The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

[Next Big Thing]

Well that's not really the debate (I think?). The debate is whether or not people who don't finish are deserving of a medal (At least that was the one I was involved in).

I say it's to each his own. If they paid money for the race, didn't train, and need a medal to show they participated, that's their own problem. If I was a runner who finished and got my award, I wouldn't dwell on others too much. Of course, I don't think they deserve one, but I don't think it's something too severe.

My take on it is that, while I think it would truly be more of a motivational thing for some of these participants if a medal wasn't guaranteed, I think it's a nice keep sake and for what Disney charges, I see it as included in the cost. Maybe it's bad to look at it like that as it kind of brings it down to paying a sh*tload for a medal and a dance party.

No other company could get away with the ridiculous prices Disney charges to run a race. A medal is a simple thing. Also, the top finishers get special medals, so it's not like the winners get the same thing that the non-finisher gets. Arguing over if people are "deserving" or not is pretty silly imo.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Much better than having some unbalanced **cough**Jason Surrell**cough** rep of the company getting into crazy Twit wars.

I recently received word that Jason Surrell is gone from Disney. Not sure if it's completely true though. Can anyone confirm?

 

[LondonGopher]

At some point, a CM needs to be loud and firm that folks need to shut their yaps. SHHHHH!!! is UNIversal.

At DLP, you never have the issues in PM's stretch room that you often do in the States because the CMs loudly demand SILENCE when the doors close and don't act like they are kidding.

Not at WDW. Nope you can never insult a walking dollar sign.

Hmm...the last time we were at SeaWorld, we went to see the new (to us) Turtle Trek. The pre-show room fronts a massive aquarium. There is a (miked!) CM offering all sorts of interesting facts and information about the marine life on display. I enjoyed what little of it I could hear, because the room was filled mainly with a large group of Portuguese speakers who obviously found their own conversations much MORE interesting than the CM's lecture. I delivered a loud and sustained SHH. Others joined in. No joy. When I asked the CM later, he said SW specifically tells them not to shush people or ask for quiet.

At DLP, before Animagique, they make (at least they used to) an announcement in 4 languages saving something like, "If you distract the performers or talk flash pictures, we will stop the show and it will not start again. You will have ruined it for everyone. Please don't embarrass yourself by doing something so foolish." I always know when they get to this part of the announcement, even in German (which I don't speak) because all the German speakers chuckle. It's an amusing and PROACTIVE way to prevent bad behaviour. Granted this is easier at shows (captive, stationary audience)...

PS: I am no DLP apologist, but the French do THIS sort of thing pretty well. We were at Vulcania two weeks ago (on a French public holiday, it was EVIL busy). There was no talking in the pre-shows, no flash photography in/on the attractions. They make similar announcements to those made at DLP (i.e. - act up and you will be named and shamed, mon chou).

 

[Nemo14]

Do you know how much restraint I am showing in not making a joke here?

yes, yes I do.



and I'm a little disappointed.

 

[Mr Bill]

I recently received word that Jason Surrell is gone from Disney. Not sure if it's completely true though. Can anyone confirm?

Yep.

 

[stlphil]

That, I believe, is a relatively new development ... I also tend to believe it is because the races have begun attracting a much more novice (ie. have no business running) crowd. And people dropping dead or stroking out on the course or just causing a bunch of serious runners to go down in a pile isn't going to be good for RunDisney's PR and bottom line.

But instead of weeding these folks out, Disney is coddling them ... sorta like mentally feeble Lifestylers.

I'm not a runner; have no direct experience. But this whole running discussion has me convinced that this is just another example of Disney's Walmarting of WDW. Just grabbing as many "easy" dollars as fast as they can, long term consequences be damned. Which means the runners can huff and puff all they want, but things are unlikely to improve until there is a philosophical change at Disney.

 

[MarkTwain]

Yep.

Not just over the Twitter wars, surely?

Any word on what exactly he worked on again?

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

I recently received word that Jason Surrell is gone from Disney. Not sure if it's completely true though. Can anyone confirm?

Wow! Wonder why?

Can you bring back fountains and other water features too?

And while we're at it, id like to be in charge of Waterpark operations/expansion.

I'd make Typhoon and Blizzard two of the biggest AND best... (They're greatly themed but its been over NINE YEARS since anything has been added to either park.)

I'll leave the water parks for you, but yes, every planter will return to being a fountain as it was intended. If you're truly that dumb to put your infant in said fountain and something happens, it's your fault.

Can we have someone in charge of doling out personal responsibility as well?

Know what all these funrunning and RunDisney events needs?

Velociraptors. You get a 5 minute head start and then we release them.

I knew you were emperor for a reason. I love this! Just not that sad disney Dino thing they threw up in animal kingdom which got laughed right out of the park...anything but that.

 

[alphac2005]

Marathons are NEVER fun races, even when they are held at WDW. Entering races that you know you have no chance of finishing isn't great and shows you want to improve yourself, it's dangerous for you and others and dumb and greedy. And Disney MUST cease giving medals to folks who walk two miles of a marathon. I'd also say they should crackdown on people selling medals on eBay, but that is like spitting in the wind.

Race medals are to what trophies are in most sports leagues for kids. They get trophies and awards just for participating. I'm not good enough to win a 5k, 10k, half or full marathon, but I always train to be in the top 25% overall and in the top 10% of my age class. I enjoy the training and the actual race & I enjoy the medal or (preferably) shirt as a token of accomplishment. I don't care if someone does a 5k in 25 minutes or 70 minutes, if they've completed it, great for them, as they've reached whatever goal that they had in mind and that's terrific. Someone that does a race and bails out within minutes or in a marathon as you've stated in 2 miles has no business being there to begin with and are likely the hazard types that were spoken about earlier in the thread.

