A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[Nubs70]

Ju

She said she was bored with all the current offerings, and I asked what she suggested. So I'll ask you the same thing. What kind of merch should they offer? Unless you are bringing a solution to the table, don't bring a perceived problem. Hopefully, that won't sail over your head either.

Just quick thoughts as I am at work.

Resort /Attraction specific merchandise priced at a point that focuses on quality not margin.

 

[FigmentJedi]

the actual real story that inspired it about the two girls who died in Japan in the 60s and how Totoro is suppose to represent an angel of death. You can't make a ride based on Spirited Away when its a story about human trafficking and the possibility of hope and freedom later on just by showing a dark ride with all the fun parts.

Pretty sure those interpretations are more "Edgy Cartoon Theory Clickbait List" fodder then actual intentions. It is true that Totoro is partly based on Miyazaki's childhood and his mother's own sickness, but the "Dead All Along" thing is bunk.

 

[Mike S]

That's a gimmick. They were getting Indiana Jones whether it was the 40th or the 43rd, it was just time for a new attraction in that space. When a new development happens to coincide with an anniversary year, they slap the number on the marketing. It's not a causal relationship.

And all that happened specifically for the 60th? You said it yourself, only 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 are important.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

And all that happened specifically for the 60th? You said it yourself, only 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 are important.

I said 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 are actually important. Of course the Disney marketing machine is going to make it out as if every anniversary is important, even if they're not really doing anything all that special for it. Disneyland didn't actually do anything special for the 60th, they just did what they were going to do anyways and said it was part of this "Diamond Celebration" or whatever they call it.

Among "special" offerings on the Disneyland Diamond Celebration website are Star Wars meet and greets, Soarin' Around the World, and Frozen-Live at the Hyperion. Those aren't special. Walt Disney World already has two of them and the third one is on the way. Put it this way, if the Star Wars Launch Bay had opened in 2014, you can bet Disney would have sold it as some kind of special thing for the 25th anniversary of the park. But it opened at the end of 2015 so it became part of "Star Wars Awakens at WDW."

So what did we learn today? We learned that when California opens a Frozen show and a Chewbacca meet-and-greet, they're heroes who do great justice to honor 60 years of the Disneyland Resort. When the (almost) exact same things are opened at WDW we hear "TDO is so cheap and lazy and OMG DHS sucks so hard and how could they do this and blah blah blah!"

 

[dupac]

And all that happened specifically for the 60th? You said it yourself, only 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 are important.

I can see 60th being important because of "diamond jubilee" and whatnot. Also 75th. But 45? Ehhhh... that's a stretch. I'm trying to think about other anniversary celebrations, like work and marriages and other companies/institutions. I don't really think I can think of another that would roll out the carpet for 45.

 

[Mike S]

I said 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 are actually important. Of course the Disney marketing machine is going to make it out as if every anniversary is important, even if they're not really doing anything all that special for it. Disneyland didn't actually do anything special for the 60th, they just did what they were going to do anyways and said it was part of this "Diamond Celebration" or whatever they call it.

Among "special" offerings on the Disneyland Diamond Celebration website are Star Wars meet and greets, Soarin' Around the World, and Frozen-Live at the Hyperion. Those aren't special. Walt Disney World already has two of them and the third one is on the way. Put it this way, if the Star Wars Launch Bay had opened in 2014, you can bet Disney would have sold it as some kind of special thing for the 25th anniversary of the park. But it opened at the end of 2015 so it became part of "Star Wars Awakens at WDW."

So what did we learn today? We learned that when California opens a Frozen show and a Chewbacca meet-and-greet, they're heroes who do great justice to honor 60 years of the Disneyland Resort. When the (almost) exact same things are opened at WDW we hear "TDO is so cheap and lazy and OMG DHS sucks so hard and how could they do this and blah blah blah!"

Ok I can see what you're saying. It just seems to me that so much was done for it specifically like Alice, Pan, Matterhorn, Disneyland Forever, Paint the Night, WoC: Celebrate, etc. Also I think 75 is another one that should be considered important, imo.

