Disney IS dated. That's just the way it is.

[Magalex]

Those "dated" Disney attractions look very good to us when it is 15 below with 7 inches of snow or drenching rain & endless gray skies here in Pittsburgh. I dream of hearing that music when I walk into the entrance of MK or Epcot & then I wake up to a dark & dreary morning.

 

[bellamama]

Disney World is, as many have said, more than just a place. Disney is a feeling, a total immersion, an experience, a way of doing things. Movies, television shows, radio, music, parks, rides, clothes, collectibles, and a mass of other product. Technology is just a part of that.
At one time, Disney was considered cutting edge technology. Now there is an obvious mix of new technology and rides along side old favorites. Hey, if it's not broke, don't fix it right?
Disney has always had the foresight to provide for its own future. But it knows when not to mess with tried and true favorites. I love Expedition Everest, ToT, and RaRC. They get my heart rate up every time!
And I love POTC as much as the next girl, but really, cutting edge? Heck no. Will I stand in line to ride it? Every time.
And that's what Disney understands.

 

[DonaldTDuck]

Sorry gonna have to disagree with you. Disney is for children ages 2-102. It is a place where fantasy lives, a place where belief is suspended. It is the perfect place where the old can become young the young can be younger, and the youngest can be themselves. If you have ever wondered why a pair of 52 year olds ride Dumbo, or why a 37 year old poses for pictures with the Mad Hatter, then you just don't get it.

I'm 59 and making my 17th trip in 3 weeks all as an adult, although twice went to DL as a kid. Only on my last trip was there a child involved, my niece's 2 yo son. This next trip is with 4 friends, 3 of which are older than me. The other is over 50. All single, all but one male. Where do we fit in his demographic? We'll ride virtually everything and I at least will do some meet 'n greets. (P&F for sure)

 

[disprincess2002]

I love that Walt wanted to create the parks as an escape from reality that a family could embark on and enjoy together. That is what it is for our family. We all have things we look forward to and enjoy in the parks. I love that when Grammy and Pop join us, we can have three generations enjoying a wonderful vacation together. Not too many places offer the kind of entertainment that reaches such wide audiences.

For that reason, I think the only thing that could truly outdate Disney is for families themselves to become outdated. Lets hope not, but....

 

[TiffanyPartyOf7]

I think it will stick around. Disney is something everyone dreams of taking their children to because they went when they were little. It's one of America's favorite past-times.

 

[Robo]

It's one of America's favorite past-times.

I think (I HOPE) you mean, "PASS-times."

But, you know, that's what they used to call Major League Baseball.
And, it's fallen way down the list in the last 30 years, or so.

 

[bdoyledimou]

My kids (12 and 14) LOVE Disney -- and they would rather go to Disney than to the local CP owned park any time.

They refer to Disney rides as "Adventures" not rides.
They love the magic and immersion.

This is something Disney Does that no one else can do.

 

[dadizzles]

its a very thin line between a dated ride and classic ride

 

[Costino1]

To be honest, WDW does a fantastic job incorporating new technology to the park but also keeping classics that bring back memories.

I'd never want to see a ride like Small world or Space Mountain go. Yes, they are outdated and things could be built there that are "better" and more state-of-the-art...but they don't have to.

They have room in all the parks to build those new 21st century attractions and keep the 70-90s nostalgia rides.

My parents passed on their love of Pirates/Carribean and Small World...Ill pass on Everest to my kids...im sure my kids will pass on a new ride to their kids as well.

It's what makes Disney special.

 

[Dallas_Lady]

Great discussion!

I agree that Disney is dated. The question I think is "Is that a bad thing?" As many of you said, there is a fine line between "dated" and "classic." I especially think that for us repeat visitors to keep coming back, things need to be updated or we'll get bored. Thrill rides can be the same every time and our adrenaline keeps us loving it. But how many times can I watch them push that boulder up the ramp during Indiana Jones before the fun is gone?

For example, COP. Classic, but dated. The "modern" scene in that ride is probably 20 year old. Updating it could make it simply a classic.

GMR- Same thing. Some of the classic scenes should stay, Wizard of Oz, Casablanca, for example. But some should be replaced by more updated ones.

I think as long as Disney Parks stay modern they won't go away in the forseeable future. And when Captain Eo is a headliner, then, yeah, something is wrong.

I also think that on the DIS we become too complacent with our love for Disney. We accept and make excuses for anything just because we love it. But if we as the consumers have to hold Disney to the highest standards in order for them to maintain them. We can't be so quick to say "I love anything Disney does," cause soon we'll be getting crap on a platter from them and paying through the nose to get it.

 

[Micca]

Thanks for this thought-provoking thread Robo Also a big to the Dis-ers who have posted some great comments.

