Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[englanddg]

The first time we rode ET, my husband gave all our names as: Jennifer, Eugene, Eugene and Eugene.
Dude thinks he's funny.
Problem was, the gal couldn't spell Eugene; so ET bid farewell to: Jennifer and garbled mess x3.

 

[Californian Elitist]

That's a very interesting perspective.

I found DLC disappointing. It's small, it's quaint, it's cute...it's small. It has a lot of things going for it, no doubt, but compared to MK, not worth the expense for me (being east coast based). Nothing wow'ed me at DLC, but I did have many nostalgic moments (Nemo subs for my long missed 20k Leagues ride at MK, Snow White, Mr. Toads) Other rides were either nearly identical or done better at MK. It had a few new experiences (Matterhorn, for example) that were unique, but I think many of that balances out (take, for example, they have a better Fantasmic, but MK has better fireworks)...overall, I just wasn't impressed, but I wasn't disappointed either.

Now, this may cause some DLC lover flame responses, which I understand, and respect. Gotta love your "home park", so I want to clarify, I'm not saying it's better or worse than MK...but in MY experience, I'd rather do MK.

Anyhow, when it came to DCA, it felt a lot more like a mish mash of ideas, even after the refurb. Most of the time I felt like it was a very well done replica of HS (not that HS is anything to brag about now)...

I loved both parks, and will certainly be planning a return visit with the kid. But, for now, I'm WDW bound!

It's just Disneyland (DL). Not Disneyland California. The foreign Disney parks are the ones that have the locations attached. Not Disneyland. Just DL.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I will ask around, but my initial reaction is twofold..One, the Wonder will be headed to dry dock in the fall of 2014. Two, last I heard the 2015 sailing slate was in flux because they want to do something big to tie into DL's 60th anniversary.

But it could be entirely different too.

Yeah, it's pretty much expected that the Wonder will get the nice drydock in 2014 that her older sister is getting this fall. I would've thought they'd keep the Magic out of Miami and the 2 big ships out of PC during that time but who knows. Maybe the timeframe they're pushing the Magic up to PC is when the Wonder will be fresh out of drydock. That would make sense.

The bit about 2015 and a tie to DL's 60th is an interesting little morsel to consider. Mmmmmmm....

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Now, this may cause some DLC lover flame responses, which I understand, and respect. Gotta love your "home park", so I want to clarify, I'm not saying it's better or worse than MK...but in MY experience, I'd rather do MK.

I'm a WDW homer... the only thing from MK that I miss when I'm at Disneyland is Cinderella Castle. IMO, just about everything else (between the two castle parks) is a lateral move or a win for DL. Splash is much better at MK... I'm surprised it got cloned, considering the way the first iteration turned out at DL. Fireworks show is a fireworks show is a fireworks show pretty much to me, though. Did I get a little pixie dust in my eye watching pretty sparkles over the castle? Yup? That's all I need.

 

[englanddg]

It's just Disneyland (DL). Not Disneyland California. The foreign Disney parks are the ones that have the locations attached. Not Disneyland. Just DL.

Clarification never hurts, otherwise you might think I was speaking to my experience in Shanghai.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Yep. I didn't see it until late 2007, but I really liked DCA before all of the more recent additions, too. Even before the massive makeover, I thought it was in the same league as DHS and DAK.

Sometimes I actually wonder if DCA 2.0 would have been as successful as it is now without DCA 1.0 preceding it... i.e. there was a good chance locals would react poorly to whatever they built in the parking lot, because it "wasn't Disneyland". If they opened the 2012 version of DCA back in 2001, would it get 10 million people per year? Or would there still be an adjustment period with people foaming at the mouth because of the differences from Disneyland proper? I think the way things worked out for Disney here borders on "New Coke" level of good fortune. DCA was like the loser girl in a prom movie... she just needed to take off the glasses and get a pretty new dress to become prom queen. DCA was a pretty decent park looking at it objectively, but it needed to be made "cool".

It wouldn't matter if ten E-tickets, as well as new shows, a new Hollywood Land, a new Paradise Pier, etc. were added to DCA. It's just not Disneyland, and it never will be and it will always be inferior.

Sound like a typical DL fan?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Oh, this reminds me that I neglected to give kudos to the Animation Building as a top-notch attraction from DCA 1.0. And since I enjoyed both 3D movies in FL, I have to also give them credit.

Yep, when I think about it, there was plenty I really enjoyed about DCA 1.0.

DCA 'suffers' from the same peculiarity as WDSP. Beneath all the ugliness there is hidden a whopping good attraction roster.