 

[Mike S]

So what did we learn today? We learned that when California opens a Frozen show and a Chewbacca meet-and-greet, they're heroes who do great justice to honor 60 years of the Disneyland Resort. When the (almost) exact same things are opened at WDW we hear "TDO is so cheap and lazy and OMG DHS sucks so hard and how could they do this and blah blah blah!"

Didn't see this last part before. Disneyland got plenty of ride upgrades, new fireworks, and a new night parade (Wishes is pushing 13 now and MSEP is from the damn 70's). All Magic Kingdom is getting is a new stage show. The Frozen show DCA is getting as I've read on here is on a similar scale or more to the Aladdin one its replacing. That already sounds leagues better than Frostrom. Let's not forget the rumors of them getting the same ride Tokyo will get eventually. There are some nice things coming to Animal Kingdom though and new Star Wars fireworks and projection show for DHS. Almost nothing for Magic Kingdom. Such a shame.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Pretty sure those interpretations are more "Edgy Cartoon Theory Clickbait List" fodder then actual intentions. It is true that Totoro is partly based on Miyazaki's childhood and his mother's own sickness, but the "Dead All Along" thing is bunk.

Indeed, it is very theoretical to read into it THAT far at all. And it certainly wouldn't be enough for Disney to write it off as a ride idea. Pinocchio on the other hand has actual child slavery in it. Frollo is a rapist (atempted). Not to mention the horribly violent nature of all the Grimm Bros and Hans Christian Anderson stories Disney has adapted (some of which was changed for the Disney versions). One popular fan interpretation of Snow White is that she isn't actually revived at the end, she remains dead and the castle's otherworldly appearance in the clouds was her going to heaven. And both the original Snow White and Mr Toad rides killed its guests at the end, Mr Toad sending you to hell.

At the parks you can meet Darth Vader (who murders children among others), and Kylo Ren who.....well spoilers.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Didn't see this last part before. Disneyland got plenty of ride upgrades, new fireworks, and a new night parade (Wishes is pushing 13 now and MSEP is from the damn 70's). All Magic Kingdom is getting is a new stage show. The Frozen show DCA is getting as I've read on here is on a similar scale or more to the Aladdin one its replacing. That already sounds leagues better than Frostrom. Let's not forget the rumors of them getting the same ride Tokyo will get eventually. There are some nice things coming to Animal Kingdom though and new Star Wars fireworks and projection show for DHS. Almost nothing for Magic Kingdom. Such a shame.

I never said Disneyland didn't get new stuff. My position is just that it has virtually nothing to do with the 60th.

Magic Kingdom is (and should be) absolutely last on the priority list. WDW's biggest problem is crowd imbalance. Simply put, there's too much *stuff* at MK and not enough at DHS and DAK. It's the same problem they had with DCA and they fixed it. Avatar and Star Wars will hopefully fix it in Florida.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I never said Disneyland didn't get new stuff. My position is just that it has virtually nothing to do with the 60th.

Magic Kingdom is (and should be) absolutely last on the priority list. WDW's biggest problem is crowd imbalance. Simply put, there's too much *stuff* at MK and not enough at DHS and DAK. It's the same problem they had with DCA and they fixed it. Avatar and Star Wars will hopefully fix it in Florida.

PTN, Forever and WOC:C were all created especially for the 60th celebration, as were the Pan/Mansion/Matterhorn upgrades. Those things may have all happened individually anyway, but they were created and packaged together to be marketed as 60th offerings. WDW hasn't celebrated an anniversary with a marketing push since 1996, so I'm not sure why anyone would expect them to do it now.

And yes, MK should be last on the list. Minor refreshes like fireworks and light parade should definitely happen sooner rather than later, but that applies to Epcot and DHS as well - IllumiNations and Fantasmic show their age horribly.

It all boils down to severe underinvestment at WDW for a prolonged period of time. Now so many things need updating or replacing that there's no good order to do them in, let alone the political will inside the company to actually do it.

 

[bhg469]

I never said Disneyland didn't get new stuff. My position is just that it has virtually nothing to do with the 60th.

Magic Kingdom is (and should be) absolutely last on the priority list. WDW's biggest problem is crowd imbalance. Simply put, there's too much *stuff* at MK and not enough at DHS and DAK. It's the same problem they had with DCA and they fixed it. Avatar and Star Wars will hopefully fix it in Florida.

