Walt Disney World: "Too Big For Its Own Good"?

[justintheharris]

Well, if you look at Disneyland Resort with only two parks, the E tickets and technology only need to be split two ways. That’s why Star Tours and Indiana Jones Adventure are also in Disneyland Park. And because Disneyland Park has x many more E tickets, the lines are much shorter. This is another regard in which WDW is too big for its own good.

 

[marni1971]

I'm curious to hear what Epcot Center visitors think of this passage.

So, you know, what they did was they created these massive buildings which, yeah at first housed popular attractions. But, in my opinion, the attractions really weren't that good. They were...not high-quality versions what they should've been.

I've never experienced Epcot Center, though what I've seen looks well thought out, optimistic, and some of the best of WED Imagineering.

Everyone’s entitled to an opinion.

Even if they’re wrong.

 

[mousekedoc]

Mid 80’s visits while a teen for me were both awe inspiring and boring. I really enjoyed the E tickets but found the other experiences ho hum. Probably because at ages 18-21, it takes a lot to impress a thick headed know it all kid. That said, I believe EPCOT has always been a place with a little bit for everyone, and not a place that has everything for everyone. It’s crumbling into a mire of neglect over the past 20 years has been a heartbreak for more of us than TDO would be willing to admit. What is about to happen in the next several years seems to be addressing both nastalgia and a need to appeal to a wider audience. But it has never been too big.

 

[Raineman]

I'm guessing from the way that's phrased that the commenter is a Disneyland fanboy. At Disneyland (less so at DCA), everything is crammed on top of everything else do there's much more to do per square foot. I can't think of any objective reason why one would be better than another, so it's a matter of personal preference. I personally like space.

It seems to me that Disneyland fanboys will use any excuse to bury WDW. Usually an excess of space would be a good thing, but because DLR has limited space, the fanboys accuse WDW of having "too much". It gets a little tiring when DLR fans constantly treat WDW like a red-headed stepchild, and treat DLR like it is hallowed ground just because "Walt walked there".

 

[BoarderPhreak]

WDW is like your hard drive - no matter how big you think it is, you'll always fill it.

 

[justintheharris]

It seems to me that Disneyland fanboys will use any excuse to bury WDW. Usually an excess of space would be a good thing, but because DLR has limited space, the fanboys accuse WDW of having "too much". It gets a little tiring when DLR fans constantly treat WDW like a red-headed stepchild, and treat DLR like it is hallowed ground just because "Walt walked there".

So, I'm an Orlando local and I personally love Disneyland better and I feel there's many legitimate reasons to do so. Since there are only two parks, the technology doesn't need to be as spread out. Disneyland Park has substantially more attractions than Magic Kingdom (and typically DLR has the better versions) and due to this, the lines are significantly shorter. They rarely hit 100 minutes at Disneyland while 100 minutes in Magic Kingdom is just the norm these days. Also, they use the paper fastpass system which is first come first served and I feel that system is more fair especially to guests who go for one day in their whole life and have no ability to book fastpasses prior to their visit. At Disneyland, you can walk between California Adventure and Disneyland Park and back and forth numerous times in one day and it is so much more convenient than the ever so unpredictable busses of Disney World. I could list a few more reasons why I like Disneyland better but I'll leave it there for the sake of keeping the focus on Disney World being too big for its own good. On the other hand, the size of Disney World does allow for more distinctive themes in each park and we do have some unique attractions that Disneyland does not and never will have. So I can completely understand why people like Walt Disney World better. However, there is a substantial argument to be made that Disneyland's smaller size is advantageous and that the resort is overall superior and it has little to do with "Walt walked there." If you've never been to Disneyland, I recommend going and trying it with an open mind.

 

[Rumrunner]

The size was fine in the 80s and most of the 90s when the public could be entertained by far less complex attractions and, for example, booths in those massive Epcot buildings. Now we can walk around with high quality entertainment in our pocket. Our appetites and desires to be "dazzled" have far exceeded Disney's ability to keep up. We probably remember constantly being dazzled in those earlier times without considering that our standards have been exponentially raised as tech has become cheaper and more accessible outside of the parks. Now, when we come back, we wonder... "Is this it? Was this always it? Why does Epcot feel so... empty?"

