Is Disney World becoming a shell of its former self?

[rteetz]

In terms of volume, it's been a slow 5-6 years...not a slow 15 years.

Here's a more complete list of new additions (and major re-themes) from approximately 2000 - 2008: Mission Space, Soarin, Lights, Motors, Action, Toy Story Mania, Expedition Everest, Mickey's Philharmagic, Primeval Whirl, Triceratop Spin, Finding Nemo: The Musical, Monster's Inc Laugh Floor, Turtle Talk, Seas with Nemo & Friends, Stitch's Great Escape, Playhouse Disney, One Man's Dream, American Idol, Kim Possible / Phineas & Ferb.

If WDW had added at least 2 new attractions per year to its parks over the last 5 years--with at least 2-3 of them being "D" or "E" tickets--we wouldn't be having this discussion.



So? Was it not a worthwhile addition to the park?

My point is WDW shouldn't be just cloning things from DLR.

AK since Everest will see an 11 year drought. Epcot hasn't seen anything in 10 years. DHS was a bit shorter 2008 TSMM was added but they also closed a good amount since then. Stitch is just bad. Dino-Rama isn't very good either. LMA is good once but not very repeatable. MK didn't see anything major before NFL since what? splash mountain? Epcot has pavilions closed and shells of what they used to be. AK is getting much needed improvements that have been needed since 1998.

 

[rteetz]

Disney will always be Disney - no comparison to Universal or any other park. How many families with young children will ever hear their little ones say they want to go to Universal? No, it's Mickey Mouse and the Princesses and Princes!

Disney has the golden egg and they know it - also, even though they keep raising prices while giving less, you can hardly find reservations when you want them!

We would never make the trip to go to Universal over Disney even though we are going less and less.

You may not be making a trip to universal but a good amount of other are starting too. I haven't yet and don't plan too either but the skipping Disney all together or trading a few days for universal is becoming much more common.

 

[tjkraz]

My point is WDW shouldn't be just cloning things from DLR.

I listed 17 attractions and Soarin is the only one that was cloned from DL. (TSM was designed for both parks simultaneously.) So clearly they aren't JUST cloning things from Disneyland.

AK since Everest will see an 11 year drought. Epcot hasn't seen anything in 10 years. DHS was a bit shorter 2008 TSMM was added but they also closed a good amount since then. Stitch is just bad. Dino-Rama isn't very good either. LMA is good once but not very repeatable. MK didn't see anything major before NFL since what? splash mountain? Epcot has pavilions closed and shells of what they used to be. AK is getting much needed improvements that have been needed since 1998.

I'm not even sure why you're responding to my post. Aside from adding your own (dismissive) personal commentary, you're mostly reinforcing what I originally stated. (Except for that bit about Magic Kingdom and Splash Mountain. MK is easily the most well-rounded of all WDW parks, yet you're criticizing them for not adding "anything major" for 20 years. Really?)

Overall, WDW development was pretty strong until about '08 when it dropped off. That's all.

 

[rteetz]

I listed 17 attractions and Soarin is the only one that was cloned from DL. (TSM was designed for both parks simultaneously.) So clearly they aren't JUST cloning things from Disneyland.



I'm not even sure why you're responding to my post. Aside from adding your own (dismissive) personal commentary, you're mostly reinforcing what I originally stated. (Except for that bit about Magic Kingdom and Splash Mountain. MK is easily the most well-rounded of all WDW parks, yet you're criticizing them for not adding "anything major" for 20 years. Really?)

Overall, WDW development was pretty strong until about '08 when it dropped off. That's all.

LMA was also a clone but from DLP. When soarin came to Florida it should've been soarin over Florida or the world not California.

MK still has room for improvement. NFL helped that. Yes MK right now is the best of the four parks as it should be. 20 years is a long time for not adding something. DL also hasn't added anything since Indiana jones in 95 but they have done numerous entertainment changes and had the big DCA redo. One thing that could be improved is the ever aging electrical parade. Great parade but it's 40 years old and it's showing especially when compared to Paint the night or Tokyos Dreamlights. I'm a huge Disney fan but there is always room for improvement and 10 year+ droughts aren't good. Five years or so that's fine, small changes over time are also good. The state of DHS (which will soon get help) is not good. Epcot is defintely not Epcot center anymore either.

I also apologize if I came across bad with my previous reply.

 

[Planogirl]

Disney will always be Disney - no comparison to Universal or any other park. How many families with young children will ever hear their little ones say they want to go to Universal? No, it's Mickey Mouse and the Princesses and Princes!

