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

[morgan98]

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.

YES! Don't get me started on the busses and the wait time, even from the Grand Floridian (their "Flagship") Ridiculous to get to places like Disney Springs, etc.

The food is a whole other story. The food for our catered event was pretty good. However, other meals and snacks were super expensive for what you got.

I admit, I am also in a bit of a different place now pushing 50 than I was almost 20 years ago. That may be part of it too.

 

[PamNC]

Obviously all of this is speculation and we certainly can't predict what Walt really would think. But, IMHO, he would be quite upset by the lack of quality (i.e., Toy Story, Journey into Your Imagination) as well as the price. I understand that Disney has always been an expensive vacation no matter the decade, but it's getting absolutely out of control. I get that it's all relevant depending on the time frame but paying to park at the resort and $22 parking fees - plus $200 a night for a value resort. I call that out of control and I agree that many families that could go before, like in the 90's or 80's, can't afford to go now or don't consider it worth the money any longer. I'm a die hard fan and I can't go as much as I used to. Back in the 90's and early 2000's I would typically go twice a year which was one week long trip and maybe a 3-4 day 2nd trip. Now I skip years and definitely only do one trip. Last year I did one trip - but only 2 days.

I think he would love a lot of the new technology and rides like Soarin', FOP, Expedition Everest, etc. I know he would love Animal Kingdom... it has that "Disney magic." He would be disappointed in Epcot in it's current outdated state. I think he'd be excited about as much as he would be upset about.

Just my opinion.

 

[cabanafrau]

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.

The bold is foremost what stands out starkly for me in your comments. Disney parks built their reputation on being far and away above anything offered by anyone else. That's no longer the standard they operate under, except as a matter of lip service.

In certain ways the food quality is much greater than years gone by -- in that they moved off of offering standard park food, particularly with the integration of EPCOT Center into the mix. Unfortunately in the intervening years they've allowed the quality of the finer dining restaurants to slide into a homogeneous mess. I dined at places like Coral Reef when it was truly possible to understand why it was special for the food. Those days are long gone.

 

[vacationer1954]

The bold is foremost what stands out starkly for me in your comments. Disney parks built their reputation on being far and away above anything offered by anyone else.

And eventually, as Walt hoped, his preference for quality won out. What do you think Walt meant by that - quality "winning out"? He meant that providing quality would prevail as the best way of doing theme parks, and that seediness would not. Just because others learn from the winner and get better themselves doesn't mean that that should make us feel Disney isn't as good - and let's be clear, Disney is still better than any of the others. In the end, Disney's quality now is far better than it was when Walt was alive, so I think the whole discussion about quality is pretty much moot.

 

[cabanafrau]

And eventually, as Walt hoped, his preference for quality won out. What do you think Walt meant by that - quality "winning out"? He meant that providing quality would prevail as the best way of doing theme parks, and that seediness would not. Just because others learn from the winner and get better themselves doesn't mean that that should make us feel Disney isn't as good - and let's be clear, Disney is still better than any of the others. In the end, Disney's quality now is far better than it was when Walt was alive, so I think the whole discussion about quality is pretty much moot.

You think the persistent lack of cleanliness of WDW monorails, Small World and Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin equate to better quality than when Walt was alive? You feel the current incarnation of Journey Into Imagination is better quality than the premise of DLR attractions conceived under Walt's watch?

To be clear, I absolutely do not think so. Nor do I agree that "the whole discussion about quality is pretty much moot" -- far from it. Your pronouncement of such does not make it so, with the possible exception of your own mind.

 

[morgan98]

And eventually, as Walt hoped, his preference for quality won out. What do you think Walt meant by that - quality "winning out"? He meant that providing quality would prevail as the best way of doing theme parks, and that seediness would not. Just because others learn from the winner and get better themselves doesn't mean that that should make us feel Disney isn't as good - and let's be clear, Disney is still better than any of the others. In the end, Disney's quality now is far better than it was when Walt was alive, so I think the whole discussion about quality is pretty much moot.

Maybe Disney is better than some of the others in some ways, but not others. In your opinion, the discussion is moot, but that is an opinion and this is a discussion board.

 

[vacationer1954]

You think the persistent lack of cleanliness of WDW monorails, Small World and Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin equate to better quality than when Walt was alive?

Yes. Without a doubt, it was worse in the 1970s than it is now.

