I think 3D will be more successful this time round because:
1. 3D has evolved a long way since the red/blue glasses of the 50s and 80s. Full colour, HD pictures in 3D will undoubtedly be attractive to more people than a weird red/blue one. Also investment by movie studios, cinemas, Sky, AV equipment manufacturers etc mean that hardware and content is/will be far more widely available.
2. The technology to implement 3D in TVs is fairly easy and soon, once the initial early adopter phase is over, 3D will undoubtedly come as a standard option in most flat screen TVs for little or not additional cost, just as HD eventually did.
3. Many people already own a 3D capable blu-ray player (PS3) - meaning the transition to 3D movies will be all the more affordable for a lot of people.
4. 3D can be widely applied to gaming - something that hasnt really happened before. Consoles like the PS3 can be 3D enabled (as I believe can the Xbox) and its likely that any new consoles released will also come with this option.
5. 3D cameras are starting to be sold - meaning that some people are already investing in 3D content (i.e. memories).
I think gaming is where 3D will make the biggest impact initially - as it really does enhance the experience (unlike some movies).