The Spirited Back Nine ...

[GoofGoof]

I tried to book a room using dvc points for the weekend of December 12-14, to add to my existing trip. There is NOTHING available on property but Saratoga, which I don't like. Nothing available! really?! It's been like that for months. Guess who's family of 4 is spending 2 nights and 3 days at Universal.

Value season books up fast (12/1 to 12/14 is adventure season). It's strange how the most popular times for DVC usually are not the most popular times for WDW.

 

[SJN1279]

I am legit excited for a new King Kong attraction. Kong 360 was awesome in USH, and I'm guessing the attraction in IOA will be even better. If this ride is for the entire family as rumored, Universal may have a winner.

 

[Phil12]

And clearly you have been deprived in your life because no one is taking you to South Street for what a real cheesesteak is. That's Jim's steaks at the corner of fourth and South streets in Philadelphia.

I used to work four blocks from Jim's Steaks and would go there for lunch regularly many moons ago.

 

[ParentsOf4]

I tried to book a room using dvc points for the weekend of December 12-14, to add to my existing trip. There is NOTHING available on property but Saratoga, which I don't like. Nothing available! really?! It's been like that for months. Guess who's family of 4 is spending 2 nights and 3 days at Universal.

Like most timeshares, DVCs always run at very high occupancy rates, typically over 95%. For the rooms that are bookable by DVC members (vs. DVC rooms that Disney 'owns'), most WDW DVC resorts run at close to 100% year-round. As the largest and perhaps least-desirable WDW DVC resort, Saratoga Springs Resort (SSR) often is the only DVC available on short notice.

For example, a Bay Lake Tower (BLT) Lake View Studio (the easiest Studio to get at BLT) on December 12-14 requires 19 points/night, which works out to $93/night for someone who is a member at SSR but wants to rent at BLT.

The Villas at the Wilderness Lodge (VWL), Boardwalk Villas (BWV), and Beach Club Villas (BCV) are 16 points/night for those nights, so only $79/night for a SSR member.

At those prices, it's obvious why certain DVC resorts fill up.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I am not a "little girl". There is a reason why the superior phone is an android and not an apple...it's because Siri can't do much right. Your point diminishes in quality when you spell something wrong (or Siri does). I can agree that autocorrect is quite hilarious...but not using Siri.

If you know Philly well, you know that "little girls" walking around on South Street is not a wise decision...

Smh.... Go throw snowballs at Santa.

 

[BrerJon]

For instance, putting a "Keep Off" sign in the Finding Nemo planter in front of the Seas pavilion wouldn't be effective to guests that can't read it, so Disney has to instead surround it with taller plants to keep guests out.

It makes no difference even if there are signs. Recently I was outside Once Upon A Toy where there's a Buzz statue with a big 'DO NOT CLIMB' sign on it. An American family were sitting their daughter on Buzz's arm for a photo - she was worried she'd fall off, but the father was insistent, 'you're supposed to sit there, that's what the arms are for!' he said.

So even if signs are there, people will ignore them or pretend not to have seen them sadly.

 

[BrerJon]

The trams are going to be giant bananas (partially peeled).

Given how far advanced construction is Universal are doing a pretty good job at keeping plans a secret, instead of telling the world about them in press conferences. I imagine keeping people guessing on this one is intended as a form of gorilla marketing.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Big Hero 6 edged out Interstellar in the domestic box office this weekend.

I'm not shocked. Interstellar has a limited audience and is a love it or hate it movie.

Big hero 6 is a family movie.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Just saw Big Hero 6 and I thought it was great. I also liked the short Feast that played ahead of the movie. It was all very well done, I wonder when they will announce the sequel and Incredibles team up.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Here's my contribution of useless knowledge for the day:

Ironically the place was almost called Gino's. A guy named Joey Vento started Geno's but there was already a Joe's Steaks so he picked the name when he saw a kid named Gino had graffitied his name on the wall at the restaurant. He switched to Geno's with an e since there was already a fast food chain called Gino's at the time. Then he named his kid Geno after the restaurant and the rest is history. Joey Vento passed away a few years ago, but made national news when he posted a sign at Geno's saying "This is America, when ordering speak English".

Two Philly fans arguing over cheesesteaks is the most philly thing ever.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Interstellar...football...cheesesteaks....now debating phones?!? Back Nine is an accurate title. This is stuff you talk about on the back nine of a golf course...

Disney..how about you hurry up and announce a DHS expansion please...

Hey, I missed the football convo. Ha know, work? Covering football of course

 

[Mouse Trap]

How does it compare to Avatar? Everyone said similar things about that, that it was more than a movie, that it was an incredible journey... I saw it and thought it was a turd, so I've been burned by these kind of reviews before.

Totally late, but....

Avatar is an incredible journey. Incredible movie? Eh....
Interstellar is an incredible journey and an incredible movie.

EDIT: Scale of Interstellar dwarfs Avatar.

 

[doctornick]

I'm not shocked. Interstellar has a limited audience and is a love it or hate it movie.

Big hero 6 is a family movie.

Really? I was a little surprised -- not because of the numbers that Big Hero 6 pulled, but because I thought Interstellar would do better. There's been quite a bit of hype for Interstellar and you have Nolan's name. Plus, it's the type of movie that people will make it a point to see in more expensive formats, which drives ticket sale revenue.

 

[raymusiccity]

So guys... how about Interstellar and Big Hero 6?

Impressive how Marvel characters have made such an impact this year. They have won over a new generation of fans to both live action and animation formats.

