Has anyone noticed Disney's changes recently?

[gymnastgirlflips]

Im still really sad about vmk closing, I think about it all the time. Not that the memories bother me or anything, it just makes me think different about Disney and everything which is what really bothers me. Have you guys noticed all the changes they've been making recently? Here is my list:
1. Pixar themes rides and attractions- i know they bought Pixar and all, but how many more things can they make with them? They transformed The Living Seas into a Nemo based one, they made the Monster's Inc Laugh Floor, Turtle Talk with Crush, Finding Nemo the Musical, finding Nemo subs, and the new Toy Story Mania ride. Aren't they supposed to make a Car's area over in one of the California Parks too? Cant they have a little more creativity on their new attractions? They are amazing, actually some of the coolest rides around, but I dont know how much more i can take with Pixar taking over.
2. VMK closing, of course. That opens up alot of opinions. It seems like they did not care about what we thought at all of vmk closing, and just tried to herd us to the other money making games like Pirates Online, Toontown, and Club Penguin. It seems like they were really even advertising for it that last month of vmk, putting up signs in the esplanade and all. That is all that is on the web site now too, mostly advertisements. They really wanted us to use free month on pirates and everything too, just to get everyone addicted to playing with all of the special items and extra quests. I just really want to know completley who made those decisions, because I have heard alot of stories about what happened, and I just want to know nothing but the truth.

Is it just me, or is Disney losing their touch a bit? I love Disney, its scaring me more than anything just to think of these things, and how much they look like one of those ordinary money making companies now. Of course when I get in the parks and see the attention to detail, wonderful guests services, and just everything I grew up with it makes me more relieved to know its still magic, but I just wonder how long its going to last you know? I dont want it to change, and I want vmk back.

 

[Babypandaroo]

ITA. I haven't been to WDW since last christmas but from what i am reading they are definetlely loosing their touch. I am just as mad as you are at Disney for closing one of the best games they ever had or ever will have. I also noticed they are getting more greedier then ever. Tickets are at $75 a piece and then some plus they have the games online which are asking for $9.95 a month. VMK was a free game and they could have kept it on for us to play.Yet they don't seem to care one way or the other about what we wanted or what we thought about them closing down vmk. They gave a poor excuse to us. Some excuse I for one think they don't care anymore about children and families anymore. All they seem to care about is the bottom line which is the money in our pockets. Makes me sad. Disney is no longer the park i once like to go too.

 

[suferchick]

I really do feel the same as you guys but just to think about disney closing vmk broke my heart when they annoucened it! But disney is a family orinteted place and they are trying to make new attractions at the parks for us but i really do think they could just add on to the parks i mean goodness! THEY HAVE THE ROOM FOR IT!!!! but best of luck finding out that info your looking for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Babypandaroo]

Yeah but walt disney's nephew no longer runs disney anymore. It is being run by shareholders and other people who loaned them money so disney is no longer disney as far as i'm concerned. They took over disney and are getting greedy. They probably closed down vmk because it wasn't making money. that's their excuse.

 

[Jasonbobdude]

I've really noticed those Pixar attractions you were talking about. Finding Nemo was a good movie and all, but does it really deserve a submarine ride, a musical, and an entire pavilion at Epcot?

 

[Geek in the Pink]

I've really noticed those Pixar attractions you were talking about. Finding Nemo was a good movie and all, but does it really deserve a submarine ride, a musical, and an entire pavilion at Epcot?

HELL YES IT DOES..

i have never been to disneyland, so i can not make judgment about the submarine ride, but the wdw attractions are well deserved. the ride is very nice, and really what else was there? it's good that it was added for several reasons- crowd control (get people away from test track/soarin so you aren't waiting more than 2 hours haha), and fish become so much more interesting when they are put in the context of nemo!!

aaaaaand the musical is just about the most amazing thing i have ever seen in my life and i cannot wait to audition for it

 

[Imagineer_Tech]

Ok, here it goes. Disney is slowly and steadily going down in terms of happiness of their guests. Think of guest unhappyness as a flame. With every mistake that makes Disney consumers unhappy makes that flame bigger. With VMK and the Disney staff crisis and much more of Dinsey's recent mistakes that flame is getting bigger. It's only a matter of time till the flame touches the fuse and down comes Disney.

