Why does the 40th seem so quiet this year?

[DAR]

I've been wondering if Disney was going to do anything special this year for the 40th anniversary of WDW and it seems like it's just another year. Has anything popped up?

[supernova]

Been discussed a few times. I guess they're just gearing up for 50. Right now, all of their money is tied up with the Fantasyland expansion, I suppose.

[eeyore79]

yesterday on their twitter it was announced that something special was going to happen for guests of the magic kingdom....but they didnt say what!?

lou says he is going to be in the mk for the start of the 40 hour show to find out!!

[BamaJenn]

Remember too... they released a TON of merchandise for the 40th. That may not seem like much but they don't always go as merch crazy as they have for this one.

[DAR]

But I'm talking from a national level. Sure they might be something in the parks and maybe it's a local Orlando story. But I haven't seen any ad campaigns.

[BamaJenn]

From that perspective I think all the work going on during the 40th (Fantasyland, Downtown, Frontierland, etc. etc. etc.) is what's getting the press instead. Almost like "It's been 40 years and look what we're doing next!"

[eeyore79]

From that perspective I think all the work going on during the 40th (Fantasyland, Downtown, Frontierland, etc. etc. etc.) is what's getting the press instead. Almost like "It's been 40 years and look what we're doing next!"

that makes sense...i agree!!

[HauntedGabe]

I'd say a chunk of guests in Epcot on the 25th didn't even realize there was a mini acknowledgement by Disney. If it wasn't for the uprising of the Floridian Fanbase that token likely wouldn't have happened.

Merchandise is pure profit. Anniversaries and Birthdays (Mickey's) take planning and outlay. The new Disney doesn't seem to put much stock into the revenue returns on their investment. Me, I'd rather see a 40th, with a look back and a look forward over their current MK theme.

[NC_WDW_Daddy]

Looks like the various forums and podcasts are celebrating the 40th more than the company. Maybe 40 is not a "big" one and we'll have to wait for the 50th.

[HauntedGabe]

True. Plus the MK is a mess right now. Hard to party with all the boards, cranes etc. I'd tend to agree about the 50th but they didn't care about the 25th of Epcot. But the 50th is 10 years off and at the rate they are firing and/or retiring the Disney higher ups, we might have a whole new group in there by the 50th.

[MissMEY]

Wouldn't it be great to see lots of 'rare' character meet n greets going on?

[Mo Noyz]

From that perspective I think all the work going on during the 40th (Fantasyland, Downtown, Frontierland, etc. etc. etc.) is what's getting the press instead. Almost like "It's been 40 years and look what we're doing next!"

Frontierland? What's going on there?

[supernova]

True. Plus the MK is a mess right now. Hard to party with all the boards, cranes etc. I'd tend to agree about the 50th but they didn't care about the 25th of Epcot. But the 50th is 10 years off and at the rate they are firing and/or retiring the Disney higher ups, we might have a whole new group in there by the 50th.

I remember being there for the 25th year. Outside of an announcement on the monorail, I cannot rememer what else they had. Didn't they have some sort of dedication ceremony, where they dumped water from all nations into the Fountain? Or was that for something else. I remember paper goods, too, but that might have been for the MK's 25th. Someone mentioned earlier that the cups are all generic. Not just in papergoods, but also the resort mugs. At one time, you had seperate mugs for different resorts. Now it's just some generic Mickey face nonsense. Shame, really.

[BamaJenn]

Frontierland? What's going on there?

They are refurbing all the buildings (repainting, fixing etc.) as well as the Frontierland Arcade refurb.

[Thom Morrow]

I have heard that here are BIG things all around the world being lined up for the 50th. I am not a big fan of too much hype surrounding any other anniversaries than the biggest. the 50th will be huge.