Before Disney Became Known for Turtle-Paced Construction...

[DisneyKingpin]

Disney was known for quite the opposite. Did you know it took only 1 year to build all of Disneyland?

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Listen to Michael's show tomorrow about the 64-65 World's Fair. He talks about how quickly some of those attractions went up.

 

[Tonyz]

It is so frustrating to see how slow they go nowadays. What changed??

 

[Spaceace5150]

Has anyone heard of Imagineering described as the Hall of Vice Presidents? The theory is that there are many people who have to have their hands on every project.

 

[tjevans]

It is so frustrating to see how slow they go nowadays. What changed??

Walt died. Walt admitted that he did not understand money. That was Roy's job. Walt didn't care how much something cost--he only wanted to get it done. Roy spent a lot of his time finding a way to pay for Walt's dreams.

I am quite certain that one reason for the slow-paced construction (other than many more regulations now than in the 1950's) is some "accounting trick" of spreading construction costs over several years that somehow reflects better on the bottom line than getting it all done quickly and beginning to earn back those costs.

 

[MikeTaylor]

The answer to 99/100 questions is money.

 

[DisneyKingpin]

Walt admitted that he did not understand money. That was Roy's job. Walt didn't care how much something cost--he only wanted to get it done. Roy spent a lot of his time finding a way to pay for Walt's dreams.

That sounds a lot like Pete and John. Pete being the free-spending Walt, and John being the voice-of-reason Roy.

 

[catycatcat4]

Disney was known for quite the opposite. Did you know it took only 1 year to build all of Disneyland?

Wasn't the opening of DL a mess tho? The whole women shoes sinking into the ground thing, and a gas leak in one of the lands.
http://www.factfiend.com/opening-day-disneyland-total-disaster/
http://www.frontierlandstation.com/2013/04/10/disneyland-opening-day-what-you-didnt-know/
http://www.wired.com/2010/09/disneyland/

 

[DisneyKingpin]

Wasn't the opening of DL a mess tho?

Not by relative standards. You always run into things to troubleshoot upon any opening. That's why we have Windows 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. That's why the car companies issue recalls. That's why we are up to iPhone 6.

You've got to fix bugs that you did not anticipate. Nobody's perfect. You don't want to linger on a game plan too long or you'll lose the game to your competition.

 

[catycatcat4]

Not by relative standards. You always run into things to troubleshoot upon any opening. That's why we have Windows 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. That's why the car companies issue recalls. That's why we are up to iPhone 6.

You've got to fix bugs that you did not anticipate. Nobody's perfect. You don't want to linger on a game plan too long or you'll lose the game to your competition.

Realistically if it wasn't for the Disney name DL could have easily shut down as expected. 18 M for a parking garage is silly but It's better than our cars geting stuck in the road.