I think it's sad....

[Planogirl]

I don't see why they can't do both.

I like that! Why not?

 

[DisReno]

Well, one thing I know for sure-Walt was an innovator and hoped that Disney would never stop growing and changing. I don't think even Walt could have envisioned all the changes of the last 50 years. People tend to get upset when Disney makes changes or gets rid of something, but I truly thing that was Walt's original vision-that Disney would always change and stay current.

I for one do not think he would care that it's Starbucks coffee being served. I don't care-as long as they keep the atmosphere to fit Main Street, which I'm sure they will-Disney is really good at creating atmosphere.

I miss the McDonald's fry cart in FrontierLand. Didn't it used to look like a wagon or a log cabin or something? Still it fit in with the atmosphere, and allowed me to snack shamelessly on McDonald's fries-Haaaaa.

 

[Stitchfans]

I also think the phrases "What would Walt Do" and "Walt would be rolling in his grave" should be banned from the Dis. None of us know what Walt would do or what he would think about how the parks are now.

I think people are only going by what he said in the past and his attitude towards the parks so on. He wanted the parks to be enjoyed by all, but yet now only a few can enjoy them since it is way beyond many people's budgets. With prices being raised yearly it is quite expensive, even though salaries are not going up or lost completely for some. But it is a business and it must survive and to do so I guess they must raise their prices.

 

[maxiesmom]

I think people are only going by what he said in the past and his attitude towards the parks so on. He wanted the parks to be enjoyed by all, but yet now only a few can enjoy them since it is way beyond many people's budgets. With prices being raised yearly it is quite expensive, even though salaries are not going up or lost completely for some. But it is a business and it must survive and to do so I guess they must raise their prices.

Walt didn't want the parks to be enjoyed by all, or he wouldn't have charged admission. Walt was a businessman first. He didn't build Disneyland for everyone, he built it for those who could afford to go there. And that hasn't changed. A trip to DL or WDW is still a splurge for those of us who are lucky enough to afford it.

 

[timmac]

He didn't loathe carnival games - he disliked carnivals and the rowdy crowds they attracted. <snipped for brevity>

At risk of opening an old can of worms, this is an important point. One that was sometimes taken out of context in a lot of the arguments for/against alcohol as well.

Context is everything when trying to guess what someone's opinion was, is, or would be. The Disney parks today don't remotely resemble the carnivals that were Walt's yardstick for many of his dislikes, and as such it is a bit silly to try to draw comparisons too directly.

 

[WDSearcher]

I think people are only going by what he said in the past and his attitude towards the parks so on. He wanted the parks to be enjoyed by all, but yet now only a few can enjoy them since it is way beyond many people's budgets. With prices being raised yearly it is quite expensive, even though salaries are not going up or lost completely for some. But it is a business and it must survive and to do so I guess they must raise their prices.

It was beyond peoples' budgets in the 50s and 60s. The first time I went was in 1974, and we didn't go again for 11 years because it took us that long to save up enough to go there from northern Michigan. It wasn't "affordable" by any means! If Walt really wanted the parks to be enjoyed by all, he'd have made them free.

And if you really think "only a few" can enjoy the parks, then please explain to me how they managed to have 15 million people go in and out of MK last year. Just sayin' ...

 

[Mkrop]

I think people are only going by what he said in the past and his attitude towards the parks so on. He wanted the parks to be enjoyed by all, but yet now only a few can enjoy them since it is way beyond many people's budgets. With prices being raised yearly it is quite expensive, even though salaries are not going up or lost completely for some. But it is a business and it must survive and to do so I guess they must raise their prices.

I am 43 when I was a kid, WDW was an out of reach for vacation for many of the people I know, I did not go until I was 17, when my grandfather died and left us all money and we did a big family trip.

We never flew anywhere either.

I dont think WDW is priced out of reach, more families I know go to WDW than when I was a kid.

It was beyond peoples' budgets in the 50s and 60s. The first time I went was in 1974, and we didn't go again for 11 years because it took us that long to save up enough to go there from northern Michigan. It wasn't "affordable" by any means! If Walt really wanted the parks to be enjoyed by all, he'd have made them free.

And if you really think "only a few" can enjoy the parks, then please explain to me how they managed to have 15 million people go in and out of MK last year. Just sayin' ...

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Originally Posted by Stitchfans View Post
I think people are only going by what he said in the past and his attitude towards the parks so on. He wanted the parks to be enjoyed by all, but yet now only a few can enjoy them since it is way beyond many people's budgets. With prices being raised yearly it is quite expensive, even though salaries are not going up or lost completely for some. But it is a business and it must survive and to do so I guess they must raise their prices.

Certainly he did say he wanted the park to be enjoyed by all. But Walt didn't have any plans for moderate or value priced hotels at Walt Disney World. Moreover, he hated the hotels across the street from Disneyland undercutting the Disneyland hotel's price. So enjoyed by all didn't mean totally low prices. Pricing was a bit different back then too. It was fairly cheap to get in the door, back then but doing anything required more money. DLR and WDW, when all is said and done are probably as price accessible as they were back then if not more.

 

[Minerva Mouse]

My only complaint is the Swan & Dolphin, I really wish they could just knock em down.

 

[Lynne M]

I honestly think that 'enjoyed by all' quote was about parents and kids enjoying the park together, not about pricing. People believe that because they want to think that Walt would never have let a bunch of profit-seeking meanies deprive their kids of a Disney vacation, and because it fits with Disney's relentless, decades-long marketing of him as kindly old Uncle Walt.

