Dear Walt

[sleepydog25]

Dear Walt,
I grew up with your dream through the years, listening to M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E, watching Tinkerbell fly through the night air and sprinkle pixie dust through my television screen, and eventually riding such treats as the Matterhorn, Storybook Land, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Jungle Cruise. It was magical and evocative, resonating with promises of fairy tale endings and amazing adventures in exotic lands.

Though you mostly fell out of my consciousness for a couple of decades, that situation wasn’t totally your fault. You did make a few very pedestrian movies and couldn’t seem to find your stride for a generation, but in your defense, I was wrapped up in my own life: marriage, family, career. You know the drill. So, there’s equal blame to share for my disaffection with all things Disney.

Yet, you recaptured the magic with some great new movies in the 90s and the beginning of our current century. You harnessed that Imagineering power and used it to great effect, creating new rides, building new destinations and wonderful resorts, and seemingly focusing a bit more on guests’ satisfaction—once again giving me a sense of the awe and wonder that I saw through my own child’s eyes. You were back. . .and so was I.

But, Walt, may I confide in you about my last few trips? I’m hesitant to say anything because I don’t want you to think I’m disenfranchised. I’m not. I still find Disney, the World in particular, a magical place to visit, a destination that still holds an undeniable emotional appeal to me. Who can resist a huge smile when you walk into the lobby of the Wilderness Lodge during the holidays? How can one not grin like a silly kid when stepping onto Main Street and seeing Cinderella’s castle gleaming in the sun? I still get chills from Wishes’ fireworks, still laugh from beginning to end on Expedition Everest, still whoop heartily with every drop of the Tower of Terror, and still am amazed by the smell of oranges on Soarin’.

Those thrills, however, are increasingly due to the making of my own internal experiences and not those presented to me by those who purport to carry on your legacy. I guess what I’m trying to say is that somewhere along the way in the past few years, the dream has been tarnished. It’s not noticeable to corporate types who now control your kingdom, at least I think it isn’t. I’m assuming the bottom line for them is, well, the financial bottom line. Your heritage has become a commodity.

I’m not an alarmist—I’m not the type to scream that the sky is falling when a rain drop plunks me on the head. Yet, I am a student of behavior, and I quietly observe the attitudes and machinations of others. I have to tell you, Walt, I’m disheartened in what I see passing for your legacy these days: a cast member in a candy store arguing with a guest about shipping, threatening to call a manager; a family restaurant in a resort unwilling to box a take-out meal because “we don’t have any containers” even though they are located just down a short hallway from a counter service eatery; gate security barely glancing your way because he’s too busy talking to his buddies; three cast members standing around an entrance to a popular nighttime ride badmouthing a fourth employee who, we learned as we walked by, refused to sign his job evaluation report because he didn’t agree with it; trash in the ponds at EPCOT; run of the mill merchandise that is increasingly becoming non-resort specific, i.e., bland and unimaginative; and the list goes on. Once upon a time, your helpers, your cast members went out of their way to make a family’s visit more special than any other theme park anywhere. That’s not so true today.

What I don’t see as much are the small touches that create magical moments. The genuine smile of a cast member who takes the initiative to ask how your day is going seems to be lacking, mostly replaced with disinterest. Good service in a signature restaurant could at one time be virtually assured; anymore, one is as likely to get mediocre, bordering on rude, service as he is to receive a topnotch experience. And, where did the food quality control go? Has that also been relegated to back-of-the-line status? Certainly, the prices your restaurants charge hasn’t dropped, yet the overall uniqueness and high standards of the menus themselves have been curiously dumbed down. (As a brief aside, the bacon being served at nearly every restaurant on property has no taste. Truly, it is the blandest of bland.)

