Walt Disney World is not what it used to be..

[brunette8706]

Hi All!

We just bought our anual passes May 13, 2004. We went to MK and Epcot and things were nice...(I noticed though) attractions and buildings were in dire need of paint! Especially the building right next to Mexico...right before you get to World Showcase..it almost looked abandoned! IT was an actual eyesore! I was stunned! I remember as a kid how pristine everything was! The sky ride at Magic Kingdom was GONE!! This was the attraction that was like a ski lift that took you from tommorrow land to adventure land...(?). Some things were difinitely a bit shoddy! Also remember when you take the ride on the BIG BALL in Epcot and after the ride you had to automatically make reservations to a restaurant in World Showcase if you choose to...Well what happened to that? IT's gone! It's boarded up! Remember captain Nemo's Adventure in Magic Kingdom when you were a kid!?? IT's gone! They have done nothing with the space either! Here's my other gripe...Why haven't they extended the monorail service to other major hotels such as Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom the Boardwalk etc. People pay a pretty penny to stay at these place but they have to take a bus or ferry to get to their destination... Disney, no correction...is Michael Eisner too darn cheap!?? Walt I'm sure would turn over in his grave!

Went to MGM and thought to myself if people are paying $58.00 bucks to come in here for a one day shot they are wasting their money!! The back stage lot tour was horrible! It used to be so good! The Star Wars attraction (where you are seated and you are looking at a screen and it is suppose to make you feel you are really flying etc.) was horrible!! There was no thrill, again this is not what it used to be!! MGM is small, the restaurants are expensive and it was IMO just plan BORING! We saw everything in less than 4 hours! Please SAVE your money! I will say the only thing worth going on is the Twilight Zone ride and the Aerosmith rollercoaster! If they didnt' have those two attractions that park would be DEAD!

Now WDW does have plenty of positive aspects to it, but my gripe is people are paying a big price to get into these parks they should at the very least be up to par...


Brunette

 

[phyllis1966]

This is a joke...right?

 

[DepCor0311]

Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

 

[brunette8706]

No joke here, just a factual observation.

brunette

 

[WeLoveThePoly]

Sorry there were some disappointments with your latest trip.

The skyway you mentioned was closed in Nov 1999. I assume when you say 'Captain Nemo's Adventure' you are referring to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - that closed in Sep 1995.

Maybe before your next trip (I assume there will be one since you just got APs) pick up a WDW guidebook or two so you can be up-to-date on what's going on at WDW and you won't be disappointed again. Well, at least with closed/changed attractions. Not sure what will happen with the paint and monorail track!

Better luck next time!

Debbie

 

[jordanyosh]

Have you also noticed the introduction of new attractions over the last few years? Have you noticed that WDW is also in an attraction boom.....EE at AK, Soarin at Epcot, Motor Stunt Show and New York Street Upgrade at MGM, Stitch's Great Escape at MK. Pop Century has opened..finally. DTD Marketplace has been upgraded over the last several years......

Let's go attraction by attraction..Skyway...safety nightmare. That's why it's gone. As far as what they are doing to it now. Instead of jumping to your own conclusion, why don't you ask what they are doing....The Fantasyland Skyway Station is being turned into a stroller parking area. The area between Peter Pan and It's A Small World is a bottleneck with all the strollers (another potential safety issue). The new area will relieve the congestion in the area. 20K Leagues...shouldn't have been closed...but...it is....They are currently demolishing the attraction.
With all the money being spent on current projects, it may be awhile before that space gets utilized. As far as Spaceship Earth, the space you are thinking of was most recently the Global Neighborhood presented by AT&T. It hasn't had the reservation area for a number of years. It is boarded up because WDW lost the sponsorship. WDW has been losing sponsorships left and right mostly due to the fact that sponsors feel they were not getting their return on investment. They may be leaving it unused until they make a final decision whether they are going to move forward with the new attraction slated to replace SSE.

