Walt Disney World's new marketing campaign - 'The Magic is Endless'

[CaptainAmerica]

But there is "New"!!!


Their advertisements focus on more than one thing. A WDW vacation is not about one single attraction. It's a combination of everything. It's a felling of whimsy, and nostalgia, and entertainment, and much more. It's why I tear up at Wishes, the EWP, and the MSEP. Those were staples of my childhood. I'm disappointed that MSEP is no more, but I am excited to watch Stormtroopers March down the street while holding my child's hand. Are the Stormtroopers as "grand" as the MSEP? Of course not, but to me they don't need to be. The magic is created by an experience, and by sharing that experience (now), new or old, with my child.
The Sky Ride and Mr Toad's were my favorite attractions outside of Space Mountain at MK. I still survived and found new things to love when those ended.


I think what bothers me is like I said, the overwhelming amount of negativity towards Disney on a Disney forum. How does that even make sense?
Look at the Trip Planning section. All of these self proclaimed "Disney Experts" and "Disney Lovers" are almost no where to be found.. Unless it's injecting a negative opinion on one event or another.
Today I asked "What are the logistics on eating qs meals at GF when Gasparilla's is closed?" Crickets. Someone else asks a question about Wishes viewing- mostly sarcastic responses. Someone asks about HS- responses telling them it's an empty park and to skip it. Look at a post by WDW magic about the new Jingle Bells event at HS. Plenty of "oh well it won't be as good as the Osbourne lights". Here's what goes thru my mind when I read that- "umm ok, I'll never be 29 again either." It's irrelevant!! You can't stay stuck in the past.

At some point people must get tired of their own incessant sarcasm and complaining, one would think anyway. There are people here who still do appreciate Disney..and it's just grating to see so many bad attitudes on every thread. Call us "pixie dusters", I call it being excited about a place that we love.

I think what a lot of people are blind to is the fact that THEY have changed, not just Disney. When they say "Disney isn't as magical as it used to be," maybe they need to do some introspection and realize that some of the loss of magic is because they're 42 years old and the ones paying the bills. Obviously that's inherently less magical than the first time they rode Horizons when they were 9.

 

[SorcererMC]

I think what a lot of people are blind to is the fact that THEY have changed, not just Disney. When they say "Disney isn't as magical as it used to be," maybe they need to do some introspection and realize that some of the loss of magic is because they're 42 years old and the ones paying the bills. Obviously that's inherently less magical than the first time they rode Horizons when they were 9.

It's funny you say that about experiencing WDW at different ages because I was thinking that would be a good marketing ploy/strategy for Gen Xers and millennials who went as kids and now go as parents. (There are a couple of commercials that do this already). And it's something that a WDW commercial could do while UO probably could not (yet).

 

[SorcererMC]

Just catching up on the war between the "pixie dusters" and the "Disney haters" when I read your post.
That was a rather snide comment on your part. My concerns, other than about Disney, are none of your business. However, my biggest concern, at the moment, is packing for a three week trip to the Orlando area which, incidentally, does not include a visit to any of the Disney parks..If all is well, our next Disney visit will probably be sometime after Pandora opens.
Since I am 83 ( my husband of 57 years is 82), and any unofficial scuttlebut has the next night parade at the Magic Kingdom arriving for it's 50th birthday in 2021, we would be 89 and 88 Realistically. at that age, even if we're still above ground , we may not be able to travel.
When and if you are in your eighties, let us know how it works out for you.
For us the night time parade in the Magic Kingdom was one of the most magical parts of the park. We will sorely miss it. And, I repeat, based on Disney's current practices, don't hold your breath waiting for the next one.

I'm glad you called that comment out b/c I'm pretty sure that plenty of grandparents 65+ go to the parks with their grandchildren and spend on extras (souvenirs or experiences) for them aka a valuable consumer market for WDW. There's no reason to belittle others and how they may experience the parks due to age (or health for that matter).

 

[pax_65]

Speaking for myself, I'm excited for the new stuff at WDW. I always have been, which is why I started coming on these boards in the first place. I'm old enough to remember watching Splash Mountain rising up over the Magic Kingdom, and hearing the cars testing on Test Track for the first time and saying, "Wow! What is that?" I'm also a HUGE Star Wars fan, so I can't wait for SWL to open.

