Originally Posted By DISNEYSEA---ker Why do we get hosed in america? Disney is as american as Walt, baseball, hotdogs, apple pie and Chevrolet but yet tokyo and paris are beating us at our own game. They get a real castle in Paris and we get bad food that costs a lot. They get Poohs Hunny Hunt and we get broken effects, faded paint and gum on the walkways. They get an erupting volcano and we get electric wheelchairs and timeshares. I want us to be numero uno again in Disney parks like before the turn of the century. So why does america get beaten badly at its own game?
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Good question. To answer that, in respect to Disney, it's quite simple. It's because quality is no longer synonymous with profit, and Disney in the US can feet away with selling a mediocre product, and still make money off of it. They've dumbed down the product for a dumbed down audience that no longer cares for the little details, or quality, probably because they don't notice them. Blame society. And greed.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper << a dumbed down audience>> Sorry, but I just don't agree with this at all.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Sorry, but I just don't agree with this at all.<<< Way to be descriptive.... ;-) I know what you are going to say, however, that people still look for quality, and details, and story. That is true. But in the other hand, we have those that just accept anything that Disney puts out to them (Synergy!) and those that think that everything has to be tech based and revamped, like our friend the Weatherman. That's dumbing down, too. Sure, tastes change, but quality and originality doesn't. To me, people lapping up attractions that are more of the same, are part of the "Dumbing down" effect.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper << But in the other hand, we have those that just accept anything that Disney puts out to them (Synergy!)>> That's such a slim percentage of people who visit Disney parks. << those that think that everything has to be tech based and revamped, like our friend the Weatherman.>> Most things should be upgraded to include the best technology possible. Whether or not they do it right is a different story. <<To me, people lapping up attractions that are more of the same, are part of the "Dumbing down" effect. >> People lap it up because they're there. I don't know what you expect tourists to do, haha.
Originally Posted By MPierce As long as people keep paying the money at WDW you will all continue to see more of the same.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<They get a real castle in Paris>> I'm pretty sure it's not a real castle. Yes, it does have some neat details to it that the MK castle does not, but it benefitted from being built 20+ years later, with an out-of-control budget. <<we get bad food that costs a lot.>> While WDW's food cost have spiraled upward, the overall quality is arguably better than DLP's or TDR's. <<They get Poohs Hunny Hunt and we get broken effects, faded paint and gum on the walkways. They get an erupting volcano and we get electric wheelchairs and timeshares.>> TDR is majority owned by another company, not Disney. This partly explains why they've received some rather lush attractions. <<I want us to be numero uno again in Disney parks like before the turn of the century.>> WDW still has Epcot. It's not new, but there's nothing else like it in the Disney theme park world.
Originally Posted By Roger55 There are sociatal and cultural differences between the countries. This DOES effect the expectations of both the Guests and the company management. I wouldn't call it "dumbed down", but I certainly feel that the vast majority of the Guests and the management of the US Disney Parks do not hold as high an expectation of the offerings they receive or what they provide.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>That's such a slim percentage of people who visit Disney parks.<<< I'm not talking about fans, here. I'm talking about regular guests. People used to go to Disney for the park experience, of something new, not just seeing the movies crammed into a ride. Sure, there's a place for that (FL and DHS) but talk to some people, who went in the 70s. Or inn the 60s to DL. They went for something beyond that of simply seeing the archetype of Disney. They went for it's quality and it's storytelling. Had a very interesting talk with my Great Aunt, last night, who is 85, and also what I would call a moderate Disney fan. She did what I described just now. She said that the only reason places like EPCOT Center, or The original Tomorrowland, or even DL's AdvL in the 60's, were Disney because of the level of storytelling, and the level of "how real it felt", which I took to mean quality. Dumbing down everything to be a movie tie in, or to be the same, is noticeable to the average guest. Not everything has to scream DISNEY COMPANY AND CHARACTERS at you to be revered as something that is done right. Agreed in the tech, point, though.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>That's such a slim percentage of people who visit Disney parks.<<< I'm not talking about fans, here. I'm talking about regular guests. People used to go to Disney for the park experience, of something new, not just seeing the movies crammed into a ride. Sure, there's a place for that (FL and DHS) but talk to some people, who went in the 70s. Or inn the 60s to DL. They went for something beyond that of simply seeing the archetype of Disney. They went for it's quality and it's storytelling. Had a very interesting talk with my Great Aunt, last night, who is 85, and also what I would call a moderate Disney fan. She did what I described just now. She said that the only reason places like EPCOT Center, or The original Tomorrowland, or even DL's AdvL in the 60's, were Disney because of the level of storytelling, and the level of "how real it felt", which I took to mean quality. Dumbing down everything to be a movie tie in, or to be the same, is noticeable to the average guest. Not everything has to scream DISNEY COMPANY AND CHARACTERS at you to be revered as something that is done right. Agreed in the tech, point, though.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>That's such a slim percentage of people who visit Disney parks.<<< I'm not talking about fans, here. I'm talking about regular guests. People used to go to Disney for the park experience, of something new, not just seeing the movies crammed into a ride. Sure, there's a place for that (FL and DHS) but talk to some people, who went in the 70s. Or inn the 60s to DL. They went for something beyond that of simply seeing the archetype of Disney. They went for it's quality and it's storytelling. Had a very interesting talk with my Great Aunt, last night, who is 85, and also what I would call a moderate Disney fan. She did what I described just now. She said that the only reason places like EPCOT Center, or The original Tomorrowland, or even DL's AdvL in the 60's, were Disney because of the level of storytelling, and the level of "how real it felt", which I took to mean quality. Dumbing down everything to be a movie tie in, or to be the same, is noticeable to the average guest. Not everything has to scream DISNEY COMPANY AND CHARACTERS at you to be revered as something that is done right. Agreed in the tech, point, though.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>I'm pretty sure it's not a real castle. Yes, it does have some neat details to it that the MK castle does not, but it benefitted from being built 20+ years later, with an out-of-control budget.<< And the MK castle has details and a look that fits our MK much better than DLP's would. Not getting why everyone suddenly wants to beat up on our Castle. Lol. .
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>WDW still has Epcot. It's not new, but there's nothing else like it in the Disney theme park world.<< Agreed. Even in it's abbreviated form that we see it in today, EPCOT is still the most daring and unique concept they have successfully created. TDS is a close second.... But now wins in it's level of detail and quality. The original EPCOT Center would have overtaken it, though.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I'm not talking about fans, here. I'm talking about regular guests. People used to go to Disney for the park experience, of something new, not just seeing the movies crammed into a ride.>> I don't think people go for the movies crammed into a ride. People go for the storytelling, but mostly, they go somewhere to have fun with their families. And people are just going to go to Disney. It's a fact. It's embedded into the collective consciousness of the public.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<Not getting why everyone suddenly wants to beat up on our Castle.>> Because without trees(or anything for that matter) to frame it, it looks like crap. <<Agreed. Even in it's abbreviated form that we see it in today, EPCOT is still the most daring and unique concept they have successfully created. >> Disneyland still begs to differ.
