A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[Cesar R M]

If you think you can trust anyone is business, western or not, I've got some investment opportunities for you......

Do they involve shoeshine production partnership?

Here's one video of Shijingshan Amusement Park

the heads falling off are hilarious XD

I'm sure they have no problem tracking their customers.....

Cant be as bad as the UK right?
Where in some places, cameras are almost a quarter of the total population.

 

[Cesar R M]

Yep. Although, judging from the reader's comments to the L.A. Times story "Disney vows to fight after its characters are spotted at rival Chinese theme park," I wonder how many people would pledge their support in such a Telethon.

A sampling:

Its amazing how 10 years of neglect, abuse and price increases leads to that sentiment.

I know a few on here have hinted at some type of transportation system but I've yet to read any specifics on what that might actually entail.

I hope they pull something like the Hogwarts Express, they could use a connection between Kong and maybe Jurassic World to Jurassic Park (aka the monorail in the movie)

 

[Cesar R M]

Just had to say, not once has any Disney shirt I've bought fallen apart. All of them at least a year old with one of them being from the 40th 5 years ago. Did they wash it in acid?

It depends on the version I think.
For example.. the "Sup" rasta mickey, is of a very light fabric and its getting loose.
While the Disney World 1971 and my Disney Cruise Line (Alaska 2014 model) is still holding perfectly fine and have stronger fabrics.

Fair Enough.

And my personal favorite

HAH, I still remember that brazilian company that literally have ripped every single Pixar/Disney film out there with horrible quality.

 

[Cesar R M]

It's definately a cultural difference. My Chinese students think plagiarism is a way of honoring someone else's work. They even hand in fully copied papers with the URL still on them. It takes them awhile to adapt to our way of protecting individual property.

Its actually interesting to see the different point views.
Usually, countries and cities where always thinking about cooperating to improve themselves.
It was not until the hardcore capitalism (liberalist capitalism) introduced by Wall Street guys.. is when the "ME over anyone else" started to happen.
In the other side, stealing for "sharing" is also a thing.
There doesnt seem to be a real middle ground right now other than the famous style of "open" OSS (software wise).

One of the concepts that Western business people seem unwilling to accept is that IP theft is considered a valid business model in China. They know what they are doing is technically illegal by Western standards and have calculated the cost of legal fees and potential fines into their models. The business people I've delt with largely view IP theft the way Western business people view R&D.

That doesnt seem too different in many Western Business.
Like how many companies refused to recall cars with seriously defective parts, because it costs "less money" to pay the ligitations when people died, than to order a full recall.
Similar to planes by Boeing used by US Carriers. They "tangled it" until the changes were made mandatory. (see DC10's cargo door issues for a fine example) or using "shortcuts" (more DC10 issues thanks to "cheaper and faster" engine dismounting by AA and United Airlines that ended with horrible accidents)


Ps, Very sorry for the wall of posts.. I only have time to check the forum at most once a day.

 

[71jason]

How many of those folks ripped the whole magic band thing but now have to have every single limited edition version that is released. #addiction

Not enough, judging by what ends up in the outlet mall.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Burtonland 2's box-office was brutal. Less then 27 million over the weekend with Memorial Day only bringing it up to 34.
http://www.laughingplace.com/w/blogs/disney-buzz/2016/05/31/new-game-alicemadelessthan/

LaughingPlace has produced this list of just how bad this is.

Look, we don’t want The Walt Disney Company to fail in any way, but this is a flop so spectacular it demands a certain amount of schadenfreude. With that in mind, we propose a game you can play along with on Twitter called #AliceMadeLessThan.

Here are a few (100% factual) things #AliceMadeLessThan:

• The first day of 2010’s Alice in Wonderland (even with Memorial Day added)
• Tomorrowland‘s opening weekend
• John Carter’s opening weekend
• The Lone Ranger’s opening weekend
• Prince of Persia‘s opening weekend
• The third weekend of Zootopia (it did slightly better than the fourth)
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens Thursday, December 17th premiere shows divided by two
• Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour opening weekend in 2008 when it played on 683 screens compared to 3,763 screens for Alice
• Flubber‘s opening weekend in 1997 (OK, if estimates stick, Alice will have beat it by a little bit, but still…)

 

[Mike S]

Seems Universal Orlando has very sneakily introduced surge pricing recently from what I've been reading. You can save money and avoid it by buying your tickets online earlier than your trip though.
https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/General-Admission.aspx
Thoughts? Potential screwing of uninformed guests?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Seems Universal Orlando has very sneakily introduced surge pricing recently from what I've been reading. You can save money and avoid it by buying your tickets online earlier than your trip though.
https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/General-Admission.aspx
Thoughts? Potential screwing of uninformed guests?