So yes, when that stuff opens I plan to be there to experience it. But until then? Meh. I have to look at it logically. There's plenty of other stuff to see and do. And I just don't see the value in a Disney vacation that I once did. Yes, there is still value to be had but compared to years ago, not nearly as much. Costs keep going up and what you get has gone down. I think many of us, myself included, don't fully appreciate how much money we spend on a Disney vacation. For my family of 4, our park passes for our last trip were somewhere around $1,800 alone. Again, it's not strictly a financial decision but when I think about what kind of vacation I could take with the money I spend in Disney, it opens my eyes a bit.

 

[21stamps]

Speaking for myself, I'm excited for the new stuff at WDW. I always have been, which is why I started coming on these boards in the first place. I'm old enough to remember watching Splash Mountain rising up over the Magic Kingdom, and hearing the cars testing on Test Track for the first time and saying, "Wow! What is that?" I'm also a HUGE Star Wars fan, so I can't wait for SWL to open.

So yes, when that stuff opens I plan to be there to experience it. But until then? Meh. I have to look at it logically. There's plenty of other stuff to see and do. And I just don't see the value in a Disney vacation that I once did. Yes, there is still value to be had but compared to years ago, not nearly as much. Costs keep going up and what you get has gone down. I think many of us, myself included, don't fully appreciate how much money we spend on a Disney vacation. For my family of 4, our park passes for our last trip were somewhere around $1,800 alone. Again, it's not strictly a financial decision but when I think about what kind of vacation I could take with the money I spend in Disney, it opens my eyes a bit.

Ok I'm giving up on this thread.lol.

What you just stated is again a personal decision, because you are changing. I do not advocate Disney as a family's only vacation experience. No way. It wasn't my experience growing up, and it won't be my child's. Doesn't mean someone is wrong if they only do Disney, just not what I want to do. It also doesn't mean that I love Disney any less than someone else.
There is plenty that you can do with similar overall cost, and you should go to try other things! It does not equate to 'Disney is bad.' It just means that there is a great big world out there..and why not experience as much as we can?

Does this statement make me a "Pixie Duster" or not?lol. I absolutely adore WDW, I also have absolutely 0 guilt about traveling elswhere as well.

 

[NearTheEars]

I sometimes wonder if it's a good or bad thing that my first visit wasn't until 2010.

I no longer have the rose-colored glasses that I had after our first few visits that inspired me to seek out a fan forum. Among my first posts was a passionate one, railing against all the negativity I was met with when I arrived here. And since then, I've seen several new members go through that.

The vocal majority here says the 90s were the last time WDW was truly worth it, and they long for 70s and 80s.

On the opposite side, others say the parks are better than ever.

I, six years later, fall into the middle. And that's mostly due to the price increases. The upcharge events and current attraction lineup (possibly aside from DHS) don't bother me right now. But as prices continue to skyrocket the magic starts to wear off.

I'm happy that I'm not as angry as some are, but I have been told constantly that that's just because I never experienced the old days. They assure me that in this case, it's not just about perception or faded memories. It truly was better.

Maybe that's for the best. Maybe it's not. I'm torn. But right the only future roadblock I see is possibly being priced out.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Giving a list of new restaurants and shops doesn't exactly invoke excitement. FEA replaced Maelstrom. New Soarin' film replaced the old Soarin' film. New entertainment options replaced outgoing entertainment options. A Star Wars walk-through replaced an Animation walk-through.

@LuvtheGoof: How many hard/special ticketed events were there in the 70's and 80's compared with today? You act as if there were Halloween and Christmas parties galore back then. The first MVMCP's were 2 days in December 1988. The first MNSSHP was originally only on Halloween in the mid-to-late 1990's.

Some want to talk about value, but value is a perception. And then they downplay others' perceptions of value?? All you do there is put your perceptions as more important/above those of others, and generally make yourselves look like jerks in the process. Well done. Go celebrate with a cupcake.

What's more impressive are the ticket price increases, and what's been done to justify them. After all, if Disney wants to charge more for admission, there's bound to be a list of new rides and attractions to bring people in, right? Here's the list of actual new rides and attractions (that haven't replaced something else) in the past 12 months:

 

[Andrew C]

Giving a list of new restaurants and shops doesn't exactly invoke excitement. FEA replaced Maelstrom. New Soarin' film replaced the old Soarin' film. New entertainment options replaced outgoing entertainment options. A Star Wars walk-through replaced an Animation walk-through.

