😥

The "celebration" is a vague backdrop for a new merchandise line. What interesting times we live in.

I did not know that, the lunatics are running the asylum!

The higher ups didn’t even bother coming out that morning to give a big speech on the 50th and instead do so the night before when they had the media there just to keep their image up and instead had probably the laziest and lamest opening day show I have ever seen from the company.

Thats so sad

I am with you, I am glad I got to experience Disney 5-10 years ago when my children were 3-9. The Disney of my childhood in the late 80s were true Disney. But doing anything with my children is fun, so we do mostly affordable things more often.

I cna't see spending the money to go to Disneyladn anymore for two rides I like - over priced!

What did you do at Disney?

When I first started seeing AP stickers on cars I didn't realize it stood for Annual Pass, I thought disney had bought the Aliens franchise (which they did when they picked of fox) and were doing some strange Aliens v Predator tie in.

I couldn’t agree anymore with you. We have just come back to the UK from a 2 week holiday ( Vacation ). The whole experience of the Disney parks was one of “ how much can you spend”, I couldn’t believe how much the prices have gone up, I last visited 10 years ago! The staff also seem to be arrogant compared to say Universal etc. I personally won’t be going back to Magic kingdom etc next year when I go back to Florida!!

@@Meatball2022 it is critical~~ you don’t have to praise something to be critical of it. I love Disney but agree with these videos. The more we talk about these problems, the more likely Disney will do something about it! Universal is merely the best comparison, therefore ofc one company will be ‘preferred’

@@Meatball2022 He recently made a video that praised Disney about the Ratatouille ride. He is not biast, he is fair and honestly judges the parks.

@@Meatball2022 clearly you haven't watched all his videos then, he literally just made one praising a new ride.

Corporate disney is the only thing that keeps me from fully enjoying (and buying from) disney. Which is kinda ironic since thats their literal job

Yeah

they got rid of illuminations??????!!!!

Japan desperately needs a ride, not to mention the fact that many miss the OG journey into imagination and the 2003 versión of the ride is pretty outdated, and Tony Baxter is more than willing to reimagine the ride if he could.

@@annieskywalker9290 You know Disney wouldn’t hesitate to put a Big Hero 6 attraction in the Japan pavillion given their track record

@@filetofish7688 That idea sounds like garbage, but this is Disney we're talking about. It makes sense at this point.

They are grading land beside germany thats apparently going to be a land for greece or brazil

I believe that's because the Tokyo parks aren't fully owned by Disney. They always seem to be a cut above the American parks which is odd bc the American ones are the flagship parks.

because disney fans will continue to go to disney despite every horrible decision they make. . i think this is starting to change though & when epic universe opens disney will suffer greatly

american disney fans* ✨💕

The aulani is also STUNNING. I go there every other year and adore it every time. If you’re going to hawaii and live disney, that 100% should be a stop for you

@@TerrenceMarie they aren't owned by Disney at all. And that is a great thing.

Agreed. A family place is not the same as one meant specifically for kids.

If it's just for kids, that means adults hate it. And when those kids grow up, they will hate it as adults too.

@@PreferredCustomer Some kids hate the "just for kids" stuff, too. My kids were not into rides or amusement parks, plus they were pretty sophisticated about shows as well (all but one of them had done theater or ballet and in the process talked about the meaning of stories and serving the audience and believing in what you're doing). All but one of them thought they weren't interested in Disney World, but after I dragged them there one vacation they all loved it, because Disney World was not just rides and noise. The live shows that appeal to adults were a big part of the magic for them, and the new "shows" (fireworks and kites) are nowhere near the caliber of our old favorites. As Poseidon Entertainment rightly points out, there's no heart and no meaning behind them, so there's no resonance. And it's the resonance, the feeling that what you see has a deeper meaning, that keeps people coming back. The other things they loved were the smaller live performances -- the trolley "parade'; Captain Jack Sparrow's little show; Citizens of Hollywood; the ladies who taught some tradition dance moves or the guys who made leaf critters at Animal Kingdom; all the little live acts in Epcot -- and the card game at the MK and the spy game at Epcot and trading pins and otherwise talking to the cast members. All that little stuff makes a big, big difference, and that's what's outright lost or seemingly fading away. I used to say that I could plan a Disney vacation for anyone and be fairly sure they'd enjoy it, even if they didn't consider themselves a Disney fan per se, but I'm not sure that's true anymore. The most rabid anti-Disney people I've known always eventually admitted they'd been dragged to the parks as a child by someone who rushed them from ride to ride, and they'd hated it because that was not their style. I've always thought that was a shame, because the parks were so much more than rides, meaning smart and informed parents could plan a day that would work for any kid. But I fear there are going to be a lot more kids growing up as Disney haters in this generation, and when they have kids and are glumly considering a Disney vacation "for the kids," Disney lovers aren't going to have much to offer to sweeten the pot.

