The Spirited Sixth Sense ...

[wm49rs]

Funny as he!!, and absolutely frightening at the same time....

 

[ThisIsSimba1]

Meanwhile... on Micechat... there are people hating on Disney for being so aggressive with refurbishments.

People are so short-sighted. I guess they can close it once it gets dilapidated enough that no one wants to ride anything.

I can't agree with you enough. In fact, I think they need to be more aggressive, not just with refurbs, but with filling empty space as well. As mentioned many times, Future World feels empty outside of TT, Soarin' and Mission: Space, the entirety of DHS needs help, and DAK won't have anything new for another couple years. I know things take time, but the stagnation of new things at the FL parks (outside of NFL, which I really do like) is insane IMO. I know it would temporarily hurt the all important bottom line, but in the long term rectifying the issues mentioned would be a huge benefit in the long term

 

[michmousefan]

I love how WDW has raised their prices now FIVE TIMES since I got my last raise at my job.
Now if we were seeing some serious substantial E-tickets and other rides and shows added over that time, I could understand the increase. FLE just isn't enough to merit this kind of hike.

$94 for an Epcot park that has vacant buildings that once housed attractions and restaurants?
$94 for a Hollywood Studios park that needs a complete overhaul?
$94 for an Animal Kingdom park that hasn't added a big attraction in 8 years and isn't getting anything else new for another 3 1/2 years?

You're not worth the prices anymore. Haven't been for a few years now.
Give me a break Disney!

Was at WDW in October of last year, but... looking forward to purchasing an annual pass at UNI in a couple of weeks – for the cost of *two days* at MK. Wow. Won't be returning to WDW until there is something new worth spending my family's money on... Avatar, I'm guessing.

 

[BrianLo]

People need to lighten up on this whole Shanghai = smog thing. It shows limited perspective and repeating ad-nauseum the American media attempt at demeaning other countries they are frightened of.

Yes it's a problem, no it won't affect Disney anymore than the occasional Floridan downpour. The snow in Paris and Tokyo is probably the bigger non-issue.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

People need to lighten up on this whole Shanghai = smog thing. It shows limited perspective and repeating ad-nauseum the American media attempt at demeaning other countries they are frightened of.

Yes it's a problem, no it won't affect Disney anymore than the occasional Floridan downpour. The snow in Paris and Tokyo is probably the bigger non-issue.

I dunno, it's hard to get lung cancer from snow.

Seriously though, the smog is a big problem for a Disney theme park, a place filled with outdoor performers and employees. Last December when the smog was so thick you couldn't see several feet in front of you and people were wearing those masks for fear of their health - that's not a circumstance that's conducive to safe theme park operations. Children were ordered to stay indoors - how would they do that at a Disney theme park? I hope the government is able to curb it over time (and I know it comes and goes as it is), because it is a huge problem, albeit moreso in northern China.

 

[BrianLo]

Seriously though, the smog is a big problem for a Disney theme park, a place filled with outdoor performers and employees.

I understand where you are coming from and the concern, but this is not a daily occurrence though. It's always a baseline problem certainly, but people are clinging to one major event and think it is the norm. It's not like Shanghai has simply ground to a halt and everyone has moved away.

Smog will occasionally be a big enough problem that people will choose to stay home. The same thing happens at any other park that has "weather".

Sweltering heat waves give outdoor performers heat stroke in Hong Kong (I'm sure people were incessantly talking about SARS when that was built). A hurricane will keep you away from WDW. California sliding into the Ocean any given day will keep you away from Anaheim. Japan getting hit by a tsunami will keep you out of those parks too. Way too many people smoke in DLP so there's your side of cancer with snow. You role with the challenges of a location essentially wherever you choose to build a Disney park and adjust accordingly.

The fact that every time some news about Shanghai gets brought up, within a fews posts we have a "Lol Smog" post is really irritating and disruptive to actual conversation. This is of course a greater problem of a joke that was funny once getting repeated over and over again (by many, many different posters) for years because often information is slow! But, that's another battle to deal with another time.

