You can create templates in WCS to pass the configuration information for 95-98% of the settings to multiple controllers. This is what WCS was designed to do.

I agree, pushing templates via WCS is definitely the right way to manage the WLCs. We have been asking about a feature that would allow you to compare two WLC configs for quite some time. I understand that WCS will have a feature soon that will help with that.

If you don't have WCS, you could always take a config you're confident with from a WLC and upload that to another WLC. You'll have to have that second WLC off the network of course and use the service port to accomplish this. Once you have the config on the second WLC, you just have to change specific settings (like system name, interface ip's, mobility members, etc.) before putting it back on the network.

No doubt more work that it should be...

This works well with a single deployment of a controller but the problem we see with it is you have to change all the interface information which is 90% of the configuration wizard work. We just completed a deployment of 240 controllers located at 229 different locations around the world. We staged and configured prior to shipping to the sites for our install teams to complete. Then we simply pushed templates for any needed changes. I have pushed for the same WCS feature for years as well but there are some much other needed upgrades to WCS. The IDS/IPS piece being the most important I think at this time.