A Spirited Perfect Ten

[Goofyernmost]

I'll give you that but I feel they're alienating the locals.

Although that's only important if they care about the locals.

Good heavens if anyone is a local they must be living in and around the area. There has been constant construction going on there, even for people not going to a Disney anything, since 1972. If that was all it took to alienate them they all would have moved away years ago.

This idea that construction at Disney takes too long apparently isn't watching the rest of the area very well. I remember a time when the intersection of I-4 and 192 was under construction years and years ago. It still is, it is an ongoing project and will probably continue until the end of time. It's all part of the identity of the area. If it isn't under construction everyone gets their bloomers in a knot because nothing is being done. There is no way to keep a human being happy. That's why everyone owns a dog.

 

[Mike S]

Remember how the ending of JIYI was nothing but a bunch of random stuff flashing everywhere while Eric Idle and Figment arbitrarily declared you creative geniuses? I just found a full reel of that material. Between this and the "You don't have an imagination, we need to stimulate your mind with our stupid experiments" opening, I think the message of Imagination 2 was "You need to be high as a kite to be creative because you cannot come up with anything on your own".

What the heck did I just watch

 

[Horizons1]

Plus they do have water fountains too. At least they weren't like Brighthouse Stadium at UCF that decided to ban outside water when they didn't have water fountains installed for September football games. Needless to say, that ban was not well received.

Well what do you expect? It's ucf.

 

[TalkingHead]

Loved SNL's 40th special last night. So much so that I wanted more. Hell, I enjoyed it more than some Emmys I've been too. Just amazing how much talent that show has bred.

Yeah, I thought the SNL 40th was outstanding -- they snagged an impressive array of stars to appear. Heck, the Academy Awards hasn't even had Jack Nicholson show up the past few years, and he was there for a 10-second bit.

The Eddie Murphy appearance was awkward -- but at least he showed. (I would've preferred seeing Elvis Costello performing "Radio, Radio," but that's just me.)

And the show reminded me why I used to watch it, and I imagine it struck a nostalgic note for older viewers. Seeing everyone from D-list David Spade do the "buh-bye" bit to A-list Bill Murray doing the lounge-singer bit, the show worked for the most part, Wayne's World sketch included. (Oh, and Martin Short was really good -- it made me wish he'd get the Oscars hosting duties sometime. Then again, I'm not expecting much from Doogie Howser during next weekend's show.)

So is Universal ready to add that SNL attraction to replace Twister?

 

[Smiddimizer]

Remember how the ending of JIYI was nothing but a bunch of random stuff flashing everywhere while Eric Idle and Figment arbitrarily declared you creative geniuses? I just found a full reel of that material. Between this and the "You don't have an imagination, we need to stimulate your mind with our stupid experiments" opening, I think the message of Imagination 2 was "You need to be high as a kite to be creative because you cannot come up with anything on your own".

It was probably meant to help usher in the nascent strategic planners who would upend P&R

 

[TalkingHead]

The past five pages of discussion seem to assume that WDW hasn't already alienated the local consumer base.

I'd say that happened years ago -- certainly by the implementation of the Magic Your Way pricing structure.

I know it comes as a shock, but there are many locals who just don't care about WDW (or they care about it only because it's a paycheck). It seems to me that most of the locals who still "do" Disney have young kids and treat it like a lavish Chuck E. Cheese (or Showbiz Pizza, if you're the right age to remember that).

Maybe someone like @jason71 can chime in, but my sense is that the percentage of adult fanbois/fangirls in the Orlando population (the people Tweeting out nightly pictures of their on-property dinners) seems relatively low.

 

[Cesar R M]

With you in the role of frog...

and in nightmare difficulty.. aka one life.

 

[GoofGoof]

The past five pages of discussion seem to assume that WDW hasn't already alienated the local consumer base.

I'd say that happened years ago -- certainly by the implementation of the Magic Your Way pricing structure.

I know it comes as a shock, but there are many locals who just don't care about WDW (or they care about it only because it's a paycheck). It seems to me that most of the locals who still "do" Disney have young kids and treat it like a lavish Chuck E. Cheese (or Showbiz Pizza, if you're the right age to remember that).

Maybe someone like @jason71 can chime in, but my sense is that the percentage of adult fanbois/fangirls in the Orlando population (the people Tweeting out nightly pictures of their on-property dinners) seems relatively low.

