From where do you get your optimism?

[Bob O]

I for one go to wdw to visit the parks, that is the main reason i go!!! And while some are just happy to lounge around pools and sleep in i can do that at alot of places other than wdw and do it for far less money with just as much or more ambiance!!!!!
To me and my family disney world is the theme parks and that is what disney bases its advertising around because if the theme parks werent their most hotel room in wdw and orlando would be empty!!!
And the theme parks have gotten stale/rundown IMHO because disney is content to rest of their laurels and decades of godd will because alot of people would come to disney even if they were given sh*t if it had a disney logo on it with a mickey smiley face and proclaim it sprinkled with Pixie Dust!!!
I agree with AV and hb2k and with the drop in attendance at all parks it shows that the worldwide public also must feel they arent getting the bang for their buck or have less reason to return because not much new is added to warrant another visit!!

 

[DisneyKidds]

That came to a screeching halt in December 2003.

What else does your crystal ball tell us about things that haven't happened yet......................................? . Sorry, I just couldn't help it .

The cutbacks are starting to become more and more glaring. The CM's are less and less magical, and more and more run of the mill (there are still some wonderfull CM's. It's just they used to outnumber the bad ones). Maintenance has become a joke. Prices are skyrocketing.

Different experiences, different perspectives I guess. We have been going since our honeymoon in 1991. Average of twice a year. Are things different now than they were 10 years ago, 7, 5, 3........? Sure. Some things are worse. Some things are better. We can get back into the adds and deletes discussion again, but I'll even stipulate that there have been more deletes than adds. However, I have yet to see anything that would lead me to making a statement like yours. Not that you are wrong or right - you have had particular experiences. Maybe we have been lucky in our experiences, but I haven't seen things the same way you are seeing them. Changes? yes. Declines even? yes. But nothing that I can't deal with. Yeah, you will say everyone has a breaking point - and I guess only time will tell, but I'm not too worried. Our 1st week of December trip was absolutely great, and the ressies are all set for December 2003 .

 

[Bob O]

dscoop, laying around in my backyard provides alot of ambiance and is alot cheaper than flying across country and paying hundreds of dollars in hotel fee's plus all the other add on prices!!
And if i want to travel somewhere i could go to Las Vegas and have a ambiance just as good as at any disney resort hotel spend less for room/airfare and food.
And if i want to do something historical i can drive to Colonial Williamsburg and see some great sites and stay at hotels for less money. As a few examples off the top of my head with more if i wanted to think about it longer.
And no i have no trips planned for wdw at the current time but will likely go back in 2 yrs, but i will be also spending time at USF and visiting other sites and not spending all my time/money on disney property like i used to do in the past!!(and on site is questionable at this time but will stay on site at USF if they dont tamper with FOTL).

And while saying this i still love wdw and DL but have seen little done by mangement to give me optimism and have seen the experience go down and not up in the past several visits, but getting rid of eisner and his ilk could help greatly and put the cokmpany emphasis back where it belongs!!

 

[AKemel]

I do not know if it is WDW that has changed, or the people who go there have. When I was ten years old, my birthday was a magical day, but not so much anymore. One’s views of life changes as one changes. So while many people including me, still greatly enjoy WDW, others don’t any more. May be it is because they have changed.

As far as where I get my optimism from, it is very simple. It is from all the people who are happy to be in WDW. Even when they are upset, it is because they are not happy enough. After all, it has been once known as the happiest place on earth.
I like being at WDW. I like being with happy people there. That makes me happy.

 

[raidermatt]

Let's Twist again, like we did last Summer...

But, alas, if you really believe that Disney is more influenced by you going and spending $500 bucks less than you not going at all,

I never said that. I only said that the $500 should be listened too. (It actually shouldn't take $500, but I won't get into that.). I did not say it should have more influence than somebody canceling. I only said that comments coming from people who are still going to WDW are still important to the bottom line, and are indications of problems others are having, including those that take their $3000 and walk.

