Time for Disney to do somethimg huge and wow us all!

[skier_pete]

I personally will be very disappointed if Avatarland doesn't blow people away. I have very high expectations for what they will accomplish there.

I have to say Disney can certainly still do it, both Carsland and World of Color were that for me they just totally blew anything else Disney's done in the last 20 years out of the water, they just weren't built in Florida. New Fantasyland has incredible levels of detail but I don't think anything of it ranks as a "blown away" level. The amount of money they are spending on Pandora better come up with at least one awesome thriller in the Banshee ride, and even the bio luminescent stuff.

I do like most feel Disney has been resting too much on their laurels as far as the Florida parks go, which is too bad since that is the flagship. I hope the delay last year from the DHS/Star Wars upgrade will be a short one, and we'll get big things into that park in the near future.

 

[mjhannaf]

However, the new Avatar attraction for Animal Kingdom will be an exciting new venue. Build it and they will come!

This is what I'm looking forward to the most! I can't wait to see it at night!

 

[Bob Roberts]

Its the old law of supply and demand people. Disney is supplying us a product, and the masses are gobbling it up in record numbers. There is no incentive whatsoever for Disney to add to their parks.

We as customers in the free market elect who the winners and losers are. Right now Disney is a huge winner. Now for all of you that are mad that Disney is not doing anything about their park situation, there is one thing you can do. You can quit going, just like I have. This tells them that you are not agreeing with what little they have done at WDW in the past 10 years. Then when the park numbers finally dwindle, then and only then Disney will feel they have to do something because their product is no longer relevant to the consumer.

Record profits do not relate to more attractions. Disney is relying on their name from the past, and that is why so many people still come. Compound this with all the cheap available credit in the economy and the highly leveraged YOLO attitude that the entitled masses have these days, leads to record numbers. Disney has gotten away with it for the past 10 years. Can they keep it going for another 10? Doubt it.

 

[BeentoallDParks]

Its the old law of supply and demand people. Disney is supplying us a product, and the masses are gobbling it up in record numbers. There is no incentive whatsoever for Disney to add to their parks.

The Million Dollar Question: Will Disney still enjoy record crowds in 10, 15, 20 years if the "magic" begins to rub off today? Many of the people paying for Disney trips right now are doing it because of a love for the brand and for their nostalgia for it. If that is eroded, what will the future customer base look like?

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Being one of the "hundreds" to refuse to go now is kind of cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. And it begs the question; Why be on this website?

I have a number of friends that go and all are happy. I have friends each year that are going for the first time and have contributed to those increasing attendance stats. A few don't care for it, but they aren't theme park types anyway. But there always seems to be new people happy to come.

You are standing too close to the tree and cannot see the forest. Over all, WDW is an amazing place, as-is, and will remain so for years to come with no additions. If nothing changes Universal might have an outside chance on taking over in 60 or 80 years. Yet, additions ARE coming. In 2017 AK is going to be one of the premier parks in the World. In a few years they will be working on DHS and Epcot. Pandora, Star Wars, and a few improvements at Epcot and numbers will go through the roof even more than now! All those papers will sing another tune. But right now people are going by the millions and coming back happy to have parted with their money.

Don't get me wrong, we all want improvements made and many things can be done. But Disney was smart to work first on overseas, second on MM+, and then third on expansions like Pandora and Star Wars.

 

[JoeA]

Reading this thread about wowing "us" begs the question: Are the "us" really outliers in the Disney spectrum?

I would venture to guess that many if not all on this thread go repeatedly over the years and to some (myself included) it gets stale. I am looking for new "thrills" to spend my money on and it's not Universal. I don't really want another park in my life!

If/when Disney does a refresh I will be pleased.

But how many millions of people go once every 5 years, let's say? That group of visitor(s) still sees Disney through a different lens than we and are willing to spend thousands of dollars and keep the parks (and the execs) in the black.

I really doubt if the Disney execs feel a need to match Universal new ride for new ride right now. They have tremendous brand equity and use it well. How many get exited when they get to see a "Universal movie" vs a "Disney movie"? It just doesn't have the same swagger

 

[disneymac000]

Reading this thread about wowing "us" begs the question: Are the "us" really outliers in the Disney spectrum?

I would venture to guess that many if not all on this thread go repeatedly over the years and to some (myself included) it gets stale. I am looking for new "thrills" to spend my money on and it's not Universal. I don't really want another park in my life!

If/when Disney does a refresh I will be pleased.

But how many millions of people go once every 5 years, let's say? That group of visitor(s) still sees Disney through a different lens than we and are willing to spend thousands of dollars and keep the parks (and the execs) in the black.

I really doubt if the Disney execs feel a need to match Universal new ride for new ride right now. They have tremendous brand equity and use it well. How many get exited when they get to see a "Universal movie" vs a "Disney movie"? It just doesn't have the same swagger

however Universal parks doesn't just use Universal movies but also Warner Bros and Paramounts giving them a lot more arsenal than Disney.

