A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[Cesar R M]

Have they even broken ground on the StarWarsland at DHS yet? I have not seen anything posted except the demo of Catastrohe Canyon for the Toy Story Land section...Is the Light Motors Action theater gone? Anything cleared for any of the projects yet? I have seen lots of pictures of Disneyland's demo but not much of anything for WDW...and DHS is the park that needs the most love in the Disney Parks universe...

Well, I bet they hope to distract the visitors with the new Star Wars fireworks show.

 

[WDW1974]

Listened to Jim Hill's latest podcast today. He said that 95% of media attending the opening event at Shanghai is Chinese media and the other five is western media from the US and UK. The interesting part though was that absolutely everything for the media is planned on a strict itinerary and the media is not allowed to roam the park freely they must stay with the media events and only at the media events.

Don't take this personally, but I don't give two poohs what that guy says about anything.

If the point was the CCP is controlling the media access over there, then that is no surprise. It is China and they control things. Disney doesn't. No matter how hard Bob Iger wants people to believe otherwise.

 

[ProfSavage]

Listened to Jim Hill's latest podcast today. He said that 95% of media attending the opening event at Shanghai is Chinese media and the other five is western media from the US and UK. The interesting part though was that absolutely everything for the media is planned on a strict itinerary and the media is not allowed to roam the park freely they must stay with the media events and only at the media events.

The country with state control-media is controlling media access?

 

[Cesar R M]

If you're willing to go off property check out Shake Shack on I-Drive (or Winter Park location of you don't like all the tourists). Probably the best burger joint in existence.

Back to Disney, I don't think 9.99 is too terrible of a price for a burger. You're more than likely getting what you pay for - an upscale burger. If they were the same burgers they're serving in the parks, I'd totally understand. I'm happy they're offering a new selection.

IS confirmed that the 9.99 is a deluxe burger?
I dont want to see another disappointment where the burger costs 5$+ and you get a 1$ style McDonalds basic burger with worse fries. (edit, as in frozen patty where the "meat" is 80% soy paste)

It was terrible. We are all lucky Comcast bought 'em.

At least they put more effort in the parks than they do with their internet services

I have tried In-N-Out and must say, it did not live up to expectations. Its quality is just below five guys.

you guys are so lucky to have that much variety.
Technically our most "deluxe" burger joints are Outback and Carls Jr.
Some restaurants MIGHT offer deluxe burgers, but they are not specifically burger joints.

 

[WDW1974]

It continues to be a completely baffling decision. They had huge tracks of completely flat, empty land to the direct west of both parks and chose to squeeze Star Wars Land in the narrowest strip available. And for a company looking to save on costs, they chose the very expensive option of demolishing, leveling and regrading 14 acres that was being heavily used as attractions and backstage instead of building on land that was nothing but asphalt.

And even of the location they chose, they had room to reroute or narrow the overly broad road (it's six lanes wide!) directly behind the backstage gates, which would have provided enough of the square footage they needed for Star Wars Land without having to consume Rivers of America. Cheaper too, rerouting a road as opposed to demolishing/relocating/regrading/rerouting that river. It's like some student who flunked the site layout course at architecture school got to head this whole thing.

On a separate note, Harry Potter land has been open here in Hollywood for a little over a month now, and the reaction has been very muted. People I know who work there say it has been a walk on most days, and word-of-mouth has been almost nothing. I've only gotten a single non-employee anecdote about it (I haven't sensed any rush by Angelenos to go, it's almost creepy the lack of hype), and it amounted to little more than, "It's smaller than I imagined and the ride is like everything else in Universal Studios, you just move between simulation screens. It's kinda redundant."

Yes, it will be interesting to see how things shake out this summer with DL a construction zone and Potter open. But, thus far, Hollywood hasn't seen anything like what happened in O-Town and later in Osaka. I admit to being rather shocked by that considering how nuts fans went last year for the little added Furious show on the Tram Tour.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Don't take this personally, but I don't give two poohs what that guy says about anything.

If the point was the CCP is controlling the media access over there, then that is no surprise. It is China and they control things. Disney doesn't. No matter how hard Bob Iger wants people to believe otherwise.

I wonder how that compares to the 08 Olympics.....?

 

[ProfSavage]

I wonder how that compares to the 08 Olympics.....?

