50 Enhancements across WDW for the 50th

[TheMaxRebo]

Right now rumors say Disney wants attendance up big during the 50th which would make sense. Doing nothing won't accomplish that. Attendance is not up if you remember.

Will be interesting what they base that off of. With Star Wars Land set to be done by end of 2019 I assume attendance will be up in 2020 - so to get it "up" beyond that would require quite a bit and probably some incentive to get people to come after a lot probably are waiting until 2020 for Star Wars Land

Now if they measure increase vs this 2017/2018 or some sort of average, then yeah, it will be up due to Star Wars Land and the other lands now open

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Will be interesting what they base that off of. With Star Wars Land set to be done by end of 2019 I assume attendance will be up in 2020 - so to get it "up" beyond that would require quite a bit and probably some incentive to get people to come after a lot probably are waiting until 2020 for Star Wars Land

Now if they measure increase vs this 2017/2018 or some sort of average, then yeah, it will be up due to Star Wars Land and the other lands now open

I was thinking the same thing: what's "up"?

But the reason they can't drive attendance up is the stagnate period combined with relentless price increase...there is very little debate here.

Check the stock market - no way attendance should be down under any circumstances unless they are giving themselves the million dollar wound.

 

[merry_nbright]

I would love to see a program focused on the customers and their satisfaction rather than on the parks/rides. I went to WDW several times during the "Year of a Million Dreams" and the park patrons really seemed to react in a positive way because so many people actually received something special - something that made them, as individuals, feel special - during their trip. A program like that would go a lot further with me than refurbed rides.

I went during that and got a Disney Dream Fastpass, which was a lanyard with Fastpass tabs on it. Still have it to this day! Shows that it was a good celebration!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I was thinking the same thing: what's "up"?

But the reason they can't drive attendance up is the stagnate period combined with relentless price increase...there is very little debate here.

Check the stock market - no way attendance should be down under any circumstances unless they are giving themselves the million dollar wound.

Well, not sure if they have published stat broken down but yes the stock market is up here but not everywhere - I think the lack of Brazilian tourists hit them hard and then the strong US dollar made it harder for people from Canada, etc. to go

Then you have some people waiting at least for Pandora to open if not also for Toy Story or Star Wars (thinking the people that only go every 2-3 years push it off another year or so)

So yeah, not a lot of major new things/construction, you had more press for Disneyland with the 60th (I know we went there instead of WDW) - and they did have price increases, including the variable pricing based on time of year, etc. - so not surprising it is down a bit

 

[BuckeyeBama]

Why not both?

I would like what you said as well but some WDW attractions are in desperate need of a refurb.

I'm not saying that it just has to be one or the other, but I am saying one without the other misses the boat for me. Customer service won me over as a Disney fan decades ago, not the rides. They need to find that mojo again.

 

[Keels]

- New Day Parade at Magic Kingdom - make it more interactive, similar to Remember the Magic (Yes, I know, I'm super partial to that one)
- Unique night parade at Magic Kingdom
- Bring back the Hercules parade at DHS (OK - I know that will never happen ... but hey, aren't we all spitballing here?)
- Unique/forgotten character meets ... pull those classic character costumes out of mothballs and make them a "surprise" in certain areas of the park - use that woefully under-utilized WDW Today twitter account to advertise where they'll be (like Disneyland does)
- Updated Illuminations
- Enhanced interactive "parties" - what do you want to do when it's your birthday? Celebrate! Bring back the dance party at Hollywood Studios. Enhance the dance party in Tomorrowland with more characters or some of the "Future World performers" that they use for private/corporate events. Have some of the awesome DJs that play NYE at Epcot play during the weekends or select nights during the week (like the Silent DJ party).
- Let characters wander around - that's one of my favorite things about Disneyland ... interactions with characters, especially face characters, seems SO much more organic when they're wandering around the park and they run into you versus you waiting in a line in a "themed room" to see them.
- Find ways to expand the "magic" experience - like when you see your name at the end of IASW? Or waiting in line for RnR or Yeti. What if you saw your family's PhotoPass picture projected on the castle as part of a fireworks pre-show?

And, yeah, anything similar to Year of a Million Dreams. I remember standing in the queue waiting to board BTMRR when we saw the "Dreams Crew" come in the exit ramp. You could hear all the guests waiting in line gasp to see what they were handing out to the train coming in to the station to exit the ride.