Ever see some people with the Disney Marathon gear on? There's just simply no humanly possible way that some of them could have ever been in a race. I guess they hit up the outlet store. Even though I'm a runner, I'd never buy Disney Marathon gear unless I participated in it. It's just one of those things where there is something prideful, if only internal, that I actually did the event.

 

[SJN1279]

LeBron is an all-time great, but to compare to Jordan is an insult to Jordan.

Lebron is 2-3 in the finals (with 2 of the losses coming with Miami. Jordan was 6-0 in the finals with 6 MVPs. And to be honest if he didn't retire in his prime, they could have won 7 or 8.

Jordan also made his teammates better. He would rip them in post-game press conferences if they didn't perform and would yell at them mid-game if he didn't see something he liked. He was their unquestioned leader and motivation. That's something that isn't in LeBron's character. He left the game with 5 mins left and got coddled on the bench.

I agree that Jordan was a better basketball player than Lebron, however I don't believe that Jordan retired from Basketball in his prime. He was suspended due to his shading gambling practices that ultimately led to his father's murder.

Challenging teammates behind closed doors is a good motivator. Ripping teammates in a press conference shows a lack of class.

 

[asianway]

I recently received word that Jason Surrell is gone from Disney. Not sure if it's completely true though. Can anyone confirm?

They just posted a job opening for show writer lol

 

[flynnibus]

Hence why I was asking. I'm still curious what the race looks like at the front of the pack though, the middle will always be a human swarm.

Understand you will never see the front of the pack unless you are the elite runners. The start is staggered over almost an hour. That is thousands who have a head start on you. This is why people want to be in the early corrals to be ahead of the mass... And why people lie or give unreasonable seeds times. And when they do that, they make the problem worse by putting slower people in front of faster people.

The crowd only thins out over distance. You can't run to open space because there are always people in front of you.

You race against the clock - not necessarily the people you can see. They all started at different times than you.

I think the real takeaway is don't run a Disney race with serious intent of "racing", because you can't. With those expectations in check I'm sure an enjoyable time could be made of it.

so wait... If someone comes in and steals everything from your house... You say 'well you should not expect to have nice things... Then I'm sure you can make an enjoyable time out of it'

You are basically saying the result defines the starting definition. Beyond a logic fail... It does not match reality

The Disney races are not some casual come as you are events... They are events that sell out in hours many months in advance and cost significant money.

 

[flynnibus]

The idea of a water park with more traditional theme park rides gets me more intrigued, but I still expect that similar conception of single focus lands.

I think the idea of water parks is pretty saturated in the O-town market. I could see it being a tool to help build up the resort image (imagine water park tickets as part of your booking...) but I can't see it being a draw in itself (well, you can, but at what return..?). I think USO still has some image building/marketing to do. Rounding out their offerings while still trying to forge an identity are still major issues for them I think.

 

[twebber55]

I think the idea of water parks is pretty saturated in the O-town market. I could see it being a tool to help build up the resort image (imagine water park tickets as part of your booking...) but I can't see it being a draw in itself (well, you can, but at what return..?). I think USO still has some image building/marketing to do. Rounding out their offerings while still trying to forge an identity are still major issues for them I think.

I see it not as a way to increase people at the parks but a way to keep people on property another day

 

[flynnibus]

I see it not as a way to increase people at the parks but a way to keep people on property another day

Like I said "being a tool to help build up the resort image"

But UNI already partners with Aquatica.. and WetnWild.. including the Orlando Flex Ticket and free shuttle service from their hotels to the water parks.

Sure building a local water park would improve the 'unified image' - but at what return? Is the return there to spend all that cap and opex to try to be better than Aquatica?

 

[twebber55]

Like I said "being a tool to help build up the resort image"

But UNI already partners with Aquatica.. and WetnWild.. including the Orlando Flex Ticket and free shuttle service from their hotels to the water parks.

Sure building a local water park would improve the 'unified image' - but at what return? Is the return there to spend all that cap and opex to try to be better than Aquatica?

maybe its just me but wet n wild doesn't really feel like its apart of universal...having something on property and new would help the brand....wet n wild is old (not saying its bad) just old

 

[flynnibus]

maybe its just me but wet n wild doesn't really feel like its apart of universal...having something on property and new would help the brand....wet n wild is old (not saying its bad) just old

Notice you skipped Aquatica there... which is the real thing they'd need to improve over. WnW is just biding time... and exists as the lower end alternative

 

[seascape]

Like I said "being a tool to help build up the resort image"

But UNI already partners with Aquatica.. and WetnWild.. including the Orlando Flex Ticket and free shuttle service from their hotels to the water parks.

Sure building a local water park would improve the 'unified image' - but at what return? Is the return there to spend all that cap and opex to try to be better than Aquatica?

I don't understand why Universal would build a new water park. They own Wet New Wild. I could see them renovate it but that's all. I don't think that would violate the Marvel contract because Wet New Wild already existed and it would not be a new addition to the development. The only reason I think they haven't changed the name to Universal Wet N Wild is that the lawyers are still looking into it.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't understand why Universal would build a new water park. They own Wet New Wild

Do you have any idea at all what Wet N Wild actually is? And how it compares to Uni's competition?

I don't think that would violate the Marvel contract because Wet New Wild already existed and it would not be a new addition to the development

Whatever it is.. don't quit your day job to be a lawyer

 

[NowInc]

A park at sunup? Hmmm ... did you spot @WDWFigment lurking around with camera equipment and an 84=ounce coffee?

Now now, if you followed him as closely as you say you do, you'd know he prefers getting his caffeine from drinking coke