One thing I haven't heard anyone mention is why cant Disney referb AND build new rides? It almost sounds like there is a Disney imageneer, not imageneerS. The one person at the top (I'm sorry for my ignorance over whom this is) can oversea multiple projects, and if they cant, then we need a new hire.
On top of that the reason why Disney is slipping and eventually WILL lose the theme park battle (unless they get their act together) is because they dont see the big picture. Those people who fund Disney now and are loyal avid Disneyans are older now. They are those who have seen Disney grow since they were children and now they are pouring their money into the parks. Disney isn't focusing on the NEW generation and THIS IS Disney's downfall. No matter how arrogant Disney is they MUST see this. I am 22 (I want to be an imageneer SOO badly, but I'm graduating in the spring with a psychology degree [which doesn't help], and the college I'm going to for graduate school doesn't have any programs that would even allow me to apply to be an imageneer [also, not such a big help, although I think I could do the job even without a degree]
), I live in south Florida, and all of my friends like going to universal and I have to beg and plead them to go to Disney for
1 day (while we all have year passes to Universal and have had them for years). This generation DOESN'T respect the 'magic'. This is either because it is fading from Walt's day, they just don't care, or maybe a combination or another reason unknown to me. While I was explaining to one of my friends in my neighborhood (17 y/o) why Disney was better, I was trying to explain the 'magic', and the theming of the rides and how you can't get that type of depth ANYWHERE, how Disney CM's try to take care of you and they actually care instead of just throwing you on a piece of metal, the value of park tickets and hotel pairing and what hotels do for you, etc etc etc. His response to EVERYTHING was, "Universal's rides are better." Not the theming, not the decor, just the ride ITSELF. He proceeded to state (like everyone in my generation does) The hulk, dueling dragons, spiderman, and the mummy. That's it fokes, 4 THRILL rides at 2 parks. Disney has let this generation slip away and they will become permeate Universal fans unless they do something QUICK (and even still it is probably already too late)! This generation is all about thrills, go ahead check the media, see if I'm lying. Bigger and better action movies, jackass, skydiving, going into space to experience weightlessness (im not sure what that's called), younger people seak thrills. By Disney laying back and putting in one roller coaster at it's least appealing park to teens, it's still not going to do anything, because they aren't going to go to see it. I can only get my dad to go to AK, and my friends will only go to DHS because of ToT and RnRC (obviously). I just got back and we road ToT 6x and RnRC 2x...that's IT. That's all everyone else wanted to do, why? Because I was with my own generation and THAT'S what they like, period, the end.
Yes Disney has the magic and that x-factor, that world all of its own, but the next generation will not even take a look. Disney needs young fresh ideas in their imageneering dept. They need to expand there reach to the new generation (or at least whoever they can get a hold of). The reason why people became Disney people (and I totally believe that is true because even though I go to universal I do wear Disney colored glasses), is because of the experiences you hand when you were younger. You grew up with it, it became a second home. Now a days teens are being drug to disney by their loyal Disney parents, complaining all the time about universal! So when they grow up and turn 18, they not only are going to go to the place that has the most thrill rides, and the place they always wanted to go, but they are going to loathe disney.
When Walt was around it was all about not only being on the cutting edge, but being PAST it. A theme park that is actually 2 parks in one!? OH EM GEE, no one had EVER thought of that. Any many other examples I dont need to recite to Disney fans, but the sad fact is Disney is no long on the cutting edge. As many other posters pointed out, wheres the Spiderman technology? Universal has stolen many things from Disney because they didn't want to reinvent the wheel (like speedpasses or whatever they call their fastpasses, single rider lines, etc) You don't even have to go with 5 coasters per park to get teens in the door, just go with the thrills, anyway you can get em. And for those of you who dont know, Islands isn't ALL thrills, they have a ride like the teacups, 3 water rides (1 like splash mountain), a kiddy coaster, 2 shows, and even a complete kid area, so adding some thrills CAN coexist with an already established park. That way you not only keep the regulars, the core Disneyans, but you gather a new generation, because the old generation wont be donating money forever; because death, taxes, and tax evasion are the only 3 things that are guaranteed in life.