We took our oldest child in 1975 and again in 1976. We were so impressed and overwhelmed with the Haunted Mansion and the technology.

We go often now and am still impressed with the technology in the HM.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

He's wrong, and he's NOT wrong. Really, this comes down to what you prefer. Disneyland as most of us who have experienced both sides of the coast is the original, the one that started it all and has more charm and quaintness to it. It is the superior park compared to Magic Kingdom because it utilizes its space a lot better and you can walk to everything in the entire resort.

WDW is different. It was purposely built with all of that land in mind. If you want space, you've got it. Epcot you have to do a lot of walking to experience it. My legs were just burning at the end of the night but it was worth it. We always see places that look neat to explore. For example, they are probably just staff lunch rooms for all we know but it is neat to wonder what is behind certain doors. Epcot for instance needs space to make it worthwhile. You want to experience each country as if you are in it, and you need space for this.

Other parts of the resort, the space is what makes it grand. Check out Disney Springs, it's huge, but if you ever want to kill literally a half an hour you can take a boat ride to Old Key West resort. In between you are pretty much just on a river in the middle of the woods but you are in Disney World! To me this is neat, almost romantic in a way if you want it to be. Simple, really, and that's all that it needs to be. I will admit Magic Kingdom could add some more rides and spread out the lines a bit better, but the resort overall needs that space and this is what makes it special. This is why a monorail ride from Epcot to Magic Kingdom takes a few minutes, and you are glad for it. There is lots to see.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

It's too big for it's inefficient, bus-centric transportation system IMO, to say nothing of the delays with the monorails. Park hopping sounds like fun until it takes you an hour to get there.

I'm hoping the gondolas will help with this and that they're only the beginning.

 

[Patcheslee]

I think you are on point with most everything you said, but Epcot has significant usable space that was once in use and simply is not anymore. The park is literally a shell and many buildings are simply a facsade in many areas of FW. All said, I am glad Disney is finally taking notice and starting projects that should reverse the issue.

Our first visit in 2017 Epcot was the one that had me asking why so many buildings not being used. That being said we went when Mission:Space was closed for refurb and TT closed both days for all day rain so half of Futureworld seemed like a ghost town. I guess it was a good thing we didn't have as many attractions to visit because World Showcase was what impressed DD8 the most with being able to see even a tiny picture of a country being represented. I'll be happy to see it in a few years time.

 

[SpaceCoast]

What are they supposed to do? Make it smaller?

 

[Damon7777]

. I understand where he's coming from. There are parts of the resort(WDW) that are underutilized.

There must be 90% or more of undeveloped acreage.....meaning the ratio of overall land to guest utility is laughably low.

People tout how big WDW is, as if that is a good thing:
"Disneyworld is 45 square miles, the same approx. size as San Francisco"

as if I'm supposed to be impressed.


The property is so vast that it does the guest a disservice.

 

[Damon7777]

Usually an excess of space would be a good thing,

That doesn't look right.

Excessive by any honest and working definition is undesirable, yes, including land...... clearly it carries a negative connotation.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Body Wars was a not Minor Attraction in Wonders of Life. Body Wars was a E-ticket ride. Epcot lost an E-ticket ride when Disney decided that building was going to be used as a festival center for certain times of the year.

You basically called Simulators minor attractions since that is what Body Wars was. Simulator attractions are not minor attractions to say the least and they are a type of a thrill ride.

It was definitely a minor attraction towards the last decade it survived. I remember walking around WoL in the early 2000's when I was little during the busiest times of the year and WoL was completely empty. I wasn't complaining, though. I rode Body Wars and watched Cranium Command over and over and over again without ever having to wait.

 

[FutureCEO]

I'm curious to hear what Epcot Center visitors think of this passage.

