A Spirited Perfect Ten

[WDW1974]

Some might say the PML are the defenders of the standard quo.
Some might say the PML are opposed to all SPIRITed change.
Some might say the PML is a bunch of idiotic gossiping schoolchildren who cannot begin to fathom the utter serious condition of TDWC.

Clearly, I missed some posts that went away ... but while I'm not in the PML (well, I am in Spirit, naturally), I'd tend to say that a what you describe above is likely true for a vocal minority.

HINT: If they've nothing better to talk about than yours truly, then they might be part of said minority.
ANOTHER HINT: If they're worrying about my BRAND (or ways they think they can harm it), then they might be part of said minority.

But I am sure the PML is just like the broader boards and made up of all types of individuals. Oh, I see you said that right below ...

But really it's a bunch of people with varying opinions and interests who pay up to 5 WHOLE AMERICAN DOLLARS a month to support the site, get an ad free experience without short changing @wdwmagic by bypassing ads, and gossip like schoolchildren in a subsection of the forum only available to supporters. Think of it as a VIP Chit Chat area.

My only issue is a perceived superiority that some associate with that level. I do plenty for this site by driving traffic here and breaking news here. That has plenty of value, way beyond $5 a month. I support the site because I believe in it, because I like it, because I have friends here and because I believe it is one of the best places out there, if not the best, to talk Disney.

 

[gmajew]

Premium Members Lounge. It's a bonus feature available to those who contribute financially (membership fee) to the upkeep of the forum. It's where some with questionable reputations gather.

Is this real? I could have been In a special room?

 

[WDW1974]

I am sure any marketing magic, in regards to new offerings, will be geared towards the expansion of Soarin' and TSM. Not sure if those will be ready for 2015 or 2016 but they will sell it and people will buy it. At the end of the day it is more of the same.

Maybe they can find a vacant storefront at Disney Springs to park this until the Disney version opens? LOL http://www.slashfilm.com/traveling-avatar-exhibition/

Expanding capacity of attractions that are old isn't a new offering. It's simple ride infrastructure being modified to accommodate additional riders. But you bet that Disney will spin it as something more ... but that isn't happening this year anyway.

 

[bhg469]

Expanding capacity of attractions that are old isn't a new offering. It's simple ride infrastructure being modified to accommodate additional riders. But you bet that Disney will spin it as something more ... but that isn't happening this year anyway.

Sadly those are the real only tangible things down the pipe. Honestly they are two attractions that seem extremely over hyped for me as well. Soarin is just not fun for me to look at because it just looks blurry and terrible. Toy story was fun after two rides but after playing MIB, it's just nowhere close to as good.

 

[gmajew]

Expanding capacity of attractions that are old isn't a new offering. It's simple ride infrastructure being modified to accommodate additional riders. But you bet that Disney will spin it as something more ... but that isn't happening this year anyway.

Would a new movie be a new experience? I agree adding capacity is just infrastructure but I feel a new movie or a redone ride is test track even though I don't like the new version are new experiences.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Is this real? I could have been In a special room?

Yes. Stop in and say hello sometime.

 

[WDW1974]

Any theory on the timing of the article? Staggs was promoted months ago.

I am pondering that. He was featured prominently in the largely lauded in this community Fast Company piece as well. Wall Street loves Bob Iger. They don't share those feelings for Tom Staggs. This could all be a concerted effort to get him some love there. The sad fact is Jay Rasulo did far more for P&R (and he almost hates the parks) than Staggs has. SDL will be considered his baby and if there are more problems and public problems, he will take the blame, not Teflon Bob.

BTW, before any of the un-media savvy group chimes in that neither Staggs nor Rasulo cooperated with Barnes and therefore the story must be true, please understand that isn't how it works. Barnes is widely known to be in the pocket of every media company he covers, but none as much as TWDC. You didn't need anything from those individuals to write a glowing piece of PR on Tom. And Brooks did that.

