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[orangarnold]

The people who have signed this, well the majority, will be the types who went once experienced something they didn't like and did the whole huffy never going there again act.

[Kristof]

I've merged both topics. 

[TVTaughtMeHowToFeel]

It looks like the British press has picked up the Save DLP petition story and now the Belgian newspapers are picking it up too.

The biggest Belgian newspaper "Het Laatste Nieuws" published an online article with a poll on the side with this question and options and it has quite an interesting outcome.

Is Disneyland Paris truly in a bad state?

   
• 19% Yes, this summer (1517 votes)   
• 27%  No, I haven't noticed (2169 votes)   
• 9%  It used to, but I don't know now (700 votes)   
• 11%  Yes, it was always like that (858 votes)   
• 34%  I've never been to DLP (2670 votes)

Full article in Dutch: http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/2/Reizen/article/detail/1704900/2013/09/15/Belg-start-petitie-Red-Disneyland-Parijs.dhtml

Even if the percentage of "No, I haven't noticed" is higher than "Yes, this summer". It's still a very bad outcome for DLP. Because if you add the "Yes, it was always like that" and "It used to, but I don't know now" votes, you have a percentage of 39% of readers who have had a bad experience in DLP. And then you have those who never been to DLP (34%). I'm curious how many of them still want to go after they read this article and saw the percentage of peope, who were disappointed.

[ed-uk]

11% said yes it has always been like that " in a bad state " that's just nonsense. The petition has certainly put the boot in though which is a shame. I didn't sign it. When you consider that Disney Dreams is a world class show and the new Ratatouille ride and restaurant is opening in the WDS next year, clearly the Walt Disney Company do care. But they probably would like to see DLP making some sort of profit in the future, i would. I've  always been aware of Euro Disney's financial problems, but i have visited over 20 times and if it had been in such a bad state i would never have gone.
Maybe the biggest mistake the WDC made was building the resort in rainy, snowy northern France. Although i'm glad they did because i can just get on the EuroStar.
Euro Disney was the biggest building project in Europe after the channel tunnel, it certainly didn't lack scale or ambition. I can't think of another theme park resort in Europe like it with two theme parks, seven hotels, Disney Village.  But if people have something to say about maintenance and service in restaurants i have sympathy with that, but the petition in my view went beyond that.

[orangarnold]

I genuinely think three things:


1) Disney would not let something with the Disney name fail. It's that simple.
2) It's a franchise, its not going to be spot on as the Disney owned parks
3) How many of the people actually complain when they're in the park?

[idylles]

I can't compare Paris to the other parks, because I haven't visited those but I honestly think there is nothing wrong at this time, nor has there ever been.  I've always enjoyed Disneyland and I can't agree with the person who started the petition. 


The only thing I might want to see again are the live theatre shows, as a child I saw The Lion King and Tarzan.  I would love to see these shows again.  Plus, I do think the characters of Disneyland aren't that active anymore than they used to be.  There are a few characters visible at the breakfast of a few hotels, and some characters have rounds in the park.  But 'back in the old days' you could see characters walking around the park, you could talk to them, ask a signature, etc...  Now you have to be able to meet them at a specific hour, wait in line with crazy children (or even adults) who can't keep their calm and mostly I would go home with nothing.  By the time I finally get to the character, they are ordered to leave by security.  These things, compared to the past, are a bit negative, but they certainly don't ruin the trip for me.  And these two things don't convince me to sign a petition that says Disneyland is in a bad state, simply because I think it's not. 

That's my opinion on this subject.  Long post oops. 

[orangarnold]

Theatre shows would give it that 'not just a theme park' edge, but I guess it's a staffing cost as much as anything.


In an ideal world the debt wouldn't be there and it would solve a lot

[PrincessA]

They mentioned Phantom Manor, but I thought that by early this year they had completed it's renovation and everything was now working properly.
My last visit was in late 2011, a time where supposedly things started declining, but I didn't notice any signs of it at all. DLP is still wonderful.

[beenmoff1]

.... DLP is still wonderful.

Couldn't agree more! the park is still wonderful!
I think you could have started this petition at any point of the parks life, and found 5,000 people to sign (especially when you think how many million people go every year).
I think what has worried people is that a few things are closing (shows in particular) and there seems to be no long term plan. It doens't take much to make some people very negative.
I am hoping that about the time the ratatouille ride is open they will begin to announce more of a master plan (disneyland california style) where everything will be asessed (including shows). I think DLP is very close to really beginning to kick on and grow and make money.

[Kristof]

Looks like the person who the petition is adressed to will have the final word in this. Bob Iger himself will talk about the petition this evening on Fox Business Network.

Read the article on Orlando Sentinel: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/blogs/tv-guy/os-disney-bob-iger-talks-to-fbn-on-tuesday-20130923,0,6916222.post

[orangarnold]

Looks like the person who the petition is adressed to will have the final word in this. Bob Iger himself will talk about the petition this evening on Fox Business Network.

Read the article on Orlando Sentinel: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/blogs/tv-guy/os-disney-bob-iger-talks-to-fbn-on-tuesday-20130923,0,6916222.post

Impressive, well lets wait and see what happens

[nathalie]

11% said yes it has always been like that " in a bad state " that's just nonsense

I think this also counts for people who went for a first time much later after is was opened.
I can imagine if your first time was in 2009 or so, you might be able to vote that option.
My first visit was in 2004, so years after it opened, so I really can't compare to how it was before that date.

[Josh]

Looks like the person who the petition is adressed to will have the final word in this. Bob Iger himself will talk about the petition this evening on Fox Business Network.

Read the article on Orlando Sentinel: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/blogs/tv-guy/os-disney-bob-iger-talks-to-fbn-on-tuesday-20130923,0,6916222.post

I'm sure he'll spend his time defending the resort and making out nothing is wrong. Even if he has no problems with the amount of repairs, he won't be able to defend the lack of shows or the lack of expansion. I hope the journalists interviewing him will have done their research.

[shewholaughs]

The first time I ever went was December of the year it opened and they were so short-staffed there was no breakfast was served in the restaurant - it was left in a little cardboard Happy Meal style box outside the lifts on each floor. As a child I thought this was brilliant - breakfast in bed every day! I didn't think it was bad then, and I've loved even more every time I've been back as an adult.

I don't think DLP gives the Disney franchise a bad name, I don't think it's in worse shape than either of the US parks, and having been to the California park two years ago and back to DLP since, I now think DLP is better. Compared to other theme parks and resorts, DLP is still miles and miles better. The only thing I dislike is the cold weather - and even that's not that bad!

[ed-uk]

When the resort first opened i don't remember Disney serving breakfast in the hotels like they do now, at least not at the Santa Fe where we were staying twenty years ago. Breakfast cost extra and we got ourselves a bun or cake in the park.