Magic Kingdom (continued)

While Splash Mountain is superior in almost every way in Orlando as far as the show inside goes, the deferred maintenance is seen in the dirty animatronic costumes and the dusty show scenes. At least all the exteriors throughout the park are now kept in check and look to be regularly kept up, you don't see the peeling paint and burned out light bulbs that were common in the Pressler era.

Better interior show, but not as well kept up.

The Country Bears are a shell of what they used to be, and the Carousel of Progress is heartbreaking to see in this less than optimal presentation. The Carousel animatronic faces look like plastic and their jerky movements are showing signs of wear.

They are excited by LaserDiscs, honest.

Main Street lost a lot of its charm when its west side Center Street was eliminated for more store space and its Fire Station was converted into retail a few years ago.

No more shops!

Even the Main Street Cinema was eliminated for more shop and VMK space.

Even more shops.

A construction crane remained deployed over the castle during most of our day, spoiling any shots we wanted to take of it.

Whautta view.

Before I forget, do not, I repeat, do not see the revamped Tiki Room "under new management" show. It just sucks, plain and simple, and there will be no way to get those wasted twenty minutes of your life back.

Animal Kingdom

The most beautiful of the WDW parks is also one of the most compromised from its original vision.

A great reveal as you enter the park.

If Animal Kingdom were a Broadway show it would be praised for its spectacular intermission and first act, then the audience would angrily stalk out of the theater once they discovered there was no more show to see.