@@shalomhobbitess7509 My brothers and sisters didn't like the Magic Kingdom and we much preferred EPCOT because they actually showcased science and cultures. Now it all seems like a jinormous cash grab, sing a long with projections.

This might be a crater now.

It's what I call the Even Decade Curse. They reach their peak in odd-numbered decades, yet almost always collapse in even-numbered decades due to either bad luck (ex. World War 2) or incompetence (the most common cause). If the 2020 virus scare is any indication, the curse this decade is gonna be on steroids.

@@cardman1031 That'll come when Communist China flat out steals or shuts down the Shanghai and Hong Kong DLs.

Seriously. Well said...

and dont even get me started on how they are ruining Epcot. Smh...

Hey, Tron is still pretty cool tho

@@Mangzorz Epcot (alongside Disneyland's tomorrowland) was already ruined since the late 90's

TRON is fun at least imo.

I agree, but I'm not sure if that'll happen. The Disney product has declined quite dramatically, but there's still a ridiculous number of people clamoring to enter. I don't really understand, other than I think that social media has hyped the parks up. Perhaps that change in conversation starts here.

You'd think with Universal upping their game not that they needed to, but have been, that Disney would be doing the same thing and getting better because of it, not worse..

@@PoseidonEntertainment i think most people don't notice the nuance as much and the decline has to be a lot more obvious and in your face. Often things stay popular a decent time beyond the moment it has had it's peak and starts becomming stale or increasingly cheapened and superficial. Plus bad disney still isn't bad compared with the rest of the industry. Just uninspired.

@@PoseidonEntertainment Back in the day, when I was first researching a Disney vacation as a parent, it quickly became clear that there were three kinds of parents who took their kids to Disney World. First there were Disney fans who had enjoyed the parks themselves and who wanted to share that experience with their own kids, and that group broke down into the practical fans (who often stayed off site and did other stuff as well and warned that Disney was terrific at running theme parks, pretty good at quick service, but not so great at running restaurants and hotels with the exception of Victoria and Alberts), and the True Believers (who wanted to be in the Disney bubble and scorned those who didn't kick out the cash to stay onsite and believed Disney Could Do No Wrong). Then there were the people who were taking their kids to Disney because that's the thing you do, either because you must sacrifice to give your kids a Disney vacation, or because taking your kids to Disney every year proves you've "made it" and are raking in the big bucks. Practical fans are keenly aware of the product decline and a lot of them are choosing not to go anymore. True Believers may protest the prices, but they'll still go. And so will the people who see Disney as a rite of passage. The question is how much Disney was making from the practical fans, which I'm guessing have always been a minority, and who are clearly not what Disney Corporate wants, because they don't just shovel money out "because it's done." Darn few practical fans are going to pay boatloads of money to "eat in the castle" when the food isn't that great. They don't make their kids sit still for the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique experience. They may even bring in food rather than eat the Disney offerings. There seems to be a biological basis for brand loyalty. For instance, people who are brand loyal to Starbucks or to a particular brand of beer may not be able to identify their favorite drink in a blind taste test -- they may even rate it as the worst tasting! -- because the pleasure they get from their favorite is not just from the taste. When they drink their Starbucks coffee from that Starbucks cup, it isn't just the pleasure center in the brain related to taste that lights up -- there's another pleasure center related to social identity that lights up. Those are the people Disney is looking for. So long as the Disney name maintains its prestige, so long as going to Disney is a kind of rite of passage, those people will keep coming. And if Disney can convince them you haven't "really" done Disney until you stay onsite and eat in the castle and do the Boutique and buy the latest mouse ears and otherwise paid for all manner of extras, they'll do that as well. When it comes to other travel destinations, "what's cool" can change rapidly and with little warning. That doesn't happen as often with family destinations, which tend to have a nostalgia aspect the more trendy travel destinations don't need, but it does happen, and Universal is really hoping they can replace Disney as the parks every kid "must" experience. If Disney's status declines enough, and some other destination gains more status, then there may be a sudden and massive shift somewhere else. I've never been to any of the Universal parks, but they seem to understand that what they need to do to replace Disney, and that's pretty clearly their goal. Whether they'll accomplish it I dunno, because Disney's got a heck of a lot of an advantage in the nostalgia category. But a lot of families "graduate" from Disney to Universal nowadays, so it may be that Universal is making strides on the nostalgia front. They also need to be drawing in younger kids to displace Disney, and maybe Super Nintendo World is a step in that direction. Disney set an enormously high bar to start, and no one else has come anywhere near as of yet, so I don't see anyone replacing Disney anytime soon. Which means, I fear, that most people will continue going and current trends will continue, unless someone with much more vision takes charge.

