POLL: Remembering this Disney Decade

[disdad70]

As the decade draws to a close, how will you remember the 00's at WDW?

There are so many HUGE things to remember from the previous decades but was there really something big this decade?

70's - opening of WDW
80's - opening of EPCOT and the Studios
90's - Animal Kingdom and Disney Cruise
00's - ?????

It seems that it has been the decade of celebrations (Millennium, Walt Disney's 100th Birthday, Million Dreams) but not much else.

What is your pick for the biggest thing to happen at WDW this decade?

 

[MonorailDriver]

Hotels, Hotels, Hotels...might not have been that many built but it just seems like there was a huge expansion in the Resort department.

 

[supersuperwendy]

We really loved The Year of a Million Dreams! We were in WDW for it in 2007 and again in 2008. We were in WDW in 1999 for the kick off of the Millenium celebrations and it was very interesting. The new illuminations started and millenium village was cool. My vote is for YOMD!

 

[SydneyFalco]

As the decade draws to a close, how will you remember the 00's at WDW?

There are so many HUGE things to remember from the previous decades but was there really something big this decade?

70's - opening of WDW
80's - opening of EPCOT and the Studios
90's - Animal Kingdom and Disney Cruise
00's - ?????

It seems that it has been the decade of celebrations (Millennium, Walt Disney's 100th Birthday, Million Dreams) but not much else.

What is your pick for the biggest thing to happen at WDW this decade?

The Oughts (or whatever we're supposed to call them) were notable for the following:

Managing to avoid getting bought out by Comcast (a huge thing, and a good one, I think)
Dealing with Eisner (mixed bag)
DVC and hotel expansion (a big negative, I think)

You could also make a case that deciding to more than double the cruise line with those two huge new ships was a major development, but they wont be built until the next decade.

 

[DisneyFanSince71]

Great Question.

This was the lost decade for DIS. Hopefully it won't become the lost generation.

My reasons:

Only 2 animated features for the decade
Emperor's New Groove
Atlantis

Obviously they benefitted from the PIXAR arrangement (Monsters Inc, Toy Story 2, etc), but its not the same

Disney stock was flat for the decade

The biggest news in parks for the decade was the announced retheming of a part of Magic Kingdom. This was the least done in the theme parks since the 1940's.(when there were no theme parks)

Lets hope in the next decade, "Disney gets its groove back"

 

[rock_doctor]

Managing to avoid getting bought out by Comcast (a huge thing, and a good one, I think)

Interesting, i missed this piece of news. Then again if you type into google, "Comcast to buy..." they apparently have offered to buy every major company out there. I wonder if they are doing it to just to give the stock holders the impression they are doing wonderful. They are now trying to buy NBC (not sure why they would want too...).

Anyway, i think Disney should be famous for weathering the economy. They are one of the very few companies that are not under severe compression.

 

[bicker]

70's - opening of WDW
80's - opening of EPCOT and the Studios
90's - Animal Kingdom and Disney Cruise
00's - ?????

Unfortunately, with regard to many things (not just WDW), I'll remember the 00's as the decade of 9/11, and to a lesser extent, the worst economic recession in my lifetime. Those two events so totally colored every aspect of our society, especially discretionary aspects such as travel and hospitality.

Having said that, I'm going to remember that it was in this decade that Disney first began to better serve what the young boys in our family enjoy, with the opening of Expedition Everest; Lights, Motors, Action; Mission: Space; etc.

 

[Dawgdad]

This was definitely the decade of the marriage of Disney and Pixar. Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, Wall-E, and Up. Sure, I would have loved for this decade to have had a great Parks expansion or addition, but it was not to be. However, looking forward it looks like the Magic Kingdom/Fantasyland expansion will serve as the great thing of the '10's.

 

[quantumottle]

Hotels, Hotels, Hotels...<snip>

Agreed, this was the decade of maximizing profits at WDW, primarily with resort expansion. And from what I've read there are at least three more to go, very soon... Unfortunate, IMHO.

Hopefully, with the new update/expansion, the next decade will focus more on the "Return of the Magic".

 

[SydneyFalco]

And from what I've read there are at least three more to go, very soon... Unfortunate, IMHO.:

Gah.

Just gah.

 

[Dawgdad]

Unfortunately, with regard to many things (not just WDW), I'll remember the 00's as the decade of 9/11, and to a lesser extent, the worst economic recession in my lifetime. Those two events so totally colored every aspect of our society, especially discretionary aspects such as travel and hospitality.

Well said. We started out this decade with an awesome trip to WDW in 2000 for the millenium celebration - probably one of our most fun trips to Disney. Unfortunately, it was soon followed up by our September '01 trip in which we were evacuated on 9/11 and subsequently cut our trip short to get home in the wake of a very uncertain time. That said, maybe we should remember this decade as the one in which Disney survived - stayed afloat - kept the magic going in the midst of a not so magical few years in our country.

 

[SurfinTX]

I would have to agree with bicker.

Without the merging of Pixar and Disney this decade would have been mostly negatives. This was the decade of struggles to keep Disny fresh but with little park expansion.

Compared to the wild hopes and stories we saw Dec. 31st 1999 I don't think many of us would have expected to be where we are now.

So...here is to looking forward again to the '10s! May it be a damn sight better.