 

[LSUmiss]

YES! Don't get me started on the busses and the wait time, even from the Grand Floridian (their "Flagship") Ridiculous to get to places like Disney Springs, etc.

The food is a whole other story. The food for our catered event was pretty good. However, other meals and snacks were super expensive for what you got.

I admit, I am also in a bit of a different place now pushing 50 than I was almost 20 years ago. That may be part of it too.

We won’t stay at GF anymore b/c we don’t find the luxury is there & the transportation is NOT good! If we want to be in monorail we stay Poly.

 

[LSUmiss]

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.

The cleanliness & upkeep is something I think Walt would definitely be disappointed in. My understanding is that is part of why he wanted to build Disneyland...to be nicer & cleaner & overall better than amusement parks in the day. Ppl have always been pigs which is why the amusement parks weren’t that nice. Disney knew this & employed enough ppl to properly maintain the parks & the image he wanted. They were cleaner & better maintained not b/c ppl were better, but b/c there were ppl around the clock to keep the parks that way. I do think ppl are worse now, but they need more employees to keep up with that not less like like they’ve done in recent years. And, he wanted a place to be able to bring his kids where everyone could hang out as a family so don’t know that adult-only geared stuff would be there. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve gone as an adult for years without kids. But, I think he would have had a bigger problem with selling out for the food & wine drink around the world adult type experience market for $ rather than anything else. I’ve read that adults without kids are becoming a higher demographic of ppl who visit wdw than anyone else. And while I’ve been that & don’t have a problem with that, I don’t think Walt would have gone that route.

 

[Hikergirl]

The cleanliness & upkeep is something I think Walt would definitely be disappointed in. My understanding is that is part of why he wanted to build Disneyland...to be nicer & cleaner & overall better than amusement parks in the day. Ppl have always been pigs which is why the amusement parks weren’t that nice. Disney knew this & employed enough ppl to properly maintain the parks & the image he wanted. They were cleaner & better maintained not b/c ppl were better, but b/c there were ppl around the clock to keep the parks that way. I do think ppl are worse now, but they need more employees to keep up with that not less like like they’ve done in recent years. And, he wanted a place to be able to bring his kids where everyone could hang out as a family so don’t know that adult-only geared stuff would be there. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve gone as an adult for years without kids. But, I think he would have had a bigger problem with selling out for the food & wine drink around the world adult type experience market for $ rather than anything else. I’ve read that adults without kids are becoming a higher demographic of ppl who visit wdw than anyone else. And while I’ve been that & don’t have a problem with that, I don’t think Walt would have gone that route.

I say this in the nicest way the only completely Disney crazy obsessed people I have ever known are adults.
I think Walt would have recognized that there is a money making opportunity within that market. It may not have been what he wanted to do in the beginning, but any company who isn't willing to evolve in order to survive, won't. If Walt wouldn't have figured that out, his bean counters sure would have.

I think people love the idea that Walt would have never altered his "vision" for his parks, but I don't think that would have been the reality if he alive and remained in charge all these years. Change is inevitable in a span of 50 years.

 

[luvsJack]

I say this in the nicest way the only completely Disney crazy obsessed people I have ever known are adults.
I think Walt would have recognized that there is a money making opportunity within that market. It may not have been what he wanted to do in the beginning, but any company who isn't willing to evolve in order to survive, won't. If Walt wouldn't have figured that out, his bean counters sure would have.

I think people love the idea that Walt would have never altered his "vision" for his parks, but I don't think that would have been the reality if he alive and remained in charge all these years. Change is inevitable in a span of 50 years.

I think it’s very possible he would have changed his vision a bit. Or he may have chosen to offer alcohol within confines of certain places. I am not sure he would have wanted to have it served as openly as it is now. I mean, he point blank said he didn’t want it there.

 

[cabanafrau]

Yes. Without a doubt, it was worse in the 1970s than it is now.

I rode the WDW monorails and IASW as a child in the 70s. They, along with the rest of the resort, were pristine. Disney was famous for their attention to quality, detail and cleanliness in the 70s and beyond. A simple monorail ride to MK by someone with working eyes and olfactory system today demonstrates those days are gone.

 

[luvsJack]

Yes. Without a doubt, it was worse in the 1970s than it is now.

In what ways?

I honestly fail to see how you can say the cleanliness was worse in the 70's than it is now.

 

[rickybobby]

I think it’s very possible he would have changed his vision a bit. Or he may have chosen to offer alcohol within confines of certain places. I am not sure he would have wanted to have it served as openly as it is now. I mean, he point blank said he didn’t want it there.