@@shalomhobbitess7509 Excellent analysis.

So much this!! Former cast member, Florida native, been going to Disney since the 70's. It saddens me the state of things. Yesterday, I was I was leaving Epcot's horrible Harmonious celebration where I had an obstructed view of the center barge (like most people). I was making my way to the buses to catch one to Grand Floridian. I didn't see one. Turns out, they're not running buses from Grand Floridian/Polynesian/Contemporary. I have to wait for a half hour or more for the Monorail, then another half hour to get on the Resort Monorail. So I go back where I came from, the exit. And a staff yelled at me! Straight up yelled at me! Said, "STOP!! You have to go back through security at the front of the park!" What?? I just came from the exit. All the security at the exits saw me leave the park. So I go around to the front of the park. The security was closed. WTF!!! I had to hunt down a security cast member and explain to them my situation. He tells me the park is closed. I kept trying to explain how I need to get to my resort, I was informed the buses are not running and directed back through security. He rolled his eyes. I had to wait there for them to get someone to help me. I couldn't believe this disaster for the amount we pay!!?? Unbelievable. And that's just one encounter .... I could write a novel. What has happened to Disney is just made me depressed and sad inside. It's dreadful really. I'm just thankful I have memories of happier days. RIP Disney.

@@SuMMeRFLi5 Oh my god- almost the exact same thing happened to me at Epcot! I took the monorail there with my family & when we got off, my son had to use the bathroom. I saw bathrooms right next to the monorail and not even thinking twice walked to them with my kid & told my family I’d meet back up with them in a second. I noticed security standing there, waved to him, but I didn’t think anything of it. Well turns out, the restroom I went to was a couple of feet past the exit. Literally, maybe seven or so feet. There was NO signage saying “Exit” or indication that I was leaving the park to go to this restroom. In fact, the “Exit” sign was facing outwards, so I only saw it when I went to walk back towards my family. I asked the security guard, “Is this an exit only? I just got off the monorail there, I had no idea.” He very sarcastically said, “That’s what the sign says.” I asked him if I could go back in, that he saw me walk off the monorail, and he said no. I had to walk in a giant loop to where security was and wait twenty minutes in a line to get through. They made me unpack my entire stroller, diaper bag, purse, etc for some reason unknown to me (Asinine because they also made me and my two year-old walk through the scanner, honestly what was the point!). So a trip to the potty that should have taken less than five minutes cost my family about 30. Because of a single rude, resentful cast member.

@@SuMMeRFLi5 and it’s like you said, that’s only one encounter out of many. Even just five years ago, WDW was such a different place…

Cast member training has been dropped from two weeks to two days and it shows. It's easy to spot cast members who have worked there for years vs newer hires.

I used to love Disney it was a magical place. Now the employees are so miserable that it it a place I have no interest in being. 🤔

Me too, I love all the defunct aspects of Disney :(

I want to like Disney, but I cannot get behind its leadership. They continue to destroy what has become a major cultural and entertainment institution in favor of cheap cash grabs.

Interesting how just telling the truth about the various parks makes you a "Universal shill."

I wonder how long "more timeless and more Disney" will last. I'm not confident that people will see this Disney-sing-along and say: "Yes, this is what I wanted in Epcot".

We left Epcot right in the middle of the night time show because we were not impressed at all. We thought, “that is what all the eye sores our there are for?” Enchantment wasn’t much better.

I hope that illuminations comes back after the 50th ann is over and can move the eye sore that is those barges out of the water

@@PoseidonEntertainment Or maybe for the 60 anniversary they have something combining Shanghai disneyland’s celebration and its fun factor with the touching stuff from Wishes and Happily Ever After and something from Disneyland? It probably gonna take a while so they have plenty of time to reflect, plan out and innovate.

@@tylerprice9498 yeah i left epcot after being bored that place was turned into a place to get drunk off wine. there was nothing to do oh and mk was worse 1 float parade every 30 minutes. what happened to their long parades with different characters i felt like i got taken for my 500 for all their parks

That's an excellent summary of things.

This is exactly correct. The movies are just commercials for the theme park which is just a commercial for Disney+. Disney ate up a lot of giant IP's they can now just cannibilize until they find a new one to devour

Most of the KZfaq Disney bloggers are afraid of losing access. Disney controls them by giving them access through media events. If they start criticizing they will lose their access. Even their content now is all the same. Once you've seen one of KZfaqrs content for an event you will know exactly what the others are going to think and say in their post. This was the very problem Ricky Bergante feared when he pioneered covering Disney with social media.

I think an issue with many of the channels isn't even the pass, so much as they use Disney as a crutch for their income stream. A lot of people find that they can make money doing Disney vlogs but they really have nothing interesting to say because they only care about the monetization. Admittedly, KZfaq has been somewhat profitable for me but I also enjoy creating discussion around these things as a hobby.

