Marcie: Disneyland's Golden Anniversary

[DisneyHeartJonathan]

I think there is deflation, inflation principle going on here.

There was so much hype about the 50th that there was going to be no way they could meet the hype. If they deflate the expectations then when everything happens a few short years from now everyone with think is turned out Great!

I would expect Disneyland to have a lot more intimate experiences during the 50th. It is just what makes Disneyland special. Those are a lot harder to sell, they just have to be experienced.

Am I disappointed with the amount of Big Ticket items for the 50th - yes, a bit.

I would expect that by the time the whole thing washes out they will put on a great show.

Only question: What is the E-ticket attraction that they are going to open towards the end of the 50th? No dirt has moves anywhere around DL? We all know how long it takes them to get a E-ticket up and running. My only hope is that we would see something starting to happen after Pooh opens. Final construction would have to be happening during the beginning of the 50th with testing happening during the summer and opening in the Fall. (strange opening - unless they are trying to hit the holiday crowd). Are they not really talking about it so they can get a double dip of guest for the 50th?

A lot a questions answered and so many more created.

[TP2000]

"There was so much hype about the 50th that there was going to be no way they could meet the hype."

I disagree. Certainly there was hype. Some of it was unofficial and generated by Online personalities, and some of it was official and generated by big Disney execs like Cynthia Harris and Marty Sklar. But when you look at the hype both of these groups created, it wasn't way-out there "Send a man to Mars" kind of unreality. It all seemed plausible, certainly doable, and very impressive. It was all stuff that could have easily happened, if the will was really there.

And it was all stuff that Disney could easily tackle when you look at the point of reference of other giant projects Disney has pulled off in the recent and distant past.

Look at all of the new attractions Disneyland received during calendar year 1967; some brand new and some updated things from the World's Fair.... Pirates, Carousel of Progress, PeopleMover, Adventure Thru Inner Space, Mission To Mars, Tomorrowland Terrace, etc.

Look at all of the new things Disneyland opened in within days of each other in June, 1959; Matterhorn Bobsleds, Submarine Voyage, Motorboat Cruise, New Tomorrowland and Fantasyland Autopias, Monorail system.

Look at the amazing entertainment lineup Tokyo Disneyland puts on, with two or three different HUGE parades swapped out within a 12 month period. And while they simultaneously open amazing E Tickets like their Winnie The Pooh.

Just look at 1997, when Disneyland debuted Light Magic and Hercules Victory Parade in the same summer, while they continued with Hunchback Festival of Fools, Spirit of Pocahontas, Fantasmic! and the old Fantasy In The Sky fireworks. Heck, in the summer of '97 they even still had the mountain climbers on the Matterhorn every afternoon.

All of the things that were part of the 50th "hype" were within that past realm of possibility, when you use all of those previous landmark years as a point of reference.

But now the "FABULOUS!" 50th Anniversary that Cynthia Harris herself talked about boils down to one new parade replacing the old turkey that has overstayed it's welcome, a reworking of the Believe show, a maintenance rehab on Space Mountain with artistically questionable Stitch overlays shoehorned in, and lots of sparkly gold decorations on Main Street light posts. Oh yeah, and don't forget about the opportunities to buy lots of pins and other "limited edition" knick-knacks that no one really needs.

There was hype, definitely. But I thought that something as unique and meaningful as Disneyland's Golden Anniversary deserved that type of hype. What is now rumored to happen is just normal Park maintenance, freshening and parade replacements glossed over as a "50th Anniversary" specialty.

I'll be interested to see how TDA spins and markets this if this underwhelming plan actually gets approved. :rolleyes:

[DLMAGICDARREN]

Originally posted by MonorailOrange
New Parade:
Walt rolling over in his grave:
Umm... wasn't Walt cremated?

Walt was creamted and resides at Forest Lawn in Glendale, Southern California. Since the company was so secretive of his death at the time many rumors continue to this day that he was frozen.

[refurbmike]

What happened to the fibre optic castle idea? Marcie never said it was scrapped.

[splashtodd]

Originally posted by refurbmike
I think a lot of the responsibility of the false hopes does lie upon those "sources" who leaked ideas as basically prophecy. I believe Jim Hill started the trend by announcing the "Big 5" refurbs on DCACentral. Then, Marcie added fuel to the fire with announcements of a new monorail fleet, a new CircleVision production, and other happenings. However, atleast Marcie has corrected herself by producing updates to these ideas - although, that doesn't excuse our disappointment.

This statement is pretty hillarious considering most of us readers on these boards are the ones clamoring for people like Marcie to provide "up to the minute" details on what Disney is planning. Perhaps you've heard the phrase "don't crucify the messenger"? If you don't like what is going to be said from those who are in the know, then don't ask to hear about it.

Why do you think Disney doesn't make official announcements about plans until late in the process? To the average Guest, they will never know about the "Big 5 Updates" that were previously rumored to have been under consideration. To the rest of us it will be VERY disappointing because we know what could of been. But that disappointment comes with the territory when you also want to be included in the group that is "in the know".

Perhaps we are merely getting a simple understanding of what it feels like to be Marty Sklar and other WDI folk on a daily basis.

[hippie1kenobi]

Good point splashtodd. To clarify, speaking for myself, I only made comments be ause I thought it was odd for Marcie to put blame soley on one person. I don't fault people because the info changed, and I certainly don't mean to shoot the messenger. I hope it isn't taken that way. Of course we appreciate the info, but were pointing out that it came from multiple sources over the past year; both official and unofficial.

