Originally Posted By bobbelee9 No, we started in going '67. Happy Haunt wants to know if you got your penny in the elephant's back? We're off to Stonehenge, hopefully in the sun.
Originally Posted By HMButler1979 ""and it doesn't appear much is going down in Walt's park!"" New fireworks and flying Dumbo is SOMETHING compared to the expiration date passed Wishes. And all Fantasyland attractions are getting a rehab which if that happened at MK, would send little children crying to thier DVC beds.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> I did hear that some yahoo on another magical forum dropped that bit of info anyway ... he's actually very smart and can be trusted. He's actually quite a handsome spirit too! << I heard he was a commie Disney hating jerk!
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Um ... the crown jewel of Disney Parks will always, always be the original ... and it doesn't appear much is going down in Walt's park! << For display purposes only, I consider it Walt Disney World.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom The Magic Kingdom is just a cheap knock off. We got half a PoT. I"m just joking of course. I also believe that MK is the crown jewel, but Disney did go cheap in some areas like PoT, Jungle boat Cruise and the MK Railway.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Well, the Magic Kingdom consistently has higher attendance than any other park in the world. I love WDW and strongly disagree that the Magic Kingdom has lost its soul; but the "crown jewel" is Disneyland. Always has been. Always will be.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I think Walt put his heart and soul into the MK. Originally it was everything he wanted it to be. When it was built, it blew everything away, the size and scope of WDW is testimony to that. Its still the most popular theme park in the world and for good reason.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Um, Tom, Walt hardly did anything with the MK, it was a sequel to him that he left with WED Enterprises. He was far more interested in EPCOT.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 Nothing against DL, but I thought after he built that, he realized it's faults and limitations and tried to correct them with WDW?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo That was the brief he gave the imagineers, but it was more the work of Admiral Joe Fowler, John Hench, Mark Davis et al to thank.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> Nothing against DL, but I thought after he built that, he realized it's faults and limitations and tried to correct them with WDW? << That's exactly why WDW exsist. I'm not saying WDW is superior to DLR. I am merely stating that WDW is the number 1 vacation spot in the whole wide world. Thus the crown jewel of all the Disney resorts. Individual personal preferences have no bearing on that fact.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> "m just joking of course. I also believe that MK is the crown jewel, but Disney did go cheap in some areas like PoT, Jungle boat Cruise and the MK Railway. << PotC is definetly the most noticeable. It was 28 years between the time I saw DL's until I saw the MK's. I knew instantly that the MK had been short changed.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo >>>That's exactly why WDW exsist.<<< Partially, indeed Walt learnt a lot of lessons from DL (and indeed DL was not perfect) that he did not want to replicate with WDW, so Reedy Creek was key to the success of the land acquisitions, but according to my primary (discussions I had with John before he died) and almost every serious book on WDW in my library, Walt really was not that interested in the MK once he got started. By pretty much all accounts, he was obsessed with Epcot. Yes, in the early stages he was interested in the park, from his meetings in St Louis which was the original site considered, to the field tests at the 64 World's fair. But once they got into true design and build phase, it was focuesed on making EPCOT the reality, with the park being used as a recreation area for the residents and a draw to bring people to his EPCOT (not knowing if EPCOT would be popular enough on it's own). The only drawings (that I am aware of) Walt ever sketched out for the MK, is it's location and that of the planned airport nearby. and numerous WDI accounts show that Walt was not very interested in the park itself. Even the unique elements there for opening day were borrowed and enhanced from elsewhere (Liberty Square designs were enhanced from an amalgam of an offshoot from Disneyland's Main Street and the layout of New Orleans Square). and the Country Bear Jamboree, which Walt did love, and it was the last thing he saw at WDI before he died, was actually designed for the Mineral King Ski Resort project which was derailed and the bear band found it's new home in WDW. Even the Hall of Presidents was originally conceived for DL. And Tomorrowland, I understand the moving of the Carousel of Progress was a decision made after Walt died. So say what you will, yes they learnt some lessons they wanted to apply to WDW (the walkways, the use of the monorail and ferries, the layout of the hotels, the use of the amazing utilidors etc.) coupled with having more money to work with than in DL's day (hence the castle). But the MK was more of Roy Disney's baby than Walt's.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo And please do not let this be clouded by my personal bias towards the MK, the info above is drawn from being a Disney historian 1st and foremost. I may think Space Moutain is totally overrated as an attraction experience, but I do recognise it's historic importance, it's rite of passage mistique and sense of family meaning it plays. Despite some of my rants over the years, I just wanted to ensure I am not trying to use any malice against the park in this guise. I am simply trying to present the facts that have been presented to me as primary and secondary evidence sources with some qualitative examples. There is a lot of history and conjecture around all the Disney resorts, and because of the size and timing of the birth of WDW, a lot of people try to ascribe more meaning and belonging to WDW with Walt. Walt set the vision, but it was in his absence the blueprint evolved.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> But the MK was more of Roy Disney's baby than Walt's. << Not arguing any of that with you Dave, and I think most fans know about Walt's obsession with E.P.C.O.T.. I'm only saying that the present day Walt Disney Corp. considers WDW, and the MK to be the Crown Jewel of the Disney Parks. That is with the exception of John Lasseter.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo sad but true. Shame they advertise it as such, but they don't polish it up and take care of it.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom In the Disney Company's defense, they have an awful lot of possessions that they need to "polish up". I agree more attention and care needs to be done with WDW especially now since this fatal monorail accident. But lets face it Disney is now a multi-faceted company with theme parks, cruise ships, an Island in the Bahamas, property in Hawaii, California, France..... its pretty big and they have an awful lot on their plate. Heck at this point I would content if they could run their monorails with out another fatality.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom And when it comes to Crown Jewels apparently nothing comes close to Tokyo Disney Resort.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "But lets face it Disney is now a multi-faceted company with theme parks, cruise ships, an Island in the Bahamas, property in Hawaii, California, France..... its pretty big and they have an awful lot on their plate." Shouldn't every Disney endeavor cover its costs and not negatively impact another endeavor? If they have too much on their plate, there is nothing wrong with scaling back in order to provide the best possible experience at the parks. There is nothing wrong with making less money. Oh wait, Wall Street won't like that.