Do you have any idea how much transportation systems cost? To add monorail services to more resorts, it would cost upwards of 300-500 million dollars. I think the suits feel like they would rather build attractions (like one that would feel up the dead space at 20K Lagoon) that bring guests back rather than build an addition to the monorail. I am no fan of Eisner, but building a monorail extension is not the best use of money at this time.

You are correct...MGM is a cheap imitation of what it used to be. That is largely due to the lack of shows that will film in Orlando. It was originally intended to be a working studio as well as theme park. Well that never really materialized. Now even the animation division is gone (you can blame Eisner for that). Now you have a theme park that has to evolve. I think you are seeing that transition with the additions of the Car stunt show and New York St upgrade. Star Tours isn't what it used to be because you have better rides out there now....but what would you have Disney do...shut it down and leave even less for you to do at MGM. I don't think so. I believe Star Tours will either get updated or gutted and made into a new attraction. But unlike 20k, I think they will wait til they know what they are going to do with the space before they board it up.

As far as expensive restaurants....I feel like this is MGM's saving grace right now. There are 3 restaurants that I try not to miss every time I am at MGM....Brown Derby, Prime Time and Sci Fi.

These just happen to be my opinions about what is happening and what has happened......take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Planogirl]

I tend to agree with your views on the Disney Studios. I used to love this park but it's just a shadow of its former self IMO. But hopefully it will evolve as jordanyosh said.

I also dislike the current Future World in Epcot but it is slowly improving. Anyway, I have hope that it is.

As for lack of paint and so on, Disney has cut back on maintenance according to several sources. I hope that it was due to low attendance and will pick up again now that attendance is better.

 

[Fooboy]

 

[swilphil]

Disney is better in my opinion than it used to be. I love a lot of the attractions and shows that have been added recently and not so recently. I imagine that the attractions that close are because of safety or they aren't popular. I loved the new Mickey Philarmagic show in MK. Buzz Lightyear is my son's favorite ride. My kids also loved all the character interaction.

Our family had a wonderful time in MGM. We did Tower of Terror and RnR, which are the best rides in all of WDW in my opinion. We also enjoyed the Beauty and the Beast and Disney Playhouse shows, going to Pizza Planet, and playing in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area.

I believe the building you are referring to in Epcot is under renovation. We had a wonderful time going around World Showcase, doing the Kidcot stations, watching the live entertainment, and just exploring. We also had fun at the Nemo exhibit in Living Seas and "meeting" the Nemo characters.
Yes, my kids are young, but Disney is for the young and the young at heart.

 

[bluedietcoke04]

I do agree when you say bringing the monorail down to the other parks and DTD perhaps. The monorail I think is a big part of Disney and could be an excellent way of transportation. One of the posters (forgot who) talked about cost, however think about what they would be saving from not needing as many busses. It would be quicker and more efficent for a large monorail system with busses as a back up. Not the other way around. I live in Vegas and we now just built a monorail that goes down the whole strip with future plans to the airport and other areas of the valley. We have buses as well, but the monorail was much more efficient. Same with the subway in New York, expensive but VERY efficient. I think this would be a smart move and could open the door for more expansion since then nothing would be too far or be too long to get to. Remember regardless of your final destination, if it takes a long time to get there, you may change your mind about going. I mean why do people take advantage of the Fast Pass system?

 

[auntpolly]

Them's fightin' words!!!!

Seriously, you are right...it isn't what it used to be! It's so much bigger, and it's impossible that it would remain the same as it did in the 70s and 80s. So much to maintain! So many employees! Can you even imagine? Quality control must be a nightmare!!!

When I think back to those first times I was there in the 70s it seemed so exciting -- but really, there wasn't much to it then -- compared to now.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Not sure exactly why , but this post reminds be a bit of a verse from a SHOWBOAT song:

"New things come and old things go, but all things look the same to Joe".
But not to brunette!!
Who's opinion is her own and she expressed it. I don't share it, however. I miss a lot of the "old" WDW certainly and do think the neatness and cleanliness factors have declined since our first visit in 1975. BUt look now at the size and scope of WDW!! Still many good things to see and do--which is why we'll be going back in Oct. for trip 27!!

