Even Disney Is Worried About the High Cost of a Disney Vacation

[iwannabdduck]

Earlier today the OCR reminded me of one of my favorite quotes:

“Guests want everything to stay the same, just as they remember the first time they ever came,” Imagineering art director Kim Irvine said in the Disney+ docuseries. “But that’s really not a good idea because things become stale. Walt wanted all of these attractions to be updated. He kept saying you’ve got to keep this thing alive, fresh and new.”

If Walt were still doing the updating, he might be right. But he is not, and if one does the "updating" wrong, they end up destroying stuff. For example, I went through the Walt Disney Presents building in Hollywood Studios a couple of years ago and saw that Walt's famous TV show from 1966 explaining his dream for the new Epcot park was replaced by a Star Wars display. Seriously ???
Star Wars didn't even exist when Walter Elias Disney was alive, and current management put a Star Wars promotional display in a building originally intended to honor Walt's life & legacy. IMHO Walt's focus was always on "Look how neat this is." Now current management's focus seems to be on "Look how neat we are." And in the process they have replaced the famous M word (Magic) with Money. I'll that that old "stale" Magic word any day over the "alive, fresh & new" changes I see when I go there now, even at today's prices.

 

[BrianL]

Not going to die on it. I'll only be visiting Cars Land in California, so it won't even affect me. But the castle is far from the only object that's visible from a differently themed area; I was talking about the theming within an area.

I am glad that WDW visitors will be able to experience the very fun Radiator Springs Racers ride! Be sure to do it at night, too.

The ride actually won't be a clone of RSR. From all appearances, it will be unique. I am not sure if the ride system shares any similarities. RSR is certainly a great ride though!

 

[HokieRaven5]

Not going to die on it. I'll only be visiting Cars Land in California, so it won't even affect me. But the castle is far from the only object that's visible from a differently themed area; I was talking about the theming within an area.

I am glad that WDW visitors will be able to experience the very fun Radiator Springs Racers ride! Be sure to do it at night, too.

It’s not a clone of Cars Land nor will it be a direct copy of Radiator Springs Racer

Considering TSI is completely inaccessible after dusk, just being able to explore more of the area of MK at all hours would be an improvement for guests.

 

[LAS2AMS]

If Walt were still doing the updating, he might be right. But he is not, and if one does the "updating" wrong, they end up destroying stuff. For example, I went through the Walt Disney Presents building in Hollywood Studios a couple of years ago and saw that Walt's famous TV show from 1966 explaining his dream for the new Epcot park was replaced by a Star Wars display. Seriously ???
Star Wars didn't even exist when Walter Elias Disney was alive, and current management put a Star Wars promotional display in a building originally intended to honor Walt's life & legacy. IMHO Walt's focus was always on "Look how neat this is." Now current management's focus seems to be on "Look how neat we are." And in the process they have replaced the famous M word (Magic) with Money. I'll that that old "stale" Magic word any day over the "alive, fresh & new" changes I see when I go there now, even at today's prices.

Walt left us almost 60 years ago. The world has changed since. Walt never wanted to build a theme park in Orlando - his dream was to build a utopian community. Investors pushed the park on him, and he had to agree to raise capital, but he wanted the MK to be different from DL. After he passed away, they made the MK more similar than different.

We need to stop pretending that WDW status quo was Walt’s dream.

 

[HokieRaven5]

Walt left us almost 60 years ago. The world has changed since. Walt never wanted to build a theme park in Orlando - his dream was to build a utopian community. Investors pushed the park on him, and he had to agree to raise capital, but he wanted the MK to be different from DL. After he passed away, they made the moots more similar than different.

We need to stop pretending that WDW status quo was Walt’s dream.

Yep, in his EPCOT presentation, the theme park was a footnote. He was always about the next thing, not repeating the same thing.

He’d have probably disliked that MK was a clone of Disneyland for the most part with the exception of things just being made bigger and more spread out.

 

[iwannabdduck]

Walt left us almost 60 years ago. The world has changed since. Walt never wanted to build a theme park in Orlando - his dream was to build a utopian community. Investors pushed the park on him, and he had to agree to raise capital, but he wanted the MK to be different from DL. After he passed away, they made the MK more similar than different.

We need to stop pretending that WDW status quo was Walt’s dream.

Oh gee, sorry. Won't make that mistake on this forum again. Goodby all.

