Y'all should ...

[Taylor]

I'm saying you should at least wait until it gets an official announcement before you get even a little jittery. When construction actually starts, then I'd say get excited.

Yeah I understand that but it's tough not to get excited its like Christmas

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yeah I understand that but it's tough not to get excited its like Christmas

Yeah but at least you know for sure you're getting something for Christmas. This hasn't even been confirmed.

 

[M.rudolf]

I'm saying you should at least wait until it gets an official announcement before you get even a little jittery. When construction actually starts, then I'd say get excited.

I'm excited not because of an announcement,I'm excited because there seems to a change coming in the company, Disney now knows they have to do something. They know that if they keep resting on their laurels they could see a turn for the worse, when the economy does turn around. They know that consumers have a choice between staying on or off property and that Disney is not the only attraction that brings people to Orlando now

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'm excited not because of an announcement,I'm excited because there seems to a change coming in the company, Disney now knows they have to do something. They know that if they keep resting on their laurels they could see a turn for the worse, when the economy does turn around. They know that consumers have a choice between staying on or off property and that Disney is not the only attraction that brings people to Orlando now

Oh, well that's different.

 

[Magenta Panther]

But most kids know Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah. That connection alone makes the characters seem familiar to children.

I'm excited not because of an announcement,I'm excited because there seems to a change coming in the company, Disney now knows they have to do something. They know that if they keep resting on their laurels they could see a turn for the worse, when the economy does turn around. They know that consumers have a choice between staying on or off property and that Disney is not the only attraction that brings people to Orlando now

Yep, Disney actually has a bit of real competition now in the theme-park business. And that's a good thing...for US.

 

[Longhairbear]

I'm excited not because of an announcement,I'm excited because there seems to a change coming in the company, Disney now knows they have to do something. They know that if they keep resting on their laurels they could see a turn for the worse, when the economy does turn around. They know that consumers have a choice between staying on or off property and that Disney is not the only attraction that brings people to Orlando now

We haven't been to WDW for 2 years, and we are DVC members. We use our points here in CA, and just took a 7 night cruise up the California coast on the Wonder. It cost us the same amount of points we would have needed for a 7 night stay in a one bedroom villa, and then we'd have to buy food, or go out to eat in one of the parks. Add in the cost of theme park tickets, and we made out on the deal by not going to WDW.
If I understand the book keeping for DVC, to pay for my cruise, and rooms at the Disneyland hotel, DVC has to rent my villa out for cash. If they don't, then Disney/ DVC is stuck with the bill. I'm not sure if that is how it works, but if it does, and less, and less DVC members are going to WDW there is a problem. DVC members now get a $300 discount off of AP's, and they just announced a free membership to D23 for members. To me, that says they are throwing us a few bones to keep us coming back to WDW.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I think most people who go to a Disney park want to see Disney-created or adapted characters, not stuff that's bought and crammed into the park willy-nilly.

See, now you're crossing the streams here. You can cram something into an area where it doesn't fit whether it's a Disney character or not. Splash Mountain at MK is one of the best rides ever created, so people don't complain, but what is it doing at the end of the street in that Old West town? It's between the Western-themed Frontierland main thoroughfare and the Western-themed BTMRR, but now there's an unexplained little detour to the Deep South? Now look at Indy. In Adventureland at DL... exciting adventures into the deepest darkest jungles of the world? Man, that is Indiana Jones! That is a character that fits PERFECTLY. You can argue whether you want non-Disney characters or not at all, but that's different from saying it doesn't fit thematically.

 

[danlb_2000]

Although some people are trying to make this out as an argument between Disney created and non-Disney created properties, I think when you get right down to it, it's really an argument over what each person personally feels is a "Disney-esque" property and which ones aren't and there is no clear right and wrong in that debate.

 

[unkadug]

See, now you're crossing the streams here. You can cram something into an area where it doesn't fit whether it's a Disney character or not. Splash Mountain at MK is one of the best rides ever created, so people don't complain, but what is it doing at the end of the street in that Old West town? It's between the Western-themed Frontierland main thoroughfare and the Western-themed BTMRR, but now there's an unexplained little detour to the Deep South? Now look at Indy. In Adventureland at DL... exciting adventures into the deepest darkest jungles of the world? Man, that is Indiana Jones! That is a character that fits PERFECTLY. You can argue whether you want non-Disney characters or not at all, but that's different from saying it doesn't fit thematically.

Besides the back story, what part of Splash Mountain makes you feel you are in the Deep South?
We were just talking about how most people have NO IDEA what the back story is of Splash Mountain.

I've never seen anything that looks like SM in the Deep South.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Besides the back story, what part of Splash Mountain makes you feel you are in the Deep South?
We were just talking about how most people have NO IDEA what the back story is of Splash Mountain.

I've never seen anything that looks like SM in the Deep South.

The look of the mountain, the accents/dialect of the characters, the musical style both in the queue and on the ride, the landscaping in the show scenes, the riverboat in the finale scene... other than that, not much I guess. C'mon, do you really disagree that there's a "which of these is not like the other, which of these just doesn't belong" between Splash, BTMRR, and the Frontierland "street"?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yep, Disney actually has a bit of real competition now in the theme-park business. And that's a good thing...for US.

