Next "theme"

[boppy]

Once the extended "year" of a million dreams is over, does anyone know what theme is going to replace it? if any?

 

[Sosai X]

I have heard that it will be called "Magical Celebrations", or something to that effect, centering on family gatherings and the like at the parks.

 

[wdw4us2]

I wish they'd quit with the themes already. It lessens the impact of the park anniversaries when they are celebrating something every year.

This started not long after the 25th Anniversary of WDW. They extended that celebration into 1998; then they started the Millennium Celebration in Oct. of '99 which lasted into 2001; then the 100 Years of Disney (Walt birth year anniversary) which ran over a year; etc.

I wish they'd get back to keeping the parks refurbished on a constant basis while adding new attractions every so often. If their attention was as focused on this as the faux celebrations I think the parks would be much better off than they are now.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

They will be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the release of the movie The Black Hole.

 

[mitros]

I wish they'd quit with the themes already. It lessens the impact of the park anniversaries when they are celebrating something every year.

This started not long after the 25th Anniversary of WDW. They extended that celebration into 1998; then they started the Millennium Celebration in Oct. of '99 which lasted into 2001; then the 100 Years of Disney (Walt birth year anniversary) which ran over a year; etc.

I wish they'd get back to keeping the parks refurbished on a constant basis while adding new attractions every so often. If their attention was as focused on this as the faux celebrations I think the parks would be much better off than they are now.

My feeling exactly........

 

[bicker]

The problem with having fewer, more predictable (i.e., park opening date) anniversaries is that it would make people less likely to visit the year before an anniversary.

The celebrations are simply marketing (and surely should always have been): A WDW vacation is a special occasion for many many guests, and it is important to make each guest, each year, feel like this is the best year to visit.

 

[zulemara]

I thought the happiest celebration on earth was lame and I visited during the 100 years but didn't notice anything special other than decorations(I also wasn't a CM at the time)

The year of a million dreams has been fantastic though. All the things they have done are amazing. The dream squad, the castle suite, NEW rides rather than just transfered ones, and unveiling the "new mickey" with moving mouth, blinking eyes, and a vibrating nose!

I realize they need to move on, but I hope they don't discontinue the dream squad and stuff like that. Gosh what an amazing role

 

[wdw4us2]

They will be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the release of the movie The Black Hole.

 

[remain seated please]

These "themes" are lame. Especially when they are celebrated at multiple parks. Having these "celebrations" lessens the individuality of the Magic Kingdoms. The best example of this was the "Happiest Celebration On Earth". Somehow, Disney managed to ruin what should have been a celebration of Disneyland's 50th anniversary by incorporating all of their parks into it. It literally made me sick. All of the celebrations prior to that one were fine with me. But since 2005, Disney has managed to cheapen the appeal of Disneyland and WDW with the "S" word. (Synergy)

Later this year, Mickey Mouse will turn 80 years old. Where's the celebration planned for that one? Didn't it all start with a mouse? Oh I forgot, Mickey Mouse no longer fits into Disney's image. It's not about the fab five anymore. Now Disney is all about "The 4 P's" (Pirates, Princesses, Pooh and Pixar).

 

[ChrisFL]

These "themes" are lame. Especially when they are celebrated at multiple parks. Having these "celebrations" lessens the individuality of the Magic Kingdoms. The best example of this was the "Happiest Celebration On Earth". Somehow, Disney managed to ruin what should have been a celebration of Disneyland's 50th anniversary by incorporating all of their parks into it. It literally made me sick. All of the celebrations prior to that one were fine with me. But since 2005, Disney has managed to cheapen the appeal of Disneyland and WDW with the "S" word. (Synergy)

Later this year, Mickey Mouse will turn 80 years old. Where's the celebration planned for that one? Didn't it all start with a mouse? Oh I forgot, Mickey Mouse no longer fits into Disney's image. It's not about the fab five anymore. Now Disney is all about "The 4 P's" (Pirates, Princesses, Pooh and Pixar).

