A Spirited Perfect Ten

[the.dreamfinder]

A fair coherent takedown of action scenes and CGI in modern day blockbusters.
http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-reasons-expensive-films-end-up-with-crappy-special-effects_p2/

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Is it really that hard to do a revival of The Muppet Show?

 

[gmajew]

Is it really that hard to do a revival of The Muppet Show?

I thought it looked pretty good!

 

[TP2000]

The last year Mobil did their Star Ratings the Grand Floridian got 3 stars. Forbes doesn't list a single Disney hotel. Four Seasons, Hyatt Regency, Reunion, Villas Grand Cypress, and The Ritz are the only 4 star resorts in Orlando according to Forbes.

I think it might be impossible for most of Disney's "deluxe" hotels to get a 4 or 5 star rating. Things may have changed, but the Mobil guide always had strict rules on what amenities a hotel had to offer to get a 5 star rating, things like;

-Beauty Salon in the hotel
-Florist in the hotel, fresh cut flowers available in rooms and throughout property
-Barber Shop in the hotel
-Pool and tennis courts at the hotel (a couple Disney hotels have tennis courts, many don't)
-Reciprocity with a nearby top-tier country club for access to the greens, if not the clubhouse
-Spa/Esthetician facility in the hotel
-Top-tier concierge services (and Mobil would test them!)
-24 hour room service, 24 hour valet, etc., etc.

Five stars from Mobil, now Forbes, is a tough nut to crack. Disney's hotels just don't have the facilities to compete. And 1% folks like @WDW1974 are demanding.

There are only so many Five Star hotels in each state. California has the most Five-Star rated hotels and restaurants in the nation by far. A couple particularly stunning Five-Star hotels are a short drive away from Disneyland, perched on cliffs above the crashing Pacific below.

I can't imagine Disney could get there on either coast with any of their current offerings. Especially with their current Cast Member training and standards.

2015 Forbes Five-Star Rankings
Florida - 6 Five-Star rated hotels (all of them in South Florida)
California - 17 Five-Star rated hotels (12 in Southern California, 3 of them a short drive from Disneyland)
New York - 8 Five-Star rated hotels (7 in Manhattan, 1 at Saranac Lake)
Nevada - 5 Five-Star rated hotels (all of them in Las Vegas)
Texas - 0 Five-Star rated hotels (Zero. At least they have Neiman-Marcus!)
http://www.forbestravelguide.com/about/awardwinners

 

[asianway]

So we get a Disney Springs bar "themed" to Indy's pilot friend who factors into 3 minutes of Raiders, but we still don't have the Indiana Jones ride twenty years after it opened in Anaheim.

Well done, TDO! Brilliant troll job.

I always thought he was saying "Doc"...

 

[bhg469]

at least you seen megan fox.. right?

NO! Second unit filming, no stars just cars and some sort of truck with "Eat Shell" spray
painted on the back

 

[Goofyernmost]

I have to admit, Dolly has me conflicted. I have heard it is equally as fun to play around in the Mountains as it is to spend some quality time in the Valley.

Give me a break. Dollywood is a nice place, however, it is hardly a pillar of quality and technology. It is built on the side of a mountain which makes it very country (smokey mountain style), but, a challenge sometimes to navigate. Some of the big name attractions are totally sad and miskept. It consists of 60 year old buildings and it shows. Many parts of it resemble the worst of roadside carnivals. Let's put it this way, if you put Dinorama and that together you would be dropping down to your knees in appreciation of what DAK has to offer.

Their coasters are top notch, if you like coasters. If you don't there is not much else to do except to listen to country western music via live entertainment and piped in. Even the ride from the parking lot reminded me of days on my uncles farm where an old International school bus was cut down to become a utility vehicle. Sides removed, seats replaced by wooden benches, etc.

If anyone want to praise Dollywood for it's creative energy and outright beauty it's best to say it to someone that has never been to both Disney and Dollywood. The difference will take your breath away and not in a positive way. It is a once and done park for me. Before anyone sends out a hit squad after me, I know many people find it quaint and charming. Fine, I won't try and stop you from going there.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I thought it looked pretty good!

But it's the muppets emulating somebody else, The Office in this case, instead of being themselves. Muppets Most Wanted didn't make that much money, but it's a much better Muppet movie than the 2011 one. If you're going to give the Muppets the financial commitment of a 13-22 episode season, why not do a variety sketch comedy show in the vein of the original?

