doctornick
Well-Known Member
I feel like everything you are saying could easily be describing Age of Ultron as well.
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A Spirited Perfect Ten
- Thread starter WDW1974
- Start date
I feel like everything you are saying could easily be describing Age of Ultron as well.
awilliams4
Well-Known Member
I don't post much on these threads but I check them out almost everyday.
I really appreciate the Spirit's contributions and the unique insight that the posts provide as well as many others who frequent Spirit's threads.
To me, the Spirit almost single handedly justifies my multiple visits to WDWMagic each day
I have no inside knowledge. I am a glass half empty type with 99% of the world's topics but a glass half full for all Disney Theme park things. Been to WDW about 20 times for maybe 160 or so onsite nights. Was a commando my first 8 or so visits and for the past 7 years, a more slowed down take it easy DVC member type.
Just posting to provide my opinion specifically on Spirit's opinion of the current WDW condition.
I love checking out the 1970s/80s picture threads. But when I do, sometimes I ask myself, would I spend a week there or more like I do now? Not every year, no way. There just wasn't enough stuff. To me, today's WDW is better than yesterday's WDW. My definition is I would and do look more forward to my annual WDW visits than I would 25+ years ago.
We do pamper ourselves a bit. We are a party of (4) and we stay in Two Bedroom Villas. We sleep in each day, have a resort day or two and spend only evenings at the parks. When we do go to the parks, we spend maybe 6-8 hours there. I am also the type to buy 2 tickets for each member to get 6 FP+. So our vacations are probably a tad cushier than most. To afford this, we save all year, everyday. My wife and I pack our lunch each day. We do not go out to eat, ever, all year long except at Disney or on a Disney cruise. (we are doing the Fantasy and an 8 night stay at VWL this summer). I do coupons religiously, coast in my car non-stop to save gas, drive a piece of junk, etc, etc, etc. We have no debt, no house payment, no credit card stuff, no car payment, no equity loan, nothing. Just a monthly DVC bill. So we pamper ourselves on vacation.
Just posting the extras here to put my opinion into context a bit and say this:
The new Lion King area at AK, the new Harambe Market, the detail in New Fantasy Land, what appears to be a very strong effort not to screw up the Everest landscape with the Rivers of Light development, the really cool sounding counter service dishes throughout WDW that have popped up over the past 24-36 months, just do not seem to mesh well with the overall description of WDW that is reflected in these threads.
What I mean is, I cannot see a management team that is so so so bad, so screwed up and so profit minded that they would also have the ability or ambition to put so much emphasis and thought into the things I mentioned. It just doesn't add up. Are they Walt, hell no. Are they the bottom of the barrel? If they were, I don't believe they would have put as much money as they have put into just cleaning up the MK for example like they have. There has been tons of cash put into the MK over the past few years just to spruce it up, tons, cleaning it up and making it pretty pristine. It is beautiful there. So to me, the general descriptions of the condition at WDW do not reflect reality.
Just an opinion.
I really appreciate the Spirit's contributions and the unique insight that the posts provide as well as many others who frequent Spirit's threads.
To me, the Spirit almost single handedly justifies my multiple visits to WDWMagic each day
I have no inside knowledge. I am a glass half empty type with 99% of the world's topics but a glass half full for all Disney Theme park things. Been to WDW about 20 times for maybe 160 or so onsite nights. Was a commando my first 8 or so visits and for the past 7 years, a more slowed down take it easy DVC member type.
Just posting to provide my opinion specifically on Spirit's opinion of the current WDW condition.
I love checking out the 1970s/80s picture threads. But when I do, sometimes I ask myself, would I spend a week there or more like I do now? Not every year, no way. There just wasn't enough stuff. To me, today's WDW is better than yesterday's WDW. My definition is I would and do look more forward to my annual WDW visits than I would 25+ years ago.
