The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[Stevek]

This is just a guess, but, I think that the vast majority only does one park per day. Where the marathon feel might come in is when people make ADR's to a different park then the one that they are touring that day.

The marathon feel for us was because it was a multi-day, very expensive, vacation destination and we felt we absolutely had to get our money's worth across all the parks, visit hotels and see the DTD sights. Keep in mind that we flew all the way across country to visit as well. We just don't go to WDW thinking it's going to be a relaxing vacation. Having lived near and visited DL all my life, it is hard for me to compare. There was a time time that we tried to do as much as possible but after 12+ years with an AP, we kinda just go with the flow and don't worry about hitting a ton of stuff each visit.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I found out my brother in law did this for years as a local and I was truly disgusted with him. He has 2 perfectly healthy kids and only got it so they didn't have to wait in lines. He also encouraged other parents visiting down there to do the same.

I didn't like the guy much before then but after I found out I just think he is a pathetic human being.

I never got one. But I know a lot who did.

 

[Darth Sidious]

So I went to Universal and honestly don't think Gringotts was impressive. I wanted to love it because the theme of the land was amazing. The original Hogwarts section was amazing and so much could be done with that ride tech for other IPs.

 

[dhall]

While I haven't been to DL since the 50th anniversary, I used to go fairly frequently. Based on those past visits, I wouldn't think Magic Bands would make sense. The locals aren't going to book their FP's 30 days ahead of time. The incentive to stay onsite in order to book them 60 days out isn't the same since there are only 3 hotels. You wouldn't have to fight with nearly as many people to book a FP. There also won't be as many people needing them as keys to their rooms, as most visitors are either local or staying across the street somewhere. I wouldn't think it's as necessary to spy on people to see where they are and when, there are only 2 parks. They are either at DL or DCA. It just seems like a huge waste of money, even more so than in WDW.

The way I understand it, DLR's locals are actually something of a problem, in that they take up a lot of park resources without generating a lot of revenue. Disney would really like to get the locals under some control, as they clog up the park at the expense of the much more profitable guests: non-locals who spend much more money on food & trinket than the locals who hit a drive through on their way to the park & have a 1:1 guest:car ratio in the parking lot.

Being able to reserve ride slots in advance (in theory) lets Disney favor the remote guests who've had to plan their trip in advance due to travel & hotel scheduling. In reality, unfortunately (for Disney), it'll be the regulars who are more likely to have enough knowledge of the system to take full advantage of what it offers -- infrequent visitors tend not to understand the system at first, and generally not until someone explains it to them.

 

[stevehousse]

After Frozen, Inside Out will be the next 'toon to take Epcot. It could work for Future World edu-tainment wise.

Updated Wonders of Life pavilion anyone...

 

[Disneyhead'71]

This made me think of the Jasmine problem that WDW has had for years....(and I fully expect the women here to light me up for this comment, but so be it).

My daughter is just arcing out of the princess phase -- however for the past 5 years, I've sat through more princess character meals and meet & greets than I care to ever admit in public....(warning - creepy 42-old moment) Sometimes though -- A guy can't complain, there was this one Ariel back in '08, woooohah!... ....I digress....

Anyway, WDW always seemed to have serious issues finding a suitable Jasmine that wasn't in desperate need of a few trips to Jenny Craig -- so much so, that my daughter who was a full on believer up until this point, turned to me and said "Daddy, that's not Jasmine. That's a fat girl dressed up as Jasmine" Thanks WDW. I bring my daughter to experience fantasy and you swiftly destroy it with crappy casting!

Now -- I'm not going to sit here and harp on someone's weight -- I'd be a black-calling kettle. But I'm all in favor of "appropriate casting". If the casting is poor enough where the children who do still believe, are losing their innocence by the mere appearance of a poorly casted character -- it's absolutely horrendous show. It's unforgivable. I believe it's still a fireable offense for a character CM at WDW to break character, no? How is it any different when their very appearance does the job anyway?

Talk about bad casting, I once took the kids to a mall in Denver in a not so great neighborhood on Christmas Eve. The part of Mall Santa was being played by a skinny 19 year old Afro-American girl.

