DL improving while MK rots

[NeverEnufWDW]

I just got finished reading a slew of articles on another site about how the new man in charge at Disneyland is working hard to restore the Magic. Better treatment of CMs, a spate of new/improved attractions (that are NOT meet and greets), and yes, true vision.

These same articles point out the continued demise of not only MK, but EPCOT as well. Why can't the "leaders" of MK get their act together ?

 

[Tigger_Magic]

 

[bicker]

As you pointed out, those are just articles. They're not objective determinations of quality. I wouldn't worry about them. There are always nay-sayers and doom-and-gloomers. While these articles circulate, we hear reports of record crowds. I'll believe people voting with their wallets before some pundit.

 

[Leota]

It seems cyclic to me. For awhile WDW was improving, while DL was stagnant. It'll all come around again. They'll never let WDW "rot". It wouldn't make good business sense.

 

[bicker]

That's a good point. I think one thing that folks need to remember is that there was a strategic vision throughout the 1990s to upgrade Walt Disney World. That was not a matter of maintenance and upkeep, but rather to actually upgrade the resort as a whole. It was, deliberately, a significant drain on the company's available capital. Now that the 1990s is over, that project deemed successfully completed, WDW is now in a "contribution" mode. The company is now investing the tens of millions of capital expense budget that it had directed to upgrade WDW in the 1990s into other projects, to build a better future for the company as a whole. WDW is expected to be maintained at its current state, and now contribute to the company, instead of being the drain on the company that it was in the 1990s. I think a lot of "pundits" interpret this as "letting WDW rot" when in reality it is maintaining WDW at the status quo.

 

[dbanzai]

I think DL needs more help than WDW anyway. WDW is an international tourist attraction. It doesn't need to be overly promoted. DL is mainly and mostly a destination for people in California and Nevada and other western U.S. states. They don't have the room there to have as many attractions, and so there is I would think a need to make more of it look better, because people are so much more dispersed in Florida.

Plus this is DL's - Not WDW's - 50th anniversary. It deserves to get scrubbed down.

 

[goofy4tink]

I noticed a couple trips back, some down points to the MK. However, in May, it looked absolutely gorgeous. It's STILL the most beautiful place on earth to me. As for Epcot, I've never noticed anything short of beauty there.

The ONLY thing in MK they could improve upon, is the roofs over the ticket turnstiles and the roofs over the bus stops. Lots of cobwebs and dirt and whatnot. Paint those suckers and they'd be all set. Oh yeah, Space Mountain from the outside could use a good painting.

They were painting SM last month when we were there!!! Have to say that it sure grabbed my attention as we walked to TommorrowLand via the back path from ToonTown when I looked up and saw several men on the top of SM. All I could think of was snipers!!!! I know....overreaction. But turns out they were just up there painting. It was nice to see that happening.

Have to agree with you about the overall condition of WDW...it looked pretty nice to me in June. I've talked to people that have visited both WDW and DL and they have told me that DL sure could use a 'sprucing up'...guess that's happening.

 

[CarolA]

I love titles like this, they make me laugh! I haven't notice much rot, but.. to each thier own.

Also, over the past few years there have been LOTS of internet articles with the exact opposite view... they claimed that WDW was getting everything and DL was just left to die!

 

[ReggieB]

Epcot looked absolutely beautiful during the flower & garden festival in May. I guess if you go looking for flaky paint and rust you'll find it. The Golden extras added to the castle at MK are growing on me too!

 

[oogieboogie]

Let's see:

MK got
- Stitch's Great Escape (good or bad, it's still a new attraction)
- Rehab and redesign of It's a Small World (beautifully done, mind you)
- Main St Train Station rehab
- Toontown train station rehab
- Rework of 20K league area
- Planned rehab of PotC
- Repainting of Splash Mountain

Epcot got:
- Mission: Space
- Test Track
- Soarin'
- rehab and redesign of the Land
- rehab of The Living Seas

To me that shows the commitment of WDW to keep maintaining and improving the parks, especially Epcot. Getting 3 new rides is not a small investment. I think they do a good job with the budget they have.

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

Disneyland getting fixed up does NOT equal the MK must be rotting - silly assumption.

The reason Disneyland is getting so much credit right now is because the place had been deteriorating for far too long (often refered to as the "Pressler era"). Jobs were cut, the rides were breaking down and preventative maintainance was languishing, and CM's were allowed to run wild taking constant sick days with a faux-pro-employee program that really was more damaging to the atmosphere than anything else.

MK/WDW has NEVER had the level of problems that Disneyland has had in the past decade. They have entirely different managment and practices. WDW never slipped, it always has held it's high standards, partially because it's much, much more profitable as a vacation destination and has never had the need to make the huge cuts that the bad management at DL felt they had to do.

They've given Disneyland a nice spit and polish, but there still is a lot of underlying work still to be done. However, WDW is already in better shape than DL is after it's "big makeover" - and will continue to do so. It doesn't mean Disneyland isn't magical, because obviously it had it's own special magic as it's the only park Walt ever touched, but mechanically and visually MK has never really been less than it's pristine self.

N.E.D.

 

[penchris]

I have been to DL/DCA aprox. twice a year, for the past 4 years straight, and the most disappointing thing was that the parks always seemed to run as if staffed for half capacity. This is regardless of the actual attendance. DCA may as well have been a ghost town CM-wise on a few of my visits.

Other than that, Sleeping Beauty Castle was run-down and there were some under utlized areas....like where the Big Thunder Ranch/Festival of Fools area used to be.

It is really hard to make a direct comparrison between the two, because DW is a major world class resort where one could spend 2 wks and still not do "it all". DL/DCA is easily a 2-3 day diversion...although still a fun Disney one.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Funny...I remember a website, miceage, that just last year seemed to be dedicated to pointing out how poorly Disney was handling the upkeep of Disneyland.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

These articles make me laugh...6 yrs ago I was there on our Honeymoon and all I saw was an awesome place! Beautiful, great landscaping, friendly people, The HAPPIEST place on earth. My cousin was also there and my DH and I laugh because all she could comment on was the peeling paint I guess it's the glass is half full/half empty - not everyone sees the whole picture - some always have to find something wrong.

 

[meeko_33785]

I'm getting pretty sick of the sensationalist articals like that that seem to pop up over the net now. Now, I wouldn't say that I see things through rose-colored glasses and I know things aren't perfect, but it seems to me that if you go to a theme park and only focus on what should be there insteed of enjoying and appreciating what is there, you are only going to leave with complaints and let-down instead of a good time and plenty of memories. I say enjoy the parks and forget the doom-and-gloom "the sky is falling!" mentality of some fans.

 

[Disneymommie]

Sorry OT but ...Jovidan....I love the Have a nice day!avatar!!!! I am a fan!
Tour this winter!!!

 

[bicker]

I'm getting pretty sick of the sensationalist articals like that that seem to pop up over the net now.

It is getting way out of hand. I suppose some people just need to feel aggrieved, and will work very hard at disrupting their own enjoyment.