That depends entirely on whether or not Disney actually recognizes the competition as existing. Many kings of their market have fallen because they never truly responded to the rising competition.

Besides the back story, what part of Splash Mountain makes you feel you are in the Deep South?
We were just talking about how most people have NO IDEA what the back story is of Splash Mountain.

I've never seen anything that looks like SM in the Deep South.

You've never seen Georgia Red Clay?

 

[Californian Elitist]

Besides the back story, what part of Splash Mountain makes you feel you are in the Deep South?
We were just talking about how most people have NO IDEA what the back story is of Splash Mountain.

I've never seen anything that looks like SM in the Deep South.

Have you seen Song of the South? And I agree, the dialect, the way the mountain looks, the characters... Not to mention it is Song of the SOUTH, not Song of the West. There's no doubt Splash at MK doesn't fit, thematically.

 

[Bolna]

Have you seen Song of the South? And I agree, the dialect, the way the mountain looks, the characters... Not to mention it is Song of the SOUTH, not Song of the West. There's no doubt Splash at MK doesn't fit, thematically.

It is much easier to see that it does not fit into Frontierland if you have seen it at DL first as it has its own country there. My first Disney park was DL and in many ways that created a certain expectation of where things belong. I had a hard time accepting Phantom Manor in Frontierland at DLP (I thought Disney was being cheap by not giving us Europeans New Orleans Square) and I find it strange that WDW's TL is missing Star Tours as DL and DLP (my second park) have it.

 

[Californian Elitist]

It is much easier to see that it does not fit into Frontierland if you have seen it at DL first as it has its own country there. My first Disney park was DL and in many ways that created a certain expectation of where things belong. I had a hard time accepting Phantom Manor in Frontierland at DLP (I thought Disney was being cheap by not giving us Europeans New Orleans Square) and I find it strange that WDW's TL is missing Star Tours as DL and DLP (my second park) have it.

I'm a California girl, so I know exactly what you're talking about. Splash in Critter Country fits. DLP isn't the only one without New Orleans Square. I think DL and TDL are the only parks with NOS.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm a California girl, so I know exactly what you're talking about. Splash in Critter Country fits. DLP isn't the only one without New Orleans Square. I think DL and TDL are the only parks with NOS.

It's not even called New Orleans Square at Tokyo Disneyland. It is just part of Adventureland on the other side of the park from Critter Country, which was created for Splash Mountain.

 

[Californian Elitist]

It's not even called New Orleans Square at Tokyo Disneyland. It is just part of Adventureland on the other side of the park from Critter Country, which was created for Splash Mountain.

Really? Wow, I didn't know that. So does it have an official name or is pretty much just buildings that look like the ones at Disneyland?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

The look of the mountain, the accents/dialect of the characters, the musical style both in the queue and on the ride, the landscaping in the show scenes, the riverboat in the finale scene

Indeed. Splash sticks out like a sore thumb as much as Star Tours would in Adventureland (hey, they visit exotic planets!), or Spaceship Earth in DAK (there's a mammoth in there!).

Splash should've gone into Fantasyland. Or, even better, anchor its own land. Perhaps together with Pooh, as in DL.

 

[asianway]

Really? Wow, I didn't know that. So does it have an official name or is pretty much just buildings that look like the ones at Disneyland?

You would think you were in NOS, but not. It makes for a pretty smooth transition from World Bazaar to Adventureland.

 

[tomman710]

A side (but related) note: Look, I have a degree in marketing I get the concepts. I get wanting to position yourself to get the most buzz and most attention but to me the "waiting until the right time" is hurting them because they are losing steam, forward progress ... I also get that they don't want to detract attention from Fantasyland or they don't want people "waiting" until everything is done to take their vacation ...

This idea of "waiting" on any announcements is going to hurt them I think, first, I believe that the new Fantasyland's buzz is lukewarm, but if TDO were to announce this New Fantasyland as "just the beginning of a new decade" leading up to the 50th, "come witness the beginning, see the new level of detail etc ..." I think that's something that people can get excited about ... here's the simplistic difference as I see it ... "Come see the New Fantasyland, we have a LM ride and in two years we'll have a SDMT ride!!" or ... "Come see the New Fantasyland which will be closely followed by Carsland, a Monster Inc. E-Ticket, a Star Wars Character Meal in an all new themed Cantina, Indiana Jones E-ticket experience, and another attraction in DAK and EPCOT and leading up to our 50th anniversary celebration!"

I think if they make it part of a comprehensive plan it becomes something more ... something people can get excited about and if they are bombarding us with experiences (E-Tickets) on the same level of detail as Fantasyland and Carsland in every park leading up to the 50th then Uni can't compete with that. They may not have an attraction on par with the Gringott's coaster but they can make it up in quantity ... and quantity for WDW equals people staying on property longer.

 

[LOSTllama]

Tomman, you hit the nail on the head! This is what they should do: announce a new Disney Decade in prep for the 50th. But only focus on the four parks and two water parks, resorts are saturated.