Yes, if my only goal in life was to get WDW to change its practices, I shouldn't spend a penny of my money on anything they do. However, despite the amount of words I schlep together on these boards, it is not my only goal in life.

When it comes to taking a family vacation, my first responsibility is to take my family where we will have the most enjoyment. Even though WDW/DL might have slipped a notch, it's still one of our choices for regular vacations. So it would be ridiculous of me to tell my 4 year old son:

"Sorry, I know you want to go to WDW, but Daddy feels that the Big Boss at Disney is not investing enough capital in the parks. So we are taking an idealistic stand against his perfectly legal and ethical business practices and are going somewhere else, even though we all still want to go to WDW."

If my issues with Disney were moral, or ethical, then it would be a different story.

Make sense now?

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Thanks for the input everyone!!!

And keep it up. Because…

… after all these posts, and all these many words on the subject, my original question remains unanswered. Or at least hasn’t sunk through my thick skull yet!!

How, you ask? Well, before I start doing what I do best (quote, of course ) let me say that I agree with much that has been said here.

As $coop knows well, my family vacation style is very similar to his. That is to say that the parks are on an equal priority with the rest of the world. And sometimes (heck, even most of the time) lower, depending on the general mood of the group and length of the stay. Also, as EVERYONE here should know, I have a WONDERFUL time each and every time I visit. But I notice a decline. A decline in values. A decline in value. A decline in service. A decline to varying subjective degrees, but a decline nonetheless. And it is, in some form or another, a decline that everyone in car 2 acknowledges (otherwise they’d still be car number one!!).

Now with that being said, I am really more confused than ever!! I cannot, for the life of me, understand how anyone, especially those who frequent these boards, can possibly separate the Parks from the rest of WDW or the rest of Disney® for that matter!! I mean, the last I looked, Ei$ner was in charge of the whole enchilada, not just the parks!! So it stands to reason, in my opinion, that if Ei$ner’s PHILOSOPHY or way of doing business or method of operation (call it what you will) is questionable (sucks, lousy, no good, terrible or (my personal favorite) inept) then it follows that unless he suffers a Dickens-like Christmas Eve the only optimism I can see is in his departure. Is that not right? Things cannot get better BECAUSE of him!

Or maybe I didn't get the right message!!

Want to try again?

PLEASE

 

[gbxxxi]

Being somewhat new to posting on these boards, I am somewhat hesitant to post a reply for fear of being ripped to shreads, but oh well....

I guess I am an eternal optimist as well.... While my wife and I have gone once a year since before we got married, we have yet to notice a real downfall at the parks or at the resorts..... Is everything perfect? Well - of course not.... Could things be better? Sure! However, for my wife and I - whenever we are planning a vacation, Disney comes in first, second and third on our list!

There is something that is special about Disney. Just driving onto property is magical.... It is a place that you (at least for my wife and I) can go and forget about all your troubles.... It is a magical place..... It is more than the rides and parks. It is more than the resorts and Marketplace. It is the entire package.....

Maybe some of my optimism has to do with only having been to Disney a handful of times. I have yet to get to the point some of you have - where you are cynical of everything the Disney company does or where you seemingly go to Disney in search of something to complain about. But - I can tell you if that day ever came, I would not continue to spend money on vacations down there.

Eisner is not perfect and he probably should go - but how can anyone be positively optimistic that his replacement will be better?

Mark

 

[raidermatt]

Welcome gbxxxi, and please, don't let windbags like us keep you away. We rarely rip anyone to shreds unless they REALLY deserve it!

I still think there's some disconnect, so let me see if I can help us understand each other a bit better...

...we have yet to notice a real downfall at the parks or at the resorts.....

