Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[Animaniac93-98]

I just took a peek at the "largest test of MM+" thread. All I can say after scanning through essay long posts by @ParentsOf4 explaining how this all works is if I have to read a textbook to understand how the system works, then it's not a "bonus" to me as a consumer.

 

[misterID]

High five to Theme Park Insider for outing in some detail how many attractions Disney is about to take down at DHS at the same time.

There is going to be some disagreement on the interwebs on exactly what and when everything will be closing in DHS, but by this time 2015 when Disney's two tier pricing structure has widened the gap between MK and 2nd tier park tickets it is going to become very clear why these sub parks are not carrying the price premium.

BTW. Re: Attraction closures. If I were a fan of the Muppet Show, the Backlot Tour, Indiana Jones, or anything that's not Toy Story that happens to reside behind great movie ride, I would go ahead and be making up reasons to get some rides in. If I were a fan.

I still think it's a real shame they can't do anything with the BLT. I always thought a tour of "Pixar studios" would be really cool, like going through fake sets of Pixar films and little attraction scenes like UNI Hollywood. Instead of Kong you could have The Incredibles.

 

[marni1971]

Thanks Spirit! I think you just made my honeymoon plans for me!

I'd recommend DLPs Sequoia too. It had a complete makeover during the past two years. Make sure your package includes length of stay hoppers and breakfast. Newport Bay is nice but is next on the full refurb list (its had refreshes every few years but nothing like Sequoia has recently yet)

New York and DL are overpriced. The NY is a bit sterile too we found.

 

[NoChesterHester]

I'd really like that to be true. But I'm horribly skeptical.

After the success of SWW and how packed that place was EVERY DAY, I'd say the attendance and merch numbers alone justify a star wars expansion. But until paperwork is signed, bulldosers start and someone bullseyes a womp-rat, I'll believe it when I see it.

Some other sources are piping in, but they don't necessarily completely jive with Niles' synopsis. Everyone is saying similar things... an "expansion of the Star Wars presence" along with a large expansion of Pixar.

 

[Bryner84]

I was under the impression, at least based on some of the earlier pieces of concept art, that BOG was originally going to be more interactive.

There were originally plans for a live dinner show (ala the *Be Our Guest* number in the film..) and lots of talk about Living Characters making the rounds in the dining areas similar to Remy. After opening the restaurant, there was talk behind the scenes about Beast being re-designed in a similar way to Talking Mickey and would appear to greet Guests at only this location. Lots of great *plusses* to the idea....but nothing came about.

My guess is budgets were trimmed back a little, or the live entertainment was ditched to keep Guest flow more rapid (keeping those tables turning over means more money made..)....or perhaps another element i am not remembering came into play in the end?

It seems there was a LOT of build up about this location during the development phase...rave reviews once it opened, and now the general opinion seems to be it is all smoke and mirrors and had lost what benefits it had going for it.

Interesting.

Beast was there for pictures while we were there. His presence was announced no less than 5 times during our meal...got a little old after a while, but it was festive I suppose. When announced, music would play and he would enter the main dining area, walk through the middle, turn around and go back towards the area used for ordering during lunch hours. This is where the queue would form for photos. Unfortunately beast is large and the arched openings to this room are just slightly undersized so beast was forced to do an awkward sideways shimmy into his meet and greet room. It is just sort of a strange vibe in there right now. They have this hyped up restaurant that they don't quite seem to know what to do with.

Forgot to mention earlier that even our check in was a little weird. We were checked in outside, asked to step inside, then told to check in again with another person to get a pager. This person then became panicked because they didn't see our name on the list, but I realized what was happening and informed her we had been checked in once already outside but were told to come here for a page. Relieved, she then informed us we didn't need a pager and the gentleman had been mistaken. To his credit, he found us a few minutes later and apologized, but how long has this place been open now? I would think they would at least have check in worked out by now. Also, because of the noise level since we didn't have a pager it was quite difficult to hear our name be called.

And...service was kind of ridiculously slow. It was at the end of our meal that I was finally able to get my first iced tea refill. All that being said, it was just my wife and I and we are very laid back so we had a great time. But on paper, there are a lot of negatives that shouldn't be there based on what we paid. We definitely agreed it was fun once, but not a repeat until our daughter (9 months old) is old enough to bug the crap out of us until we take her.

 

[tracyandalex]

2 mini lands at DHS and 1 mini land at DAK all at about the same time?! While I would definitely welcome the additions, I find it difficult to believe that all of these will be done the way they should be given the recent track records. Also, I fear there would be a big backlash from Star Wars fans if the land was not done properly.

On the tv front I thought the Sopranos ending was very well done and made perfect sense with the series. Also for those interested some teasers for season 3 of Once Upon a Time were released.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Once-Upon-Time-Season3-Spoilers-Kitsis-Horowitz-1066624.aspx

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Some other sources are piping in, but they don't necessarily completely jive with Niles' synopsis. Everyone is saying similar things... an "expansion of the Star Wars presence" along with a large expansion of Pixar.

Could you direct us to the other sources. Just curious.
Thanks

 

[tissandtully]

I just took a peek at the "largest test of MM+" thread. All I can say after scanning through essay long posts by @ParentsOf4 explaining how this all works is if I have to read a textbook to understand how the system works, then it's not a "bonus" to me as a consumer.

The same could be said for the DDP that takes a whole flyer to explain.

 

[Lee]

Actually, it was Ole Pal Merfy. That was an exciting day.
HHN Rumors found the demolition permits for Jaws in December 2011.
I found the Hogwarts Express building permits

TPI posted a crazy ride synopsis on NYE 2011. I guess time will tell if it was accurate or if the ride vehicle concept art was legit.