I agree that it will help but, like the frozen retrofit, it will only go so far. People will go to Epcot, ride that attraction, maybe do a meet and greet and go back to MK. Star wars should do a little more but Pandora... i just don't have as much faith in it.. I have much more faith in the DAK extended hours and night time show should do more on its own... Assuming they keep the parks open, because honestly their hours need to be extended across the board.

 

[flynnibus]

Among "special" offerings on the Disneyland Diamond Celebration website are Star Wars meet and greets, Soarin' Around the World, and Frozen-Live at the Hyperion. Those aren't special. Walt Disney World already has two of them and the third one is on the way. Put it this way, if the Star Wars Launch Bay had opened in 2014, you can bet Disney would have sold it as some kind of special thing for the 25th anniversary of the park. But it opened at the end of 2015 so it became part of "Star Wars Awakens at WDW."

So what did we learn today? We learned that when California opens a Frozen show and a Chewbacca meet-and-greet, they're heroes who do great justice to honor 60 years of the Disneyland Resort. When the (almost) exact same things are opened at WDW we hear "TDO is so cheap and lazy and OMG DHS sucks so hard and how could they do this and blah blah blah!"

Your amazing analysis left out
- The WOC update
- A new parade (paint the night)
- the new main street projections
- A new/reworked Fireworks show including a new Sherman song
- Redressed Castle

 

[FigmentJedi]

Your amazing analysis left out
- The WOC update
- A new parade (paint the night)
- the new main street projections
- A new/reworked Fireworks show including a new Sherman song
- Redressed Castle

And plusses to the Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan's Flight and Matterhorn.

 

[BubbaQuest]

If your proposed thought is to put Star Wars next to the freeway, would that mean they should build the new parking structure next to Rivers of America? (I'm being facetious, but I'd actually like to hear your idea further fleshed-out because I'm probably missing some pieces to your plan.)

They could put Star Wars Land on the Freeway for all I care.

My point is that Disney already has 4 huge lots of available land, including one that is already approved for a full theme park. They didn't need to put anything (SWL or parking) inside Disneyland.

I also highlighted in red the Garden Walk area that Disney recently passed on purchasing.

 

[DVC91]

Well having never been a fan of the ashcan school of photography yes it's a thing google it Most of us choose to respect the privacy of those who have over indulged How would you feel if someone put a picture of you puking your guts out at Disney and your boss fired you for that bit of stupidity. Remember this is a world where school boards fire teachers because a picture of them on the beach on vacation on their Facebook page is 'too sexy' So most of us simply report the situation as @DVC91 did and skip the picture and respect others privacy while decrying the situation itself

Correct. I live primarily through my own eyes and not through the lens of my camera. Nor do I live my life on social media.

Also, a man running into the women's bathroom to snag a video is a news headline fit for Florida, and I will not be party to it

 

[Astro Blaster]

Exciting stuff today. Meanwhile at Disney...

"Money, it's a gas. Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash."

Is that Scary Steven?

 

[Mike S]

Is that Scary Steven?

No idea who it is but looking now the whole thing reminds me of a shopping channel.

 

[WDW1974]

Has this been mentioned yet? Niles is really going over to the dark side now that the bankrupt OC Register is giving him a real forum again. ... Naturally, I get no credit ...

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/marvel-715827-disney-universal.html

 

[WDW1974]

I know we've all been enjoying the Vegas boi's aggregated pics/PR for SDL, but much of his stuff is coming from an @DisneylandDrive on the Tweeter ... and that dude looks so familiar to me. I know I have met him ...Anyone here know who he is?

 

[WDW1974]

I notice plenty myself already but that quality control walk sounds like nightmare fuel.....

The thing is that as bad as my rhetoric may sound here to some, the reality of how Disney has let the entire property rot over the last 15 years or so is astounding. And most people just don't have an eye for detail. They have no idea how bad things are.

George A. Kalogridis knows. Oh yeah. He knows. But being the good soldier means he can lay claim to being the top manager of the largest single site private employer in the USA. Besides, he doesn't have much time left ...