I assume you mean service, hospitality, cleanliness, maintenance and the such. My WDW experience only goes back to 2000, but when I factor in my DL experience, I don't disagree with you too much. We've had no problem with service and hospitality, but maybe we are just lucky. Cleanliness seems fine too, though admittedly, I am not looking for issues when I'm visiting. Now, maintenance at WDW isn't something I can comment on too much. Others have said it had deteriorated at WDW, but has been improving. What I do know is that at DL, it DEFINITELY deteriorated and only in the past year or so has that been reversed. A perfect example is the carousel. It was neglected for so long, that when they prepared to take it down to do what they thought would be a routine 6-8 week rehab, they found it was literally falling apart. The roof was riddled with dry rot and had to be completely replaced.

Its still closed.

So overall, my personal experience hasn't really fallen that much, but I can't deny that things like deferred maintenance are not at least a tad disappointing.

However, for my wife and I - whenever we are planning a vacation, Disney comes in first, second and third on our list!

Us too! Well, Hawaii gets thrown in the mix as well, but that's not due to anything Disney is doing wrong.

There is something that is special about Disney. Just driving onto property is magical.... It is a place that you (at least for my wife and I) can go and forget about all your troubles.... It is a magical place..... It is more than the rides and parks. It is more than the resorts and Marketplace. It is the entire package.....

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes and YES!

I have yet to get to the point some of you have - where you are cynical of everything the Disney company does or where you seemingly go to Disney in search of something to complain about.

I can only speak for myself, but I'd substitute skeptical for cynical. I know you said "seemingly", so you are admitting its only a perception, but again, I can only speak for myself when I say I do not look for something to complain about. That maybe why I haven't really noticed any problems with service and cleanliness. I go still EXPECTING everything to be fine in these areas, and I haven't been disappointed.

But - I can tell you if that day ever came, I would not continue to spend money on vacations down there.

I proabably would too. But I think this is where the disconnect is. Honestly, Disney could probably cease any new development of any new attractions, activities, parks, anything, and I'd still return for years.

But I also know this would be short-changing the capabilities of the company and its people, as well as its legacy. I also know that eventually, this strategy would have to lead to the eventual demise of everything Disney is or was.

Now, I don't see things as being THAT far to the end of the spectrum. However, they have moved in that direction. Yes, the atmosphere and classic attractions are WONDERFUL, and always will be. But how can I possibly look at most of DCA, and at Dinorama, and a stagnant Epcot, and all of these other "new" decisions and not see a problem?

It doesn't mean my experiences at WDW have been ruined. But it does mean this company is slipping into mediocrity. That its relying on its loyal fan base, and wonderful things created by the company in the past. They are milking the cash cow for all its worth, and that's a strategy that will inevitably fail in the long run.

And I'm hoping to still be going to WDW with my grandchildren with them as "Wow'd" as we all are.

Eisner is not perfect and he probably should go - but how can anyone be positively optimistic that his replacement will be better?

One cannot. However, if Eisner does get the boot, it means that somebody has realized that at least some of the things he was doing were detrimental to Disney, and logic would dictate the new regime would likely make some changes.

Its my optimism that makes me think those changes will be for the bettter. But until Eisner is at least forced out of his bunker, the optimism for the future remains suppressed.

You see, I'll bet there is very little difference between you and I in how we view the current WDW as it stands. After all, we both go because we have wonderful times there.

Being a skeptic, or a realist (imho) about the direction Disney is heading is a separate issue from where it is at. From my point of view, Disney is such a magical place, that it would probably take another 10-15 years of ineptness to really even make me think twice about going back.

But its heading in that direction nonetheless, and I'd hate to see such a wonderful place become ordinary.

 

[raidermatt]

… after all these posts, and all these many words on the subject, my original question remains unanswered. Or at least hasn’t sunk through my thick skull yet!!

For the most part, I agree with Baron. Those that have said they remained optimistic have basically just given reasons why they still love WDW.

But just about all of us still love WDW, or we wouldn't be here talking about it and planning future trips.

