I'm curious how much they depreciate in value over time.
The d&b audiotechnik system over at Fantasmic gets doused with hundreds of gallons of water, pyrotechnics and flames during each performance. I'm curious who'd be interested in them unless they're a very specific collector.
Of course, I'm sure Disney maintains their equipment to the highest degree as well, so who knows...
I can't say very much for the indoor audio gear at Disneyland, but I can say from the many outdoor speakers I've gotten from there that Disney keeps their audio systems in top shape. The only reason why Disney decided to replace the old speakers wasn't because they no longer worked, it was because the grills were coming loose and were becoming a hazard to anyone that walked underneath them. Also, they decided it was time to replace them because parts were becoming scarce.
Since then, Disneyland has by-far the most advanced and best-sounding park-wide PA systems in existence. Though I am proud to call Universal my home, I am rather envious of the thought and money Disney puts into their park sound systems.
As for value, their monetary value is quite low after they are removed from the park because of the sheer amount of hours they've racked up over the years, however, because of their history, they have a lot of sentimental value to a lot of people.
Who is interested in the former park speakers? Me. I guess you could call me a collector.
I've collected speakers from both Universal Parks in the US and both US Disney Parks, for no other reason than they are quite a conversation piece. I bought a custom-built speaker from CityWalk Orlando because I thought it looked cool. I bought a cylindrical speaker with a 360 degree coverage pattern from Walt Disney World because I knew I could use it in my backyard for parties.
HOWEVER, I bought the Disneyland Main Street speakers, not because they looked cool, but because they played a key role in why I love theme park music. I grew up listening to several parades and shows through those speakers, as have over 150,000,000 people. The first thing people hear when they enter the park is music playing through those speakers. I just find that quite cool to have a (little unorthodox) piece of Disneyland history in my living room.
Sorry for my long ramble. I know this is a Universal forum, but I took an opportunity and took it
-Mitch