Lest you think I’m a Grumpy, I will readily admit that there are still bright spots every time I visit. There was James at the front desk who personally took a look at the location of the room reserved for us to ensure it wasn’t overlooking a dumpster. Then, the hostess at Chef Mickey’s made my companion and me feel warmly welcome by saying, “you two make such a perfect looking couple!” Even though she had undoubtedly said that line hundreds of times before, it resonated with sincerity (the bacon was still awful, though J). Vanessa, who apparently does a myriad of things over at the best restaurant in the World, worked a little extra magic after hearing I had been extremely ill the day following visiting her establishment. And, certainly, there are those occasional cast members who make sure they high five an eight-year old, who relish in retelling the same rote story on the Great Movie Ride, or who attempt to help by taking the initiative to answer an inquiry rather than just saying, “I dunno.”

Walt, I still love the magic. . .when I can find it. Despite the apparent lowering of pixie dust standards across the board from restaurants, to cast member casting, even to the ebbing of DVC bennies, I can’t help thinking ahead to my next trip where I wonder if I can recapture some of that childlike happiness that was once your proudest accomplishment. Only now, the heirs to your legacy seem to have lost their way once more, and with them will go the next generation of dream-seekers such as my daughter. If she doesn’t grow up with the magic, where do you think her children—my grandchildren—will go? What do you say, Walt? Can you help the suits and bean counters to see that they’re squeezing the financial sand so hard that your wishes are running out? Please?

Sincerely,
Me

 

[Carly_Roach]

Dear Walt,
I grew up with your dream through the years, listening to M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E, watching Tinkerbell fly through the night air and sprinkle pixie dust through my television screen, and eventually riding such treats as the Matterhorn, Storybook Land, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Jungle Cruise. It was magical and evocative, resonating with promises of fairy tale endings and amazing adventures in exotic lands.

Though you mostly fell out of my consciousness for a couple of decades, that situation wasn’t totally your fault. You did make a few very pedestrian movies and couldn’t seem to find your stride for a generation, but in your defense, I was wrapped up in my own life: marriage, family, career. You know the drill. So, there’s equal blame to share for my disaffection with all things Disney.

Yet, you recaptured the magic with some great new movies in the 90s and the beginning of our current century. You harnessed that Imagineering power and used it to great effect, creating new rides, building new destinations and wonderful resorts, and seemingly focusing a bit more on guests’ satisfaction—once again giving me a sense of the awe and wonder that I saw through my own child’s eyes. You were back. . .and so was I.

But, Walt, may I confide in you about my last few trips? I’m hesitant to say anything because I don’t want you to think I’m disenfranchised. I’m not. I still find Disney, the World in particular, a magical place to visit, a destination that still holds an undeniable emotional appeal to me. Who can resist a huge smile when you walk into the lobby of the Wilderness Lodge during the holidays? How can one not grin like a silly kid when stepping onto Main Street and seeing Cinderella’s castle gleaming in the sun? I still get chills from Wishes’ fireworks, still laugh from beginning to end on Expedition Everest, still whoop heartily with every drop of the Tower of Terror, and still am amazed by the smell of oranges on Soarin’.

Those thrills, however, are increasingly due to the making of my own internal experiences and not those presented to me by those who purport to carry on your legacy. I guess what I’m trying to say is that somewhere along the way in the past few years, the dream has been tarnished. It’s not noticeable to corporate types who now control your kingdom, at least I think it isn’t. I’m assuming the bottom line for them is, well, the financial bottom line. Your heritage has become a commodity.

I’m not an alarmist—I’m not the type to scream that the sky is falling when a rain drop plunks me on the head. Yet, I am a student of behavior, and I quietly observe the attitudes and machinations of others. I have to tell you, Walt, I’m disheartened in what I see passing for your legacy these days: a cast member in a candy store arguing with a guest about shipping, threatening to call a manager; a family restaurant in a resort unwilling to box a take-out meal because “we don’t have any containers” even though they are located just down a short hallway from a counter service eatery; gate security barely glancing your way because he’s too busy talking to his buddies; three cast members standing around an entrance to a popular nighttime ride badmouthing a fourth employee who, we learned as we walked by, refused to sign his job evaluation report because he didn’t agree with it; trash in the ponds at EPCOT; run of the mill merchandise that is increasingly becoming non-resort specific, i.e., bland and unimaginative; and the list goes on. Once upon a time, your helpers, your cast members went out of their way to make a family’s visit more special than any other theme park anywhere. That’s not so true today.

