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Of Course, the same could be said about lBT, and likely has.

That's the truth of it, right there.  The Disney sequels are really no different from the LBT sequels.  

Let's look at some Disney sequels.  The problem is, I haven't seen many, so it is difficult for me to give a clean response.  The Lion King 2, for instance, was considered a watered-down version of "Romeo and Juliet".  I agree with this summary, and I also feel that the quality was somewhat paled compared to the original Lion King.

Using the same comparison, let's look at LBT 1 and LBT 2.  LBT 1 is considered a classic by many adults, and there is a large audience of people who appreciate it for what it is, including many members of my own family.  LBT 2 was looked upon by the public as a "Children's only" Sequel, and the film was more-or-less disregarded by the general population.  Also notice that LBT 2 never made it to theatres.  Films that are shown in theatres generally have larger public appeal.  Few Disney sequels made it as far as the theatre, and I'm sure many of them lacked the overall quality of the original

A similar situation exists for the LBT series.  The original is almost on a level of its own, with the sequels sitting parallel to it.  Many viewers put them on the same level, saying the sequels are "lower-quality" than the original.

I think the same is true for Disney movies and their sequels.  The sequels aren't necessarily written for the same audience as the originals were, so many years ago.  They're written for the attached audience who wants to see more of their favorite characters.  The storylines are different, just like the LBT series storylines are different from the original.  

I can respect the Disney series of sequels, just as I respect the LBT series.  They each have their dedicated fans and their target audience.  having seen very few Disney sequels, I will give them the benefit of the doubt as to their quality.  I was never enough of a "classic"  disney fan to get into the Cinderella and Little Mermaid sequels.  I enjoyed "The Lion King" enough that I had to see the sequel.  It wasn't bad, but I still prefer the original.

Lucky you! I paid more than 3000 Euro (roughly $3600) for driver's training until I got my license. In general driving is much cheaper in America. Gas costs about 2 Euro ($2.4) per liter (3.78 liter would roughly make a gallon) over here.