We do pamper ourselves a bit. We are a party of (4) and we stay in Two Bedroom Villas. We sleep in each day, have a resort day or two and spend only evenings at the parks. When we do go to the parks, we spend maybe 6-8 hours there. I am also the type to buy 2 tickets for each member to get 6 FP+. So our vacations are probably a tad cushier than most. To afford this, we save all year, everyday. My wife and I pack our lunch each day. We do not go out to eat, ever, all year long except at Disney or on a Disney cruise. (we are doing the Fantasy and an 8 night stay at VWL this summer). I do coupons religiously, coast in my car non-stop to save gas, drive a piece of junk, etc, etc, etc. We have no debt, no house payment, no credit card stuff, no car payment, no equity loan, nothing. Just a monthly DVC bill. So we pamper ourselves on vacation.
Just posting the extras here to put my opinion into context a bit and say this:
The new Lion King area at AK, the new Harambe Market, the detail in New Fantasy Land, what appears to be a very strong effort not to screw up the Everest landscape with the Rivers of Light development, the really cool sounding counter service dishes throughout WDW that have popped up over the past 24-36 months, just do not seem to mesh well with the overall description of WDW that is reflected in these threads.
What I mean is, I cannot see a management team that is so so so bad, so screwed up and so profit minded that they would also have the ability or ambition to put so much emphasis and thought into the things I mentioned. It just doesn't add up. Are they Walt, hell no. Are they the bottom of the barrel? If they were, I don't believe they would have put as much money as they have put into just cleaning up the MK for example like they have. There has been tons of cash put into the MK over the past few years just to spruce it up, tons, cleaning it up and making it pretty pristine. It is beautiful there. So to me, the general descriptions of the condition at WDW do not reflect reality.
Just an opinion.
FigmentJedi
Well-Known Member
The important thing with Jurassic World is that it feels like an actual Jurassic Park 3 instead of the garbage we got 14 years ago with the spinosaurus and the raptor going "ALAN".
Funmeister
Well-Known Member
That scares me because......
I thought it was supposed to take place after the first one?
No spoilers please. If you cannot say...just don't say. lol
And it's an opinion that a lot of us here share with you.
GLaDOS
Well-Known Member
It takes place after all of the previous films, but the first one is the only one it ever directly references
FigmentJedi
Well-Known Member
It's all in continuity, but the movie itself doesn't dwell that much on the events of Sorna at all. Side materials like the Masrani Corp website get into a little more detail, but basically,
they took over InGen after the events of Lost World and Hoskins got his security chief job from taking care of the escaped pteranodons from the end of 3.
Funmeister
Well-Known Member
michmousefan
Well-Known Member
I'd say it was a solid triple but not a home run.
I know it's always going to be "Dinos run amok," but the new film is a little bit *too* faithful to the original. A few interesting twists here and there, and I liked Pratt and the humor was just about right. But Bryce Dallas Howard is the movie's weak link. Probably a combo of her acting and how the character was written, but she was a notable liability. Most of the CGI looked good, but the scenes where the raptors were in those head-harnesses looked quite puppet-ish and fake. Enjoyed the theme park aspects in this one better than the first.
Also loved the little homage to Stan Winston in the shopping/main street area.
Also loved the little homage to Stan Winston in the shopping/main street area.
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RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
He'd get Star Tours, Indiana Jones Adventure and Splash Mountain approved on the same day.
Mike S
Well-Known Member
Shaman
Well-Known Member
I don't post much on these threads but I check them out almost everyday.
I really appreciate the Spirit's contributions and the unique insight that the posts provide as well as many others who frequent Spirit's threads.
To me, the Spirit almost single handedly justifies my multiple visits to WDWMagic each day
I have no inside knowledge. I am a glass half empty type with 99% of the world's topics but a glass half full for all Disney Theme park things. Been to WDW about 20 times for maybe 160 or so onsite nights. Was a commando my first 8 or so visits and for the past 7 years, a more slowed down take it easy DVC member type.
Just posting to provide my opinion specifically on Spirit's opinion of the current WDW condition.
