Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

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flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
WDW1974 said:
Bottom line is the price isn't too high for most folks.
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Well the careless spending of 'most folks' also nearly imploded the economy :) I don't know how people do it.. maybe it's the people with smaller families or no families that can keep the industry prop'd up like this. I like going to the movies... but can't stomach it as a family thing. I usually just take one other.. since aligning everyone is hard enough as it is :)
 
RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
the.dreamfinder said:
Could you repost the text from that post. The group is closed. :(
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It was a response to Robert Niles' article:
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201306/3524/

Jim dropped in with several posts:
He's got the orientation of Star Wars Land slightly wrong. It's not Muppets and Honey, I Shrunk that's going. It's the Indiana Jones Stunt Show and Echo Lake that will be disappearing. But beyond that ... Yep, this expansion is going to be huge. The timeline that I heard though is Star Wars Land first and then Cars Land. But the situation is very fluid and a lot could change before the official announcement in August
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They're supposed to be spending a little money on that part of DHS after the Osborne Festival of Dancing Lights wraps this holiday season. Nothing major, mind you. Just enough to give people a couple of new Muppet-themed photo spots that will then be themed around the "Muppets Most Wanted" movie. Help raise awareness of this March 2014 Walt Disney Pictures release
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Well, they certainly hope so. Just keep in mind that -- given the size of what they're looking to do to the left front side of DHS -- you're talking about at least two years of lots & lots of construction fences
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But just keep in mind this means Indy goes away (supposedly for a speeder biker ride) and Echo Lake goes away (supposedly for Mos Eisley). Or that's what I heard when I was out in LA late last month
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Avatar Land is still coming. Just very, very slowly. Cameron's a busy guy. And -- to be blunt here -- kind of a pain-in-the- to deal with. So getting him to be realistic about what a theme park version of Pandora has to be like (i.e. you need to put 2400 guests a hour through an attraction, not 24) has been a struggle. But the Imagineers are bringing him to speed about the realities of their world. And hopefully James will sign off on a final, definitive version of this new DHS "land" before August
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Robert obviously been hearing the exact same things that I've been hearing. And he's usually got rock-solid sources on stuff like this. Let's remember that Niles is the guy who broke the story about the Gringotts coaster back in March of 2013. So -- yeah -- I'd trust this. Just keep in mind that the site plan is still kind of fluid. They haven't decided where the X-wing spinner is going yet. That sort of stuff
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Cars Land is problematic for Florida. What really makes the DCA version of Radiators Springs Racers work is the epic scale of the outside intro (as you're driving through Ornament Valley. Which properly sets the stage for the ride on the inside) as well as the tandem racing finale. Operating a ride like that in Orlando, home of the sudden surprise torrential rain storm, is tough. Just ask the guys who try to keep Test Track up & running at Epcot.
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Again, the Muppets are staying right where they are. Robert's got his story basically right. It's the possible orientation of Star Wars Land that he's kind of got wrong. It's going to be on the left as you enter DHS starting behind Hollywood Boulevard. Basically extending from Hollywood & Dine (which is staying right where it is and isn't changing) all the way back to Tatooine Traders.
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The Spice Road restaurant for Morocco. A new ride film for Soarin. And a new night-time show for World Showcase Lagoon. But that last one may take a while to get properly funded. Disney's still trying to find a corporate sponsor for that one
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Well, just keep in mind that Diagon Alley is Potter on steroids.
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Well, you guys may not like to say Universal Orlando's name. But trust me, it gets said a lot these days inside of 1401 Flower Street. Disney is very aware that they've lost the high ground in Central Florida, at least when it comes to wowing people on the theme park front. Which is one of the reasons that Star Wars Land is zooming through WDI's development pipeline. The Imagineers feel like they need to do something big to get back on the board
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The real problem here is WDI's corporate culture. It takes years & years of meetings before any project for the Parks can actually gets moving. Now contrast that with Universal Creative. Who went from "Maybe we should build a version of Transformers the Ride 3D in Florida?" during the soft opening of the Hollywood version of this ride in April of 2012 to the Universal Studios Florida of that ride having its grand opening a week from today. That's insanely fast. But then again, the people at Universal Creative don't like holding meetings just for the sake of holding meetings. They actually like to build new rides, shows and attractions. And trust me, folks. There is other, even more ambitious stuff on the other side of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley. Not to mention Universal Orlando's 25th anniversary celebration in 2015
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I'm new here too, Michelle. And this is the first time I've actually done this sort of thing on Facebook. I was originally just going to drop in, Ninja-style, and reassure people that the Muppets and Honey, I Shrunk weren't going away and then zip on out. But then I just kept jabbering. I really should probably be going, though. I've got another E3 report that I should be posting over on JHM. Plus some cool pictures from the world premiere of "Get A Horse!" at Annecy earlier this week. (That's a great, great Mickey Mouse short, by the way. Be sure and see that when it pops up later this year in front of "Frozen"). But this was fun. Maybe we could do it again sometime ...
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That is the plan. But -- again -- keep in mind that this situation is still kind of fluid. Specific site plans can change. Let's remember that the initial iteration of New Fantasyland featured those Cinderella & Sleeping Beauty NextGen meet-n-greets as well as Pixie Hollow. That version of WDI's plan for expanding the Magic Kingdom died with Staggs & Rasulo switched jobs in November of 2009. So just because something gets announced from the stage of the Anaheim Arena doesn't mean that it's actually going to eventually get built
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Anyway ... I really do have to get back to work here, folks. But this was definitely fun. I enjoyed chatting with all you WDW Kingdomcast fans. And we'll have to figure out how to do this again sometime. Til then, you guys take care, okay?
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misterID

