By Disney's own justifications for investing the money Animal Kingdom is a dismal failure. It's only saving grace was that it's not the complete Disney's Chernobyl Adventure out in Anaheim
but that's not a not much of positive.
In terms of extending guest's length of stay, increasing their spending, in keeping them on property and in driving new visitors to WDW the park has been an abject failure when measured against Disney's own projections and anticipation. The fact that they've lowered their expectation levels year after year after year doesn't make the park anymore successful it simply makes the annual PowerPoint presentation look less embarrassing.
The problem with AK isn't that Camp Minnie-Mickey is missing a dark ride, that there are no sit down restaurants or the puke crowd misses a roller coaster. The problem is much more important (and to borrow a phrase).
There's no there there.
Disney touted the place as being the next great thing. But as a zoo it's an absolute failure you learn and see less about animals than at a small sized metropolitan zoo. And the place is an absolute disgrace when compared to the country's best zoological parks and aquariums. Why in the world would anyone that's interested in animals go to AK? TO drive past them at 30mph while listening to a really, really, really, bad phony "we're chasing the poachers" plot line? How 'bout actually saying something new and interesting about the animals we're looking at. Then again, Disney took dinosaurs living, breathing twelve tons of muscle with foot long daggers-f-or-teeth running towards you at thirty miles per hours and the best they can come up with is are run down carnival games?
That's Disney imagination?
And for the theme park crowd
like I said no there there. A store bought flume ride with a "be nice to Mother Nature" theme isn't exactly the way to complete with Universal's 'Hulk' coaster (by the way, the only reason Disney even built AK). And 'Expedition: Everest'
no one's booking airfare to see 'Mission: Space', I don't see any reason why all the people would suddenly decided to Visit: Now. Single attractions don't affect attendance at destination resorts.
AK exists from siphoning off the three other parks at WDW. Most people buy park hoppers, so you might as well visit the place because it's "free". Charge a separate admission and you'd have the empty walkways of California Adventure right there in Florida.
Actually, perhaps AK's biggest problem is us the guests. Disney likes to selectively listen to the public these days. Every time they hear someone say "but I just like to sit and stare at the bushes", it deepens their conviction that the park's problems are the fault of the guests. No one goes to AK because they don't "get" the concept, because they don't "get" the non-commando style of park, because those guests just don't appreciate the wonder that Disney built.
Therefore, Disney doesnt doesn't have to spend any money to fix the parks because the guests are stupid and will eventually come around.
Of course, it's complete denial meant to cover-up their business failings and to justify spending the money elsewhere. Just like Euro Disney was never fixed and just as California Adventure is not being fixed, Animal Kingdom will slowly wilt in the sun unless people start to speak up.
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