In that case the whole discussion really is pretty pointless. There can't be any harm done by the construction or traffic delays because locals aren't going to DS either way.

 

[NearTheEars]

I don't think people look at as personal... just simply about 'is it worth it'? The simple adage of 'leaving a bad taste in your mouth...'. Retail is heavily based in preferences and perceptions. Topics that can swing greatly... lets be honest, the stuff we are talking about here are not utility, necessity stuff. The place needs to create DRAW.. and the past experiences can hinder that.



Its not about holding a grudge, but simply not having enough Pro to outweigh the established Con. The 'pro' is something you might be taking a risk on.. the 'con' is something you've previously experienced, so you trust. This is the type of **** people try to overcome in retail/service/etc. It's much harder to break someone free from their past bad experiences than it is to get them to take new chances.



Yes, but with all things being equal... would you even go back in the first place? Or would you go out of your way to go back? That's the thing here... were aren't dealing with unique or need driven stuff... it's a retail experience that there are alternatives. It's simply about baggage DTD is accumulating that later they will have to convince people to jetison. That's not always easy.. the best way to beat it is overwhelm with Pros, so eventually the cons are forgotten. Does Disney Spring have that overwhelming list of pros?



Unless they get some consolidated push... good is always going to be eaten away by either still incomplete stuff or simply fatigue. No one will promote the 30th story on a new store opening at DTD... and any story about an early opening will be balanced with the incomplete stuff. I sure hope Disney is getting enough alignment to make that big splash.... trickling small areas at a time and 2-3 stores at a time will dillute the relaunch.

I dunno, I just don't see the logic in getting angry over construction.

If that was the case, there would be hundreds of companies, governments and people I would be holding resentment for now over the years because of remodels, new construction and expansions.

Like I said earlier. We're just going to avoid it until it's over, then decide whether we enjoy the rethemed marketplace after visiting.

 

[Fe Maiden]

If you want to consider it just a mall I have a pretty large mall near me (King of Prussia Mall). They are doing major construction on the mall and building a larger parking garage. It's a mess. I went for dinner the other night and got trapped in the bad trafic flow. I'm definitely avoiding the place until construction is done. Once it's done I'll be glad to go back and have more parking and additional stores.

There are few places in this world that I want to avoid more than KOP. I can't even imagine what it's like with construction.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Pirates 5 has started production

Plot via Slashfilm

Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing even more strongly when deadly ghost pirates led by his old nemesis, the terrifying Captain Salazar (Bardem), escape from the Devil’s Triangle, determined to kill every pirate at sea…including him. Captain Jack’s only hope of survival lies in seeking out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact that bestows upon its possessor total control over the seas

Of course the question is are these ghosts of pirates or ghosts that decided to become pirates after the fact.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I dunno, I just don't see the logic in getting angry over construction.

If that was the case, there would be hundreds of companies, governments and people I would be holding resentment for now over the years because of remodels, new construction and expansions.

Like I said earlier. We're just going to avoid it until it's over, then decide whether we enjoy the rethemed marketplace after visiting.

Construction is often a headache for local politicians. Companies do hurt their image with construction (like people being annoyed at Google Fiber installation).

 

[fillerup]

The theaters at DTD have been our go to movie theaters for many years (due to proximity mostly). Other than that, we'd stop by the complex for Earl of Sandwich or Ghirardelli or some such.

Since the construction and traffic mess began, we've 1) Gone to fewer movies and 2) Gone to a different theater (one we like a lot less). I think I've been to DTD 3 times in the last year.

Once the work is completed - if the traffic problems go away - we'll return to AMC as our go to movie place. There won't be any lasting scars, feelings of vengeance, or even mild angst. But that's just me.

 

[Lord_Vader]

I think CityWalk will come out better than Disney Springs. It helps to have 40k+ people walking through your venue to spend money versus utilizing outdated transportation system or driving.

And that you will not be allowed to bring beverages with you to CityWalk/USO anymore...

 

[bhg469]

And that you will not be allowed to bring beverages with you to CityWalk/USO anymore...

That may not be true. no one has verified that it is permanent.

 

[Bairstow]

Remember how the ending of JIYI was nothing but a bunch of random stuff flashing everywhere while Eric Idle and Figment arbitrarily declared you creative geniuses? I just found a full reel of that material. Between this and the "You don't have an imagination, we need to stimulate your mind with our stupid experiments" opening, I think the message of Imagination 2 was "You need to be high as a kite to be creative because you cannot come up with anything on your own".