 

[stevehousse]

The way I understand it, DLR's locals are actually something of a problem, in that they take up a lot of park resources without generating a lot of revenue. Disney would really like to get the locals under some control, as they clog up the park at the expense of the much more profitable guests: non-locals who spend much more money on food & trinket than the locals who hit a drive through on their way to the park & have a 1:1 guest:car ratio in the parking lot.

Being able to reserve ride slots in advance (in theory) lets Disney favor the remote guests who've had to plan their trip in advance due to travel & hotel scheduling. In reality, unfortunately (for Disney), it'll be the regulars who are more likely to have enough knowledge of the system to take full advantage of what it offers -- infrequent visitors tend not to understand the system at first, and generally not until someone explains it to them.

The only reason the advanced booking work for FP in FL is because they have 20+ resorts that r able to utilize it. I couldn't see then spending that much money for only 3 resorts in CA...it wouldn't work...

 

[OSUgirl77]

The way I understand it, DLR's locals are actually something of a problem, in that they take up a lot of park resources without generating a lot of revenue. Disney would really like to get the locals under some control, as they clog up the park at the expense of the much more profitable guests: non-locals who spend much more money on food & trinket than the locals who hit a drive through on their way to the park & have a 1:1 guest:car ratio in the parking lot.

Being able to reserve ride slots in advance (in theory) lets Disney favor the remote guests who've had to plan their trip in advance due to travel & hotel scheduling. In reality, unfortunately (for Disney), it'll be the regulars who are more likely to have enough knowledge of the system to take full advantage of what it offers -- infrequent visitors tend not to understand the system at first, and generally not until someone explains it to them.

Agree with you on the lack of knowledge with infrequent visitors. I've talked to several people recently who are planning trips to WDW and have no idea they need to book FP's in advance, even though Disney sends emails, mailings, etc. telling you so. Can't imagine it would be much different in DLR.

 

[WDW1974]

Spirited Emmy Musings:

Nice show. Seth was a perfectly fine host and using him more than past hosts (who often aren't seen for 20 minutes at a time) was smart. Production moved quickly. The show didn't die 70 minutes in like it seems to every year.

As to the results, I can't recall a year when so many of my picks actually came up winners. No doubt at all that Breaking Bad and Modern Family were tops in their categories. BB did benefit, though, from splitting its final season and I can get why some folks might think it wasn't 'fair' that a show that ended production in early 2013 was being given its second Emmy for Best Drama since. But it sure deserved it as did Cranston, Gunn and Paul.

They all seem like very likeable people, not to mention extremely talented. I got to hang out with Paul and his then-new bride when he won for the first time in 2012 (when I hadn't even seen one episode of the show yet) and he's just a small, nice down to earth guy who is thrilled with his success. I like when nice people who are talented get rewarded.

Jim Parsons, who is immensely talented, would also fall into this category. I don't get the hate I see for him here, but always chalk it up to the fact he is playing a character that many socially awkward fanbois can empathize with ... well, maybe the socially awkward part or the hanging out at comic book shops part or the loving sci-fi part, but certainly not the scientific genius or success in life part!

Also nice to see Kathy Bates win. I didn't watch her work for it, but she is terrific in everything she does.

Also nice to see those big movie stars come out empty-handed. The Academy voters often like to hand Emmys to film stars because of the very incorrect perception that TV is second-rate entertainment, so, yeah, I loved seeing Matthew and Julia leaving sans statues.

What is it about the Brits never showing for the Emmys?

So it was only the second-highest rated telecast of the last decade, despite being on a Monday a month early. Nope, no one cares.

I have to say I took some pleasure in the fact that the Netflix halo got smashed down. I'm sorry, but I don't view streaming as the inevitable death knell of network teevee (sorry, again to my 20-something friends who don't know what a rotary dial telephone was, what carbon paper was used for in school and a time when you were served free hot meals in coach!) I never saw one minute of Orange is the New Black and I gave up on the absurd House of Cards despite loving Spacey and Wright. Netflix may well be part of the future of content, but they aren't the entire picture by a long shot.

