Magic Kingdom Castle Crane

[DynamicDisney]

I was hoping that the crane was NOT there! It's my FIL's first trip with us for WDW and got Memory maker. That'll be disappointing to have it be on the backdrop.

I hear you. I am hoping for some handy work with photoshop to take the crane out of our pics!

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Just for starters on opening day:

There were so many people, the restaurants ran out of food and beverages.

Due to a plumber's strike, they had to choose between working bathrooms and working water fountains. They chose bathrooms.

There was a gas leak in Fantasyland.

Many rides broke down. The Storybook Land Canal Boats had to be pulled by a cast member in rubber boots. There were no guard rails at Autopia so many cars crashed and most became completely inoperable.

The asphalt on Main Street had just been poured the night before and was still wet, so women's heels sank into the concrete.

Within the first few weeks, the stagecoach ride had to be discontinued because it kept flipping over, a tiger and a panther got loose during a circus parade and got into a tussle on Main Street and the Mark Twain almost sand and got stuck in the mud because too many people were onboard.

That sounds like opening day kinks- not planned construction. I know that everything was not and never will be perfect. It just seems that, in some ways, they have given up on trying to hide construction. Maybe that is what happens when they are going through so much expansion at once.

And I am glad they chose bathrooms.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

My friend who works for Disney informed me recently that the crane is usually there for the slower seasons.

The week of February 14th was in no way, shape, or form slow. But I get that historically January through mid-March might have been less crowded. Still, those guests pay just as much to see a beautiful park as others (or they used to, anyway).

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

I often have wondered why they couldn't hire third shift workers, have "construction" light systems to paint the castle, handle the lights. I have more pictures of the crane over the last 10 years than without it.

Perhaps projected laser lights might be an idea for them to consider. No crane needed to remove those.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

As someone who was around when Walt built his Matterhorn ride, I can tell you he tolerated seeing a LOT of raw construction in his park.

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Interesting. I came along later so never saw much of the reality of early Disneyland. I know only what I have read from many books. I wonder why Disney's idea of hiding construction from guests is so heavily emphasized in the books about him and the parks. Marketing? If so, the technique may be backfiring since I see more and more guests commenting on how they were expecting one thing (to have construction hidden) and getting something else.

 

[DVCcurious]

It just seems that, in some ways, they have given up on trying to hide construction.

There's like 15 miles of walls all around the parks! Walls are EVERYWHERE. So they are still trying to hide the construction.

 

[Micca]

There's like 15 miles of walls all around the parks! Walls are EVERYWHERE. So they are still trying to hide the construction.

So what's your point? They call it WALL DISNEY WORLD !