Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

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stevehousse

Well-Known Member
I hope the Muppets stay! I don't care how it is done! They need to stay!

Now Spirit, with that "2nd" option, are you suggesting that they may bring back from the dead the Muppets Great Movie Ride?

I certainly welcome it! ;)
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
This is sacrilege, I know, but I do wonder if TDO is overestimating the appeal of Star Wars. SWW are huge, filled parking lot huge. But I think their limited nature feeds the mystique. Dressing up in costume, lining up at 5:00 a.m. for merch, there's a certain amount of "geek cred" that comes from attending SWW. That gets lost when anybody can buy the exact same T-shirt or pin 365 days a year. Same goes for a year-round meet-and-greet with Darth Vader or Greedo--will it be as cool/popular when everybody who visits WDW can do it?

Don't misunderstand, I think the E-ticket will be huge. But I don't know if Star Wars can ultimately move merchandise on a daily basis the way Cars and Princesses and Harry Potter seem to. Was Tatooine Traders ever really that busy outside of SWW? Because, if Cars Land is the model, we'll be looking at 3 or 4 clones of it.

I agree with this post to some degree, but I'm going to say it doesn't matter whether the rabid SW fans are as crazy 365 days as they are in limited time. ... UNI didn't build WWoHP just to capture the fanbois . They wanted to capture as many people as they could with a quality product. Just like I've said with Avatar ... The quality of IP can help, but it's ultimately the quality of the theme park product that will drive visitorship for years to come.

Do I think the fervor of SW is overstated by the same Disney fanbois who understate Potter's? Absolutely. Does it matter? Not at all provided the product speaks for itself.
 

NoChesterHester

Well-Known Member
Well maybe they should offer more merch that either 1) cannot be already bought at Target 2) is directed at fans of the films (did the fans demand a storm trooper bowling set?) and 3) doesn't have a shoehorned Disney character tie in ...

Why does Potter merch sell? Because it enables fans to immerse themselves in movie accurate (mostly) items.


This. This. This. This. This.

Just look at Star Wars Weekend's Darth's Mall... all the exclusive good stuff is gone within the first couple hours. All the generic corney crapola sticks around till the end and they end up having to almost give it away.

I don't mind paying Disney prices for high quality unique or themed merchandise. I actually seek it out. The issue is that most of the stuff crammed into the gift shops isn't appreciably different than what is available at my local target.

*nerd alert*

Example: If they were to have the "Build Your Lightsaber" shop themed to the cave at Illum (where the crystals come from) with an incredible (not cheap plastic) display rather than the generic bin they use now... think people would pay an extra 30% for the quality and experience? I would buy one for my nephew for sure... I'd love to share in that experience with him.
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
If they get rid of the Osbourne Lights they might as well kill off Christmas completely at WDW. It is amazing how much they have taken away from Christmas while other Florida parks keep expanding their Christmas offerings. Of course, DL resort seems to keep adding to their's.

DLR will begin extorting Christmas from guests this year. I wish Michael good luck with that one because he is really going to need it!
 

NoChesterHester

Well-Known Member
On the subject of the Muppets, they may stay in their current locale in a new attraction, they may move to another locale in a new attraction or they may leave the park entirely. My gut says it will be choice number two.


Wow, they would really eliminate the last film that Henson ever touched?

It would make sense to see the Muppets take over the aging Little Mermaid theater. Wait... wasn't that where they were located originally?

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Here_Come_the_Muppets
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
You ask me, the internet could use a lot more skepticism when it comes to rumors. Not less.

Depends ... If you are talking about important stuff like government, healthcare, world affairs etc, then I'd say you are right. But, personally, after a decade-plus of being right about 95% of what I post, I have little patience when someone basically says it's all made up. Even if I have no use for the individuals who say it.

Changes are coming to TPFKaTD-MGMS... Big Spirited changes. Disney has already approved the changes, the questions are over specifics. I don't mind hearing about those. I do mind being told the information is a lie or that nothing is happening ...
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
My only point is that sources can be wrong.

