice actors were so much better)

 

[sweetpee_1993]

As for the thread topic: um...yes. With all my heart, I "get" it. And I've never even been to DL.

I'm not giving my opinion one way or another, or that one park is better. I have only been to WDW. What I can say is that everyone that I have talked to that has been to DL and WDW always say they prefer WDW and that I would find DL and DCA boring. I still want to go out there someday and see for myself, but I did find it odd. Of course, these folks are just regular people and not fanbois. SO who knows. But I must say that Carsland looks amazing, but I also think that FLE will be amazing too. Two different worlds indeed.

WDW as a whole is larger in terms of space. If you do a ride/attraction/show count for each I think DL has a few more in 2 parks than WDW has in 4. Granted, the luxury of space affords WDW things like water parks, mini-golf, etc. But that's it. Non-fans aren't going to go to DL & WDW and see the details the way fans do. They're not going to pick up on the little things or understand the history. WDW is bigger. The average Joe sees the difference in size and that overshadows everything else. Again, I've never even been to DL. I grew up knowing WDW. To go and spend a week at WDW is a piece of cake. There's so many options you don't have a prayer of doing everything. DL has the 2 parks + DtDD. If you're looking for quality of show and Disney-geek-level detail-filled awesome-sauce, it's my understanding from all the reading & pics that DL is spanking WDW by a large margin. Maybe that's unavoidable to some point with the sheer difference in numbers of visitors to each. I'm not sure. But I'm a Disney fan. I geek out on stuff the average visitor doesn't ever notice. At this point, I have no desire to return to WDW for at least the next 18-24 months. The new offerings at WDW (FLE and maybe-it-will-happen Avatarland) mean very little to me. DL? I'd go out there in a heartbeat! The rework of DCA looks incredible. The Carsland addition is much broader in appeal & I'm actually interested in seeing it for myself. Maybe if I had a daughter the FLE would sway me a little towards the additions/expansion there but for the most part I'm flippant to it. I'll see it eventually but I'm not really excited at all by it.

 

[Kiff]

OH, I'm not saying they are right! I just found it odd that folks were saying this. Maybe it had to do with the size and amount of attractions. Who knows. Hopefully I will find out for myself soon. Maybe a train trip to the west coast will be in my future.

I have meet people who have the same opinion. They thought DL was just ok. In my experience though these people were not really Disney fans as such. Just casual visitors who probably wouldn't have even noticed that PotC was about twice as long.

I would recommend you find out for yourself. I did and it was awesome. A very different experience to be sure.

 

[xdan0920]

OH, I'm not saying they are right! I just found it odd that folks were saying this. Maybe it had to do with the size and amount of attractions. Who knows. Hopefully I will find out for myself soon. Maybe a train trip to the west coast will be in my future.

I had heard that from people too. You will be bored on the west coast. There is so much less to do, ect...

I booked 4 days out there, and on the day we left I was so mad at myself, I let those people get in my head, and we booked a shorter trip because of it. Now I am dying to get back.

 

[Clever Name]

DL and DCA fans always find it necessary to compare their parks to the crown jewel, WDW. The beat goes on.

 

[lebeau]

DL and DCA fans always find it necessary to compare their parks to the crown jewel, WDW. The beat goes on.

Haven't been to WDW in a while I see...

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I had heard that from people too. You will be bored on the west coast. There is so much less to do, ect...

I booked 4 days out there, and on the day we left I was so mad at myself, I let those people get in my head, and we booked a shorter trip because of it. Now I am dying to get back.

This is why the old man & I both agree we can't go to DL for anything less than 7 days. Seriously. I want to see every nook-n-cranny when I get there. I'm not even kidding. I think the average visitor tries to hit each attraction or show once then call it done. I'm not like that. If I enjoy a ride or a show I want to do redo it as many times as I can to keep immersing in it. So if the average person says 2-3 days is pleeeenty of time to "do" DL, I translate that into 6-7 for us.

 

[xdan0920]

This is why the old man & I both agree we can't go to DL for anything less than 7 days. Seriously. I want to see every nook-n-cranny when I get there. I'm not even kidding. I think the average visitor tries to hit each attraction or show once then call it done. I'm not like that. If I enjoy a ride or a show I want to do redo it as many times as I can to keep immersing in it. So if the average person says 2-3 days is pleeeenty of time to "do" DL, I translate that into 6-7 for us.

My thoughts exactly. We were motoring through the parks trying to get in everything, and before we knew it, the trip was over. Only rode Pirates once, Cali Screamin once, Indy twice, and so on. Big mistake. Will not be making that same mistake again though.

Back on topic though....

WDW seems to be falling further and further behind the cutting edge, blow you away attraction curve. Yes WDW is still amazing, but it has been resting on its laurels for far too long.

 

[TalkingHead]

Did you say a WATER PLAY AREA?! I think you mean Casey Jr's Magical Wet Fantasy Spot! (That's what you call a set-up for a patented Spirit WDI-punchline.)

Carsland looks fabulous and it's certainly made me think I'll visit DL and DCA the next time I'm in Southern California. When was the last time WDW received anything on the scale of Radiator Springs Racers? Umm...1994? Tower of Terror? Maybe Safari in 1998? Everest was clearly conceived as a big-scale blockbuster, but it sorta, ya know, has had its issues.

Can someone tell me how long it took for Carsland to be constructed?

I ask because supposedly the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train -- a relatively minor, C/D-ticket kiddie coaster -- won't be completed until 2014. It was announced, what, two years ago? I get that they have to work around budgets, but say-what? Given the huge gap between announcing and opening the ride, the OCD can act like it's a major addition to MK, but it's not. It's not Pirates, Mansion, the Matterhorn -- it doesn't even sound like it's going to be much of a dark ride. I imagine it being like the Astro-Orbiter with a couple of show scenes -- fun, but not the reason why I would visit the parks. Not top-of-the-line entertainment, in other words.

At this rate, no wonder people are predicting that Avatarland wouldn't open until 2016 if it opens at all. (Where's the conceptual art for that, BTW?)

Bottom line is WDW management simply doesn't want to tend to their parks. There's no urgency. They are managed with nearly absolute complacency. If management wanted to address the shortcomings in the parks, there would be major quality projects lined up ACROSS THE BOARD for the next few years. There aren't.

The return of a light parade from the early 90s (to replace the return of a light parade from the 70s) might excite some people, but I'm just mystified by WDW's operations.

There's no question in my mind, if I was going to pay for a ticket to a theme park in Orlando right now, it would be for either Universal or SeaWorld. Because they're opening new attractions, trying to provide the best entertainment they can. WDW, meanwhile, is content to open the Magical Fantasyland Splash Zone.