does this summer mean a return to the good old days at Disneyland?

[DLandFamily]

I'm a new member, this is actually my first post, but I'd like to add my two cents here. I think the golden age of disneyland is long over. It ended in 1966. The problem is that no one could love that park more than Walt himself. It wasn't just a park to him, it was his Life. After Walt it became a business, and like any business it's goal is to make as much money and spend as little of it as possible. Now that Disney is so huge in scope, the parks just become a division and a budget to manage. If people will come to the park in droves as they do, business edict says that your fine and why spend more money? Also disney has not really had much competition lately, but as we all see from IOA, disney better be careful because US is quickly catching up.

[DisneyDreams714]

hopefully its a start in the right direction... next on the list should be a total revamp of tomorrowland

[Princess Victoria]

I'm a new member, this is actually my first post, but I'd like to add my two cents here. I think the golden age of disneyland is long over. It ended in 1966. The problem is that no one could love that park more than Walt himself. It wasn't just a park to him, it was his Life. After Walt it became a business, and like any business it's goal is to make as much money and spend as little of it as possible. Now that Disney is so huge in scope, the parks just become a division and a budget to manage. If people will come to the park in droves as they do, business edict says that your fine and why spend more money? Also disney has not really had much competition lately, but as we all see from IOA, disney better be careful because US is quickly catching up.

Good first post. I think Walt was a huge part of Disneyland's success. It was really his baby. If he had passed it along for others to do, or if it had happened after his passing, it wouldn't have been the same. When you walk down Main Street (probably the least changed land of the park since his time), you feel him. I'm sure the Main Streets at the other Magic Kingdom parks are nice, but I doubt you can replicate that same feeling. DL is the only Disney park that Walt himself walked and experienced in operation. I think that's part of what makes DL special. Nowadays the whole Disney business is an overgrown empire that is continually growing itself by acquiring other properties and cramming merchandise into nearly every possible outlet. It's hard to go to grocery stores, department stores, or specialty stores without seeing something Disney. You can't escape the Disney company. Is this all good for their bottom line? Of course. But their line is a bottomless pit, and all it takes is a single park visit to realize this.