What would Disney parks be if guests got what they wanted?

[TheDuke]

Empty with just them and their friends doing everything as many times as they want.

 

[TwilightZone]

Because Six Flags sucks. Not trying to be controversial here, but it's true. I don't know if they're all bad, but the one near me is terrible. I've been 2 or 3 times and I've hated it every visit.

I didn't even go in trying to compare it to Disney, I had an open mind. But it really was not a pleasant experience. If Six Flags had been my first theme park experience, I don't know if I would have ever bothered to go to Disney, because I would have assumed it was just as bad. The place is filthy, the food options are non-existent, and the rides are literally all hard core thrill rides.

Ignoring the fact that there is no story in any of the areas, it's still a very unpleasant experience. It was kind of jarring when I went there a while back and they were playing my local Top 40 radio station all over the park, compared to Disney, where you are immersed into another time and place, even down to small details such as music and trash cans.

Walt really was a genius.

As a coaster enthusiast, I wouldn't say they suck. Are they poor compared to disney? Yes. But for some people, those coasters are some of the best in the world, or least they have ever been on.
I would love to go to six flags again.

 

[Shouldigo12]

Because Six Flags sucks. Not trying to be controversial here, but it's true. I don't know if they're all bad, but the one near me is terrible. I've been 2 or 3 times and I've hated it every visit.

I didn't even go in trying to compare it to Disney, I had an open mind. But it really was not a pleasant experience. If Six Flags had been my first theme park experience, I don't know if I would have ever bothered to go to Disney, because I would have assumed it was just as bad. The place is filthy, the food options are non-existent, and the rides are literally all hard core thrill rides.

Ignoring the fact that there is no story in any of the areas, it's still a very unpleasant experience. It was kind of jarring when I went there a while back and they were playing my local Top 40 radio station all over the park, compared to Disney, where you are immersed into another time and place, even down to small details such as music and trash cans.

Walt really was a genius.

Is Six Flags a theme park? I thought it was an amusement park.

 

[TwilightZone]

Is Six Flags a theme park? I thought it was an amusement park.

Magic mountain has themes kind of. They are not executed well for the most part.
For example the """"""Steampunk"""""" land

Sure does scream steampunk doesn't it?

On a side note I know too little about other six flags parks to know if they have theming or not.

 

[SirWillow]

Is Six Flags a theme park? I thought it was an amusement park.

It can vary widely from park to park in the chain. Some of them are much more themed than others. Overall quality of rides, food, atmosphere, cleanliness, etc can also vary from one to the other. There are a couple I really enjoy visiting, but the one closest to me I could do without (which is really sad since it was one of the original ones)

The only things I'd ask for are:

1. Reduce park capacity to pre-2014 levels, increasing entry costs if necessary
2. Reduce costs of merchandise and food
3. Invest more in the parks

Park capacities really haven't changed much. They're still maxing out at about the same place, where they would close the gates. The difference is that the heavy crowds now happen over a much larger part of the year than they used to, and what used to be slow times are now much much busier. Now if you meant reduce overall park attendance to levels in say the early 2000's, that would be an entirely different thing than capacities.

The only problem with 1 and 2 is that if you increase gate costs to try to reduce attendance, but then also lower the cost of merchandise and food, you'll actually only offset each other and it'll balance out in the end, with your attendance staying about the same since overall cost would be about the same. They'll also never reduce those costs since those are their big cash cows with the highest profit margins.

But we could dream, and if we could dream I wish there was a way to get those attendance numbers down, so I'm with you on that.

What else would I like to see changed? Get rid of Fastpass+ Hate the system. The paper tickets were workable, but I'd prefer to see the whole entire thing go away.

 

[Shouldigo12]

It can vary widely from park to park in the chain. Some of them are much more themed than others. Overall quality of rides, food, atmosphere, cleanliness, etc can also vary from one to the other. There are a couple I really enjoy visiting, but the one closest to me I could do without (which is really sad since it was one of the original ones)



Park capacities really haven't changed much. They're still maxing out at about the same place, where they would close the gates. The difference is that the heavy crowds now happen over a much larger part of the year than they used to, and what used to be slow times are now much much busier. Now if you meant reduce overall park attendance to levels in say the early 2000's, that would be an entirely different thing than capacities.

The only problem with 1 and 2 is that if you increase gate costs to try to reduce attendance, but then also lower the cost of merchandise and food, you'll actually only offset each other and it'll balance out in the end, with your attendance staying about the same since overall cost would be about the same. They'll also never reduce those costs since those are their big cash cows with the highest profit margins.