 

[Romulan248]

I'd say its the decade of Pixar and promotions..purchasing Pixar (and more effective in the future, Marvel) has been probably Disney's best move this decade. But I somewhat think all the promotions Disney has been doing, starting with "The Happiest Celebration on Earth" to "Year of a Million Dreams" has played a major part in the Disney parks. Oh, and then there the tweens and their Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, and High School Musical. Sadly this has somewhat marred Disney's image since many people, especially older folk and college students, aren't really into those franchises. Disney's sub-divisions, especially ABC, have really been boosted this decade. Lost, Grey's Anatomy, and Desperate Housewives have been really big hits this decade and will continue to be in the future. And then of course, there is always the Disney magic. Even though this decade has been maybe one of the worst for the world, especially the US, Disney still maintained their overall image by somehow hiding their economic troubles and remaining the happiest company in the world!

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I think its been a decade of Disney Pop Culture and the Disney Channel. Anything that got alot of press/money/popularity in a short time Disney has taken it and run with it. Early 2000's Stitch and the takeover at the theme parks & his new attraction, his TV show, spin off DVD's; then The Pixar Movies (Incredible's, Monsters, Rattatouile) tons of merchandising and then the eventual Pixar marriage; Hannah Montana (thankfully has still remained MIA from the parks) but she has had the movies, the press, the cd's, the shows, the specials and is everywhere else; High School Musical w/ merchandise on every corner, the 3 movies that came out one after another, the spin off's and copycat movies & the show in DS.

I think b/c of some unexpected movie hits and trends they put the horse before the cart on alot of stuff.They really stepped up marketing and over merchandising in this decade even before some of the trends started. I worked in retail in the first half of the 00's and we were swamped w/ Disney's movie merchandise, espically The Incredibles & Monsters Inc, months later that stuff was still sitting there and clearaned. I am seeing the same thing now w/ HSM, Hannah M, and espically the flop Camp Rock.

 

[wdwtweets]

I think a lot of great things happened with Disney this decade. Here's my list, in no particular order:

1. Pirates, Pirates Everywhere! (movies, attraction rehabs, party,tutorial, make-over, merchandise, accomodations)
2. New resorts: POP Century, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Tree House Villas, Bay Lake Tower
3. Year of a Milltion Dreams
4. Tokyo Sea
5. The Wand Came Down
6. New attracations: Soarin', Fantasyland Expansion Announcement, Buzz Lightyear, Finding Nemo: The Musical, Test Track, Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor, Toy Story Mania, Jedi Training Academy
Attraction Rehabs: Ellen added to Universe of Energy, Updated O Canada Film, The Seas, President Obama, Pixie Hollow
7. New resort features: Magical Express, Key to the World Cards
8. D23
9. Green Iniatives for the Parks
10. New tours: Segway Tour
11. New restaurants: Yak and Yeti
12. New special events: Food & Wine Festival
13. New internet features: Online ADR System, Disney Parks Blog & Twitter Account
14. The Turn Around of ABC
15. Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba
16. New aquisitions: The Muppets, Pixar
17. Iger Replacing Eisner
18. Adventures by Disney

There will always be negative things from this decade that stick with me but not very many. They include:

1. The Monorail Crash
2. The Death of Roy Disney
3. The Closing of Pleasure Island
4. MGM-Studios becomes Hollywood Studios
5. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique
6. Disney Dining Plan
7. Sale of the Mighty Ducks
8. Dropping The Chronicles of Narnia Series
9. Discontinuing Figment Meet-n-Greet

Only 2 animated features for the decade
Emperor's New Groove
Atlantis

I think you're missing a few. Even if you leave out the Disney Pixar films (and why would you?) there was also:

Fantasia 2000
Dinosaur
Lilo and Stitch
Treasure Planet
Brother Bear
Home on the Range
Chicken Little
Meet the Robinsons
Bolt
The Princess and the Frog
​

 

[PSUGuy]

The closing of the Adventurer's Club and with it, WDW dropping out of first place on our Vacation Hit Parade.

Bill From PA

 

[KellyNY]

I would say it was decade of affordability.
1. New ticket system.
2. ME
3. free DP discount
4. 4/3
5. Bday promotion.

 

[kmk1180]

I would look at the 00's as the time of investing in the future.
And alot had to do with 9/11 and the current resession.
Face it, those two events caused almost every major company to
pause and rethink their plans.
(ie, Lost Decades at Pop.)

As others pointed out sure no new parks at WDW
(But face it they can't a new park every decade at WDW)

1. But they did add new parks world wide.

2. They did add new resorts
(which I see a good thing, imagine the complaints of availablity without it.)

3. They did add new rides, including prevois mentioned.

4. They did expand with the buying of Pixar.

5. They annouced plans about to start the long needed expansion of Fantasyland.

6. Adding more ships with the Cruiseline.

7. And they did invest in the purchase of Marvel Superheros.
(that investment will pay off huge in the long run)

These 7 things will be a big base as to what to build on and grow in the next decade.

 

[Dawgdad]

I will add 2 more:

2005 - Hong Kong Disney opened
2009 - Approval for China Disney in Shanghai - est completion 2014

 

[amzking]

Agreed, this was the decade of maximizing profits at WDW, primarily with resort expansion. And from what I've read there are at least three more to go, very soon... Unfortunate, IMHO.

What three new resorts are going to be done? Regular resorts or more DVC?

I wouldn't mind another mod being built.