Disney has the golden egg and they know it - also, even though they keep raising prices while giving less, you can hardly find reservations when you want them!

We would never make the trip to go to Universal over Disney even though we are going less and less.

I used to think just like you.

 

[Madteaparty001]

Honestly, about 4 years ago I went to Universal for the first time to see the new Harry Potter (phase 1), and while it was cool I found the rest of the park lacking severely. I saw rows of endless fast food joints, stores with nothing interesting for sale, and lots of things in a desperate need of a coat of fresh paint (Seuss land looked almost colorless, bleached from the sun). I also remember leaving by lunch time because I don't like thrill rides and it was so hot. There was almost no shade to be found and it took use 30 minutes to track down a water fountain.

I never saw a reason to return and I wrote to Universal to tell them exactly what my experience was. Since then they have announced and opened Harry Potter phase 2, gone minion crazy, are building a Kong ride, and are in talks about a Nintendo land. All of which are very tempting, but from my past experience I would never take my young child there. Maybe as the years go by and if I keep hearing good things, and if the Harry Potter series becomes beloved by my child I'll reconsider a revisit.

Until then Universal is still a Teen and adult park for my family, and I think a lot of that has to do with my distaste for spongebob and Dora (and I'm sure I'm not the only one). Disney is my speed, and I'm enjoying the ride.

 

[minnie-apple-mouse]

No they aren't expanding too much, but it is a lot at once. All the expanding they are doing is needed. I highly doubt we ever see the boom like we did in the 80s happen again. You had multiple parks, hotels, water parks etc all built in that time. However during the down times they should be refurbing attractions and sprucing things up and then you have your eventual boom again.

I still think your arm chair quarterbacking.

There's a bigger overall 50+ year picture here, plus 50 more on the horizon.

The place is beyond successful they way "they" (believe it or not) are doing/did expansions/refurbs/park sprucing/investments/collected and spent capital.

LMA was also a clone but from DLP. When soarin came to Florida it should've been soarin over Florida or the world not California.

MK still has room for improvement. NFL helped that. Yes MK right now is the best of the four parks as it should be. 20 years is a long time for not adding something. DL also hasn't added anything since Indiana jones in 95 but they have done numerous entertainment changes and had the big DCA redo. One thing that could be improved is the ever aging electrical parade. Great parade but it's 40 years old and it's showing especially when compared to Paint the night or Tokyos Dreamlights. I'm a huge Disney fan but there is always room for improvement and 10 year+ droughts aren't good. Five years or so that's fine, small changes over time are also good. The state of DHS (which will soon get help) is not good. Epcot is defintely not Epcot center anymore either.

My point is WDW shouldn't be just cloning things from DLR.

AK since Everest will see an 11 year drought. Epcot hasn't seen anything in 10 years. DHS was a bit shorter 2008 TSMM was added but they also closed a good amount since then. Stitch is just bad. Dino-Rama isn't very good either. LMA is good once but not very repeatable. MK didn't see anything major before NFL since what? splash mountain? Epcot has pavilions closed and shells of what they used to be. AK is getting much needed improvements that have been needed since 1998.

If most of this wasn't being addressed, this would make a lot more sense IMO anyway. If they weren't on record profits and attendance as well.

Just comes across odd. It's like complaining about a football team that made some great draft picks and free agent signings to fill needs-but before the season starts, keep pointing out how long its been since they filled those needs-even though they have won the Super Bowl every year anyway.

I mean what's the end game here? In your opinion some long "unnecessary" droughts are being filled with expansion.....OK......and.....what? Thats it?

 

[minnie-apple-mouse]

You may not be making a trip to universal but a good amount of other are starting too. I haven't yet and don't plan too either but the skipping Disney all together or trading a few days for universal is becoming much more common.

See below:

Well some of us Disney fans would never do that. Not when a cab is faster.

Seriously we love a day trip to UN/IOA. But they could add 3 E tickets to each WDW park and guess what, we would still do a day trip to US/IOA.

HaHa, yea not my point.

My point is we will earmark a UN/IOA no matter what WDW adds.

Why on earth anybody would think if WDW would just add enough new stuff-nobody would go check out UN/IOA and what they have added, including HP at both, is beyond me.

Prob half the folks designing/building/maintaining/acting and working at US/IOA also worked at WDW anyway-why can't they create awesome things for us to enjoy.

