A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[Cesar R M]

So… What you're saying is that for years businesses haven't been paying their employees fairly and as a result of that it's going to be detrimental to the bottom line?

I mean for years… And we're going back to 1980 with this one… People of been telling trickle-down economics. Well, the money never trickle down and there was no investment made. Instead, companies cash game at Wall Street. This is a correction for that.

I'm sympathetic to you and other small businesses but I cannot accuse an excuse that It will cut into profits… Because that's the same excuse sweat shop owners give.

I see how this affects the small business owner but I simply don't like that big business has taken advantage of the labor force for at least 30 years at this point.

Not to mention the Panama Papers debacle.
Where the rich are pretty much being smart and removing any "trickle down" economics by removing most tax burdens (money that could be used to rebuild infrastructure and give thousands of jobs) and just make rich people richer by concentrating wealth.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Not to mention the Panama Papers debacle.
Where the rich are pretty much being smart and removing any "trickle down" economics by removing most tax burdens (money that could be used to rebuild infrastructure and give thousands of jobs) and just make rich people richer by concentrating wealth.

I mean If i had FU money, i would totally do the same thing...... But since I dont?

 

[Cesar R M]

So much like Reince Preibus, TDO is standing there like...

Completed all 50 in 1998, by making Alaska



Doesn't count if you don't do something there, and airports do not count.

Now for the real trial - I've been to all seven continents. Did Antarctica in 2005.

Wow, you're sure a globe throttler!

I have no comment on this, just wanted to say: "hehehehe Bothans..."

"...all dead..."

 

[Cesar R M]

Yup they realize they have a problem but they will try and 'solve' the problem with that patented Disney unethical but legal business practice handbook.

Just TRY to get one of those special discounted rates, You will find they are 'sold out' but Disney will be happy to accomodate you in a rack rate room. This is an area an enterprising State Attorneys General(s) could have a lot of fun prosecuting Disney for it's 'Bait and Switch' advertising.

Technically Disney covered their collective butts with the "limited offer, restrictions apply" fine print.
Still, doesnt make Disney look awful for claiming discounts everywhere, where only 2% to 5% of all the people who wanted to book will actually get said discount.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I actually wonder. How long since they announced they were going to get automated? was that pulled off? delayed? cost scissored? still under development?

Only for the frozen attraction?or is that including the Soarin' new film and theater?

The discussion was strictly about Frozen. Most people i discussed Soarin with said "Why are they doing this?"

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Again, same problem as with the "New Fantasyland," lots of style, and very little substance to back it up. Like Little Mermaid - great, immersive queue, the ride itself - just meh. Very Six Flags of Disney.

To be honest, I don't see what makes the Little Mermaid worse than any other dark ride. Sure, it had its fair share of flaws like the CG animation at DCA and the Under the Sea scene being way to bright in both versions, but those and other problems were addressed in refurbishments. In fact, the only real complaint that they didn't attend to was Ursala's underwhelming death scene. Overall, the Little Mermaid is a solid C-D Ticket dark ride that will probably end up being a classic in its own right. Yes, NFL felt like a Phase 1 of what should've been a much bigger and more complete redo, but it seems like a lot of fans critcize a number of recent attractions for reasons that ultimatley amount to the fact that they're not E Tickets. That mentality diminishes a lot of rides that should instead be looked at through the lens of whatever scale the Imagineers intended for them.

 

[jme]

To be honest, I don't see what makes the Little Mermaid worse than any other dark ride.

You think it's on par with Haunted Mansion? Peter Pan's Flight?
Now factor in the time since those were built and the tech advances that could have been used.

Is it a bad ride? Nope. However...
Is it what anyone should expect from WDI in the 2010's? Nope.
The trackless system used in Tokyo was over a decade old at this point. In fact, 5 months after Under the Sea opened another dark ride opened elsewhere at Disney Parks using that very system... Mystic Manor.

 

[TP2000]

To be honest, I don't see what makes the Little Mermaid worse than any other dark ride. Sure, it had its fair share of flaws like the CG animation at DCA and the Under the Sea scene being way to bright in both versions, but those and other problems were addressed in refurbishments. In fact, the only real complaint that they didn't attend to was Ursala's underwhelming death scene. Overall, the Little Mermaid is a solid C-D Ticket dark ride that will probably end up being a classic in its own right. Yes, NFL felt like a Phase 1 of what should've been a much bigger and more complete redo, but it seems like a lot of fans critcize a number of recent attractions for reasons that ultimatley amount to the fact that they're not E Tickets. That mentality diminishes a lot of rides that should instead be looked at through the lens of whatever scale the Imagineers intended for them.