 

[Brian Noble]

in his EPCOT presentation

As a side note: The excellent Gabler biography of Walt has some fairly good evidence that he (Walt) knew that there would never be permanent residents in Epcot---or anywhere else in what would eventually be called RCID---because residents are entitled to vote. Furthermore, that evidence suggests that Walt knew this prior to the screening of The Florida Project.

Remember: one of the Florida Project film's main goals was to get the Florida legislature to approve the creation of RCID.

 

[LAS2AMS]

As a side note: The excellent Gabler biography of Walt has some fairly good evidence that he (Walt) knew that there would never be permanent residents in Epcot---or anywhere else in what would eventually be called RCID---because residents are entitled to vote. Furthermore, that evidence suggests that Walt knew this prior to the screening of The Florida Project.

Remember: one of the Florida Project film's main goals was to get the Florida legislature to approve the creation of RCID.

He, and the company, must’ve had a plan though as they began building homes. Allegedly they stopped when they conceded they couldn’t stop residents from voting.

 

[OKW Lover]

Star Wars didn't even exist when Walter Elias Disney was alive, and current management put a Star Wars promotional display in a building originally intended to honor Walt's life & legacy.

There is a lot of stuff in that show that is post-Walt. Almost everything past the huge map of DL is post-Walt.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Disney’s evictiog Mr. Lincoln for an animatronic Walt but because they put up a Star Wars display they’re not truly honoring his legacy anymore?

 

[wendlle]

Disney’s evictiog Mr. Lincoln for an animatronic Walt but because they put up a Star Wars display they’re not truly honoring his legacy anymore?

They're not evicting him, they are swapping the show for a period of time. Both shows will be on a rotation.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

I wish Bob Iger would leave sooner than next year. I’m hoping though that his successor will lower prices and bring back offerings like Magical Express.

Do not hold your breath. He will stay on the board, like he did under Bob Chapek, who would have been more than happy to dismantle Disney Parks. As Chairman of the Board, he had a say and gave a nod to everything Chapek did.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Do not hold your breath. He will stay on the board, like he did under Bob Chapek, who would have been more than happy to dismantle Disney Parks. As Chairman of the Board, he had a say and gave a nod to everything Chapek did.

Iger made Chapek his successor as a scapegoat, due to the COVID-19 pandemic that already plagued Shanghai Disneyland at the end of 2019.

 

[Cfabar1]

Have you seen the Disney+ room deal? Seems to me disney must be concerned - if only from the sense current room prices are not selling out.

You could argue it is “restricted” to Disney+ members, but it isn’t exactly a high buy in cost for a month of Disney+….

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Have you seen the Disney+ room deal? Seems to me disney must be concerned - if only from the sense current room prices are not selling out.

You could argue it is “restricted” to Disney+ members, but it isn’t exactly a high buy in cost for a month of Disney+….

I am a Disney+ member, and the room deals Walt Disney World put out for D+ members entice me to do another vacation to the resort and stay at either the Deluxe Villas or the Deluxe hotel that’s on sale. Unfortunately, because of the state Disney World is currently in right now, I’d rather wait, especially until Bob Iger is out.

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

Iger made Chapek his successor as a scapegoat, due to the COVID-19 pandemic that already plagued Shanghai Disneyland at the end of 2019.

Right, you just further my point/comment.

 

[Minnie1222]

Seems to me disney must be concerned - if only from the sense current room prices are not selling out.

They can easily sell out if they just lower the price. I'm currently looking at rooms for the beginning of next month and they're all $800+ to $1200+/night with the AP discount. It doesn't seem like they're worried yet.

 

[Cfabar1]

They can easily sell out if they just lower the price. I'm currently looking at rooms for the beginning of next month and they're all $800+ to $1200+/night with the AP discount. It doesn't seem like they're worried yet.

most of the summer all star sports is $99 a night and Port Orleans is like $183

Those are really good rates for orlando hotel rooms - especially when you consider they include parking and resort fees.

I'd be surprised if they lowered every hotel's rate that much, but it tells me at least those hotels aren't filling up...

 

[Minnie1222]

I expect tourism to be slower everywhere this summer.

 

[RickNJane]

I expect tourism to be slower everywhere this summer.

Yup. Canada Boycott, (not to mention rest of world), economic uncertainty, Tariff impact on prices and not to mention Epic Universe and construction in the parks. I would believe that this will make for a much lower attendance. We have 2 WDW trips planned this year so we shall see I guess.