@@PoseidonEntertainment Very much appreciate your efforts man. Your voice needs to be heard!

They are not Paramount and don't care about the people they are very strict

I only know two other youtubers that have voiced there concerns

If he isn't a Universal Shill then what exactly is he? Almost seems like a disgruntled former Disney employee, sure Disney has it's share of problems. but Universal isn't perfect either.

@@erickohlhorst747 Universal isn't price gouging their guests, they're at least trying to appeal to the middle class families that Disney is now shunning, and unlike Disney, Universal actually listens to the feedback that their guests give them, whether it's negative or positive, and will try to take steps to improve the experience with attractions people actually want. Sure, Universal may not be perfect but at this point it's looking a hell of a lot better than Disney. You sound like you're just mad that Poseidon Entertainment isn't a Disney shill. I find him refreshing. Finally, a theme park blogger that covers Disney that isn't up their a**es all the time.

@@erickohlhorst747 And if you watch any of his vids you’ll realise he states that it does has its flaws and he will touch on it.

@@erickohlhorst747 No, it isn't, but they're certainly improving dramatically. When was the last time Disney built a truly impressive attraction? Expedition Everest?

@@erickohlhorst747 someone who wants Disney to be better? I love(d) Disney parks but I just can't bring myself to support them right now. They have a plethora of problems going on and if they were better I could get back to enjoying the parks

You would have thought but they just catering to the ebay reselling scum and thats really it. I kinda remember to the 25th but always remember the birthday cake castle for good or bad. But at least was a big celebration unlike this one at the moment.

You'd think they would treat it more as a celebration and less a sequel to the Potion Purple merchandise line.

From what I can gather, the only unique thing that occurred for guests on October 1st was a special guide map pamphlet. Whoop-dee-do. Everything else you can either buy online, or see any other night of the 18 month "celebration."

I doubt its an intent to undercut the occasion. Rather a combination of bad timing and simply not... knowing... how to pull it off. Bad timing? Yup. This whole machine runs on money. And Disney has been hemorrhaging. They've made significant investments. Some of which are paying off now or might pay off in the long run, but are currently drastically hurting Disney's bottom line. The big boat anchor here is acquiring Fox. It has drastically put a drag on Disney's flow. So here we are. 50th Anniversary. A time to put on a lavish, flashy party. And the money spigots are at a trickle if not dry. While the entire machine is firmly out of the control of the engineers and creatives and firmly in the hands of the bean counters. Options are fewer. And those with the loudest voices aren't likely to have the kind of ideas that would be called... inspirational.

They did that with Disneyland’s 50th. But even though that was just 16 years ago it was a very different company back then.

I agree. However, what has always allowed a trip to WDW to stand a cultural milestone of the American family is the social buzz around it. If Disney no longer appeals to the people who are most dedicated to it and they're telling their family and friends that a trip is an expensive waste of time, how will that affect Disney's largest market?

hey man, I need to pay off my last yacht

I'm new to Disney. I want all the old junk ripped out and replaced. Japan manages to mostly have everything top notch. Some same rides but new. I piss off the elderly who refuse to want change. Peter pan feels like cardboard and spray paint.

Thsi is Bob iger... Chapek wasn't CEO long enough to even implement any real serious change. Chapek is just the fall guy.

The problem is... they're trying to be Universal studios. Universal has only IPs. It's been their staple since they've began. Yes they've definitely come up with original IP over the years, but the majority has been purchased IP and used under license. Regardless, Disney fans aren't happy and it's definitely showing.

I have a feeling that Epcot will be perceived as needing expensive fixes in about a decade or so. This whole drive to make the parks "more timeless and more Disney" likely won't age well. How did the incorporation of IP age at the All Star Movies?

Let's not forget Splash Mountain is leaving but I am relocating it to a Virtual game named Rec Room

@@PoseidonEntertainment Epcot was going to try to update but were way too ambitious. So over ambitious that most of the plans were canceled & now Epcot is a huge construction zone. Ambition is good but they went in the wrong direction.

Agreed. There's nothing in the music or the projections that celebrates how Magic Kingdom came to be and grew over the years, no nod to Walt or Roy and certainly no musical nod to the movies or attractions that have been there since opening day. It's obscene and offensive to someone who has been going there since it existed. Who wants to pay those overinflated prices for third rate quality? WDW is not the King 👑 anymore.

the first ten seconds of Wishes alone make me lose it 😭

Disney let us know their intentions .... Let the past die. Kill it if you have to

Me too, Ray. I miss Walt's love of "When you make a wish come true....." It always brought me to tears. Something heartfelt is needed in this country and not the crass music and shows I've seen at Disney now.