Notice stories talking about how the Emmys are passe? How their time has gone sorta like the jorts I'm rockin' today? ... Yeah, those are what we call 'plants' by folks in the streaming business who thought they were going to come in like HBO over a decade ago and start asking the networks 'who's your daddy?'

Yeah, not quite.

Back to the telecast ... enjoyed Billy Crystal's tribute to Robin Williams. What a great line to describe his friend. Thought Weird Al was wasted. Sorta missed an opening number/montage (they raise the energy level ... when Fallon and friends did their opening Springsteen/Glee number in 2010, the Nokia was rockin').

Finally, an entertainment industry musing, but I was sickened by the organized 'hit' taken out on Nikki Finke today by THR. You just don't do that type of bull---- on a reporter's private life because you don't like the fact they are effective in what they do. I know the woman and she is not a pleasant person in general, but she is a top flight journalist, which is why she is on so many hit lists. To see a cheap attack video (that I am accusing the writer who 'broke' the story of having a connection to) that basically says: 1.) Nikki lives in a condo on the Westside (pretty common knowledge); and 2.) That she is getting older and fatter; is just the definition of a personal attack.

It in no way diminishes her work over the years, but it's what desperate people do when they can't silence a voice any other way (I know what I am talking about).

It would be akin to taking a video of me in my jorts and tee and dirty baseball cap rushing into a supermarket last night and weighing myself on the scale and cursing the number and using that to discredit everything I have ever said or done, by my poor appearance at a time when I had a reasonable expectation of privacy.

 

[danv3]

Updated Wonders of Life pavilion anyone...

No chance. Too valuable as event space ($$$) to waste on an attraction.

 

[WDW1974]

Spirited Non-Emmy Musings:

You know all that talk/chatter about Disney Drones? Don't think of WDW just yet ... Golden Oak aside (yeah, that's yet another message for my friends at TDO and Celebration Place!) ... The drone you've seen is supposed to make its debut in the new 'E-Ticket' SDL stage show in Fantasyland. It won't be flying over guests. It will be part of the show at present. Think about flying Tink and Dumbo during DL's MAGICal fireworks and you have some idea what I am speaking of.

Speaking of DL and pyro, so Micechat broke the news that Fantasy in the Sky will be making a return to DL on weekends starting in January, so they can replace infrastructure for the AMAZING (yes, I know things!) 60th pyro show that will debut in May. Seeing a show I used to love and haven't seen since last century is almost worth planning an off-season winter trip to Anaheim.

So, WDW is planning upcharge premium 'options' DURING hard ticket events. I'll say it here, if you pay, then I think you're an imbecile.

Speaking of which, what exactly was the issue with the Oogie show at Georgie K's Assorted Foamheads And Whatever Disney Could Throw In On The Cheap Hard Ticket Event at The Park That Will Soon Have a New Name? Seriously, what was offensive? In any sense. ... These folks should really be forced to watch ANY Bill and Ted show at the evil UNI resort up the I-4.

And speaking of that, with all those Emmy festivities I sorta missed out on the fact that my favorite Lifestyler @WDWFigment took another trip (I don't know how many this year because I lost the Epcot guide map that I was keeping score on at home!) BUT ... this one had him over at UNI. Way to go, Tom!!! Would love to hear your thoughts here (good, bad and ugly). Just don't let Dr. Blondie and Co know!

Did Rick Springfield pull out of concerts during Food and WIne Fest? That's a shame ... at least he has talent ... still.

Seriously, I was talking to a friend who works in the entertainment business for a company that is not Disney and we had been talking about Breaking Bad and he compared my 'fans' here to the blue crystal meth that Mr. White and Jesse cooked up in New Mexico ... ''they're addicted to you like Baby Blue,'' he said.

Some people don't recall when WDW used to not celebrate Halloween, just some generic fall decor. All those days of 9-6 and 9-7 October operating days ... yeah, ancient history.