 

[JoeA]

however Universal parks doesn't just use Universal movies but also Warner Bros and Paramounts giving them a lot more arsenal than Disney.

Sorry, I was talking about brand equity - not ride themes. Would you say the combined Universal/Warner/Paramount carries as much brand equity as Disney? Seeing that castle at the beginning is an emotional experience for many and certainly translates, to some degree, to park attendance.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

I personally will be very disappointed if Avatarland doesn't blow people away. I have very high expectations for what they will accomplish there.

I have to say Disney can certainly still do it, both Carsland and World of Color were that for me they just totally blew anything else Disney's done in the last 20 years out of the water, they just weren't built in Florida. New Fantasyland has incredible levels of detail but I don't think anything of it ranks as a "blown away" level. The amount of money they are spending on Pandora better come up with at least one awesome thriller in the Banshee ride, and even the bio luminescent stuff.

I do like most feel Disney has been resting too much on their laurels as far as the Florida parks go, which is too bad since that is the flagship. I hope the delay last year from the DHS/Star Wars upgrade will be a short one, and we'll get big things into that park in the near future.

I agree with every word of this post. I'm very hopeful with James Cameron's heavy involvement in the project, though. DHS and EPCOT need brand-new "blow-me away" type projects as well.

 

[rteetz]

Being one of the "hundreds" to refuse to go now is kind of cutting off one's nose to spite one's face. And it begs the question; Why be on this website? I have a number of friends that go and all are happy. I have friends each year that are going for the first time and have contributed to those increasing attendance stats. A few don't care for it, but they aren't theme park types anyway. But there always seems to be new people happy to come. You are standing too close to the tree and cannot see the forest. Over all, WDW is an amazing place, as-is, and will remain so for years to come with no additions. If nothing changes Universal might have an outside chance on taking over in 60 or 80 years. Yet, additions ARE coming. In 2017 AK is going to be one of the premier parks in the World. In a few years they will be working on DHS and Epcot. Pandora, Star Wars, and a few improvements at Epcot and numbers will go through the roof even more than now! All those papers will sing another tune. But right now people are going by the millions and coming back happy to have parted with their money. Don't get me wrong, we all want improvements made and many things can be done. But Disney was smart to work first on overseas, second on MM+, and then third on expansions like Pandora and Star Wars.

I couldn't agree more

 

[rteetz]

Sorry, I was talking about brand equity - not ride themes. Would you say the combined Universal/Warner/Paramount carries as much brand equity as Disney? Seeing that castle at the beginning is an emotional experience for many and certainly translates, to some degree, to park attendance.

I agree disney is much different than universal with their parks. Disneys parks each have a symbol. Each flows with underlying meanings and theme. Universals parks are just a bunch of mumbo jumbo. Universal does have great areas but it doesn't flow have that certain feel disney does. Disney uses just disney, universal uses their stuff and everything else they can get.

 

[Suzie13]

I for one would get new tecnology into the muppets 3D Show aswell as a bugs life and honey I shrunk the kids. What about replacing honey I shrunk the kids with a 3D frozen experince instead? I sat there in 2009 and thought God this feels old so I can only imagine how I will be feeling when I am going in 2014. Jungle cruise makes the park really dated too. Why can't they update that ride and make it more realistic somehow or scrap it all together. Update the carsole of progress. Don't scrap it, just update it. Make the figures better and realer looking and bring it into now. Actually I feel this about most of the attractions that involve anotramics. Please please update Disney. These simple changes would make the park so much better and they wouldn't even be Big changes. That's all it really needs. Is to be updated with new tecnology.

Now unless they have changed epcot since I've been there I also think replacing some of the old films they have in the showcase to broadcast the country would really, really help the park being dated. For example in the canada experince there is a clip from the early 90s??? from the comedian explaing canada. Please update that. Also update the ellen ride with new film. Just basic things like this would REALLY help this park being dated and would not cost a great deal. So get the money out disney and update the park.

I agree with the monarail aswell but disney don't care anymore about NEW ideas, just the money.

 

[Suzie13]

Reading this thread about wowing "us" begs the question: Are the "us" really outliers in the Disney spectrum?

I would venture to guess that many if not all on this thread go repeatedly over the years and to some (myself included) it gets stale. I am looking for new "thrills" to spend my money on and it's not Universal. I don't really want another park in my life!

If/when Disney does a refresh I will be pleased.

But how many millions of people go once every 5 years, let's say? That group of visitor(s) still sees Disney through a different lens than we and are willing to spend thousands of dollars and keep the parks (and the execs) in the black.