Even take a look at universal itself, it consists of two parks, Universal Studios, and Islands of adventure, which one gets larger attendance? Just check the numbers, because those are facts that wont ever change. How about the number of people going into Universal pre Mummy Ride vs Islands of adventure? Or I'll go one step further, Universal's attendance before Islands even came about. I bet WDW just laughed at Universal back then, but they drove their imaginations to the cutting edge, they looked at the market, they saw that they needed thrills, they cut the frills (ambiance, decour, the disney touch, whatever they dont have it), and they delivered a park that gets TEENS (the next generation) in the door in DROVES.
I'm not really sure what to do with DTD to be honest, I dont know too much about it. But I do know about Disneylands downtown disney and I think it's setup is phenomenal. Not only does a monorail go to DTD, BUT they have Disney shops closest to the parks, and as you get further they have other stores people like to frequent, and even further out restaurants. As for DTD east I think it's pretty cool, DTD west is whatever, and PI is dead and something needs to be done quick, people use it like a bridge. The thing is I saw more people at DL's DTD then I do at WDW's DTD. Maybe I'm wrong and the numbers wont back that up or something, but from my experience in cali (and I went 2x, spring and summer) and WDW (I've been like 75x in my life), cali's had more people willing to spend there money, and more places to do it at. Which is sad because everyone knows WDW has way more room so there is sooo much more to work with. The main thing that needs to change though is dead stores. Empty stores, stores with no people in them, and stores where no one buys anything, need to go. They need to put businesses in the empty buildings and they need to put something different in the last two. It doesnt matter if it's a club, or a restaurant, or a candy shop, an apple, an ESPN zone, a strawberry field, WHATEVER. Just add something, because then Disney cant cry about the disney economy, especially since in this instance it is there fault.
Going back to theming for a second, I dont believe that good artistry is great theming. When I say theming I mean rides, like....Dinosaur for instance. You first go in and it looks kinda like a museum. Turn the corner to see a big T-Rex in your face, and as you stand and wait, you hear the story about how the Dinosaurs died out (in partial darkness with the lighting highlighting the three tapestries on the wall), you are then moved into a separate area where you hear Dr.? (who is hilarious "
Seatbelts......put them on.....use them") tell you about your 'mission'. You are then moved to an area that looks like it's straight out of the future, like the basement of some secret government research facility where they are letting you go on this journey to see the past. THAT my friends is theming imo. Yeah I guess to some, a really rock looking piece of plaster in Lost Continent, is good theming, but it isn't good theming to me, just nice artistry. Like the hulk for instance, one of the most popular (if not THE most popular ride), you are in a metal green and silver building, watching a video about the hulk, hes running around screaming and stuff, you hear interviews (all animated of course), etc. You come to find out after all of this that prof banner developed this machine to get rid of his gamma radiation and your going on that machine....? Umm no mention why or anything, its just this machine to cure him is in this building, and your going to get in it to rid yourself of gamma radiation I guess. That isn't theming to me. A cool looking cave (dueling dragons) isnt theming, theming is telling a story not JUST with the look. This is where Disney and Universal fork in the road, one still believes in this theming, crowd control, entertainment, one is all about the thrills. But which one will also get the next generation? Will Disney all of a sudden get the group growing up in and around Universal/Islands, or just like in the past the group that was raised with Disney stays with Disney? Tell me how many people here are willing to switch over and become die hard Universal fans after being Disney fans for so long. That'll tell you the number of people that will cross over in the next generation.
All in all with the land situation (even though Disney is selling ALL of there land inside of Disney and its REALLY irritating, but that's another issue entirely), and the current generation Disney still is on top, but for how long. For those people thinking that Universal is going to die out (because some people say they don't have anyone in the parks, but when I go there is ALWAYS at least a 50% capacity), those who don't evolve perish, and right now our beloved Disney is stuck in the mud.
....just my two pennies....