To paraphrase from Frank Frazetta, why would you want to be a second rate Office when you can be a first rate you?

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I think it might be impossible for most of Disney's "deluxe" hotels to get a 4 or 5 star rating. Things may have changed, but the Mobil guide always had strict rules on what amenities a hotel had to offer to get a 5 star rating, things like;

-Beauty Salon in the hotel
-Florist in the hotel, fresh cut flowers available in rooms and throughout property
-Barber Shop in the hotel
-Pool and tennis courts at the hotel (a couple Disney hotels have tennis courts, many don't)
-Reciprocity with a nearby top-tier country club for access to the greens, if not the clubhouse
-Spa/Esthetician facility in the hotel
-Top-tier concierge services (and Mobil would test them!)
-24 hour room service, 24 hour valet, etc., etc.

Five stars from Mobil, now Forbes, is a tough nut to crack. Disney's hotels just don't have the facilities to compete.

There are only so many Five Star hotels in each state. California has the most Five-Star rated hotels and restaurants in the nation by far. A couple particularly stunning Five-Star hotels are a short drive away from Disneyland, perched on cliffs above the crashing Pacific below.

I can't imagine Disney could get there on either coast with any of their current offerings. Especially with their current Cast Member training and standards.

It's doubtful that any Disney hotel would ever receive a 4 or 5 rating with those kind of criteria.

 

[gmajew]

But it's the muppets emulating somebody else, The Office in this case, instead of being themselves. Muppets Most Wanted didn't make that much money, but it's a much better Muppet movie than the 2011 one. If you're going to give the Muppets the financial commitment of a 13-22 episode season, why not do a variety sketch comedy show in the vein of the original?

To paraphrase from Frank Frazetta, why would you want to be a second rate Office when you can be a first rate you?

Was the Muppet show not a parody of the variety shows of that time? This is just a parody of the docu series of the time. And the office was not what I first thought of when I watched it. I actually thought it was poking fun of Modern Family.

 

[TP2000]

Was the Muppet show not a parody of the variety shows of that time? This is just a parody of the docu series of the time. And the office was not what I first thought of when I watched it. I actually thought it was poking fun of Modern Family.

Perfect analogy.

As one of the few people left who still remember watching The Muppet Show on network TV each week, it was a late 1970's parody of 1960-1973 TV variety shows that had already died due to their bloated excess and changing tastes. Kind of like how the movie Airplane from 1980 was a parody of the 1970's airport disaster movies.

The Muppet Show was hilarious, and slightly subversive, and it worked because it was a sharp parody of something the entire viewing audience had personal experience with. I doubt today's audience would get it.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

It's doubtful that any Disney hotel would ever receive a 4 or 5 rating with those kind of criteria.

Here is the actual Mobil Ratings Criteria

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...YmuKwfZ4cpDNoZ5WQ&sig2=p3Ji_FLAjWeCMlCnPOUYkA

 

[Katie G]

So how do you feel for those CR guests who paid full price and then had that main differentiator (monorail) not available to them? Funny how Disney didn't change their rates or services when they reduced the availability of that main differentiator huh?

Hotels generally offer reactive recovery for any loss of accommodations. If the guest never notices lack of monorail transportation because it was available when they needed it, why would Disney give them a rate reduction? So if you were staying at the resort and had issues with monorail transportation, you could talk to Guest Services and receive recovery.

Additionally, Disney is very good at telling their guests in advance whenever construction or refurbs could impact their vacation. Its not like the guest shows up and Surprise! you can't get what you paid for. Good thing the monorail isn't the only location benefit... those boats from the resorts directly to MK are pretty great too!

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Hotels generally offer reactive recovery for any loss of accommodations. If the guest never notices lack of monorail transportation because it was available when they needed it, why would Disney give them a rate reduction? So if you were staying at the resort and had issues with monorail transportation, you could talk to Guest Services and receive recovery.

Additionally, Disney is very good at telling their guests in advance whenever construction or refurbs could impact their vacation. Its not like the guest shows up and Surprise! you can't get what you paid for. Good thing the monorail isn't the only location benefit... those boats from the resorts directly to MK are pretty great too!