I agree about the fallacy of just having "Disney Parks" as the brand, Disney has 5 parks (well 6 if you count DisneySea) that AREN'T Magic Kingdom style parks and they should advertise as such.

 

[doconeill]

Later this year, Mickey Mouse will turn 80 years old. Where's the celebration planned for that one?

Should we just have each year celebrate Mickey's Xth birthday? Even every 5 or 10 may be too much.

For anniversary-type things, I think every 25 is generally acceptable.

Now, next year is Donald's 75th birthday I believe, and perhaps its time he finally gets a little respect...

 

[remain seated please]

Should we just have each year celebrate Mickey's Xth birthday? Even every 5 or 10 may be too much.

For anniversary-type things, I think every 25 is generally acceptable.

Now, next year is Donald's 75th birthday I believe, and perhaps its time he finally gets a little respect...

The last real celebration of Mickey Mouse's birthday was his 60th. There was a 50th for celebration for Mickey as well. I would be fine if they skipped the 80th, had there have been a celebration of Mickey's 75th. Instead, Disney chose to "celebrate" it's own 75th anniversary a few years before Mickey's 75th. Now we all know that Disney didn't really get started until 1928. I think celebrating whatever started in 1923 (Alice comedies, Oswald, etc.) was a bit premature. I think Disney just wanted to celebrate something after the WDW25, and that's what they chose.

I agree with you that Donald is due a celebration. There was a merchandise tie-in to his 65th (65 Fiesty Years), but it was not enough.

 

[SandraVB79]

they had those 75 statues of Mickey for it's 75th and some other stuff...

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

I heard 2010 will be the beginning of the Bob Iger "decade". Similar to what Eisner did to Disney but on a much larger scale.

 

[remain seated please]

I heard 2010 will be the beginning of the Bob Iger "decade". Similar to what Eisner did to Disney but on a much larger scale.

If Iger does anything similar to Eisner's later years, perhaps Dreamworks will create a new Shrek-type franchise called "Bob Ogre".

 

[deej696]

If Iger does anything similar to Eisner's later years, perhaps Dreamworks will create a new Shrek-type franchise called "Bob Ogre".

Maybe as part of the celebration, Iger can buy the Food Network for $18 billion, and then realize it was only worth $2 billion a few months later. Or hire his best friend as president, and then pay him $400 million to leave the company, a few months later. Sorry for the exageration, but I just finished reading "Disney War" last week so I am still a little bitter

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Be bitter that's OK ...But Iger is a bigger threat to Disney than Eisner was, IMO.

As for these lame azz themes, why does Disney have to go over the top to attract the guests? Are the parks and resorts just not good enough to do that?

 

[remain seated please]

As for these lame azz themes, why does Disney have to go over the top to attract the guests? Are the parks and resorts just not good enough to do that?

These promotions are geared towards return guests. If these boards are any indication, there is nothing that Disney could possibly do to keep these guests away. So there really isn't a need for the themes. They certainly aren't aimed at first time guests.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Interesting statistics I have seen is that at WDW about 70% of the guests are first time but at DLR about 70% of the guests are returning. This has been told to me by several managers in different departments.

The the main thrust of much of the marketing is for the benefit of West Coast people. Which is why we will probably never get Haunted Mansion Holiday or the IASW holiday overlay here at WDW.

 

[remain seated please]

Interesting statistics I have seen is that at WDW about 70% of the guests are first time but at DLR about 70% of the guests are returning. This has been told to me by several managers in different departments.

The the main thrust of much of the marketing is for the benefit of West Coast people. Which is why we will probably never get Haunted Mansion Holiday or the IASW holiday overlay here at WDW.

This makes a lot of sense to me. SoCal has a much larger population than the WDW area (even Fla.) DLR needs to do everything they can to keep the locals and their guests coming back. The overlays do just that.

Ever since the 50th theme, we have seen mostly WDW ads out here. Many less than the DLR ads from before this latest synergistic effort.