"Wishes" and New Property-Wide Celebration

[freaklarm]

Today, August 4, 2003, Al Weiss officialy announced the property-wide celebration and confirmed the very expected new MK firework show "Wishes" to Cast Memembers.


August 4 - Announcing Magical Gatherings


08/04/2003 -

I'm thrilled to tell you that soon we'll publicly announce a new way for guests to experience the Walt Disney World Resort, and it's called Magical Gatherings. I wanted to tell you about it first, because I'm very excited about its potential to enchant our guests and drive our business.

Magical Gatherings is the theme we'll celebrate property-wide starting in October and continuing for 15 months. It will focus on the magic of reconnecting with family and friends, and it will help us tap into the most dynamic trend in travel - extending the family vacation beyond the immediate family.

More than ever before, people are choosing vacations that let them spend quality time with those they love. What better place to do that than here at the Walt Disney World Resort? We've been bringing people together for more than three decades, because we know that more is always merrier. But no matter what size the party is, everyone visiting us will have a Magical Gathering during this time frame.

When our guests travel in parties of eight or more and stay in a Walt Disney World resort, we'll give them the designation of Grand Gathering. For them, we'll offer an array of new products and services such as itinerary planning, a vacation-planning kit for larger parties and custom-designed experiences just for these gatherings, to name a few.

In addition to all this, we'll roll out Mission: SPACE at Epcot and Mickey's PhilharMagic at the Magic Kingdom Park as part of Magical Gatherings, as well as Disney's Pop Century Resort and Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa. At the Magic Kingdom Park, we'll debut a fireworks show called "Wishes." There's much more to this event, and you'll learn all the details soon.

One element that sets Magical Gatherings apart is that, even at the end of the 15 months, the products and services we're developing for larger parties will live on as part of our everyday business. We'll make sure it's always fun and easy to vacation with loved ones at the Walt Disney World Resort.

I look forward to helping our guests celebrate the joy of families and friends coming together, and the power of their shared experiences. We know the Walt Disney World Resort is the most magical place on earth. Now with Magical Gatherings, it will be, quite simply, magic multiplied.

Al Weiss
President
Walt Disney World

 

[DisneyWonders07]

Wow! It really sounds like Walt Disney World is really focusing on the family! Darnit, I'm going at the end of this month and they're doing nearly everything in October Oh well, guess I have to wait until April of 2004!!! I can't wait to see "Wishes", I've heard it's going to be quite the show...

 

[smilez4011]

I really like the sound of this new promotion. And I defiently can't wait to see "Wishes"! Hopefully I can start planning another trip soon after it starts.

 

[shari71]

Wow, this sounds great. We will be there in Oct and really look forward to the two new rides and a bonus of a new fireworks show.

Now if only they would keep CoP and Timekeepers open. That would just round out my Wow to a yee-ha and a Wow!

 

[mickey04]

I'm not really sure what to think about this new promotion. As someone who probalby won't be having a family gathering at WDW (and believe me, I've tried) it doesn't sound like it will affect me much. It doesn't sound like your typical WDW celebration, and I'm glad, because its too soon for one of those.

I was also hoping the fireworks show would get a better name, too. And I suppose it still mught, but I just don't like the sound of "Wishes." But I am really looking forward to the new show. It's about time.

Hey, maybe I can use this as an excuse to get my whole family down sometime. It's just so hard with school and work. But here's hoping!

 

[General Grizz]

Screamscape was right on this one...

Sounds good..."magical gatherings" is the entire purpose for the "Theme Park" - I'm glad the foundation is being instituted so formally!

(Let's hope they do the same for EPCOT ... :lol: )

 

[Budke]

Hey, maybe I can use this as an excuse to get my whole family down sometime.

And the executives responsible for this new campaign sit back and smile quietly to themselves.

 

[Main Street USA]

Originally posted by grizzlyhall
Sounds good..."magical gatherings" is the entire purpose for the "Theme Park" - I'm glad the foundation is being instituted so formally!

(Let's hope they do the same for EPCOT ... :lol: )

I wholeheartedly agree, Grizz.

The family aspect is STILL what separates WDW from any other theme park around, INCLUDING Disneyland (which is becoming more of a teen hangout type park everyday ). Hopefully this will strengthen that family ideal that has been so strong here in the past, and possibly even push things back where they were in DL as well.

 

[Merlin0402]

Sorry, but this just sounds like an excuse that the execs came up with for people to bring everyone they know with them to Disney World. Disney doesn't really care about your family, they just want more money from admissions and hotel packages. You know it's true.

 

[mickey04]

Originally posted by Merlin0402
Sorry, but this just sounds like an excuse that the execs came up with for people to bring everyone they know with them to Disney World. Disney doesn't really care about your family, they just want more money from admissions and hotel packages. You know it's true.