Some want to talk about value, but value is a perception. And then they downplay others' perceptions of value?? All you do there is put your perceptions as more important/above those of others, and generally make yourselves look like jerks in the process. Well done. Go celebrate with a cupcake.

Whats the deal? Someone asked another to list all recent new openings/additions to the resort and that is what happened...

I think everyone is quite aware that no new e-tickets have opened recently and the new rides that have opened were replacements and/or updates of others...

 

[pax_65]

On the opposite side, others say the parks are better than ever.

Even with my negativity I think you could make an argument that the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are the best they've ever been. I'm not sure I'd agree (losing the nighttime parade really hurts MK). AK isn't all that different from the day EE opened 10 years ago, but hopefully Pandora will change that. Still, when you look at the cost of a park pass today I'd say the value you get from those parks is NOT at an all-time high.

There can be no argument made that Epcot and the Studios are anywhere near the best they've ever been. So when you look at the value of your pass across all 4 parks, it is much lower than it's been in years past. I expect the new additions the Studios will help but until then...

 

[pax_65]

Ok I'm giving up on this thread.lol.

What you just stated is again a personal decision, because you are changing. I do not advocate Disney as a family's only vacation experience. No way. It wasn't my experience growing up, and it won't be my child's. Doesn't mean someone is wrong if they only do Disney, just not what I want to do. It also doesn't mean that I love Disney any less than someone else.
There is plenty that you can do with similar overall cost, and you should go to try other things! It does not equate to 'Disney is bad.' It just means that there is a great big world out there..and why not experience as much as we can?

Does this statement make me a "Pixie Duster" or not?lol. I absolutely adore WDW, I also have absolutely 0 guilt about traveling elswhere as well.

Don't leave, I just came back!

It is my personal opinion about Disney and my personal decision to reduce the frequency of my visits, but I think if you had a lot of time on your hands you could sit down and put numbers on the value that a Disney vacation provides, and see that value has diminished considerably in the past 10 years.

That's really my bottom line. Disney is still "magical". You can still have a fantastic family vacation there. I know, I just had yet another one in May. But I wouldn't say the magic is endless. I'd say there's less of it than in the past, and it will cost you more to get it. And because I love Disney, that bums me out.

 

[pax_65]

What's more impressive are the ticket price increases, and what's been done to justify them. After all, if Disney wants to charge more for admission, there's bound to be a list of new rides and attractions to bring people in, right? Here's the list of actual new rides and attractions (that haven't replaced something else) in the past 12 months:

^THIS. It's not just about what's available in the parks, it's about how much you are paying to experience them (and to a lesser extent, how much time you get in the parks to enjoy them - park hours, park closed for ticketed events, etc.). "Value" = what you get vs. how much money you pay out.

 

[SorcererMC]

Giving a list of new restaurants and shops doesn't exactly invoke excitement.

Thanks for saying this because I didn't want to break that list down into shopping/dining (retail/$) and themed entertainment. Not all new offerings are created equal; as such, that list comes close to using the 'fallacy of composition' (what is true of one or some part is true of the whole, ie an increase in the quality of shopping and dining experience increases the quality of entertainment experience or the overall experience). Disney's investment focus on this would seem errant if it weren't for international tourists who spend on average, 2x on shopping and dining. Nor do I object to Disney staying on top of shopping/dining trends, but it does contribute to a boom-and-bust cycle.

It's fine if shopping and dining 'floats your boat' so to speak, but that's not going to work for everyone in the context of a theme park vacation.

 

[Minthorne]

I am in a logical dilemma:

The Magic is Endless but Check Out is at 11am!

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Giving a list of new restaurants and shops doesn't exactly invoke excitement. FEA replaced Maelstrom. New Soarin' film replaced the old Soarin' film. New entertainment options replaced outgoing entertainment options. A Star Wars walk-through replaced an Animation walk-through.

@LuvtheGoof: How many hard/special ticketed events were there in the 70's and 80's compared with today? You act as if there were Halloween and Christmas parties galore back then. The first MVMCP's were 2 days in December 1988. The first MNSSHP was originally only on Halloween in the mid-to-late 1990's.

Some want to talk about value, but value is a perception. And then they downplay others' perceptions of value?? All you do there is put your perceptions as more important/above those of others, and generally make yourselves look like jerks in the process. Well done. Go celebrate with a cupcake.