At the risk of burying this, don't be surprised if when all the Hub 'improvements' are completed if you have a dedicated upcharge lounge area (I am hesitant to use the word concierge because then @TP2000 will pop in and correctly point out that WDW has no clue what a real concierge is and doesn't employ any!) in MK ... I know that one will be coming to EPCOT in the next year (likely sooner than later) now that restaurant expansion is temporarily off the table as Disney scrambles to keep Spice Road Table from going seasonal.

Please, @englanddg, I know you have your own 'cute' way of referring to DL. That's perfectly fine. I have a 'cute' way of referring to Bob Iger (no, not The Weatherman). But I don't want 3-4 pages of people explaining to you why you are wrong. If you want to call a pentagon a triangle, then that's fine. But not here, please.

And really, do we really want to argue over whether DL is a 'locals park' again just to get this thread to a million clicks? I don't. It's ignorant and it isn't true at all. ... You want a statement that is true? I can provide that so it is ignored.

And to my PML pals, look -- no social commentary (that I am almost always right about!) ... I'll try and fix that another time.

Finally, a very Happy Anniversary to one of my favorite and, dare I say most MAGICal, couples? No, @Lee I still don't know what she saw in you, but I am thrilled to death that she did!

 

[WDW1974]

Some notes:

- NBC has been overly obvious with their shoehorning in the Emmys with all their other shows. I thought I was watching ABC there was so much Synergy! Lol
- Bob F'in Iger, I'm actually surprised I wouldn't take him as a fellow frequent f bomber
- Expanding the waterway, I actually like that even though sometimes you can walk faster
- You really hated Captain America 2? I thought it was good, just not very Russo Brothers whereas GotG was very James Gunn.
- I hate QSR

Every network hypes the Emmys when they have them.

Bob F'in Iger? You betcha!

Waterways won't be expanded. Just been proposed. Do you see how long and what a mess the DD parking structures are?

I didn't hate Cap 2. I just didn't think much of it. Marvel films are so formulaic and overrated ... that's what made Guardians such a wonderful surprise.

 

[WDW1974]

This is one of your best posts in a long time. Good stuff.

I'm glad you enjoyed.

I always try to entertain and educate and provoke thought ... nice to know it's working.

 

[WDW1974]

this is the biggest problem i have with the current WDW product (outside of declining upkeep/quality).

when i was a kid, i understood why people would keep going to WDW after the grew up. it was a true resort, with world-class golfing, beaches (albeit man-made) where swimming was actually permitted, real adult-themed nighttime activities (PI), etc. even the in-park product had more aspects that were like any animated disney film in the '90s: appeal to kids, but jokes that only the adults got.

but then disney moved the goalposts on us, to the point where when i go to central florida exclusively to WDW, i feel odd. at times, uncomfortable. because no, meeting college kids playing prince and princesses don't do anything for me. and the parks are so stale, what's driving me back there other than addiction? nothing.

making everything exclusively with eight year olds in mind is awful, but it's reality in WDW.

Yep.

I've often told people to go watch WDW Resort TV on YouTube from the mid-80s or late 80s ... none of this Stacey Aswad crap.

The problem with so many visitors of today, and there is no delicate way of saying this (and I wouldn't use it if I could!), is they can't understand a WDW that was classy, a WDW where there were activities that were for adults, a WDW that didn't dumb everything down to the level of a special needs 6-year-old. And when folks like myself long for that type of classy experience, well, these people damn well know they wouldn't have felt comfortable. They like the Walmarted World of Disney BRANDED products and IP in the Swamps. They feel comfortable because they know they can rock those jorts into a dinner where the veggie entree is close to $30 a la carte. That's just not the WDW I grew up with.

WDW is sorta like when a relative you loved dearly starts to fade badly in middle age and no one wants to admit that they need to visit a spa in 90210.

 

[WDW1974]

First, what is the point in criticizing (or labeling) people who have fun taking a photo with Disney characters and who collect photos with characters the way other people collect magnets, stamps, or anything else?
It seems to me the normality of any of us is subject to being questioned by others with different interests.

