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View Full Version : A couple of weeks afterwards...impressions of my last visit to DL



fjhuerta
06-27-2005, 04:59 PM
I've been thinking a lot about my last visit to Disneyland. It had been a while since I had last visited the Park (4 years), and I visited it with mixed feelings.

I was wondering whether the Magic had disappeared since the last 15 years or so (the time of my first visit). I also thought that maybe Disneyland is a relic of a bygone era, made irrelevant by huge parks like the Orlando ones, or Las Vegas. Furthermore, I was thinking about the long-term damage Downtown Disney and California Adventure brought to the property.

All in all, I think my worries were mostly unfounded. With a few exceptions. That said... here are my main concerns about the future of DL:

1) Disneyland, the Park vs. Disneyland, the Resort. I used to think DL had a laser-like focus in its goal: to make families have fun together. I feel DL, the Resort, has a much broader, and less heroic goal: to make the Walt Disney Company as much $$$ as possible with as little investment as it possibly can. I feel Downtown Disney is so out of place in Disneyland as to be ridiculous. Step into the main park - be lost in a perfect fantasy world. Step into DD - be in a perfectly standard suburban mall. Want to buy a Teddy Bear? Shades? Lots of chinese made Disneyland stuff you can get anywhere else? That's what DD is for! Which brings me to...

2) Merchandising. I'm not against it... on the contrary... I suppose it's part of the overall experience. Sadly, it's not done very tastefully. I seem to remember a time when stores had specific merchandise to them. Now, the emporium has the exact same things you can find anywhere else... and the Disney store at DD has the cheapest stuff you can imagine for the highest prices you'd ever pay. I tried to get the 6 CD collection - sold out. I tried to get the leather jacket. An ugly one was almost $400, while a great one at DisneyDirect was $219!

3) California Adventure. Yes, I know. Talking about California Adventure is like kicking a kid. Still - who on earth greenlighted that thing. It would be a good thing, if it hadn't Disneyland right in front of it. To charge the same admission price to that park is an abomination and an extortion. Frankly, I get mad just thinking about it because I can't seem to forget it *could* have been DisneySea. Just looking at the cheapness of the park, at its horrid design and its lackluster copycat attractions (it looks like half of the MGM Studios) makes me sad. Walt Disney would have never approved.

The good things... well, they are all inside of Disneyland. As I said before, the park is simply stunning. It looks better than ever. It's better than I could have ever imagined. The fireworks are out of this world. Walt still walks around there. I can't feel but loving the place - there's something special about it, and I guess I'll never know what it is.

That, and the feeling I get when I remember those old home movies when I watch my grandmother walking throughout the park... and when I remember my cousin's family and me walking around the place with her daughters... I can't believe how strong certain traditions are. I can imagine myself going over there with my family, someday.

I guess when there's love in all you do, the results really show up. Nobody has been able to top you yet, Uncle Walt :)

Shortiemetoo
06-27-2005, 05:08 PM
The best part about DD is that the people there are NOT in disneyland!! ;)

fjhuerta
06-27-2005, 05:19 PM
The best part about DD is that the people there are NOT in disneyland!! ;)

HA! I never thought about it that way!!! :fez:

rentayenta
06-27-2005, 05:40 PM
1) Disneyland, the Park vs. Disneyland, the Resort. I used to think DL had a laser-like focus in its goal: to make families have fun together. I feel DL, the Resort, has a much broader, and less heroic goal: to make the Walt Disney Company as much $$$ as possible with as little investment as it possibly can. I feel Downtown Disney is so out of place in Disneyland as to be ridiculous. Step into the main park - be lost in a perfect fantasy world. Step into DD - be in a perfectly standard suburban mall. Want to buy a Teddy Bear? Shades? Lots of chinese made Disneyland stuff you can get anywhere else? That's what DD is for! Which brings me to...





I felt the same way about DTD until we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. I don't love DTD and it's very touristy but it's nice to walk through on the way back to the hotel. I don't have the temptation to spend in DTD (other than the WOD) because I can get that stuff anywhere.