Totally agree. The music is the worst part of the new shows. I love the soundtrack to Wishes, HEA, Illuminations RoE, the Baroque Hoedown from MSEP, and even the original classical musical score of the original Illuminations. I don't even mind a Disney movie music score if it is powerful and emotional. I loved the soundtracks for Once Upon a Time and Celebrate the Magic. What happened to those great shows? Why get rid of shows and rides that people love and replace them with mediocrity? I am so afraid of the replacements for Spaceship Earth and Splash Mountain. They are going to ruin those classics.

It's funny that people screeched at Universal about it but are strangely fine with it when Disney does it.

And those creepy projector animatronics in frozen! I really get the heebee jeebee’s from them!

@@TheBaggadonuts I think the projector animatronics make sense for Runaway Railway but I think they should've made the animatronics of Frozen like the ones in the Beauty and the Beast ride rather than the projector animatronics or the cheap, plastic-y ones form the Little Mermaid ride

My last Disney Florida trip was in 2010. I would’ve gone in more recent years, but couldn’t for personal reasons. Seeing what Disney Florida has become over the last 2 years puts me in doubt over whether I should go! Universal does sound more promising in its current state, but Disney is a brand I’ve felt closer to than Universal. I have however thought of a possible Florida trip I could go on, maybe in 2023: - stay in a Universal hotel, have 2-4 Universal days. - a day of shopping, a staple in my family and I’s Florida trips. On our Florida shopping days in past trips, we got some clothes, I even got to swung by GameStop to grab a few gaming goodies! - one Disney day, my Dad loves the Tower of Terror, but I’m not sure how much else we’ll do with the Genie app pricing most people out of a proper experience and most new attractions being laughable.

When I went in July of this year. It was crazy how in Disneyland there was barely any families with young kids. Or young kids at all. It was mostly just young couples or teenagers/young adults. Which is fine because all ages love Disney. But it was just weird not seeing young kids or families (the main demographic)

Ya the Magic of Disney/Disney World has diminished greatly. Crazy over pricing with less in return. It always seemed magical to me and my family but is more about money then making it fun. I’m glad I had the opportunity to enjoy the parks in the 80s, 90s. It was even fun going to “downtown Disney” until they turned it into an expensive money grabbing outside mall instead of Disney type stores etc. I’ll always love Disney but it’s really sad

I actually sold off all my Disney stock because I am so disgusted with the leadership (Chapek) or maybe I should say the lack thereof. I wish that anyone reading this who owns stock would sell it off to send them a message.

Disney has no incentive to improve.. they are assisting in simply replacing traditional Americans with immigrants. The newcomers will be thrilled to fill our consumer shoes, and they are given gift cards to get the replacement up to speed.

Well, they get their feedback from the wrong people, so they don't think they are doing a bad job with things and the wrong people are the majority, unfortunately..

@@watsonholmes1525 Just say you’re xenophobic and move on, the “traditional American” are immigrants.

We're already past the point.

@@thewalkingdad68 Sad but true...

I haven't gone and stopped taking my family years ago. Disney Co today is horrendous and damaging Western Culture

This is accurate. I worked for Disney for 7 years. I loved my experience, but I don’t know if I’ll ever go back. I can’t justify the prices they charge for the experience you get. The sad thing is before 2020 and the changes I was looking at staying at a Disney resort because of the dining plan, magical express, and extra magic hour.

I hit that point when they implemented reservations for literally every aspect of the park. I'm spontaneous and usually planned a park trip that same morning. I gave up and told my fiancé that I don't want to go back anymore - which is a shame because we both worked there for over two years before COVID when we were layed off.

They could have even just used Roy's opening speech for Walt Disney World, if they thought it'd be weird to use the Disneyland opening speech.

I think you present a compelling show here. As someone not familiar with Disneyland's fireworks shows, a lot of people have pointed out to me how for their 50th celebration, the fireworks reflected the history and legacy of the attractions in that park and I agree that this would have been the right direction to take things. Even looking at the new refurb for the Contemporary lobby and Steakhouse 71, it's a nostalgic look back to the opening of WDW. Why wouldn't you extend that to the rooms, opting for a cheap IP tie-in instead? I absolutely hate how things are right now.

couldnt agree more.. Chapek does not care about DISNEY at all. He just sees it as a job, and a way to make tons of money- nothing more, nothing less. Its like a boring 9-5 to him

You're a much better fireworks show writer than Cheapek!

Your idea was too good for them to even fathom

Perhaps, but Disney appears to be taking all the wrong lessons when it tries to emulate what Universal parks are doing. I'm not optimistic that a significant loss of market share will change things for the better.

I agree. A common issue I often heard was that it was difficult to see the globe. A new updated version of the show would have been perfect.