If I may paraphrase the Baron, the question is more, what is it that you see in the recent additions/creations/policies that has made you optimistic that Disney will continue to create Magic on the same level as they did in decades past?

I know you still get that Magical feeling. Most of us do. But surely you understand that Magic is not really created by Tinkerbell, but is created by people. People who are dedicated to finding ways to create that Disney Magic. What is it that the Disney company is saying or doing that makes you optimistic that the company as a whole is dedicated first and foremost to creating that Magic?

And Baron, if I've completely messed up what you were trying to do, my apologies...I'll just say:

nevermind.

 

[gbxxxi]

Good points, Matt!

My experience is solely limited to WDW, so I can only speak on my perceptions of that.... I have not seen any instances of poor service, uncleanliness, or unfriendly CMs. I also have not seen a lot of the maintenance things that people are mentioning, but that is more due to a lack of looking for them....

I agree - skeptical is probably more realistic than cynical..... And, yes, it is my perception from reading these boards for a while, that some people (not necessarily you) tend to go to WDW and search out every little instance where Disney has "failed" them. I think if you go anywhere expecting to find things wrong - you will.....

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

And Baron, if I've completely messed up what you were trying to do, my apologies

Not at all, my friend!!

Once again, you said it perfectly!!!

(That's why you're riding shotgun, isn't it?)

 

[Planogirl]

Welcome gbxxxi.

Even though I'm in Car No. 3, I stay optimistic about Disney's future. As for why, what other choice is there? As a few posters have pointed out, it makes more sense not to go than to go and be unhappy with the changes. I guess that I'm not THAT unhappy yet and I'm not ready to give up. Enough still remains of the old Disney to make me relatively happy but I hope that the company reverses direction soon. So, with that mindset, what choice do I really have?

That said, we do go less often than before. I've discovered that I can have great times at other destinations (LOVE San Diego!) and I've been revisiting some old favorites. In some ways, Disney did me a favor because I love finding new treasures too. As a matter of fact, we're trying Universal for the first time this year. Would we have done so if things at WDW were the same for us? Hard to say...

 

[mitros]

Simply put, down with Eisner. He has way too much control over the board. And how can you change that? {disney board of directors, that is.}

 

[curtisl]

I stay optimistic because optimism is my middle name, and if I lose optimisim about Disney, then the world is truely a cruel place that isn't worth living in.

Here's why I feel that way. To me, WDW and DL are NOT just theme parks. When I was young, I was pretty depressed, and our regular trips to DL were like trips to Utopia. Everything there was perfect, people were all happy, DL promisted a future of peace and prosperity. Small world celebrated peace among all nations, Tommorowland promised that the future would be bright and technologically amazing. DL gave me hope that the future of our world would be bright, because that was the vision passed on by Walt himself. No matter how bad the outside world was, DL game me hope.

I still felt that way as I grew up and became an adult. My last visit to DL was in 1995, and it was as perfect then as it always was. Then, because of lack of finances, I didn't return to a Disney Park until last year, when I finally was financially secure enough to have a real vacation. Going to WDW had always been my dream, since I could never afford to go there and because WDW represented DL x 10.

By then however, I'd discovered all of these fine internet sites and found that my Utopia was not as much of a Utopia anymore, which makes me sad. I had to see for myself if this was true. WDW in January 2002 turned out to be almost as wonderful as I expected it to be, comparing it to my visits to DL. There were a few sore spots. EPCOT did not seem as futuristic as it was when it was opened. I was pretty sad that I would never see Horizons, or the original Figment. I wished the hours were longer. Our visit last december was marred by an indifferent City Hall, and cookie cutter shops. It was true, real world problems were showing up in my Utopia.

Anyhow, I want to feel optimistic about the world, and Walt's vision signifies that world. I don't want worry about wars, about when I'm ever going to get a job again, about whether I'll run out of money when unemployment goes away. WDW and DL were my escape from that, if I loose hope that it will get better, it will be like Walt's dream is dead.