I want this stuff to be true. I want these expansions to happen.

There's just so much speculation in the past 48 hours, I want people to start saying where they find their information.

And you, more than 99% of the folks here, know why that can't/won't be revealed.

But I do vet my info like someone who works for a major journalism outlet would. That's why I am almost always right (trying to say that without sounding egotistcal ) with this stuff. I approach it like it is much more important than it really is!
 

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
Depends ... If you are talking about important stuff like government, healthcare, world affairs etc, then I'd say you are right. But, personally, after a decade-plus of being right about 95% of what I post, I have little patience when someone basically says it's all made up. Even if I have no use for the individuals who say it.

Changes are coming to TPFKaTD-MGMS... Big Spirited changes. Disney has already approved the changes, the questions are over specifics. I don't mind hearing about those. I do mind being told the information is a lie or that nothing is happening ...


Everyone understands "where there's smoke, theres fire".... however two caviets. First, we're dealing with sources of good information that we're not used to dealing with. @pheneix, Its not that I doubt you, its just that you came out of nowhere with a lot of specific information and then all hell broke loose. So in that point, its a good time to take a deep breath and lets figure out whats going on and who's got the good information.

Second? This is TDO. These guys hate spending money. They hate doing anything, or so it seems. In the past, we've seen situations where we've seen smoke and nothing has come to pass. They are not to be trusted.
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
What drinks from elsewhere can they rename? Doc's Grape Tonic. And if they do a small Cars Land they'll save on costs by having it in two places at the same park.

I love Doc's Grape Tonic!

Of course, all you need to do is visit a BK or Moe's or Firehouse with a Freestyle machine and get a Grape Sprite and you've got the same thing minus the foamy crap on top.
 

John

Well-Known Member
Depends ... If you are talking about important stuff like government, healthcare, world affairs etc, then I'd say you are right. But, personally, after a decade-plus of being right about 95% of what I post, I have little patience when someone basically says it's all made up. Even if I have no use for the individuals who say it.

Changes are coming to TPFKaTD-MGMS... Big Spirited changes. Disney has already approved the changes, the questions are over specifics. I don't mind hearing about those. I do mind being told the information is a lie or that nothing is happening ...


Woooa wooooa woooa....... just for the record I never said for one second that any of the information was a lie or manufactured. I know you didn't mention me by name but I did say I had a hard time believing after almost two decades of Disney basically letting the resort rot ..... they magically go against the grain and decide to spend a boat load of money fixing up one of their parks. Please excuse my skepticism. But as much as I totally respect you and your information I have as much reason to think what has been tossed around to not happen.
 

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
And you, more than 99% of the folks here, know why that can't/won't be revealed.

But I do vet my info like someone who works for a major journalism outlet would. That's why I am almost always right (trying to say that without sounding egotistcal ) with this stuff. I approach it like its much more important than it really is!


No, I dont mean you or @Lee, old sport.

People came out of the woodwork and were claiming things to be the gospel when we're not even to approved budget phase yet.

You picked one hell of a weekend to put the computer down. LOL.

I wont even get into the disaster that was DTD and their car show this weekend. (Really, middle of June in this heat?!)
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
Everyone understands "where there's smoke, theres fire".... however two caviets. First, we're dealing with sources of good information that we're not used to dealing with. @pheneix, Its not that I doubt you, its just that you came out of nowhere with a lot of specific information and then all hell broke loose. So in that point, its a good time to take a deep breath and lets figure out whats going on and who's got the good information.

Second? This is TDO. These guys hate spending money. They hate doing anything, or so it seems. In the past, we've seen situations where we've seen smoke and nothing has come to pass. They are not to be trusted.

Does anyone know if its even TDOs call at this point? With a project this size it has to be coming down from the top right?
 

ThemeParks4Life

Well-Known Member
No, I dont mean you or @Lee, old sport.

People came out of the woodwork and were claiming things to be the gospel when we're not even to approved budget phase yet.