@@PoseidonEntertainment They could have used the new water projection to make a bigger version of what was happening on the globe

But yet life isn’t like that 😞

That's literally all they had to do Just a dam make over not some Movie story

The original or Reflections of Earth?

Illuminations was a great show, but it was overdue to be replaced with something. Unfortunately the replacement falls very short of anything near what could be considered a good replacement. Technically, Harmonious looks great, but there's only a couple of good spots in World Showcase to see it, and the music is just a hodge-podge of re-recorded music from Disney movies that's not even that great of a cover. It's like they just threw a bunch of music together to say "here's a new show for ya".

That is awful!! Considering all the money you put into Disney just to feel like your special day was ruined. I was considering going with my friends for a girls trip but now I'm reevaluating...

@@Beer-can_full_of_toes Whew. This is a long comment. Tbh I’m not like a huuuuge disney parks guy, I just didnt get enjoyment out of the show or the environment that MK had during it, just kinda chaos with too many people all being totally nuts. I agree with some of your points tho, there are some Disney “elitists” who are hypercritical of change for the sake of it. As someone who hasnt been to the parks in years, I just didnt like the show 🤷‍♂️

@@robbieharris8758 fair enough lol I wasn’t assuming you are one of those people by the way. There’s a lot I don’t like about what they’ve done specifically with Star Wars as I’m a huge fan but I try to enjoy what is there anyway. I’m not a big fan of the shows yet either but I think they’ll grow into something much better as feedback is accessible so easily now.

@@ocalicreek I wasn’t. I was using a common part of it as an example. I’m sorry if it came off wrong.

If your marriage is so delicate that a flop of a fireworks show changes the trajectory of its success, maybe you should’ve reevaluated your marriage. Your comment is just absurd.

The fans are doing something, though not enough. There has been a petition asking Disney to bring back Happily Ever After to replace Enchantment, but it needs to gain more traction. In terms of the other shows, not much.

Honestly, I think part of the problem is too many people just blindly “love” everything Disney. I follow DFB & read the comments, a lot of people love the after hours events that replaced Mickeys not so scary & very merry Christmas parties. You are paying more for less & they are like “but we got to walk onto 7 dwarves mine ride”. Too many are ok with paying more for less. Look at Remy at Epcot, it’s an exact copy of the version in France. Lazy & cheap. That should be Chapeks new name, lazy & cheap Bob Chapek.

I've felt that way with almost everything over the last few years. I believe that if you replace something, the new attraction should be just as good or better. I look back favorably on Kongfrontation, but Mummy is a more than worthy replacement. Runaway Railway for The Great Movie Ride though? Absolutely not.

I remember when for special events during the Eisner era, Disney would do things like giveaways and would turn milestones into actual events. In contrast, the 50th just feels like another generic merchandise drop. It's astounding that we're at the point where Disney is releasing concept art for merchandise of all things.

Speaking of retail....I feel like even MouseWorks was at least somewhat unique s shipping experience. But this latest store looks exactly like anyone other store you see in a mall. The displays, arrangements, mannequins, isles.... Compare this to any other gift shop from an attraction and you can see a difference.

@@PreferredCustomer I've seen seasonal displays at Target that looked more fun and engaging.

@@CinnamonGrrlErin1 and the person you are replying to... in another move of Chapeks cheapness most physical disney stores are closed ir are closing for good to be replaced with a pop-up presence within target stores. I'm not even sure how they justified this as saving money since those people weren't direct disney employees to begin with. Maybe it is some sleight of hand attempt to get people to go to the parks for the "real' merchandise experience..

An interesting point. I might go so far as to suggest that it's like one of those merchandise parties that someone hosts are their house. The entertainment is sparse and it's a ruse to purchase an excess of low quality product.

This sounds cruel, but from the videos, it looks as if they are herding cattle into open doors of merch as fast as possible. There are people shoulder to shoulder crunched up in these places. There is no rule or courtesy. It's frightening how many people pack into stores and streets.

That's a perfect summary of how I feel about the inclusion of IP. It absolutely is pandering and insulting. It's like when Disney needed to add characters to Rivers of Light, making the show worse and dropping the guest ratings farther. It was a flawed show, but I at least appreciate the original vision.

Disney's over-reliance on its app is astounding. It's so poorly constructed that it frequently crashes or experiences major glitches. It's been how long since the app came out and it's still remarkably terrible? How do they expect people to purchase food when you can't feasibly order it?

So, they don't have back-ups for mobile order issues? Like you can't get your food at all there if I simply just wanted to walk up to the counter, there's no way I could get something without ordering via mobile?

