Spirited News & Observations II -- NGE/Baxter

[stevehousse]

Peter Pan was on Disney jr a few weeks ago. Every Friday the channel has a Disney classic movie shown...and now it is reffered to as wonderful world of Disney Jr

 

[spaceghost]

There was supposed to be a test group, but I don't know the specifics. I did tag Testa in the other thread, but who knows whether he'll respond as I haven't been kind toward Lifestylers (although I see one of his O-Town based employees has removed 'Ginormous ' from her Twitter page, which is what I advised and was smart on her part!)

But you know me, if people are being handed free trips by the CPSMC, then I want to know. ... I'm sure plenty of regular guests would have loved the option to test it for free trips too!

As an Unofficial Guide rep (being the co-author and all), I'm pretty sure Disney did not pay his way (assuming he's there for a press event of some sort). The Unofficial Guide has a clearly stated policy on not taking money from the Mouse and remaining objective. I'm going to assume this policy also carries over to touringplans.com, but not totally sure on that. I will say that I would not lump Len in with some of the other Lifestylers you refer to. Between the UG and the podcast he's on, I've certainly read/heard many honest comments that would definitely not be considered as overly positive towards TWDC. I will also say that he has crafted out a successful career as an author/web site owner by applying statistics, modeling, and computer science to touring theme parks.

 

[articos]

I just look at Mermaid and see no MAGIC in it. Pan has it in spades. Snow White has it. Alice has it. Roger Rabbit has it ... something special about the Disney dark rides. Mermaid is simply a plastic retelling (and leaving out the drama at the end because we wouldn't want to scare the little ones ... BTW, I was scared by SW as a child and I lived and prospered!)

I do not understand why anyone thinks it is better than ho-hum.

Exactly.

 

[articos]

The thing about the New Orleans for cruising is that it's a huge drive-in market. You can leave in the morning from Memphis, Nashville, Pensacola and Atlanta and be there by early afternoon for boarding. Likewise when the cruise ends, you get off in the morning and drive home. None of these people would ever see the seedier nighttime reputation that New Orleans has. As for the locals who cruise, they already know all about it.

Ah, got it. I stand majorly corrected. Thanks! And to reiterate, I wasn't bagging on NO, which I do hope gets the DCL business, just was commenting on it may be an uphill battle. But it's seeming like it might not be as bad as I thought.

 

[spaceghost]

Nice work on the Guide.

Oh no, not me. I was referring to the subject of Spirit's post. I've just read the Guide, in numerous forms...enough to understand that their credibility would be zip if they didn't stick to their objectivity.

 

[articos]

Oh no, not me. I was referring to the subject of Spirit's post. I've just read the Guide, in numerous forms...enough to understand that their credibility would be zip if they didn't stick to their objectivity.

Whoops. Alright, I think I'm starting to make this corrected thing a habit. Need to stop posting tonight. LOL Sorry, I get what you meant now.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I just look at Mermaid and see no MAGIC in it. Pan has it in spades. Snow White has it. Alice has it. Roger Rabbit has it ... something special about the Disney dark rides. Mermaid is simply a plastic retelling (and leaving out the drama at the end because we wouldn't want to scare the little ones ... BTW, I was scared by SW as a child and I lived and prospered!)

I do not understand why anyone thinks it is better than ho-hum.

AMEN. Mermaid has no heart. Even Pinocchio, a non-original Fantasyland dark ride has heart. Obviously there's a difference between the Imagineers in 1983 and the ones now. My favorite thing about Mermaid is the beautiful building. I could sit in there all day, but I don't really care about the ride itself, unfortunately.

 

[alissafalco]

Yep ... Orlando and Anaheim have their dark sides as well, quite ugly in places. There is absolutely no way DCL won't go to New Orleans because it isn't 'family friendly' ... they recently concluded a long run of having The Lion King at Mandalay Bay in Vegas.

With the new port coming along, I could easily see them sailing from New Orleans instead of Galveston (where bookings haven't been as robust as Disney would like.)

Oh, and despite what you may hear, DCL is already looking to add to the fleet!

Any info if they will be coming back to NY?

 

[scpergj]

I just look at Mermaid and see no MAGIC in it. Pan has it in spades. Snow White has it. Alice has it. Roger Rabbit has it ... something special about the Disney dark rides. Mermaid is simply a plastic retelling (and leaving out the drama at the end because we wouldn't want to scare the little ones ... BTW, I was scared by SW as a child and I lived and prospered!)

I do not understand why anyone thinks it is better than ho-hum.

I have to agree.

My family rode it during the 'Welcome to our Dress Rehersal' phase. The que was amazing...but it was just the que. The ride? Meh...my entire family, including our 11 year old daughter, thought it was O.K., but she wouldn't go out of her way to ride it again - which we could have done the next day, but none of us really felt the need. It really does appear to be missing something MAGICal...

 

[Goofyernmost]

That was an AMAZING store, Goof. Too bad it's long gone.

It had a Gallery as well (yeah, I own stuff purchased there). I don't know when exactly the store, which was designed by WDI and had a whole line of STORE/Vegas exclusive merchandise, closed. I do know they were getting rid of the Gallery in 2004 (bought some stuff at 75% off that I am now looking to rid myself of!)

