Rumor Magic Kingdom 50th Refurbishments

HmmmmmMMMmm

Well-Known Member
Oh I know. Let’s get rid of the jokes.
I bet that’ll really make people happy.
While they are at it maybe they can trash the fake animals. What a bore.
And actually, they should really think about getting rid of the captains. Once the jokes are cut, and the fake animals are gone, they really are pointless.

Everyone will love it then...
Or maybe hire hourly cast on the docks and equity auditioned actors for the skippers on the boat who actually know how to perform (and are paid enough for them to be bothered to perform).
 

Creathir

Well-Known Member
Or maybe hire hourly cast on the docks and equity auditioned actors for the skippers on the boat who actually know how to perform (and are paid enough for them to be bothered to perform).
Part of the fun is the silly, corny jokes without perfect delivery. Usually it’s delivered deadpan and it just works.

I’m there to have some fun and laugh at something not much better than glorified Dad jokes, not hear the latest set from the comedy show circuit rejects.
 

HmmmmmMMMmm

Well-Known Member
I understand that. But most other guest don't feel the way that Disney purists feel about the Jungle Cruise. They feel like they wait in line to get in an uncomfortable boat with a a "skipper" who disinterestedly mumbles through jokes they can barely understand/catch into a microphone about robot animals that seven times out of ten aren't even working/moving.
It is not scoring high on guest surveys. There is going to have to be a change.
 

bubbles1812

Well-Known Member
Or maybe hire hourly cast on the docks and equity auditioned actors for the skippers on the boat who actually know how to perform (and are paid enough for them to be bothered to perform).
I’ll be honest and say I think the money you imply should be used for the JC could be used better elsewhere... heck, use the money to pay some actors to walk around SWGE. Didn’t the original plans include that?

Everyone knows the JC skipper jokes are terrible. Part of its charm. I don’t think it’s ever done spectacularly on guest surveys. Not to say I have never thought a skipper or two hasn’t showed enough enthusiasm but this is making a mountain out of a molehill. Better and bigger battles to fight within the MK. And as for the JC... I’ll first just ask for some new paint.
 

HmmmmmMMMmm

Well-Known Member
I’ll be honest and say I think the money you imply should be used for the JC could be used better elsewhere... heck, use the money to pay some actors to walk around SWGE. Didn’t the original plans include that?
There were a lot of Equity actors planned for SWGE. And droids. And mind blowing immersion with those actors/droids.
Then the Chapek came in with an axe and a "they're going to come anyway so why should we spend money on going the extra mile?" attitude.
Also didn't help that parents let their perfect little brats beat the h*ll out of the test droid that was driven around DLR's Tomorrowland. If you want to look at why the younger generations are getting more and more entitled, look at the parents. There's an attitude of "why should we pay to have droids out that guests are just going to break for the fun of it?" that I'll admit (sadly) is fair.
 

bubbles1812

Well-Known Member
There were a lot of Equity actors planned for SWGE. And droids. And mind blowing immersion with those actors/droids.
Then the Chapek came in with an axe and a "they're going to come anyway so why should we spend money on going the extra mile?" attitude.
Exactly my point ;)
 

HmmmmmMMMmm

Well-Known Member
Exactly my point ;)
I think that'll happen at DLR, where SWGE is the biggest flop in the history of the domestic parks, around the time that ROTR opens as a way to entice people to come give the area another shot.
SWGE is going to be a hit because the Florida crowd doesn't doesn't care about anything other than "it's new" when it comes to park additions. And I doubt it'll get the actors/droids anytime in the next few years (if ever).
 

bubbles1812

Well-Known Member
SWGE is going to be a hit because the Florida crowd doesn't doesn't care about anything other than "it's new" when it comes to park additions.
That seems an awful presumptuous statement to make considering you’re on a WDW centric board where it’s very clear the ‘Florida crowd’ cares more than if something is just new. I’ve been going since age 7. I care very much if the new are well done, etc.

Yes, DL and WDW are two different beasts and WDW certainly attracts more first time/one time guests but to suggest there are no guests who care about *more* is a silly stereotype. Take a look at any social media platform and you’ll find plenty more, most of whom don’t frequent this or any other Disney forum.

[I say this all mildly. I wasn’t offended. But speaking as someone who has been around a solid amount of time, I think we talked in another thread about accusations and assumptions...yah? You haven’t rubbed me the wrong way. Please don’t make me feel differently]

Back to the topic... I would be surprised if either park gets those actors back any time soon, unfortunately. Calling SGWE the biggest flop ever when it hasn’t even been open a year is just hyperbole to me. Underperforming with a botched roll out? Yes. But I won’t make a full judgement without at least a year or two of data under the belt and certainly not until the full land is open.
 

