WDW Comment 2

[gcundari]

Sorry to break the news to everyone.....Disney is a business. The sole purpose of a business is to earn money for those who own and or control it. The one and only reason companies even strive to achieve good customer service is to keep from losing a customer. Disney doesn't create rides/attractions because they believe they are 'magical,' they create them to bring in guests, who in turn supply Disney with money.
Look back at the early days of Disneyland, corporate sponsorship was everywhere to be seen. I know it is upsetting to see something that has meant so much to us turn out to be nothing more than a money making machine, but that's the way it is.
I personally have not been to a Disney park in over 10 years. My parents are Disney Vacation Club members who travel to WDW several times a year. They even purchased Vacation Club 'points' for myself and my siblings. I am proud (however, saddened) to say that I have never used a single 'point,' and I turn down all offers of a trip to WDW. However, I love the nostalgia of the Disney World that I used to know. I love listening to music from Disney rides & attractions, and watching old home videos of our trips to Disney World.
I have read other messages on this board that have said that Disney's deterioration is no different than that of any other company. This is true. However, it hurts much more to see this lack of quality coming from Disney. We've all grown up with Disney as children and it has always been something magical and perfect. I know that's how I want to think of it. Unfortunately I think that a trip to WDW would tarnish that image.

 

[SFMike]

Sorry to break the news to everyone.....Disney is a business. The sole purpose of a business is to earn money for those who own and or control it. The one and only reason companies even strive to achieve good customer service is to keep from losing a customer. Disney doesn't create rides/attractions because they believe they are 'magical,' they create them to bring in guests, who in turn supply Disney with money.

Please don't get me wrong gcundari, I have no illusions that The Walt Disney Company is not a business or that profits are a bad thing. It's the mismanagement of the company that continues to amaze and disappoint me and I believe other Disney fans everywhere and on this board. If the idea is to maximize profits then where are the toys, books, ect. to go with one of the summers #1 hits "Pirates of the Caribbean?" If profits are driven by toy sales from new characters than why lay off the artists who create the new characters to be merchandised. If Disney management are the business marketing professionals they think they are why is The Disney Store on its last legs. I used to look forward to going there. Now it's just sad. If you are trying to get more customers to your theme park where are the innovative new attractions to fill the thousands of hotel rooms you continue to build and expect to fill them by offering diminishing customer service and park experience. If any of this seems like good business sense, I believe you are mistaken. Running an entertainment company and running a department store chain or legal office are two different animals. Unfortunate as time has gone on the Disney company have lost or laid off those who understand the business they are in to hire instead non-creative people who strive to increase their stature within the company machine rather than worry about quality product, customer satisfaction, and even more sadly profits.

You said: "Disney doesn't create rides/attractions because they believe they are 'magical,' they create them to bring in guests, who in turn supply Disney with money." Right but those attractions best have a certain kind of artistic/creative "magic" to get the customers through the gate. They just aren't doing that anymore. There hasn't been a new "E" ticket ride at Disneyland since "Indiana Jones" in 1995. And there are no plans for any at this time. The lack luster attractions at Disney's California Adventure are now quite famous for their lack of appeal that has made this park a financial disaster. Michael Eisner headed one of the greatest moneymaking machines in the world, the Disney Theme Parks and has managed to not kill but strangle the golden goose senseless. He is now strangling Disney feature animation. Just poor business sense. It's sad to watch.

Look back at the early days of Disneyland, corporate sponsorship was everywhere to be seen. I know it is upsetting to see something that has meant so much to us turn out to be nothing more than a money making machine, but that's the way it is.

Again I have to disagree; there is nothing wrong with corporate sponsorship. These attractions are expensive and need all the financial help they can get to get them to the high level of creativity we have come to expect from Disney. Walt pioneered this kind of sponsorship and it worked quite well. The current management has discouraged sponsorship by asking for too much money for to little in return. Note the lack of California sponsors at DCA. Older sponsors have been upset by lack of upkeep in the park, ect. Would you care if a cool new "E" ticket ride was sponsored by a major corporation? No. Right? Well if they had the good reputation to swing this kind of deal today we would all be happy. New attraction, more park guests, higher profits, new attraction theme music ....everybody is happy! But current management is blowing it so we end up in our current state. Yes it?s a business but part of show business is to create an indefinable entertainment "magic" that people take home with them. Artists do this, lawyers and guys with a masters in business admistration do not. The current corporate balance is off and therefore so are profits.

 

[cop4ever]

I agree we spend the money there so why don't they lisyen to the people who go there every year and spend thoudsands of dollars on big figs and cds and books about walt.In disney-mgm studios they have a film at the end of the one man's dream exibit and in the movie walts says he hope things go on as they say after walt.an old man behind me just laughed and said dream on walt.He was right alot of it died with walt.In my mind i think esiner is alittle jealous of walt because walt was loved by the people who worked for him and by the world esiner is not he's this big money hugrey company man who tells you about the crapy movie they are gonna show tonight on the wonderful world of disney.We hear just need to find a way to form togahter and start a campain of some sort to let them know how true disney fans feel.Just typing our minds on a board does not do it.We need to raise up our voices and scream let them know that there main market is not some dumbwitted teenage kid wanting another cookie cutter roller coster.We who buy all the high priced disney items love the true walt rides like the carousel of progress and the tiki room.My mother who is a vivid disney fan goes to wdw every 6 months said she wont return if they get rid of spaceship earth and other rides like that.Thats why she goes to disney.we have lost so many great rides to this new teen fade but it does not have to be this way.We spend the money some 12 year old kid don't.Do you really think esiner would even work there a month if walt was still alive.No cause esiner has no imagination he's just a corpatre man just wanting more money and giving out less.A new american trend.The same trend thats killing this country.It's a shame to see everything that walt build go down the drain all because of money greed.

 

[X-S Tech]

All I have to say is that if WDW disappoints you, you should try going to Disneyland. Maybe it's that we're smaller and therefore the problems are more easily noticed. Whatever the reason.... :-[