Nostalgia Redux

Meanwhile… back on Facebook, and no I am not dead, gone or absent. Just distracted.

A few folks lately have been on their horse about changes to Disney theme parks or suggesting that Disney bring back attractions from the past. As the British Prime Minister of fond of saying, “I refer the gentleman to the answer I gave some moments ago”. Or just to say I won’t retread some past posts once more.

While I am not enamored with some things (She’s not my Redhead!), it appears that some folks will never understand why some attractions are gone forever, no matter how much the faithful hue ad cry for their return.

A case in point seen above – I made many a voyage down the Rivers of America aboard both the Bertha Mae and the Gullywhumper. And I was sad to see them sail off into the proverbial sunset in Anaheim. In today’s world of equal and safe access for all theme park guests, Federal regulations (specifically the Americans with Disabilities Act) would render a new Keel Boat impractical. To safely and securely load guests with special needs would have passenger loading numbers too low in the modern world of theme park operations. Just the design of a new keel boat would have so many restrictions (seat belts, life preservers and flotation devices, stairway size, hand rails, non slip surfaces, etc., etc.) that the final product would never see production. Practical it would not be.

Yes, I think a new water craft, say something smaller than the Mark Twain or Columbia, but larger than a Keel Boat, would make sense. It could be operated with less crew than some and with modern construction methods and materials perhaps require less maintenance. Even one of the small watercraft from Walt Disney World might do.  And who knows? Maybe someone at the Company thinks along those same lines.

The same holds true with the much lamented PeopleMover. Bringing it back is no simple task. Especially the trackway. After Rocket Rods and the creation of stresses that the structure was never designed to withstand, the investment required to replace it is of such an amount that would never be approved. Disney’s sharp pencil folks in the fiscal side of the house of Mouse just won’t go there.

Not to mention that all of Tomorrowland is real estate with a future. Consider that much of the infrastructure is living past it’s prime. Some buildings go back to opening bay and others have just lived lucky, thanks to maintenance cycles. I see demolition and redevelopment all about the land once Star Wars: Galaxies Edge settles in for what Disney hopes is a long and productive life.

As Yoda remarked, “Always is motion is the future.”

Disney needs to make something new and exciting to keep customers coming. Especially new customers, as they really fund the day to day operations by coming for that once in a lifetime adventure. Often that comes after someone tells that mythical family of 3.2 kids and 2 adults from Peoria about their trip and all the new things they saw and did.

Terminal Nostalgia; look it up.

I may not always like the new, but I would rather go forward than backwards. Been there, done that and have the t-shirts.