 

[disneymac000]

Lot of people are leaving Imagineering to work for Universal Creative because they actually get to create with more freedom than at Disney from what people on other sites have said. That is why Disney is screwed.

 

[Dfan79]

They have plenty of slow attractions and they don't just shake you around. I couldn't take that! They also have some amazing animatronics.

However what Universal does or doesn't do has no bearing on Disney. Disney is slow and a few of their parks are in a sad state. At least right now.

Their slow moving family rides and animatronics suck.

Universal

Shrek - a lousy ride with a movie screen and seats that shake around. The seats are noisy and sound like they are going to break.
Despicable me - see Shrek
Twister - I wasted a whole minute in there to watch a bad weather show based on an equally bad movie.
ET - probably the worst animatronics and seats I've ever felt. This ride has to go, it feels like they built it back in 82 when E.T. was still relevant.
Disaster - boring show with a 30 second ride.

Plus the Universal shows are poorly acted and have horrible dated music

Islands

Seuss rides (2) - both stink and annoy me. "Your mother, Your mother". It's the equivalent of the Nemo ride, but with cheap animatronics.
Hippogriff - looks like it came from a kid section at a Six Flags
Jurassic Park - feels like a lame version of the Jungle Cruise. Instead of animals though it has a couple of very slow moving elderly Dinos. Plus this so called River Adventure has only one drop in the whole ride
Dudley Do Right - a very little themed cheap ripoff of Splash Mountain. It also looks like it was never finished.

The only good slow moving family ride here is Popeye's Bilge Rat.

 

[Planogirl]

Their slow moving family rides and animatronics suck.

Universal

Shrek - a lousy ride with a movie screen and seats that shake around. The seats are noisy and sound like they are going to break.
Despicable me - see Shrek
Twister - I wasted a whole minute in there to watch a bad weather show based on an equally bad movie.
ET - probably the worst animatronics and seats I've ever felt. This ride has to go, it feels like they built it back in 82 when E.T. was still relevant.
Disaster - boring show with a 30 second ride.

Plus the Universal shows are poorly acted and have horrible dated music

Islands

Seuss rides (2) - both stink and annoy me. "Your mother, Your mother". It's the equivalent of the Nemo ride, but with cheap animatronics.
Hippogriff - looks like it came from a kid section at a Six Flags
Jurassic Park - feels like a lame version of the Jungle Cruise. Instead of animals though it has a couple of very slow moving elderly Dinos. Plus this so called River Adventure has only one drop in the whole ride
Dudley Do Right - a very little themed cheap ripoff of Splash Mountain. It also looks like it was never finished.

The only good slow moving family ride here is Popeye's Bilge Rat.

That is just your opinion and as meaningless as mine so I won't address any of this except to say that I disagree. To each their own.

I will add that it would seem better to praise one themepark rather than tear down another. This doesn't make Disney look any better if that is the goal.

 

[Disneychick75]

Their slow moving family rides and animatronics suck.

Universal

Shrek - a lousy ride with a movie screen and seats that shake around. The seats are noisy and sound like they are going to break.
Despicable me - see Shrek
Twister - I wasted a whole minute in there to watch a bad weather show based on an equally bad movie.
ET - probably the worst animatronics and seats I've ever felt. This ride has to go, it feels like they built it back in 82 when E.T. was still relevant.
Disaster - boring show with a 30 second ride.

Plus the Universal shows are poorly acted and have horrible dated music

Islands

Seuss rides (2) - both stink and annoy me. "Your mother, Your mother". It's the equivalent of the Nemo ride, but with cheap animatronics.
Hippogriff - looks like it came from a kid section at a Six Flags
Jurassic Park - feels like a lame version of the Jungle Cruise. Instead of animals though it has a couple of very slow moving elderly Dinos. Plus this so called River Adventure has only one drop in the whole ride
Dudley Do Right - a very little themed cheap ripoff of Splash Mountain. It also looks like it was never finished.

The only good slow moving family ride here is Popeye's Bilge Rat.

Wait, Seuss rides like ride The Cat in the Hat where there is movement of the characters is not as good as creeping past a screen with an animated fish? Okay.
Every single ride you posted about is better than the WDW equivalent. Shrek and Depsicable me compared to Mickey's Philharmagic? Jurassic park with a big drop is not as good as the Jungle Cruise with lame jokes?
Each of the rides at either Uni or WDW have their places. Seems like some go to Uni deciding to hate it before walking through the turnstile.