That is precisely why he didn't build the park in Missouri, which he initially wanted to do. The pressure was there to sell beer, and they would not budge, so he chose Orlando. The rest is history.

 

[rickybobby]

I rode the WDW monorails and IASW as a child in the 70s. They, along with the rest of the resort, were pristine. Disney was famous for their attention to quality, detail and cleanliness in the 70s and beyond. A simple monorail ride to MK by someone with working eyes and olfactory system today demonstrates those days are gone.

But you gotta admit, the Monorail is a lot more exciting when you never know when a door will fall off.

 

[Hikergirl]

I think it’s very possible he would have changed his vision a bit. Or he may have chosen to offer alcohol within confines of certain places. I am not sure he would have wanted to have it served as openly as it is now. I mean, he point blank said he didn’t want it there.

He could have changed his mind on any number of things, alcohol being served one of them.
I honestly don't know much about his original vision. I admit I never really cared about Walt or the bygone days of what WDW (and DL) once were because it was way before my time and way before my love of WDW developed. I love it as it is now (for the most part) and might not like what it once was.

 

[cabanafrau]

Obviously all of this is speculation and we certainly can't predict what Walt really would think. But, IMHO, he would be quite upset by the lack of quality (i.e., Toy Story, Journey into Your Imagination) as well as the price. I understand that Disney has always been an expensive vacation no matter the decade, but it's getting absolutely out of control. I get that it's all relevant depending on the time frame but paying to park at the resort and $22 parking fees - plus $200 a night for a value resort. I call that out of control and I agree that many families that could go before, like in the 90's or 80's, can't afford to go now or don't consider it worth the money any longer. I'm a die hard fan and I can't go as much as I used to. Back in the 90's and early 2000's I would typically go twice a year which was one week long trip and maybe a 3-4 day 2nd trip. Now I skip years and definitely only do one trip. Last year I did one trip - but only 2 days.

I think he would love a lot of the new technology and rides like Soarin', FOP, Expedition Everest, etc. I know he would love Animal Kingdom... it has that "Disney magic." He would be disappointed in Epcot in it's current outdated state. I think he'd be excited about as much as he would be upset about.

Just my opinion.

I'm not so sure the cost would be something Walt could easily interpret as being appropriate or out of line. He would no doubt be astounded at the cost, but probably could not conceive of how that relates to what he would also no doubt perceive as astounding income levels today. It would be utterly meaningless devoid of context. Considering Walt was famous for not being overly fond of the financial aspects I don't see him taking the time to focus on the financial side for a very, very long time when there are decades of new technology advances I'm sure he'd be more than interested in exploring.

 

[LSUmiss]

And eventually, as Walt hoped, his preference for quality won out. What do you think Walt meant by that - quality "winning out"? He meant that providing quality would prevail as the best way of doing theme parks, and that seediness would not. Just because others learn from the winner and get better themselves doesn't mean that that should make us feel Disney isn't as good - and let's be clear, Disney is still better than any of the others. In the end, Disney's quality now is far better than it was when Walt was alive, so I think the whole discussion about quality is pretty much moot.

Is this is why Disney can still charge more than other theme parks. BUT I think the gap is closing & my concern is that the want to have quality above all others is changing.

 

[vacationer1954]

In the end, Disney's quality now is far better than it was when Walt was alive, so I think the whole discussion about quality is pretty much moot.

Is this is why Disney can still charge more than other theme parks.

I suppose that that is part of it, but it surely isn't the whole reason. They also have advantages in terms of content, for example.

BUT I think the gap is closing & my concern is that the want to have quality above all others is changing.

Again, I believe the objective is quality - not to be better than others. I think basing satisfaction on Disney being better than others is misguided. Universal getting stronger and getting closer to Disney, for example, is good.

 

[luvsJack]

He could have changed his mind on any number of things, alcohol being served one of them.
I honestly don't know much about his original vision. I admit I never really cared about Walt or the bygone days of what WDW (and DL) once were because it was way before my time and way before my love of WDW developed. I love it as it is now (for the most part) and might not like what it once was.

Oh I have always been intrigued by Walt Disney. Never been to Disney Land but went to WDW as a kid only a few years after it opened. It was amazing.

The quality of the parks was astounding. Everything was new and exciting. And there just wasn’t anything else like it.