FOR ME (and I know I'm in the minority), new rides and upgrades to rides would be great - but the whole "Magical Experience" of Disney has been consistently downgrading. I've spent so much time at WDW since 1989 and that's the one thing that makes me saddest. The entertainment (especially ambient/roaming entertainment) has dwindled to non-existent. The magic experiences you used to happen across - like random characters, street entertainment like the hoedown in Frontierland, PUSH the Trashcan, etc., have been replaced by more "hurry up and wait" events.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Well, not sure if they have published stat broken down but yes the stock market is up here but not everywhere - I think the lack of Brazilian tourists hit them hard and then the strong US dollar made it harder for people from Canada, etc. to go

Then you have some people waiting at least for Pandora to open if not also for Toy Story or Star Wars (thinking the people that only go every 2-3 years push it off another year or so)

So yeah, not a lot of major new things/construction, you had more press for Disneyland with the 60th (I know we went there instead of WDW) - and they did have price increases, including the variable pricing based on time of year, etc. - so not surprising it is down a bit

Honestly...if the stock market is "booming"...there should be a line with enough Americans in it to make up for the loss of Brazilians and Canadians. Not that those segments are not important...they are. But a small percentage that should be offset by the domestic market IF the price is right.

 

[closetmickey]

- New Day Parade at Magic Kingdom - make it more interactive, similar to Remember the Magic (Yes, I know, I'm super partial to that one)
- Unique night parade at Magic Kingdom
- Bring back the Hercules parade at DHS (OK - I know that will never happen ... but hey, aren't we all spitballing here?)
- Unique/forgotten character meets ... pull those classic character costumes out of mothballs and make them a "surprise" in certain areas of the park - use that woefully under-utilized WDW Today twitter account to advertise where they'll be (like Disneyland does)
- Updated Illuminations
- Enhanced interactive "parties" - what do you want to do when it's your birthday? Celebrate! Bring back the dance party at Hollywood Studios. Enhance the dance party in Tomorrowland with more characters or some of the "Future World performers" that they use for private/corporate events. Have some of the awesome DJs that play NYE at Epcot play during the weekends or select nights during the week (like the Silent DJ party).
- Let characters wander around - that's one of my favorite things about Disneyland ... interactions with characters, especially face characters, seems SO much more organic when they're wandering around the park and they run into you versus you waiting in a line in a "themed room" to see them.
- Find ways to expand the "magic" experience - like when you see your name at the end of IASW? Or waiting in line for RnR or Yeti. What if you saw your family's PhotoPass picture projected on the castle as part of a fireworks pre-show?

And, yeah, anything similar to Year of a Million Dreams. I remember standing in the queue waiting to board BTMRR when we saw the "Dreams Crew" come in the exit ramp. You could hear all the guests waiting in line gasp to see what they were handing out to the train coming in to the station to exit the ride.

FOR ME (and I know I'm in the minority), new rides and upgrades to rides would be great - but the whole "Magical Experience" of Disney has been consistently downgrading. I've spent so much time at WDW since 1989 and that's the one thing that makes me saddest. The entertainment (especially ambient/roaming entertainment) has dwindled to non-existent. The magic experiences you used to happen across - like random characters, street entertainment like the hoedown in Frontierland, PUSH the Trashcan, etc., have been replaced by more "hurry up and wait" events.

I had to hit "reply" because just "liking" this wasn't enough

 

[MommaBerd]

I think we can all rest easy that there will be no inflatable birthday cake this time around, thanks to advances in technology! I found a picture from when I went that year - just had to laugh!

While it is exciting to hear "50 Enhancements for 50th," I am not getting my hopes too high. I don't trust how/what they will be "counting." I would much rather see 10 MAJOR, obvious, amazing enhancements than 50 small ones. Oh! We brought in special decorations for each park - there's four enhancements. We have three limited edition cupcakes- now we're up to seven. We did refurb to these five rides (that should have been done anyway), that's 12!

I'm not normally so pessimistic, but that's just how corporations operate. And, that is what we saw in the Limited Time Magic. You get the opportunity to purchase these limited edition ears! A cosmetic line? The Dapper Dans sing boy band hits. In fact, many of the special things offered that year were merchandise or food. Really? That isn't very magical to me.

Now, I recognize that 2013 was not a special anniversary year, but still it makes me wary of what will come to pass. I'm not expecting everyone's wish list to be fulfilled, I am just hoping for substance over fluff.

 

[loves to dive]

I love the idea but in order to do even the littlest refurb on a ride, the ride has to be shut down. Now we all know what happens when a ride is shut down for refurb. You get people saying their vacation was ruined because ride x was shut down and now there is nothing to do.

Just saying.

 

[Irish_Mike]

I love the idea but in order to do even the littlest refurb on a ride, the ride has to be shut down. Now we all know what happens when a ride is shut down for refurb. You get people saying their vacation was ruined because ride x was shut down and now there is nothing to do.

Just saying.

To be fair, that's how Disney operates nowadays - better to disrupt guests in the near future if it means increased attendance or hype in the long run.