 

[Mike S]

Sad to hear about Splash Mountain. It always looked so good to me on my most recent trips. Last one was in November.

 

[VJ]

I love Cecily Strong. Very talented ...

I like Bobby Moynihan.

 

[bhg469]

I like Bobby Moynihan.

Beck Bennett for his youtube days!

 

[VJ]

Beck Bennett for his youtube days!

I loved the AT&T "It's Not Complicated" ads and didn't realize Beck Bennett starred in them until a few months ago. Funny guy.

 

[bhg469]

I loved the AT&T "It's Not Complicated" ads and didn't realize Beck Bennett starred in them until a few months ago. Funny guy.

That was fantastic marketing. His youtube shows were pretty similar and very funny. I wish he still did them because some had me rolling.

 

[NearTheEars]

Expanding capacity of attractions that are old isn't a new offering. It's simple ride infrastructure being modified to accommodate additional riders. But you bet that Disney will spin it as something more ... but that isn't happening this year anyway.

I've been wondering whether or not they will make some form of formal announcement about Soarin and TSMM. It seems like drawing even more attention to those attractions would make the expansion of them pointless. Guests would still be met with long lines.

 

[articos]

BTW, those much hyped amphicars? Already at least two break down a day. Saturday I saw a huge crowd watching them launch--as they drove around the lake passenger-less. Also heard from an insider the Italian yacht cruises may be "cancelled before they even begin." Again, expect a more conventional WDW restaurant by the time Disney Springs is fully complete.

Saw it coming, called it...sometimes I don't know why they let announcements get made without shutting people down.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Preach. The only attraction I noticed worse than Splash on our trip last week (when were you there? We could have rubbed elbows!) was CoP... Mistimed scene starts, no rain effect in scene 1, stage right scrim lighting in scene 2 never turned off so both sides of that rotating set were visible the entire scene, John in scene 3 barely moved, and 2 figures in scene 4 didn't move at all. The CM who I reported it too wasn't at all concerned.

With that said, iasw looked better than I've seen it in a decade. No missing dolls, all moving as they're supposed to, and the sets thoroughout looked brand new. It also looked to have some lighting adjustments since I've last ridden it. A lot of that "Blair flair" that was lost to flat lighting was again being highlighted.

I don't know where but on one thread someone was pointing out Splash Mountain looking great now and all I could think was ''they didn't ride the attraction I did last week'' because after looking great for a while, it's almost back to its ghetto state.

AA's are missing. Audio and lighting is off. AAs talk, but there is no sound or vice versa. The sternwheeler with the characters at the end was never fixed up right during the major rehab and looks to be rotting. And the ride vehicles are filthy again with mold growing (because you know Disney could never afford to clean them nightly).

I think people often see what they want to see and not what's there ... Pixie Dust is strong.

The missing AA figures at least seem to have returned since you rode last week. There is youtube footage specified as having been recorded on the 24th by the uploader, from what I can tell with a quick viewing all the figures seem present again that were missing last week. I can't speak for the lighting and cleanliness however as it has been some time since i rode it personally. I would be surprised if they fixed those before yet another refurb. Would hate to see the problems pile up so the ride falls back into pre-2013 disrepair again.

Interesting to hear word that IASW is apparently looking better though. It has looked awful and dirty for years now. With tons of missing ceiling tiles even. Spaceship Earth was looking fairly decent barring some minor issues last October, I hope it is still that way. The rides i'd say were in the worst shape during my last visit that i rode were Maelstrom and Living with the Land, again last October. The former now gone obviously, seems management did not deem it necessary to keep up a doomed ride (as my final ride it was sad to see all the mold and water damage caused by the roof leaking, especially the gorgeous mural, and all the non working effects)... The Land had TONS of barely moving and stationary AA figures, particularly the rainforest scene. Air conditioning was very poor. The mechanical greenhouse doors were also stuck open, which may have contributed to the AC problems, certainly not good for the plants there. I hope The Land has gotten a bit better since i last rode, bit sad especially as i believe it still has a sponsor. Soarin i'm sure is still in the awful condition it has been in since i first rode it in 2010, i don't expect any improvements there either since they've got plans for a new film and expansion some time in the future.