And at WDW the Little Mermaid ride replaced what was once a big Walt-era E Ticket attraction that many people loved. At DCA the Little Mermaid ride replaced what was once a Pressler-era B Ticket movie that no one ever went to.

Anaheim definitely got the better deal there on that one.

But whatever happened to that C List celebrity Imagineer that was in charge of Little Mermaid for both coasts? Lisa Girolami is her name. According to LinkedIn she still works for WDI. But she was trotted out at D23 Expo and various media events as the celebrity brainchild of the Little Mermaid ride. Then when the ride fell flat upon opening, and needed two big refurbishments in DCA to fix and alter to get it to a semi-decent stage, we haven't really heard from Ms. Girolami since.

 

[Mike S]

And at WDW the Little Mermaid ride replaced what was once a big Walt-era E Ticket attraction that many people loved. At DCA the Little Mermaid ride replaced what was once a Pressler-era B Ticket movie that no one ever went to.

Anaheim definitely got the better deal there on that one.

But whatever happened to that C List celebrity Imagineer that was in charge of Little Mermaid for both coasts? Lisa Girolami is her name. According to LinkedIn she still works for WDI. But she was trotted out at D23 Expo and various media events as the celebrity brainchild of the Little Mermaid ride. Then when the ride fell flat upon opening, and needed two big refurbishments in DCA to fix and alter to get it to a semi-decent stage, we haven't really heard from Ms. Girolami since.

I don't think 20K really has much to do with it. There was a D23 magazine or something that described the ride as an E Ticket. As to why we haven't heard from her? She's a hack.

 

[ford91exploder]

They have become Lean managers. Provide just enough quality to keep the people spending money. Anything effort above the minimum is waste and must be eliminated with extreme prejudice.

Yes but that's a misapplication of lean a common one but a misapplication by greedy managers What LEAN was intended to do was drive intelligent design of manufacturing process say you are making two widgets in the past you probably would have two machines making a unique part if one of them broke the whole line would stop now you have two multipurpose machines each of which can make both parts so if you lost a machine production would slow but not stop, in the service world that's accomplished by cross training staff. Another example is there is a famous machine tool called a 'Bridgeport' they cost 100K and up 144 separate machines were used in their production which took up to 6 months, They were purchased by Hardinge a few years back who did a LEAN process re-engineering as part of the factory moves and it now takes 5 week and 38 machines to build one and the new ones are BETTER toleranced than the ones off the original line THAT's what LEAN is intended to do.

 

[willtravel]

I miss how Walt Disney World used to make good and fun commercials like they did back in the 80's until the early 2000's (Mainly in 2005 during Disneyland 50th Anniversary).

Such as this commercial for Epcot

I would love to know who the person was and how they did this commercial with the person on top of SSE. Unless that was edited in. Watching that give's me the heebies-jeebies.

 

[dupac]

They have become Lean managers. Provide just enough quality to keep the people spending money. Anything effort above the minimum is waste and must be eliminated with extreme prejudice.

Definitely a misapplication/perversion/misunderstanding of Lean. It's unfortunate really, and why I think Lean gets a bad name these days.

 

[StageFrenzy]

Again, same problem as with the "New Fantasyland," lots of style, and very little substance to back it up. Like Little Mermaid - great, immersive queue, the ride itself - just meh. Very Six Flags of Disney.

To be honest, I don't see what makes the Little Mermaid worse than any other dark ride. Sure, it had its fair share of flaws like the CG animation at DCA and the Under the Sea scene being way to bright in both versions, but those and other problems were addressed in refurbishments. In fact, the only real complaint that they didn't attend to was Ursala's underwhelming death scene. Overall, the Little Mermaid is a solid C-D Ticket dark ride that will probably end up being a classic in its own right. Yes, NFL felt like a Phase 1 of what should've been a much bigger and more complete redo, but it seems like a lot of fans critcize a number of recent attractions for reasons that ultimatley amount to the fact that they're not E Tickets. That mentality diminishes a lot of rides that should instead be looked at through the lens of whatever scale the Imagineers intended for them.

