Oh the blasphemy! "WDW: 50 years"...

[Aura of Foreboding]

Hey everybody,

I tuned into the Thanksgiving programming today. After the Regis and Kelly Disneyland special (for Thanksgiving, that was recorded in May), I tuned into the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. And what to my wondering eyes did appear, but an advertisement for the 50th Celebration. It started off with the 1955 Disneyland opening day footage with Walt Disney and then went to color. The only problem was as they transitioned from the old footage to the new footage, they replaced Disneyland's Main Street and Sleeping Beauty Castle with WDW's The Magic Kingdom's Main Street and Cinderella Castle. I was like "What the heck!?" The voice said "50 years ago"... "Walt Disney"... and "Walt Disney World" all in one sentence, suggesting that Walt Disney World is turning 50, instead of Disneyland, and suggesting that Walt Disney helped to celebrate the opening of the MK at WDW.

I was also peeved by similar footage on "LIVE", where they started off showing Disneyland 50 years ago, and then just before they showed the castle, they switched it to Walt Disney World. After this ad, the camera faded back to Regis and Kelly in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Audiences must have been like: "Boy, the castle sure has shrunk since they filmed that ad."

It really just irks me to see Disney advertising like Walt Disney World is turning 50, and forgetting about Disneyland. The parade float even said Walt Disney World on it...

Complaining as usual about Disney's advertising,
Aura of Foreboding

[Tinker Bell]

Trust me, you aren't the only one.

[Zimbubba]

Here on the East Coast the focus has been WDW. Except in January 05 when there was a blitz of Disneyland ads.

[SCUBAbe]

dl is crowded enough lately...let them go to wdw..

[MickeyMania]

1: This event is not new
http://www.micechat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12869

2: The Regis and Kelly thing sounds like a screw up, they went to do "Disneyland yesterday and today" and showed WDW instead. I think it's the case of a producer or someone who isn't a big Disney fan not knowing what castle is what. This happens a lot on TV. I've seen the WDW castle used while talking about Disneyland Paris, too.


3: WDW needs the float/commercial time more than Disneyland does. They have a lot of hotel rooms to fill and their attendance isn't what it could be. DL is having such high attendance that there's no need to advertise, as bringing in more people would simply shut down the park at max capacity.

Why invite people across the country to a park that's near capacity on Los Angelenos as it is?

[Kevie]

Ugh! That's so stupid. Stop giving WDW the 50 year credit - they haven't reached it yet! What's next? Giving DCA 50 years when WDW does hit 50?

[SCUBAbe]

I don't see why it matters. wdw is a carbon copy (basically) of dl. the idea is 50+ years old....lighten up....the company will market where it thinks the most money can be earned. DL attendence is high right now. Companies are in business to make money and they will market to meet that goal...I know a lot of people like to view DL through fairy dust covered eyes, btu in the end it's a money making business and DL is doing well without the marketing push...

[FigmentJedi]

Why does WDW have to be a grubbing little brat of a little brother this celebration?

[SCUBAbe]

because they are not going to market for a park that is doing well without it. They will market for a park that can handle and may need more attendence. The bottom line is dollars and cents not nostalgia of what park was there first. especially when all the parks all celebrating.

[aimster]

I just don't like how the commercial is misleading. You know there are people out there who really think WDW turned 50 this year as a result.

[SCUBAbe]

and when all is said and doen it doesn't really matter. I can careless what people know or don't know about the parks. Everyone is not knowledgable about the history of the parks and they don't want to be or have to be. They just want to go and have fun and enjoy themselves. Maybe relax with their families. That is the reason the parks were built.

[Aura of Foreboding]

Here on the East Coast the focus has been WDW. Except in January 05 when there was a blitz of Disneyland ads.

Here on the West Coast, the focus has been on WDW too...

because they are not going to market for a park that is doing well without it. They will market for a park that can handle and may need more attendence. The bottom line is dollars and cents not nostalgia of what park was there first. especially when all the parks all celebrating.

Well, we'll just see if Disneyland will get any ads for Walt Disney World's 50th... My prediction is... NO! Disney World always gets the fame and glory from the advertising department. But my problem is mixing Walt into the whole mess. That's where my issue starts. I mean I am fine with them advertising for Walt Disney World, but this commercial was a little much.

[DoppelV]

Ugh! That's so stupid. Stop giving WDW the 50 year credit - they haven't reached it yet! What's next? Giving DCA 50 years when WDW does hit 50?

What I think will be interesting is next year, when WDW turns 35. I have a feeling that many, many people will be confused when these commercials switch from WDW's "50th", to WDW's "35th", in one year.

I think the commercial overall is in good taste except for the omission of Disneyland. One thing you need to remember is that both of these places are important and special. One thing I've been thinking of recently was this. Yes, Walt had his personal say at Disneyland, but Walt did not design the parks. It was his imagineers, Johnny Hench, Herbie Ryman, Marc Davis, Sammy McKim, and so many others that designed the park FOR Walt. These same artists designed the Magic Kingdom in Florida.

Just remember, although it is a stupid mistake, and it really shouldn't have been made (the mistake), it's still just advertising theme parks. I really wouldn't call it blasphemy, I would call it a dumb slip. There is no theme park god who will smite these guys for making the commercial. Disneyland will always be there, WDW will always be there. I'm happy that WDW took the time to recognize Disneyland at all. One of my newest purchases from WDW is a T-Shirt that reads, "WDW salutes Disneyland for 50 years of Magic".

Remember too, it's not only the 50-year anniversary of Disneyland, it is also the 50-year anniversary of Disney Destinations, of which WDW is a very (if not the most) important part.

[Where's Barbie?]

when WDW does turn 50 will they do anything at any of the others parks? I don't think so