What I don’t see as much are the small touches that create magical moments. The genuine smile of a cast member who takes the initiative to ask how your day is going seems to be lacking, mostly replaced with disinterest. Good service in a signature restaurant could at one time be virtually assured; anymore, one is as likely to get mediocre, bordering on rude, service as he is to receive a topnotch experience. And, where did the food quality control go? Has that also been relegated to back-of-the-line status? Certainly, the prices your restaurants charge hasn’t dropped, yet the overall uniqueness and high standards of the menus themselves have been curiously dumbed down. (As a brief aside, the bacon being served at nearly every restaurant on property has no taste. Truly, it is the blandest of bland.)

Lest you think I’m a Grumpy, I will readily admit that there are still bright spots every time I visit. There was James at the front desk who personally took a look at the location of the room reserved for us to ensure it wasn’t overlooking a dumpster. Then, the hostess at Chef Mickey’s made my companion and me feel warmly welcome by saying, “you two make such a perfect looking couple!” Even though she had undoubtedly said that line hundreds of times before, it resonated with sincerity (the bacon was still awful, though J). Vanessa, who apparently does a myriad of things over at the best restaurant in the World, worked a little extra magic after hearing I had been extremely ill the day following visiting her establishment. And, certainly, there are those occasional cast members who make sure they high five an eight-year old, who relish in retelling the same rote story on the Great Movie Ride, or who attempt to help by taking the initiative to answer an inquiry rather than just saying, “I dunno.”

Walt, I still love the magic. . .when I can find it. Despite the apparent lowering of pixie dust standards across the board from restaurants, to cast member casting, even to the ebbing of DVC bennies, I can’t help thinking ahead to my next trip where I wonder if I can recapture some of that childlike happiness that was once your proudest accomplishment. Only now, the heirs to your legacy seem to have lost their way once more, and with them will go the next generation of dream-seekers such as my daughter. If she doesn’t grow up with the magic, where do you think her children—my grandchildren—will go? What do you say, Walt? Can you help the suits and bean counters to see that they’re squeezing the financial sand so hard that your wishes are running out? Please?

Sincerely,
Me

Your letter is 1,104 words long. About 300 more words than the average newsletter article and 300-1,000 words longer than the generally acceptable 'Letter to the Editor' length. But you're right in the ballpark for Featured Newspaper articles.

Should you decide to write a letter to Walt again in the future, I suggest brevity. He's a busy man.

 

[Scurvy]

Your letter is 1,104 words long. About 300 more words than the average newsletter article and 300-1,000 words longer than the generally acceptable 'Letter to the Editor' length. But you're right in the ballpark for Featured Newspaper articles.

Should you decide to write a letter to Walt again in the future, I suggest brevity. He's a busy man.

I don't know about that - I think dying tends to clear out your schedule a bit.

 

[Acklander]

I went to Disney World back in 1974. The food sucked back then as well, so I guess you can consider the recent changes to crappy food as a reflection of Walt's original dream.

 

[phorsenuf]

Your letter is 1,104 words long. About 300 more words than the average newsletter article and 300-1,000 words longer than the generally acceptable 'Letter to the Editor' length. But you're right in the ballpark for Featured Newspaper articles.

Should you decide to write a letter to Walt again in the future, I suggest brevity. He's a busy man.

I don't know about that - I think dying tends to clear out your schedule a bit.

But will his brain comprehend, being frozen and all.

 

[bicker]

Clearly the most long-lasting aspect of Walt's dream is his decision to leave his company to posterity, instead of calling for its dismantling upon his death. As such, given that he lived through perhaps the most dynamic decades in the history of his industry, he knew, and therefore it was an integral part of his vision, that his company would grow through the years and ideally, in his view, stand proudly as a hallmark of the industry's leaders, rather than being relegated to an antiquated, irrelevant also-ran.