I really doubt if the Disney execs feel a need to match Universal new ride for new ride right now. They have tremendous brand equity and use it well. How many get exited when they get to see a "Universal movie" vs a "Disney movie"? It just doesn't have the same swagger

I for one am a 90s kid so universal is just blowing me away right now with Harry potter and the simpsons. It has the same nostaglic feelings that Disney has in mho. Harry potter is a very special movie/book in my childhood so yes I did get very excited when I saw this. Also no one seems to consider the fact that Disney will benfit from Universal expanding its parks. Alot of people travel alot and figure why not do disney while we're here for universal. It's very simple to say disney shouldn't update just because they rake in the crowds. Disney has already started improving it's parks since universal were expanding on theirs. Fantsyland/avatar land I bet would have not happend if universal didn't step up their game but that's just mho

 

[Yellowstonetim]

however Universal parks doesn't just use Universal movies but also Warner Bros and Paramounts giving them a lot more arsenal than Disney.

Actually I don't think they do. Paramount is partnered with Six Flags theme park chain, and is building its own park in Europe. Warner Brothers has its own studio tour and theme park in Australia, I think. I don't know of any deal in Florida beyond Harry Potter.

But it doesn't matter, Universal doesn't do a very good job with their movie catalog. I went for the first time in years this last fall and could not find any movie merchandise. I'm a big movie buff with a home theater and was chomping at the bit to hand them hundreds to get some movie toys and stuff. I found very, very, little. What they have done - like HP and Spiderman were done well, but they don't do products like Disney. And they don't do characters as well either. Betty Boop was "different" than the cartoon and the few others. I enjoyed much of what they had, but thought that, while moving forward on rides and ride technology, they could sure improve in Imagineering the rest of the parks, products, and characters.

 

[atricks]

Exactly they don't have space. But rumors just don't die that another gate is coming. They are expanding in their oversea parks and in Hollywood.

They've been quietly buying up/(re-)acquiring land along Universal blvd all the way down to near the convention center (UCP, 4th quarter, Orlando Equity), and rumored plans for a rail/monorail system to connect it all. So I'm not so sure about that.

 

[rteetz]

They've been quietly buying up/(re-)acquiring land along Universal blvd all the way down to near the convention center (UCP, 4th quarter, Orlando Equity), and rumored plans for a rail/monorail system to connect it all. So I'm not so sure about that.

Yes I know they do have some land but I don't know if it's enough for another park. They do just continue to build at their existing parks tho. The photos of kong construction show that work is well underway.

 

[jade1]

My coworker just got back from a week at WDW.

Family of 10 that had never been.

Loved FP+ (nothing to compare it to in fairness) and the whole week were amazed.

I mentioned they were trying to add more attractions etc-looked at me like I had 2 heads. How could you possibly need more than what's there?

 

[rteetz]

My coworker just got back from a week at WDW. Family of 10 that had never been. Loved FP+ (nothing to compare it to in fairness) and the whole week were amazed. I mentioned they were trying to add more attractions etc-looked at me like I had 2 heads. How could you possibly need more than what's there?

Exactly people who are first time visitors or visitors who go every 10 years and aren't into it like we are see it different. Numbers came out today MK attendance rose to 18.5 million. When I talk to people also people think I'm crazy.

 

[skier_pete]

Yeah, looking at the numbers rteetz posted elsewhere.

Disney World 4 parks at 50.1 million, up 1.69 Million over 2012, up 3.4 %.

Universal 2 parks at 15.1 million, up 1.15 million over 2012, up 7.6 %.

So, even with Transformers, Despicable Me, and Simpson expansion, Disney actually gained more patrons in 2013 than Universal did. Yes, Universals percentage was higher, but the actual # of heads gained was less.

It should also be pointed out that Universal's combined attendance of 15.1 million is only 50 % more than Disney's worst attended park - Hollywood Studios.

While I am all for the fact that I would like to see Disney up its game, I have a hard time agreeing that they should do it because they have much to fear from Universal. They should do it because they want to be the best.

 

[rteetz]

Yeah, looking at the numbers rteetz posted elsewhere. Disney World 4 parks at 50.1 million, up 1.69 Million over 2012, up 3.4 %. Universal 2 parks at 15.1 million, up 1.15 million over 2012, up 7.6 %. So, even with Transformers, Despicable Me, and Simpson expansion, Disney actually gained more patrons in 2013 than Universal did. Yes, Universals percentage was higher, but the actual # of heads gained was less. It should also be pointed out that Universal's combined attendance of 15.1 million is only 50 % more than Disney's worst attended park - Hollywood Studios. While I am all for the fact that I would like to see Disney up its game, I have a hard time agreeing that they should do it because they have much to fear from Universal. They should do it because they want to be the best.

Exactly that is the reason why universal keeps building to try and get to Disney numbers. Of course I would love for Disney to build more and fix things that are there but looking at these numbers they don't really need to. People keep saying Disney needs to up its game because of universal, that is not true universal needs to continue to up its game to get at Disney. If Disney were to see a loss then we would likely see some changes.