Originally Posted By Mr X >>WDW's future when it comes to WDI is a bit different, though.<< I would imagine there's a stong "ain't broke, don't fix it" about the WDW cash cow. As long as people flock there and rave about the "magic" and fill up the cheapo motels and buy "lenght of stay" passes by the boatload...I can't see them putting a big focus on "fixing" WDW. If attendence goes down though...well, we all know how much TLC Disneyland got (MUCH needed) when the 50th became almost a make it or break it situation for the resort.
Originally Posted By Mr X LENGTH of stay. Geez, I try to pay attention to spelling but I am seriously dyslexic on that particular word!
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I would imagine there's a stong "ain't broke, don't fix it" about the WDW cash cow. As long as people flock there and rave about the "magic" and fill up the cheapo motels and buy "lenght of stay" passes by the boatload...I can't see them putting a big focus on "fixing" WDW.>> That's largely the case ... DAK remains in great hands with Joe Rohde firmly entrenched (again) as lead creative exec for the park. But the other three parks will be under the lead of Eric Jabobson, a Tom Fitzgerald disciple/underling. There are definite plans in mind to improve the Studios ... from Toy Story Mania, Block Party Bash and Star Tours redo to other things (some that may not happen) such as a new Indy attraction, an attraction using the DSP Crush Coaster ride system, and something to replace the soon-to-be-history Tram Tour. But a lot depends on financing and a vision from above ... and at WDW the one thing lacking is vision. Epcot at least has a new and much improved VP at the helm, but he only has so much power ... he's been desperate to correct his predecessor's mistakes and do something, anything for Epcot's 25th, but marketing shot him down recently ... bigtime. That's one of the biggest problems facing WDW ... the fact that money people ... ad people ... determine largely the direction of the resort ... that's how you get one inane ad campaign after another. As to the MK ... what can I say? The park is treated like you said, like complete cash cow with no regard paid to improving the place and guests experiences. We 'may' get a Space Mountain redo (how significant remains to be seen, but knowing WDW they'll just dust inside the mountain and put stickers on the rockets) after next year's Jungle Cruise upgrade. After that ... who knows? There's a strong push to make Narnia the next E-Ticket for the MK (don't get too excited, we're still looking at 4-5 years from now) ... I'm not sure that's the direction I'd take.
Originally Posted By Mr X I'd guess 4-5 years down the road Narnia will be largely forgotten. Wouldn't be the first time (who the heck remembers Dinosaur, anyway?).
Originally Posted By mousermerf Spirit, The jist of things I've heard is that the Tom Fitzgerald contingency is also the Epcot-lover group. Which explains why Epcot seems to always have something going on while the other parks have long periods of nothing.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Spirit, The jist of things I've heard is that the Tom Fitzgerald contingency is also the Epcot-lover group. Which explains why Epcot seems to always have something going on while the other parks have long periods of nothing. >> Well, Tom did have an AA 'likeness' of himself (back when he had surfer boy looks) in Horizons. But nothing going on? There has been plenty going on at DAK over the past five years and there still is. And the Studios have many new things in the developmental pipeline. Only the MK sits and coasts on a very old reputation, while getting staler by the day. But I'm not going to get into an Internet urinating contest about groups of Imagineers and which group is better ... it appears as if the days of petty politics in Glendale is hopefully coming to an end and Tom was as guilty as anyone there of promoting a toxic atmosphere that stunted creativity instead of nurturing it although he certainly wasn't the only one. With the recent changes, I feel a whole lot more confident in the futures of DL/DCA, DAK, TDL/TDS and HKDL than I do for the two oldest WDW parks and the Paris parks. Read into that whatever you will.