The article is wordy, true, but there is nothing wrong with that. Perhaps the biggest problem may be the implication that a casual reader may derive from it - that the writer's own personal preferences have some weight greater than they do - that the substantial changes we've seen in the company are in some way inferior to the vision that the OP would have for the company. Inferior with regard to satisfying the OP's personal preferences, perhaps, but in no other way. The Disney Company is far greater, now, than I believe even Walt could have hoped for in his wildest imagination.

 

[Brizzabelle]

You do realize Walt is DEAD!!! I love people on this board that make him out to be a saint and think he would be upset at how things are done now. He was about making money and any business that is successful at making money is going to have to change with the economy. The food has never been that good. It's better than some other theme park food but it is NOT gourmet food. If Disney World isn't "Magical" any more to you than maybe don't go so often take 5 - 10 years off and go somewhere different!

 

[bicker]

You do realize Walt is DEAD!!! I love people on this board that make him out to be a saint and think he would be upset at how things are done now. He was about making money and any business that is successful at making money is going to have to change with the economy. The food has never been that good. It's better than some other theme park food but it is NOT gourmet food. If Disney World isn't "Magical" any more to you than maybe don't go so often take 5 - 10 years off and go somewhere different!

To be fair, there was a relatively short period of time, during the 1990s, when there was a lot of good food at WDW restaurants. I doubt though that there were enough people willing to pay enough extra for that better dining experiences to justify what was being offered at that time. Or perhaps, as a short-term thing, there was justification for it, and then, over time (familiarity breeds contempt) the justification for it vanished.

However, your point is well-taken. Generally, the magic at WDW has always been within the guest, and guests who note a lack of magic as compared to previous visits generally can look within themselves for the cause of the change.

 

[FireDancer]

Walt is dead, you should address you letter to Bob Iger. It stopped mattering "what Walt would think" on December 5th 1966. He didn't choose what happened to his business after he died, the shareholders did (and still do), as with any publicly traded company.

Wondering what Walt would think when Disney does something makes as much sense as wondering if John Pemberton would like the new flavor of Coke or if William Procter would approve of the latest scent of Tide detergent.

I am a fan of Disney World and Walt but he was a visionary guy who had a lot of good ideas and knew how to turn those ideas into a lot of money. Nothing more.

 

[sleepydog25]

Alas, imagination is no longer rewarded, I see. lol

For the record, I'm well aware that Walt is dead. I have gone other places but still enjoy visiting the World. I thought it more fun to pen a fluff piece about what I perceive to be shortcomings with the Disney experience rather than do the typical whining, moaning, and complaining piece. The post only seems long because as a collective whole our attention spans have decreased over the past three decades. I didn't intend this to be a zeitgeist piece that speaks for a disenfranchised mob (though it is amusing to see the use of exclamations to drive home a point! Granted, I'm hard of hearing). And while Disney himself would never have envisioned the greatness of his company as it exists today, I would humbly argue that greatness in this case has more to do with financial success than other more connotative meanings.

There, I think that just about covers it all.

 

[diznygirl]

"And, where did the food quality control go? Has that also been relegated to back-of-the-line status? Certainly, the prices your restaurants charge hasn’t dropped, yet the overall uniqueness and high standards of the menus themselves have been curiously dumbed down. (As a brief aside, the bacon being served at nearly every restaurant on property has no taste. Truly, it is the blandest of bland.)"


As far as this goes, the Disney Dining Plan can take full responsibility for it.

Personally, I think Walt would have preferred the food to stay simple - it's an amusement park, after all. I won't know for sure until I get his head thawed.

 

[maxiesmom]

I think a lot that you find wrong, we can blame Joe Q Public for. The same food everywhere? The majority of theme park guests want food that is familiar and safe. Trash all over the parks? People are becoming more and more disrespectful of their surroundings and uncaring of the mess they make. After all, it is not their job to clean it up.

A lack of CMs interested in making magic? It is hard to do when what was once considered magical is now demanded on a daily basis. Towel animals anyone?

You want to blame someone? Blame a society that has become more and more demanding and self-centered and impossible to please.

 

[eliza61]

I think a lot that you find wrong, we can blame Joe Q Public for. The same food everywhere? The majority of theme park guests want food that is familiar and safe. Trash all over the parks? People are becoming more and more disrespectful of their surroundings and uncaring of the mess they make. After all, it is not their job to clean it up.

