It always helps a family film's staying power if future family films flop (Turbo/Smurfs 2) -- because there is better chance that those films will take the hit from a film like planes rather than DM2.
I object to the notion that critics played a significant role in giving Pixar their high cred. Their cred was built on their early movies, TS2, MI, FN and TI, plain and simple **(the point in time where they started putting them out consistently)
I object to internet posters and/or critics being called their "die-hard" fans. These movies are made for the parents who bring their multiple children to the theatre. Not the YA (mostly) who latched on a long time ago and believe that their connection to the internet makes them superior fans to the broader GA.
MU was the most perfect movie they've made since TS3, it erased the obvious production flaws of the past two films. Why are people still complaining?
Got back from 8PM WWZ -- probably 85% full, but when we bought tickets at about 7:20 --- virtually all of the MU showtimes at our theatre were sold out for the non-3D showings.