What's more impressive are the ticket price increases, and what's been done to justify them. After all, if Disney wants to charge more for admission, there's bound to be a list of new rides and attractions to bring people in, right? Here's the list of actual new rides and attractions (that haven't replaced something else) in the past 12 months:

Actually, there was a party called Halloween Hysteria in 1979 that closed the park to regular guests at 9PM. No, there weren't as many as now, but they were still there. My question is: since it doesn't affect your vacation at all, minus a few days that MK closes early - and you have 3 other parks, 2 water parks, DS, and resort hotels available - what difference does it make how many hard ticket events there are?????

Yup, value is definitely a perception, and if WDW doesn't hold it for you anymore, then stop going. And then since you are no longer going, you won't have to worry about being disappointed with WDW.. I don't care if others don't see the value, and I won't downplay it. That is their right and personal opinion. What I don't understand is why, if WDW holds no value for you, do you come here on a message board to complain about it???? Just to make yourself feel better? To convince others not to go, since you don't think it worthwhile? You do know it will make not one whit of difference to Disney.

Oh, and I did not list one single shop in my list. Lot's of entertainment and restaurants. A few updated attractions. He asked what was new in the last 12 months, and the list I gave wasn't even a complete list. Again, just because YOU don't care about any of it, doesn't mean that a lot of us won't enjoy the new offerings. Are they new "E" tickets? No, but those are coming starting next year with Pandora, with more to follow.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Even with my negativity I think you could make an argument that the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are the best they've ever been. I'm not sure I'd agree (losing the nighttime parade really hurts MK). AK isn't all that different from the day EE opened 10 years ago, but hopefully Pandora will change that. Still, when you look at the cost of a park pass today I'd say the value you get from those parks is NOT at an all-time high.

There can be no argument made that Epcot and the Studios are anywhere near the best they've ever been. So when you look at the value of your pass across all 4 parks, it is much lower than it's been in years past. I expect the new additions the Studios will help but until then...

I agree that some will not see the value, and that's fine. Don't go (not aimed at you personally). But for us, we are DVC and AP holders every year. We spend about 20 park days a year, which works out to $27 per day, with park hopper, which we do almost every day. We have long broken even with our DVC points, so maintenance fees only. So for us, and I will absolutely admit that it doesn't work for everyone, it works for us, and is still a great value.

The studios is getting a lot of love now, and hopefully, EPCOT will soon. I agree that MK and AK are the best right now. Oh, and while the night parade is gone, there is no way that they will wait until the 50th for a new one. We'll have to wait and see on that.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Thanks for saying this because I didn't want to break that list down into shopping/dining (retail/$) and themed entertainment. Not all new offerings are created equal; as such, that list comes close to using the 'fallacy of composition' (what is true of one or some part is true of the whole, ie an increase in the quality of shopping and dining experience increases the quality of entertainment experience or the overall experience). Disney's investment focus on this would seem errant if it weren't for international tourists who spend on average, 2x on shopping and dining. Nor do I object to Disney staying on top of shopping/dining trends, but it does contribute to a boom-and-bust cycle.

It's fine if shopping and dining 'floats your boat' so to speak, but that's not going to work for everyone in the context of a theme park vacation.

There was not one single shopping item on my list. If you think that WDW is a "theme" park visit, then you are doing it wrong. It is so much more than that, and you are selling it and yourself short by not doing the hundred other activities that it offers.

 

[pax_65]

My question is: since it doesn't affect your vacation at all, minus a few days that MK closes early - and you have 3 other parks, 2 water parks, DS, and resort hotels available - what difference does it make how many hard ticket events there are?????

Tonight during MNSSHP, none of the other parks are open after 9pm.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Tonight during MNSSHP, none of the other parks are open after 9pm.

So DS, monorail crawl, many lounges, resort pool, visit the Boardwalk, movies under the stars at many resorts. C'mon, again, there is more to WDW than the flippin' theme parks. You do know that advertising in the 70's really pitched all the extra stuff at WDW, instead of just the theme park. Well, there is even more to do now.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Tonight during MNSSHP, none of the other parks are open after 9pm.

Oh, and checking the official WDW calendar, the MK is open until 1AM tonight. There is no party tonight.

 

[SorcererMC]

There was not one single shopping item on my list. If you think that WDW is a "theme" park visit, then you are doing it wrong. It is so much more than that, and you are selling it and yourself short by not doing the hundred other activities that it offers.

WDW = theme park industry firm (subset of tourism and hospitality). To be clear - you are not responsible for the content of that list (Disney is), you only posted it. My post is in regards to its content.