A Spirited 15 Rounds ...

[BrianLo]

And people say I get around. Are you looking to become a Disney Blogger?

I didn't pay huge amounts of attention to what was selling or not selling when at SDL. I did see many shopping bags. But to see vast amounts of SDL merchandise, including opening day plush and pins and stamp sets, sit for months at 50-80% off at outlet stores in FL tells you that someone (why is everyone looking at Chappie?) misjudged the audience there. No other rational explanation. I think I spent close to $200 on merchandise that would have cost close to a grand in Shanghai. And, even now, even after the bloggers and tweeters and eBay sellers have carted off box loads at all of the stores statewide, they still have stores with over half the merchandise coming from SDL.

Beijing is further behind at this stage than Shanghai was. Woodbury and Company have axed plussed attractions and unique ones for copies and let's not even discuss the utter stupidity of not weatherizing this park correctly. But this is the same guy who was recently given added funds by his Comcast overlords for Orlando and told his team that they were going to sit back a bit and wait to see how all of the Disney development affected the overall tourism sector. Really.

Ha - no blogger lifestyle for me! I do get around but mostly have a knack for being weak and tacking on stopovers. Shanghai was part of an Indonesia trip (and random ~350 USD airfare I picked up to China). The traveling is lighter than I’d like but will eventually pick back up when I’m done in 2020. I try to not visit the parks unless there has been a significant capital investment. But I was weak and really had nothing for 2018.

Of course not helping my case is I may or may not be in Efteling today.... I swear I am spending 3 calendar days in theme parks this year. By the way I’m in love with Efteling.

Beijing makes me sad. Universal in general makes me sad outside of this Potter coaster. I have the first enthusiasm in years for a Uni project again. I just wish an entire new resort had more than two things worth some excitement for (?1 thing?). Look forward to your eventual menu spill.

 

[BrianLo]

Advertisement

Certainly hope and expect the rides to be significantly different and the original to remain. The original got a wonderful refurb and upgrade about 18-20 months ago and looks spectacular. ... This is no different than having Little Mermaid, Nemo and Toy Story attractions in multiple parks in FL. ... Tokyo's Frozen attraction will be unique and not a clone of anything. Paris and HK will almost assuredly have the same attraction ... with HK also getting a Frozen version of SDMT.

This is globally my one concern with the WDS redo. It’s getting several half-way highlights of other parks projects. I wish there was something a bit more than Iron Man’s Rocking Rollercoaster. I want one unique highlight.

 

[LittleBuford]

I don't think the issue in this case is "thematic clashing"...

What is it in that case? This is a sincere question, as I'm not sure what you were referring to if not the theme.

 

[jakeman]

What is it in that case? This is a sincere question, as I'm not sure what you were referring to if not the theme.

Let me put on my Social Justice Warrior hat and see if I can translate.

The implication is that if alcoholic beverages are being sold out of a giant child lunchbox it is somehow condoning underage drinking, or at the very least blurring the morality of when alcohol should be consumed for poor little Timmy when he sees his parents get a fruity adult beverage from a giant lunchbox.

Sounds even dumber when I type it out.

 

[LittleBuford]

Let me put on my Social Justice Warrior hat and see if I can translate.

The implication is that if alcoholic beverages are being sold out of a giant child lunchbox it is somehow condoning underage drinking, or at the very least blurring the morality of when alcohol should be consumed for poor little Timmy when he sees his parents get a fruity adult beverage from a giant lunchbox.

Sounds even dumber when I type it out.

I myself am what many would term a Social Justice Warrior. I'm not really sure of the relevance of that label to what you said given that those of us who lean left aren't generally associated with the temperance movement.

 

[xdan0920]

I myself am what many would term a Social Justice Warrior. I'm not really sure of the relevance of that label to what you said given that those of us who lean left aren't generally associated with the temperance movement.

Don’t think the direction of your leaning has any impact on this discussion.

I myself pitch forward, sometimes back, either left or right, depending on the terrain under foot. This is especially true after I get good and sloshed during lunch at MGM Studios lunch box bar.

 

[Quinnmac000]

The toys in Toy Story are called Buzz and Woody....its already not PC. Yea its bad optics for them to serve alcohol beverages out of a lunch box but its goes into the theming and if done right could be interesting.

 

[jakeman]

I myself am what many would term a Social Justice Warrior. I'm not really sure of the relevance of that label to what you said given that those of us who lean left aren't generally associated with the temperance movement.

I meant it more in the vein of looking to be offended rather than any sort of political leanings.

Those looking to be offended by something in Toy Story Land have found it.