 

[Sammy]

When we took our first big family trip in 2000, it had been 10 years since DH and I had been to WDW. We made sure to pick up the Unofficial Guide and did plenty of internet research (that's how I found the DIS!), so we would be prepared. Before we arrived, we knew what was still there from our previous trip, what was gone, and what was new and exciting. I would definately recommend doing some research before a huge trip like WDW.

Sammy

 

[26555]

Hmmmm, the sponsership comments were interesting to me. I just never new that. It sounds like a public park or something --- the number of benches we'll get will depend on how many local companys donate money in exchange for their name on the bench. I would have thought with the entrance fees and all the other money making opportunities on meals and merchandise, they would be rolling in money. (Or at least able to fund expansions/improvements with the low interest rates in recent years.) With attendence up I'd still expect their financial position to improve but it almost sounds like the Epcot and MGM need a charity drive to afford to spruce things up! I think I'm going to get a lot of value out of our annual passes but I'd be inclined to agree that single day guest might not find enough bang for the buck.

 

[brunette8706]

Hey ya'll!

Thanks for your comments good and bad! Interesting I didn't know about the sponsor issue either....Thanks for that well defined post, it was very informative. They could probably get other sponsors instead of AT&T (for the video tech to take your dinner reservation after the spaceship earth ride) hell it was only a video camera with a person taking reservations....Do they even need a sponsor?

Yes, we did buy an annual pass approximately $400.00 p.p. and we are going back August 19 for a week. We are only going to go to MGM for those 2 rides nothing more. Then back to MK and Epot. Yes one poster said the one of the streets were being refurbished...you're correct it was...Yet another reason I didn't prefer MGM. I love World showcase and I do like spaceship earth. Went to Germany for the buffet dinner and it was good along with live entertainment ala October fest. Mexico to eat is my favorite along with Merrakash in Morroco.

I haven't been to AK yet, so I really don't know what to expect. I'll take a look on the internet and see what I can find....Did you all like Animal Kingdom??

Someone said the monorail would cost 300-400 million dollars...Well my contention is that's a drop in the bucket for WDW. WDW on peak season has approximately 80k visitors PER DAY multiply that by $58.00 per ticket per person and add about another $40.00 p.p for food, drinks and miscellaneous items.and that's a conversative estimate. Oh, yes and $8.00 per day for parking....

Yes WDW is a wonderful place don't get me wrong..I just wanted to voice my opinion/observation on some of things that really bothered me. I'm glad you all let me do that... I still love the MK which is my favorite and I like EPOT, looking forward to seeing AK in August.

thanks All!
Brunette

 

[BethA]

I'm curious, I may have missed it, when you went to WDW last? I do feel the upkeep is not the same as in the 70s and 80s, but don't feel the same overall disappointment you do.

I was told the monorail won't ever be extended anywhere it doesn't fit the theme from now on-say AK. With profits down I doubt it will be extended to other areas.

We LOVE WDW, but it is not as pristine as it used to be. You would never see an area that needed to be repainted, or garbage on the ground. It was always way above other parks. We have also noticed a change in CM appearance and attitude. They are not ALL as wonderful as they once were.

Of course none of that stops us from returning several times a year!!

 

[disney4us2002]

It's such a personal thing. Even within our immediate family everyone has a different thing they like or don't. Personally, I love MGM. I could go and spend the entire day riding the thrillers, seeing the Indy Show and the Millionaire Show. My dh, on the other hand, may decide to golf that day as he hates thrillers and the Millionaire show.

I think if you hadn't been since you were a kid and didn't read anything about the parks before you visited then you set yourself up to be disappointed. As you mentioned, AP's are upwards of $400 pp. Why would you invest that kind of money and not do any research on the parks beforehand? Not an attack, merely wondering.....