Well I doubt there is unnecessary rendition for the homeless rural job-seekers in Beijing that were sent to the black site prisons disguised as hotels for the SDL opening like there was the Olympics... but I don't know.

 

[WDW1974]

vegas boy was only in Shanghi for a short period.. so now he's sharing other people's content.

He hasn't even been ... those pics are from others that he is putting together and retweeting on his account. Sorta like when the EPCOT Explorer tweets pics from 1977 WDP Annual Reports or 1984 vacation planning guides ...not his stuff. Same here.

 

[WDW1974]

I wonder how that compares to the 08 Olympics.....?

I helped run the 2008 Olympics ... was a Strat Planner for them. Totally different. Media basically had free reign to report on the Games, venues, athletes, city, people etc. You can't control media in a situation like that even if you want to. This is very different because the vast majority of media will be from China anyway. Very few western news organizations are going to pay to send people to the opening of yet another Disney theme park just because it is in China. So the reality is there are very few 'outsiders' that need to be controlled/watched.

 

[Cesar R M]

Gotta admit that all the things I hate about social media are on display for the first Disney park opening of the real social media age (there really wasn't much for HKDL in 2005 ... and newsgroup/discussion board only stuff for DCA, TDS and WDSP).

I am sure it is great for all the fanbois in the USA who will never visit, but I do feel that anytime I look at anything that it might spoil something for me. There are hours and hours of complete ride-thrus and parade showings and shows etc. I don't want to see any of that.

On WDW matters, another summer in which we will hear breathless reports of lines and crowds and ... APers now have a 35% offer for WDW resorts for June and July.

is that 35% discount normal? or are they just desperate to regain their APers crowd?

 

[WDW1974]

I just returned from a trip to WDW. All in all a good trip and the Disney magic lives on in many of the cast members we encountered. But we noticed a significant uptick in pricing for just about everything, and the only things we saw that were new from our last trip 18 months ago was Star Wars Launch Bay and Disney Springs Town Center.

Given the rising costs and lack of new attractions, I don't plan to return to WDW for at least 2 years - and I used to visit 2-3 times a year.

I had family with me on my recent visit, including my mother who hadn't been since 2012 ... she said the parks were stale and didn't have hardly anything new. The sad reality is WDW hasn't opened anything of substance since Everest a decade ago and that was/is a troubled attraction. And, no, I don't view Not So New Anymore Fantasyland as having substance. It has style ... sorta ... if you are into that.

 

[WDW1974]

When the cheapest burger you can get at Disney Springs is $10 (without a side BTW), you're just asking people to stay away, or at least eat off property. This business model is just absurd.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/05/16/will-a-999-cheeseburger-save-disney-world.aspx

I had a good review from friends on the burgers, but they will be in no hurry to return. They said every burger should come with fries not at a $5 upcharge. I agree. I can get a great burger at Fuddrucker's at the Crossroads with fries and my own fixings bar with fries for less. And they always give me a CM discount even though I am not one!

But you must understand that Disney is aiming to have the average adult quick serve tab hit $20 a head soon. It was only a few years ago when I could get a GREAT $10 burger at Fulton's BEFORE a 20% AP discount. ... Now, it has shot up in price over the last 3-4 years, which I blame 100% on the DDP. Everything at WDW is geared toward making that abortion of dining look like a deal.

 

[WDW1974]

I have friends, who we took to experience Harry Potter for the first time in Orlando in February. They went to Hollywood, last week. They said adding the 3-D glasses turned Forbidden Journey into a terrible experience. The motion of the ride kept knocking their glasses off their head, and wearing them, made the set portions really dark and not as impressive.

I was surprised to hear that something that people might think would make the ride better, actually made the experience worse. But it goes to show, how thin the line is between attraction greatness, and not. The little things do matter, sometimes a lot.

The line from UNI folks is that 3D will be added to O-Town, that it was always planned, but since no one knew back in 2008-2010 just how big a hit Potter would be that it was held back due to cost. I HATE having to wear glasses on attractions (same reason why I don't pay upcharges for movies) and I worry about the puking that I heard was an issue in Osaka. I rode FJ once a few weeks ago and thought it still is a great attraction and absolutely doesn't need glasses.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I am sure the hillbilly was glued to his TV for Agents of Crap's season finale.

Channing Dungy must have a calendar at her desk reminding her how many days until she can cancel AoS once it hits its syndication target. If I were her, I'd be looking forward to it.

