What would Walt Disney think?

[garyhoov]

What do you think Walt Disney would think if he was able to visit Disney World today?

I think he would enjoy driving around the property and seeing what had become of his swamp land and how many people were there.

I think he'd be a bit disappointed that things weren't more modern, and (sorry Tyler) I think he'd be very disappointed to see people getting to and from the parks on buses.

I think he'd really enjoy things like Toontown, Animal Kingdom and Catastrophe Canyon since they would be very different from what he had seen before.

I think he'd be a little amused and proud that It's a Small World was still around.

I think you'd have a hard time getting him off a Segway, and a hard time getting the smile off his face.

 

[MKCustodial]

I think that, despite the flaws we all see every now and then, he'd be really proud of what his dream has become and of the fact that his memory and his work are still celebrated and enjoyed.
Maybe he wouldn't think the parks are as clean as he'd wished them to be, but... You never know, right?

 

[CHAPPS]

I think he'd say, "Gee this warm Florida sun sure beats that cryo-chamber!":lol:

 

[wed050499]

Hey all,

I think he would be proud that at least the management gave his dreams a chance. He doubted a lot over the last few months of his life whether things would work out for the company he built. I think it would make him happy to see all the things that came from his dream. Especially Animal Kingdom. Originally he wanted to have the Jungle Cruise have live animals in it, but it wasn't possible at the time. I believe he would be proud that his imagineers once again developed a place where families could enjoy themselves and not have it be just a zoo.

Just some of my thoughts on this,
Brian

 

[dreamer]

I think Walt would look more at the people in the parks than the parks themselves. If he saw people smiling and families having fun together, he'd be happy.

I'm sure he'd have opinions about some of the other stuff, but that's what he'd care about most.

 

[dreamer]

Originally posted by garyhoov
I think he'd be very disappointed to see people getting to and from the parks on buses.

I agree with everything you said, Gary, but this especially. I think Walt would definitely do something about it. Unfortunately, I doubt anyone would listen to his ideas. Least of all Eisner. They'd all be talking about how impossible it would be.

 

[wed050499]

Re: Re: What would Walt Disney think?

Originally posted by dreamer
Unfortunately, I doubt anyone would listen to his ideas. Least of all Eisner. They'd all be talking about how impossible it would be.

Hello,

While it would probably be hard for Walt to get people to listen to his ideas (I mean he couldn't convince his own brother for DisneyLand for the longest time), but on the contrary, I think Eisner would be quite welcoming of hearing his ideas. Eisner, from the research I've done on him, has had his share of "impossible" circumstances that he's pulled off. I think that Eisner is a firm believer of anything's possible. However, the shareholders might not be as easy to convince.

Brian

 

[jrashadb]

I'm positive, Walt would be tooling about on one of those Segways. He would love that thing. :lol:

 

[NowInc]

I think he would be quite peeved actually...

Now..before you jump down my throat..realize..i am an eisner supporter....

..but..

Walt viewed disneyland as a SHOW (thus where the term "cast members" comes from)...and as such...the general public was NOT to get any hint of what goes on to make that show happen.

now a days...things are very "out in the open" for the public to see (maintenence, construction)....and its quite disheartening..it sorta ruins the mystery. Back when we had early entry..youd be walking the parks as the maintenence crews were still doing their jobs...thats not a show..thats a marketing scheme.

Walt was also a prefectionist. He was known to keep things closed for MONTHS because of something as small as the lighting being "off" or something similar...

Today..things are opened before they are "done" (look at JIYI for example)...

Thats just my opinion at least..take it or leave it

 

[General Grizz]

This is really hard to say - since he had several expectations when that never were accomplished before he passed away.

I think he would be pleased to see the Carousel of Progress still alive and enjoyed by guests (Hopefully, he'd come at a seasonal time!) and notice how several of the attractions still hold true to his theming.

I think he would love attractions such as the American Adventure or to see the Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, and Bears. (He'd be really pleased to see how they turned out!)

I don't think that he would be pleased in general with EPCOT, (mainly because it didn't prove to be a future city), but as a THEME PARK...it is questionable. I am sure he would have liked it a whole heck of a lot more ten years ago, but that's just my opinion.

It is hard, really. Overall, things look good. But we'll have to see what happens in the future.

 

[WDWSwashbuckler]

Originally posted by jrashadb
I'm positive, Walt would be tooling about on one of those Segways. He would love that thing. :lol:

Yeah, i got to ride on a Segway last year, and better yet, it was Dean Kaiman's segway!!! (Dean Kaiman was the guy who invented them) He's a nice guy

 

[SamatBCV]

This is a really tough question because there are so many aspects to WDW that he would be looking at IMO. Overall I think he would be pleased at the success, the high opinion people have of the resort, and the huge number of things it has to offer. I think though that he would be disappointed in some of the details. I don't mean the rides. I think he'd like the rides (except for the PC changes like on Pirates). I mean in other details such as Main Street and how it doesn't have the variety it used to. Then there is the transportation. I agree that he would hate the extensive use of busses. While he was a brilliant businessman, he would take gambles on the "impossible" like the monorail. There are a number of other things that he would like or dislike, but overall, I agree with Dreamer. The joy that his creation brings people would over ride the problems.

 

[no2apprentice]

Oh gosh, the ultimate "what if" for a Disney fan...

I think he would be very disappointed in the condition of the parks. Not only maintenance, cleanliness, etc., but the waste of space with the closed attractions, with no replacements.

I agree that he would be pleased with AK.

Based on what he wanted to do with EPCOT, I can't help but feel he would take interest in Celebration, and what should happen with that concept in the future.

And, I just bet he would have an idea for a fifth park, something that none of us have thought of, but would blow our Mickey Mouse socks off!

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

Originally posted by NowInc
I think he would be quite peeved actually...

Now..before you jump down my throat..realize..i am an eisner supporter....

..but..

Walt viewed disneyland as a SHOW (thus where the term "cast members" comes from)...and as such...the general public was NOT to get any hint of what goes on to make that show happen.

now a days...things are very "out in the open" for the public to see (maintenence, construction)....and its quite disheartening..it sorta ruins the mystery. Back when we had early entry..youd be walking the parks as the maintenence crews were still doing their jobs...thats not a show..thats a marketing scheme.

Walt was also a prefectionist. He was known to keep things closed for MONTHS because of something as small as the lighting being "off" or something similar...

Today..things are opened before they are "done" (look at JIYI for example)...

Thats just my opinion at least..take it or leave it

i do think walt would be proud, but i also agree with you, nowinc. not so much that he would be peeved, but more like he would think the parks would need some updates and some tweeking.

but i completely agree with you. when i was a kid the whole 'how do they do that' was the perfect explination for Disney. and maybe that's what made it magical for me was thinking that they did the impossible. but with all this behind the scenes stuff showing on the travel channel, it just kinda ruins it. used to, disney would surprise me by everything they did...and now, knowing how they do stuff, it doesn't surprise me anymore.
you've definately brought up some good points, nowinc!

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

I think he'd look upon his empire and think very favourably of it - surely the idea of the parks was a place where people could come together and enjoy themselves, isn't that what happens now ?