We were at the Disney Outlet last week. There was a line of customers buying Big Hero 6 merchandise. They came directly from a sneak preview and had nothing but glowing praise for the film!

The coming attractions for Interstellar look boring in comparison to Big Hero 6. Interstellar also looks like it's set during the Dust Bowl. Not a very attractive topic for a night out at the movies.

Looks like a very bright future as Disney has only begun to scratch the Marvel Universe surface.

 

[stevehousse]

the tram doesn't have a huge show building like this...this will be a much bigger deal

hopefully you are right as a tram ride for Kong like in Hollywood would be a disappointment.

Really? I was a little surprised -- not because of the numbers that Big Hero 6 pulled, but because I thought Interstellar would do better. There's been quite a bit of hype for Interstellar and you have Nolan's name. Plus, it's the type of movie that people will make it a point to see in more expensive formats, which drives ticket sale revenue.

Family movies usually always do well and beat out most other films. The only real problem interstellar has is its run time. Most people get freaked when a movie is 3 hours long. But with that said, I heard the pacing of the film is impeccable and doesn't drag at all.

 

[vonpluto]

Smh.... Go throw snowballs at Santa.

According to the late Tom Brookshier, Mr Claus was in the line of fire between the throwers and their target, one Tom Landry. A legitimate target IMHO. Anyway, a long time ago and at Franklin Field.

I still miss the Chuckwagon around 5th and Chestnut.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Really? I was a little surprised -- not because of the numbers that Big Hero 6 pulled, but because I thought Interstellar would do better. There's been quite a bit of hype for Interstellar and you have Nolan's name. Plus, it's the type of movie that people will make it a point to see in more expensive formats, which drives ticket sale revenue.

Well two things. First, enter seller is three hours long. And second, the critics are not enamored with it. Firstly, I think that's because those critics just didn't get it. It's a ridiculous work of art. Some critics seem to be looking for some sort of avengersesque escape… yet are completely missing the forest for the trees here.

Plus… It's a Disney animated film. They will generally make some bank these days. They have a much larger appeal then one badass Christopher Nolan film. Right now, is one of my top three to win best picture and we still have seven weeks of movies to come out…

 

[PhotoDave219]

According to the late Tom Brookshier, Mr Claus was in the line of fire between the throwers and their target, one Tom Landry. A legitimate target IMHO. Anyway, a long time ago and at Franklin Field.

I still miss the Chuckwagon around 5th and Chestnut.

I thought it was because the Santa Claus was a drunk 18-year-old and he was an awful Santa Claus. And it was 1967, I think.

 

[Joe]

I thought it was because the Santa Claus was a drunk 18-year-old and he was an awful Santa Claus. And it was 1967, I think.

The real Santa Claus never showed up. They pulled some guy from the stands dressed up in a Santa suit. That's why he was bood and bombarded with snowballs.

 

[WDW1974]

Spirited Annual Post Ripping WDW/TDO For Extorting Christmas From Guests:


What WDW does for Christmas at the MK truly disgusts me. It has for many years. It doesn't matter, though, as the rubes gladly put their money up to pay for something that used to BE FREE for ALL guests. Time distorts things and the further out we go from those days,the further people forget. If they even knew to begin with ... Much like they forget about Aunt Polly's ... forget about the original Top of the World and its fantastic weekend brunches ... forget about midnight closings at EPCOT (let's not even talk about the park's original purpose/mission) ... forget about higher standards across the board from CMs to cleanliness to show.

So, if I tell folks that the MK used to start MVMCParade and multiple Christmas-themed stage shows (think castle stage, think Tomorrowland exec parking lot, think Diamond Horseshoe) on Thanksgiving weekend and that they included that for all guests, I'm sure I'll get some (how do they put it in that most private of places here?) ... oh yeah, some will try and argue facts or tell me that Disney is a business because no one here knows that.

But, yes, even after Disney started MVMCP (sometime in the 80s as a two-night event), for years they still turned the page and offered the basics to all guests. That stopped in the 90s sometime and every year they have added dates and made it so you have a choice that only an extortionist could love: namely pay an extra admission fee for a party with ever fewer offerings OR wait until around December 20th (some years as late as the 22nd) before the entertainment becomes 'free' for all. All the while you can pay holiday surcharges for meals and pay the highest prices of the year if you are dumb enough to stay at a Disney resort and deal with the absolute worst crowds of the year.

I will point out that this is something that UNI does not do.

I will point out that this is something that Disney in Anaheim, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo does not do.

The Grinch may visit IOA at Christmas, but TDO execs play that role at WDW.

And let's not talk about Halloween. While I feel that MNSSHP is overpriced and tired, Disney never had a Halloween season/events before this hard ticket party began. They are offering something extra (again, I may have issue with starting it on Labor Day ... or not clearing the park like they use to ... or the hard sell they do on families by not clearing the park first, but that's not what we're talking about here.) so they didn't take anything away from regular guests to do so.

And before anyone brings up Anaheim, they offer two Halloween overlays to E-Tix that are available to all guests. They never really did Halloween until about a decade ago when they started Halloween parties at DCA. They moved them over to DL about five years ago and while they had introduced a Halloween pyro show the year before it wasn't a tradition. I don't have any issue with it.

Again, what WDW does is a different animal. And it is disgusting.

And please, let's not talk about what Disney does across the resort because we're talking MK here (and really do you want be bashing them for Lights of Winter disappearing or Holiday Illuminations leaving and then having one section tagged on? Or you want me ripping them for killing the fun Jungle Jingle parade at DAK?)

OK, the Christmas extortion thread is out for 2014 ...