If Disney were alive today, would he like or dislike want his going on in his company?

[Skellingtonj]

But you are one person. You can’t say ”it’s not comparable” because you don’t want to compare.

It was WDW and Universal. Universal stay at Hard Rock and WDW at a value. 2 adults/ 3 kids. 6 day park hoppers at WDW. Unlimited 3 park tickets at Universal. Dining plan at both. Universal actually included tickets for the the entire time of stay (Saturday-Saturday) and at WDW it was 6 days tickets.

Hard Rock is head and shoulders above the value resorts. Much more of a luxury resort. And includes unlimited express pass.

Have you been to Universal? I fail to see how anyone can say WDW is better quality. The same perhaps, not better.

fwiw, we didn’t find universal to be “below” Disney. It’s just different. We didn’t have any issues other rude employees. Everyone went out of their way to help us. And imo, the food is better at universal. A little more variety. My kids liked it but will probably like it more when they are older

 

[PollyannaMom]

The Traditions class used to last several days and how is only a few hours long. The CMs no longer know Disney history or the important details of the parks or attractions. One of my daughter's friends who had been on the college program twice and a then seasonal employee had never been to One Man's Dream (Walt Disney Presents) until she met us at DHS and went with us. She didn't know half of the history displayed there. That attraction should be part of the Traditions class! If they want CMs who care about their job and company, hire people who know and love the history of the company and who want those traditions to continue. Give them a Disney quiz as part of the application process, or require online Disney history classes to existing employees before they can earn a promotion or advancement in the company. Know your product!

Amen!

 

[Hikergirl]

But you are one person. You can’t say ”it’s not comparable” because you don’t want to compare.

It was WDW and Universal. Universal stay at Hard Rock and WDW at a value. 2 adults/ 3 kids. 6 day park hoppers at WDW. Unlimited 3 park tickets at Universal. Dining plan at both. Universal actually included tickets for the the entire time of stay (Saturday-Saturday) and at WDW it was 6 days tickets.

Hard Rock is head and shoulders above the value resorts. Much more of a luxury resort. And includes unlimited express pass.

Have you been to Universal? I fail to see how anyone can say WDW is better quality. The same perhaps, not better.

Hard Rock is considered a premier hotel at Uni so I would expect it to be more of a luxury resort than a WDW value.

I compared the same vacation, Saturday to Saturday with 6 day tickets (+ph) for 2 adults and 3 kids (10 and under). I compared comparable resort class-1 Value family suite, 1 moderate for Disney, 1 Preferred at Uni, and 1 Prime Value- which was more than the preferred.

WDW Caribbean Beach (preferred room since that was all that was available for the dates I chose)- $4278.40
WDW ASM family suite with free quick service dining- $5380.88
Universal Loews Saphire Falls- $3886.02
Universal Aventura Hotel- $4727.55
Looks pretty darn comparable to me.

And great, now I've got myself itching to go to WDW LOL

 

[ThistleMae]

But you are one person. You can’t say ”it’s not comparable” because you don’t want to compare.

It was WDW and Universal. Universal stay at Hard Rock and WDW at a value. 2 adults/ 3 kids. 6 day park hoppers at WDW. Unlimited 3 park tickets at Universal. Dining plan at both. Universal actually included tickets for the the entire time of stay (Saturday-Saturday) and at WDW it was 6 days tickets.

Hard Rock is head and shoulders above the value resorts. Much more of a luxury resort. And includes unlimited express pass.

Have you been to Universal? I fail to see how anyone can say WDW is better quality. The same perhaps, not better.

It is all relative isn't it? But for me, just one person's opinion, there is no comparison. There are only a few rides I can do at Universal. I don't do the thrill rides. The only thing I can do in Harry Potter is walk around. So from this aspect WDW offers me way more opportunities to enjoy myself. I do like the resorts at Universal and I do go to Halloween Horror nights, which is a totally different experience and compares to nothing else I've been to. I wouldn't say you can compare Universal to WDW, it's like comparing six flags to WDW. Not even close.

 

[ThistleMae]

You may not know anyone that does that but many do. A lot of families do not want to spend thousands on a trip before their child can remember (I took Dd when she was that young so I am not one of those people), then their kids become huge HP fans or crazy about Dinosaurs or Cat in The Hat or whatever so they spend their once in a lifetime trip and go to Universal. Not all children are all about Disney characters or even like them. Doesn’t make them wrong.