@@Eternaldarkness3166 you could. The problem was that they only had ONE register that took cash or card. Also, if you already paid for your food, you couldn't get your money back right away. It was nuts. I waited 30+ minutes just to order one thing at a counter. It was rediculous

@@Tru-Blu a shame really one of the best things to do was the food

@@Eternaldarkness3166 Nope. And if you try to place a mobile order and there is some technical glitch that doesn't allow your order to go through (and therefore no confirmation message), guess what happens? $20 charge for not showing up to pick up your faux order. Thankfully my cc company called me right away about the wonky order follow through and disallowed the charge.

I know nothing about Disneyland's fireworks, but people keep explaining this show. It does sound like when Enchanted should have been.

I heard they did everything the night before because people are so upset with the CEO they were worried he would be boo-ed the entire time or worse. That says something about the character of these people running the company! Walt must be turning over in his grave because the magic of Disney is definitely dwindling. I paid an incredible amount of money to be there for 10 days for the 50th and was stunned by how much it cost for what we got. My fist time ever in Disney was 5 years ago and the drastic decline from 2017 to 2021 is unsettling. The only way it will change is if we stop supporting this corruption. Needless to say I will not be returning until changes benefiting the patrons again are made.

People who defend a multibillion dollar corporation, when they have clearly gone towards more profit racking measures, is being a shill. People get salty when they refuse to see that the magic is long gone from Disney.

@@alberquiky1 I think what I would say is this: if you want to criticize them that’s fine, but don’t go after the people who go there every 6-10 years who have a good time. That’s what I don’t like about of a lot of these comments, it almost seems like there is a quest to be not only the polar opposite of other KZfaq channels, but to go after people who like the parks still.

I don't even think people working for Disney enjoy what the company is. I was surprised to see some of the harshest criticism for the new shows and Ratatouille come from Disney cast members themselves.

@@PoseidonEntertainment That sounds about right. If past experiences with the Parks have taught me anything it’s that whenever the company blunders with the theme parks, Imagineers and Cast Members are as annoyed as everyone else. Makes sense when you consider how many Cast Members are themselves huge Disney dorks or how the job title of Imagineer suggests you’re here to make one of a kind experiences and not cheap crap. I remember hearing how annoyed they were in the late 90s and early 2000s when Eisner kept slashing the budgets on big projects.

The behavior at Magic Kingdom was astounding, especially considering that most of the merch is and has previously been available elsewhere.

It's odd to me that HEA was even replaced. What's the point of replacing an incredibly popular show that's only been around for a few years? It's rumored that the Magic Kingdom was supposed to get a new night time parade for the 50th, and due to budget cuts, the remaining money was put into producing Enchantment instead. The money would have been better off not being spent at all.

@@PoseidonEntertainment I fully agree.

Their stockholders get 1 Billion dollars, before any of that money goes back into disney. There is no reason for that amount of money to be going to stock holders, and letting the rest of the company suffer.

I still crank the Illuminations music, it is so SO good.

A large issue I foresee if the costs to fix all of this a decade down the line. This is the exact same problem that Eisner had and how much money has now been spent "fixing" it? If you build cheap, you can't replace it with cheap. A fantastic attraction that's designed well will remain timeless.

@@PoseidonEntertainment such as pirates, haunted mansion and wheel of progress. Those are still the best rides in MK. Yes there are other attractions, and they've lasted a long while (big thunder, splash and so on), but they don't have the charm that those rides do... because Walt Disney had the best people creatively working for him.

All things being said, in the end, it's a business. It's more than optimistic to even predict that the parks will even be there in a decade with the business decisions being made today. It kinda makes the takeover in the 80s look like nothing. Disney can fail... especially with the current management. So what does Disney need to pull out of this peril? Disney needs someone with the creativity that is able to call the shots. I believe Chapek will, if left unchecked, bankrupt the company. I don't believe that he has the creativity of a slug. So let him be in charge of the day to day business and put the aforementioned creative person in charge of the parks and animation divisions. It makes the most sense. Also fix the IPs that are already in the parks (put actual Star Wars in Star Wars land)...and so on. Also, Disney should create their own new IPs.

Agreed. If you wanted to do something because your kids enjoyed it, perhaps Chuck E. Cheese is the place for you.

And gas stations should be staffed with people checking your oil and cleaning your windows…it’s just not going to ever happen again.

yeah, that honestly wasn't bad, I think they could do more specials like that based off certain rides through the parks and stuff. I'd enjoy a Tower of Terror one myself.

The only things that are occasionally innovative and great at Disney right now are merchandising and Disney+.

That's a good point, though I'm glad that the Spaceship Earth refurb got put off. I know it desperately needs it, but the new narrative direction that Chapek wants to take this ride would just absolutely destroy what makes it special.

I was watching wait times through my app, considering I was quarantined during the celebration. I checked the wait times in the afternoon, and the highest wait (at Magic Kingdom) was 45 minutes at one point.

@@ausername5410 for most attractions it was 10-12 minute waits. Which basically was just a walk on.

