A Spirited Perfect Ten

[flyerjab]

Personally i'd rather something in WoL based on Inside Out... as sad as Imagination is, the last thing Epcot needs right now is more attraction re-do's. The park needs to gain back capacity/rides, not simply continue to keep fixing up existing rides (although Journey definitely needs it).

Is there any chance WoL gets used in the future for something like this do you think?

I really agree with your point here. WoL should return to the lineup of attractions in FW to add ride capacity as opposed to repeating what they are doing in Norway with Frozen.

Wouldn't the Odyssey work better as a venue for special events (i.e., F&W, F&G, etc.). Doesn't it have a fully functioning kitchen if that was ever needed? It is also more centrally located within the park.

 

[Next Big Thing]

I really agree with your point here. WoL should return to the lineup of attractions in FW to add ride capacity as opposed to repeating what they are doing in Norway with Frozen.

Wouldn't the Odyssey work better as a venue for special events (i.e., F&W, F&G, etc.). Doesn't it have a fully functioning kitchen if that was ever needed? It is also more centrally located within the park.

Odyssey gets rented out fairly often and imo wouldn't be big enough to do what they do with the Festival Center in WoL.

However, the Millennium Village could potentially be used for a new location for the Festival Center if they ever wanted to utilize WoL again for attraction space.

 

[ford91exploder]

I would have gone to the front desk demanded to speak to the resort GM and ask one question: "When Bob Iger and Willow Bay are at WDW, do they have control of their own climate or is it governed by your leadership to save money in any way possible?''

I'm generally of the Fight mindset when given an option of Fight vs. Flight.

Same here has to do with that Scot's ancestry

 

[mgf]

Also, loved Lava, the short before it. I wonder when they'll have mugs for that at Trader Sam's Grog Grotto!

Interesting... I thought it was one of the weakest recent shorts. Inside Out was fantastic. The short just didn't match or live up IMO.

 

[ford91exploder]

how so?
the girl was abused by a racist mother and another little kid.

adults are the ones who push their hate and engrain it into kids.
Noone is born racist.

^^^^ THIS ^^^^

 

[mahnamahna101]

I really agree with your point here. WoL should return to the lineup of attractions in FW to add ride capacity as opposed to repeating what they are doing in Norway with Frozen.

Wouldn't the Odyssey work better as a venue for special events (i.e., F&W, F&G, etc.). Doesn't it have a fully functioning kitchen if that was ever needed? It is also more centrally located within the park.

If anything goes where Odyssey is, it should be It's a Small World. It loosely fits Future World (IASW - peace/harmony makes for a bright future), provides the perfect transitiion to WS, and would also soak up a lot of the Frozen crowds.

It'd be extremely expensive to do, so I'm not expecting it to ever happen. Just reopening Odyssey year-round would help. Or doing something other than special events.

Inside Out in WoL (expands into pad around Energy), Energy update - Test Track isn't completely swamped anymore.

Likewise, a new pavillion with an E-ticket between Land/Nemo and an Imagination revamp (Figment becomes trackless) would help Soarin' out considerably.

Epcot has the most people-eaters of any WDW park (more than MK), yet almost all of them are extremely unappealing. Just updating what they currently have, reopening WoL/Odyssey and adding a new pavillion between Land/Nemo would solve almost all of Future World's problems.

 

[Tigger1988]

Interesting... I thought it was one of the weakest recent shorts. Inside Out was fantastic. The short just didn't match or live up IMO.

Agreed. Inside Out was blew away my expectations, the short...not so much.

 

[Next Big Thing]

If anything goes where Odyssey is, it should be It's a Small World.

 

[mahnamahna101]

Sorry, but I'd rather an actual people-eating ride/attraction be there to soak up the Frozen crowds than an empty special events space for 2 months of the year.

If TDO never intends on making Odyssey a year-round location accessible to guests paying $95+ to get in, why not bulldoze it and put something new? WoL and the Millenium Village can handle special events just fine.

