Well, it's interesting that you mention rides like 20K and Mr. Toad's. I too miss those rides, but understand in both cases, why they are gone. Not saying I agree with their demise. Just understand the situations. As for your budget, I can see where doing a family of 4 would be very difficult to do for less than 2000. We are going back in Dec., and I'm planning on a budget of 1500, but really aiming for 2000. Even though in the past Disney has offered lots of different discount codes and the like, it's still very difficult when you live 1200 miles away, to do this vacation for less. Even if you were to take the scenario of flying, which we are not. If you factored in a rental car, which we would like to have for trips off site, it's still about the same total cost. I have been an advocate of lowering the ticket/resort prices, especially the deluxe prices. But let's face it. The Deluxe Resorts aren't really marketed to those of us who vacation on a budget. They cater, for the most part, for the well to do. It is unfortunate that Disney has taken this business model to the nth degree with the creation of the All Star Resorts, by "housing" all of us "common folk" like cattle on a grazing farm. Though I appreciate the pricing, the "idea" is nothing more than maximizing profit. Which I have no problem with in its generic sense, but it does show the "attitude" of leadership at Disney.
I think that has been my biggest problem with Michael Eisner and his leadership style of let's "tread water" while they waited for the industry to recover. Now that that has started to happen, there's no money to invest into park maintenance. So, what's the next logical step? Cut payroll, benefits, staffing, and quality.
What this shows is this: There's always a price to pay when you don't spend/save CONSERVATIVELY. And yes, there's a message there. Everyone loved Mr. Eisner when he created these new attractions, new parks, new shows, etc. And all was well with this creative genius and his "followers". But what he DID NOT do was to have the vision and the clarity of mind to see that there MIGHT be a day when things weren't so good. And that if the industry or economy were to go south for an extended period of time, that the company would need the capital to survive that time period, while not sacrificing quality of show.
We can look at the idea of saving something for a rainy day as a metaphor for what many of us now wish would have happened at the outset of his leadership. Instead, what we got was this: Spend it, and they will come. Well that worked until they quit coming. What now!!!!
What I envision is this: A return to the days of Walt, if you will allow. A day when the quality of the show was more important than the balance sheet, and the stock value at the end of the day. You see, if you produce a quality product, AT A QUALITY PRICE< THEY WILL COME. AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO COME FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND SO ON, AND SO ON.
There will be those who will say to this, that volume thru lower pricing won't do it. Maybe not that alone, but quality of show, and quality price WILL.
Call me crazy, but if I can by a large item (house, car, vacations, etc.), I'll go where I get the most bang for my buck.
I say all of this to say that Mr. Eisner has lost much of this vision, thru having sold out to Wall Street, and his own press clippings. Those who continue to sing his praises and brand him a genius, have done more to supplant the idea that he is a genius in his own mind than anyone else.
So, he takes on the persona of a business genius, thinking he can do no wrong, and nows better than everyone else, in the face of FACTS that state otherwise. He won't ever understand that until he addresses his own narcicism, and takes it upon himself to go to the parks as a guest first, then as a CM to experience all that guests do from both sides of the backstage area, if you will.