I've said before, the most disturbing lack of cleanliness i witnessed during my visit last year was Magic Kingdom's bathrooms. Even the brand new ones at New Fantasyland. Gross details aside, filthy and disgusting.

And wake me up when the monorails have all been brought up to proper condition again (I feel like i should be getting a tetanus shot prior to riding some of them), and when the Grand Floridian isn't 90% dark because all the trim lighting is either broken or switched off.

 

[sshindel]

Clearly, I missed some posts that went away ... but while I'm not in the PML (well, I am in Spirit, naturally), I'd tend to say that a what you describe above is likely true for a vocal minority.

HINT: If they've nothing better to talk about than yours truly, then they might be part of said minority.
ANOTHER HINT: If they're worrying about my BRAND (or ways they think they can harm it), then they might be part of said minority.

But I am sure the PML is just like the broader boards and made up of all types of individuals. Oh, I see you said that right below ...



My only issue is a perceived superiority that some associate with that level. I do plenty for this site by driving traffic here and breaking news here. That has plenty of value, way beyond $5 a month. I support the site because I believe in it, because I like it, because I have friends here and because I believe it is one of the best places out there, if
not the best, to talk Disney.

Being dumb generous enough to pay to use a free site does not give anyone superiority, nor would I think most feel that way. Sure, there might be a few, but just as many as the "regular" posters who feel they know more about (insert any subject here) and any other opinion is idiotic. It happens all over the boards, on all topics. It's just more visible when someone has the little "premium" flag under their picture. I'm never personally trying to say that anyone who pays is better in any way than those who don't. I point it out because I know by people asking what the PML is, they are not aware of the fairly low cost. I do not doubt your value to the site, as many posters have been banned for less than a few of your more risqué fanboi jokes. You bring the clicks, so you can joke about the d-cks.
I'm trying my best to step out of the fray a little, but since you and I have talked about this topic before, you might remember that it's a pet peeve of mine when the term PML gets thrown around as a blanket statement, just like I know that calling certain groups of posters in threads like these Spirited Sycophants or you Dear Leader isn't something that is going to generate anything but more animosity.
I've missed a large chunk of what went on in this thread since I last posted, I'm too cheap to pay for international data and the "most exclusive country club in Paraguay" seems not to be exclusive enough to offer WiFi. When I last left, it was some folks joking around, so I wouldn't be surprised if a bunch of it got zapped. I'm also too old and tired to be up this late, so I'll be catching up again in the morning.

 

[ford91exploder]

It wasn't so much that they asked us, but the way in which they did.

And, frankly, I don't give an eff what some group paid to rent part of Disney-MGM. I paid to get into the da mn park too.

I'm assuming the traditional patented WDW 'bums rush' , "This area has been reserved for a private party leave now or security will be called'.

 

[Kman101]

Sadly those are the real only tangible things down the pipe. Honestly they are two attractions that seem extremely over hyped for me as well. Soarin is just not fun for me to look at because it just looks blurry and terrible. Toy story was fun after two rides but after playing MIB, it's just nowhere close to as good.

100% agreed. Fun rides but, for me, a couple of times and I'm good. I think they're vastly overhyped and overpraised. Toy Story could have been SO much more. Yes it's "just a shooting game" but give us sets instead of cardboard boxes with a screen. I just don't care much for it.

 

[Kman101]

I've been wondering whether or not they will make some form of formal announcement about Soarin and TSMM. It seems like drawing even more attention to those attractions would make the expansion of them pointless. Guests would still be met with long lines.

Pretty sure there was a blog post on Disney Parks Blog about it, actually.

 

[unkadug]

They've talked crap about everyone for ten years. This is nothing new.

We don't talk about everybody....just those that deserve to be discussed. And it's not always bad.