Originally Posted By TDLFAN This item on LP Store caught my attention... <a href="http://laughingplacestore.com/Product-8695.asp?R=LP" target="_blank">http://laughingplacestore.com/ Product-8695.asp?R=LP</a> ...and made me wonder... What will WDW be remembered for during it's own 35th anniversary?? How sad, how sad.
Originally Posted By leemac I think the point is that DL needs to mark every five years. Those celebrations cause a bubble in the attendance for the year as a whole. WDW is so much more than just MK (and I know it isn't just MK's 35th but also the hotels, village etc.) and it just isn't a big milestone. I'd rather WDW take some time off from a big celebration and wait for Epcot's 25th next year. Much bigger milestone IMO.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Or better yet.. emulate OLC and throw an anniversary mini-bash every 5th year for each single park. I do not understand why the MK can't have it's own separate 35th anniversary within it's gate with some banners and maybe a simple enhancement to the parade or some special show, while other parks can also celebrate their own milestones in the same fashion. I know budgets play an important part but I feel WDW's 35th anniversary is as much a milestone as it will be to celebrate the 40th, 45th..and so on and on. If OLC celebrated TDL's 20th in 2003, and now celebrates TDS' 5th this summer...why can't they do the same at WDW???
Originally Posted By leemac ^^ True but it isn't just a question of throwing a party. You need a theme and to be honest, TDL's 15th was fantastic but the 20th was a bust (except for the awesome Dreams on Parade). They just couldn't get the theme right and we ended up with Gift of Dreams and Remember. I think the marketing message just doesn't get through when it is a single park celebration at WDW. Tourists aren't likely to opt to return/visit WDW if it is focused on one park (hence why the last two celebrations have had something at each of the four).
Originally Posted By leemac I should add that as TDR is so reliant on the local day-tripper market the comparison is more fitting to DLR than WDW. So the every 5 year celebration suits them better.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN I understand your point of view but it never hindered WDW before to have these types of celebrations... They made a lot of noise back in 81 for their Tencennial. Likewise for their 15th, 20th and 25th. WDW was just as "tourist" oriented then as it is today, so why the changing attitudes in regards to resort anniversaries, which I feel are quite important to the bottom line?? DL's 50 is proof of that! Look what it has done to the numbers at the gate.
Originally Posted By leemac ^^ The point is that they only had one park for the Tencennial, two for the 15th, three for the 20th (but it was a smaller celebration) and the big daddy was the 25th as it should have been for such a huge milestone. The 30th came during the 100 Years of Magic (is that right?). I just don't see the benefit in a huge resort such as WDW celebrating every five years.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN I also agree that WDW has had overkill in regards to special events, but they have all been dumb marketing excuses for them. "Magic Gatherings"? Gimme a break!! And Walt's 100 should have been celebrated at DLR.
Originally Posted By leemac You have to remember that guests play their vacation much further in advance for WDW than they did a decade or two ago. Most now fly and you can easily get from virtually major city in the world to MCO. I just don't see how MK's 35th (in any form) following on so close from the HCOE would have an impact.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN I guess I am so conditioned by TDR's relentless special offerings that WDW has become flat since there is never much new to do for those of us locals, and after 10 yrs of Flower, Wine, Sopa and Star Wars festivals... they have all become as stale as TDL's Cinderellabration on it's 4th year already! ENOUGH!!
Originally Posted By trekkeruss IMO the 100th was a sham.... just a way to squeeze money outta suckers. <<I just don't see the benefit in a huge resort such as WDW celebrating every five years.>> TDLFAN is just looking for an excuse to buy more Disney junk.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN More Disney junk is a fringe benefit from those celebrations but, I am actually looking for an excuse to justify renewing my AP. Remember... at $63 a day (based on a single day pass purchase) the WDW parks are the most expensive parks to get into for a day. Why are they offering lesser entertainment than some of the other parks?
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Concidering WDW claims is the most attended...why are they not trying harder?? I mean, make it special for both guests and locals to go there. Gimme something to look forward to besides rides. As for purchasing Disney junk... youhave the option NOT to buy anything, but since I guess I am one of those "suckers", then I spend, albeit, I am spending much less now that I did before.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<Why are they offering lesser entertainment than some of the other parks?>> Because they grew the place so much that they can't get enough CM's to work for next to nothing as it is?
Originally Posted By trekkeruss I'm just razzin' you, TDL... one man's junk is another's treasure. I have lots of junk, trust me... I am a huge sucker.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN BINGO!!! That is what I have been saying all along!!! Bigger is not better!!! Not only are they short on staffing, they are short on budgets which is why WDW's qualityu has declined. The killed the proverbial Goose that laid the golden egg by expanding the way they have, sacrificing some quality in the process.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss Yikes. LOL. Which do you want to see first? Disney? Star Trek? Barbies? Lego? Bicycles? Model trains?
Originally Posted By LuvDatDisney "Concidering WDW claims is the most attended...why are they not trying harder?? I mean, make it special for both guests and locals to go there. Gimme something to look forward to besides rides." I'll take this one. It's because they don't have to. And they don't care that they should try harder to EXCEED expectations anyway. I saw the MK as a tourist yesterday and I have to admit it opened my eyes. WDW visitors will take whatever Disney throws at them and enjoy it. This isn't Tokyo. This isn't Anaheim. Over the past dozen years WDW has conditioned its guests to accept every cutback in quality, service, CMs as part and parcel of the watering down of its product. Most of the people I saw yesterday were having what looked like great times. Now how many of them ever visited prior to the late-90s, I dunno. As to WDW not marking anniversaries, it's all about marketing now. It's even better if you can make it a world-wide event, like Disney has tried to do with DL's 50th Anniversary. The fact that Tokyo, Paris and HK have no part in this 'world-wide' celebration tells you all you need to know about WDW marketing. As to Leemac's assertation that WDW doesn't need to mark those anniversaries, I don't disagree. they don't have to. But they should anyway. The fact that WDW has four parks doesn't mean you conveniently forget the resort as a whole is turning 35 years old. Now, Disney does because it wants to milk the Happiest Celebration right on thru the end of '06, even when DL's actual B-Day celebration is long over. I only hope that WDW goes all out for Epcot's 25th. I doubt they will do more than roll out a new fireworks show though.
