What Things Today Would Walt Disney Have Never Done or Be Out RAGED ABOUT.

[Tom P.]

Walt's biggest concern, without a doubt, would be the slow pace at which Frozen is being incorporated into the parks. He would be deeply upset that Cinderella's Castle hadn't been ripped out long ago and replaced with a 50 foot tall Olaf statue. He would marvel at how anyone could tolerate listening to "It's A Small World After All" when they could be listening to "Let It Go." He would deeply regret that the Frozen phenomenon hadn't occurred a few years earlier so that we could have had Disney's Art of Frozen Resort instead of Disney's Art of Animation Resort.

Oh, wait, I was thinking of Bob Iger. My mistake...

 

[POLY LOVER]

Walt's biggest concern, without a doubt, would be the slow pace at which Frozen is being incorporated into the parks. He would be deeply upset that Cinderella's Castle hadn't been ripped out long ago and replaced with a 50 foot tall Olaf statue. He would marvel at how anyone could tolerate listening to "It's A Small World After All" when they could be listening to "Let It Go." He would deeply regret that the Frozen phenomenon hadn't occurred a few years earlier so that we could have had Disney's Art of Frozen Resort instead of Disney's Art of Animation Resort.

Oh, wait, I was thinking of Bob Iger. My mistake...

Is it time for Iger to go?

 

[DsnyFevr]

From my research on Walt (and I have actually done quite a bit), it seems to me that he REALLY was not about making profit. His only use for money and profit was so that he could finance his next big idea. Therefore, I think he would be really upset about the lack of quality and the rabid pursuit of profits that are present in the parks today. In fact, something struck me while I was watching One Man's Dream one more time yesterday... Walt said something to the effect of, "maybe the staff had finally conceded that Walt is right, and quality will out."

He would never have approved all of this taking away attractions without adding something else great to take their places and still increasing prices all the time. I mean a 20oz Coke is now $3.19 including tax. I can get the same one at Publix for $1.50. I understand that stockholders and Boards of Directors have to be satisfied, but Walt had a way of doing that without being as money-hungry as the Disney Company is today.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not saying that Disney isn't doing anything well. They are. However, I think most people on this board agree that quality has gone down too much and prices have gone up too much. I know Disney is a business, but so is Apple, and their prices have remained fairly consistent while, in my opinion, their quality has gone up. (A new base-model iPhone still costs the same now as it did in 2007 including countless new features for the same price).

Totally agree. Walt made these parks to be affordable for families to come visit and be safe. If he ever knew that it wasn't affordable to many families, I don't think he would be too happy. We go a lot as we are DVC but I am so shocked all the time to talk to so many people and kids that have never been there as they say it was never affordable for their family with the cost of the tickets themselves.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Totally agree. Walt made these parks to be affordable for families to come visit and be safe. If he ever knew that it wasn't affordable to many families, I don't think he would be too happy. We go a lot as we are DVC but I am so shocked all the time to talk to so many people and kids that have never been there as they say it was never affordable for their family with the cost of the tickets themselves.

Everything was affordable for families in 1955. That was then, this is now. Also, what was offered for that affordability was much less then what is there now.

 

[RoadTrip]

Road Trip (or Trippy as he's also known) has for years been one of the few voices of reason over at Laughing Place. I don't always agree with him, but I ALWAYS respect him!

Thanks for the kind words. I've just kind of learned over the years that it doesn't really pay to get too upset or too excited over anything. Whatever happens, happens; and for the most part it usually ends up being OK.. And even when it doesn't, there is probably little you could do about it anyway. Why bother? Life is too short to be constantly tilting at windmills. That doesn't mean I don't have opinions about things because I certainly do and like expressing them. But I enjoy being happy and try to find some small happiness in each day, whether it meets my idealized expectations or not.

 

[RoadTrip]

Totally agree. Walt made these parks to be affordable for families to come visit and be safe. If he ever knew that it wasn't affordable to many families, I don't think he would be too happy. We go a lot as we are DVC but I am so shocked all the time to talk to so many people and kids that have never been there as they say it was never affordable for their family with the cost of the tickets themselves.

Walt didn't have to satisfy a Board of Directors or stockholders. He owned the whole thing lock, stock and barrel. He could do whatever he wanted and no one could question him. Thankfully Roy occasionally did, which probably kept him out of bankruptcy long enough to make him successful. Sure, prices today are way out of line with what they were when DL opened. But so have all other prices in the entertainment category. Look at what has happened to prices for sporting events, rock concerts, movie tickets, etc. As Americans have increased their disposable income and placed more importance on entertainment, prices have risen faster than inflation. Not saying I like it, but it is what it is.

 

[Tom P.]

Walt didn't have to satisfy a Board of Directors or stockholders. He owned the whole thing lock, stock and barrel. He could do whatever he wanted and no one could question him.

Walt Disney Productions, today known as The Walt Disney Company, had its initial public offering on April 2, 1940. It has been a publicly traded company with a board of directors and stockholders ever since. It has been traded on the New York Stock Exchange since 1957 as well. Walt was able to maintain his standards and please the stockholders and board of directors at the same time.

