Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 A few little birdies flew into my window tonight (yes, fall has finally arrived in SoFla with temps in the upper 60s so we can finally open said windows anyway) ... with some big news. Apparently, some major decisions regarding future attractions and developments at WDW will either get the final green light this week or will find themselves on the chopping block. More info. to (hopefully) follow ...
Originally Posted By magnet Really? I had all but given up hope that anything beyond some much needed refurbs would be happening over the next five years given the huge investment in recreating DCA. There was some indication about attractions being added for the 40th anniversary, but are we just going to get transplants (like Soarin') or are we actually going to get something new that's better than a C-ticket ride (like Nemo and friends)?
Originally Posted By SpectroWishes321 Hopefully some of those future attractions involve destroying the Poo Playground and building a Little Mermaid ride?
Originally Posted By cmash95 hopefully the birdies will come back soon cause spirit has tweaked my interest. they really wouldn't have to destroy the playground just move it to another park. maybe hollywood studios... but then I have always had my idea of the perfect ride for fantasyland I just don't know an imagineer to tell.
Originally Posted By dennis-in-ct Please let them breathe some life back into the parks. They have been so uninspirating (aside from AK) for so long. My last visit was last June for Gay Days and I spent very little time in the parks. In years past I would feel so excited to visit and would do so up to three times a year. So much has fallen stale that I really could care less about another visit anytime soon. I think I will even skip Gay Days June 08 and do something else. The excitement started when TOWER and SPLASH opened. And the when AK opened - whoa! I bought an annual pass and went as often as I could. Since three years ago, I have had minor interest. What am I suppose to get excited about? A parade a MK that has been there without change for YEARS?!?! geesh ... What the saying.. it takes 5 times as much effort to get your customer back than it does to keep them? Well - I have to say I have now fallen into this catagory. The last straw was when the reservation policies changed for annual pass holders. I dropped my annual pass since holding one from 98 after that nonsense. It really put a very bad taste in my mouth. For me, I need to see some serious new investments and a building boom. It has been too little too far apart for my tastes. With a resort as big as WDW, they need to step it up - in mass to really make a statement. Am I bitter? nah .. just bored. The creative folk need to be free to BE CREATIVE and do their job. Make me feel inspired again. Spirit of 74 - I pray for those announcements. Cause I am hanging ont he edge of truly being 'done' with that place.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Dennis - I am with you my friend. Although we had fun at WDW last year, I felt really disappointed. Something that cannot be said for our trips to DL or DLP. WDW felt like it was having it's soul sucked out and was becoming more and more of a corporate machine. Instead of gay days WDW - why not go to gay days at DLP or DL, I am sure you would have a much better time!
Originally Posted By dshyates Our last WDW trip was Aug.06. We had a good time, but we really felt it was just simply about taking our money. I don't have any desire to go to the WoD side of DtD ever again. The crowds, the lines, the BBBoutique, everything about the place is not what I'm looking for in a vacation. And I have to admit the amount of time you spend riding around on busses in traffic on property is starting to really suck the magic out of the experience. In Aug.07 we went to Orlando and didn't go to a single Disney park. We did USF, IOA, and SW. We had a good time and intentionally planned a day of relaxation between the park days and that really relaxed the experience. WDW to me is now underwhelming in the parks experience, and overwhelming in the mass of conjestion, and cost to value.
Originally Posted By fkurucz ^^We were thinking of doing WDW next year. From the sound of things, maybe we should just stick with good old DL.
Originally Posted By dshyates I would wait until 2010. By then they should have some of the current plans, mostly involving the studios, open. Also if your interested Harry Potter should be open up the road by then. I am also in favor of a 2nd DtD type place over on Western Way to split the crowds.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo It depends fkurucz. I can't remember, have you been to WDW before? Epcot and DAK are awesom if you have never been, but loses a little lustre once you are used to them or their former glory. I have always prefered DL to the MK however, in the 70's, 80's, 90's and today. The hotels are ok, but the bus commutes are annoying. I much prefer the Disneyland or DLP experience of everything within walking distance. But if you have not been to WDW then go. For Epcot, DAK and some of the hotels/dining experiences. My downer on WDW is how far the standards have slipped compared to what they once were.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<^^We were thinking of doing WDW next year. From the sound of things, maybe we should just stick with good old DL.>> Don't let the gloom and doomers scare you away. There have been some really good changes at WDW over the past few years. Mickey's Philharmagic at MK, Soarin' and Nemo and Friends at Epcot, Expedition Everest and the Nemo Show at AK have all been great additions. As for the crowds, they do seem to be increasing most times of the year. That is why we usually try to visit in January. If WDW were really as lousy as some here like to claim, how come so darned many people are visiting?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<My downer on WDW is how far the standards have slipped compared to what they once were.>> It is all cyclical. A dozen years ago everyone was complaining about how DL was horribly maintained and all the money was going to WDW. Disney obviously concentrated on spiffing up DL for the 50th. I think in the coming years you will see similar attention paid to the MK.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<True, but even then I still preferred DL to the MK.>> They are very different parks, and I agree that Disneyland Park is the single best Disney Park in the United States. If I was going to pick a resort to spend 3-5 days at it would without a doubt be Disneyland. But for our more typical Disney vacation of 7-12 days I greatly prefer the range of activities available at WDW.