A lack of CMs interested in making magic? It is hard to do when what was once considered magical is now demanded on a daily basis. Towel animals anyone?You want to blame someone? Blame a society that has become more and more demanding and self-centered and impossible to please.

whow baby do I know about this one, good friend of mine's daughter is a mousekeeper at the contemporary. She just got switched to the late shift per her request, why? every morning happy moms literally attack her in the morning demanding "towel animals". She made the mistake one day of trying to explain to a guest who was complaining that she had been there 3 days and had yet to recieve a towel animal, that they were short 2 people due to the flu, charming guest told her "I don't care if you have to stay up all night and make them by candlelight" that she had paid over 400 bucks a night or this room so she suggest she get her Puerto Rican $#$$ in gear and make her kids some towel animals or she would have her job.

She put in a request for transfer that day and to this day refuses to make any towel animals.

 

[skater]

whow baby do I know about this one, good friend of mine's daughter is a mousekeeper at the contemporary. She just got switched to the late shift per her request, why? every morning happy moms literally attack her in the morning demanding "towel animals". She made the mistake one day of trying to explain to a guest who was complaining that she had been there 3 days and had yet to recieve a towel animal, that they were short 2 people due to the flu, charming guest told her "I don't care if you have to stay up all night and make them by candlelight" that she had paid over 400 bucks a night or this room so she suggest she get her Puerto Rican $#$$ in gear and make her kids some towel animals or she would have her job.

She put in a request for transfer that day and to this day refuses to make any towel animals.

Wow. No wonder people get surly. I wouldn't last a day .

 

[Planogirl]

I appreciate your desire to state your thoughts in a different way but as you can see the reaction is much the same.

 

[lajones81]

Dear Walt,
I grew up with your dream through the years, listening to M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E, watching Tinkerbell fly through the night air and sprinkle pixie dust through my television screen, and eventually riding such treats as the Matterhorn, Storybook Land, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Jungle Cruise. It was magical and evocative, resonating with promises of fairy tale endings and amazing adventures in exotic lands.

Though you mostly fell out of my consciousness for a couple of decades, that situation wasn’t totally your fault. You did make a few very pedestrian movies and couldn’t seem to find your stride for a generation, but in your defense, I was wrapped up in my own life: marriage, family, career. You know the drill. So, there’s equal blame to share for my disaffection with all things Disney.

Yet, you recaptured the magic with some great new movies in the 90s and the beginning of our current century. You harnessed that Imagineering power and used it to great effect, creating new rides, building new destinations and wonderful resorts, and seemingly focusing a bit more on guests’ satisfaction—once again giving me a sense of the awe and wonder that I saw through my own child’s eyes. You were back. . .and so was I.

But, Walt, may I confide in you about my last few trips? I’m hesitant to say anything because I don’t want you to think I’m disenfranchised. I’m not. I still find Disney, the World in particular, a magical place to visit, a destination that still holds an undeniable emotional appeal to me. Who can resist a huge smile when you walk into the lobby of the Wilderness Lodge during the holidays? How can one not grin like a silly kid when stepping onto Main Street and seeing Cinderella’s castle gleaming in the sun? I still get chills from Wishes’ fireworks, still laugh from beginning to end on Expedition Everest, still whoop heartily with every drop of the Tower of Terror, and still am amazed by the smell of oranges on Soarin’.

Those thrills, however, are increasingly due to the making of my own internal experiences and not those presented to me by those who purport to carry on your legacy. I guess what I’m trying to say is that somewhere along the way in the past few years, the dream has been tarnished. It’s not noticeable to corporate types who now control your kingdom, at least I think it isn’t. I’m assuming the bottom line for them is, well, the financial bottom line. Your heritage has become a commodity.

