Mouse Extra

Jeff from Mousevine has a piece today that takes to task MiceAge’s Kevin Yee and his “Decling by Degrees” column.  For those who don’t read MiceAge, Mr. Yee is cataloging everything from burnt out light bulbs and un-themed trash cans, to bird-droppings, chewed gum, and any ride detail that may not be working when he happens to be on it.  The theory is that Disney World guests “have been subjected to a steadily decreasing emphasis on excellence from Disney for some time.” (12/5 column)

Here’s part of Jeff’s conclusion…

Kevin Yee’s series “Declining By Degrees” isn’t a documentary of how Walt Disney World is lesser than it was. It’s an example of how repeatedly returning to the parks results in a cynical experience for himself. Reading the Web of families returning to a lesser experience after a year or two years or five years isn’t a testament to what Disney once was, it’s a testament to how nothing can ever beat the nostalgia of our first time.

This is an interesting theory and I think Jeff is right to a certain extent, though I am sure neither of us can speak for Mr. Yee.  So for argument’s sake, let’s take Mr. Yee’s motivation out of the equation and discuss only the idea.  He is by no means the only person who regularly whines about conditions at Disney World.  But are the conclusions true?  Are conditions steadily decreasing at the Mouse?

I don’t think so, that happened long ago.  This argument has been going on for years and years, though I think some people tend to forget that for one reason or another.  As new management comes in and out, budgets change.  As employment turns over, the quality of work ebbs and flows.   This is true for everywhere, so why is Disney World any different?  Yes, Walt Disney set the bar in this regard, and his predecessors have failed to reach that bar to varying degrees.  But this is not representative of a steadying decline currently taking place.

The problem is not that Disney World is deemphasizing the details.  Can anyone honestly say that the newest attractions at the Mouse are lacking in detail?  But for the person walking around looking for bird excrement in what sometimes can seem like the seagull capitol of the world, it will always be easy to find some to photograph.  But can anyone honestly conclude that the place is dirty because of that?  In fact, I believe that maintenance has actually improved over the last 5 years.  But like Jeff says, if you spend time looking for it, you tend to compare it to times when you didn’t spend time looking for it.

Since the dreaded Michael Eisner took over, we have heard this complaint.  If things are truly declining, then after 20-plus year the place should look like the typical amusement park, filled with rust and garbage.  It does not.  It looks like a wonderful imaginative place that is having hard time keeping up with the seagulls.