Speaking of DL, I still haven't gone back, and probably won't, even though I live in California. I don't want to go back until everything is opened and clean, and the entertainment is top notch. My friends tell me that CA is not worth going to either. I just don't want to see my beloved DL in bad shape. I still hope to go to WDW next December to celebrate my 10th wedding anniversary, mainly to go on a Disney Cruise and see M:S. Let's hope that I have a job by then and can go.

Let's hope that Walt's dream stays alive. If it doesn't then we are doomed.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I think I retain the level of optimism I do (pogo-sticking between cars 2 & 3) because there is good coming in along with the bad. In addition I have to say that I'm a disloyal fan so maybe its easier for me to stay optimistic when I have no problem going over to Universal, Sea World or all the way out to Busch Gardens or the Space Center for my "day in the park". In addition I like "no park days" to boot. My favorite "Disney" vacation involves going to Disney theme parks just 3 days out of a week's vacation (7 to 9 days). And I do it commando style because I look for the new stuff and skip anything that didn't grab my attention before.

Boot Eisner? Maybe...but maybe, just maybe the big ME will hire people who will put the interest back into the DTD stores and some of the stores in the parks...and follow it up with changes in the parks themselves. You never know...it could happen!!!

 

[airlarry!]

Now, LB, I know I'm the Navigator for Car 3, but I have to admit something publicly.

I have optimism. Much optimism, child-like and inexplicable as it may be.

My reason is that history tends to repeat itself. Our beloved company has gone through dark stretches like this before, even with Uncle Walt at the helm. This may be well turn out to be the longest, darkest of them all, and may end up being the one that changes the culture of this company to just another conglomerate for all of time, but because fresh ideas and/or fresh blood has brought this company back to its original roots of creativity and customer satisfaction before, I have cautiously optimistic that new leadership will emerge and, to use an appropro phrase, bring us back to the Superbowl.

Course, you may want to note that I'm a long-time Saints fan...so take my opinion for what it its worth.

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

First I’d like to say

A family of four could easily spend a week at WDW for less than 2 thousand dollars.

Are you nuts, $coop!!! EASILY!?!?! For how long? A day or two? Certainly not a week or two! EASILY!!!??

OK. Sorry. Now down to business! Let’s see where we stand.

First and foremost to mickey1010, since I chose this post to illustrate my initial confusion.

Personally, I still have a wonderful time vacationing at the parks and a big reason for that are the CMs that enhance the experience.

Me too!!!! And for the same reason!!! That, and the fact that Walt sunk soooo much into the concept in the first place that it has taken Ei$ner eighteen years to destroy it. But don’t kid yourself. It is being destroyed!!

Furthermore, I don't think things are as bad as maybe some others believe.

Well I think you know that I disagree. The change from “Walt’s” Disney to Disney® doesn’t look like much, but they really are on totally different planets!

And even if you are correct and that things are not “as bad” I still don’t get your next bit.

I believe things will "get better" soon and that may or may not be a product of Eisner and his cronies.

You not only say that it will ‘get better’, but it will get better SOON!! HOW??!??! How in the world can that possibly happen if the philosophy is diametrically opposed to “getting better” as we know it?!?! If Ei$ner is still on top – HOW can this happen!?!? Maybe you can point to some philosophical concept that I may have missed over the past eighteen years. Maybe you can show me where, for a brief shining moment, he “got it”!!

OK. Now for my friend who can’t even firmly sit in car #2. Mr. Kidds. You keep pointing out the decline, yet you know it will not continue and in fact will improve. Comments such as:

Could things be better? Yeah. Will some things get worse? Perhaps.

… AND…

We can get back into the adds and deletes discussion again, but I'll even stipulate that there have been more deletes than adds.

… AND…

Changes? yes. Declines even? yes.

