New speciality cruise takes guests around World Showcase Lagoon

21stamps

21stamps

Well-Known Member
rael ramone said:
After reading more comments and having more thoughts:

In the end, first and foremost it still is about having GOOD SHOW. This applies whether it's one of Club Chappies $700 cabanas, or if it's an attraction like the Aladdin spinners in the middle of a South Seas environment that anyone can ride with admission to the park.

Onstage in a theme park, in Epcot at least, World Showcase Lagoon is one of the focal points (one could make the argument that in WS it is the prime focal point - but that's subjective). If they were to use a Friendship boat (or something thats smaller but looks like it could be part of the same 'fleet') it likely wouldn't be a distraction. A pontoon boat to my mind looks more and more out of place.

Here's an extreme example. Renting a paddleboat on a lakeside resort fits. Now what if the National Park Service decided to rent paddleboats on the Reflective Pool outside the Lincoln Memorial? It's not appropriate for the setting...

In short, a non-themed pleasure craft with quiet, well behaved guests on board is out of place. Add noisy guests (plus the amplification effects of being on water) and it is significantly worse then that...
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A pontoon boat is much smaller than a friendship boat. Just pretend that you're on the coast in any of these countries.. you'd see watercraft there as well :)

WildernessLodge said:
This is a dumb money sucking idea. Who would do this? When I read the title I thought it might stop at each country for a snack or drink.
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I won't be taking advantage of this, but I could see the appeal for a family of 4 or a group of friends, even a couple.

When you rent a pontoon boat you can't stop, the driver can't move, and you can't eat or drink, and you have a camera pointed right at your face. I have to stress that again. At least this way you can all enjoy the ride together, and eat. And drink. And move around. Lol

Oh-- and here's a big one- you also aren't allowed to use your camera while driving a personal rental. (I break this rule-oops)... but with this new offering you can use a camera.
 
Nj4mwc

Nj4mwc

Well-Known Member
Casper Gutman said:
No one is arguing against this cruise in a vacuum. If Disney had offered it in 1990, folks might think it odd, but its unlikely they'd object very much.

What the "if you don't like it, don't go" folks rarely acknowledge is that people object to these upcharge activities because they are representations and intensifications of several very negative trends that are afflicting WDW. In a nutshell, they are representative of

1) the use of WDW as a cash machine, with constant price increases, attraction and entertainment cuts, and (until recently, at least) very little spent on improvements

(more troublingly) 2) the increasing stratification of the WDW experience and the sense that guests are increasingly categorized as first-, second-, or third-class. It's infuriating, particularly given the rampant price increases, that WDW is making it more and more clear that certain guests are better than others.

It would be great if, when folks defend these upcharges, they addressed the broader context as well.
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I hate the upcharge that lessens the overall experience. Specialty fireworks viewing areas that was once accessible without an upcharge. But this doesn't take anything away from non participating guests
 
N

natatomic

Well-Known Member
rael ramone said:
After reading more comments and having more thoughts:

In the end, first and foremost it still is about having GOOD SHOW. This applies whether it's one of Club Chappies $700 cabanas, or if it's an attraction like the Aladdin spinners in the middle of a South Seas environment that anyone can ride with admission to the park.

Onstage in a theme park, in Epcot at least, World Showcase Lagoon is one of the focal points (one could make the argument that in WS it is the prime focal point - but that's subjective). If they were to use a Friendship boat (or something thats smaller but looks like it could be part of the same 'fleet') it likely wouldn't be a distraction. A pontoon boat to my mind looks more and more out of place.

Here's an extreme example. Renting a paddleboat on a lakeside resort fits. Now what if the National Park Service decided to rent paddleboats on the Reflective Pool outside the Lincoln Memorial? It's not appropriate for the setting...

In short, a non-themed pleasure craft with quiet, well behaved guests on board is out of place. Add noisy guests (plus the amplification effects of being on water) and it is significantly worse then that...
Click to expand...

I tend to agree with this. The fishing pontoons get to fish in the World Showcase Lagoon, but only until 11am. After 11am, they have to stay out of the lagoon for both the Show and also for staying out of the Friendship boats' way. Same with the Pirate boat thing with the kids. I'm kind of surprised they're suddenly changing that rule.
However, I will say with the number of pontoon rentals I see on Crescent Lake, I've never heard any being loud or distracting. I don't think anyone is really going to be able to hear any of the guests from the shore. Heck, the pontoon that swaps out captains on the friendship boats usually has the radio playing, but guests never hear it.
 
