Spirited Spring Break News, Observations & Thoughts ...

WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
So with seemingly everyone making spring visits to O-Town, and with happy memories of a truly MAGICal spring trip a year ago dancing in my head (along with a good friend nabbing me a $50 TM room at Portofino Bay) and my brand new MAGIC Band, it was off up the 'pike I went.

I don't have the time or the patience to do long posts, and there's a lot to cover ... from MM+ to Cabana Bay to the DVC projects now open and future to the MK's new parade to some small projects opening this summer to a MAGICal encounter at a Turnpike Service Plaza with someone from this very forum. I'll try and hit each in smaller, easier to digest posts.

Buckled in? Pull on those ridiculous yellow straps and let's go ...
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
First, saw the kiddie coaster running in tests. Walked around it. Did you know it's the only Disney attraction that you can completely walk around? (It has to be true if corporate says so, right?)

Honestly, this thing doesn't impress me anymore in completed form than it did when I heard the announcement. Sure, it will have absurd lines ... and even absurder reviews from Lifestylers. But the biggest positive I see from it is the return of kinetics to an area that lost so much with the subs and Skyway removal.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Spoke to a UNI insider and it was blunt and refreshing to hear some 'slightly' negative talk about the new UNI projects. It isn't that they aren't going to be great, because they should be. It's that UNI and Thierry Coup are in love with screens and that many who are working on the these projects are, like many of us, old school at heart. They like sets, they like animatronics, they like being truly taken on a ride ... and a big criticism of Gringott's is its reliance on screens.

I certainly see the point. While Transformers is a fun ride, it does nothing that Spiderman didn't do (better I would argue since I can't stand the Transformers IP) back in 1999. While riding them both last week, the same thought went through my mind. Worse, Transformers feels like every scene is the last one.

I have my concerns about Kong, but those can wait.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Do I place the inflammatory (but honest) observation out this soon or wait until we're a few pages in?

Yeah, I think we'll wait.
 
Animaniac93-98

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
I asked @Lee to let y'all know, but things are moving along nicely with Diagon and Gringott's and, barring the unexpected, you should be able to ride as soon as Memorial Day Weekend (trumpets spending 24 hours in the MK, doncha think?)
Click to expand...

If this is true, then UNI will win the media attention in May. The 24 hour party is nothing new, and no one will care about the dwarf ride if Gringotts is ready to accept visitors around the same time.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
MM+ was completely rolled out to day guests last week (I am sure you all took note of the timing of the end of Disney's fiscal third quarter and Tom Staggs placed puff piece in the NYT to coincide, right?)

One of the ugliest parts is that as soon as you walk into the Emporium, you are greeted with what can only be described as an outlet mall kiosk type environment selling the MAGIC Bands and all sorts of crap that you can bling them out with. Yeah, try and tell me that MSUSA is a turn of the century Main Street like Walt's hometown and I'll tell you to find me a Disney P&R exec with a soul.
 
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BrianLo

BrianLo

Well-Known Member
Oh, I didn't even realize the timestamp on this thing and was surprised when it just stopped... Looking forward to another fun-filled thread! :D
 
StageFrenzy

StageFrenzy

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
MM+ was completely rolled out to day guests last week (I am sure you all took note of the timing of the end of Disney's fiscal third quarter and Tom Staggs placed puff piece in the NYT to coincide, right?)

One of the ugliest parts is that as soon as you walk into the Emporium, you are greeted with what can only be described as an outlet mall kiosk type environment selling the MAGIC Bands and all sorts of crap that you can bling it out with. Yeah, try and tell me that MSUSA is a turn of the century Main Street like Walt's hometown and I'll tell you to find me a Disney P&R exec with a soul.
Click to expand...

The large Magicband display in the Emporium is the Disney equivalent of a "Mission Accomplished" banner.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
As to the Bands, what did I think of using one (other than feeling like a dorky 12-year-old who is struggling with puberty)?

Mine worked perfectly. It was easy to use. No issues. Changes were made on the fly (at kiosks as I am not letting Disney into my phone).

But did it fundamentally alter my way of visiting? Not at all. Did I see more/do more? Not at all. Did I spend more? No, actually it allowed me to spend less.

It did preoccupy me much like having meal ressies does at WDW. I was thinking things like 'My Soarin window opens in two hours and I am on I-Drive' ...

As to observing others, I heard some complaints from other guests (many about the app and making changes on their Siri Jobs devices), others loved them.

CMs?

Without offering any negative or positive feedback when engaged, a good four out of five CMs ripped them, talked about what a waste of time and money NGE is, said the tech is not stable and often (at bars and restaurants) results in huge amounts of people being comped when the system goes down (since the Band does everything, you can't expect anyone to have backup payment on them etc).

Two phrases were used consistently without any prompting from me when asked about the system ''creepy'' and ''Big Brother-like'.

People still congregate outside FP return entrances looking like they've just woken up after being dead and not quite sure where they are or what they should be doing.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
EpcoTim said:
Let'er rip.
Click to expand...

Guests at UNI resorts are of a noticeably higher caliber than guests at Disney resorts.
This has been developing for a very long time ... I stayed at the CBR in 1990 and Beach Club in 1992 and the WL in 1994 etc ... you didn't see trash staying there, they were on the OBT if they could even afford an O-Town visit.

Somehow they can now afford Disney deluxe resorts (DVC and defense contractors exploding in our little military industrial complex society is my strong inkling).
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
bcalltimandanna said:
Did you stay on WDW property at all? My last two visits to CBR were less than spectacular.
Click to expand...

No. I only stay on property with DVC points (they are spoken for! :) ) or cast discounts.
The best cast deals I could find (I now refuse to do values) were $105 at CBR and PO. $50 at Portofino Bay speaks for itself. I have no plans to stay at WDW in the immediate future BUT ...

... shockingly, I really liked the Grand Flo Villas. I am not a fan of the GF largely ... it is beautiful, yes, but the theme does little for me. The Villas are more colorful and playful from the fountain in the lobby to the beautiful light fixtures that hang in the atrium to the colorful carpeting.
 
StageFrenzy

StageFrenzy

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
Spoke to a UNI insider and it was blunt and refreshing to hear some 'slightly' negative talk about the new UNI projects. It isn't that they aren't going to be great, because they should be. It's that UNI and Thierry Coup are in love with screens and that many who are working on the these projects are, like many of us, old school at heart. They like sets, they like animatronics, they like being truly taken on a ride ... and a big criticism of Gringott's is its reliance on screens.

I certainly see the point. While Transformers is a fun ride, it does nothing that Spiderman didn't do (better I would argue since I can't stand the Transformers IP) back in 1999. While riding them both last week, the same thought went through my mind. Worse, Transformers feels like every scene is the last one.

I have my concerns about Kong, but those can wait.
Click to expand...

I’ve gone back and forth on the Transformers v Spiderman. I think a little flame or some real set pieces would do wonders for TF, but it is one heck of a ride from start to finish. I get what you say about each scene being the last. I find my adrenaline pumping from start to finish on that ride, good or bad. Maybe that is why I enjoy the repeat rides on TF more, Spiderman is a better paced attraction and ride though. I’m starting to get tired of screened attractions, rides usually hold up better to multiple ride throughs with physical sets. People won’t realize it most of the time but they really do appreciate the little details. I better be getting a physical Kong or I will be going ape.
 

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