WDW Blogosphere Common Beliefs That Maybe Shouldn't Have Cult Status

In the Walt Disney World blogosphere and podcastosphere there are commonly held beliefs that have reached cult status that I would like to bring into question. Conversely, there are beliefs that have resulted in the opposite. I will bring up one example of each in this post.

Cult Status-

1) The Dole Whip is the most awesome and therefore most revered dessert in the parks.

I tried a Dole Whip on my last trip for the first time after hearing about this most magical dessert constantly all over blogs and podcasts. I was underwhelmed. It was soft serve pineapple flavored ice cream. Not bad. I'd say good. Certainly not great or worthy of it's cult status. Personally I've made a trip more than once just to have Edy's Peppermint Chocolate Chip hand scooped ice cream on Main Street. That is deserving of cult status.

Most Reviled-

1) Stitches Great Escape is the worst attraction.

Disney fan boys and girls just hate this attraction. Stitch seems like the go to character to bash. Lilo and Stitch is one of my favorite Disney movies. The character is unique and I really like him! The attraction is not top notch by any means but neither do I think it deserves the hate that has been perpetuated. There seems to be some kind of Stitch bullying going on. The Figment attraction sucks way worse!

I have never been one to jump on anyone's bandwagon or follow public opinion.

Is anyone else not enchanted by Dole Whips and not filled with hate and disgust over Stitches Great Escape?

If you would like to contribute your choice of undeserving cult status item and what you think is disproportionately reviled in the parks, feel free!

Actually, I think that Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey is the Worst Attraction at WDW. I have no problem with Stitch's Great Escape. :shrug:

When it comes to Disney cultish food items I do tend to agree with the cult. Pinapple is one of my favorite favors and pineapple soft serve in pineapple juice is like heaven for me. I am also quite fond of the other cultish food items like school bread, Ice cream sandwiches on main street, zebra domes and the now extinct strawberry swirls and Figaro fries. However, I do not care all that much for the turkey legs.

In regards to attraction I just do not get the hate. Just because I do not like an attraction does not make it a bad attraction. I don't care that much for SGE and simply do not go on it. It was fine the first few times but the attraction has little reride appeal of course I did not see a lot of reride appeal in AE either.

You like what you like and that is all that matters.

Vernonpush said:

Actually, I think that Sounds Dangerous with Drew Carey is the Worst Attraction at WDW. I have no problem with Stitch's Great Escape. :shrug:

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Nice suggestion! I haven't ever gone into the attraction because I can't sit through anything with Drew Carey. To me that sounds like a worthy contender for worst attraction at WDW.

Master Yoda said:

When it comes to Disney cultish food items I do tend to agree with the cult. Pinapple is one of my favorite favors and pineapple soft serve in pineapple juice is like heaven for me. I am also quite fond of the other cultish food items like school bread, Ice cream sandwiches on main street, zebra domes and the now extinct strawberry swirls and Figaro fries. However, I do not care all that much for the turkey legs.

In regards to attraction I just do not get the hate. Just because I do not like an attraction does not make it a bad attraction. I don't care that much for SGE and simply do not go on it. It was fine the first few times but the attraction has little reride appeal of course I did not see a lot of reride appeal in AE either.

You like what you like and that is all that matters.

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I have not tried the school bread. I'll try the next trip and give my opinion.
When it comes to pastry that I've enjoyed at WDW the first thing that comes to mind is an almond pastry in France at Epcot.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wdwprince/5391235342/

I also like the large chocolate chip cookies sold at most of the pastry kiosks around the parks.

Why do you think the school bread has gotten a buzz?

tbdolewhip

OK, by now you have a clue about what I like. However, food and attractions obtain status because of memories. Alot of good memories on one catagory and there you go cult status.

Wdwprince said:

I have not tried the school bread. I'll try the next trip and give my opinion.
When it comes to pastry that I've enjoyed at WDW the first thing that comes to mind is an almond pastry in France at Epcot.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wdwprince/5391235342/

I also like the large chocolate chip cookies sold at most of the pastry kiosks around the parks.

Why do you think the school bread has gotten a buzz?

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Simple reason...it is a gigantic pile of awesome.:slurp:

It is actually a pretty simple thing. The pastry is not a light as a raised doughnut but not as heavy as a bagel. It is filled with a vanilla custard and topped with icing and coconut. They also have several other concoctions in the Norway bakery (ie the sweet pretzels) that are incredibly good as well.

I love turkey legs, but I've always loved turkey legs. Pre- and post-WDW. In fact, I don't think I've ever actually had a turkey leg at WDW. Only at the state fair and the little amusement park here in town. Hmm, now I have to try a WDW turkey leg.

