A Spirited 15 Rounds ...

[ford91exploder]

Not at all hotel just their three highest priced. That doesn't annoy me because I think you get a reasonable price for Universal hotels and the express is a nice bonus for the high end. Could that change in the future? Sure it could if Universal becomes much more busy and they can hike the room rates. Then it's a never ending game of only the high end hotels get the express pass with Universal pricing them at nose bleed rates. That won't happen any time soon, more rooms on the way by the thousands in the next few years.

Special events like Halloween horror nights? Those are hard ticket events?????

City Walk is reasonable but in the parks is pretty much crap and high priced. Couple of places are OK but the quick serve is just bad. I think a Duff beer was like $12, that's not anywhere near reasonable as far as beverages. Butter beer isn't exactly cheap but it is unique so I would expect it to be priced a little high. It's good BTW, get it froozen.

I agree on the insane 6 month ADR thing. I gave up on even trying to book a reservation at any decent place at WDW.

To be fair since the food options are so much better at City Walk and the distance is so short, Other than eating a few favorites at the Leaky Cauldron we generally only eat at City Walk so I can't comment on in park dining prices.

 

[Travel Junkie]

I've only been to Tokyo and my thought was doing a nested vacation in Hong Kong and/or Shanghai. If it's an either/or proposition for just a day would you still recommend Hong Kong?

I've only been to Tokyo and my thought was doing a nested vacation in Hong Kong and/or Shanghai. If it's an either/or proposition for just a day would you still recommend Hong Kong?

As a city Hong Kong by far. It's a toss up if you are only doing the theme park (both cities are great though so I would advise staying longer.) HKDL is easier for foreign tourists and has a better park vibe. If you go on a weekday in the off season it's also much less crowded. SDL has plenty of plusses too.

Mainland China requires purchasing a Visa, but Hong Kong does not, so Hong Kong is easier to get in and out of. The exception is Shanghai has a 144 hour transit free visa. Long story short you have to use Shanghai as a stopover somewhere else meaning you fly there first then onto Tokyo. Google China 144 hour transit visa for more info. I have done that before with minimal problems.

 

[Kman101]

In park food at Universal is fairly lackluster and the pricing seems on par with Disney to me but I haven't gone out of my way to really compare the pricing. I agree CityWalk has better variety and some better pricing.

 

[BernardandBianca]

Special events like Halloween horror nights? Those are hard ticket events????./QUOTE]

Yes they are. However, they are not placed inside the parks (or take over the parks) so being a hard ticket has no impact on guests going to either park (other than possibly parking).

 

[BernardandBianca]

Mainland China requires purchasing a Visa, but Hong Kong does not, so Hong Kong is easier to get in and out of. The exception is Shanghai has a 144 hour transit free visa. Long story short you have to use Shanghai as a stopover somewhere else meaning you fly there first then onto Tokyo. Google China 144 hour transit visa for more info. I have done that before with minimal problems.

Thank you for this information. We are going to Shanghai in early next year, and were planning to get our visas later on this year. After reading about this, and Googling about the visa, we no longer have to pay for the visa. (We're coming in from Hong Kong, staying five days (120 hours) , then continuing on to Tokyo, so we meet the criteria. Notice our travel plans - guess what we're doing??)

 

[ford91exploder]

For a while Al's updates where archived and it was a great read and take if anyone wanted to relive the awful Pressler/Harriss era of Disneyland neglect. But I don't see them archived anymore. Shame. I enjoyed reading them.

Use the Wayback machine, You can retrieve Al Lutz's columns from there

https://archive.org/web

In an Orwellian note India has just blocked the Wayback Machine apparently 'The Establishment' does not like the fact the internet is forever.

 

[ford91exploder]

I know you likely can't (although would love if you did) give specifics... but in your opinion is the Tokyo roadmap still a positive one?

That's two-fold: positive as in will the investment stream be remotely like they built it up to be 3-4 years ago (albeit delayed). Secondly do you like the forthcoming investment stream.