I stand corrected, sir.
Props to y'all.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Could you direct us to the other sources. Just curious.
Thanks

http://www.shotglassdigital.com/release_category/rebelforceradio/

Top one on the list. The discussion on DHS is right at the beginning.

These guys are legit. Great sources deep within Lucasfilm.

 

[Bolna]

High five to Theme Park Insider for outing in some detail how many attractions Disney is about to take down at DHS at the same time.

There is going to be some disagreement on the interwebs on exactly what and when everything will be closing in DHS, but by this time 2015 when Disney's two tier pricing structure has widened the gap between MK and 2nd tier park tickets it is going to become very clear why these sub parks are not carrying the price premium.

BTW. Re: Attraction closures. If I were a fan of the Muppet Show, the Backlot Tour, Indiana Jones, or anything that's not Toy Story that happens to reside behind great movie ride, I would go ahead and be making up reasons to get some rides in. If I were a fan.

I really don't like this. Seems like they have given up and now have resolved themselves to have just two half-day parks and one eat-and-drink park (which surprisingly still closes at 9pm which for a dinner park is pretty early). What's the point of taking things away instead of adding stuff.

 

[Jeffxz]

I stand corrected, sir.
Props to y'all.

74 Posted about this in early October 2011. I don't recall any other sources posting about it until early Dec 2011.

I don't know that I'd go that far. But WWoHP is absolutely the most impressive O-town theme park development of this century BY FAR ... and just wait for Phase II ... so big it's going to be in TWO PARKS! (no, I am not kidding! kiss the plastic sharkie bye-bye!)

UNI is upping their game and I've seen nothing to show Disney even gets they have a problem beyond the Hail Mary for Avatar, which is so far out in terms of being built, I can't even offer a real opinion because so much can/will change.

Edit: Just re-read the posts and realized you were talking about who posted the plans first and not about who first posted the info. My Mistake.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I just took a peek at the "largest test of MM+" thread. All I can say after scanning through essay long posts by @ParentsOf4 explaining how this all works is if I have to read a textbook to understand how the system works, then it's not a "bonus" to me as a consumer.

It's all summarized in the post of the year (so far):

Planning your next WDW vacation:

Planning your next Uni vacation:

 

[TP2000]

^^^^ I agree, that was the Post Of The Year thus far!

 

[DisneyDad1977]

Next May will be DHS' 25th I believe. I don't think I have seen anybody mention that. Not that I am getting my hopes up for anything, but am I the only one who thinks that something other than a Limited Time Magic offering is in order for something the magnitude of a silver anniversary?

 

[Taylor]

This is what I think will happen from now to August.
There will be a lot of different stories and situations about what's going into DHS. Insiders and writers will start getting upset in July about people stealing there info or not giving them the credit for breaking the info (which is understandable) it will then escalate in a big virtual slap fight and a lot of inappropriate language. In the end we may see the biggest Disney nerd war ever!

Or.... Everything will be quiet then D23 happens.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

My theory:
According to Spirit, at least three versions of the DHS redo exist. They've likely selected which version they'll build, but this is Disney so for all we know they could change their minds. Higher ups at TDO and WDI feed information to CP who feeds said info to SM whores over the summer in what will be the closest thing to PB&J mud wrestling on the GF beach. But here's the catch about the info, they leak all three plans to SM whores in an attempt to build "buzz" for D23 and deliberately ensure each SM gets info that contradicts each other. The reason why CP is doing this is to permanently cull down the SM list by figuring out who actually is relevant among the Disney fan community. Of course, it seems pretty likely that this could blow up in their faces.

THIS IS A THEORY

 

[Taylor]

My theory:
According to Spirit, at least three versions of the DHS redo exist. They've likely selected which version they'll build, but this is Disney so for all we know they could change their minds. Higher ups at TDO and WDI feed information to CP who feeds said info to SM whores over the summer in what will be the closest thing to PB&J mud wrestling on the GF beach. But here's the catch about the info, they leak all three plans to SM whores in an attempt to build "buzz" for D23 and deliberately ensure each SM gets info that contradicts each other. The reason why CP is doing this is to permanently cull down the SM list by figuring out who actually is relevant among the Disney fan community. Of course, it seems pretty likely that this could blow up in their faces.

THIS IS A THEORY

Sounds like something Disney would do. Will be fun to sit back and watch, and you know maybe instigate some of it .

 

[lazyboy97o]

My theory:
According to Spirit, at least three versions of the DHS redo exist. They've likely selected which version they'll build, but this is Disney so for all we know they could change their minds. Higher ups at TDO and WDI feed information to CP who feeds said info to SM whores over the summer in what will be the closest thing to PB&J mud wrestling on the GF beach. But here's the catch about the info, they leak all three plans to SM whores in an attempt to build "buzz" for D23 and deliberately ensure each SM gets info that contradicts each other. The reason why CP is doing this is to permanently cull down the SM list by figuring out who actually is relevant among the Disney fan community. Of course, it seems pretty likely that this could blow up in their faces.

THIS IS A THEORY

I think you're taking a huge leap in assuming that the left hand knows what the right hand is doing.

 

[WDW1974]

i stayed at the newport beach club hotel at DLP and found it comparable to any moderate wdw hotel...

also its the largest hotel in europe they say

I stayed at NBC years ago on my first visit and was extremely underwhelmed as it was falling apart. It also charges as much (or more) than WDW deluxes, so I don't compare it to a moderate. It was designed as a deluxe resort and it really 2 1/2 star caliber.

I do know it has started to be remodeled for the first time and that is welcome news. I visited it 13 months ago on my last trip there and it was really looking beyond tired.