Much-Pixie-Dust

Much-Pixie-Dust

Well-Known Member
Bocabear said:
Actually for a private boat and snacks for a cruise for up to 10, this is very reasonable...If we can bring our own cocktails onboard it is even better. Honestly, not a bad idea...there are a lot more expensive Disney experiences out there.
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I don't know about these daytime cruise offerings, but you can't bring any food or beverage of your own onto Ilyuminations cruises. It must be pruschases through Disney catering. The snacks and sodas come with the rental but things like alcohol, cheese & fruit trays, cakes, etc have to be purchased through them so no BYOB.
 
Biff215

Biff215

Well-Known Member
Otterhead said:
The boat's supposed to take 10-15 people. If you have 10 people on a $150 boat, that's $15 a person. If you have 15 people, then it's $10 a person.

That's.... math.
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So maybe it's a reading issue then, the post here on WDWMAGIC clearly states up to 10 guests. Either way, it's $149 per boat, not $10-15/person. If that helps you justify it then fine, but that's not how it actually works.
 
rael ramone

rael ramone

Well-Known Member
Otterhead said:
I've also heard up to 15. But, okay -- $15 a person for an hour-long guided boat tour with snacks and drinks. Not bad at all and much cheaper than other special offerings.
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My issues with this are the aspects that may (if not will) detract from show...

My thoughts on the actual cost of this are.....meh.... I don't personally think it's worth it, but I can see this as something more subjective.

If one does truly have a party of 10, it's cheaper then taking the Behind the Seeds Tour, which from a 'goodies' perspective it only comes with water from a cooler & cucumber samples (then again, it also delivers a genuine educational experience that doesn't detract from show for other guests)...
 
D

drizgirl

Well-Known Member
Otterhead said:
I've also heard up to 15. But, okay -- $15 a person for an hour-long guided boat tour with snacks and drinks. Not bad at all and much cheaper than other special offerings.
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So wait. If just 2 of us plan to be on the boat, I can have 9 or 14 bags of chips to myself?

Either way......... SCORE!!!!! :rolleyes:

But yeah, I read it wrong too. $149 per boat isn't terrible if you happen to have a large group. That will never be us though.
 
Much-Pixie-Dust

Much-Pixie-Dust

Well-Known Member
drizgirl said:
So wait. If just 2 of us plan to be on the boat, I can have 9 or 14 bags of chips to myself?

Either way......... SCORE!!!!! :rolleyes:

But yeah, I read it wrong too. $149 per boat isn't terrible if you happen to have a large group. That will never be us though.
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They will bag up all the extra snacks and drinks for you to take with you. Came in handy for the rest of the vacation as there was just three of us on our boat. There were so many snacks my kiddo packed them and used them in her lunch when we can came from spring break.
 
D

drizgirl

Well-Known Member
Much-Pixie-Dust said:
They will bag up all the extra snacks and drinks for you to take with you. Came in handy for the rest of the vacation as there was just three of us on our boat. There were so many snacks my kiddo packed them and used them in her lunch when we can came from spring break.
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I was kidding. I don't want to carry the leftovers through the parks with me the rest of the day. I'll just pick some up at Wal-mart when I get home.
 
TyrantBossMedia

TyrantBossMedia

Member
Otterhead said:
I'm not trying to change your opinion.
I'm trying to convey that while you might think this is dumb, other people might really enjoy a relaxing boat ride.
Different people enjoy different things. Crazy idea, I know!
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Oh I'm well aware that some people will like this. Sadly that will be the case. And that will only further embolden Disney to continue their trend of making more boring rides.
 
rael ramone

rael ramone

Well-Known Member
Flynnwriter said:
Someone at Disney World needs to recognize that monitizing every possible square inch is going to eventually create a monumental and damaging relationship with the consumer.
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Gotta pay for ESPN losing subs and reducing margins.....

When the MAGIC finally wears off on many of the masses, many of the decision makers will have retired....

When it reaches the point where the 'base' experience (despite a higher price) delivers a significantly reduced experience, and to have an experience that resembles more closely what they are used to is only available via multiple high priced upcharges, the pain threshhold will have been reached by a number of guests that may surprise $DIS....
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Biff215 said:
So maybe it's a reading issue then, the post here on WDWMAGIC clearly states up to 10 guests. Either way, it's $149 per boat, not $10-15/person. If that helps you justify it then fine, but that's not how it actually works.
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Right, if 10 people on boat then $15/person. If 5 on the boat then $30/person, etc.
 

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