 

[ProfSavage]

The line from UNI folks is that 3D will be added to O-Town, that it was always planned, but since no one knew back in 2008-2010 just how big a hit Potter would be that it was held back due to cost. I HATE having to wear glasses on attractions (same reason why I don't pay upcharges for movies) and I worry about the puking that I heard was an issue in Osaka. I rode FJ once a few weeks ago and thought it still is a great attraction and absolutely doesn't need glasses.

Really hoping this 3D fad in movies and theme parks would have died already

 

[WDW1974]

I've seen so many people gushing about the new burger place, but I looked at the menu and was disappointed. Usually, these types of places have a "build your own burger" option. Here in Colorado we have Smashburger, H Burger, Five Guys, and one location of Burger Fi. Since I found out about Burger Fi thanks to this forum, my Dad and husband have been all over it. I think if I'd ask them, they'd rather just drive the 20 minutes to the one in Windermere. Plus, my Dad just avoids eating at WDW on general principle.

Most McD's in Central Florida (but not the Crossroads location) are testing customized burgers. I played with the kiosks at the location near SW (Williamsburg) recently ... too many options and everything is an extra. I started with a $1.19 Double Hamburger and by the time I added bacon, guac, shredded lettuce and ranch dressing it was $3.69. ... I also am sorta done with Five Guys. When three people eat there with one order of fries split and it costs over $30 ... um ... no ... not for fast food ... even tasty fast food.

Have never done Burger Fi even though they started down here in SoFla ... they haven't pulled me in when I've walked by many a time.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I helped run the 2008 Olympics ... was a Strat Planner for them. Totally different. Media basically had free reign to report on the Games, venues, athletes, city, people etc. You can't control media in a situation like that even if you want to. This is very different because the vast majority of media will be from China anyway. Very few western news organizations are going to pay to send people to the opening of yet another Disney theme park just because it is in China. So the reality is there are very few 'outsiders' that need to be controlled/watched.

Amazing how people have ripped you and these forums for a few years now with your stance about how controlling the CCP is and how its a bad idea to get into bed with them.

..... And now we have the same people complaining that the CCP is doing exactly what you suggested they would.

My guess is these people just want to complain for attention.

 

[WDW1974]

I don't see a "build your own burger" option at Burger Fi either. I'm sure you can ask for any kind of topping on any burger they have at the D-Luxe.

Speaking of options and fixings, the fixings bar has been removed from The Mara, which still has great QS food (Disney will raise prices 21% and reduce quality as soon as they read this). I actually had a BBQ burger there and it was very high quality(much better than the burger I should have returned at Lombard's over at UNI a few days earlier) with either fries (that I passed on) or cous cous, which I had. The African chicken salad also got universal praise from my entourage. Just remember, until Disney reads here and does away (or attempts to) you can get a small/kids soft drink for $1.99 at the resorts and fill it five times.

 

[ProfSavage]

Most McD's in Central Florida (but not the Crossroads location) are testing customized burgers. I played with the kiosks at the location near SW (Williamsburg) recently ... too many options and everything is an extra. I started with a $1.19 Double Hamburger and by the time I added bacon, guac, shredded lettuce and ranch dressing it was $3.69. ... I also am sorta done with Five Guys. When three people eat there with one order of fries split and it costs over $30 ... um ... no ... not for fast food ... even tasty fast food.

Have never done Burger Fi even though they started down here in SoFla ... they haven't pulled me in when I've walked by many a time.

We've had the "Create Your Own" burger kiosks in Georgia (and I don't live in a large city, but a small rural college town outside of a town outside of Macon) at both McDs here for over a year. And in fact, all orders, except for peak lunch hours, are done through the kiosks now...

I highly recommend Burger Fi, Spirti!

 

[WDW1974]

While not serving burgers, Earl of Sandwich never seems outrageously priced to me, featuring a good selection of $7 sandwiches. There is always a line and an indoor seating challenge to deal with, but always seems to work out. Menu: http://allears.net/dining/menu/earl-of-sandwich/all-day

Earl's is sorta like the Dole Whip of Disney sandwich shops ... so overrated. At DLP, it's a lifesaver because they don't have hardly any QS options and their McD's is pretty much the worst one in Europe! But in O-Town? Bleh ... and they are all over FL. You can't stop at a rest area on the Turnpike to relieve yourself without seeing one. Many malls have them as well. They just are not all that.