But then you dismiss them with what I consider to be totally convoluted logic. Or at least sooooo very subjective that it totally misses the “big picture” of DISNEY ®!! Things like:

However, even with the warts, WDW provides our family with an unequaled vacation experience in an environment like no other.

… AND…

But nothing that I can't deal with.

“Nothing that I can't deal with”!!!??? My goodness!! That only compounds my confusion!! I “deal” with it every time I go!! But that doesn’t change the fact that (and I quote) “I'll even stipulate that there have been more deletes than adds.”

So, Mr. Kidds!! Again I ask. From where do you get your optimism!?!?! Cause other than having a good time when your there (same as me) and some obscure blind faith, you haven’t told me anything!!

$coop!!! You take a slightly different route. Instead of admitting that things have declined (other than a passing glance) you ignore it!! And thank the underlings of the company for things not being worse!!!! How crazy is that!!!???

Those same underlings who Ei$ner ultimately hired and the same underlings who report to and are responsible to Ei$ner!! Again!!! How crazy is that!!!???

So let me get this straight, so there is no confusion. We can’t blame the guy that calls for each and every square inch of real estate to be a profit center. We can only be grateful to the manager for saving half the magic instead of throwing it all away. Is that it?

We can’t touch the guy that calls for a ten percent reduction in spending AND a ten percent increase in profits. No!! Of course not!! We can only thank the supervisor that found a creative way to add shopping carts (read sharp practices) to the parade route so he could keep minimal repairs on the buildings within his section!! Do I have your concept yet? If I do, then I think the concept STINKS!!!

One word $coop, my man! TRUMAN! Yes, Truman! Remember?? “The buck stops here”. And to be perfectly honest with you, your reasoning only adds to my confusion. Chiefly because the very move that makes you “cautiously optimistic” fills me with an emptiness that knows no bottom!!

Lastly, while I don't have much confidence in Eisner anymore, I'm cautiously optimistic to see Rasulo's first public move (and when it happens...).

Isn’t he the guy that NEVER set foot inside WDW until AFTER he attained his present position? That the same guy that fills your spirit with “Cautious optimism”? Funny! He just doesn’t seem to float my boat the same way!!!

Not done yet $coop! One more thing!

Trying visiting WDW some time and not hit a single park. Just resort tour, enjoy the restuarants, spend hours at Adventurer's Club or Jellyrolls or Blizzard Beach, canoe through Fort Wilderness and then hit chip & dale's campfire and movie...just try it!

I think you know that I do! You and I are definitely on the same page in this regard. And that little chipping away is felt there just as bad (and in some cases even worse) than in the parks!! So for you I have an additional question. Not only do I still want to know where you get your optimism, I also want to know how you can possible see a difference, especially philosophically (which is all that really matters anyway), between the parks and the other areas of WDW?

Now I don’t want to be argumentative with any of you. But you really haven’t answered my question in any tangible form at all. And perhaps there is no concrete, black and white, reason. Maybe it’s just a feeling from within. Faith based. A Disney religion of sorts. In which case there is no debate. Case closed. We will never see eye to eye.

Keep it coming, if possible. I really want the same warm and fuzzy that you all seem to have!!!

 

[CasualObserver]

Okay, enought lurking on this subject for the CasualObserver.

I think DVC is on the right track that management needs to change but I don't think that Eisner is enough. The problem is that there are a bunch of MBA's who learn that to maximize profits you must minimize costs and that alone will bring success. Well, that theory works if you are in a commodity or a manufacturing business. Disney isn't - they are in the experience business.

People do not pay the thousands it takes for a week at Disney, onsite, and doing all the normal things, because Disney is efficient. They pay because they want the experience to remember with their kids and for their kids to remember the experience when they are older.