I’m not an alarmist—I’m not the type to scream that the sky is falling when a rain drop plunks me on the head. Yet, I am a student of behavior, and I quietly observe the attitudes and machinations of others. I have to tell you, Walt, I’m disheartened in what I see passing for your legacy these days: a cast member in a candy store arguing with a guest about shipping, threatening to call a manager; a family restaurant in a resort unwilling to box a take-out meal because “we don’t have any containers” even though they are located just down a short hallway from a counter service eatery; gate security barely glancing your way because he’s too busy talking to his buddies; three cast members standing around an entrance to a popular nighttime ride badmouthing a fourth employee who, we learned as we walked by, refused to sign his job evaluation report because he didn’t agree with it; trash in the ponds at EPCOT; run of the mill merchandise that is increasingly becoming non-resort specific, i.e., bland and unimaginative; and the list goes on. Once upon a time, your helpers, your cast members went out of their way to make a family’s visit more special than any other theme park anywhere. That’s not so true today.

What I don’t see as much are the small touches that create magical moments. The genuine smile of a cast member who takes the initiative to ask how your day is going seems to be lacking, mostly replaced with disinterest. Good service in a signature restaurant could at one time be virtually assured; anymore, one is as likely to get mediocre, bordering on rude, service as he is to receive a topnotch experience. And, where did the food quality control go? Has that also been relegated to back-of-the-line status? Certainly, the prices your restaurants charge hasn’t dropped, yet the overall uniqueness and high standards of the menus themselves have been curiously dumbed down. (As a brief aside, the bacon being served at nearly every restaurant on property has no taste. Truly, it is the blandest of bland.)

Lest you think I’m a Grumpy, I will readily admit that there are still bright spots every time I visit. There was James at the front desk who personally took a look at the location of the room reserved for us to ensure it wasn’t overlooking a dumpster. Then, the hostess at Chef Mickey’s made my companion and me feel warmly welcome by saying, “you two make such a perfect looking couple!” Even though she had undoubtedly said that line hundreds of times before, it resonated with sincerity (the bacon was still awful, though J). Vanessa, who apparently does a myriad of things over at the best restaurant in the World, worked a little extra magic after hearing I had been extremely ill the day following visiting her establishment. And, certainly, there are those occasional cast members who make sure they high five an eight-year old, who relish in retelling the same rote story on the Great Movie Ride, or who attempt to help by taking the initiative to answer an inquiry rather than just saying, “I dunno.”

Walt, I still love the magic. . .when I can find it. Despite the apparent lowering of pixie dust standards across the board from restaurants, to cast member casting, even to the ebbing of DVC bennies, I can’t help thinking ahead to my next trip where I wonder if I can recapture some of that childlike happiness that was once your proudest accomplishment. Only now, the heirs to your legacy seem to have lost their way once more, and with them will go the next generation of dream-seekers such as my daughter. If she doesn’t grow up with the magic, where do you think her children—my grandchildren—will go? What do you say, Walt? Can you help the suits and bean counters to see that they’re squeezing the financial sand so hard that your wishes are running out? Please?

Sincerely,
Me

Long post.

 

[Magix]

Dear Me,

In reference to your concerns regarding cast members who do not smile just at the moment you'd like them to, or do not take the time to make you feel special and unique, I would like to point out that I am required to hire an immense number of people, of all makes and models, to continue to staff the ever-increasing number of parks, hotels, shops and attractions that so many visitors demand. In doing so, I find it quite impossible to be certain that everyone meets my exact specifications at all times in bringing the Disney magic to you during your visit. With literally tens of thousands of cast members to train and supervise, all with their own unique ability to comprehend my vision and personally embody the guidelines of Disney-appropriate behavior, I ask your forgiveness. As much as I wish it were possible, not all my cast members can meet my expectations, but I am currently unable to personally see to it that each offending cast member is fired immediately, as replacements can be difficult to find at a moment's notice. While I do understand your concerns, and appreciate your feeback, it is my fervent hope that you will realize that Disney World, at it's worst, continues to provide a level of service well beyond what you will encounter at any other theme park in the world. I assure you, I continue to do my best to ensure that your personal expectations, and mine, are met every day. But I remind you that it was much simpler to control my vision when I had one, perhaps two, theme parks to run. But, since you (and many others) want more, constantly more, this is the inevitable result.