 

[Cesar R M]

Funny as he!!, and absolutely frightening at the same time....

People need to lighten up on this whole Shanghai = smog thing. It shows limited perspective and repeating ad-nauseum the American media attempt at demeaning other countries they are frightened of.

Yes it's a problem, no it won't affect Disney anymore than the occasional Floridan downpour. The snow in Paris and Tokyo is probably the bigger non-issue.

IMHO its not about "hitting" or "demeaning" .
the 680-800 smoke levels were INSANE for ANY town...
That is usual when a country starts their "industrial" revolution.
I remember that the US had similar contamination levels until they pushed for environment laws. (funny that some people want to remove them because "they cost the private sector billions"

I dunno, it's hard to get lung cancer from snow.

Seriously though, the smog is a big problem for a Disney theme park, a place filled with outdoor performers and employees. Last December when the smog was so thick you couldn't see several feet in front of you and people were wearing those masks for fear of their health - that's not a circumstance that's conducive to safe theme park operations. Children were ordered to stay indoors - how would they do that at a Disney theme park? I hope the government is able to curb it over time (and I know it comes and goes as it is), because it is a huge problem, albeit moreso in northern China.

Agree there... Snow nor Rain can affect your health as much as the severe contamination going on.

I understand where you are coming from and the concern, but this is not a daily occurrence though. It's always a baseline problem certainly, but people are clinging to one major event and think it is the norm. It's not like Shanghai has simply ground to a halt and everyone has moved away.

Smog will occasionally be a big enough problem that people will choose to stay home. The same thing happens at any other park that has "weather".

Sweltering heat waves give outdoor performers heat stroke in Hong Kong (I'm sure people were incessantly talking about SARS when that was built). A hurricane will keep you away from WDW. California sliding into the Ocean any given day will keep you away from Anaheim. Japan getting hit by a tsunami will keep you out of those parks too. Way too many people smoke in DLP so there's your side of cancer with snow. You role with the challenges of a location essentially wherever you choose to build a Disney park and adjust accordingly.

The fact that every time some news about Shanghai gets brought up, within a fews posts we have a "Lol Smog" post is really irritating and disruptive to actual conversation. This is of course a greater problem of a joke that was funny once getting repeated over and over again (by many, many different posters) for years because often information is slow! But, that's another battle to deal with another time.

I agree with you partially. Mexico city as similar problems of contamination.. but it never reached 600+ levels (maxes are usually at 380 on a very bad day). And they do similar recommendations.. not going out, not using cars..etc..

In the other hand... Japan's tsunami is a really DUMB excuse. The tsunami was a NATURAL DISASTER, not a man made problem.
And it could have been worse if they didn't had such protections or straight guidelines of buildings and coastal walls...
And like hurricanes, they are a "one hit event" that would last at most a week unless they're devastating one-of-a-kind events (like Hurricane Katrina or the insanely powerful Wylma)

SARS and FLU were not strictly local to Hong Kong. They had infections in all Asia, china included.

Even Mexico has has their version due of import of Chinese poultry(H1N1).

So twerkin' lady vists both WDW and DLR? Good thing I'm going to Euro Disney instead.

some of these "life" memes are really disturbing and/or stupid.. the twerking, the Harlem shake and the planking are really good example of VERY STUPID things.

Love Card, but that concept art is way too clear for Shanghai....

Anyone noticed that they seem to have a stage similar to the "dance party" zone in Magic Kingdom?

 

[marni1971]

2.5 BILLION

$99.

Magical.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Fun With Tweets (Price Hike Addition):

E. Cardon Walker ‏@ECardonWalker 24m
Media Geniuses. RT @ThemePark: So did Disney World just announce a price increase during a Universal Orlando press event? #mostimpressive

Rikki Niblett ‏@RikkiNibs 1h
surprised to see the WDW ticket increase mostly because I would think Disney wouldn't want the next increase to be over the harsh $100 mark

Root ‏@servoisnaked 2h
WDW justifies price hike saying "We have to fix the tiki dude's arm. Don't want him to remind people of the drummer for Def Leppard"

IndyandMarion ‏@IndyandMarion 2h
Anyone who is shocked by the price hike at WDW tomorrow needs to be tickled on the with a feather duster.