That's more Terry Gilliam than Eric Idle that is.

Good find, though.
This channel has a lot of interesting leaked content. I wonder who KonaCat really is...

 

[WDW1974]

Are we any closer to that IOA news?

Likely soon. A lot of people have speculated. Some even have it right, but not all of it. A MAJOR IOA attraction may well be going away. ... But not ready to go out just yet (not my call, sorry!)

 

[WDW1974]

I see the talk has shifted to DD and CW and crowds and traffic hell and locals etc. It's interesting enough to drop my thoughts on it.

I certainly agree with the voices here who have said many locals just give up on these places because they don't view the hassles (or the perceived ones ... like CW charging for parking at night when it doesn't) worth the time.

I certainly think both DD and CW have plenty to worry about with the huge development coming to I-Drive. And I think many locals AND tourists may well find it the best option.

I'm interested to see whether this version of Disney Mall can work. The biggest issue its had of late, beyond killing PI and leaving it to rot for years, is that every shop seemed to be just a smaller version of WoD. Every shop seemed to sell WDW branded crap. Anyone who visited WDW from 1975-1995 remembers when almost every location wasn't a Disney one. Locals, who aren't Lifestylers, are going to be more interested in locations that are unique and that means un-Disney.

The traffic situation is a nightmare and has largely been one for 15 years or more. Ever since the Westside was developed, I'd reckon. ... And anyone who says it's a great reason to take Disney transport hasn't enjoyed a 95 minute commute from one location to another.

I spent a fair amount of time there in December, but that's because I stayed at SS and could simply walk. If I had been staying at the WL or DAK Lodge, then I am pretty sure I would have stayed far away.

Will locals come back?

Some. It depends on whether these new upscale eateries are for them or tourists or both. If they require making meal plans three months out and if the first words upon being greeted are ''Are you on the Disney Dining Plan?'' then I can tell you locals will not put up with that. One would hope that isn't the case, but Disney puts extreme pressure on tenants to fall in. Just ask anyone at the House of Blues how much they hate being part of the DDP or people wanting to use MAGIC Bands to pay. Fun times.

CW can be a PITA as well because of the way they tend to park folks there. Personally, I can't see myself not taking a trip there because I was that impressed with Antojitos (best Mexican in FL that I've had in the last decade) and Vivo and Cowfish look interesting (although when even the UNI fanbois are constantly b-i-tching about service at the latter it does give one pause) and I still love some of the 'old' places.

Of course, I happen to greatly enjoy dining at Portobello, Fulton's and HoB at DD too as I can always walk up and dine, even if I have to wait 20-30 minutes sometimes.

I do wonder about the garages solving DD's issues though. I have way too much experience with large parking structures from living in SoCal and I can say with some confidence that they are NOT a cure all. You wind up sitting behind 23 cars that are waiting because some moron is looking to get the first space available and waiting as a family of six pack up their Kia Sorrento like they just spent the last week climbing a mountain and have all the gear to prove it, despite signs that show that there are 156 open spaces two levels up and 301 spaces on the roof level. It just becomes a different kind of nightmare.

 

[Smiddimizer]

Of course the question is are these ghosts of pirates or ghosts that decided to become pirates after the fact.

Check the ectoplasm.

 

[WDW1974]

Changing gears ... I got multiple emails last week from DLR asking me to participate in a ''5 minute survey with 3 somewhat unusual questions'' (yes, that is how they introduced it).

What was unusual was that after about 7-8 basic questions about my last visit to DLR and how often I'm there, I was presented with nine questions. Disney wanted me to pick ANY three and answer them giving as much input as I wanted.

Kids, this is what us in the over 30 crowd used to take in school and they were called 'essay tests' and I usually did very well (unless the prof didn't like me!)

They were:

1.) DLR has too much ...;
2.) Thinking back to your most recent visit, what surprised you in a bad way;
3.) DLR doesn't have enough ...;
4.) What did you bring with you that you wish you didn't bring?;
5.) Thinking back to your most recent visit, what surprised you in a good way?;
6.) DLR is too ...;
7.) What do you wish you had brought with you?;
8.) If DLR really cared about its Guests, it would stop ...;
9.) If DLR really cared about its Guests, it would ...;

I have ideas as to what Disney was trying to get to with this, but I'm curious to hear other opinions, so please offer them ...