WDW Non Believers.

[Sharkreef11]

I lay a lot of the blame on Disney's marketing over the last 5-10 years. Same as they did in some part of the '70s, they relied way too much on characters and childhood things for their image in marketing.


That's awesome! This should be a

Not to mention a place with whitesand beaches, speedboats, interactive zoological experiences, international cuisine, world class golf and hotels with themed pools, lounges, dinner theater, luaus...

That's awesome! Very well put. That is an excellent way to describe WDW on a more mature level.

I used to love inside/ out! I think it would be very benefical to bring that back or something of that kind. Truly showcasing beyond the "castle."

 

[ddbowdoin]

I lay a lot of the blame on Disney's marketing over the last 5-10 years. Same as they did in some part of the '70s, they relied way too much on characters and childhood things for their image in marketing.

Walt used to broadcast from the park, as a backdrop to all kinds of stories; but also showed Louis Armstrong and others performing at Disneyland in more grown-up events. And of course he used to have programs that showcased science, talent, and imagination. Those things we saw translated to the parks as attention to detail.

Likewise, for a while in the late '80s and in the '90s, television programs on The Disney Channel (such as WDW Inside/Out) showed the world all kinds of interesting things, from topiaries to amazing food to EPCOT world showcase. They even had a "National Teachers Awards" sponsored by Disney for a while, which showcase amazing teachers.

And food networks and the travel channel showcased Disney on an adult level, too. They still do sometimes, but cannot do it alone.

The bottom line is that Disney has stopped showcasing anything other than pixie dust and characters to the public.

When was the last time you saw anything other than a castle representing WDW advertising? Why would anyone who has never been there think that it is anything else?

Not to mention a place with whitesand beaches, speedboats, interactive zoological experiences, international cuisine, world class golf and hotels with themed pools, lounges, dinner theater, luaus...

The only counter to that comes from a personal experiences of mine... enjoying some of those things are for the select few. So many of the unique experiences are so expensive, that planning multiple excursions is for the select few... as much as we love WDW we just can't muster up the cash for private boating cruises, renting boats, going parasailing etc etc etc

 

[prberk]

The only counter to that comes from a personal experiences of mine... enjoying some of those things are for the select few. So many of the unique experiences are so expensive, that planning multiple excursions is for the select few... as much as we love WDW we just can't muster up the cash for private boating cruises, renting boats, going parasailing etc etc etc

That's true, but I grew up dreaming about doing it (the speedboats, which I would see from the monorail on my way from the parking lot to the MK), and I grew up to do some of it (the boats!). Same with the hotels. We never had money to stay on property when I was little, but we could stop at the Contemporary, or just look and dream.

And now, of course, there are more moderate hotels on WDW property, and each has a body of water. Port Orleans Riverside and Fort Wilderness even have really good fishing -- for FREE!

My point is that, even when we could not afford everything, we could visit and dream. And today you can experiece some nice things, like dessert at a nice restaurant or a walk along the beach, that still make it special for me without breaking the bank.

So, to me, yes, a lot of it is expensive, but not everything. And the best parts (walking along the beach) don't even cost more. But the main argument was whether there was an adult experience at WDW, and yes there is... but the current promotions don't show it very well.

 

[jtizzle1023]

I guess im lucky, My parents took me for my first time when I was 4, and I have been over 30 times since than. It just grew on me and I decided to make a career out of it so now I just force them to listen to me talk about it and they seem to enjoy it too.