Originally Posted By dshyates WDW is still a lot of fun, but right now seems to be at the bottom. With what has been rumored to going on behind the scenes, they seem to be aware of the crowd problem. Which for the most part is outside the parks. DtD, the roads, and other parts of the inrastructure/transportation. The new Resorts, Shopping Dining district on Western Way will help a lot. We online here have a problem with the standardization of the merchendise, but with the crowds in the WoD Store, I wouldn't care what we think, either. But as far as the parks go, they seem to be focusing more on improving them more than in the recent past. They really need to replace the parades more often. Switch out the shows in the theaters quicker, and update the old standards like new scenes for Fantasmic!. WDWs entertainment is stale beyond belief. Spectro still being there hurts my brain. There have been some recent good additions like Soarin', and Everest. Some ambitious klunkers like Laugh Floor and Stitch. But I really hope the days of Chester & Hester's are behind us. With the runored plans the parks look like they will be better by the 40th.
Originally Posted By danyoung >From the sound of things, maybe we should just stick with good old DL.< I just hate it when a poster listens to the negativity online and starts making decisions based on that. With all due respect to dshyates, from what I've read of his (her?) posts there seems to be a pretty strong level of burnout taking place. If you've gone to the same place and done the same rides and shows and eaten at the same restaurants year after year, eventually you're gonna get sick of the place. I still visit at least once a year, and have always found new and fun things to keep me happy, along with revisiting my old favorites. Please don't let us curmudgeons overly influence you - WDW is a pretty spectacular place to take a vacation!
Originally Posted By Mickeyfan1 I must agree with a lot of these postings. I visited WDW a year ago right after Thanksgiving. All in all a good time was had, but I also noticed the the parks, espcially the Magic Kingdom, really needed a lot of "love" if you know what I mean. Again all in all we had a good time, but I have to be honest, once home I really had and still have no real interest in returning for sometime. As one post mentioned I too felt it was all about getting money out of my pocket. In so many areas the "magic" seems to be gone. I hope things turn around.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I agree Mickeyfan, at the time we had fun. When we got home I realised not as much fun as usual or other Disney trips, and then when we went to DLP in June, I realised we had a lot more fun at DLP than WDW in the main. Sad but true.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<As one post mentioned I too felt it was all about getting money out of my pocket.>> When has it ever NOT been? LOL
Originally Posted By dshyates "With all due respect to dshyates, from what I've read of his (her?) posts there seems to be a pretty strong level of burnout taking place. If you've gone to the same place and done the same rides and shows and eaten at the same restaurants year after year, eventually you're gonna get sick of the place." I don't know about burnout in that I have only been to WDW twice since '95. I know its probably just me, but I simply don't find WDW as fun as I used to. Its still a lot of fun, but its also very expensive for what you get. I like it, but there really are a lot of other companies trying really hard to get my money. Two weeks ago we went to Atlanta. Stayed at the Marriot Marquis, ate at Trader Vic's and Emeril's, went to the Aquarium, toured CNN and had a wonderful time. The service at the Marriot was spot on. No it's not WDW, but an enjoyable time none the less. I'm not trying to influence anyone to not go, just relaying my feelings. I never was one of those 3 times a year people. More a once every 3-5 years (sometimes longer) kinda person. With my first WDW trip in Dec.'71. But I have noticed how WDW has changed in the past 10 years, and personally I don't feel its making it a better experience. I'm glad if you have a lot of fun there. People do every day as the crowds are evidence. I'll just wait until they build that must ride attraction, go back, and revise my perception then. Really liked MS, Everest underwhelming. IMHO.