You picked one hell of a weekend to put the computer down. LOL.

I wont even get into the disaster that was DTD and their car show this weekend. (Really, middle of June in this heat?!)
I went the very first year it was held, AKA the Cars 2 tie in year.
 

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
You know, I must say, you are one of the most obtuse posters I've ever had the annoyance of reading around here. You drink up the company Kool-Aid and preach it as gospel while dispelling the news you don't want to hear from established, reputable insiders who have built credibility over years of correct insider information. And really, you should be happy - DHS will be (hopefully!) getting the attention it needs.

Iger isn't going to say DHS is failing if he doesn't have to. He can use the wonders of aggregate data to paint a prettier picture for investors. The park attendance statistics you keep screaming about have been mere estimates for years now...and they (given some pretty simple examination) really don't make a lot of sense. In DHS's case, as many have already pointed out ad nauseum (and you've yet to address this point, by the way), in order to reach the number of the reported attendance, the park would have to be at or near capacity pretty much every day of the year. That isn't anywhere near realistic or true.

And consider this - if WDW had nothing to hide about its theme park attendance data, in that DHS WAS actually growing to the degree the reports claim (and that you keep shouting), why don't they just publish the official numbers? Disney has taken steps to hide that information rather than make it more transparent. One has to wonder, why?

Of course, none of this matters when you consider that attendance doesn't mean crap if no one is buying anything. I can personally attest that the "3 hour stay" argument is pretty valid, as I've done it quite often - and I know several families who went recently that either only spent an hour or two there to ride ToT & RnRC, or skipped it entirely. That means no meal sales and almost no merchandise sales from that customer, but hey, DHS gets the turnstile click so it must be doing fabulously, right?

You keep acting like we're saying DHS and DCA have the same problem and are thus getting a "reboot" of sorts - this isn't accurate and you keep grossly misrepresenting what a lot of people are saying to suit your (seriously) slanted argument. DCA's problem was it was a crap park compared to Disneyland without enough quality attractions to draw sufficient attendance. It needed attendance, badly. DHS has attendance, as you've pointed out again and again and again. The issue is the lack of spending once there and duration of stay. If you bolster the presence of two of Disney's master properties, Star Wars and Cars, you've got enough new, extremely-appealing attractions to keep people there for at least one meal and probably enough interest to buy a Cars or Star Wars toy (or anything else, really). Let's not kid ourselves - Lights Motors Action and the Backlot Tour aren't selling toys right now. Cars and Star Wars will. Thus, DHS and DCA both need (and will hopefully get) its reboot - but for entirely different reasons and with entirely different end goals.

Finally, to address your "this is armchair imagineering!" claim, I counter by saying you're being a bit of a hypocrite. You seem to know what's better for the park by offering your own ideas on where expansion pads and where things should go (parking lots, etc.). If someone told me five years ago that Universal would tear out the JAWS ride and adjacent Amity area, put more Potter in, and link the parks with a train, I would've told them they were nuts and that was probably just some stupid armchair imagineering. (In fact, if I looked back far enough, I probably did say something like that.) It's not that far-fetched that Disney would be interested in tearing down the useless Streets of America, Backlot Tour, and LMA (the latter two of which are very resource-consuming and expensive to run) in favor of more relevant, popular attractions. Seriously, I really find it hard to believe you can't understand this argument. I think you're calling it "armchair imagineering" because you don't like the plan and it doesn't make the most efficient use of space to you. (And I might even agree. But that's not the point.)

Now, I know you'll ignore every logical point I (and everyone else) just made and continue in your little dreamland where Disney does things per your wishes, @Lee and the @WDW1974 don't know what they're talking about, and the removal of the Osborne lights would be a national catastrophe (seriously?). But I just could not handle your seemingly forced ignorance any longer and felt compelled to say something.

I just gave you a 53rd like for that post. Is that a record?

You said what clearly a lot of people were thinking and you said it soooooooooo much nicer than I would have!
 
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