 

[mort1331]

After reading this whole thread I still have the same feeling that I did when I first read the post heading.
People will book there vacation for Disney. I don't know how many people would book a whole vacation around Universal. Ye some people visit for a couple of days during their Disney trip, but this is no different then going to SeaWorld, LEGOLAND or any other side place.
That is why I don't see Disney being screwed. You can compare rides and shows till the cows come home, but how many of you or your friends say I am going to Florida for a week at Universal.
Disney has built something that you can spend a week or two at and still not experience everything. From rides to shows to parades and fireworks and all the side experiences you can have both at the parks, but at all the resorts and DD and BW.
Further to that, I haven't seen too many travel agents in my area promoting complete packages for Universal.
That's all I got.

 

[North of Mouse]

You may not be making a trip to universal but a good amount of other are starting too. I haven't yet and don't plan too either but the skipping Disney all together or trading a few days for universal is becoming much more common.

I used to think just like you.

Think y'all may be missing my main point - doubt there are very many families with 'young' children skipping Disney for Universal - IMO that seems to be their biggest draw.

Yes, older children/teens and adults may be drawn to US, but there are so many young families coming on. We are empty nesters now, and Disney is still our park and we know plenty others like us, but don't think of ourselves as really being their target guests.

 

[Dfan79]

Every single ride you posted about is better than the WDW equivalent. Shrek and Depsicable me compared to Mickey's Philharmagic? Jurassic park with a big drop is not as good as the Jungle Cruise with lame jokes?
Each of the rides at either Uni or WDW have their places. Seems like some go to Uni deciding to hate it before walking through the turnstile.

I disagree

Shrek and Despicable Me are basically the same ride with a different movie. The seats are uncomfortable and badly in need of maintance. I could barely hear the movie over the sound of the Shrek seats.

I don't know why you don't like Philharmagic. It is awesome, I always enjoy it every time I do it. Unless there's an annoying kid next to me. They don't have to put in cheap seats to keep people entertained for this movie.

Jurassic Park is a joke, the dinos are so cheap looking. The rubber flaps around much like it does on the E.T. ride. I'd take Jungle Cruise over Jurassic Park anyday. At least with Jungle it's trying to be lame, whereas Jurassic is just lame.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

I disagree

Shrek and Despicable Me are basically the same ride with a different movie. The seats are uncomfortable and badly in need of maintance. I could barely hear the movie over the sound of the Shrek seats.

Philharmagic is awesome, I always enjoy it, unless there's an annoying kid next to me. They don't have to put in cheap seats to keep people entertained for the movie.

Jurassic Park is a joke, the dinos are so cheap looking. The rubber flaps around much like it does on the E.T. ride. I'd take Jungle Cruises over Jurassic Parks anyday. At least with Jungle it's trying to be lame, whereas Jurassic is just lame.

At least the animatronics work.

 

[Dfan79]

At least the animatronics work.

At least the rides work at Disney. It seems like they're always breaking down at Uni. It feels like Gringotts has broken down more than Pirates has and it's been around for 40+ more years.

P.S. You call those animatronics? I've seen dead people move more than them.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

At least the rides work at Disney. It seems like they're always breaking down at Uni. It feels like Gringotts has broken down more than Pirates has and it's been around for 40+ more years.

P.S. You call those animatronics? I've seen dead people move more than them.

Tell that to the people who lose their FP to Test Track daily. All rides have issues and the more complex the more likely you'll have problems.

Barely moving is still better than nothing. Tigger, the Yeti and half of Splash Mountain should move into Haunted Mansion.

 

[Dfan79]

Tell that to the people who lose their FP to Test Track daily. All rides have issues and the more complex the more likely you'll have problems.

Barely moving is still better than nothing. Tigger, the Yeti and half of Splash Mountain should move into Haunted Mansion.

Haha, that's a good one. Actually the Yeti is the only animatronic that hasn't moved for a long time. Some say it's because he's lazy, others say the workers are afraid to go up there. The last one that did barely came back alive. The Yeti has gotten a taste for blood and he likes it. Besides you wouldn't like it either if someone came into your home every couple of minutes on a train.

The story of the Yeti may not be completely accurate.

 

[rteetz]

Lot of people are leaving Imagineering to work for Universal Creative because they actually get to create with more freedom than at Disney from what people on other sites have said. That is why Disney is screwed.

Yes and no. Lots of imagineers have gone to universal but lots of universal creatives have also come to Disney, there is always a big trade off in the industry.