That's a bit cynical. Sure, Disney is a business, and one of its fundemental principles is making money, and it always has been. But that doesn't mean that everything they do is only about making money. I certainly believe that they have their guest's enjoyment and happiness behind just about every move they make, even if they don't always succeed. Disney's commitment to its guest's enjoyment is what seperates it from other companies.

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by Merlin0402
Sorry, but this just sounds like an excuse that the execs came up with for people to bring everyone they know with them to Disney World. Disney doesn't really care about your family, they just want more money from admissions and hotel packages. You know it's true.

just like 100 Years of Magic...

anyway, Tokyo Disney does this all the time... they have promotions/celebrations going on almost always. Maybe WDW is going to be more like Tokyo... and that is a damned good thing

 

[dox]

Originally posted by Merlin0402
Sorry, but this just sounds like an excuse that the execs came up with for people to bring everyone they know with them to Disney World. Disney doesn't really care about your family, they just want more money from admissions and hotel packages. You know it's true.

Making money and customer satisfaction go hand in hand. There is absolutely nothing wrong with either. If Disney didn't make money, we wouldn't have WDW or even this site dedicated to them. :hammer: It is awfully naive to believe that makin' money is somehow evil and is diametrically opposed to serving others wishes and needs.

 

[amanda]

so what if WDW is using it as an excuse to get more ppl to come down? IMO, even if they are doing that, it still brings your family closer together, which is worth more than all the $ in the world. I say keep it up Disney!

 

[HauntedPirate]

Yes yes yes! Another reason to plan our next trip. Besides the fact that Mickey and I share the same birthday.

Having recently been to both WDW and.... that other 2-park place, I can honestly say that this next Resort-wide celebration is EXACTLY what sets WDW apart from Universal - it's all about family at Disney.

Until next time, I remain another WDW addict looking forward to the next fix. :lol:

 

[SirNim]

:sohappy:

We were thinking of doing a big (11 person) family trip down to WDW in April even before I knew about this...

:lol:

 

[AdLibSean]

Anyone in the know have any final dates for Fantasy in the Sky and debut dates for Wishes?

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

Merlin, think of it as Disney's way of trying to help boost the economy. but i'm going to have to agree with everyone else. yes Disney is a business who does everything they can to get more money...but what business doesn't? a business HAS to try to coax people into giving them money, otherwise they wouldn't have a business, and they certainly wouldn't be able to expand their business. but i do honestly think that Disney cares about not only my family, but everybody's family, and the idea of family in general. if they didn't care about their customer's and their happiness, i don't think Disney would add so much detail to everything they do. i really think they honestly try to bring families together and try to help them make some lasting memorys together.

now, on to the celebration. to be perfectly honest, i'm so tired of celebrations. but i think this one may be ok. since it's not celebrating an anniversary or holiday or whatever. since it's something very broad and general, i think it'll work great! i can't wait to check it out in Nov. especially the new fireworks show! sounds awesome! though, i read the Feb. 2003 MK update about the show, and it mentioned shooting fireworks from the railroad tracks...how's that gonna be possible? the track seems too far away. i'm a little confused as to how it'll all come together, but regardless, i'm sure it'll be a wonderful show!

 

[RogueHabit]

So is this why there is no listing for Fantasy in the Sky at the Magic Kingdom in October???

Not sure how I feel about that. I guess MK was in need of a new Fireworks display.

 

[All Star Nathan]

If they spent half the amount on cast satisfication as they are going to on banners and artwork and promotion maybe we could call that a celebration. How bout "Finally We Have Happy Workers Again Celebration."

 

[Mikejakester]

if they didn't care about their customer's and their happiness, i don't think Disney would add so much detail to everything they do. i really think they honestly try to bring families together and try to help them make some lasting memorys together.

Rememeber, I happy confortable guess, is more likely to spend more money. Specially when they are in a big group exiding 8 ppl. I mean we all love Disney... And we love to think Disney does this for the families... But come on... Jump off the cloud, It's a marketing strategy... Don't let the magic fool you... Business is business...Money talks, Big Groups, mean more money... So they are going to keep those big groups happy. And if that experience they had was "MAGICAL" It it's more likely they they will come back with the same big buch. So I bet Disney will do anything to make it "Magical" so they would come back as soon as possible. THe underworld of Marketing. hehehe:wave:

and it mentioned shooting fireworks from the railroad tracks...how's that gonna be possible? the track seems too far away. i'm a little confused as to how it'll all come together, but regardless, i'm sure it'll be a wonderful show!

The actual Firework site at MK today is farther than were the railroad Tracks are, They are actually closer to the Floridian Blvd. and the firestation. So if they are going to be firing from the railroad tracks it's going to be closer than the old fireworks... Don't worry... I bet this is going to kick A$$.