Little Mermaid in WDW overpromises in the queue line and under delivers. Little Mermaid in DCA promises less in the queue, it's setup like a more ornate fantasyland ride. You enter the building and see the loading vs weaving through a highly themed environment.

 

[Monorail_Orange]

To be honest, I don't see what makes the Little Mermaid worse than any other dark ride. Sure, it had its fair share of flaws like the CG animation at DCA and the Under the Sea scene being way to bright in both versions, but those and other problems were addressed in refurbishments. In fact, the only real complaint that they didn't attend to was Ursala's underwhelming death scene. Overall, the Little Mermaid is a solid C-D Ticket dark ride that will probably end up being a classic in its own right. Yes, NFL felt like a Phase 1 of what should've been a much bigger and more complete redo, but it seems like a lot of fans critcize a number of recent attractions for reasons that ultimatley amount to the fact that they're not E Tickets. That mentality diminishes a lot of rides that should instead be looked at through the lens of whatever scale the Imagineers intended for them.

I'll agree it has improved with refurbs (BTW, they could get it right in first place anymore?), however, what other true, classic dark ride has a queue at that level? It's an E ticket queue for a C-D attraction. Overpromising and underdelivering was a lesson Walt learned early in life, but that's exactly what Mermaid does. That's why I contend it represents style lacking substance.

 

[Nubs70]

Definitely a misapplication/perversion/misunderstanding of Lean. It's unfortunate really, and why I think Lean gets a bad name these days.

Lean is spreading around job duties so that there is little wasted time. The system as a whole becomes more efficient.

Effort above the minimum required takes time which throws the efficient system off.

WDW is evolving into a warm, unique, industrial experience.

 

[flynnibus]

Lean is spreading around job duties so that there is little wasted time. The system as a whole becomes more efficient.

Effort above the minimum required takes time which throws the efficient system off.

WDW is evolving into a warm, unique, industrial experience.

? Lean is nothing to do with 'bare minimum'

Eliminating waste is not the same thing as optimizing... Lean does not encourage throwing away value or ignoring it... But is just the opposite. Focus on the value, drop the wasteful stuff.

Lean is focus on value... Not "strip down"

 

[Donaldfan1934]

You think it's on par with Haunted Mansion? Peter Pan's Flight?
Now factor in the time since those were built and the tech advances that could have been used.

Is it a bad ride? Nope. However...
Is it what anyone should expect from WDI in the 2010's? Nope.
The trackless system used in Tokyo was over a decade old at this point. In fact, 5 months after Under the Sea opened another dark ride opened elsewhere at Disney Parks using that very system... Mystic Manor.

And herin lies the problem, you're comparing it to E-Tickets like Mystic Manor and Haunted Mansion. Yes, Haunted Mansion has the same ride system, but its still an E. Classic status aside, however, I would say its on par with Peter Pan's Flight. In fact, it has a technical upper hand since it has fully functioning AA's, which is something even the Shanghai version of PPF doesn't have. Again, I know that the limited motion figures are a stylistic choice for most Fantasyland dark rides and it's something I don't want them to change. Despite this, we should acknowledge that Mermaid has the upper hand in some in some areas.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

In both parks (DCA and MK), it's a "D" Ticket ride in an "E" Ticket location with "E" Ticket exterior architecture. And I think Disney promoted it as if it were a bigger major attraction that what it is. Over marketing to draw in the crowds but then lowering the guest satisfaction by doing so.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Lean is suppose to focus on eliminating waste; cut out non-value added stuff that the customer isn't paying for.

As applied at WDW, it often means eliminating quality touches that differentiated WDW from the pack.

Why pay to make sure that all the external decorative lights are on at the Grand Floridian when 99.9% of paying customers won't even notice?

 

[Donaldfan1934]

I'll agree it has improved with refurbs (BTW, they could get it right in first place anymore?), however, what other true, classic dark ride has a queue at that level? It's an E ticket queue for a C-D attraction. Overpromising and underdelivering was a lesson Walt learned early in life, but that's exactly what Mermaid does. That's why I contend it represents style lacking substance.

Well, that inherently gives it the advantage over DCA's version for having a properly themed queue and being in the park it best fits in. I can see why that criticism is, but any ride with an A-100 in it deserves an fairly impressive queue, E Ticket or not.