Disney World announces... nothing significant

Rumor has it that Disney is now "coasting" with MK and the rest of WDW, and that the only big project for awhile will be DCA re-do...

I'd be happy with no new attractions for a while if they spent some time getting WDW up to the same standards as DLR. They have done some marvelous things out in California for several years now. Whenever I go to WDW I just don't get the same magical feeling I do at DLR. DLR is always much better maintained and the attractions are always a step about their Florida counterparts.

The MK is in serious need of some major refurb, most of the AAs are clicking, and rides are really showing their age. In no particular order COP, SM, PPF, SWSA, HOP, ETR, and JC are in the most need of a refurb, with POTC (which did not get a total refurb when the movie stuff was added,) and SM not far behind.

Also a new parades would really be nice, especially a night parade on par with some of the over seas parks. Those parades are really old, I still love Spectro but I think its time to get something new.

DS the last time I was there was pitiful, I know they are working on it, but it was really bad. Also, I hope to God that the Fantasmic slow down is so they can actually refurb some of it, because it is needed and not just simply because they hope AI will allow them to d/c Fantasmic quietly (but I doubt it.) I suspect that attendance, especially in the afternoon/evening is going to suffer greatly once Fantasmic goes biweekly, because frankly I have no desire to see fellow guests sing as my main nightime entertainment when I can go see Wishes and Spectro or Illuminations instead and I doubt most other people do either. They should have the big show right after the afternoon parade, with Fantasmic as the night cap starting a few hours later, that way you trap people at the park for dinner and if you want to see all the shows and do all the rides turn DS into a full fleged 2 day experience, like the MK and Epcot.

^ I think my head just exploded reading all those acronyms ;)

Seriously, would it kill you to spell out some of the names? I don't know what you're talking about.

Is "DS" supposed to be Disney Hollywood Studios? If so, I'm not sure what to tell, you but the last two times I was there I found myself coming back to it. I like it there. I like the rides, I like the shows and I like the atmosphere. The only thing that really bothers me is that there aren't any top notch places to eat. The Sci-Fi Cafe is kinda fun, but the food is somewhat mediocre.

^DS=Disney Studios. I do enjoy it there, but the last time I was there the park was in a lot of disrepair. The restrooms were dirty, and some of the theming had regressed to Six Flagsesque disrepair. I love Tower of Terror and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Great Movie Ride and they all looked great (except there was some broken effects in the Movie Ride.) Fantasmic is my favorite night show at Disney World, but some of the sets looked really old this time and in need of fixing (Steamboat.) The shows are all great but after you have seen the Indy Stunt Show 2-3 times, you dont really want to see it again (even if those 2-3 times is streched out over a decade, Im not a yearly visitor.) But the ride that has seen the most cuts and in desperate need of attention in the Backlot tour, its gotten worse every time Ive gone there, to the point if/when I get back there I doubt Ill go on it again.

The Pixar fix, is I think a great thing that will be helping that park a lot, but I sincerely hope they continue the revitalization beyond that as well to the Echo Lake area (Lucasland needs a major refurb, Backlot area needs something new.) Lastly, as I said before I sincerely hope they dont try to turn American Idol into the new nightime entertainment show and cut Fantasmic, I think that it will really hurt that park. As a whole I have serious doubts about American Idol in the first place (how in the world are they going to find people with talent every day, and do you really expect people to go see the primilarinary, midday and final show? I hope not, for one you dont have the theatre space to fit everyone for that final show and two, I dont think you will have the talent,) but why would they go and take the thing out of the park that finally turned it into an "all day park" for most guests.

As for food, its 50s Prime Time Cafe all the way. The second night we are usually there, were coming from somewhere else so usually dinner is either early and at that park or at a resort (usually we go there for a week which amounts to 7.5 days at a park, 2 days at the Magic Kingdom, 2 days at Epcot, 1.5 days at MGM, .5 days at Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach and Animal Kingdom or something similar.)

^^ Some of my best dining experiences were at Disney's Hollywood Studio. I visit 50's Prime Time Cafe on every visit, sometimes twice. Last time we did Mama Melroses and enjoyed that, and we did the Brown Derby the time before that and it was awesome, too.

We also found ourselves coming back to that park a few times during a visit several times. Second best of the WDW parks IMHO.

If you hit the studios on a less busy day or you are smart about touring I could see studios being a half or three quarters of a day. Although frankly if it is quiet day I want a ton of re-rides on Toy Story Midway Mania. That was one of the most enjoyable and re-rideable attractions that I have seen in a long, long time. It should just get better over time if they have the impetus to change the software to add more randomness and new scenes.