My kindest regards,

Walt's Ghost

 

[bicker]

Alas, imagination is no longer rewarded, I see. lol

hehe.... I think you're confusing wishful thinking with imagination. Imagination is the process of coming up with something original.

I thought it more fun to pen a fluff piece about what I perceive to be shortcomings with the Disney experience rather than do the typical whining, moaning, and complaining piece.

Don't let anyone tell you shouldn't post what you posted.

By the same token, don't tell anyone that they shouldn't post what they posted in reply to what you posted.

And while Disney himself would never have envisioned the greatness of his company as it exists today, I would humbly argue that greatness in this case has more to do with financial success than other more connotative meanings.

Meanings that you are imposing on him. I cannot possibly imagine how you could show more disrespect to a dead man than imposing your personal view of the world on him.

Why would you think that presenting your wishful thinking as simply your own would be inadequate to the task?

 

[bicker]

I think a lot that you find wrong, we can blame Joe Q Public for. The same food everywhere? The majority of theme park guests want food that is familiar and safe. Trash all over the parks? People are becoming more and more disrespectful of their surroundings and uncaring of the mess they make. After all, it is not their job to clean it up.

A lack of CMs interested in making magic? It is hard to do when what was once considered magical is now demanded on a daily basis. Towel animals anyone?

You want to blame someone? Blame a society that has become more and more demanding and self-centered and impossible to please.

Yes, very good points. And it is indicative of this generalized spirit of avoiding personal responsibility that seems to underlie much of "the typical whining, moaning, and complaining" - consumers are especially notorious for seeking to blame others when the vast majority of the responsibility for how things are comes back to what consumers, themselves, are and are not willing to reward. Many consumers like paint themselves as victims, when in reality the quagmire they find themselves in is one of their own collective making. Businesses know that they succeed in satisfying their obligations best when the do what consumers prompt them to do, but more and more what consumers prompt businesses to do is cut costs, economize, go cheap, etc. Consumers are at fault, practically 100%, yet few are willing to pierce the rose-colored bubble that they choose to put themselves in and acknowledge their culpability.

 

[sleepydog25]

hehe.... I think you're confusing wishful thinking with imagination. Imagination is the process of coming up with something original.

Don't let anyone tell you shouldn't post what you posted.

By the same token, don't tell anyone that they shouldn't post what they posted in reply to what you posted.

Meanings that you are imposing on him. I cannot possibly imagine how you could show more disrespect to a dead man than imposing your personal view of the world on him.

Why would you think that presenting your wishful thinking as simply your own would be inadequate to the task?

Imagination for the conceit not the wishful thinking. . .

I never admonish anyone for posting their thoughts, nor have I implied such. Neither of those supposes that I won't reply with counter notions, however.

As for your last two points, bicker, I'm not sure of your gist. I don't mean this comment facetiously--I really don't understand the commentary as I neither insulted Walt nor tried to impose my personal view of the world on him (or any other soul, living or dead). I posted a simple concept that I felt the World was lacking a little these days (and I'll grant those are my views but one would think the mere act of putting one's words to paper, er, screen assumes such) and attempted to do so in a slightly more imaginative manner (arguable, I know). The fact my post sparked a bit of conversation and thought is a bonus, however.
______________________
Dear Walt's Ghost,
As you see above, I meant no disrespect to you nor your company as it has evolved. It is true that as consumers, collectively, we expect more and we want that more for less. I am sure your cast members must find the behavior of many guests atrocious, as the towel animal episode someone mentioned above suggests. You are also likely correct that no other theme park in the world has standards that match those of your now multi-billion dollar business empire. Still, that doesn't mean the personal experiences during my last few visits are invalid. Nor were those experiences so awful that I won't come back. In fact, I still loved my last visit. No, my reminisces were purely emotional, a vague sense that either the magic doesn't exist in the quantities it once did, or that I have lost the ability to enjoy the magic as much as I once did, or a combination of both. Enjoy your afterlife, Walt. I hope the coasters in that plane of existence are superb!
Sincerely,
Me
P.S. How are the cast members wherever you are?