 

[POLY LOVER]

I think once you start the back then stuff, you are showing your age or you have not done research. No nothing was any better then than now. As a matter of fact for certain people it was worse back then. I think the main reason we have some issues at WDW or the Walt Disney company is that they are spread across more businesses than they were in the 50's/60's etc. I think they need to please too many masters. The company is judged by the stock market not on how great the parks are but how much profit did you make across all your business segments. The market could care less if Disney sold widgets or movies, they just care about the bottom line and they don't care what they have to do to make profits. If they make the number they praise them if they miss the number they punish them and cast doubts about the companys future(lol). if Bob Iger is working to please the fickle stock holders and not the fans who pay the bills he will be in trouble.
I think this is a big reason you are in a massive rebuild of WDW, not enough attention was being paid to the parks and now they have to go into catch up mode and spending a ton of money. After the new areas are up and running they will go into ROI mode for awhile. Don't get me wrong I'm glad they are fixing problems I just wish it was contineous improvement rather than let the parks age they a massive catch up.

 

[BaconPancakes]

I don't think Walt would've been happy with Alien Encounter. It was very scary, and very not family-friendly, like he wanted the parks to be. That was the main reason they closed it.

Were you even born when it was operating?

 

[Nick Wilde]

Were you even born when it was operating?

Yes. I didn't get to ride it, but I have heard plenty about it, and seen videos. It could be very scary for anyone under the age of 12.

 

[BaconPancakes]

Yes. I didn't get to ride it, but I have heard plenty about it, and seen videos. It could be very scary for anyone under the age of 12.

LOL If you haven't experienced it yourself, you have no room to criticize. And no, watching a grainy YouTube video doesn't count...

 

[Nick Wilde]

LOL If you haven't experienced it yourself, you have no room to criticize. And no, watching a grainy YouTube video doesn't count...

If that's what you think, I don't really care, I was just mentioning that was why it was closed.

 

[Nick Wilde]

I'm sorry. I can't seem to find where I stated that. I may have posted that and forgotten. Could you quote it for me so I can remember? K. Thanks.

Wow. Impressed. Is your ability to discern someone's need for an ECV a genetic ability or an aquired talent?

The person you quoted and snobbishly replied to specifically said "(not the ones with actual medical needs)" It's pretty safe to assume that people have abused the system.

 

[POLY LOVER]

The person you quoted and snobbishly replied to specifically said "(not the ones with actual medical needs)" It's pretty safe to assume that people have abused the system.

how can you make a medical determination based on a visual look at a person.

 

[Nick Wilde]

how can you make a medical determination based on a visual look at a person.

You can't.

 

[POLY LOVER]

You can't.

exactly its an unfair label to place on someone not really being able to know their medical issues. You walk past thousands of people at WDW some are very sick and hide it well others have issue you can see on the outside. Please don't judge, just be thankful you can walk.

 

[Nick Wilde]

exactly its an unfair label to place on someone not really being able to know their medical issues. You walk past thousands of people at WDW some are very sick and hide it well others have issue you can see on the outside. Please don't judge, just be thankful you can walk.

I know that. I didn't say that that isn't true. I just said that there are people abusing the system. It would be silly to say that no one has ever abused an easily abused system.

 

[POLY LOVER]

I know that. I didn't say that that isn't true. I just said that there are people abusing the system. It would be silly to say that no one has ever abused an easily abused system.

True, but I noticed that it no longer gets you to the head of the lines like before. I think that would be most incentive to do it, we used to joke we should get a walker so we can get to the head of the line. Not funny but we did joke at times when th elines were 45 minutes long .

 

[parkhopper1213]

What do you think Walt would have never done or stood for in todays Disney World. Do you think current management is being a good steward of Disney.

I am so glad you asked this question because I was thinking of this very thing last week while visiting WDW. I don't think Walt Disney would be happy with how the rides are being kept up. Many have chipped paint or break down frequently. He would not be happy with the empty buildings at Hollywood studios. Each time we go there's less to do there. I also don't think he'd like the Starbucks in his parks and that his movie house on main street is now a shop. Its easy to forget Walt's journey with Mickey in all the hype.

 

[POLY LOVER]

I am so glad you asked this question because I was thinking of this very thing last week while visiting WDW. I don't think Walt Disney would be happy with how the rides are being kept up. Many have chipped paint or break down frequently. He would not be happy with the empty buildings at Hollywood studios. Each time we go there's less to do there. I also don't think he'd like the Starbucks in his parks and that his movie house on main street is now a shop. Its easy to forget Walt's journey with Mickey in all the hype.[/QUOTE
You note chipped paint, I seem to recall small items like that being addressed. Immediately during the time the parks are closed, they never seemed to let things like that accumulate and then have a 4-5 days shut down to address them. I assume they have less maintenance staff now. It bugs me because it's something I used to give them credit for handling so fast. I called it the Disney difference.