misterID

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
Everyone jumping to the conclusion that the King is returning to UNI need to take down the excitement just a bit because I'm not jumping on the Skull Island Express just yet. Sorry. Something is VERY odd about the entire thing.
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Awww, man... That's like the hot girl asking you out, only to tell you she wants to just be friends :(
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
WDW1974 said:
I don't think that place has felt like a community in a very long time. But Lutz was the heart and soul of that place and without his spark, his personality, you're just left with a lot if photo blogs (some better than others).
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Nah, there was much more than the Lutz feeding tube. There were lots of great people there... but the Lutz feeding tube is what kept people congregating at THAT watering hole. His articles were the catalyst.. because there really are no other people there posting with any sort of inside information. Even the CM input lately is weak. But when they were focusing on their views and web presence.. they pulled all their content to the front pages and drained the forums of key interactions. Interesting people moved on or were turned off from the heavy handed shaping of posting behaviors. Unfortunately I would call the policy "embrace the stupid" because they tried to enforce a standard where stupid posting/posters was supposed to be treated as an equal and be embraced.

While they tried to diversify and expand their media output.. I think they swamped the place and brought in too many.. especially people that were not interesting at all. They diluted the product with subpar stuff. The getting closer to Disney helped them with their events... but I think it hurt the editorial. Dusty isn't blinded by Disney.. he's just an optimist by nature.
 
P

pheneix

Well-Known Member
misterID said:
People love their tech, they love their tvs, they love the "event" of going to the theater (the fact they're still surviving shouldn't be a surprise, we're social creatures) and no tech is going to change that. Same reason people go to theme parks and pay outrageous prices and will continue to do so.

TV is making more money than ever. Streaming will have an impact, but its limitations in regards to the things people love with their tvs, soundsystems, HD quality, 3D, isn't going to make anything extinct. Netflix and Hulu still have drawbacks. I canceled both. And really, Netflix would not, could not survive without broadcast TV. None of the streaming companies could, like they couldn't survive without the film industry, the dudes who own the content and make the rules (ask Netflix what happens when they decide to flex their muscle) These streaming companies are really living off their crumbs. Literally.

People have been saying the death of the movie theater was around the corner since the advent of TV. Then independent film was going to topple the movie industry in the 90's. Internet was going to kill broadcast TV in the last decade. The big thing now is that mobile games are sending video games into a death spiral, which is funny when yu see the industry profits growing every year and not focusing on bloated game comanpies losing money (EA anyone?) Still waiting...
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I admit to being a little more ahead of the curve technology wise than most. I have no problem streaming crystal clear 1080p, 5.1 digital content through my Playstation 3, from both Sony's own distribution and Hulu/Netflix. There is a quality gap between streaming online vs. Blu-ray, but compared to basic cable TV and the dinosaur of a GUI my cable box is shackled down with (also capped at 1080i resolution for all content) its a no-contest. Netflix and Hulu provide me the best amount of content in the least amount of time. Throw in HBO GO and ESPN on an Xbox 360 and there is very little need to go near traditional television broadcasting for anything.