Sean ‏@Parkscope_Sean 2h
WDW justifies their price hike with the "ongoing commitment in expanding their offerings". LOLZ

Superior SpiderMearn ‏@mearn 38m
On nights like tonight I become very concerned that Jimmy Thick isn't trolling

CM87 Esq. ‏@CaptMichael87 1h
For 2 days at MK, I get a year at UOR.

Brandon ‏@DCAlover 2h
It still makes me physically ill to think that Magic Kingdom is far more money than Tokyo Disneyland.

Todd Dupler ‏@ToddDupler 2h
@Parkscope_Sean @AmyBethCombs @AlaskaDisneyGrl @WonderlandNerds I think the hotel prices are more out of whack than the park prices.

The joke's on us. Here is a thought: TWDC likes nobody, nobody in online media better than Spirit. You are doing their work for them.


WDW's parks, especially the deal making MK, are pretty much filled to capacity. Demand exceeds supply. This leaves two courses of action: increase supply, or increase prices. The first is mostly an expense, with little roi: it will not make vacationers increase the length of their stay, nor spend more. So the second course is chosen, to increase prices. This sells the suppy to the highest bidder.
(And two minor course of actions: to spread demand out over the year, and to invest in operational efficiency to increase capacity. Disney spends billions on both)

The extortionate prices drive people away from WDW. But that is precisely what Disney likes. Disney wants their fans to make good on their threats to visit WDW less frequently, wants them to decide to swap a WDW visit for DL and DCL instead. Disney wants the fans to visit WDW at exorbitant prices every other year, instead of at reasonable prices every year.


Now all TWDC needs is a social media advocate who tells its customers to cut back trips to WDW and to try the cruises and DL instead. Everytime somebody in this thread declares that he has listened to 74 and will try the cruise this year instead of WDW Blondie gets to throw a dart on a Spirited wall poster.

 

[BrianLo]

I agree with you partially.

I was using all those examples as sarcastic reasons to avoid any of the Disney parks worldwide, I don't support any of them. But they were to point out how silly the smog is with Shanghai, which unlike what people seem to believe, does go away quite regularly. And in the future China will hopefully deal with it completely.

 

[crispy]

The joke's on us. Here is a thought: TWDC likes nobody, nobody in online media better than Spirit. You are doing their work for them.


WDW's parks, especially the deal making MK, are pretty much filled to capacity. Demand exceeds supply. This leaves two courses of action: increase supply, or increase prices. The first is mostly an expense, with little roi: it will not make vacationers increase the length of their stay, nor spend more. So the second course is chosen, to increase prices. This sells the suppy to the highest bidder.
(And two minor course of actions: to spread demand out over the year, and to invest in operational efficiency to increase capacity. Disney spends billions on both)

The extortionate prices drive people away from WDW. But that is precisely what Disney likes. Disney wants their fans to make good on their threats to visit WDW less frequently, wants them to decide to swap a WDW visit for DL and DCL instead. Disney wants the fans to visit WDW at exorbitant prices every other year, instead of at reasonable prices every year.


Now all TWDC needs is a social media advocate who tells its customers to cut back trips to WDW and to try the cruises and DL instead. Everytime somebody in this thread declares that he has listened to 74 and will try the cruise this year instead of WDW Blondie gets to throw a dart on a Spirited wall poster.

I'll be honest and say this line of reasoning makes no sense to me. If people can't afford WDW prices, they sure as heck can't afford to fly to California or Tokyo or cruise DCL. I know at this point in life, we can't (well, we could, but I have other priorities like funding retirement and college funds). While some customers may be driven to different Disney business lines, most others will be driven to different businesses and vacation destination destinations period.

