Originally Posted By GOB With rumors swirling of something substantial being greenlit for the Magic Kingdom, I'm wondering about a few things. First off, why are they spending so much money on the Magic Kingdom? I don't mean this to sound like a bad thing, as the park definitely needs some TLC (though not necessarily in the new attractions area), but wasn't the Magic Kingdom deemed to have "sufficient experiences"? Why isn't any capex going to the Animal Kingdom, a park that doesn't even have enough attractions to let it's signature rollercoaster go down to fix the plethora of broken effects? Or Hollywood Studios? What about fixing Imagination or refurbishing Universe of Energy? Finally, who spearheaded the Fantasyland Expansion project? In late 2008, it was widely reported that all P&R projects were frozen indefinitely, with no new attractions coming to WDW anytime in the near future. So why did the FLE get the greenlight?
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper I completely disagree that the MK doesn't need new attractions. If anything, I'd say it's just behind DAK in that regard.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Not all WDW guests are coming for the first time. For the most park, DAK, is still new enough that it still feels fresh to most visitors. MK is stuck in the 70's, without any significant changes since the early 90's. The park's aging infrastructure is really starting to look old, and I think they're afraid (rightfully so) that the guests are starting to notice. By adding a big expansion to the park, they are adding some sort of a breath of fresh air to a park that is known for being stagnant. It's WDW's flagship park (at least from a marketing standpoint), and should feature the newest and best things, yet it seems to be home to the oldest, most obsolete and worst maintained attractions in the World. With the other parks (yes, including the studios), I can just wander around and enjoy the magic when I'm not experiencing the attractions. MK is just old and gross in a lot of areas, so it seems like they're starting to add some charm to WDW's least charming park.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Why MK? Because it's considered by Burbank to be the company's flagship theme park (the fact that it isn't doesn't matter) and it is so freaking stale. But ALL four Disney parks in FLA are now based on years of failing to invest, maintain and add (not accounting for all the crap they've wasted money by adding!) ... the place is just a mess although nothing a few billion wouldn't cure either.
Originally Posted By Manfried I am not justifying Disney not keeping things up but I would like to see some of the constant whiners on here get a job at WDW and try to fix things from within.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Because it's the easiest to fix. Give it Princesses, that fits, and people buy it.
Originally Posted By fkurucz "Why MK? Because it's considered by Burbank to be the company's flagship theme park (the fact that it isn't doesn't matter) and it is so freaking stale." We bought a DL book during DL's 50th. In it Eisner boldly proclaimes that DL is the "flagship".
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 Judging by how much "screentime" this dinky half day park gets in the new "Imagineering" book, it might as well be!
Originally Posted By standor It's about time that the Magic Kingdom gets a face lift. It is looking old and tattered. I hope that they clean up the rest of the property also.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer ^ It's been getting a LOT of facade refurbishments over the past few years, but they really need to expand their work into Tomorrowland and Ye Olde Fantasyland.
Originally Posted By Krankenstein Because MK needs a ton of help. While the park is getting better, it hasn't seen the maintenance it needs in years. The last addition was in 1992 with Splash. Everything else has been a replacement, which have (in most cases) paled when compared to the previous resident of that location. The park also has shuttered many restaurants without replacing them and, lets not forget, it has taken them over a decade to get around to attempting to recoup the capacity loss when 20K was closed. The park NEEDS the help, that is why it is getting it.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 The MK really does need some TLC. We miss the Adventureland Veranda as a resturant...though I hear that the kitchen can no longer be cooked in. Someone told me why and I cant remember exactly if it was because of a facility issue of that the equipment was pulled out when the place was shuttered. The park is really in need of a VP who really loves the park and has a vision to whip it back in shape...kind of like the transformation that DL went several years back after Pressler.
Originally Posted By Manfried I don't plan on visiting the Magic Kingdom again until the expansion is done.
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn Fantasyland expansion is a response to Harry Potter's Wizarding World at IOA
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I would have to say that in my opinion the MK is the best maintained Disney park at WDW. I would have advised the Disney Company to be spending their money elsewhere on property like DHS or EPCOT. At least the MK has rides and attraction. DHS depending on how you look at it is either half full or half empty. The 2nd floor of the Imaginiation Pavilion over in EPCOT remains a barren wasteland. I'm not sure removing HSTA and restoring Captian EO was improvement. But, hey at least it's a change.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Fantasyland expansion is a response to Harry Potter's Wizarding World at IOA<<< That's a response? If it is, it's laughable.
