WDW & UOR Development Timeline

[WDW95]

It seems like nowadays a lot of people on these boards are complaining that WDW has become too stagnant and that UOR is really expanding at a rapid rate. People say that WDW needs to "keep up with the Jonses" and add new attractions. While I would like to see new attractions all the time at Disney and Universal, it would not make sense. Looking at the historical timeline of new attractions added at either resort will show whether Disney has not been adding attractions like it had in the past and if Universal really is adding more.

WDW Development Timeline (1971-2014)
Magic Kingdom - Purple (dark purple: new attraction to increase capacity; light purple: replacement new attraction)
Epcot - Orange (dark orange: new attraction to increase capacity; light orange: replacement new attraction)
Hollywood Studios - Blue (dark blue: new attraction to increase capacity; light blue: replacement new attraction)
Animal Kingdom - Green (dark green: new attraction to increase capacity; light green: replacement new attraction)
Black to left - major resort addition (ex. water park, shopping center, theme park, etc.)

Universal Orlando Development Timeline (1990-2014)
Universal Studios Florida - Purple (dark purple: new attraction to increase capacity; light purple: replacement new attraction)
Islands of Adventure- Blue (dark blue: new attraction to increase capacity; light blue: replacement new attraction)
Black to left - major resort addition (ex. water park, shopping center, theme park, etc.)

 

[luv]

I don't know about the charts, but Uni does seem to do everything faster, cheaper and better than Disney.

Harry Potter, from announcement to totally open, wasn't close to as long as the FLE, which has yet to be completed.

The Uni parks are kept up. They look fresh, snazzy and pretty. Some areas at Disney (e.g. Tomorrowland) are in desperate need of work. They're also taking some of their best areas and turning them into cluttered messes because they think a cluttered mess will be more profitable, which it probably will be, short-term.

It's nice that Uni keeps opening new rides. That's fun! But it's the overall condition of the parks that is so different.

 

[Voxel]

I don't know about the charts, but Uni does seem to do everything faster, cheaper and better than Disney.

Harry Potter, from announcement to totally open, wasn't close to as long as the FLE, which has yet to be complete.

The Uni parks are kept up. They look fresh, snazzy and pretty. Some areas at Disney (e.g. Tomorrowland) are in desperate need of work.

It's nice that Uni keeps opening new rides. That's fun! But it's the overall condition of the parks that is so different.

Part of that I believe now is that companies realize Disney is willing to pay, because they have the money. Its like government contracting. To install a garage door at home its maybe a few hundred bucks, but on a military base your looking at $20,000-$50,000 per door. Some based payed $350,000 this year to replace 30 doors. Contractors know the government will pay. Disney has become to large for it's own good in that sense.

 

[TubaGeek]

I expect twice as much from four parks as I do from two, but that's not how it's delivered. Especially when you consider the quality of the products.

 

[Voxel]

I expect twice as much from four parks as I do from two, but that's not how it's delivered. Especially when you consider the quality of the products.

It would be interesting to see how other complexes would handle a resort size like WDW but the fact of the mater is there isn't one like that in the world. So an resort complex developing at the speed WDW does, its impossible to know if it's slow or quick. Back in the early Days of WDW when there were two parks development was quick but as more parks arrived on the scene it slowed down a bit.

 

[TubaGeek]

It would be interesting to see how other complexes would handle a resort size like WDW but the fact of the mater is there isn't one like that in the world. So an resort complex developing at the speed WDW does, its impossible to know if it's slow or quick. Back in the early Days of WDW when there were two parks development was quick but as more parks arrived on the scene it slowed down a bit.

As the pie gets bigger, more people want a slice. Then, instead of living up to your own standards, it becomes making a lot while spending a little. Disney's early years earned them a reputation that even their current negligence can't stop. Great for stock holders, bad for guests.

 

[Voxel]

As the pie gets bigger, more people want a slice. Then, instead of living up to your own standards, it becomes making a lot while spending a little. Disney's early years earned them a reputation that even their current negligence can't stop. Great for stock holders, bad for guests.

The same could be said about most companies. They go through up and down cycles. We can only hope like Apple, Intel and almost every other company we are the beginning of an upwards path.