 

[Cesar R M]

I'll be honest and say this line of reasoning makes no sense to me. If people can't afford WDW prices, they sure as heck can't afford to fly to California or Tokyo or cruise DCL. I know at this point in life, we can't (well, we could, but I have other priorities like funding retirement and college funds). While some customers may be driven to different Disney business lines, most others will be driven to different businesses and vacation destination destinations period.

That is where you are wrong.
There are many companies that offer really affordable packages.. be it in disneyland or WDW or even ASIA.
but of course.. these prices are not your usual "WDW prices".

 

[ford91exploder]

If you build a Walmart...they will come.

Disgusting...

 

[ford91exploder]

^ Grounds for immediate and mandatory trespass. With violence.

And live ammo...

 

[ford91exploder]

They are already working on this according to my sources.

Ticket Price Increase!

It's done the EPCOT Meet-n-Grope!

 

[Gabe1]

Frozen now has grossed 980 million worldwide, and is poised to overtake The Lion King has the #2 highest grossing animated film of all time. It should also pass the billion dollar mark within the next few weeks.

What an amazing success for Disney animation. I think Frozen this IP is the one that needs to be fast tracked into the parks ASAP(even before Star Wars).

Oh Joy just what we need is more princess attractions and meet and greets, so much for diversified parks.
Actually I really enjoyed Frozen but I can't put it into the same category as Lion King, nor its soundtrack.

What I don't respect is how in comparisons like this for example is the data is muddied by data reconfiguration when analyzing the statistics. One step is left out of the calculation in claiming it will overtake the Lion King and it is deliberate among those who understand data reconfiguration and spew these figures to the unsuspecting and then they are regurgitated as fact.

In order to compare the 1994 Lion King to the 2013 Frozen box office receipts you must adjust the 1994 receipts to the CPI/Inflation rate of 2013. Just shy of of 20 years, the inflation rate is something that cannot be ignored.

Average Movie Theater Price in 1994 was $4.18
Average Movie Theater Price in 2013 was $8.13
Average Movie Theater Price so far 2014 $8.35

Make the adjustment for 19 years and see how it plays out.

 

[crispy]

That is where you are wrong.
There are many companies that offer really affordable packages.. be it in disneyland or WDW or even ASIA.
but of course.. these prices are not your usual "WDW prices".

It depends on your definition of affordable. I have never spent more than 3K for a week at WDW (we have a cast member friend who helps with discounts) . A 7 day cruise on DCL for my family of 4 would run me closer to 8K. I would love to experience it, but it's just not in the budget.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I was using all those examples as sarcastic reasons to avoid any of the Disney parks worldwide, I don't support any of them. But they were to point out how silly the smog is with Shanghai, which unlike what people seem to believe, does go away quite regularly. And in the future China will hopefully deal with it completely.

Smog and other environmental concerns will require a rather significant change not just in laws, but the Chinese system of governance. The Central Government is not all powerful and quite often leaves policy creation and enforcement up to local authorities. The prime incentives for advancement in the Party remain large economic growth. That is why environment concerns get highlighted, because they will require a shift within the Party which has also been rather effective in silencing dissent.

 

[GoofGoof]

It depends on your definition of affordable. I have never spent more than 3K for a week at WDW (we have a cast member friend who helps with discounts) . A 7 day cruise on DCL for my family of 4 would run me closer to 8K. I would love to experience it, but it's just not in the budget.

I agree with this. DCL is not a low cost alternative to WDW. I think most people who have tried it rave about it for a lot of positive things, but being cheap or low cost usually isn't one. It's paying top dollar for top quality. I've never personally tried it. I don't like getting on a boat unless I'm driving it

 

[crispy]

I agree with this. DCL is not a low cost alternative to WDW. I think most people who have tried it rave about it for a lot of positive things, but being cheap or low cost usually isn't one. It's paying top dollar for top quality. I've never personally tried it. I don't like getting on a boat unless I'm driving it

Exactly. People who are priced out of Disney World are definitely priced of their actual premier offerings. We actually like cruising, but we've only been only been on the "lesser" lines.