Originally Posted By DDMAN26 All things considered, I still like reading Jim and listening to him on various podcasts. <<<<runs away
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<Jim is right there is a subsection of Disney fans who complain over every Disney does or doesn't do. >> You mean like Roy Disney? Seriously, yes there are a few individuals who do not believe the current WDW management team incharge of the parks and certainly at Disney Corporate, are carrying the Walt Disney torch. I don't think Mr Hill is helping matters. I would hope that my opinion means something to Disney management hwen I'm pointing out the obluous. So, belittling me or others, automatically disregarding my concerns and complaints about WDW, I find dismissive. I'm not sure what can be said of Mr Hill when he refuses to see the proverbial elephant in the room. Meanwhile, everyone else clearly sees that elephant as plain as day. <<And you're never going to make those people happy.>> I disagree. Many of these individuals know what Disney is capable of. These individuals remember an era when The Disney Company surpassed others. Instead of living off Disney predasesor's accolades. And, The Disney Corporation as well as all its parks and enterprises are now being run by MBAs and accountants. I would argue, the Disney parks, and especially WDW are being run with a primary focus on money, and NOT quality. There is just no way to justify putting in a new sitdown restaurant in the former site of 20K, when the MK has at least five restaurants permantly closed. Do we really need to have a restaurant and Disney gift shop every 50 ft in the MK? WDW's problems are not because of Disney fan's complaints. WDW's problems are that their management team gave up a long time ago at striving to be the best. They believe WDW guests will settle for mediocre parks. And fans have only to look at Universal to see a park committed to being the best in Orlando. Sure, Universal does have a ways to go. But at this point WDW is just treading water. People who don't like Disney, do not vacation with Disney. They go elsewhere. So, by far the majority of these complaints and concerns are being raised are by faithful Disney fans. Who are begining to look elsewhere for at least part of their vacation stay, since they are finding their concerns falling on deaf ears.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<I still like reading Jim and listening to him on various podcasts.>> So do I. And I may not agree with Mr Hill on all matters Disney. But, I still think the majority of the time he gets it right. I don't have a problem with Mr Hill, most people don't. But, apparently Mr Hill has a problem with me and other Disney fans who dare question the current WDW management team's business model.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 Post 42-I also did take to task those who are completely oblivious to any problems in the Parks.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Yea, that column turned me off. He really did come across as a jerk." I sort of figured it would have that tone, which is why I didn't even bother reading it.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "There are also people who go to the parks way too much." Ya think? lol.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 Manfried-I agree completely I think by going all the time it would make it less special. That's one reason why I never really praise or criticize the current state of WDW. I only go every few years down to WDW. Sure if something is coming out that I think is really cool or I don't like I may mention it. But I always take a wait and see approach until I actually get to experience it. Case in point, I went to DL and rode Matterhorn for the first time. I always thought it looked cool, but once I rode it I found it to be very disappointing.
Originally Posted By Manfried I've purposely stopped going as much. Twice a year, or maybe three times depending. Okay went to DCA a few times to see all the new stuff, and to enjoy a few drinks at the new lounge in Carthay.
Originally Posted By tashajilek "I disagree. Many of these individuals know what Disney is capable of. These individuals remember an era when The Disney Company surpassed others" It's still like this now at the DLR.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 <<"There are also people who go to the parks way too much." Ya think? lol.>> I really don't understand this disdain for people who go to the parks often. If Disney didn't expect some of their guests to come multiple times a year, they wouldn't offer annual passes. Since they offer those passes, I would think that they would expect that some of their guests would not be happy if the parks are stagnant year after year, and major effects start breaking down. I'm sorry, but I really don't think the argument that Disney is spending "billions" on new behind the scenes infrastructure at WDW makes up for the fact that they still haven't fixed major show elements that have been broken for years (i.e. the Yeti), or have shuttered pavilions at EPCOT, or tired old shows still running at DHS. The parks need A LOT of work - and I think future Disney World guests would appreciate working attractions and new rides far more than they will RFID door keys or new FastPasses. At some point, you've got to decide where your money is best spent, and I think WDW has invested poorly over the past decade.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I really don't understand this disdain for people who go to the parks often." It's easy to understand. What's baffling to me are the people who are literally there all the time and yet are dissatisfied with the experience.
Originally Posted By Indigo I'm going to take a slightly forward looking view. I admit it's a bit speculative, but I'm putting together a bunch of apparently separate technologies and prognosticating about the future of travel. The first generation of humans to be always connected is alive today. How we interact with the world, our friends, and even our own personal histories is rapidly changing. Google Glass project is just the start. The vision of the future were we all have digital agents (essentially little software programs that perform simple commands (like 'ping me when my family gets off the roller coaster' or 'replay little Johnny's encounter with Mickey Mouse' or 'book us the next available fast pass at Space Mountain') is close. Augmented reality (not the cheesy stuff you see today, but a universe where every object is 'smart', programmable, and able to be interacted with. Throw in Google Self Driving Cars, the extension of the human life through medical improvements, and other ideas that are just on the fringe now, but will be moving mainstream. In a world like that, the theme park as we know it today will be relegated to a fun trip through a by gone time, but nothing more. Theme parks will have to evolve to mesh into the new fabric of society. The rumored $2 billion Disney is investing in its next-generation theme park project is key to keeping ahead of the technological game. Sure, it's an overlay, which isn't as impressive as a whole new park, but without it, the world will leave Disney behind. Ignoring these changes is a risk Disney can't afford to take.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>The first generation of humans to be always connected is alive today.<< Just because some have iPhones in their pockets doesn't mean we are "connected". A few years ago I caught an interesting documentary on TV. It was about an anthropologist who went into the rain forest in the Amazon to study the natives. His stay was years long and he married one of the locals and they had a child. After a few years he decided to return home (New Jersey, IIRC). His wife had no problems adapting to technology, but there was one thing she couldn't cope with and eventually she had to return to the village. The problem? Wherever she went in public, she was surrounded by strangers. She just couldn't deal with it. Back home she was "connected" but in our concrete jungle she felt isolated, and no smartphone could change that. If anything, I think our gadgets make us more isolated, as it becomes easier to turn inwards. Ray Bradbury once wrote a story about this topic (I forget the name). In the story, the protagonist lives in a world where people ignore those around them while yakking into their wrist phones.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>What's baffling to me are the people who are literally there all the time and yet are dissatisfied with the experience. << Indeed. One of the reasons we haven't been back since 2008 is because we didn't feel the "magic" the last time we were there.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "If anything, I think our gadgets make us more isolated, as it becomes easier to turn inwards." That isn't going to stop the inevitable though. It's not like people are going to forsake advanced technologies and go back to living like cavemen.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<What new hotels are being built? AoA resort? Well, it was partially finished when construction halted on September 11, 11 years ago today ( how appropriate to discuss this today ).>> Are you SURE? I thought construction was halted on the Pop Century... not the AoA.