If he had that attitude when he built DL, it was long gone by the time he started planning WDW. The only two resorts that existed when the park opened were both deluxes, quite expensive for the time. More affordable lodging wasn't built until long after Walt died.

I grew up in a pretty comfortably middle-class family, and both DL and WDW were way out of reach for us, financially. I didn't get to WDW till I was 25, and had to stay offsite to do it. No way on earth could I have afforded to stay in a Disney resort back then.

The Walt Disney Company is no longer owned by or under the control of the Disney family. It's a publicly held company, and that the majority of the stock is held by institutional investors, meaning banks, pension funds, brokerages, etc. The stockholders run the show, and what they want is profit. That's the driving impulse behind the company's decisions, because it has to be. That's the way it is at any public company.

What Walt would have wanted is irrelevant. He's not running the company anymore. He took it public in 1957, and he was a smart enough businessman to know what would eventually happen. I'm sure he was left alone by the stockholders while he was alive, since he had a terrific track record of bringing in profit. But once he was gone, all bets were off.

 

[msjprincess]

I am 43 when I was a kid, WDW was an out of reach for vacation for many of the people I know, I did not go until I was 17, when my grandfather died and left us all money and we did a big family trip.

We never flew anywhere either.

I dont think WDW is priced out of reach, more families I know go to WDW than when I was a kid.

Same here. I went once in 1974. We drove to Florida and stayed in cheap offsite motels and visited the MK for 2 days. I didn't go back again until I was 27.

 

[beachbumdlo72]

I think it's sad that Walt Disney's original idea for Disney World is being changed just for more income.

He never wanted carnival games in his parks... But they put them in anyway in Animal Kingdom.

His first major oopsy was that he didn't control the area around the perimeter of DisneyLand, so other corporates could build so he bought more land for Disney World so that wouldn't happen. So what do Disney World owner or whoever makes the decisions do? They put other corps right into the parks. I know they have McDonald's in Magic kingdom and Epcot, in their own little stands but to change "Main Street" by putting in a Starbucks? The horror. Sure when I visit I will NOT step foot in or around Starbucks. That's my decision. Not that I drink coffee any way, but if i need a refreshment I will walk 10-20 feet away to somewhere else. Starbucks will NOT get my $$ or snack credits.

I think it is sad that the current President (or whoever makes these decisions) is losing the sight of what Walt Disney wanted for his parks. Yes I know he's not around any more but it seems like whoever makes the decisions is losing site of the magic and the meaning of what walking up Main Street means to people. I know when I'm in Magic Kingdom walking up Main Street I just feel the magic.

I just don't know any more. My site of the magic is getting dimmer and dimmer because of these changes that Disney never wanted in the first place.

Don't even get me going about Avatarland. I mean that's not Even Disney. Soon Disney World will be like Universal Studios... Not that i'm saying Universal Studios is a bad place but when you think of Disney World you think of all the magic and the good memories...not Starbucks..

I don't know about anyone else, but for my family the Magic come from spending time together . I've been taking my children since they were 1 and 3. Now 13 and 15. They enjoy doing some things they consider tradition more than others . One of our favorites is getting to mk and having an ice cream cookie from the bakery. I don' t think it matters who sponsor it as long as we can still get our favorite treat! Can' t wait to go back!

 

[joshswif]

The Starbucks thing is getting really tiring. Its not a Starbucks...its still Main Street Bakery...just with Starbucks incorporated in it. Josh from easywdw explains it very well...including pictures of MANY other GASP...corporate sponsors.

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorize...-bakery-my-life-is-officially-over/#more-9748

We don't know what Walt would have done now, but I think its safe to say that he wanted a place for everyone to have a "magical" time together. I sure get that every trip I take.

 

[NaLisa]

I think Walt wanted to be creative, be successful and make money, and he found his niche in entertaining children and families. The company has carried on that tradition.

 

[beachbumdlo72]

I can't find anything sad about Disney! It's my Happy place! If I do get the blues I just pop in my Disney event party cd and off to Wonderland ! Thanks for the Great link and info: Looks like we are of to Sleepy Hollow!

 

[Deb in IA]

I think Walt wanted to be creative, be successful and make money, and he found his niche in entertaining children and families. The company has carried on that tradition.

And, by making money, he and the Walt Disney Company has provided an income for countless employees and their families.

 

[Sparkly]

We watched One Man's Dream at HS last trip, and now whenever I mention it, Mum always goes "Walt would be turning in his grave if he saw the parks now!" I always groan and roll my eyes but privately agree.

 

[msjprincess]

We watched One Man's Dream at HS last trip, and now whenever I mention it, Mum always goes "Walt would be turning in his grave if he saw the parks now!" I always groan and roll my eyes but privately agree.

Yes I'm sure he would hate being such a successful businessman.

 

[palmtreegirl]

Yes I'm sure he would hate being such a successful businessman.

LOL

 

[Planogirl]

We watched One Man's Dream at HS last trip, and now whenever I mention it, Mum always goes "Walt would be turning in his grave if he saw the parks now!" I always groan and roll my eyes but privately agree.

There are certain things I don't like and Walt might even agree but we have no way of knowing. I keep in mind that Disney is in business to make money first and foremost and they obviously do what they do to make even more. I imagine that it doesn't work 100% of the time but they have a pretty good track record overall.

Something like some Starbucks products are so not what I'm talking about though.