Both Disney and Universal are destinations for most people. Neither are just “a place you go”.

$3000 is a lot more. Like a whole vacation more. And actually for less. Disney May get away with charging more from now on. And they may not. We don’t know the future. But quality has nothing to do with it.

I love both places. Next Orlando trip will most likely be to Disney. But I see the high quality of both. Universal isn’t just a place to stop off while in Orlando.

To me it is...sorry.

 

[luvsJack]

Hard Rock is considered a premier hotel at Uni so I would expect it to be more of a luxury resort than a WDW value.

I compared the same vacation, Saturday to Saturday with 6 day tickets for 2 adults and 3 kids (10 and under). I compared comparable resort class-1 Value family suite, 1 moderate for Disney, 1 Preferred at Uni, and 1 Prime Value- which was more than the preferred.

WDW Caribbean Beach (preferred room since that was all that was available for the dates I chose)- $4278.40
WDW ASM family suite with free quick service dining- $5380.88
Universal Loews Saphire Falls- $3886.02
Universal Aventura Hotel- $4727.55
Looks pretty darn comparable to me.

And great, now I've got myself itching to go to WDW LOL

Lol yep I did the same thing! Price a trip, start wanting one. Regardless of the price.

The two I compared were Sat-Sat in November, 2019 because that is when we will likely go and it won’t let me go to 2020.

WDW at Animation in a suite. 6 day ph and dining plan. 2 adults and 3 kids.

Universal, same dates at Hard Rock with free (lol well it “comes with” wouldn’t call it free) express pass. Park to park unlimited tickets for length of stay. Dining plan.

And there was a 3000 difference.

I will have to go back and try to recreate the trips because I didn’t save them. Perhaps I missed something.

 

[Hikergirl]

Lol yep I did the same thing! Price a trip, start wanting one. Regardless of the price.

The two I compared were Sat-Sat in November, 2019 because that is when we will likely go and it won’t let me go to 2020.

WDW at Animation in a suite. 6 day ph and dining plan. 2 adults and 3 kids.

Universal, same dates at Hard Rock with free (lol well it “comes with” wouldn’t call it free) express pass. Park to park unlimited tickets for length of stay. Dining plan.

And there was a 3000 difference.

I will have to go back and try to recreate the trips because I didn’t save them. Perhaps I missed something.

I did summer since that is when I'd be able to go LOL
I believe you about the price difference, I just wanted to see for myself because I have never spent that much for a WDW vacation and that includes airfare for my family of 5.
I guess we won't ever be going in November

My dd did a week at Uni a couple of years ago for her Spring Break and I couldn't believe how inexpensive it was. Her and her friends looked at WDW for the same week but couldn't afford it.
They found a great deal through Expedia or Travelocity for airfare, hotel (not on site), and Uni had a special deal on tix but I can't remember what it was, something like get 2 days free or something.

 

[luvsJack]

I did summer since that is when I'd be able to go LOL
I believe you about the price difference, I just wanted to see for myself because I have never spent that much for a WDW vacation and that includes airfare for my family of 5.
I guess we won't ever be going in November

My dd did a week at Uni a couple of years ago for her Spring Break and I couldn't believe how inexpensive it was. Her and her friends looked at WDW for the same week but couldn't afford it.
They found a great deal through Expedia or Travelocity for airfare, hotel (not on site), and Uni had a special deal on tix but I can't remember what it was, something like get 2 days free or something.

It’s funny, you would think they would do deals at the same time but they don’t seem to.

Universal seems to do a lot of buy 2 days and get 2 days free or something like that.

 

[Planogirl]

It is all relative isn't it? But for me, just one person's opinion, there is no comparison. There are only a few rides I can do at Universal. I don't do the thrill rides. The only thing I can do in Harry Potter is walk around. So from this aspect WDW offers me way more opportunities to enjoy myself. I do like the resorts at Universal and I do go to Halloween Horror nights, which is a totally different experience and compares to nothing else I've been to. I wouldn't say you can compare Universal to WDW, it's like comparing six flags to WDW. Not even close.

Universal compared to WDW is like comparing Six Flags to WDW? I respect preferring Disney for many reasons but throwing Six Flags into the mix is a bit ludicrous.

I do agree that's it's all based on one's perspective though. I personally prefer Universal but understand why others don 't.

 

[wilbret]

This should probably be a separate thread from the OP's intent.

I think if Walt was alive, he'd probably not care too much, because he'd be like 120 years old.