But we could dream, and if we could dream I wish there was a way to get those attendance numbers down, so I'm with you on that.

What else would I like to see changed? Get rid of Fastpass+ Hate the system. The paper tickets were workable, but I'd prefer to see the whole entire thing go away.

Gotcha. I researched it (aka I got on Google for 2 minutes) and it does seem to be a bit of a gray area; they call themselves a theme park, but they also apparently don't put a lot effort into the whole theming part (not sure how much I trust that website though, since they also claimed theming was just industry jargon...). Thanks for the explanation!

 

[JustAFan]

Six Flags.

Hmm. I disagree ... or at least I think I do. Why do you say Six Flags? Disney parks are bigger than Six Flags parks. They're cleaner, more rich in tradition, more beautifully decorated and landscaped. What guest feedback would drive them to become Six Flags? Sorry, I guess I'm not following here.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Hmm. I disagree ... or at least I think I do. Why do you say Six Flags? Disney parks are bigger than Six Flags parks. They're cleaner, more rich in tradition, more beautifully decorated and landscaped. What guest feedback would drive them to become Six Flags? Sorry, I guess I'm not following here.

That's what WE want. The unwashed masses want rollercoasters and popcorn. They don't care if they get gum on their soles off the sidewalk. They want cheap, with a coupon from the side of a soda can. Everybody complaining about the (admittedly insane) Disney prices is going to get what they wish for - Six Flags.

 

[OSX]

Air condition would be in the new Gondolas.

 

[JustAFan]

That's what WE want. The unwashed masses want rollercoasters and popcorn. They don't care if they get gum on their soles off the sidewalk. They want cheap, with a coupon from the side of a soda can. Everybody complaining about the (admittedly insane) Disney prices is going to get what they wish for - Six Flags.

ok ... I guess I follow. But then if it became Six Flags, you lose the people that don't want that. Can't please everybody.

 

[FettFan]

The recent thread about Disney's guest feedback survey got me thinking. What would Disney parks and resorts be like if Disney became wholly responsive to guest feedback? Sure lots of superfans like us ask for better maintenance, more original IP, or the return of beloved attractions, but I imagine the vast majority of guests want things to be cheaper, bigger, less crowded, and with lots of recognizable IP. What would Disney look like if guests got what they were asking for?

You know that scene in 'Bruce Almighty', where Bruce granted everyone's prayers as a blanket "Yes"?

Something like that.

 

[DisneyMann]

A disaster.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

People are terrible at knowing what they want.

Did you know you wanted an iPhone?

Granted, Disney could improve, but it’s a tough ask for people to make a list of what they want and have it turn out optimally. You’d have the same problems you have now...some people mad, some people happy.

I think Disney should listen to big picture ideas, but people can’t build rides, park plan, and dream up storylines and themes.

I want Disney to keep the crowds down, wow me, keep it clean, have a great cast, etc. How they do that is what makes Disney, Disney.

You pretty much nailed it.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

On the entire Six Flags / Cedar Point topic. (Haven't been to CP but have gone to a couple of Six Flags)

I think what Disney has that these types of parks don't (or ever will).....is the immersion aspect. Comparing a SF roller coaster with Space Mountain or the specific theming of a Frontierland vs Boomtown - isn't really the point.

WDW is a whole world based on escapism from the moment you enter the property. For me the parks are fun, but I enjoy my time lingering around the resorts - having dinner at Kona or taking in Hoop De Doo at Pioneer Hall.

 

[mimitchi33]

During the 90's when Time Warner ran the parks they would take a jab at Disney with their "Bigger Than Disney and a Whole lot closer to home" Tagline. At that time Warner Bros. was pushing all of their IP's and maintaining the theming aspects of the parks and looked amazing..However Time Warner dropped out in 1999 and Premier parks ( a carnival company) took it over and well...you can see how bland and pointless the parks look now.

Here is some examples of the Time Warner Era...

A Really good example when Warner Bros. Was trying to throw their IP's into their parks...

Was that TV ad from the official site? It looks like it's ripped off a website source...
And I did read about WB IPs being incorporated into the park on an Animaniacs fan forum. You could meet the Warners as costumes, and there was even an Animaniacs shop in the parks!

I think that if the people got their way, we'd probably still have the old rides people wanted back like Journey Into Imagination and Horizons.