Also, I would love to see the monorail expanded. I thought that was in the original plans but never came to fruition. Too bad.

 

[jwfla422]

WELL i guess it's all relative, as far as MGM goes...it's one of our favorites and not for the rides.

My 6 yr old dd loves the shows. B&B is a wonderful show, Playhouse Disney is another favorite of hers and she's enjoyed the Muppetvision 3D. She loves seeing the characters and the parade too. So, maybe it's an "age" thing although I don't mind seeing those shows over and over again.

When it comes to rides at MGM, there are very few.

What was there 10 years ago that's not there now?? (besides some of the backlot areas)...after all TOT and RORRC weren't yet operating? (RORRC wasn't even built yet) As far as the 70's and 80's go with MGM keep in mind it didn't open until the very late 80's (I believe it opened in 88).

As for the monorail, I think everyone would love to see that built all around WDW but I can't imagine the cost it would entail.

Yes, they charge a lot to go to the parks..I couldn't agree more and it's a investment to stay at a WDW resort but with all of their expenses (including Eisner's salary) I just can't see how they could afford to build a monorail track, more stations and operate more monorails daily without charging hundreds of dollars for the park entrance and thousands among thousands for a hotel stay??

 

[Chicago526]

I'm sorry you were disapointed, brunette! I went when I was 7 (1983) and didn't return until 1998. I was devistated that Mr. Toad had closed! I didn't know until I got there!

Anyway, if you really think about it, overall, Disney is doing a VERY good job of keeping the parks up. Here's why I think that.

When MK opened in the early 70's, WDW consisted of 1 park, 2 hotels, and 1 campground. The monorail had three stops only. It was (relatively) easy to keep WDW prestine because, compared to the size and scope of WDW today, it was just so small!

In the early 80's, they added Epcot, and by the late 80's, they had serveral more hotels and a 3rd park, MGM. In less than 20 years, the park had trippled in size. That's 3x the maintanence, 3x the employees (with saleries and benifits), 3x the transportation, 3x the maintenance.

By the late 90's this had increased further to DTD, 2 water parks, 1 more theme park, AK (the most expensive of all, do you know how much $$$ it takes to run a zoo in a quality way?) and over a dozen hotels.

On top of all of this, I was told that the single most expensive thing a theme park has to pay for (and this is any theme park, not just Disney) is insurance. Insurance from lawsuits, that is! If someone gets hurt on a ride, attraction, resort bus etc., and they sue, a company like Disney could be liable for MILLIONS. And not just the guests, but from Cast Members too. Some of the CM's have very hazardous jobs, and accidents happen. Disney's liability insurance costs must enormous!

I say all of this to point out that Disney, as much money as they must GROSS every year, NETS much less. With the profits they do make, how to best invest them? The best use is new rides, and rehabs on the existing. New rides means pulling out old ones in most cases, and rehabs mean that some rides will be closed part of the year. Disney needs to put the money where it will do the most good for the parks in particular, and Disney Corp. as a whole. New monorail lines, as much as I'd love to see them, are just cost prohibative.

So, inspite all of the costs and challenges I've just stated above, the fact that WDW looks as good as is does, I think, is a testament that Disney as a company, is doing it's best to live up to Disney, the man, and his vision. Yes, there is room for improvement, some of Disney's decisions regarding certain attractions are questionable, and park maintanence (not the rides, but the cosmetic aspects) has been cut too much in my opinon. But if cutting back in the lean times helps ensure survival, then I'll put up with it, as long as the cuts are reveresed once thing pick up again. Only time will tell if they will.

 

[phyllis1966]

I wasn't trying to insult the OP, I really thought it was a joke, esp. when all of those old attractions were mentioned...my humble apologies...

BTW, I agree on one thing, and so does my DH - we aren't going to MGM this next trip, because with the last 3 trips being so recent, we feel we've seen it all for a while. I just hope DD5, who's got a great emeory, doesn't ask to go there to see the Playhouse Disney show - she loves it!