I love checking out the 1970s/80s picture threads. But when I do, sometimes I ask myself, would I spend a week there or more like I do now? Not every year, no way. There just wasn't enough stuff. To me, today's WDW is better than yesterday's WDW. My definition is I would and do look more forward to my annual WDW visits than I would 25+ years ago.
We do pamper ourselves a bit. We are a party of (4) and we stay in Two Bedroom Villas. We sleep in each day, have a resort day or two and spend only evenings at the parks. When we do go to the parks, we spend maybe 6-8 hours there. I am also the type to buy 2 tickets for each member to get 6 FP+. So our vacations are probably a tad cushier than most. To afford this, we save all year, everyday. My wife and I pack our lunch each day. We do not go out to eat, ever, all year long except at Disney or on a Disney cruise. (we are doing the Fantasy and an 8 night stay at VWL this summer). I do coupons religiously, coast in my car non-stop to save gas, drive a piece of junk, etc, etc, etc. We have no debt, no house payment, no credit card stuff, no car payment, no equity loan, nothing. Just a monthly DVC bill. So we pamper ourselves on vacation.
Just posting the extras here to put my opinion into context a bit and say this:
The new Lion King area at AK, the new Harambe Market, the detail in New Fantasy Land, what appears to be a very strong effort not to screw up the Everest landscape with the Rivers of Light development, the really cool sounding counter service dishes throughout WDW that have popped up over the past 24-36 months, just do not seem to mesh well with the overall description of WDW that is reflected in these threads.
What I mean is, I cannot see a management team that is so so so bad, so screwed up and so profit minded that they would also have the ability or ambition to put so much emphasis and thought into the things I mentioned. It just doesn't add up. Are they Walt, hell no. Are they the bottom of the barrel? If they were, I don't believe they would have put as much money as they have put into just cleaning up the MK for example like they have. There has been tons of cash put into the MK over the past few years just to spruce it up, tons, cleaning it up and making it pretty pristine. It is beautiful there. So to me, the general descriptions of the condition at WDW do not reflect reality.
Just an opinion.
I agree, and thank you for the context.
I was an AP holder from 98-08, took a break from WDW for a while then came back around 2011, renewed every year since. I've been a member here for a while, going from lurker, to active member, to annoyance, lurker and back. Steve and the moderators have seen it all I'm sure, the internet never disappoints. Check out the comments sections and message boards all over...littered with all kinds.
I assume, the more vocal critics of WDW, and Corporate, still enjoy the parks and overall support the company. I assume this because well, why else visit and participate in a forum for fans of WDW?
Everyone has an opinion about the state of the parks and the company. Traditionally, the struggle here has been between the purists and the realists. Between the more idealist fans who for example want the original attractions preserved versus those who are more pragmatic and think that replacements are crucial to keep things fresh. You still see this dynamic, but there has been a shift.
Eisner, the rise of Universal, the corporate strategies deployed by Iger and The Board, the economic climate I believe have contributed to it. Then you have to add the members who frequent these threads who have been impacted by these factors. The disgruntled past employees (and their family/friends), the casual supporter, the disillusioned fans, the ones priced out, the zealot, and/or the frustrated enthusiasts....
It has become a battle of reclaiming vs accepting. Forget the debate anymore. Does project x help reclaim the lost image or does it continue to push everything further away from a perceived ideal standard? And for many, there is no benefit of the doubt...they feel they have been burned in the past, Disney has to prove themselves worthy of whatever.
I enjoy the parks. See the short comings, accept that things need to change, and have come to terms with the fact that maybe one day, I may have to spend my money elsewhere. It's not personal it's business...for me AND Disney.
For some it's more personal. I sit here and read some of these posts and wonder about the hostility and the tone. We are supposed to be talking about theme parks.
I just don't get it. Sorry for rambling on.
Mike S
Well-Known Member
Replacements are crucial to keeping things fresh, I fully agree on that. But they have to be done right. Star Tours 2.0 is a great recent example of how to freshen up an aging attraction.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
There might have been a time when that would happen, but, if it was still the case he'd still be working there instead of the rumored connection with Universal. It's a different Disney then before. Time will tell if it still works in spite of the management or because of it.
