Sorin' DL vs WDW

[Grog]

I never had an issue with the number of rides and shows (I admit it was nice to get to ride Soarin' when we visited EPCOT that year). I just think Disney should have made a bigger deal out of the fact that it was DL's 50th.

It's like if you have a family with three kids. The oldest reaches 18, but instead of celebrating that kids birthday, you celebrate "18 years of the Smith family children" and give presents to everyone, and even throw a party where more people show up for one of the younger kids than the oldest.

 

[carolinamama]

Well, it was more than just Sleeping Beauty's castle.

Plus, DL's refurbed Space Mtn beats MK's by a mile. Until WOC I would say RDCT was the best Disney show anywhere, and certainly far better than any of the WDW shows. And DLR already has Soarin. I guess they both got TTwC in 2005. So WDW got LMA and Philharmagic unique over WDW and DLR got RDCT and a much better Space Mtn, plus a BLAB which WDW had already. In total I would agree WDW got more but DLR was not forgotten. And I would take the DL Space Mtn and RDCT over LMA and Philharmagic any day.

But, WDW just got a refurbed Space Mtn last year - does anyone know how the refurb compares? There's definitely no comparison between the pre-refurb WDW and current DLR!! DLR rocks!

I do love Philharmagic. And I can't wait to see what happens in the new Fantasyland! DLR Fantasyland blew me away by comparison.

And while WDW may have gotten more stuff at that time, it's pretty much a common WDW fan complaint that DLR, in general, usually gets almost everything bigger and better! There's also the general complaint that Disney is making everything Disney Parks oriented instead of the individual ones, and that's sad. DLR's 50th should have gotten a big woohoo on its own merit!

 

[HydroGuy]

I never had an issue with the number of rides and shows (I admit it was nice to get to ride Soarin' when we visited EPCOT that year). I just think Disney should have made a bigger deal out of the fact that it was DL's 50th.

It's like if you have a family with three kids. The oldest reaches 18, but instead of celebrating that kids birthday, you celebrate "18 years of the Smith family children" and give presents to everyone, and even throw a party where more people show up for one of the younger kids than the oldest.

I have to guess you are talking about how WDW celebrated DL's 50th anniversary because the celebration at DL was huge, huge, huge.

 

[Grog]

I have to guess you are talking about how WDW celebrated DL's 50th anniversary because the celebration at DL was huge, huge, huge.

I wish I could have gone to DLR that year instead of WDW, but we were paying for a couple of family members to go with us so it was cheaper to drive to Orlando and rent a house offsite than fly to Anaheim and stay in a hotel.

I don't doubt that the celebration at DLR was huge. Maybe it's because of the part of the country I am in, but everything we heard here made it all about WDW. Also, the whole idea of a celebration for the parks didn't really make it clear whose birthday it was (I can tell you that for sure having been at WDW that year). I'm sure there were a lot of WDW visitors who had no idea it was DL's 50th. I don't think it should have been that way. I know that traditionally all DLR advertising is done in the Pacific and Mountain time zones, and WDW advertising in the Eastern and Central time zones. Ive never seen a DLR commercial here, but average about a WDW commercial a day.

I have no problem with all the parks getting new rides and shows that year, but think that DL's 50th should have been pushed nationally. The advertising campaign could have been along the lines of "Disney parks around the world are celebrating the birthday of the park that started it all. If you can't get to Walt's original park, come celebrate with us at WDW, DLP, etc".

 

[HydroGuy]

I wish I could have gone to DLR that year instead of WDW, but we were paying for a couple of family members to go with us so it was cheaper to drive to Orlando and rent a house offsite than fly to Anaheim and stay in a hotel.

I don't doubt that the celebration at DLR was huge. Maybe it's because of the part of the country I am in, but everything we heard here made it all about WDW. Also, the whole idea of a celebration for the parks didn't really make it clear whose birthday it was (I can tell you that for sure having been at WDW that year). I'm sure there were a lot of WDW visitors who had no idea it was DL's 50th. I don't think it should have been that way. I know that traditionally all DLR advertising is done in the Pacific and Mountain time zones, and WDW advertising in the Eastern and Central time zones. Ive never seen a DLR commercial here, but average about a WDW commercial a day.