Universal is a perfect compliment to WDW. I do believe it's a far better value, but I also don't think it's possible to spend more than a couple days there at a time (not counting Volcano Bay).
It's a great add-on to a WDW vacation. We do the same with Legoland.

 

[ThistleMae]

Universal compared to WDW is like comparing Six Flags to WDW? I respect preferring Disney for many reasons but throwing Six Flags into the mix is a bit ludicrous.

I do agree that's it's all based on one's perspective though. I personally prefer Universal but understand why others don 't.

Yeah maybe it's a bit of exaggeration, but isn't it fun to get other people's opinions.

 

[JaxDad]

I've been to several Six Flags locations and always had fun. I think Walt would have been cool with that.

 

[ThistleMae]

Walt has something for everyone, including me, who is not thrilled about thrill rides. I like Pirates and Haunted Mansion and Small world. Thank you Disney for keeping others like me coming back.

 

[NotUrsula]

OK, so let's say Walt *was* really frozen in 1966 at age 65, and suddenly he's been thawed and cured of lung cancer, a la Austin Powers (but without the velvet suit.) What happens then?

Well, for starters he immediately asks for an unfiltered Camel and glass of good scotch, and woe betide any medical personnel who try to tell him he can't have them. He would probably be a bit sad to realize that his daughters are both gone, but then he'd want to know if the company was still around. Told that it is, he asks for a list of executives to see who is still around from 1966. No one is, so he looks at the titles and decides to meet with Bob Iger, Ken Potrock, Ben Sherwood, Craig Russell, Pete Docter, and Jennifer Lee, though he'll have his doubts about Lee. The rest of the titles on the list wouldn't mean much to him, because most of those divisions and responsibilities didn't exist in 1966, and he never had much patience with bean-counters. He would undoubtedly be shocked to find women and Asians on the list, but the only one that he would really be concerned about would be Lee, as head of Disney Animation Studios.

Would he be happy with the company's reach and how much money it makes? Oh, yes. Would he be THRILLED with the technical innovations now possible? Yes, again, and just getting up to speed on that aspect would keep him happily busy for at least a couple of years. I'm sure that Iger and McCarthy would go to great lengths to keep him focused on Imagineering and Film project development for as long as possible, because as PPs have noted, business was NOT the man's strong suit, and keeping him from causing incidents that would blossom into ugly lawsuits in this day and age would be a full-time job for several someones of Iger's choosing. He would want the parks spiffed up, I'm sure, but all of the filmmaking and Imagineering possibilities would keep him successfully distracted for a good, long while, perhaps even forever.

 

[vacationer1954]

Universal compared to WDW is like comparing Six Flags to WDW? I respect preferring Disney for many reasons but throwing Six Flags into the mix is a bit ludicrous.

While I still think the analogy is a bit too extreme, I can see an argument made that comparing Universal to Disney is like comparing Six Flags to Universal.

I've been to several Six Flags locations and always had fun. I think Walt would have been cool with that.

One of Walt Disney's most lasting legacies is how he changed the kind of theme park that Six Flags would be.

 

[Toolulu22]

Only HE could say....
I think he would be very pleased and satisfied with some...
But, simply disgusted and angry about others... I find the sub-standard and cheap quality of much of what Disney offers to be just awful.
Disney wanted to be the best... cutting edge.... NOT K-Mart at such offensively high prices.

I agree. Who knows really? However, the quality of the Disney experience, the bang for the buck, as many have commented, has gone down in many obvious ways. From cleanliness to lack of SOMETHING- as described by so many.

I’m visiting for a few days next month and considered staying offsite, but my husband wanted to stay on the boardwalk, so even with a discount, we’re paying close to $500 a night. Plus $30 to park our rental car. We just stayed up at Mohegan Sun in CT for my DH birthday and paid $399 a night. What a difference! For less money we got tile bathrooms and spotless rooms with a river view. Bed linens were so soft. Next month we’ll be paying to be close to Epcot, but honestly, every time I walk through that park I notice how haggard it looks and if it weren’t for the World area, wouldn’t set foot there. I’m glad some work there is on the horizon.

I”ve gone on a tangent, but my point going back to your statement about cutting edge and Kmart. They try to be cutting edge in the new offerings, but neglect what is already there until it is to the point of sad (IMHO).