So, you know, what they did was they created these massive buildings which, yeah at first housed popular attractions. But, in my opinion, the attractions really weren't that good. They were...not high-quality versions what they should've been.

I've never experienced Epcot Center, though what I've seen looks well thought out, optimistic, and some of the best of WED Imagineering.

Epcot is or was my favorite park. I have yet to decide with all these new changes. But Horizon and World of Motion far exceeds Test Track and Mission Space.

 

[Damon7777]

It was definitely a minor attraction towards the last decade it survived. I remember walking around WoL in the early 2000's when I was little during the busiest times of the year and WoL was completely empty.

It looks like you are labeling an attraction "minor" based on its popularity or lackthereof. As lousy as it was, and it was absolutely terrible, Body Wars was most certainly NOT a minor attraction, not at its inception nor at its demise. It was modeled after the 'E' level experience Star Tours over at MGM at the time. The fact that few liked it doesn't change its scope, scale or ambition even if misguided and embarrassing.

 

[Robbiem]

The problems with WDW aren’t the size of the resort but the lack of planning over the past few decades. If Disney had kept to a master plan for the resort and connected everything by monorail wedway etc it would flow better but since the mid 80s random development has left traveling around the resort the resort feeling a lot the cities people escape when they travel to Florida

 

[JohnD]

I was listening to a Youtube Disney Parks Livestream and the news of the upcoming Epcot Play Pavillion came up. One of the commentators brought his opinion on the matter that spoke to his larger criticism of Walt Disney World. Here's a transcription as best I could make.

"This goes back to what I've been saying, which is, Walt Disney World is too big for its own good.

Because, like, look at Epcot. They have so much room and so much space, and they built it up so quickly. There was no time to let it naturally expand. They felt like "Well, we can't build this giant theme park and not have anything in it."

So, you know, what they did was they created these massive buildings which, yeah at first housed popular attractions. But, in my opinion, the attractions really weren't that good. They were...not high-quality versions what they should've been.

I just feel like Disney World is too big for its own good. It's full of a bunch of what I call nothingness, you know, in order to fill the gaps."

I decided to share this with you guys because it's an interesting outlook on the resort. I understand where he's coming from. There are parts of the resort that are underutilized. But I think he's overlooking the stuff WDW has to offer. It's not perfect, nor even what Walt fully intended, but it's a resort that has a lot of love put into it from the beginning to this day (even with all the junk seeping through). I'm not explaining my disagreement well, but it's the best I can say.

What do you guys think?

Well, I'm not one of them, but there are plenty who think WDW needs a fifth gate. That doesn't sound like too big for them.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

We've diverged into another DL vs WDW thread.....Whooo Hooo.

Look you can make arguments both ways: DL IaSW vs MK IaSW. DL Splash v MK Splash. DL SM v MK SM. Yipee we can all find faults or positives with both positions. At the end of the day if you want to argue that IaSW's outdoor beginning is better than MK's indoor one... and that a Plantation Haunted House is a better optic than a Victorian one......great - go for it.

But let's talk about World Showcase, and Animal Kingdom, and the Poly, or the Wilderness Lodge, and Typhoon Lagoon, and the Hoop Dee Doo.......on and on and on.....DL doesn't have the scale......sorry. DL is a nice park and it does some things better...but WDW is a better destination......it's not even close. The scale makes it that way.

So WDW hasn't gotten too big for it's own good. Then think that you have places on WDW property that are not Disney owned that are better than Disney owned places (see Bull and Bear.....Shula's.....Capa.....).

Now, if you want a discussion of how WDW hasn't maximized some of it's space.....parks or otherwise.....sure.......that's valid....and subject to an entirely new thread.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Well, I'm not one of them, but there are plenty who think WDW needs a fifth gate. That doesn't sound like too big for them.

100% agree. Do more with the parks and enhance what you have. How the hell does the "Africa Outpost" in EPCOT still even exist? There is still a huge amount of space that still exists in the current infrastructure that they have literally done nothing with cough Innoventions cough