Disney is stumbling and making mistakes because their after the all mighty dollar. That is the only reason vmk closed. VMK never made direct profit, the DVD movie rewards and pin packs you were buying for the product that was advertised, the vmk codes were extras. The cost of keeping staff and overall running of the game and it's HQ with no profit wasn't ok in Disney's eyes. Of course they could of kept us open with the millions Disney makes everyday but no, Disney now needs to make a profit from every little thing that is under their control.

 

[Geek in the Pink]

ill i have to disagree.

on the big scale of things, vmk is hardly a blip. disney hardly ever screws up in terms of guest happiness. yes, closing vmk was horrible, but look at all the other fantastic new things that disney puts out. there are new rides and attractions at the theme parks, new incredible award winning movies, and all around brilliant ideas. there was a very small fan base for vmk (albeit a die hard one) compared to some of the other things disney has. to say that they are losing their touch is flat out wrong i think.

 

[Imagineer_Tech]

ill i have to disagree.

on the big scale of things, vmk is hardly a blip. disney hardly ever screws up in terms of guest happiness. yes, closing vmk was horrible, but look at all the other fantastic new things that disney puts out. there are new rides and attractions at the theme parks, new incredible award winning movies, and all around brilliant ideas. there was a very small fan base for vmk (albeit a die hard one) compared to some of the other things disney has. to say that they are losing their touch is flat out wrong i think.

They are raising ticket prices, they are cutting staff like crazy which made the protests. I do understand your point. But Disney is stumbling and you can tell, vmk may have been a blip but every blip can turn out something huge.

 

[mikeyandscoobyx2]

WEll maybe disney is going crazy because like..

isn't florida supposed to be under water in 50 years?..

 

[Imagineer_Tech]

WEll maybe disney is going crazy because like..

isn't florida supposed to be under water in 50 years?..

I'm am also protesting to save the planet but no, money is more important than the planet that if we didn't have we'd wouldn't exist!

 

[Geek in the Pink]

they are cutting staff but their college program is thriving more than ever.. the standard for working for disney has been raised considerably in the past recent years, and i think that it is all for the better of disney.

they are also one of the biggest businesses in the world- money DOES count for something

 

[acehorseytink]

Emma u stinker. why didn't u tell me u were posting this?? BTW i agree with u. Guys, just because the vmk crowd was a small one in the grand scheme of things, does that make us insignificant and not worth any notice??
I think if disney were the company they started out being we would be important enough to them to be heard out in the matter of vmk closing. Yes, I know they are a company ( a very large one at that ) and they have to think about making money, but to give us one free thing to use and advertise for them is not that big of a deal as far as money to such a large company. Come on, u can't tell me they don't make enough money with all of their many other ventures. I think this whole thing came about because they realize they had not tapped the internet resource for money and they wanted a piece of the action for themselves. Instead of closing the game, what was wrong with just adding to it and having a bigger family of games to offer to the public. Just my thoughts, u don't have to agree, but it is how i feel. Long Live VMK!!!

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

Ok, so you guys all know about the new movie "The Princess and the Frog" right? Well, its supposed to be the last animated Disney film. yeah, well that is just killing some of the magic right there. Some of the best movies in Disney are animated... why do they have to stop making them? Im just getting a little upset that they are changing throughout the years. Of course I still love Disney, I cant wait to be old enough to work at Disney World, but I just want it to keep Walt's visions and all and not focus so much on money and profits. It would be best if they stick to the magic.

 

[Geek in the Pink]

Ok, so you guys all know about the new movie "The Princess and the Frog" right? Well, its supposed to be the last animated Disney film. yeah, well that is just killing some of the magic right there. Some of the best movies in Disney are animated... why do they have to stop making them? Im just getting a little upset that they are changing throughout the years. Of course I still love Disney, I cant wait to be old enough to work at Disney World, but I just want it to keep Walt's visions and all and not focus so much on money and profits. It would be best if they stick to the magic.

they are already set with disney/pixar movies for the next several years (including Cars 2 and Toy Story 3!!) so it won't be the last animated movie. i've also heard a rumor about a possible enchanted 2? so maybe that's like.. half animated? haha i love that movie..

and i do think that the vmk crowd was given attention. disney has been struggling to have a respectable online presence for years. part of their plan was making vmk a free online game, but not even that worked. while they are charging for other games, they are using one of the biggest franchises of all time (potc). everyone always is saying that disney was once only about the people and their satisfaction, but that has never been the truth. disney is clearly the most caring company out there, but companies all have one common denominator, in the sense that the final word has to be about the money. especially a large conglomerate such as the disney/pixar one- i know everyone is still very bitter about the closing of vmk, and i am too. but i don't think that it is a good reason to hold grudges against the disney company.