Regardless of how we splice the label, it's a dumb thing to be concerned about and doesn't really do anything but show the lengths folks will go to to throw shade and the willingness others are to pick up the baton for them, regardless of the absurdity of the complaint.

That's not a defense of the land. I've not seen it and I really have no interest in it, but it's the usual pearl clutching over the inconsequential that happens in these threads. Entertaining to read, eyerolling to think people actually believe.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

That's what happens when you pack Andy's Lunchbox and Dad's Lunchbox before your morning coffee.

Now run down to the Principal's office and pick up poor little Andy.

 

[LittleBuford]

I meant it more in the vein of looking to be offended rather than any sort of political leanings.

Those looking to be offended by something in Toy Story Land have found it.

Regardless of how we splice the label, it's a dumb thing to be concerned about and doesn't really do anything but show the lengths folks will go to to throw shade and the willingness others are to pick up the baton for them, regardless of the absurdity of the complaint.

That's not a defense of the land. I've not seen it and I really have no interest in it, but it's the usual pearl clutching over the inconsequential that happens in these threads. Entertaining to read, eyerolling to think people actually believe.

I agree that it's a lot of fuss over nothing. I watched the DIS Unplugged discussion where Pete Werner took issue with the selling of alcohol in TSL, and his objection was more thematic than it was moral. I think it was in the same episode that he bemoaned the visibility of the Tangled tower from Liberty Square, claiming that such cross-thematic interference would never have happened in the past. That made me smile given that Cinderella Castle can also be seen from parts of Liberty Square.

 

[FigmentJedi]

That's what happens when you pack Andy's Lunchbox and Dad's Lunchbox before your morning coffee.

Now run down to the Principal's office and pick up poor little Andy.

Andy doesn't have a dad anymore.

 

[croboy82]

I will also remind you Avatar was supposed to be going here too ...

Any chance this still might happen at some later stage? there is def room for expansion on the right side of the lake.

 

[flynnibus]

Thanks for asking. The absolute only time I strongly felt like dropping in before now was when this was announced.

Or it was a disturbance in the force that woke you... I took the family back to wdw this week for the first time in 9 years! And it was my presence in FL for a week that awoke you. But you had to post in this supposed dead thread so it went unnoticed

 

[mandstaft]

Or it was a disturbance in the force that woke you... I took the family back to wdw this week for the first time in 9 years! And it was my presence in FL for a week that awoke you. But you had to post in this supposed dead thread so it went unnoticed

Will you be sharing trip reports? I just did the same thing but at almost 10 years. So I’m writing on my trip, but I love to read about someone else’s experience after the same trip gap as mine.

 

[asianway]

Or it was a disturbance in the force that woke you... I took the family back to wdw this week for the first time in 9 years! And it was my presence in FL for a week that awoke you. But you had to post in this supposed dead thread so it went unnoticed

Was really that long? How time flies

 

[PorterRedkey]

And now an insight from James Dyson

Full Interview

It's sad that if those Dyson vacuums (w/ the secret magnetic tricks) were put in Epcot now, they might be the most futuristic part of "Future" World.

 

[flynnibus]

Was really that long? How time flies

For the kids. I have been multiple times in smaller doses. Last family one was 2009. Since then we’ve done multiple cruises, uni, and other destinations.

I had felt guilty when the youngest said she didn’t even remember the details of the place anymore.

But spoiler... when asked on the way home if given the choice... cruise or parks... all three of my participants all said cruise.

...and last hour of our trip was spent in stormalong bay.... not the parks

 

[flynnibus]

Will you be sharing trip reports? I just did the same thing but at almost 10 years. So I’m writing on my trip, but I love to read about someone else’s experience after the same trip gap as mine.

I have some notes to write up. Note it’s not that long a gap for me... just for taking (majority) of the family there.

 

[asianway]

For the kids. I have been multiple times in smaller doses. Last family one was 2009. Since then we’ve done multiple cruises, uni, and other destinations.

I had felt guilty when the youngest said she didn’t even remember the details of the place anymore.

But spoiler... when asked on the way home if given the choice... cruise or parks... all three of my participants all said cruise.

...and last hour of our trip was spent in stormalong bay.... not the parks

Im pretty sure my WDW trips ceased to be a "vacation" around 1992. Glad your kids have options I didnt.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I meant it more in the vein of looking to be offended rather than any sort of political leanings.

You're taking people's comments a bit too seriously if you think anyone is actually "offended" by it. You can point and laugh at something for being funny or even lacking in sense without actually being offended by it.