DCA's roster by now is just insane they've got so much. And a WDSP with Rat has a pretty strong line-up too.

But, however that may be, I'm a sucker for placemaking. I'll take just NOS or Hollywood Boul. over the whole of DCA 1.0 or WDSP.

 

[WDW1974]

See: http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/hotels/number-rooms

As I indicated in a previous post, there now is the equivalent of over 4000 DVC rooms. Per the above link, WDW has about 23,700 non-DVC rooms (excluding Shades of Green, Dolphin, and Swan which are not run by Disney). Considering that DVCs run at about 98% occupancy while Disney's other resorts run at about 80%, DVC members now represent as many as 20% of WDW onsite guests. That's potentially 20% of rooms being paid for at cost. Some DVC rooms can be combined so the actual number of DVC guests per day is almost certainly lower but, hopefully, this makes it clearer that DVCs now are becoming an important factor impacting margins.

Guessing why the Poly's next, perhaps there's not enough room to add at DLR, DLP is not considered a good location to add DVCs, while a TDL DVC could hurt Aulani sales. What's clear, at least to me, is that VGF and Poly should sell very quickly. They seem like low-risk/high-return choices.

P.S. One more thought. Disney has about 5600 Deluxe Resort rooms. These rooms have huge margins. However, with over 4000 DVC rooms now available and targeted at the Deluxe Resort market, DVCs are really putting the squeeze on WDW's Deluxe Resorts.

There's a reason Disney always seems to offer 30% "Room Only" discounts at their Deluxe Resorts.

From the bottom up: I am amazed that despite Iger's stated desire to end the cycle if discounting that WDW resorts are almost perpetually on discount ... Sure, they may not be 40% or they may not be sending out gift cards (unless they can't keep your personal data secure), but WDW has become a product that people expect to be discounted. Not good for an alleged PREMIUM BRAND.

As to the percentage of DVC in the WDW pie, it most definitely is greater all the time. I do find that 98% occupancy rate to be very high and wonder where that comes from.

As to the other resorts and DVC, it has been a big success in Anaheim (but in a very small form). Disney doesn't even seem eager to add hotel rooms in that market because people can wAlk to DLR from a $50-150 a night room that is better than whAT they can offer at hundreds more a night.

Disney missed the boat at DLP. There most certainly is a market for the product. Take it from someone who spent a week in a Grand Villa at the Marriott Vacation Club that overlooks the DLP golf course on his 2012 Spirited Faux Top One Percent Spring Holiday.

In much the same way that Eisner sold prime land in Newport Beach that was slated for DVC in the 90s to the Marriott corp, which put an amazing Vacation Club of their own overlooking the Pacific.

TDR is a non-starter. Land is in very short supply and OLC won't waste it on timeshares.

 

[englanddg]

I'm a WDW homer... the only thing from MK that I miss when I'm at Disneyland is Cinderella Castle. IMO, just about everything else (between the two castle parks) is a lateral move or a win for DL. Splash is much better at MK... I'm surprised it got cloned, considering the way the first iteration turned out at DL. Fireworks show is a fireworks show is a fireworks show pretty much to me, though. Did I get a little pixie dust in my eye watching pretty sparkles over the castle? Yup? That's all I need.

A lot of it underwhelmed me. However, a lot of it impressed me. The Pirate Ship (which was sailing on my visit, something I've heard isn't all that common to see) is fantastic, but the riverboat is less impressive. I'd take New Orleans Square and the live entertainment there any day over Liberty Square at MK. Their Main Street USA, in terms of theme, is far superior to the shopping mall that Main Street USA at MK has become.

I loved how, even though they've turned it into shops largely like MK, they still kept up the appearances...for example, the Penny Arcade (a MK favorite of mine as a kid) at DLC still has games to play. At MK, they removed them all, and the facade, and while most of the games were trashed, a few made it up into the lobby at the Main Street Train Station.

Pirates...far superior at DL...no competition. Indy, amazing ride. I know it uses the same mechanics as Dinosaur, but it's theme and story is far superior, not to mention when you pull out into the open cave, simply an amazing ride.

Characters, far more visible and interactive at DLC. The list goes on with compare and contrast, and for a 3 day trip (it was supposed to be 7, but something came up), I don't feel I can do more than give it a broad stroke...

It's not that I didn't enjoy DLC, I truly did. Perhaps it was the fact I wasn't there with the kid, rather, I went with another adult, and that colored my impression. Or, it could be that I don't have childhood memories of it (outside of TV shows) to fall back upon like I do WDW. It's funny, my cousins in San Diego, who grew up with DLC instead of WDW, feel the opposite! <shrug>

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I read about a woman recently who has been on 51 DCL cruises and had five planned for 2014. As much as I love DCL, I think she has a strong mix of too much money, too little life and mental illness all combined.