Second, and this relates to the first, if you are going to criticize adults for taking part in the childish pursuit of taking photos with Disney characters, how do you reconcile that judgment with defending the Oogie Boogie show which combines a Disney cartoon character with non-Disney entertainment designed for an older crowd? The show itself consisted of a sword swallower, a duo of trick shooters who shot crossbow bolts into targets being held by their partner and another duo of fire swallowers, all with Oogie Boogie and his dancers introducing each set. I don't know where that fit in the theme of a Disney Villains Unleashed party.

My thoughts of that particular show, having seen it and the audience it attracted are that it is not a natural fit with Disney branded entertainment. People walked out - presumably not from boredom as happens at the Tiki Room, but perhaps because they were made uncomfortable. On the other hand, the show was also one of the most memorable things from Saturday night's entertainment.

Um ... can someone else take this one, please?

 

[WDW1974]

i don't want to speak for spirit here, but i believe he's simply saying that there are those adults who knowingly suspend disbelief and "take a picture with anna and elsa" for the family scrapbook, and then there are -- for lack of a better term -- oddballs, who make the thing a religious experience.

furthermore, i think he's saying that he's fine with that, but when disney exploits the latter of that equation to skimp on adequate parks and resorts spending and upkeep, and uses a five-hour line at an overcrowded, low-capacity park as evidence that "the product has never been better," it becomes dangerous.

Thanks. You spoke for me quite well!

I think WDW is actively taking advantage of 'oddball' adults sans children who are nuts enough to stand in line for hours to take pics with college gals playing dress up. And I absolutely KNOW that by making that crap successful for Disney it disincentivizes the company from doing REAL attractions and entertainment.

As a child, I never had any desire to have my pic with Mickey or Goofy or Captain Hook. That hasn't changed at all through the years, although sometimes 'Angie M' will force me into it. I don't see any form of escape by doing this ... and when I see adults making a huge deal about meeting 'a character' it makes me feel they are looking for the childhood that never was and never will be ... or they have major sexual issues ... or maybe both.

 

[WDW1974]

Of course they don't, the primary business in DLR is adults that are convincing themselves that they are still children. The local market includes kids, but, isn't primarily made up of them. WDW, on the other hand, is a world wide Family destination much more so then DLR. Having kids pushing for you, is only good business.

Unlike WDW, Disneyland was never considered a right of passage to the degree that WDW is/was!

So the Emmys.... really? Jim freaking Parsons? That was pathetic!!! I would have said he was easily the bottom 2 of those nominess... Clearly Parsons has some blackmail material on the voters?

OK, these posts are both so wrong on so many levels that, even though they are different issues, I thought I'd respond in one post.

Just no and no ...

 

[WDW1974]

I unfortunately know that was a big bang theory reference because the commercials won't let me un know it. People think because I'm pretty geeky that I like that show but honestly I feel like it's despicable and revolves around an adult with serious mental problems.

I think you should either watch the show and see if that's what the show is about or simply don't pontificate about it.

You don't want to be akin to WDW fans who think the place has never been better and won't visit DL let alone UNI. Big Bang Theory isn't for everyone, but it is damn fine comedy ... and the fact its is more popular in Season 8 than ever sorta proves that.

 

[Goofyernmost]

OK, these posts are both so wrong on so many levels that, even though they are different issues, I thought I'd respond in one post.

Just no and no ...

How did I know that would be your response? Gosh, darn it I must have disagreed with you again. I'll just go to my room now with my head downward in shame.

 

[GoofGoof]

Thanks. You spoke for me quite well!

I think WDW is actively taking advantage of 'oddball' adults sans children who are nuts enough to stand in line for hours to take pics with college gals playing dress up. And I absolutely KNOW that by making that crap successful for Disney it disincentivizes the company from doing REAL attractions and entertainment.

As a child, I never had any desire to have my pic with Mickey or Goofy or Captain Hook. That hasn't changed at all through the years, although sometimes 'Angie M' will force me into it. I don't see any form of escape by doing this ... and when I see adults making a huge deal about meeting 'a character' it makes me feel they are looking for the childhood that never was and never will be ... or they have major sexual issues ... or maybe both.

Could they at least actively take advantage of some 'oddball' adult Star Wars fans? It would be a win/win for everyone