But how many guests was it not there for, who didn't take the time to go to the front desk and raise the roof because Disney didn't provide what was promised. I am not one to go complain. I just don't go back.

Fortunately, I don't have some psycho attraction to the mouse that demands that I stay "in the bubble" no matter how substandard the offerings while doing this when confronted with "the truth".

 

[PhotoDave219]

Perfect analogy.

As one of the few people left who still remember watching The Muppet Show on network TV each week, it was a late 1970's parody of 1960-1973 TV variety shows that had already died due to their bloated excess and changing tastes. Kind of like how the movie Airplane from 1980 was a parody of the 1970's airport disaster movies.

The Muppet Show was hilarious, and slightly subversive, and it worked because it was a sharp parody of something the entire viewing audience had personal experience with. I doubt today's audience would get it.

Everything I've heard about the new show in magazines and online have led me to several different conclusions.

First and foremost? You cannot recapture magic. It was gold the first time because it was genius, it was a reference, and it did not conform to anything that society was pushing on television.

Second? Sounds like they're trying to do a sitcom with Muppets.

This is going to be a train wreck. A

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Perfect analogy.

As one of the few people left who still remember watching The Muppet Show on network TV each week, it was a late 1970's parody of 1960-1973 TV variety shows that had already died due to their bloated excess and changing tastes. Kind of like how the movie Airplane from 1980 was a parody of the 1970's airport disaster movies.

The Muppet Show was hilarious, and slightly subversive, and it worked because it was a sharp parody of something the entire viewing audience had personal experience with. I doubt today's audience would get it.

But should you parody a parody?
If something is quality, like the Muppet Show, people will watch. Having a frame of reference is helpful, which is why this show was greenlit as you alluded to, but you can't let it weigh you down either.

 

[gmajew]

Perfect analogy.

As one of the few people left who still remember watching The Muppet Show on network TV each week, it was a late 1970's parody of 1960-1973 TV variety shows that had already died due to their bloated excess and changing tastes. Kind of like how the movie Airplane from 1980 was a parody of the 1970's airport disaster movies.

The Muppet Show was hilarious, and slightly subversive, and it worked because it was a sharp parody of something the entire viewing audience had personal experience with. I doubt today's audience would get it.

I hope the audience gets this. The lead writer on this series is very good so hopefully we see something up to his typical level of product. It is in the list of give it a try for me when the new season kicks off.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Everything I've heard about the new show in magazines and online have led me to several different conclusions.

First and foremost? You cannot recapture magic. It was gold the first time because it was genius, it was a reference, and it did not conform to anything that society was pushing on television.

Second? Sounds like they're trying to do a sitcom with Muppets.

This is going to be a train wreck. A

Hey, at least they are taking a chance.

If you haven't failed recently, you are not taking enough risk.

 

[BernardandBianca]

I've stayed at several concierge level hotels, including the W and Marriotts in major cities, and I've not experienced that level of service ever...sorry.

Then again, I don't really ask.

The last time we stayed on the concierge level (came with the loyalty club status) was in a Mideastern desert city with an airport that is a hub for the area, and we arrived about 1:00 am. Upon arrival at the hotel, they whisked us up to the concierge lounge (on the 37th floor) to check-in. While there, we noticed that the lounge was the complete floor of the hotel, with food in every room, beverages throughout the floor, and adult beverages interspersed throughout though with some rooms "dry" because of religious preferences. At 1:30 in the middle of the night, we asked the concierge (yes, there was one there) if she had any information about how we could get a tour of the city the next day. Her response was to ask what time we wanted to meet the car, and how long we wanted the tour to take. At 1:30 in the morning. And the car was there at the time we mentioned. So yes, concierge level service is not something you get at Disney.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Here is the actual Mobil Ratings Criteria

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=n1FSVcDNM43lggSC-4DoDg&url=http://occonline.occ.cccd.edu/online/lhass/Mobil%20Star%20Rating%20System.pdf&ved=0CDQQFjAB&usg=AFQjCNHUU4QmCQzRAYmuKwfZ4cpDNoZ5WQ&sig2=p3Ji_FLAjWeCMlCnPOUYkA

Thanks! So out of curiosity, I emailed the Forbes Travel Guide. The reason that you do not see any Walt Disney World hotels listed, is because they have never been evaluated. They did say that they hope to in the future.