I currently have 2 booked for the next 12 months, about to book a 3rd, plus 2 "placeholders" that I'm floating. I think I might be resembling this woman you read about. In my defense, tho, 1 is the girls cruise with all the ladies/pals from here, 1 is the Panama Canal with my family (bucket list!), and the 3rd that we're eyeballin' is 99% do-over since I was sick as all hell for the majority of the Fantasy cruise we just took. The placeholders just score me some amount of savings when I'm ready to pull the trigger. I can justify anything if I think about it enough. Ready to start a sub-chapter in your book???

 

[WDW1974]

Mooore. MOOOOOOOOORE.



I'm wondering what versions are in the talks and what the time frame is. Also if its a park wide renovation or just one or two areas?

Interesting, this tidbit of news. Think we'll hear the big announcement at d23? Err, if there is one...

It all depends on how much they want to spend after all the money being poured into NGE ...but you WILL see a major project at the Studios. You're asking about the scope and until I hear something definitive, I'm not saying more than what I already have.

And, yes, there will be big announcements on the P&R front at D23.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

It wouldn't matter if ten E-tickets, as well as new shows, a new Hollywood Land, a new Paradise Pier, etc. were added to DCA. It's just not Disneyland, and it never will be and it will always be inferior.

Sound like a typical DL fan?

You forgot to invoke the holy name of Walt, but you're young, you've still got time to learn.

 

[Californian Elitist]

You forgot to invoke the holy name of Walt, but you're young, you've still got time to learn.

Oh, how could I forget?

"It's Walt's park! It's automatically superior!"

"Walt himself LIVED in the park and walked in it. TOP THAT, DCA!"

 

[Bolna]

I would say that DVC sales are the Disney exec equivalent to Pixie Dust for fanbois. It's an addiction and you always crave MORE.
.

Indeed! But I rather am a faboi - pixie dust is more magical than DVC sales

 

[Calvin Coolidge]

It all depends on how much they want to spend after all the money being poured into NGE ...but you WILL see a major project at the Studios. You're asking about the scope and until I hear something definitive, I'm not saying more than what I already have.

And, yes, there will be big announcements on the P&R front at D23.

I was interested to see in that MiceAge post that a DCA-sized investment in DHS was potentially on the table. Enhancements park-wide, anchored by a seriously expanded Star Wars or Pixar presence really would bring significant change to the resort as a whole.

Watching and waiting...

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Indeed! But I rather am a faboi - pixie dust is more magical than DVC sales

I find the Pixie Dust to have a less-greasy feel than the DVC sales. Somethin' a little too slick involved in those sales. What does it mean that I trust in dust more than I do "buying" DVC?

 

[Bolna]

Yeah, it's pretty much expected that the Wonder will get the nice drydock in 2014 that her older sister is getting this fall. I would've thought they'd keep the Magic out of Miami and the 2 big ships out of PC during that time but who knows. Maybe the timeframe they're pushing the Magic up to PC is when the Wonder will be fresh out of drydock. That would make sense.

The bit about 2015 and a tie to DL's 60th is an interesting little morsel to consider. Mmmmmmm....

But if a ship is supposed to go to the West Coast it needs to fit through the Panama Canal. The Magic won't fit after her refurb. So I am doubtful about what will be done to the Wonder...

 

[WDW1974]

Heard about this. Lot of people running up to ask for autographs (see what the meet-&-greet culture has wrought). Walked up to a table of people who barely reacted to him, and correctly sumised, "Oh, you must be Cast Members."

That is funny as hell.

But so is the whole idea of wanting George's autograph ... That is just so wild. But I've walked the parks with him before the proliferation of social media when people would only approach if they needed directions to the nearest restrooms.

Life is strange ...

 

[englanddg]

I find the Pixie Dust to have a less-greasy feel than the DVC sales. Somethin' a little too slick involved in those sales. What does it mean that I trust in dust more than I do "buying" DVC?

That's exactly why I don't buy in. Even if it's a good deal...it just feels like I am gonna get gang-...er...dated...by a group of used car salesmen from the 1970s...

 

[sweetpee_1993]

But if a ship is supposed to go to the West Coast it needs to fit through the Panama Canal. The Magic won't fit after her refurb. So I am doubtful about what will be done to the Wonder...

Why wouldn't the Magic fit? Are they widening the ship? Guess I should go look up the canal expansion project to look at completion dates. I know that project has been underway for some time now.