If I remember correctly I took that picture in 2003 or 04.

 

[tracyandalex]

The thing about the New Orleans for cruising is that it's a huge drive-in market. You can leave in the morning from Memphis, Nashville, Pensacola and Atlanta and be there by early afternoon for boarding. Likewise when the cruise ends, you get off in the morning and drive home. None of these people would ever see the seedier nighttime reputation that New Orleans has. As for the locals who cruise, they already know all about it.

Add north Florida to that list!! NOLA is closer to us than Miami.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Others have already stated it well, but our latest trip early this month was our first look at New Fantasyland. Our sentiments were similar to others; while the environment is as beautiful as anything I've ever seen them do, the marquee attraction was a little bit of a letdown.

My wife, who has never logged into a message board in her life said after getting off Mermaid: "the "A-team" must have been busy designing the building. It was like they handed the film to a group of engineers and instructed them to technically execute the film, but they forgot to make it fun."

 

[MattM]

Oh, and despite what you may hear, DCL is already looking to add to the fleet!

Truth. And probably sooner rather than later. Ah, I am going to consider myself an insider now

 

[scpergj]

Add north Florida to that list!! NOLA is closer to us than Miami.

MIght want to slightly modify that one...those of us in the Jacksonville area (I know there are at least five of us!) consider ourselves North Florida (I mean, come on, the University of North Florida - Go Osprey! - is in Jacksonville) and Miami is closer. Not a bunch, but the ride is a whole lot less dull than driving west on I-10!!

kidding...kidding....

 

[tracyandalex]

MIght want to slightly modify that one...those of us in the Jacksonville area (I know there are at least five of us!) consider ourselves North Florida (I mean, come on, the University of North Florida - Go Osprey! - is in Jacksonville) and Miami is closer. Not a bunch, but the ride is a whole lot less dull than driving west on I-10!!

kidding...kidding....

I figured it is close to the same for Jacksonville. I did think of you guys! It takes us 2 hours to get to Jacksonville and 4-5 to get to NOLA and 8 to get to Miami. It seemed like about the same. I definitely do have to agree with you completely on that horrible I-10 drive. At night, I believe that may be one of the worst drives in the country!

 

[OFTeric]

If you want to understand what true heart is... look no further than Brian Morrow at SeaWorld Orlando

MiceChat: Looking at the newest attractions, Manta, Turtle Trek and Antarctica, what is your vision for SeaWorld? What is SeaWord’s soul?
Brian Morrow: Our guests will leave more fulfilled than when they came in. They will be fulfilled with knowledge, with the sense of purpose and that they can make a difference, that it is possible to help and that it feels good. Once you do one bit of good you feel great. If we can impart that to them, it is amazing. We do it through the stories we tell, through rides and shows. When guests walk away from SeaWorld Orlando we want them to know that you have the power to make a difference and here are the tools to do it.

http://micechat.com/22288-antarctica-hardhat-tour-at-seaworld-orlando/

This is a man who gets his product, and is delivering it in spades. (Manta, Turtle Trek and now Antarctica)

 

[Goofyernmost]

If you want to understand what true heart is... look no further than Brian Morrow at SeaWorld Orlando


http://micechat.com/22288-antarctica-hardhat-tour-at-seaworld-orlando/

This is a man who gets his product, and is delivering it in spades. (Manta, Turtle Trek and now Antarctica)

He might also be being a little dramatic and a highly extreme exaggeration as to how "his" theme park is affecting the people that come there. In my mind they are there to be entertained. They learn nothing more than that if a whale jumps out of the water and crashes down near the audience, many casual observers are going to get very wet.

 

[OFTeric]

He might also be being a little dramatic and a highly extreme exaggeration as to how "his" theme park is affecting the people that come there. In my mind they are there to be entertained. They learn nothing more than that if a whale jumps out of the water and crashes down near the audience, many casual observers are going to get very wet.

I disagree. I think most people actually leave feeling a true connection to the animals. A love is born. But regardless of what you think people actually leave with, the point is, this is the starting point for the creative process at SeaWorld.

 

[djlaosc]

If you want to understand what true heart is... look no further than Brian Morrow at SeaWorld Orlando


http://micechat.com/22288-antarctica-hardhat-tour-at-seaworld-orlando/

This is a man who gets his product, and is delivering it in spades. (Manta, Turtle Trek and now Antarctica)

Are they trying to turn SeaWorld into a new version of Epcot (or at least a new version of The Living Seas?)

Entertain, Inform, Inspire...

Now all they need is a good long ride that the whole family can ride (like Horizons, World of Motion, Journey into Imagination) where the SEAGarden currently is (formerly Hospitality House) - however Antartica (opening May 24th 2013) could be this ride (it has two different levels of thrill) - but a good 10-15 minute ride suitable for everyone would be good (although I would doubt that they would use lots of AAs - I guess you could go under different tanks with different species in) - could even pretend to be in a submarine...

 

[71jason]

I could easily see them sailing from New Orleans instead of Galveston (where bookings haven't been as robust as Disney would like.)

How much of that is not having a Disney park an hour's drive from the port? The cruises I've been on (admittedly all 3 or 4 nights) have a lot of people "splitting their vacation week" betwen DCL and Orlando. I think a lot of the general public still views DCL almost as an extension of the parks.