It just feels like a lot of grand plans have been put on the back burner. With the B&TB area being the lone hold out from far more ambitious things that were supposed to be opening already. I know we have their D23 to look forward to for some details hopefully.


I also want to know what - if anything is still the plan for SDL's intermediate future. But I'm already pushing my luck.

Remember the Olympics are tying up much of the construction and engineering resources in Japan which are needed for these types of projects. So I would imagine that at least some of the delay is tied to the Olympics.

Can't speak to the overall question though.

 

[ford91exploder]

I was at Universal when they kicked us out for a Microsoft private function. Some guy was yelling Windows 8 as the Hulk took off. Windows 8 was a real gem. The sky is the limit when you are burning through stock holders money.

I've been at private functions at Uni when Cisco bought out the place, But it was usually after regular close.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Use the Wayback machine, You can retrieve Al Lutz's columns from there

https://archive.org/web

In an Orwellian note India has just blocked the Wayback Machine apparently 'The Establishment' does not like the fact the internet is forever.

If you think that's bad, you should see how they censor movies over there.
http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/02/23/the-bizarre-state-of-indian-censorship

 

[kevlightyear]

They are to some extent certainly. That is why I created them -- after talking long with MAGICal Steve. ... But it still is flat out wrong and rude when someone decides that the topic should be the MSEP's future or UNI vs. Disney or ESPN or Spiderman Homecoming's box office. Tangents should be based on the subjects being talked about ... or you'll wind up burying the news, which is fine with me. But not really helpful for those looking for it. I'm a storyteller and I am telling this tale in a linear fashion if possible (believe me, I want to tackle Disney's earnings report and dining discounting desperation at WDW, but I won't do it in this thread ... at least not fora few hundred pages!)

That's a blog. The thing you're talking about is a blog. Anyone can get one. The trouble is you are trying to shoehorn your blog into a discussion forum. People will naturally 'discuss' things in a discussion forum. You have plenty of good information and opinions, but wading through 12 pages to find your 12 posts is tedious. In other words, you're doing it wrong. Welcome to the internet?

If you've discussed it with Steve and The Mom agrees, then by all means, continue. I'll keep reading to find the occasional random nugget, but trying to change the way the internet works is futile.

 

[Mike S]

In park food at Universal is fairly lackluster and the pricing seems on par with Disney to me but I haven't gone out of my way to really compare the pricing. I agree CityWalk has better variety and some better pricing.

In park quick service Pizza (not flatbread) at Universal is much better though. Really the only thing I can think of.

 

[SoManyWasps]

In park quick service Pizza (not flatbread) at Universal is much better though. Really the only thing I can think of.

The phrase "quick service pizza" alone gives me heartburn.

 

[Kman101]

In park quick service Pizza (not flatbread) at Universal is much better though. Really the only thing I can think of.

I agree with that.

 

[tirian]

@WDW1974

Before this thread strays off topic:

We appreciate your time and insight, and look forward to the rest of your summer report!

 

[lazyboy97o]

The phrase "quick service pizza" alone gives me heartburn.

There is absolutely no reason that quick service could not serve decent slices.

 

[The_Jobu]

You guys talking up CityWalk make it sound awesome. I feel dumb having skipped it all these times.

 

[Mike S]

You guys talking up CityWalk make it sound awesome. I feel dumb having skipped it all these times.

Go to Toothsome. You won't regret it.

 

[The_Jobu]

Go to Toothsome. You won't regret it.

I'm not big on sweets though, except funnel cake.

 

[ford91exploder]

You guys talking up CityWalk make it sound awesome. I feel dumb having skipped it all these times.

It's not a MAGICAL place it's simply a place with a lot of good restaurants and bars and some decent live music, It has no theme AT ALL it's just a good place to eat and drink.

 

[SoManyWasps]

There is absolutely no reason that quick service could not serve decent slices.

There are only three places on earth you can't find decent pizza: school cafeterias, theme parks, and the city of Chicago.