Coupla things come to mind with the "dated" aspect of theme parks: A) There are ingredients in WDW that bring the experience to life that simply aren't just the thrill of the ride. It's the "X factor". Hopefully there are CMs and Imagineers who have the recipe to continue adding this to the parks. B) Walt Disney is famously quoted as saying "It's kind of fun to do the impossible."
WDW needs desparately to figure out how this can be accomplished in the 21st century. Hint: Shareholder satisfaction doesn't come first. Guest satisfaction is #1, the shareholders will follow suit.

 

[momto4princesses]

I like the fact that GMR isn't just about the latest Disney or Pixar movie. It's actually encouraged my kids to watch some of those movies and become interested in movie history.

Ellen ride is just too long imo. It's actually a decent attraction, just takes 45 minutes instead of 12-28 minutes that most take.

EO - I hated it for the lack of content the first time around and still hate it. There are others that could use some attention like Sounds Dangerous & Stitch

I agree about GMR.

I get my 4 girls to watch lots of "old" movies. Every time they do a remake we go back and watch the original and usually my girls agree that the original is better.

I think it is just so dependent on your family and your style. We love the classics. I've instilled that love in them and hopefully they will instill that love in my grandchildren in about 20 years or so, rofl.

 

[poodlecamper]

Sorry gonna have to disagree with you. Disney is for children ages 2-102. It is a place where fantasy lives, a place where belief is suspended. It is the perfect place where the old can become young the young can be younger, and the youngest can be themselves. If you have ever wondered why a pair of 52 year olds ride Dumbo, or why a 37 year old poses for pictures with the Mad Hatter, then you just don't get it.

Amen!!! 10 sleeps and we'll be there after a 4 year absence---I've been prepping the little GK's by watching the classic Disney movies, and looking at the vacation DVD. Making a Cinderella dress for the 6 year old. Pirate outfits for the 3 and 4 year olds. 16 year old is excited---and the old folks (4 of us, 60 to 63) are just as excited. It's a dream, an experience, a trip away from the day to day. The kids will always love it and the parents and grandparents will always love watching them experience it. JMHO

 

[Sweettears]

Yes it is dated... It doesn't have the multiple thrill rides of Universal... Guess what... you don't get it. Disney isn't about thrill rides and will never be the top pick of adrenaline junkies... it will however continue to attract the audience that it caters to - young kids and the parents that want to take them to a place that makes them happy and is safe.

Will my kids like Disney when they are teenagers? Probably not.... they will probably want to go to some place like Universal.... but at that time I'm sure there will be others with kids that enjoy Winnie the Pooh and fairies and they will go to Disney.

Disney isn't meant to be something you go to from the time you are born until the time you die, it is for a time in childhood when a kid believes that a fairy could be real... maybe in a future time children will be robbed of their childhood when they turn 2 but until that time there will always be a place for Disney.

Disagree with this. I'm well past childhood and will be taking a solo trip in Novemebr. Still magical.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

I think (I HOPE) you mean, "PASS-times."

But, you know, that's what they used to call Major League Baseball.
And, it's fallen way down the list in the last 30 years, or so.

Neither. It's pastime.

 

[TiffanyPartyOf7]

I think (I HOPE) you mean, "PASS-times."

But, you know, that's what they used to call Major League Baseball.
And, it's fallen way down the list in the last 30 years, or so.

Eep! Autocorrect as it's finest. And Disney just isn't the same as baseball. It's why footballer players say "I'm going to Disney World" or whatever it is they say when they win the Super Bowl (I don't watch football, too busy having fun at Disney. haha)

 

[TiffanyPartyOf7]

Neither. It's pastime.

Is it really? I always thought it was pass-time? LOL! But I will admit that I never completed college.

 

[TiffanyPartyOf7]

OH and I would seriously cry if certain things were ever changed - Big Thunder Mt. and Splash should NEVER change. I want my kids and grandkids and great grands to all be able to enjoy the same ride I did. The castle should never change. The first time my oldest daughter saw the castle and was big enough to understand what she was looking at, just wow. It was a speechless moment in our life. She welled up with tears and felt as if she has just stepped into her storybooks. It was absolutely magical. She messed up my makeup because I was full blown crying watching her. I cannot wait until my youngest daughter gets to experience that.

 

[KellyNY]

Not dated but classic. It is about level of details and taste imo. Does everything needs to be in HD, eventually but so far I did not see any 3D movie that delivered the same level as 3D movies in parks. Btw, theater did not die when movies were born.

 

[Planogirl]

Personally, I want both thrills and theming and this might be a big part of the reason I like Universal so much nowadays. They can certainly theme as well as Disney and it's fun to watch the parks evolve into really nice places. Of course, that perception of thrills is relative as a Cedar Park fan would probably laugh at the notion of Universal being particularly thrilling.

However, I do still like Disney for its overall ambience and nostalgia and I think that those factors will continue to appeal to people. It fills a niche quite well and when it doesn't quite suffice there are other options. I like to do them all.