I also do not see all the terrible at WDW. I do see some, like closed attractions and buildings and think that is due to a complete lack of understanding how the human mind works. Closed, shuttered anything gives, at the very least, an unconscious impression of a place in trouble. It takes more away from the perceived magic then anything else they might do.
The problem and the heart of Disney is that everyone takes the place way to personally when we must understand, for our own mental health, that, in the words of the Godfather, it is strictly business, not personal. It is brought on by a massive misunderstanding of how Walt thought. I could sit here and list a number of things that others find to be sacred, like Tiki Room, IASW, certainly CoP, that Walt would likely have torn down and replaced with something new. If Walt did it we would all think it for the best, but, it would still have its detractors. It's the fact that none of these new people are Walt, that distorts the image of what is happening. It's the obsession with comparing and, to a high degree, based on distorted memories that causes a lot of the angst.
It's OK to have opinions, positive or negative, but, if we while reading these threads just take all the conjecture as fact, then we become as disillusioned. The real trick is to understand that Spirit may have a lot of information coming to him and it may be actual information, however, the interpretation of what that information means is highly personal on his part. As of late, the amount of absolutely massive gloom and doom is beyond my ability to take seriously. What is happening in China, for example, is not necessarily what has been painted here. It might be, but, like I said before, there is no smoking gun and it is, at this point, pure speculation.
Not to mention that it is still about a Theme Park. On a scale of 1 to 10 of importance to the world at large it would fall someplace around minus 8.
The moral of all those words is believe what you see and feel. If you still get a good feeling at WDW, then it is accomplishing what you want it to accomplish for you personally. No one can make everyone happy, so, block out what others think and go with your personal experiences. Those are the only ones that count.
FigmentJedi
Well-Known Member
Looks like we're in for a round 2 of the FIgment comics considering this new "action figure packaging cover" teaser image.
http://www./wp-content/uploads/2015/06/image.jpg
I want to actually buy these toys.
http://www./wp-content/uploads/2015/06/image.jpg
I want to actually buy these toys.
Omnispace
Well-Known Member
I agree with much of what you say though when one starts putting people into categories such as "purists", "realists", etc.., it over simplifies the matter. Yes, they can just be considered to be theme parks. For many people, both those who enjoy the parks today, and those who enjoyed them in the past, they transcend merely being a place to spend one's vacation since they become associated with the nostalgia of past visits. I think that even the staunchest critics here still hold the parks in high regard. It's just that when things change, one would hope it would be for the better. That is not always the case, and definitely not every misstep is a deal breaker. But one also has to accept that critical discussions are also necessary for improvement. Criticism shouldn't be confused with dislike.
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
“Tom, don't let anybody kid you. It's all personal, every bit of business. Every piece of (....) every man has to eat every day of his life is personal. They call it business. OK. But it's personal as hell. You know where I learned that from? The Don. My old man. The Godfather. If a bolt of lightning hit a friend of his the old man would take it personal."
Since we're gonna quote The Godfather and all....
True. We're not discussing curing cancer or any disease or fixing social ills. Instead we're discussing the world's largest media conglomerate.
Donald Razorduck
Well-Known Member
I can think of two ready made, modern and up to date facilites ready to go, BOK in Tulsa and Sprint Center KC. Tulsa is the epitome of a small market but can,pull off of OKC and a booming NWA. As OKC shows with the Thunder, small markets can support a team. But, you gotta think KC is the leader for a relocated team for the NHL giving the facility is there and ready to go.
You think Omaha would make a pitch as well with their newish arena?
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Funmeister
Well-Known Member
Star Tours 2.0 was a great refresh but it did not generate the number of increased visitors they were expecting. (This is based on DHS ONLY. I do not know how it affected DL)
Disney did another round of buys on Lynx buses (vinyl wraps, etc.) and billboards that were not part of the original marketing plan.