Would Walt be happy?

[Tom Morrow]

Do you think Walt Disney would be happy with the way the parks, movies, and the company in general are run? Or do you think he'd be turning in his grave (if he was in one)? Also, do you think Walt would have added more thrill rides than they currently have? Or would he have built the same, or less? I have my thoughts on this, but I'd like to hear yours first...

 

[NowInc]

Originally posted by Tom Morrow
Do you think Walt Disney would be happy with the way the parks, movies, and the company in general are run? Or do you think he'd be turning in his grave (if he was in one)? Also, do you think Walt would have added more thrill rides than they currently have? Or would he have built the same, or less? I have my thoughts on this, but I'd like to hear yours first...

Thats a hard thing to answer...mostly because I dont think he could of ever dreamed his company would be as large as it is today.

I know Im going to get a lot of flack for this..but here goes nothing:

I personally think the BEST think to ever happen to Disney after walts death was Micheal Eisner.....now hears me out....

He has made it what it is today...he knew how to market the company and turn it into a multi-market corporation that will always be a strong force in the financial world.

For those who go to blame him for ruining parts of disney....remember he doesnt make any decisions on his own. Disney is NOT a one man show...and he is after all only human..

Back to the topic at hand however::

I think Walt would overall be pleased with the way things are going...granted his "Epcot" was never meant to be...and if he had lived I am sure it WOULD of happened...but other than that...he would be very happy to see how his dreams have spread to international markets and have held up the same standards as they always have for years before...

 

[epcot71]

thats a hard one to answer. i think after first taking a month or so just to realize how big teh company has gotten hed love some things and hate some others.

love---

a- love how global the disney empire has gotten.
b-love how great the theme parks have done(not know though with the sept 11 tragidy).
c-the overall popularity of the company in whole with mickey mouse being one of the most known faces in the world.
d-hed be very happy i think with the way the company has gone into new areas-cruiseline,disney store,intl theme parks,channel,celebration,etc.

hates----
for those who have known walt will contest as much of a magical person he was he was in fact very conservative.

it was known that he had a dislike for anything that was not
"AMERICAN CHRISTIAN".
he according to what people have said did not also care to much for minorities so being that the company is well mixed with a jewish ceo,many african american and hispanic members of management.also including many gay cast members in the parks with the company offering medical insurance to partners would probably make him have a stroke and be dead again anyway.

i think the diversity of the employees at the walt disney company has made it what it is today a global media leader.

 

[Disneyowner182]

i think he'd love everything but the way its being run

 

[Chris]

I think he would be amazed at how BIG things have gotten. I also think he would be flabergasted at some of the attractions and programs that his company support. While I happen to like Drew Carey, I think that Walt would rather shoot his foot off than put him on TV and to have him in one of his parks "hosting" an attraction? Times they do be a changin'.

 

[ToTBellHop]

please keep in mind that without some of the thrill rides that some people skip, the disney company would not be as well-off as it is. MGM would more or less be nothing, no where near as popular as it is today. I have seen grandparents w/ their grandkids on the Tower of Terror, I believe the Tower shows imaginative vision and has disney magic in it from the Hollywood Tower Hotel entrance sign right to the exit of the attraction. Most people over age 6 love it and go on it, and you cannot make 4 theme parks with attractions that 5 year olds would like...you would not stay in business. Very little at Epcot appeals to little kids, nor did it before all of these changes. Little kids do not enjoy World Showcase, and they would find most of the future world attractions boring. Disney is not in the market to build attractions that every individual will enjoy. Why? Because it's impossible. Just like one person may not like the Tower of Terror, I may not enjoy Carousel of Progress. But when you build a complex with as many attractions as disney offers, you can afford to work on attractions geared toward varying groups. The Disney Parks were extremely small when Walt died as opposed to today, and even when Walt was working on Disneyland, he realized the necessity for a thrill ride every bit as magical as all of the other rides he designed. The Magic of Disney is not confined to rides that go 5 mph...although Walt may not agree with all of the management practices, I feel that he would be proud of the company as a whole. Those attendance figures we saw show that the Magic still amazes people the world over, and that it is still very much a part of every part of the disney parks. With all the millions of people that visit it each year..give em a break...a piece of gum on a seat will not kill you...direct your anger at the jerks sticking it there, kicking the sides of buildings chipping the paint, or in any other way disrupting the magic. Is your house perfect in every way? Was disneyland perfect when it opened? Certainly not. Perfection was not Walt's objective. Constant development was. We have that.

 

[Luau Cove]

Just remember Walt Disney´s view ("It all started a daddy with 2 daughters wondering where he could take..."). He would try to mantain classical attractions and the ones that meant something for him or he was deeply involved as COP or 2000 Leagues. He would continue creating attractions that's for sure, since he was so fascinated in showing the world his ideas and dreams, but I'm sure he would surprise us with their new fantasies, after all, look at the wonders he created, no man before him could imagine the things Walt was able to create.
-->LUAU

 

[ToTBellHop]

there were a lot of rides at Disneyland when it opened that have not been around for awhile (I remember seeing some in Tomorrowland). Was he around when any closed (trying to see if Walt, himself, closed rides to make way for new ones)?
Kyle

 

[space*mt*ranger]

Originally posted by DogsRule!
there were a lot of rides at Disneyland when it opened that have not been around for awhile (I remember seeing some in Tomorrowland). Was he around when any closed (trying to see if Walt, himself, closed rides to make way for new ones)?
Kyle

Im pretty sure the answer is yes,i know he replaced a few attractions TL 55 to make way for TL 67 which i dont think he got to see

 

[NowInc]

Originally posted by space*mt*ranger


Im pretty sure the answer is yes,i know he replaced a few attractions TL 55 to make way for TL 67 which i dont think he got to see

Yep..there were a LOT...The house of tommorow was prob the funniest...as it was hard to destroy..it was made out of plasitc so the wrecking ball literally bounced off of it....

There was also the "floating ufos"...which were a technical disaster...so they were axed...

I have a full list SOMEWHERE of all the old ones..if i find it..i'll post em..

 

[ToTBellHop]

see...he would have no problem with attractions closing to make way for new ones. ºoº
Kyle