Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Okay, after watching a video of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey's queue (which is absolutely breathtaking, btw), and the insisting of plenty of insiders that The Little Mermaid ride won't be anywhere near the level it's being hyped as, along with the relative stagnation of WDW, I have to ask... How much longer can they pull this off? How much longer can they skate by on name and recognition alone? Can they do it indefinitely because of the great tradition Walt created for them? I know there are plenty of plans on the table for the parks, but until they are built, and built on the level they deserve, that's all they are: plans. In my lifetime I've watched MK go from a park that was an adventure to everyone who entered it to a park that many over the age of 10-15 have a hard time spending more than a few hours in without getting bored or sick of the sugary sweet-cartoonish vibe the park has been taken over by. I've watched the stores over the property become homogenized and made into a character and general merchandise opportunity only, instead of the great, quality, attraction and area specific merchandise it used to be. But the most egregious error of all is how the resort has basically become a kid resort. Parents and those without children are basically given a big middle finger by the mouse at WDW, and guests ARE noticing. I hear the complaints while working. I here the mumbles and grumbles. But most of all I hear things from people my age. The people who will be having kids within 5-6 years(on average of course), and they seem to be drifting away from Disney, at least at Walt Disney World, which really seems to be the only Disney resort that has this problem. So again I ask...how long can WDW keep this up?
Originally Posted By sjhym33 Indefinately. I agree with your observations, but I also know I am in the minority. Surprisingly not everyone in the world does not follow the minutia of WDW and Disney as many of us do. I think the average person thinks of Disney along the lines of: this summer we will go to the beach, next year to WDW, the summer after that to Paris. So they come and do a week, have a great time and move on. Yeah, some of them comment on the decline in cleanliness, movement away for the lack of detail and the CM's who arent as friendly, but those same people shop at Walmart where the person who checked me out this week (after I spend $150.00) didnt say 2 words to me. And when you compare the experience to say a Six Flags park that is really really dirty and down right rude employees, Disney doesnt look half bad. The problem at WDW is that it is declining as every other aspect life is also declining so all in all WDW looks pretty good. Where in your life do we really get exemplorary guest service anymore? So when you go to Disney and many CM's smile and say hi your impressed. Personally I think WDW is a mess. And I strongly believe that we will never see a WDW of the quality we used to see. There is no one with the heart to create that place anymore. Mgmt has been neutered of anyone who truly cares and has enough influence to make changes. Plus mgmt's responsibilities have been so constricted to small areas of operation that only the highest directors have any real power and they are beholden to the men at the very top who see the park as a profit center.
Originally Posted By sjhym33 One more thought. I was watching the news last night and people were complaining that BP had all these people on the beach cleaning up oil just before President Obama toured. So things didnt look so bad when he got there. That is exactly what happens at WDW. Whenever an important mgmt person comes thru the park there are dozens of people going ahead of them cleaning, polishing and generally making the park look better than it normally does. Often Meg Crofton comes into the park for a specific reason. She parks backstage close to where she needs to go, comes onstage, does her thing, then goes. Of course people had been cleaning for 2 hours before her arrival and she comes and goes sometimes in a matter of 15mins When Jim McPhee was the VP of EPCOT he would often come out to the park on his day off with his kids and do the guest thing. Most CM's didnt know him by face and on Monday we would get a report on his visit. THAT is what should happen and how things could change.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I really don't think that they can keep it up for more than another 5-10 years. Just watching Travel Channel specials and other products of the company, it's simply become too self-refferential and nostalgic. Disney can still create quality experiences on occasion, but the visionary approach that it once had is gone. Unless people want to keep hearing the same half-dozen quotes from a man who has been dead for half a century, and rehashing of the same old concepts with new wrappers, there's really not much there to keep people coming back. Yes, there are a few things that are still truly exceptional, like the seasonal festivals at Epcot and one-of-a-kind experiences like Kilimanjaro Safaris, but even those are getting a little old and worn out. The growth in the 90's was done too quickly to sustain it, and because of that, much of the 00's had nothing. Now, the decade of stagnation is starting to catch up with them, and they need to do something to move on. Yes, they could change their standard business procedure, but that just doesn't seem likely. As has been said many times before, the Fantasyland expansion is a start, but it also seems like too little, too late.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I'm sure that Harry Potter will be great, and may appeal to some Disney nerds more than a new Fantasyland, but it's ONE ride. That alone can't top all there is to see and do at WDW. "Just watching Travel Channel specials and other products of the company, it's simply become too self-refferential and nostalgic. Disney can still create quality experiences on occasion, but the visionary approach that it once had is gone. " While I agree with this, the public seems to never tire of it. Just look at the premise behind World of Color at DCA. It's pure nostalgia and the show looks like it's going to be a big hit.
Originally Posted By KatieKate123 I agree with everyone. I think that WDW will always be a favorite place to visit. Just think people are having kids turn 5 somewhere every day, and this is who is attracted to this place. Everyone wants to bring their kids to the magical place at least once in their lifetime. As for cleaning up the park when a important manager comes that happens everywhere. I can tell you that when Bush came to Busch Gardens everyone went crazy. (he came every 3 months at least) that one day everyone would clean and clean and clean all day long from the minute they got on the clock to the minute bush left. Its just the way it is.
