To say that Disney has grown too big to be contained by the screen alone would be a grand and glorious understatement. With 12 official Disney theme parks scattered across the globe, a fleet of cruise ships, and countless other magical experiences, it doesn't take much to find the mouse in our daily lives.
Disney's latest big announcement was the opening of a new park in Abu Dhabi, bringing the magic to the Middle East. Although many were obviously thrilled, some (like this writer), believe that Disney should work on updating the original parks before opening yet another venue overseas.
Time for a magical makeover, what Disney should do first
It can be so easy to criticize Disney and the Disney Parks these days. It just seems like its the culturally appropriate thing to do. However, there are indeed some serious problems that The Walt Disney Company undeniably needs to address.
You can blame a change in audiences, a corporate shift, or a drastically different culture, but Disney's magical gleam has been dimming for years, and something needs to be done. It would be impossible to nitpick every single issue that needs fixing, but we can certainly narrow down the most prominent issues.
Repair, Recycle, and Refurbish
Reports of rides, attractions, and even entire park areas falling into a state of disrepair have been circulating for a long time. By the once-golden Disney standards, guests shouldn't be exposed to so many features in the condition they are.
One of the most obvious paths of action Disney needs to take is fix what is knowingly broken. Otherwise, the attractions might become infamous for being broken down, much like our yeti friend still stuck in "Disco Mode" in Expedition Everest. Not exactly a look Walt would want.
All in this Together!
Much has been said about how Disney has treated its cast members in recent years, and not much has been very positive. Reports of overworked and overpaid staff at the so-called "happiest places on earth" is more than a little demystifying.
Working at Disney should be a dream experience, but it's hard to find magic while fighting for a living wage or even getting shot in resident housing. It takes hundreds of dutiful and dedicated cast members to make the magic happen for guests, and Disney needs to ensure they are compensated and cared for to keep the parks from falling apart.
Know the Audience
One of the biggest problems facing the entirety of the Disney brand today is that it has forgotten how to play to a massive audience. Recent identity issues have ultimately led to the spiraling decline of the Disney image, and it's only now working its way back up the ladder.
It seems like Disney can't decide if the studio should appeal to Disney Adults, modern contemporary movie-goers, conservatives, liberals, or whatever, and the dependable family-friendly audience gets washed away in the process. This is a topic we've discussed before, but it only seems to show small, incremental change.
Long story short, there is no one true solution to getting Disney back up on its feet. One thing that can be said for certain is that it will take time. It will be years before the Abu Dhabi place opens its gates, but (hopefully) there will be new magic at the House of Mouse before then.
Where would you start fixing Disney?