When will the intervention come?

[Kamikaze]

I got you!

Me and Jenny are both Disney park fans, and were both former Disneyland CMs. I’ve watched around half of her video so far, and it’s spot on.

I’m described as an old soul, someone who doesn’t say “have a magical day” when I was a cm, I was just my genuine self and I actually connected well with a lot of the higher ups from Anaheim and Burbank.

Since I worked at a bar, they felt more comfortable with telling me stuff of what was going on behind the scenes…

From how Lasseteer was pushed out and morale was at all time low at Disney Animation according to one of the guys that was in charge of Wish, to how creativity was pushed to the backboard…

Also you don’t even want to know how little Disney pays for their wine for example, Justin wine they sell for almost $20 a glass, we were getting for $6 a bottle due to the wineries viewing it as an ad having their product in Disney, lol.

First time hearing about alcohol markup?

 

[Jrb1979]

Walt's America doesn't exist anymore, but I'm not sure Disney's vision of 2024 America is what the public wants.

IMO part of it goes back to what I said in that those in charge don't understand theme parks. I will also add they are still trying to figure out attraction wise what today's guest wants.

When so first went to Disney in the 80s, is when they were at their best. With the long immersive dark rides and each park felt different and unique. Problem is today's guest doesn't want that. They want IP, flash and thrills. A lot of that has to do with the short attention spans of people today.

 

[Prince-1]

Walt's America doesn't exist anymore, but I'm not sure Disney's vision of 2024 America is what the public wants.

Not everyone wants America 2024 but thankfully many people do and also it is a very good thing that the America back in Walt's heyday no longer exists. We have improved in so many ways.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Walt's America doesn't exist anymore, but I'm not sure Disney's vision of 2024 America is what the public wants.

Well not to get nit-picky, but Walt doesn't exist anymore either.

Unless you believe the stories.

 

[Jrb1979]

Not everyone wants America 2024 but thankfully many people do and also it is a very good thing that the America back in Walt's heyday no longer exists. We have improved in so many ways.

Agree to disagree. Culturally it's improved but attraction wise I don't feel they have at all. I would take Horizons, World of Motion and Mr. Toad over a lot of the new attractions.

 

[Vclguy90]

Eh, I am not sure why Iger gets so much love around these parts because I am starting to believe he is the Antichrist of Disney. Everything we liked about Disney has slowly been disassembled by him and his board.

 

[Mondo]

Walt's America doesn't exist anymore

Kind of? I mean yes, our perception of entertainment is not Tom Sawyer or “Cowboys and Indians.” We live in a country who sees our politicians not as the romanticized heroes in the Hall of Presidents, but as the disgusting ghouls that they are. Everyone who was alive for the time that Main Street is supposed to evoke, is dead.

And yet that’s all surface-level. This cultural shift does not preclude WDW from being able to live up.

The fact of the matter is that human beings have an appetite for excitement and imagination. A desire to be transported to another world, another reality entirely. To let go of their daily troubles and experience something special and unforgettable. Walt Disney was a man of his time, yes, but his underlying psychology is timeless.

Epic Universe is tapping into that vein in a way that Disney management has consistently failed for years now.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Kind of? I mean yes, our perception of entertainment is not Tom Sawyer or “Cowboys and Indians.” We live in a country who sees our politicians not as the romanticized heroes in the Hall of Presidents, but as the disgusting ghouls that they are. Everyone who was alive for the time that Main Street is supposed to evoke, is dead.

And yet that’s all surface-level. This cultural shift does not preclude WDW from being able to live up.

The fact of the matter is that human beings have an appetite for excitement and imagination. A desire to be transported to another world, another reality entirely. To let go of their daily troubles and experience something special and unforgettable. Walt Disney was a man of his time, yes, but his underlying psychology is timeless.

Epic Universe is tapping into that vein in a way that Disney management has consistently failed for years now.

I don't think Disney has been failing exactly, but I do think the focus seems to have shifted from guest experience to turning a profit somewhat more. I still think Disney runs great parks, but there is something of a trend towards throwing out a few shiny new objects vs. thinking about the overall atmosphere from start to finish. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of shiny new objects, but the backdrop and theming are incredibly important as well. (The example that always comes to mind is how nuts people go over Wegmans, self included. I mean it's a grocery store, right? They sells groceries, there's not really anything mind boggling about it. Yet everyone I know loves going there because they really work to get the atmosphere right. Even a grocery store can kind of transport a person, if done right.)

I think they'll turn it around though. Every company is going to have inevitable ups and downs.