 

[Keels]

Disneyland plussed two rides, opened a reinvisioned ride, unveiled a new nighttime parade, a new fireworks show and a new World of Color for the 60th. They did tasteful decorations and specialty foods (truffles at the "signature restaurants", cupcakes, etc.), merch, all of the expected stuff - I think if WDW were to do AT MINIMUM that much, people would be happy.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I agree with several other comments I've read on this thread, Disney actually can do the birthday cake castle for this anniversary and everyone will be fine with it. They could project that onto the castle for 20 minutes a night and there would probably be huge crowds scrambling for a picture with it in the background.

It is the best of both worlds because the projection will then disappear and everyone can get their coveted castle pictures with the regular castle.

So really, the birthday cake castle was just ahead of it's time.

 

[rteetz]

Another piece the refurbishment puzzle. Mission Space closing for refurbishment.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...ing-for-lengthy-refurbishment-this-summer.htm

 

[Ambehnke]

Another piece the refurbishment puzzle. Mission Space closing for refurbishment.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...ing-for-lengthy-refurbishment-this-summer.htm

They can't be expecting to refurb something now and call it 1/50 enhancements 5 years from now can they? That would have me ticked. I'm one that's fine with refurbs. I know they're needed. But acting like a refurb that was needed 5 years ago is something special you are doing for the 50th is insulting. Or are they just saying they need to do 50 refurbs/enhancements by the 50th and not make this a promotional thing?

 

[rteetz]

They can't be expecting to refurb something now and call it 1/50 enhancements 5 years from now can they? That would have me ticked. I'm one that's fine with refurbs. I know they're needed. But acting like a refurb that was needed 5 years ago is something special you are doing for the 50th is insulting. Or are they just saying they need to do 50 refurbs/enhancements by the 50th and not make this a promotional thing?

They very well could. Disney could even include something like Pandora in the 50. As for refurbs in general if they were doing 50 of them they would have to start years out in order to get them all done.

 

[Buckeye218]

Another piece the refurbishment puzzle. Mission Space closing for refurbishment.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...ing-for-lengthy-refurbishment-this-summer.htm

Love to hear this...I know this ride is widely panned, but it's my favorite ride on any WDW property. Can't wait to see what the upgrades are!

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I think we can all rest easy that there will be no inflatable birthday cake this time around, thanks to advances in technology! I found a picture from when I went that year - just had to laugh!

While it is exciting to hear "50 Enhancements for 50th," I am not getting my hopes too high. I don't trust how/what they will be "counting." I would much rather see 10 MAJOR, obvious, amazing enhancements than 50 small ones. Oh! We brought in special decorations for each park - there's four enhancements. We have three limited edition cupcakes- now we're up to seven. We did refurb to these five rides (that should have been done anyway), that's 12!

I'm not normally so pessimistic, but that's just how corporations operate. And, that is what we saw in the Limited Time Magic. You get the opportunity to purchase these limited edition ears! A cosmetic line? The Dapper Dans sing boy band hits. In fact, many of the special things offered that year were merchandise or food. Really? That isn't very magical to me.

Now, I recognize that 2013 was not a special anniversary year, but still it makes me wary of what will come to pass. I'm not expecting everyone's wish list to be fulfilled, I am just hoping for substance over fluff.

I think you are right about the inflatable birthday cake ... it's much more cost efficient to projection map a birthday cake onto the castle

I also agree that I am sure a good portion of the 50 new things will be pretty small/not remarkable. Reminds me of how they put out that "17 reasons to visit WDW in 2017" and like 1/2 of them were things that happen all the time and not really special to 2017

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Disneyland plussed two rides, opened a reinvisioned ride, unveiled a new nighttime parade, a new fireworks show and a new World of Color for the 60th. They did tasteful decorations and specialty foods (truffles at the "signature restaurants", cupcakes, etc.), merch, all of the expected stuff - I think if WDW were to do AT MINIMUM that much, people would be happy.

Fully agree - I was able to visit Disneyland during their 60th and (other than the rediculously high crowd levels it brough) I thought it was great and if WDW got something similar (with maybe a few more ride enhancements) that would be great

 

[BuckeyeBama]

They can't be expecting to refurb something now and call it 1/50 enhancements 5 years from now can they? That would have me ticked. I'm one that's fine with refurbs. I know they're needed. But acting like a refurb that was needed 5 years ago is something special you are doing for the 50th is insulting. Or are they just saying they need to do 50 refurbs/enhancements by the 50th and not make this a promotional thing?

I agree - they can call it whatever they want, but let's get real. WDW is constantly under renovation. They may do more renovations ahead of this event so the parks are in better than average condition, but any work performed this year will long since have been dated and worn at the time of the event. But anything that gets Disney more focused on the parks is a good thing, so I'll take it. Tell me that you are doing a refurb because you expect unicorns and I might roll my eyes, but I'll take it.

Now, let's talk about how far their customer focus has slipped. That needs a serious renovation.