WDW 100 Years of Magic a failure?

[MrPromey]

I know that over the past few months there has been a lot of talk about how poorly Disney has been doing and how the 100 thing is a bust and some people have suggested that it's all Disney Management's fault and that they are a bunch of idiots and so on... Just wanted to post this article that was in a local paper about a week or so ago:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...r03.story?coll=orl-business-headlines-tourism

What's funny, is that after reading it, I suddenly noticed all the WDW promotions going on around me

 

[Maria]

Before I read the article let me tell you, that I haven´t heard as much of Disney as what I heard for the Millennium Celebration. Maybe it was because I was just coming back from there and experienced it for a couple of months, but still.... if it wasn´t for you, I would know very little about the celebrations.

 

[Al]

what would of really given disney a boost, is the opening of a major new ride to tie in with it.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I think a big factor in all this could be that Disney tries to do so many of these "celebrations" that the public is getting sick of it, especially now when people are beginning to realize that the celebrations are little more than a big promotion.

"We really liked the 25th anniversary. Now I think they just try to do some kind of promotion every year," said Barbara Calabrese, an annual Disney World passholder and retired legal secretary who lives in Maitland. "Disney is very original, and what they do for this event is nice, but it gets a little old."

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by Tom Morrow
I think a big factor in all this could be that Disney tries to do so many of these "celebrations" that the public is getting sick of it, especially now when people are beginning to realize that the celebrations are little more than a big promotion.

To be honest, I think the Millennium Celebration was much, much better than this one. I think they were able to tie in many new attractions and improvements with that one that we aren’t seeing with this one. Having been to everything, I don’t think it has nearly as much draw but even Disney has said that they didn’t expect it to… That being said, there is still plenty of new stuff for people that haven’t been in four or five years to do (including much of what they had for the millennium celebration). Disney hasn’t been pushing it all that much though. From that article, we can see that the marketing machine is now in high gear. I think they were wise to hold back as they did and while they may not get a lot of the people who came down for the millennium celebration, I’m sure they’ll be able to attract a good number of those who didn’t make it down here two years ago and I think those are the people they are looking for.

 

[epcot71]

at first do to the timing it seems that disney had hardly any media on the 100 year party-over the last 3 weeks or so in my area anyway-they have blitzed the airways-tv,radio,and magazine/newspaper.mcdonalds has a huge promo now and so does kellogs new disney cereals and many more-this 100 year party was a late bloomer but i think it will catch up with the media blitz now

 

[FutureCEO]

1) they advertise some--not a lot
2) the last one was 2000

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by FutureCEO
1) they advertise some--not a lot
2) the last one was 2000

Did you mean to quote somebody? Maybe it's just me but I'm having a very hard time following your posts today.

 

[MonorailBlack]

I would have to agree with the article. They did not want to promote fun and happiness after what happened...and also no new rides...just bad circumstances...no reall error of theirs...the pins and interactive stuff was a great idea

 

[MKCustodial]

I wasn't able to read the article, but I have to agree. I'm not an American, so the impact of 2001 down here in Brazil was somewhat easier. But if Disney had gone full force with a campaign for a party, everybody would be eyeing them. I was there for the Millenium Celebration, and loved it. I really did everything I could within my power to come back for the 100 Years Party, but my girlfriend can't travel during December, so we're going on January.
Ok, so some people think they're always having a celebration, and that the Millenium was already a big one to be followed by another one so fast, but do you really think they wouldn't celebrate their creator and mentor? And park anniversaries, that we'll always have, just like we all have birthday parties.

 

[wdwmaniac]

You can see Disney Corpate Sponser coming out to give the celebration some help.

 

[Passport]

What does 100 years of magic mean anyway? Was Walt creating magic as soon as he was born?

 

[epcot71]

Originally posted by Passport
What does 100 years of magic mean anyway? Was Walt creating magic as soon as he was born?

celebrates his birth-he was at a very young age drawing and yes creating magic eraly in his life.he wouls draw animals around his barn in missouri all the time.he didnt come out of his mother with a pencil in his hand but soon after.

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by Passport
What does 100 years of magic mean anyway? Was Walt creating magic as soon as he was born?

Actually, if you know much about him or even if you don't and have gotten everything you know from the movie at MGM about his life, you would know that there was always something unique about him - it all started long before his professional career.

 

[mkt]

for the crap money they invested in it, it's not too bad, but for integrity's sake, i refuse to acknowlege 100 yrs. as a celebration but rather as a waste of talent

 

[spagmoid]

100 YOM was an Eisner quick cash gimmick that didn't work.

They cut maintenance budgets, new ride budgets, built spinners instead of E ticket's, tore down classic rides that were too expensive to maintain, and they put up a bunch of kiosks to tell us about a "celebration". All you have to do is read the 100YOM pamphlet and suddenly you realize 'this is a bunch of fluff!'
And they are still calling RnRC "new"...

 

[cm1988]

Wheat and Chaff of the 100 Years...

the chaff...

• Big hat gift shop at the Studios
• Changing 'Tapestry of Nations' to 'Tapestry of Dreams'
• The plastic pins

the wheat...

• Nice tribute to Walt at the Studios (based on the Disney Story formerly at MK... but with better exhibits)
• MK's snow globe parade
• Dino-rama (you might call them 'B' or 'C' ticket attractions, but more to do!) at Animal Kingdom
• Animal Kingdom parade
• Figment is back!