@@Lil_Angry_Bitch exactly! It is a down attendance time for WDW, so time will tell as we get closer to Christmas (which is typically the busiest time for them). The reality will be revealed for sure when we hit spring and compare the attendance with other local parks. But since Genie+ was announced it definitely has been a ghost town in MK. Some of which is attributed to the fact that international travel hasn't kicked in as well as most parents that have kids of the Disney age, those kids have school.

I'm not sure if they're even seeing massive returns though. I'm sure that Galaxy's Edge is selling quite a bit of merchandise, but I anticipate not nearly as much as expected judging from the lack of crowds that they seemed to be anticipating.

@@PoseidonEntertainment oh i agree. They are assuming the massive returns. They really think that the consumers are stupid and will just take it without complaints. While there are the fans who see absolutely nothing wrong, I have seen a drastic upticks in complaints. It is even starting to bleed into youtube streamers as well. You can now see the streamers who are dedicated to the Fans and those who are dedicated to the corporate push.

It's disappointed that Rivers of Light failed. The idea for the show seemed great, but it just couldn't get there technically. I suppose KiteTails is better than the theater sitting abandoned.

Agree

I used to be like that. It took forced scenarios for me to become desensitized. It’s still scary. 🥺

@@WatchandLearn16 I've tried but every time it's hell. Last Feb I went to Disney and we missed the timing to be in pirates during a show and got caught right behind where the fireworks were going off. I ran, blacked out, and came to crying on a bench

If anything, Enchantment is kind of boring in some parts.

I'm not familiar with Disneyland's history of fireworks, but many people have pointed out to me how their 50th celebrated the classic attractions that built the park. It appears that even fireworks cannot be competently helmed today.

@@PoseidonEntertainment yes, I believe Disneyland's 50th anniversary fireworks did celebrate park attractions. That's why it was so surprising to me that the 60th anniversary fireworks didn't. However, the World of Color show that same year over in California Adventure was all about Disneyland lol.

They do - especially TDL.

Those places are high on my list. A company that runs Disney parks and upholds the Disney brand better than Disney itself? Count me in.

Thanks, I'm glad that you enjoy!

DFB is pretty good and honest too.

@@queencancerous5332 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

HP World is a mall with a ride. I will grant that Universal was genius in figuring out that what people wanted most from HP as an IP was to buy merchandise, but the idea that it is the pinnacle of theme parks is what is driving so many of Disney's current missteps. Galaxy's Edge, Pandora, and Avengers Campus are direct descendants of HP World... One ride, all merch, and cheap shows.

@@MonsterKidCory yup. And I think that's what Disney's problem in general is. Just making copies and not making anything new.

yeah like who cares about Pandora?

Don't you mean The Wizarding World of Harry Potter? I had to mentally go over each of Universal's sections just to literally figure out what you were talking about. HP World is a bit vague.

In addition, kids are certainly not stupid. The IP pandering is noticed I think. When I was little, Epcot was my favorite park because of its theme. Just because there's a vocal minority of people out there who complain that their toddlers find Spaceship Earth boring, doesn't mean that the majority of people don't appreciate it for what it is.

@@PoseidonEntertainment Eeeexactly!!! It's also a responsibility for parents to encourage kids to, y'know, flex their brain a little. Not saying they can't enjoy the simple things catered to them, but it's their formative years, let them LEARN in a fun way.

A lot of people were pushed out of Imagineering within the last two years. This is obviously a mistake.

@@PoseidonEntertainment absolutely. We were at Disney in August. I’m willing to cut a little slack because stuff was still ramping back up from Covid, but it felt like the soul was gone. So much stuff that wouldn’t have happened even 5 years ago is now a thing. It was kind of shocking to hear CMs them complain about stuff in front of house and in front of guests-like in the queue of POTC. My husband and our friend went on Tower or Terror which was running at half capacity and the CMs were talking about how it had been running rough and loud that week and they hope they get it fixed soon because it was annoying, etc. right as people were getting ready to board. I have zero love for the guy, but right about now I am getting nostalgic for Eisner and his willingness to think outside the box for the parks.

I agree. It's completely irrelevant to the celebration.

The Disneyland 50th was really well done - and more exciting. It was advertised, there were huge giveaways, etc.

@@kata7628 I was there on the day the 50th anniversary of Disneyland happened when I was 11 years old. It was very magical

Buzz Lightyear: Space Ranger Spin opened in 1998.

I totally agree with you

Even with the many criticisms of corporate greed that defined the Eisner era, it looks so much better in retrospect when compared to now.

People who scream about how "Disney is Just for Children!" seem to have forgotten Pleasure Island, which was Disney's try and fail at providing a more adult-centered area on the Disney World grounds.

@@quietreader4190 Or the "ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter" attraction.