 

[Geek in the Pink]

i just did a lil bit of research about disney's last animated picture..

back in 2004, their flop movie home on the range was created. that was allegedly supposed to be their last 2D animated movie- not their last animated movie altogether. but when they joined forces with pixar, certain people regained interest in the 2D animation, so they are now going to have the princess and the frog, if not more. they are also developing new kinds of animation, staying ahead of the animation game as they always have. this includes disney 3D or whatever it's called, and a new type of animation that will be used in rapunzel. the characters are still computer generated, but they have more of a hand drawn feel to it it sounds awesome

 

[Disneychick74]

You guys need to remember like any business, Disney has to keep up with new technology. Who better than Disney? they have had futueristic displays and rides since before the theme parks opened.
Pixar is just the latest and greatest in computer animation and lets face it, Pixar made some great movies.
Cars has so far stood the test of time. I mean it was created 10 years ago! Yet you can still go into any store in the world and find something "Cars"
Disney has always been known for making "Timeless Classics" .my 3 year old can sit and watch 101 Dalmatians over and over and that was made over 30 years ago. You cant say the same for any other producer of movies out there. I mean how many of you kids out there would really sit through a grace Kelly and Fred Astair movie? (Google it)
So it would only seem appropriate that Disney creates attractions for these Pixar/Disney films as it is apparent they are not just flash in the pan flicks that people are going to forget about in the next few years. Pixar is here to stay and so is that type of 3D annimation. It is all about the mighty dollar and Disney is the master at making money.
As far as customer service and guest service....Disney is still tops, aside from the whole VMK fiasco, like another poster stated, VMK was small potatoes to them. I still feel like a princess walking into a disney theme park, the employees are always pleasent, helpful and ALWAYS have a smile if you have a problem while staying at the park or the resorts they bend over backwards to make sure you are happy before you leave.
So I don't really think that Disney is changing for the bad, they are changing for the times we live in, to stay in the know and I think some of you are construing that change to be for the worse.

 

[gymnastgirlflips]

I am feeling a bit less mad at Disney, thinking about Expedition Everest as one of the new rides, so its not all pixar. I love pixar... gosh, its just when they throw together all those types of attractions about the pixar movies, I would like to see them throw in one that they created out of pure imagination, like expedition everest.
What I meant about the movies though was really the 2D ones, just like Alladin and The Lion King. I still love watching all of those movies, and its so cool that kids today still know who everyone from those classic Disney movies is. I cant wait for Toy Story 3 and Cars 2! I heard about those a few months ago, and I bet they'll be awesome. That's another thing I love about Disney though- their sequels are just as good or better than the first. Im not exactly sure which Toy Story I like better. (Well, that's pixar, but now its the same right? kind of)
To be honest with everyone, I am not sure what my life would be like without Disney. Kind of empty really... no vmk, no movies, no parks. Thank you Walt Disney! Walt Disney's birthday should be a national holiday or something... and now im really off topic but its only true.
19 days until Disney World! Yay!

 

[acehorseytink]

The majority of the disney/ pixar movies are not truly animated they are cgi, which to me is a form of animation but not the real thing. And certainly not the same thing disney started out making. Don't get me wrong, i love the disney/pixar movies, but they are still not truly the animated features disney started out making that helped make disney what it is today.

 

[Anne Bonny]

As far as customer service and guest service....Disney is still tops,... I still feel like a princess walking into a disney theme park, the employees are always pleasent, helpful and ALWAYS have a smile if you have a problem while staying at the park or the resorts they bend over backwards to make sure you are happy before you leave.

Just hearing that inspires me to do better at my job at The Disney Store.