A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[WDW1974]

What theme parks over there I can visit that compare to WDW?

Off the top of my head:

Efteling in the Netherlands was a place that Walt Disney visited when he was researching places for Disneyland. Today, they have an incredible mix of fun roller coasters and dark rides in a beautiful green space. Their signature rides are Fata Morgana, a boat dark ride through the 1001 Nights on the scale of Disneyland Pirates of the Caribbean, Droomvlucht, a beautiful suspended dark ride and the Baron 1898, a highly themed Dive Coaster with a dark ride portion and insane theming. Coming in 2017 is Symbolica, a 35 million Euros (around 40 millions USD) high tech dark ride.

Here is a video of Fata Morgana:



Next, we have the Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Danemark. It has been open for hundreds of years and in addition to rides, it is filled with restaurants and is a popular meeting place.

Here is a picture at night:

Port Aventura as someone else mentioned. It was built by Busch Gardens and Tussaud back in the 1990's. Universal then took over and now, the park has local owners. It has incredible hotels, a neat water park and are opening a third gate next year called Ferrari World.

Over in Germany, might I recommend Phantasialand? Located near Cologne, this park has some strict noise and visual restrictions which forced them to be quite imaginative. Whereas Disney just bought off the shelf spinning coasters, Phantasialand went with custom spinning coasters in a large building with elevators, moving track 12 years before Gringotts and other things. Their latest ride is Taron, an incredible launched coaster through a beautiful environment.

Taron.

Europa Park is currently the second most visited park in Europe, ahead of Walt Disney Studios Paris. Owned by a ride manufacturer, it is used as a showcase for their ideas and their hotels are incredible true 4 stars experiences.

This is a room at the "El Andaluz", an older hotel there.

They opened a pretty dark ride experience a few years called "Arthur- The Ride". They have a ton of dark rides, over a dozen roller coasters and their efficiently at moving lines make today's WDW pale.

Great post. One day I might do an indepth post on the German parks above. Europa, btw, is getting a Soarin type attraction for 2017 (have I mentioned how much I do NOT like the new, fake, dark CGI Soarin created for SDL, but borrowed for DCA and EPCOT?) And Phantasialand has a much better version of TSMM with actual sets in between and a unique storyline and a higher capacity version of Crush's Coaster, again not themed to any existing IP. ... And the China area, which also has a hotel, is World Showcase quality.

And the resorts of EP? That deserves a whole post, suffice to say the quality is high and the food is just incredibly good.

But, thanks, for adding an international perspective. For some people, if Bob Iger doesn't control it, then they aren't going to be interested in it.

 

[WDW1974]

Who actually made the call on Disney's part to not go after the HP theme park rights or had a disagreement with Rowling? What do you say to the BOD or investors when you let something like that slip out of your hands.

You call James Cameron and then pass the praise/blame onto ''the oddly waifish man of anemic personality" for signing a deal for use of his Pandoran creations for your parks (which really turns into one park at one resort).

I still can't blame Rowling for not wanting to do business with Disney. Not only did UNI do a great job with her creations, although the 3D on FJ in Hollywood is completely unnecessary, but you know what Disney would do. Just take a look at those SW tees at the outlet stores with Darth Vader and C3PO wearing Mouse ears ... or the mashup merchandise of SW with the Muppets and Cars characters. You don't see Mickey wearing a robe playing Quidditch as a big fig and pin?

 

[WDW1974]

Dr. Strange has been getting solid reviews. Now at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes after 37 reviews.

Oh gawd, here we go with the Marvel talk. They can do no wrong and they are as Disney as Mickey Mouse.

 

[Bairstow]

Don't be sorry. TDA, and to a lesser extent Burbank, are extremely displeased that the reaction has been so negative.

This came as a surprise to them?
Did they not have any market research as to whether people would miss the Tower?

I wonder whether their decision was based on actual guest visits to the attraction and/or utilization of theoretical capacity.

 

[Rteetz]

DLP has none because it won't work

Well in a recent article about the Disneyland Paris Nature villages (or whatever it is called) it said they would use magicbands in that development but only magicbands nothing else like FP+, etc.

 

[Bairstow]

Oh gawd, here we go with the Marvel talk. They can do no wrong and they are as Disney as Mickey Mouse.

Well you're half right.
Ten years ago, whoever would have predicted that Captain America 3 would stomp a movie called "Batman vs Superman"?

 

[WDW1974]

I really have to question the health of any individual who prefers a theme park stay over an excursion in Europe, Asia, Africa etc. Even a cruise to the Carribean, cliche tourist adventures and all, ranks higher

To be fair, there's nothing wrong with enjoying all kind of diverse travel experiences. If we didn't love theme parks and weren't passionate about them, then we wouldn't be here.

 

[flynnibus]

Okay, I've tried to stay out of this one but come on. People have different tastes. A Caribbean cruise? I would rather pour my money down a toilet and flush it than spend a week on a cruise ship. I cannot think of anything more boring. Most people who go that I ask really just like the inclusive booze, and since I don't drink - that does nothing for me

yet inclusive booze isn't even an option on DCL... and is a paid upgrade on most lines. The narrow minded thinking never ceases to amaze me when people shutdown on things they've not even researched, let alone experienced.

 

[TeriofTerror]

Watching the World Series and saw a Honda commercial. They stole that slogan from Horizons!

