networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
I did pick up the 45th anniversary AP pin on Sunday.
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WDW 45th Anniversary
- Thread starter TTA94
- Start date
The Emporium only has the light blue version. Annoyingly.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
Then is the navy blue version just a Photoshopped shirt? Does it even exist?
Horizons1
Well-Known Member
Did they really shame them? Or did TDO see they could make more money off something else. It cost them almost nothing to put on Epcot's 25th, AK's 10th, MK's 40th, etc. A few "guest" speakers, a few characters, and a lot of overpriced merchandise. It's minimal effort, maximum gain. The bloggers and pixie dusters will flock there. The merchandise and "treats" will fly off the shelves, and TDO will be making more money for doing very little.
I don't know I'm afraid.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
There was much resistance on TDO's part, So yes the local fanbase shamed them. You have a management team too frightened to order sufficient snacks at Gasparilla's at the GF so the munchies run out by 7 or so lest they be dinged for having unsold perishable merchandise.
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
There will be 400 UCF students at the Magic Kingdom on Saturday mainly FTIC students in special programs.
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
NOOOO, I was planning on visiting the park to celebrate its birthday
But really, is this any different than a normal day? I'm sure there at least 400 Knights there on any given Saturday
Lol yes. Many of our students work there. But with it being a Saturday and a celebration, ucf students won't make a dent.
Horizons1
Well-Known Member
ucf students? I think that's worse than the bloggers.
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
Yes lol. They are all coming
Crazydisneyfanluke
Well-Known Member
I agree.You have a lot of hate for UCF, why? Its a nice school and the student body is no less obnoxious than most
Sonconato
Well-Known Member
It's sad to say that times sure have changed.
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Not all of them were locals...
The 'spearhead' that began the fan movement that eventually grew into the 25th Event lived in Massachusetts.
Still does.
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Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Yes.
Disney originally had no plans to publically celebrate or honor Epcot's 25th Anniversary.
Only private, backstage gatherings for Cast Members were planned.
A press interview noting nothing planned upset a lot of long term fans of the Park, but one of them decided to do something about it.
It was on this very Forum that a poster created a thread rallying fans to show up on October 1st and 'celebrate regardless' and it changed history.
Soon a few other fans joined in and offered to help make it happen and it snowballed into a big deal at the time.
A small but dedicated team of fans banded together via that thread to help arrange the different activities we planned for the day, and word started to spread like wildfire.
It recieved so much attention that the Orlando Sentinal ran a story about this 'fan uprising' and Disney did a complete turnaround in attitude.
The 'fan rally' gathered so much support and media attention, Disney now felt they had to do something.....and they did!
It was soon officially announced that Epcot would indeed be getting a special Park wide , public celebration.
Special ceremonies, limited edition merch, park maps, pins, menu items, and more were lined up.
This is commonplace today, but in 2007 it was eye opening ....exspecially when nothing was originally planned to happen!
We ended up having a massive gathering of thousands of fans, Cast ( past and present ), WDW Management, Imagineers, and Disney personalities who all came to town to take part.
Marty Sklar was even there and did several presentations that day in the Park.
Not bad for a few fans who banded together and made a real difference.
How do I know this...?
Because I was the one who posted that original thread right here, and started it all.
The fans made their voice heard, and Disney did a complete turnaround.
What a marvelous turnaround it was, too.
A good article covering what happened is here -
http://www.yesterland.com/epcot25.html
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ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
Not all of them were locals...
The 'spearhead' that began the fan movement that eventually grew into the 25th Event lived in Massachusetts.
Still does.
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That I did not know, But still why did it take Disney fans to shame TDO into what most companies would have celebrated on their own?
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
At the time, I think the Company just didn't have any interest.
Epcot was a bit of a afterthought in WDWs managements' eyes at the time.
This was before the days of social media as we know it today, a few years before D23 existed, and the trend of having 'Park Anniversary' celebrations had waned a bit.
They needed a reminder that these are appreciated, and our 'Epcot rally' did just that.
I have always felt that the success of the Epcot 25th happenings showed WDW management that these types of things are still important to people.
They certainly took note of the merch sales, and wanted info from our organizational team about all sorts of 'Guest data'.
So they were definitely watching us very closely.
They certainly took notice of what was going on, and after we made press they could'nt do enough for us afterwards.
A real 'rolling out of the red carpet'.
At that time, it was a big deal in the fan community and a major victory for Epcot enthusiasts.
What is ironic - a few years later D23 was created, and a few years after that they held there own 'Epcot 30th Anniversary' event at the Contemporary.
It was'nt free, or in the actual Park, like our Event was but there were some similarities.
Hmmm..wonder where they got that idea from.....?
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wogwog
Well-Known Member
This was passed on to me by a cast member about the celebration on October 1st.
Try to curb your enthusiasm.
"Walt Disney World Guests will get an anniversary button upon entry Oct. 1 at our four theme parks – Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park – while supplies last.
They can also also view the Walt Disney World 45th Anniversary Show at the Magic Kingdom Castle Forecourt Stage, at 9:30 a.m.. Share in the excitement as Walt Disney World President George A. Kalogridis, the Walt Disney World Ambassador team and others remember and celebrate the realization of Walt’s Disney’s East Coast dream."
Try to curb your enthusiasm.
"Walt Disney World Guests will get an anniversary button upon entry Oct. 1 at our four theme parks – Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park – while supplies last.
They can also also view the Walt Disney World 45th Anniversary Show at the Magic Kingdom Castle Forecourt Stage, at 9:30 a.m.. Share in the excitement as Walt Disney World President George A. Kalogridis, the Walt Disney World Ambassador team and others remember and celebrate the realization of Walt’s Disney’s East Coast dream."
aladdin2007
Well-Known Member
curb your enthusiasm for sure, that guest line up is anything but exciting. I wonder when was the last time Kalogridis actually stepped foot in the parks?
WEDwaydatamover
Well-Known Member
I had lunch with the WDW Ambassadors last week at the Contemporary. It was like eating with Barbie and Ken. They never stop smiling or posing it up. A little goes a long way. They live on the cat walk it seems. The Cheshire cat walk.