Originally Posted By ChiMike I know it is an unpopular thought, but the less celebrations the better in my book. I like visiting the parks in their unadultered state
Originally Posted By TDLFAN ^^^Boring. I don't mind anniversary celebrations every 5 yrs as it used to be but the management at WDW took it to new heights with stupid celebrations almost yearly.. Family gatherings, Celebrate Whatever, etc etc. Anniversary celebrations are incentive for many repeat visitors to go back, and to see new things they may do. In regards to WDW, they have nothing new to offer. It's in your words.. the same unadultered sad state of things.. which does not even come to par with DL or TDL for that matter. It's really a very sad state of affairs when WDW, and especially the MK has nothing new to offer for this 40th year. Could it have killed them to at least get a totally brand new parade? DL got one and it's not their anniversary. That is the point I am tryng to make.. and while I am wasting time making my point.. admission prices will keep going up.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 I agree -- I too prefer the 5 year increments and do a parade / new logo / unique adornments etc..... even the ill fated pepto cake castle is at least identifiable to one period of time and one period only. The recent 'celebrations' to me all blend together
Originally Posted By danyoung Leavc it to TDLFAN to suck the joy out of a birthday greeting. I was there on Saturday, and while I didn't take advantage of any of the birthday shows I did get my 40th button! I first visited the MK in 1979, as they were preparing E.P.C.O.T. to open in the next few years. So that means I've been going to WDW for 33 years! I celebrated my own 40th with my first ever scuba dive in the Living Seas - a totally cool memory. So yeah, Happy Birthday, WDW!!!
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>>The recent 'celebrations' to me all blend together<<< Agreed, mostly because their recent celebrations are meant to bring in the dollars of who who have a personal reason to visit, as opposed to them giving prospective guests a reason to visit the resort and celebrate Disney. That is why the so-called "Celebrate Whatever" celebrations fall flat. It's like putting on those "Happy birthday", "Happy anniversary" or 'First visit" buttons. They entice CMs to yell at you their rehearsed "happy this or that!!" It's fake, and after two hours of CMs screaming at you "Happy Birthday".. well.. it gets tiresome and looses it's honesty.
Originally Posted By DlandDug I always say Happy Birthday and Congratulations to guests who are wearing buttons in Disneyland. There's nothing insincere intended, and everyone seems to appreciate it. Of course, I'm not a cast member. Maybe if the idea of having cast members shout Happy Birthday is so repugnant, one shouldn't wear the free button. Just a thought.
Originally Posted By dagobert I liked the buttons, because we got the chance to talk to many CMs and since we are from Europe, they were very interested in talking to us, especially about Disneyland Paris. But we only had the First Visit button and no happy anniversary. I can imagine that if you hear that the whole day, it can get a bit annoying. The easiest way to stop that, is to remove the button.
Originally Posted By jkayjs Happy 40th WDW!!! My 1st visit was Oct 1972 which was my 1st to any Disney park. I remember turning on to property & still being on a 4 lane HWY...it was amazing to this young Midwesterner & we hadn't even reached the park! This was before the Internet & 24/7 information so I wasn't prepared for all the things I would see, taste, smell & feel that day...it was & still is among one of the purest experiences I've had. I remember the 1st moment I saw the MK like it was yesterday...it truly was 'Magic'!!! All these yrs & countless visits later it remains my most vivid memory of WDW! Again Happy 40th Birthday WDW & thanks for the memories!!!
Originally Posted By HMButler79 ""Leavc it to TDLFAN to suck the joy out of a birthday greeting."" You mean telling the TRUTH? So pathetic and sad that YOU think getting a cheap 40th B-Day button is enough for Meg and her flying monekeys to do for MKs 40th. No WONDER they get away w/ everything in FL. People like you support eveeything they do!
Originally Posted By HMButler79 TDLFAN, i totally agree. Meg's speech was cringe worthty and Phil was JUST SLIGHLTY Better. But the rest was awful. Hearing the old parade songs was a punch in the gut, predicatable "franchise only" characters, and they didnt even sing Happy Birthday! Just When You Wish Upon a STar! And Meg leaving right after her speech....This woman is the friggin Palin of Disney executives. But.....you know.....some people are just THRILLED she threw them a 10 cent button.....
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>>Maybe if the idea of having cast members shout Happy Birthday is so repugnant, one shouldn't wear the free button. Just a thought.<<< You are not a CM so it's nice to take a second to wish a stranger a "happy whatever". But CMs are directed to do that every time they see the buttons. Management thinks this si their way of creating happy memories. Some people will buy it and some not, like a friend of mine who visited some time ago.. We got his the birthday button and after one hour he took it off because he did not want to be bothered anymore with people saying "happybirthdayhappybirthday" all day long. So yes, after a while, it is all fake.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper I only said happy birthday to the kids for the most part, unless I could poke fun at a dad with a group of kids for his age.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Agreed with you Butler. BTW.. thought of you while visiting DCA last week.. as I stood on that same spot, where we ran into each other on July 17th, 2005. Hahaha. And again, I expect more from a company that is rolling in dough and from a resort they claim is the most visited on Earth. If struggling HKDL can celebrate the 5th for a year and TDS can throw a 6-months long 10th anniversary party, both with new entertainment and special decor, menus and merchandise, considering the problems related to the earthquake and tsunami, then..what stops WDW from doing the same every 5 years? For a change..go back to the old and celebrate the freaking resort, and NOT people's personal celebrations. This is how misguided this management is. And Butler?.. trust me.. some folks here went to WDW for the FOOD fest at EPCOT and just happen to be there on Oct 1st. I am on to them.. But for the majority of clueless guests who happened to be there..I am sure it was a nice surprise. After all.. FREE CUPCAKES!!! Me? I spent Oct 1st at DLR.. and for a mere $100 ticket I did ALL major E-tickets at DL and DCA, rode the new Mermaid ride, checked out the new digs at DCA, saw the new Sondsational Parade, saw the improved Fantasmic! and World of Color, saw halloween decor and ElecTRONica... I was there from 8am until 12 mindnight and got my money's worth, just like TDR's full schedule forces me to do. What did the folks at WDW got for the 40th?.. a 15 yrs old parade, same old run down attractions, No new entertainment, and if you wanted to take something home for the ocasion, you were forced to stand in line and buy reproductions of merchandise that did not even recreate the true opening day look of some items. Really a sad state of affairs. Let's just pray that once that stupid Meg get put in control of DLR, it does not go downhill with her mediocre leadership.
Originally Posted By HMButler79 Oh and don't forget Stitch's Super Carptacualr Sonic Celebration running for a record........TWELEVE HOURS!!
Originally Posted By danyoung >So pathetic and sad that YOU think getting a cheap 40th B-Day button is enough for Meg and her flying monekeys to do for MKs 40th. No WONDER they get away w/ everything in FL. People like you support eveeything they do!< That's not at all what I said, and if you weren't stuck in your idiotic anti-WDW loop you might see that. All I did was express disdain that a simple "happy birthday WDW" thread went down this same tired road, featuring commentary by the same tired people. Would it have been nice if WDW did something more for the 40th? Of course. Did I feel neglected on my trip last week? Not in the least. And (GASP!) I even found a way to have fun in the Magic Kingdom!!!
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 <<That's not at all what I said, and if you weren't stuck in your idiotic anti-WDW loop you might see that. All I did was express disdain that a simple "happy birthday WDW" thread went down this same tired road, featuring commentary by the same tired people.>> I think that qualifies under if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 <<And (GASP!) I even found a way to have fun in the Magic Kingdom!!!>> Shame on you.
