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View Full Version : Disneyland Donors/Civic Restoration Projects



merlinjones
05-30-2002, 09:07 PM
The following is a "positive solutions" idea I posted (under another screenname) several years back on alt.disney.disneyland. I still think it has merit under the circumstances, perhaps moreso now than ever. What do you think?:

>>Here's a wild idea: What if Disneyland were to draw up specific fan pleasing
plans for the return of scenic elements, restorations or specific park
improvements - - in the manner of civic projects - -and solicit funds for
their execution?

Donations could be solicited at specific levels, with a clear dollar goal set
for work to be done (and how the cash is used). Donors would be noted on a
bronze plaque at the attraction, just as if it were a museum or monument. In
this way, lasting improvements could be made to the park's atmosphere that
don't fall under the Company's current moneymaking/reinvestment window.

Projects such as: the return of Captain Hook's Pirate Ship and Skull Rock
(where TB wanted it in 1983) or a full sized Nautilus to lurk in the lagoon
(until a new attraction is approved - - if ever), restoration of the Tiki Room, new Sleeping Beauty walk-through, restoration
of Rocket Jets, Tower of the four Winds, Tomorrowland restoration, original Swiss Family Treehouse restoration, waterfall restoration at ROA, etc.

Whatever. Specific small improvement projects that would be permament park
enhancements that no one will currently pay for.

Plaques would be placed on the projects listing the donors.

Are there other geeks out there would would pay to sponsor something like
Captain Hook's Ship - - so they can tell their kids that it partly belongs to
them? I would. And I think there would be alot of others. What do you think?

This might be a way to get money from people that are tired of worthless
merchandise and put it to good use - - and those wanting to leave a mark would
use their cash in a far more worthwhile way than buying a brick on the road to
nowhere.:)


I'll recap more of the detailed follow up posts here if there is interest in the subject. There were alot of good contributions on this topic.

Nigel2
05-30-2002, 09:12 PM
Well odds are they can't do this (well without a heavy tax) since this would be for a profit and it would not be a public good.:) But I am sure there are people who would pay (not a lot of people though) to have an old ride put in, as long as it didn't remove an existing attraction.

Tigertail777
05-31-2002, 02:46 PM
They would have to figure a way to implement it (which shouldn't be too hard), but once started, and positively used, I think fans would go for this in a big way. A nice touch would be to have Disney artists make a special certificate for each attraction or ride that was made, and to send them to the people who donated. Maybe even have a special "Disney helpers" only night for the new attraction where they have a party to celebrate it---like a refurbished tiki room could have a special lua for the people who helped (even if you had to pay for the ticket, I think most people would go to be part of something special in Disneyland History), they could even make a handful of souvineers specific to the event that people could purchase and have those proceeds go to the upkeep of that same attraction. I mentioned something lke this in a old thread, but I still think its a great idea.

Ace
05-31-2002, 05:28 PM
can you imagine the flack we'd get from people if we donated to Disney instead of an orphanage?

MonorailMan
05-31-2002, 06:32 PM
I will say this:

If I every get over $10,000,000 I will donate 1,000,000 to disney, only if they fix tomorrowland. :)

Tigertail777
05-31-2002, 07:58 PM
did you see that Diseny is selling an actual monorail cab on e-bay right now? Just thought you should know seeing as how your such a nut for the monrail.

MonorailMan
05-31-2002, 08:26 PM
Originally posted by Tigertail777
did you see that Diseny is selling an actual monorail cab on e-bay right now? Just thought you should know seeing as how your such a nut for the monrail.

Yes, I so wish I had the money to buy it. :(

Nigel2
05-31-2002, 09:38 PM
I am surprised the cab doesn't cost over 10k to ship.:D But odds are disney would also be against it since they would basically have to figure out a way to let guests ride that ride for free without park admission, kind of like Independance hall at knotts (interesting field trip), or do they charge for that as well?:)

tredla
05-31-2002, 10:05 PM
Art exibits and museums are not free because there are facility mantaince needs just like an attraction woud have and i woudn't have aproblem paying to go to an attraction even if the money was a donation.

Nigel2
05-31-2002, 10:20 PM
Not quite, if they charge admission to everyone actually enter the attraction (getty doesn't count since they charge to park not to enter) funded by donations then it wouldn't be a public good since it is excludable which would also mean that the donations would be taxed. Plus the money that comes from museums that charge an entry fee go to pay to keep the place running (also supplimented with government grants) and not to turn a profit.:)

Tigertail777
06-01-2002, 01:18 AM
I am not sure how California works, but here in Oregon we have a small amusement park that is historical, and applied for, and got nonprofit status, and you sure still pay to ride the rides and eat the food (boy do you pay!). You don't pay for an entrance fee anymore, but the rides and food more than make up for it! But they proudly proclaim on all of their advertising that they are non-profit, despite that it is run by the same people, and I am guessing that in reality they make more profit than they did before they became non-profit because they no longer pay much of anything for ride upkeep-- the state, and federal government pay for well over half of it. Something tells me if they could do it, then Disney certaintly could...I'll bet tiki room alone could win a historical landmark status as the first major use of animatronics. Not to mention other parts of the park.