Uninformed guests are ALWAYS screwed. They don't know when Pirates is down for refurb or that they need a park hopper to ride the Hogswarts Express or how to use FastPass+ or that no your ticket doesn't include SeaWorld this is Epcot, etc.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Devin Faraci of Birth.Movies.Death confirms the Rogue One reshoots and Disney's concerns about the current cut of the film.
http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/05/31/rogue-one-goes-in-for-reshoots

 

[BrianLo]

Two thoughts that I have on the current topics.

IP infringement is going to occur whether or not Disney enters the Chinese market. They might as well get a piece of the large pie.

I don't take the Rogue One reshoots as the worst thing ever. Disney has shifted away from the meddling executives to the meddling story trust. The first nearly never works, the latter is the reason we've generally seen a more solid slate from them over the years. At least they aren't willing to let someone "Snyder" their franchise. I remain cautiously optimistic the movie will turn out fine.

 

[ford91exploder]

Devin Faraci of Birth.Movies.Death confirms the Rogue One reshoots and Disney's concerns about the current cut of the film.
http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2016/05/31/rogue-one-goes-in-for-reshoots

What not enough props that can be turned into toys???

 

[ford91exploder]

Seems Universal Orlando has very sneakily introduced surge pricing recently from what I've been reading. You can save money and avoid it by buying your tickets online earlier than your trip though.
https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/General-Admission.aspx
Thoughts? Potential screwing of uninformed guests?

No a nice perk for planning ahead and really not that unusual with tickets which at least for theater/concerts have always been cheaper pre-event than day of purchases.

 

[NearTheEars]

Fair Enough.

And my personal favorite

I can't believe actual, or at least former, celebs lend their voices to these things. I knew Rob Schneider has done a bunch, but didn't expect to see former Diz star Hillary Duff on a ripoff title.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

I can't believe actual, or at least former, celebs lend their voices to these things. I knew Rob Schneider has done a bunch, but didn't expect to see former Diz star Hillary Duff on a ripoff title.

I thought so too... But maybe their name is being used and not the voice?

 

[Andrew C]

I thought so too... But maybe their name is being used and not the voice?

Haha. No. Those legitimate actors really did wings. Lol.

 

[lentesta]

Do you know a blogger who will say to their flock that two of the four WDW parks are complete wastes of money?

Here's the NY Times quoting me in the Unofficial Guide saying DHS isn't worth the money and Universal was a better value.

I don't consider myself a blogger (because it's Derek Burgan's world and I just live in it), but I see your point.

I've seen what Bob's written for this year's edition, and it's pretty awesome.

 

[GoofGoof]

Burtonland 2's box-office was brutal. Less then 27 million over the weekend with Memorial Day only bringing it up to 34.
http://www.laughingplace.com/w/blogs/disney-buzz/2016/05/31/new-game-alicemadelessthan/

LaughingPlace has produced this list of just how bad this is.

Not Flubber

The rest of that list is pretty bad but worse than Flubber opening weekend takes the cake.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Here's the NY Times quoting me in the Unofficial Guide saying DHS isn't worth the money and Universal was a better value.

I don't consider myself a blogger (because it's Derek Burgan's world and I just live in it), but I see your point.

I've seen what Bob's written for this year's edition, and it's pretty awesome.

FWIW I don't consider you and never did consider you a blogger...

 

[seabreezept813]

It's kinda funny how some take every negative aspect of Chinese culture and justify it by proclaiming it to be a "cultural difference." I've lived there, know the language and have respect for the culture etc., but it's not some alien planet where they don't have a concept of cheating and think that it somehow honors the person they're ripping off. That's just what they tell gullible Westerners ; ) Chinese people plagiarize for the same reasons anybody would if they could get away with it: it's easy. This is enabled by the fact that no one in Chinese universities cares if students cheat, because over there a university education is mostly a rubber stamp. The application/examination process is very high-pressure, but once you're in, it's supposed to be an easy, care-free four years.

I don't think it's being justified here. There is a cultural difference in the way cheating is viewed but that does not mean that it should be acceptable. I agree that people cheat because it's easy. But if it is not taboo/have repercussions, then more people will likely choose the easier way to get things done. My American students cheat all the time, but they try to be sneaky about it because they know it's not acceptable. My Chinese students who are studying abroad for the first time will not bother to try to hide their cheating because they assume no one will call them out for it, so it differs because in the U.S. they are held more accountable. I think that's the difference I was trying to point out. In my value system, anyone who cheats is wrong and needs to be educated about the honors system.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

FWIW I don't consider you and never did consider you a blogger...

Not him, but he does oversee a team of bloggers that serve as a supplement to Len's main products (Unofficial Guide, Touring Plans)