Perhaps we are merely getting a simple understanding of what it feels like to be Marty Sklar and other WDI folk on a daily basis.

Very good point. Must be very frustrating at times.

Anyway, here's a crazy/stupid idea. Maybe the folks behind marketing and merchandising should start selling all the LE 50th Anniversary pins, lithographs, figurines etc now, with the funds generated earmarked for the celebration. That way, Disney fans will get exactly what they pay for.

[SJHYM3]

My disappointment in this comes not from what I read from Jim, Al, Marcie or anyone else along the way. They have all been fairly clear that it was rumor and speculation.

What will disappoint me is if Disney does not offer more that what Marcie is saying they are offering. I believe that it would be a shame for Disney not to take the time to take care of the problems, empty spaces and such in time for the 50th anniversary. WHAT it will show is that Disney really does not believe that Disneyland is its flagship park that started it all. And I will be even more peeved when they try to convince to me to come there because it will be a wonderful celebration despite the fact that the park (especially Tomorrowland) needs some new attractions.

If Disney wishes to keep my business then they should show me that they care about the park. Take care of the sub lagoon, peoplemover track, circlevision, add some of Marcie's suggestions. Otherwise my family will not trek across country for Disneylands 50th

[Goin2Disneyland]

Here's my thoughts on all of this...

The parade: First off, it better be good. And I do mean GOOD. There is one good parade at DLR right now, and it's on hiatus until summer. The other good parade at the resort only runs from Thanksgiving to New Years. POTS was tolerable crap for oh, say about three months after its soundtrack change...and it's STILL HERE....it cannot leave soon enough. I can honestly say I have never seen people sleep through a Disney parade before until this one came along. As for robbing DCA's parade budget, I'd be okay with it as long as they cut DEP from the picture and not Eureka. Someone on some board once said, for God's sake someone put a wooden stake in that thing and kill it once and for all.

New Believe: If it's not broke (which it ain't), don't fix it. Unless it can really be better. They just better be careful with this one.

E-Ticket business: From what I can remember, the 40th anniversary is the only one in the history of Disneyland to coincide with a major E-ticket being built. It worked wonderfully yes, but this is not the usual thing. The 35th consisted of mostly entertainment offerings, as did the 45th (only it sucked, except for Believe). I just can't wait to get some original E-Tickets in DLR...yay!

Overall, I am very excited about the 50th anniversary, and Stitch Mountain sounds excellent to me. Just be thankful they're not trying to retheme Mulholland Madness to Stitch and shoehorn into DCA, ok? ;o)

I am also very happy with Anne Hamburger's continued leadership in the entertainment division. Snow White will be fantastic I'm sure, and if things keep going this way, we could see (are seeing) the return of blockbuster Disney theme park entertainment.

I do wish they would have followed through with the Festival Arena 50th extravaganza though. That would have been tres cool.

Drew :o)

[TP2000]

"E-Ticket business: From what I can remember, the 40th anniversary is the only one in the history of Disneyland to coincide with a major E-ticket being built."

That is true. There isn't much precedence for having a new E Ticket, or any letter attraction, open to coincide and celebrate an Anniversary. But the past Anniversaries also had E Tickets opening within a few years prior to the Anniversary year.

For example:

40th Anniversary, July 1995 -
Indy in March 1995

35th Anniversary, July 1990-
Splash Mountain in 1989
Star Tours in 1987

30th Anniversary, July 1985
Magic Eye Theater in 1985
Videopolis in 1985
New Fantasyland in 1983

25th Anniversary, July 1980
Big Thunder Mountain in 1979
New Matterhorn in 1978
Space Mountain in 1977

Disneyland hasn't had a new attraction since New Tomorrowland in 1998, five full years ago! And look how that even turned out; the Rocket Rods worked sporadically for two years and then closed, and the rest of the land is either turned off, broken, abandoned, or aging quickly like Star Tours, Innoventions and Honey. You have to go a full 10 years into the past to get a new full-fledged E Ticket (Indy) being built prior to the 50th.

And there supposedly isn't a new E Ticket coming until 2006, if we can even believe that rumor. If there is a new E Ticket for '06, we would need to start hearing solid rumors and leaked storylines and ride system news in '03 before actual construction begins in '04. Marcie wasn't able to offer any type of info on this new E Ticket whatsover. We have no idea if it's a thrill ride, what type of ride system it uses, what the theme or plot would be based on, or even what land it would be built in. Things need to firm up very quickly for this rumored mystery E Ticket if it is actually going to open in a little over 3 years time.

You would think the celebration of the Golden Anniversary would have been enough to commission a new E Ticket, or spruce up the hokey old ones like Jungle Cruise and Small World, considering the dearth of new attractions in the past 10 years at Disneyland.

[sweeper]

SO SAD. Unfortunately what I was fearing. Sigh. Yet again TDA is snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Space is the SAME layout? Awe...come on! Why can't anyone figure out a way to at least add some new elements? Why all the money for the same ride? NOT STITCH! The place for him is outside as themed trash cans.

This is beyond disappointing. Once again Disney has taught us to lower our sights and not plan on having our expectations exceeded.

"Be happy with what we're getting?" What the?!?!?!?! That's it. I'm taking my blocks and going home. I am morphing into Grumpy now.