I don't get the hate for Tony's Town Square restaurant. I've only been once, yes, but my anecdote is much different than others.







Idk.

I hate coconut, however, I urged my husband to get school bread last trip based on Master Yoda's recommendation and WHOA NELLIE - he hasn't stopped talking about it since. I tasted the custard inside and it was heavenly.

inluvwithbeast said:

I love turkey legs, but I've always loved turkey legs. Pre- and post-WDW. In fact, I don't think I've ever actually had a turkey leg at WDW. Only at the state fair and the little amusement park here in town. Hmm, now I have to try a WDW turkey leg.

I don't get the hate for Tony's Town Square restaurant. I've only been once, yes, but my anecdote is much different than others.

Idk.

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I'm guessing these images are from Tony's? They look amazing if they are. I have yet to try Tony's (I tried a couple of times but was unsuccessful) but yes Tony's Town Square does constantly get a bad rap!! I think I need to do a report on researching places and attractions that get a bad rap.

Wdwprince said:

I'm guessing these images are from Tony's? They look amazing if they are. I have yet to try Tony's (I tried a couple of times but was unsuccessful) but yes Tony's Town Square does constantly get a bad rap!! I think I need to do a report on researching places and attractions that get a bad rap.

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Yes they are.
The entree is salmon. Yum. And the asparagus? I have to say I didn't like asparagus before this meal. Now? Well, I eat all the time. I think you should try something that looks good to you even if it doesn't always get good reviews. Of course, you should still go in with an open mind. You could like it or the negative reviews could be spot-on and describe a universal experience. You just never know until you try.

Master Yoda said:

Simple reason...it is a gigantic pile of awesome.:slurp:

It is actually a pretty simple thing. The pastry is not a light as a raised doughnut but not as heavy as a bagel. It is filled with a vanilla custard and topped with icing and coconut. They also have several other concoctions in the Norway bakery (ie the sweet pretzels) that are incredibly good as well.

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Vanilla Custard inside of dough is definitely my thing. I like coconut but not crazy about it on pastry. I will give this a try.
A a side note I love the Norway pavilion. The shop has some of the best pavilion specific t shirts.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wdwprince/5446148381/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wdwprince/5446751392/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wdwprince/5446752426/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wdwprince/5446151827/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wdwprince/5446146903/in/photostream/

I don't get the bad buzz for San Angel Inn. Have eaten there about 8 times over the past 20 years and have always been happy.

As for the blogosphere, I agree too much hate for Stitch, but don't take my Dole Whip away! Part of the cult is that you can't get it anywhere else. Though---a local country fair here had a Dole Whip trailer last summer, so I cheated and had one. They don't have the float, though, I'd have to buy a big cup and make one myself, lol.

I agree w/the over hyped Dole Whip.
I think next trip I will try the citrus swirl instead.

But to follow the cult status of other foods...I'm going to try zebra domes, Norway's school bread and tonga toast at some point.

I do think Stitch the ride is terrible, but the movie itself is not. I think people take their distaste for Stitch derives from people angry over his invasion into Tomorrowland and Alien Encounter. I'm not a fan of the ride...but the character himself isn't that bad! (I really enjoy his wake up calls...Noooo sleeping!)

There is also cult status of original attractions and how they should never be touched. I cannot go against this enough with Country Bear Jamboree. Can't stand this attraction. What a waste of space! But I'm a hypocrite when I defend Carousel of Progress and It's a Small World to the ends of the Earth! Ha Ha! So to each their own on favorites/non favorites. One man's trash may be another man's treasure!

i thought the stuffed pretzels at mgm's dino by echo lake is great, although i guess it dont take to please me.

i ate at tony's, didnt think it was all that great, compared to more detailed resturants like mama melroses, (where i got really drunk on wine my first night while eating some REALLY great grilled chicken fetuchinni alfreado on my first night back to disney after 25 years). afterwards i walked around the park with a huge tipsy smile on my face for the rest of the night. being that i dont drink, the 2 huge glasses of wine i ordered was all it took.


ahhhhhh, the memories.....................

I'm always game to knock down cynicism and cult desires, so I'll respond to the initial post and add my own....

Wdwprince said:

Cult Status-

1) The Dole Whip is the most awesome and therefore most revered dessert in the parks.

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I don't like pure Dole Whips, I don't like the floats. THE BEST is the dole whip/vanilla swirl. The vanilla highlight the pineapple more without over powering. Try it next time.

Most Reviled-

1) Stitches Great Escape is the worst attraction.

