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What if Walt hadn't died?
- Thread starter lego606
- Start date
bsiev1977
Well-Known Member
I think very little would be different today.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I think it'd pretty much be the same as it is now.
DisneyPrincess5
Well-Known Member
Well if he hadnt died, he'd be turning 112 this year haha but I get your point. I don't know. I think movies would have stayed the way they were which would have reflected in the parks. It would be interesting to see what he would have done with increasing technology. Would he embrace it or reject it?
copcarguyp71
Well-Known Member
Perhaps he would have had more time to put a succession plan in place more than just turning things over to Roy (who did a fine job mind you) but I think if he had more time on this earth he would have more closely guarded his legacy. Just me looking into a crystal ball I guess but I think the magic was a lot more than dollar signs to him and he would have done what he could to safeguard it in the long-term. I know it is an entirely different global/economic climate today than he could have ever imagined but I do think he would be a bit saddened at the "corporating" of WDW as it stands today.
Disneykidder
Well-Known Member
I wonder the same thing. I think he would have continued to make great movies and shorts and but I am not so sure about all of the resorts. DVC, yes, because he liked exclusivity (not that it is exclusive but you get the idea) but not sure if there would be so many.
Bparso87
Well-Known Member
Do u think he would say it is crazy prices. Walt did like to make money and would still like to make money. He would not care about the prices. He would care about the quality that we pay for. Why should a price to the MK be the same as HS with less rides and Less stuff to do.
copcarguyp71
Well-Known Member
disneysince71
Well-Known Member
I think he would be proud... 
That's just me.....
That's just me.....Sassagoula-Rvr
Well-Known Member
Here are a few things I think:
1. I think he would be upset that some things hadn't really evolved much, it seems to me that TDO, TDA, and WDI are sometimes content with the status quo (And I know WDI is probably handcuffed by the other two.)
2. Someone mentioned computer animation, and I think he would have been all over that...Pixar, etc...I think Walt would do what had to be done in regards to shuttering hand drawn animation. I'm not saying he would have, but from all the different biographies, books, interviews I have absorbed...he seemed like the kind of guy that wouldn't want to do things just because that is how they were always done.
Overall though, I think things would be somewhat close to how they are...although WDW might not have been, remember the "Florida Project" wasn't really all about a vacation resort...Progress City etc was part of his vision.
1. I think he would be upset that some things hadn't really evolved much, it seems to me that TDO, TDA, and WDI are sometimes content with the status quo (And I know WDI is probably handcuffed by the other two.)
2. Someone mentioned computer animation, and I think he would have been all over that...Pixar, etc...I think Walt would do what had to be done in regards to shuttering hand drawn animation. I'm not saying he would have, but from all the different biographies, books, interviews I have absorbed...he seemed like the kind of guy that wouldn't want to do things just because that is how they were always done.
Overall though, I think things would be somewhat close to how they are...although WDW might not have been, remember the "Florida Project" wasn't really all about a vacation resort...Progress City etc was part of his vision.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
I'm going to say something that will not be very popular. So be it. I think if he hadn't passed away when he did, the company would no longer exist. His plan for EPCOT was, in my opinion, going to fail big time. It would have started out OK, but very soon, just like in Celebration, the folks living in EPCOT would have quickly resented the control that he intended to maintain on the community. It was a theory that all people do not mind living the same, with all the same freedoms erased and all control over their own environment completely out of their hands. It's normal for all of us to think of Walt as infallible, but, he was not. The cost of this dream would have very easily pulled the Disney Company into bankruptcy. It wasn't as big and powerful as it is today. Assets were limited and this would have eaten through a lot of it. It was an admirable idea, but, not workable in this country in my belief.
Tom
Beta Return
1) I think we would have fewer theme parks, as Walt quickly tired of things and never wanted to repeat himself. I believe we would have gotten the MK, and then he would have gone to work on the real EPCOT. We quite literally could have a WDW with one theme park and a city.
2) I think he would have allowed animation to evolve with technology, but he wouldn't have let it completely die. Disney animated features would still be the cream of the crop, and he would have paid to train his classic animators on new technology the instant it became available (or, knowing how Walt worked, before it became available).
3) I think TWDC would have created things like the iPhone/iPad/iPod (albeit with different names). Walt was an innovator, and never stopped looking ahead or for a way to create the next best thing. He had a huge ego (while trying to mask it with some humility) and always wanted to be the first and best.
4) I think Disney stock would not be at the level it is today because (unless he was just ousted from his seat), because he would use profits to reinvest in the company, over and over and over. Walt and today's Wall Street would NOT get along well. He only "went public" because it was the only way to keep from going completely bankrupt. It was likely the biggest regret he had (although unavoidable), second only to his studio going union.
I'm just not sure that, if he were to come back to life today, he would be overly impressed with what's happening. If he knew that WDW had 4 parks that weren't even close to being "perfect" - he'd have a fit. I believe he would rather have one perfect park, than a pretty good park, a mediocre park, and 2 pathetic parks. But again, I believe he would have lost interest in theme parks halfway through the construction of the MK and moved on to the next big thing, which would again change the world and bear the Disney name at the same time.
2) I think he would have allowed animation to evolve with technology, but he wouldn't have let it completely die. Disney animated features would still be the cream of the crop, and he would have paid to train his classic animators on new technology the instant it became available (or, knowing how Walt worked, before it became available).
3) I think TWDC would have created things like the iPhone/iPad/iPod (albeit with different names). Walt was an innovator, and never stopped looking ahead or for a way to create the next best thing. He had a huge ego (while trying to mask it with some humility) and always wanted to be the first and best.
4) I think Disney stock would not be at the level it is today because (unless he was just ousted from his seat), because he would use profits to reinvest in the company, over and over and over. Walt and today's Wall Street would NOT get along well. He only "went public" because it was the only way to keep from going completely bankrupt. It was likely the biggest regret he had (although unavoidable), second only to his studio going union.
I'm just not sure that, if he were to come back to life today, he would be overly impressed with what's happening. If he knew that WDW had 4 parks that weren't even close to being "perfect" - he'd have a fit. I believe he would rather have one perfect park, than a pretty good park, a mediocre park, and 2 pathetic parks. But again, I believe he would have lost interest in theme parks halfway through the construction of the MK and moved on to the next big thing, which would again change the world and bear the Disney name at the same time.
Tom
Beta Return
I'm going to say something that will not be very popular. So be it. I think if he hadn't passed away when he did, the company would no longer exist. His plan for EPCOT was, in my opinion, going to fail big time. It would have started out OK, but very soon, just like in Celebration, the folks living in EPCOT would have quickly resented the control that he intended to maintain on the community. It was a theory that all people do not mind living the same, with all the same freedoms erased and all control over their own environment completely out of their hands. It's normal for all of us to think of Walt as infallible, but, he was not. The cost of this dream would have very easily pulled the Disney Company into bankruptcy. It wasn't as big and powerful as it is today. Assets were limited and this would have eaten through a lot of it. It was an admirable idea, but, not workable in this country in my belief.
I agree. EPCOT would have followed the path of communism. It seemed like a grandiose and perfect idea, but would have never survived.
And he would have either spent every penny of the company's money to make it work, or he would have dumped the project on a team's lap, and gone off to start yet another division to focus on something completely new.
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
I think he would have loved CG. Walt was about pioneering and computer animation was just that. For me the real question is would he be happy that traditional animation is abandoned. My personal opinion is Walt would want all options available because the medium doesn't make a great movie, the story does. The more options you have to tell your story, the better.