I have no problem with all the parks getting new rides and shows that year, but think that DL's 50th should have been pushed nationally. The advertising campaign could have been along the lines of "Disney parks around the world are celebrating the birthday of the park that started it all. If you can't get to Walt's original park, come celebrate with us at WDW, DLP, etc".

WDW draws a more national audience. DLR draws a more local audience. It does not make sense for them to advertise nationally as much when their customers are more local. I did see DLR commercials in Colorado at that time - but usually see more WDW commercials.

And something else DLR did that does not show up as well in the ride count stat sheet. They made the parks immaculate and changed policy on maintenance - which they have maintained since then. So DL and DCA sparkled for the 50th while WDW just shined.

Believe me, DLR got a lot of attention for their 50th. New rides, new shows, upgraded shows, upgraded rides, and lots of decoration and loving care. They were not shorted in favor of WDW in any way.

In many ways, the success of the 50th and the crowds it drew is what got Disney so interested in investing more in DCA. And now we are starting to reap the benefits of that.

And it sounds like Disney is trying harder to cross-promote the resorts. A good example is the new Premiere Annual Pass that covers both WDW and DLR. And the Disney cruise ships in California as well as Florida. Etc.

 

[Grog]

WDW draws a more national audience. DLR draws a more local audience. It does not make sense for them to advertise nationally as much when their customers are more local. I did see DLR commercials in Colorado at that time - but usually see more WDW commercials.

And something else DLR did that does not show up as well in the ride count stat sheet. They made the parks immaculate and changed policy on maintenance - which they have maintained since then. So DL and DCA sparkled for the 50th while WDW just shined.

Believe me, DLR got a lot of attention for their 50th. New rides, new shows, upgraded shows, upgraded rides, and lots of decoration and loving care. They were not shorted in favor of WDW in any way.

In many ways, the success of the 50th and the crowds it drew is what got Disney so interested in investing more in DCA. And now we are starting to reap the benefits of that.

And it sounds like Disney is trying harder to cross-promote the resorts. A good example is the new Premiere Annual Pass that covers both WDW and DLR. And the Disney cruise ships in California as well as Florida. Etc.

Sounds great and I can't wait to get out there again. We're holding off until the DCA expansion is complete.

I understand the local versus national angle with DLR and WDW, and I'm sure Disney didn't want DLR to have a crowd that was too big for the two parks during that time. I guess my gripe is just that I felt that Disney just didn't do a good job (at least East of the Rockies) of making sure people knew exactly whose birthday it was

 

[HydroGuy]

Sounds great and I can't wait to get out there again. We're holding off until the DCA expansion is complete.

I understand the local versus national angle with DLR and WDW, and I'm sure Disney didn't want DLR to have a crowd that was too big for the two parks during that time. I guess my gripe is just that I felt that Disney just didn't do a good job (at least East of the Rockies) of making sure people knew exactly whose birthday it was

I am sure if Disney thought it would be cost effective to get more people to DLR they would have done it.

I think when you come to DLR in 2012 you will see a different DCA. The whole feeling of that park is really shifting in a good way. Hopefully they do not mess things up.

 

[Disneylander55]

I got extremely zealous when I heard they were completely overhauling DCA. I like DCA as it was, but now it will be awesome. I think the problem with the first incarnation of DCA was the people just didn't get it

 

[Grog]

I am sure if Disney thought it would be cost effective to get more people to DLR they would have done it.

I think when you come to DLR in 2012 you will see a different DCA. The whole feeling of that park is really shifting in a good way. Hopefully they do not mess things up.

it's good to hear about DCA. I always liked the park anyway, so I'll probably be very happy with the facelift

 

[Judy from Boise]

I got extremely zealous when I heard they were completely overhauling DCA. I like DCA as it was, but now it will be awesome. I think the problem with the first incarnation of DCA was the people just didn't get it

I always thought that the park would have been accepted well at WDW, the themeing per square foot, wide walkways, long stretches between attractions, plan to grow the park over the years.....were all consistent with a WDW park, DL not so much.