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You must note the time when SGE came out we were chin deep in Stitch. He'd taken over the monorail narration, advertising, meet and greets, and other crazy locations. He was the ONLY popular Disney character (not Pixar) for years. This was the antithesis of what was wrong with Disney in the early 00's (Tapestry of Nations was the best, but w/e.)

SGE replaced a unique attraction that represented the last great dream of the Disney parks. AE was ________ Tracey Crime Stoppers, Beastley Kingdome, Maroon Studios, all the World Showcase rides, and the failed DL Tomorrowland rehab all wrapped up in one. Combine that with the loss of Timekeeper and Take Flight, SGE was what was wrong with Disney at the time wrapped into one. It was a character invasion that was cheaply made (animation for the attraction was actually outsourced from Disney Animation), poor market understanding (little kids love being in the dark?), with unnecessary sensory overload. Lets not forget the loss of the awesome Tim Curry work?

Stitch is a great character, but most of the public likes the transforming or transformed Stitch, not the 626 character. That's the failure of this attraction. This was changed for the Tokyo version of Tiki when they got the transformed Stitch, and that attraction benefits from it.

SGE, in my mind, is not an attraction, it is a repulsion. They should have just gone with a whole different experience, not the same as AE.


Now my own list.

Cult:
-Future World (81-92)

A unique creation for it's time, and still not fully appreciated. It can not be recreated and for good reason it was dismantled. Horizons, UoE, JII, WoM, and ComuniCore are some of the BEST designed attractions, ever.

But it's over. Done. Get over it. We have a two thrill rides, Ellen, loud show rooms, and an ex-Python.

The whole idea of attractions is that it speaks to the guests, and these do so more than the old. Can many of the attractions have been done better? Yes. But that doesn't change the fact guests want a different kind of experience.

-Mr Toads Wild Ride

THE cult ride. I doubt many have rode this attraction, let alone remember or understand. It was non sequitur, hardly animated, and noisy. For those who so loudly trumpet AAs, story, and soundtrack, to support this, makes no sense and seems to be just bandwagon.

I should add I rode this when I was very young and can't form an actual opinion about it.

-IoA

Either highly themed, or cut out flats. Only 4 indoor attractions out of 17, which works great in the dry climate of central Florida. Poor maintenance and employee morale. IoA is a great park, but hardly the fantastic location, Disney trumper, or whatever other sado Disney fans say about it.

Spider-Man is great, but has a horrible queue line and is in a land of flats. Hulk has a queue that is no better than Primeval Whirl, but that ride gets way more slack for it's queue. Poseidon's Furry is transformed, DD is soul-less, and most attractions have video screens or lifeless AAs, which people here ridicule the most out of Disney.

-Story

It is not about story, it is about atmosphere and design. Period.


Reviled:

-MILF

Live jokes, fresh material, audience participation, and a great experience. If it didn't replace Timekeeper and wasn't in Tomorrowland it would be considered one of the best on property. People need to try this attraction again and let it be what it is and not add any pretense to it.

I will throw my name in the "Don't get the Dole Whip praise" pile. I suppose it's because I am not a huge pineapple fan, but it just wasn't that great. I'd have preferred a regular milkshake.

And the Monster Inc. Laugh Floor hate BAFFLES me. It's a great innovative hilarious show that really is fantastic. People are up in arms because it's in Tomorrowland? Ugh. Some scientists in the future discovers the Monster World and now we are allowed in via the portal doors. Simple. Done. Enjoy the damned show. It's awesome.

Another vote for Laugh Floor. Great attraction, lots of fun, and usually quite funny. Cool technology behind it too. Most importantly, because it is a live show, it has great re-ridability.

I think it gets a lot of grief because of the Pixar backlash, but I just don't buy the "not fitting the theme" angle at all.

I also like MILF. But then I've only seen the show once. I was the first person to appear on the screen during the show with a caption about looking bored, lol. It was the last show of the night and I was yawning.
The whiney, nasal character with the cat glasses might keep me from rushing back but I enjoyed the show.

What is a zebra dome? I had a zebra cupcake at Animal Kingdom that was good. Is that it?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wdwprince/5446727069/

Testtrack321 said:

-Mr Toads Wild Ride

THE cult ride. I doubt many have rode this attraction, let alone remember or understand. It was non sequitur, hardly animated, and noisy. For those who so loudly trumpet AAs, story, and soundtrack, to support this, makes no sense and seems to be just bandwagon.

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I never rode the WDW version, however I'm quite fond of the DL version. The storyline is quite bleak but just oozes dark ride imagination. It's the reckless driving, the booze, and the hell scene that peaks your imagination I suppose.