As this kind of instant access becomes available to more consumers, particularly younger consumers who are already addicted to instant access to content because of Youtube, the cable line will be cut en masse. For older consumers, maybe not so much. Again, the path of least resistance for them will be doing what they have done for their entire lives up until this point.
 
misterID

misterID

Well-Known Member
@pheneix With the advancement of tech, things will change, no doubt, but I don't see it changing so dramatically, or quickly as others do. Especially when the guys who own all the content are still making the rules and I don't see that changing.

I've seriously been hearing fimlmakers (big ones) and people talking about the end of the studio film and tv as just being a few years away for the last 20 years, when in fact, it's gotten bigger.

Look how long it took for print media to begin to die... TV and theaters are still a long ways away from that happening to them.

GiveMeTheMusic said:
Lutz is sadly suffering from advanced Parkinson's. He's unable to continue contributing to the site at present.
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Man, that's terrible. Had no idea.
 
stevehousse

stevehousse

Well-Known Member
Since we are on the subject of MCDs, had anyone on here been to McDonald's Bistro in Orlando? It is always a must for us to stop there at least once on the trip!
 
luv

luv

Well-Known Member
stevehousse said:
Since we are on the subject of MCDs, had anyone on here been to McDonald's Bistro in Orlando? It is always a must for us to stop there at least once on the trip!
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Is that the big, touristy one with the pasta bar? I went there once. Surprisingly, the kids didn't love it. They liked it, but not enough for us to endure going again.
 
stevehousse

stevehousse

Well-Known Member
luv said:
Is that the big, touristy one with the pasta bar? I went there once. Surprisingly, the kids didn't love it. They liked it, but not enough for us to endure going again.
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I don't go to the big huge one with the arcade and such, the regular MD Bistro is down the road with an upscale exterior look. I believe they have pretty comparable menus, but I don't remember that location having a pasta bar...
 
Jane Doe

Jane Doe

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
.

But once in the air, that baby had such a smooth feel. It was like gliding on the clouds.
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Having been on most commercial airliners models and their variants I can say the Tri-Star was the most comfortable I've ever flown on and those Rolls Royce engines were silky smooth. My transatlantic trips to Florida are still on the 747-400s which are still more than adequate, but Virgin Atlantic are in the process of converting to Airbus A330s, which err on the side of snug to say the least.
 
Nmoody1

Nmoody1

Well-Known Member
Jane Doe said:
Having been on most commercial airliners models and their variants I can say the Tri-Star was the most comfortable I've ever flown on and those Rolls Royce engines were silky smooth. My transatlantic trips to Florida are still on the 747-400s which are still more than adequate, but Virgin Atlantic are in the process of converting to Airbus A330s, which err on the side of snug to say the least.
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We still fly 747's to MCO.... You just have to get the right day :) and our 747's are all lovely and refurbished now :)
 
Darth Sidious

Darth Sidious

Authentically Disney Distinctly Chinese
WDWFigment said:
Not to mention that tracking the efficacy of CPC advertising in many forms of online media is infinitely more accurate than tracking offline advertising.

Just a guess, but I would also bet that the effectiveness of ads in front of online content is higher than offline ads, especially for those that have online conversions. The best you can hope for with offline advertising is generally awareness, but online advertising can deliver customers directly to a checkout.

As for the other topic of seeing movies at the theaters, I'm surprised to hear what you all spend. We live in the Midwest, so prices are lower, but still. We spend $5/ticket at a nice AMC for shows before noon. We never buy any concessions, so the total cost is $10 plus gas. I prefer going to the early showings because no one else is there. Went to see World War Z in a crowded theater last weekend at 11:50 a.m. and remembered why I normally try to go as close to 10 a.m. as possible. The dude next to me prided himself in his ability to prognosticate out loud what was going to happen next...
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Don't make feel worse about my NY prices! Haha
 
ChrisFL

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Avatar Land is still coming. Just very, very slowly. Cameron's a busy guy. And -- to be blunt here -- kind of a pain-in-the- to deal with. So getting him to be realistic about what a theme park version of Pandora has to be like (i.e. you need to put 2400 guests a hour through an attraction, not 24) has been a struggle. But the Imagineers are bringing him to speed about the realities of their world. And hopefully James will sign off on a final, definitive version of this new DHS "land" before August
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Did anyone catch that? Either it's a typo or Jim Hill just implied that Avatar is going to DHS :confused:
 
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