I do agree that the Magic Kingdom could really use a refurb or have additional attractions. Just look at overhead imagery and you will see tons of land being used for attractions that don't do a lot for me. However with that said, the MK draws a lot of people for nostalgia reasons as well as for people giving their kids a Disney experience. These aren't the audiences that will be clamoring for something new or refurbed because the appeal is the things that are already there.

Theonly thing that really bothers me is that there aren't any top notch places to eat. The Sci-Fi Cafe is kinda fun, but the food is somewhat mediocre.

I second the Brown Derby recommendation. The seared tuna is very good.

My reaction to the original article is that the Disney fans are a bunch of whiners. In the last four years, the resort has added Toy Story in Studios (home run), Everest and the Nemo musical in Animal Kingdom (both home runs), and Soarin' in Epcot (home run).

Add to that a pretty good show in Lights Motors Action and a solid upgrade to the Studios parade; some very nice upgrades to Spaceship Earth, Haunted Mansion, Small World, and Pirates; and several solid-but-not-great second-tier offerings (the Seas, Canada, and Mexico revamps in Epcot, Monsters in MK, etc.) Word is that the Country Bears are finally getting a new soundsystem (i.e. one that works), too.

The resort has hardly been just sitting around letting stuff collect dust. Especially given that Toy Story probably still has legs in terms of marketing power, I don't begrudge a year without the Big Fall Announcement.

Kick The Sky said:
^^ Some of my best dining experiences were at Disney's Hollywood Studio. I visit 50's Prime Time Cafe on every visit, sometimes twice. Last time we did Mama Melroses and enjoyed that, and we did the Brown Derby the time before that and it was awesome, too.

We also found ourselves coming back to that park a few times during a visit several times. Second best of the WDW parks IMHO.

Odd, I find DHS has the worst food on property, tied with MK. I think 50's Prime Time is just decent and over priced. Rather spend less on fast food and save it to go to a nicer place, like Jiko...

Especially given that Toy Story probably still has legs in terms of marketing power, I don't begrudge a year without the Big Fall Announcement.

And that's even before TS3 hits in 2 years.

^ - 50's primetime has been decent when I've gone. We had the dining plan though, so that may have helped. The food isn't knock me down great, but the atmosphere seems to make up for it.

COP, SM, PPF, SWSA, HOP, ETR, and JC

I just spent a week and a half at Disney earlier this month, and I have no idea what any of that stuff is except for Space Mountain.

^ I agree completely with John. The 50's Prime Time food may not be the best overall food (although the pot roast is REALLY good), it is the atmosphere and the servers that really do it for me. Ask for Auntie Claire if you go. She is THE best of all of them. She has a scrapbook of all the customers that have sent her letters and pictures over the year. We have sent her three pictures thus far from our previous visits.

Also, to chime in on the "need" for expansion once again, I do think that Disney fans have been a bit spoiled the last few years. There has always been some major attraction or event being touted every year. With the Year of a Million Dreams coming to a close after a very successful 50th Anniversary for DL, it has been non-stop hoopla at the parks. I for one am glad there will be nothing new as I can take a few years off and go somewhere else :)

Brian Noble said:
but-not-great second-tier offerings (the Seas, Canada, and Mexico revamps in Epcot, Monsters in MK, etc.)

I think Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor is underrated. It might not be a home run, but I'd call it a triple.

COP: Carosel of Progress
SM: Space Mountain
PPF: Peter Pan's Flight
SWSA: Snow White's Scary Adventures
HOP: Hall of Presidents
ETR: Enchanted Tiki Room
JC: Jungle Cruise

I figured that the group that brought us MF, TTD, SROS, B:TR, etc, would actually know them. I must visit too many Disney sites, I see those shortenings all the time.

See, I was thinking that HOP was House Of Pancakes...

^ I believe that's IHOP :) Damn, now I'm hungry for pancakes!

it has been non-stop hoopla

Sadly, the hoopla (HOOPLA!) ends tomorrow.

I think Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor is underrated. It might not be a home run, but I'd call it a triple.

It certainly is fun. But, somehow, it doesn't work nearly as well as Crush. I'm not sure if it's because the Crush space is smaller and more intimate, or if it's just that the premise of Crush leads to a better show.

^Im going to have to agree with Crush being a bit better than Monsters, Inc. Its a bit less scripted than Monsters Inc is mostly due to the fact the show relies on the audience, specifically the questions the children can ask of Crush and how his response to those questions are.

Monsters follows a more set pattern, with occasional jabs at random guests and text message jokes, but very linear all the same. Occasionally Ive seen them ask a question or make an audience member preform some kind of shenanigan, but I think the smaller more "intimate' setting, as well as the ability to diverge off the script a bit more certainly makes Crush my choice. .