Originally Posted By tashajilek Its true that customer service is all around horrible. Have you ever went into a fast food restaurant and waited 30mins? and then its all screwed up anyways? I was Looking into going maybe 3-4 months down the road. The only thing that gets me steamed is i tried online reservations for about 4 mos in advance and couldnt get anything. Ahh well i guess i dont have to eat anywhere nice.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> While I agree with this, the public seems to never tire of it. Just look at the premise behind World of Color at DCA. It's pure nostalgia and the show looks like it's going to be a big hit. << Maybe for babyboomers, but I'm not sure if that will last indefinitely (maybe not even another 20 years).
Originally Posted By MPierce I really don't see any indication that WDW will be changing it's modus operandi anytime in the forseeable future. They certainly seem quite taken with themselves. Noticed how they reactted to the recession we are in. They gave out discounts with one hand, while the other hand has been raising prices across the board. They are preparing for things as usual. They are both arrogant, and confident that the public will flock to them in droves. Just like they have in the past. No point in letting those silly antiquated traditions get in the way of making an extra buck here, and there.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<When Jim McPhee was the VP of EPCOT he would often come out to the park on his day off with his kids and do the guest thing. Most CM's didnt know him by face and on Monday we would get a report on his visit. THAT is what should happen and how things could change.>> Agreed. Every park VP should be like Mr. McPhee. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I briefly worked at Spaceship Earth, and he was a great guy who treated the CMs and the park with respect.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I'm sure that Harry Potter will be great, and may appeal to some Disney nerds more than a new Fantasyland, but it's ONE ride. That alone can't top all there is to see and do at WDW.>> Obviously Wizarding World cannot compete with WDW as a whole, but that's far from the point I'm trying to make. Disney has been out-Disneyed yet again by Universal just 10 minutes away, without a proper response. Uni did it first with Spider-Man, and now with Potter, neither have been topped by the mouse in Orlando and arguably anywhere else. Not to mention the great strides Sea World and Busch Gardens have taken. And once people realize that Disney is not the be all-end all of themed attractions, I wonder how long it will take them to respond. P.S. Simplifying the Wizarding World down to one attraction is not fair at all, IMO. The area will literally be alive with theming, Streetmosphere, AAs inside shops, terrific food and drink, live entertainment, etc.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I agree with everyone. I think that WDW will always be a favorite place to visit. Just think people are having kids turn 5 somewhere every day, and this is who is attracted to this place. Everyone wants to bring their kids to the magical place at least once in their lifetime.>> But my generation, and the generations behind me are becoming more and more detached from the place. If the parents hold no emotional attachment to the place, the chances of the children having different feelings is fairly slim, IMO.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<Maybe for babyboomers, but I'm not sure if that will last indefinitely (maybe not even another 20 years).>> Exactly one of the points I am trying to make.
Originally Posted By sjhym33 Universal has made strides over the years to create a wonderful pair of parks in Orlando and SeaWorld has always been a favorite of the family. I think there are several attractions at each park that are as good and sometimes even better than attractions at Disney. I think Harry Potter will have an effect on Disney. People have X number of days to vacation and people may well decide to do a shorter park hopper pass in favor of a day at IOA and maybe Universal Studios. I think SeaWorld may be most hardest hit by Potter if people decide to hit Disney as usual and then add on Universal instead of SeaWorld.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Everyone said what I wanted to say about the running of the place, so I'll get back to the original question. When my generation starts taking their families on vacation, WDW will have a problem, and be forced to change. Why? Because my generation views Disney as just another theme park, because, over the last few years (when we were in their sphere of influence) Disney HAS just been another theme park, while Uni is slowly creeping up to them with Potter. My generation's memories and nostalgia is going to come from Uni. From Sea World. From Busch Gardens. I call it the mantle effect...all those family pictures taken on vacation and that are sitting in the mantle aren't ALL from Disney anymore, as they were fin my family. It's from all this other parks, because Disney isn't going for that appeal, and those guests. I think, when it comes time to rope them back in, we will hopefully see Disney change, and begin investment, and hopefully open their horizons, when it comes to what type of attraction they build. 10 years...hopefully. Just don't ask my friend that went away to Notre Dame a year ago, and now has three month old. Yep.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Terrific post EE, and really what I was trying to get at about the way our generation and those that are coming after us are viewing Disney.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>^^^^. Sad. Kids today are so smart and yet so naive.<<< The whole thing, or just my nutty friend? (Love her to death, and the baby is beautiful...just no idea how she'll manage...) >>>Terrific post EE, and really what I was trying to get at about the way our generation and those that are coming after us are viewing Disney.<<< Thank you, Skipper. Seriously...all those pictures are NOT from Disney, where when I was little...they were. They are going to go back to those places...and I hope it takes a BIG chunk out of WDW, especially now that UNI is upping the anti.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper ^^^Did you see the video I put up on my Facebook? I'm in love with Buckbeak, and am planning a weekend trip to Uni as we speak.