Why should anyone pay extra for Disney when they are not trying to differentiate themselves from everyone else? All parks can create a version of FastPass - it's just a computer program at it's heart. All parks can serve you a hamburger, fries, and drink pretty fast - McDonald's has been around for a while. All parks can whip you around on a ride - rollercoaster and amusement parks are nothing new. Disney used to differentiate itself by marketing the experience of the whole trip, not just the experience of a 2 minute ride and a 45 minute queue. Now, they are working on the standard MBA model of success - you don't need to give each guest an individual experience because it's cheaper to provide only one type of experience that fits most of the guests basic expectations. Do you see the difference?

Eisner is just one facet of the problem. The buck, does indeed, stop with him, but the buck started with the ratio of B-School graduates to entertainers. Walt had the power to override the B-School types because his was a very strong personality who understood how to entertain. Eisner isn't an entertainer - he never has been. Eisner is an entertainment-industry executive who played the game well. He has never created anything - only taken shots at others creations. It's easy to sit back and say how this project or that project lacks something. It's a whole other thing to create the projects from your imagination AND have the ability to polish them.

So, DVC, you are right. Eisner must go, but so must many more B-School types until the ratios are inline with an entertainment company. My Dad is an accountant and while he can analyse financial reports in the blink of an eye, I wouldn't have him in charge of making greenlight decisions for me. While he has incredible financial skills, he has no creativity and no showmanship. Dad would probably make the same decisions as Eisner's regime because they look good on paper. When the public stays away, they think that they have to buckle down more and cut more costs when, in fact, they should increase costs - give people a reason to spend money with you. Experiences cost money, but people will spend much more money on an experience than they will on simply providing the service of operating a glorified shopping mall with some rides in between.

From the soapbox of...
The Casual Observer.

 

[DEE DEE]

I came on these boards hoping to find Disney improving for I was really worried that Disney could sink like the Titanic.How can the Parks be drained year after year with nothing new added?Why does ME care more about theme Parks in China than taking care of what he has in this country?It is hard to be positive about the Parks when you see all the money Disney taking in being sucked in a black hole.TP and the Alamo are going to cost more than making all 3 LOTRs.Also they passed on making LOTR which I cannot even imagine doing .How low can Disney go I was asking myself the other day as Thats Raven came on as I was changing channels.Their annimation from ABC to the Disney Channel is pitiful.So where is their quality for wonderful cartoons and innovative attractions such as Horizons.I think the head of Disney has little respect for his guests for instead of putting Disney Sea in Orlando and Ca. he throws a few crumbs out every once in a while.On his vacation, I am sure that ME wants only the best, so why does he think his guests at his Parks do not deserve the same only the best.Walt Disney aways went out of his way for his guests putting in things so his guests could be amazed and feel special!!

 

[Bob O]

Ditto's to DVC!!!! While i have no doubt that the people who frequent this site love disney it is nice than some among us arent blinded by pixie dust and are able to make a honest assement of the parks and company and how it is managed!!!
How can anybody think einser is the answer when his stewardship of the company has caused all the problems from the stock price tanking, all the lawsuits and the companies animated division having major problems and now playing second fiddle to pixar when it comes to creating enduring characters/movies??? To the neglect of theme parks where land sits vacant for years once attractions are closed to the building of parks that dont live up to expectations, be it attendance or quality(escpecially when compared to TDS which was built to disney's old standard and sets records for attendance).To the overbuilding of hotels so some have to be closed to stopping the building of others. To the bad acquistions that have been made and hascost the company billions of dollars. This has all happened under eisners watch in are recent events.
So while i still love wdw and do enjoy my visits to the parks i cant fail too see that the experience has went downhill, even though it is still magical.And while the experience has been tarnished the cost has skyrocketed making the value IMHO suffer, and with all this and with eisner still in charge due to his puppets on the board it is hard to be optimistic till he is gone!!
And what has he done recently to give anyone(even those blinded by pixie dust) any belief he has any idea to fix the problems as he has been in charge when the problems took place??? He is in charge and has to be the one too take responsibility,all of the people in chargewere put there by him!!!