 

[AEfx]

yet inclusive booze isn't even an option on DCL... and is a paid upgrade on most lines. The narrow minded thinking never ceases to amaze me when people shutdown on things they've not even researched, let alone experienced.

Do you need an oxygen tank up there on that high horse? LOL.

I don't need to additional research to know that going on a cruise would be the worst, most boring vacation for me. I'd never pay thousands of dollars for it. I see the ocean every day. I have no need to sit on a floating hotel since when I do travel I spend as little time at the hotel as possible.

It's not narrow minded to know how one prefers to spend their time and money.

 

[Nemo14]

Not completely. AbD was created because DIS saw a market for this product in two groups:
1.) The affluent Guests who still visited Disney parks and took DCL; and
2.) Rubes with money who were afraid to visit places outside their comfort zones (for many this means home town and WDW!) and were thought might travel abroad if Mickey held their hands the entire way;

And, yes, I do know this for a fact.

Sadly, I'm sure this is true.

 

[Bairstow]

Watching the World Series and saw a Honda commercial. They stole that slogan from Horizons!

Yeah, well, Horizons wasn't using it.

 

[Bairstow]

Do you need an oxygen tank up there on that high horse? LOL.

I don't need to additional research to know that going on a cruise would be the worst, most boring vacation for me. I'd never pay thousands of dollars for it. I see the ocean every day. I have no need to sit on a floating hotel since when I do travel I spend as little time at the hotel as possible.

It's not narrow minded to know how one prefers to spend their time and money.

Now if the Disney resorts started banning you from bringing your own bottled water and made it so you can't drink out of the taps...

 

[Californian Elitist]

How tacky to be actively destroying an attraction when you are conducting a marketing campaign around it.

THANK YOU.

I said the very same thing over in the dedicated thread in the DL forum, and I got mocked. Some of them really just don't get it and don't care.

 

[WDW1974]

FYI ... for all the DCL lovers out there:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/trav...y-cruise-line-spring-2018-20161029-story.html

 

[BrianLo]

Largely just visiting as I can only tolerate so much insanity at once! I did think about starting another thread and decided against it because I feel some responsibility to hang around for a while when I do so.

Much of the information I have revolves around other Disney resorts and even divisions.

Such a tease, I wish there was more uptake on the other parks and not reason #293 Orlando is screwing up this month.

Welcome back! I'm all ears for the international gossip.

 

[WDW1974]

A question, do you think the blogging/whoring community in O-Town has been told what restaurants and shops they have to pimp by Dr. Blondie and Co?

I just wonder because they all seem to rave about Homecoming, which is wildly overrated and pricey ($26-29 for fried chicken?!?! I don't care that Art Smith made it for Oprah!), and all seem to bash STK, which seems much less part of the 'fan/DPB community'. I haven't dined at the latter, but is popular in other locations.

Also seems that the Bloggers just all love the places owned and operated by WDW Co. The DeLuxe Burger joint and the wildly lousy Jock Lindsey's (do they actually put alcohol in their drinks or exist to sell mugs to fanbois who think alcohol is 'icky'?)

Another popular place is Blaze Pizza, which I enjoy but they are all over the place with cheaper prices than the DS locale.

It is almost like when fanboi bloggers and Lifestylers bashed the Alice film. They knew that was OK, so long as they didn't bash Captain America 3 (never saw) and Finding Dory (very average). Bet they all love Moana and Rogue One.

Just wondering how much the bloggers are being pushed to like certain places or send eyes their way ...

 

[Andrew C]

Do you need an oxygen tank up there on that high horse? LOL.

I don't need to additional research to know that going on a cruise would be the worst, most boring vacation for me. I'd never pay thousands of dollars for it. I see the ocean every day. I have no need to sit on a floating hotel since when I do travel I spend as little time at the hotel as possible.

It's not narrow minded to know how one prefers to spend their time and money.

You could try a Mediterranean cruise. Stops every day so typically spend more time on the land sightseeing.

 

[alissafalco]

Paging @alissafalco to the thread with honeymoon pics. Maybe someone can do a side by side of the real thing versus the Disney gator-filled swamp and snake and bug version.

.....oh, my photos would put the Poly to shame...

 

[Matt7187]

Hey what's up sour grapes! Not sure what WDW ever did to you but you sure do come across as a bitter ex-employee.
Please stop stating your opinion as fact or as if you are the last word on anything.
Just a couple of points on your pointless rant that most of the sheep tend to eat up around hear.
First, STK is a restaurant that I believe originated in the meat packing district of New York and it's extremely overrated. Not considered a top notch steak house, which is a fact. I knew it was a money grab when they tried to launch it in Disney. It is failing down there cause it is wildly expensive and it's just a good restaurant but not great.

Secondly, you bash anything that is popular in Disney and try to discredit it by stating things like, o-town lifers, mommy bloggers or by creating these wild conspiracy theories....

Honestly man stop coming to the website if you are going to aimlessly and baselessly tear things down. I.e... Finding Dory.
Finding Dory was a fantastic flick,,,and most people really enjoyed it... But you didn't so you state that it was very average... Why? Cause your opinion is so important? Bit of a self important narcissist are you?

Also, your other opinions are also way off base but I really don't feel like spending any more time on some one who clearly has an anti Disney agenda.

Lastly take your Karl Rovian tactics and stay off of this site.
Please stay in universal where the grass is greener of course!

He can have his opinion, you can have yours, and I can have mine. Just because you don't think there are issues at WDW doesnt make his opinion or anyone else's invalid.