HmmmmmMMMmm

Well-Known Member
That seems an awful presumptuous statement to make considering your on a WDW centric board where it’s very clear the ‘Florida crowd’ cares more than if something is just new.
I understand where you're coming from. I think the difference is, like you touched on in your post, that there are MANY MANY MANY more tourists who come to WDW. Droves. Masses. Tourists in the tens of thousands every day. 100k of them on holidays. So everything at WDW is a hit, in a way, because it everything is crowded all the time now. Five years ago, you weren't waiting in line for the WEDway on most days. Everything is a hit now. Well... most everything (looking at you, SGE).
 

bubbles1812

Well-Known Member
I understand where you're coming from. I think the difference is, like you touched on in your post, that there are MANY MANY MANY more tourists who come to WDW. Droves. Masses. Tourists in the tens of thousands every day. 100k of them on holidays. So everything at WDW is a hit, in a way, because it everything is crowded all the time now. Five years ago, you weren't waiting in line for the WEDway on most days. Everything is a hit now. Well... most everything (looking at you, SGE).
You do remember which theme park comes second to the MK in terms of visitors right?
I am somewhat teasing. They are different animals in terms of guest demographics but you can’t discount that DL is certainly growing too. And does occasionally have out of town guests. (I should know. I got a sunburn so badly there in 2014, I thought my eyelids would peel off ;) ). It’s not just APs.
 

HauntedPirate

Park nostalgist
Premium Member
That seems an awful presumptuous statement to make considering you’re on a WDW centric board where it’s very clear the ‘Florida crowd’ cares more than if something is just new. I’ve been going since age 7. I care very much if the new are well done, etc.

Yes, DL and WDW are two different beasts and WDW certainly attracts more first time/one time guests but to suggest there are no guests who care about *more* is a silly stereotype. Take a look at any social media platform and you’ll find plenty more, most of whom don’t frequent this or any other Disney forum.

[I say this all mildly. I wasn’t offended. But speaking as someone who has been around a solid amount of time, I think we talked in another thread about accusations and assumptions...yah? You haven’t rubbed me the wrong way. Please don’t make me feel differently]

Back to the topic... I would be surprised if either park gets those actors back any time soon, unfortunately. Calling SGWE the biggest flop ever when it hasn’t even been open a year is just hyperbole to me. Underperforming with a botched roll out? Yes. But I won’t make a full judgement without at least a year or two of data under the belt and certainly not until the full land is open.

He's not terribly far off, to be honest. That's what happens when you neglect four theme parks for the better part of a decade. I know they did the FL expansion, but it was not nearly enough and very low-risk (aka. Iger-esque). What's being built these days is what should have been done years ago.

From an overall BTMRR ride experience, Paris > DL > WDW. IMHO. I don't want JC changed, but I've already resigned myself to the fact that they will Johnny Depp the ride.
 

HmmmmmMMMmm

Well-Known Member
I don't want JC changed, but I've already resigned myself to the fact that they will Johnny Depp the ride.
There is a "spiel button" on every Jungle Cruise boat. It was installed during the last major refurb when the ride got new boats when the ride was very close to being turned into George Of The Jungle Cruise. All it would take is a sound card being placed under the counsel of the boat and the spiel button would work. I have a strong feeling that Skippers will be using the that speil button to "interact" with the Rock in the not too distant future.
 

PK2

Active Member
I'm glad to see things get love but I hope they move to announce all these closures well in advance and plan them with some subsequence rather than closing them all together so we're not suddenly seeing Magic Kingdom as the same land of walls and closures that EPCOT FW is going to be next year.
 

bubbles1812

Well-Known Member
From an overall BTMRR ride experience, Paris > DL > WDW. IMHO. I don't want JC changed, but I've already resigned myself to the fact that they will Johnny Depp the ride.

Having been to all three places, my order is a bit different as it probably is for the various duplicate rides within the different parks. It’s all subjective.

But no, I don’t want The Rock inserted into JC. ;)
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
I understand that. But most other guest don't feel the way that Disney purists feel about the Jungle Cruise. They feel like they wait in line to get in an uncomfortable boat with a a "skipper" who disinterestedly mumbles through jokes they can barely understand/catch into a microphone about robot animals that seven times out of ten aren't even working/moving.
It is not scoring high on guest surveys. There is going to have to be a change.

The scripting is generally fine, its the position of the microphone and the diction of the skipper. Give them better mics and a quick tutorial on how to speak more clearly and that's all it needs.
 

monothingie

Proxy War 2024: Never Forget
Premium Member
So everything at WDW is a hit, in a way, because it everything is crowded all the time now. Five years ago, you weren't waiting in line for the WEDway on most days. Everything is a hit now. Well... most everything (looking at you, SGE).

If the issue are lines and unbearable wait times, your complaints should be with MDE FP+ utterly upsetting the balance.
 
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