 

[ThistleMae]

I guess I have noticed the parks being neglected. My experience with Disney only started about five years ago, late bloomer, and I was so impressed with how clean and beautiful everything is. Is it crowded, sure, but we always manage to figure out a way to work around the most popular parks that day, adjusting our plans and our times. The evenings seem to be less crowded and I can always find a quiet place to sit and eat a snack. There are still some rides I haven't been on, or shows I haven't seen, so I make the most of just savoring my experience. As for Walt, the topic of this thread, I've learned more in here than I ever knew about the man from many of the posts. The bottom line, I love Disney. I love all the new ideas, and I'm thrilled I have such a cool place I can look forward to going every year.

 

[morgan98]

I agree. Who knows really? However, the quality of the Disney experience, the bang for the buck, as many have commented, has gone down in many obvious ways. From cleanliness to lack of SOMETHING- as described by so many.

I’m visiting for a few days next month and considered staying offsite, but my husband wanted to stay on the boardwalk, so even with a discount, we’re paying close to $500 a night. Plus $30 to park our rental car. We just stayed up at Mohegan Sun in CT for my DH birthday and paid $399 a night. What a difference! For less money we got tile bathrooms and spotless rooms with a river view. Bed linens were so soft. Next month we’ll be paying to be close to Epcot, but honestly, every time I walk through that park I notice how haggard it looks and if it weren’t for the World area, wouldn’t set foot there. I’m glad some work there is on the horizon.

I”ve gone on a tangent, but my point going back to your statement about cutting edge and Kmart. They try to be cutting edge in the new offerings, but neglect what is already there until it is to the point of sad (IMHO).

This is how I feel. I have being going to WDW for an all inclusive work event each year for the past three. Most recently, this past September and we stayed at the Grand Floridian. I was upgraded to a castle view, which was cool. No way in heck would I ever personally pay over $650 a night for that room. The bathroom was unimpressive and there was really very little that was luxurious in the room for that price. I have stayed at nicer renovated Marriott's when travelling for work at a mere fraction of that price.

Pandora was nice at the Animal Kingdom and we got to ride after park closing. However, Epcot was very tired looking and things have not really changed much. When I used to go in the late 1990s/early 2000s things seemed much more "crisp."

I understand people love WDW and find the value in going. I am no longer one of them. I will go on someone's else's dime, but not my own...lol!

 

[vacationer1954]

I agree. Who knows really? However, the quality of the Disney experience, the bang for the buck, as many have commented, has gone down in many obvious ways.

At the same time, as many have commented, the quality of the Disney experience has gone up, and has gone up markedly, and the value offered is as good as any in the industry today. The attractions are far more immersive than they were when I first visited the parks. There are so many more characters now, including finally a decent number of characters that appeal to those who don't resonate with the classical Disney characters. The food quality now is far greater than it was when I first visited the parks. Beyond that, starting with Wilderness Lodge, it seems that Disney had finally learned how to theme hotels, something which Walt never managed to figure out. And I can go on and on. I'm confident than an objective comparison of what is offered now would result in acknowledging a net gain in quality and that Disney offers as good or better value as any of its competitors.

 

[luvsJack]

This is how I feel. I have being going to WDW for an all inclusive work event each year for the past three. Most recently, this past September and we stayed at the Grand Floridian. I was upgraded to a castle view, which was cool. No way in heck would I ever personally pay over $650 a night for that room. The bathroom was unimpressive and there was really very little that was luxurious in the room for that price. I have stayed at nicer renovated Marriott's when travelling for work at a mere fraction of that price.

Pandora was nice at the Animal Kingdom and we got to ride after park closing. However, Epcot was very tired looking and things have not really changed much. When I used to go in the late 1990s/early 2000s things seemed much more "crisp."

I understand people love WDW and find the value in going. I am no longer one of them. I will go on someone's else's dime, but not my own...lol!

The comparison to how things were in the early 2000’s is exactly how I feel.

I remember the first time we went and dh kept asking “how do they keep it so clean!” We talked about how you never saw anyone cleaning but yet it was clean.

We rode the buses to the parks and there were always plenty of buses and while crowded not over crowded.

Every CM we encountered was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.

And slowly over time some of this changed. Clean but not as clean. Buses were ridiculously overly crowded (when there are so many people standing the ones in the back are shoved into the faces of the people sitting in the back, there are too many people on that bus). And, like you say, a whole park that is just tired looking.

After awhile and after going other places, it really makes one reevaluate the whole quality of something you are paying big bucks for.