If not IASW, then something else. Test Track and Frozen Ever After are going to make that stretch unbearable next year. They can't leave a gigantic empty space closed with the two most popular attractions directly next to it.

 

[SandraAnn]

The motion thermostat also has an infrared detector as well. It must detect both motion and the heat range normally given off by a human. If it doesn't detect both motion and the thermal radiation given off by the human body, the thermostat will not be activated.

The passive infrared sensor (PIR) will detect your infrared radiation if you are in the room sleeping. You can remain motionless and the thermostat will still be activated and cool the room. If the thermostat shuts down the cooling (or heat) while you are in the room then either the temperature limit has been reached or the thermostat is defective or maladjusted. Humans emit infrared at wavelengths between 9 and 12 microns.

As Bairstow pointed out, you can use a small heat source placed directly under the thermostat to trick the temperature gauge into thinking the room is warmer.

Yes, the SensorStat DDC is a passive infrared detector, so I believe you would need the warmth as well as the movement. So not sure if a balloon would even work. And apparently they even went through the trouble of disabling the override function as listed in the manual. And I'm sure the employee they allegedly sent to override it wasn't empowered to do so for the same reason. I find when they do things like this, they go hard.

Anyway, it was only detecting occupancy in the bedroom if we were walking around, not just lying in bed. Probably because of where it was mounted.

Remember a simpler time? Pepperidge Farms does...View attachment 98215

LOL

I remember too, a simpler time when a housekeeper would stop by your room in the morning to tidy up and she would up the temp on the thermostat as you had left for the day. A rather civilized system really.

But since housekeepers at WDW don't come by anymore until 4:30 pm or so, if you're lucky, especially when you are staying in a DVC unit on cash (because they just pretend that they didn't know you were paying cash when you call to complain), I guess they needed a new system.

only if you are in the sensor scan area.
The instructions of my Panasonic Inverter are very clear.

Imagine if the sensor was near the door.
good luck trying to have it active when you're sleeping.

There were sensors in the bedrooms but they were mounted high on the wall, I'd say at least 5 feet up? So they would catch my movement as I got out of bed for the fourth time in a night, but they were not sensing our hot miserable sweaty bodies as we were trying to sleep.

I would have gone to the front desk demanded to speak to the resort GM and ask one question: "When Bob Iger and Willow Bay are at WDW, do they have control of their own climate or is it governed by your leadership to save money in any way possible?''

I'm generally of the Fight mindset when given an option of Fight vs. Flight.

FWIW, 'Angie' and I had the same issue at DAK Lodge Villas in 2013, but it never got that bad. I do think I was able to override it.

But I'd flat out smash the thing off the wall if that was what it's going to take. Disney doesn't get to determine what temp I sleep in (it needs to be under 72, preferably right around 68-70). I am a DVC 'owner' and all ... it amazes me that DVC owners haven't demanded the things get removed.

We're usually fighters, believe me, but at this point, after three nights of no sleep, we were just done with WDW and wanted to go home. I'm sure Bob was sleeping like a baby in his 68 degree suite.

I'm shocked that the DVCers are putting up with these sensors as well. I'm shocked that anyone is putting up with these sensors whether you're staying in a value or wherever.

The arrogance at WDW is astounding, that they think they can run what they call a "Resort" in the middle of Central Florida and put in these motion sensors and get away with it. But they can. The Mighty Disney Machine rolls on.

 

[skubersky]

Just back from a showing of Inside Out and before I get to some quick thoughts, I wanted to tag @skubersky here.

If I'm understanding things correctly, the Orlando Weekly (the No. 2 publication in O-Town after the Sentinel) is refused credentials by TWDC to attend any of its official 'media' events, openings, press conferences etc?

See, if I'm you, Seth, (or the organization) I'm running a MAJOR front-page piece on ''Playing Ball with the Rat'' ... I'm delving into who they credential as media and why they refuse to credential my LEGIT journalistic outlet. O-Town is a company town. Disney is the giant 800-pound rat in the room. Sure, you have others like UNI, SEAS and Darden, but it all starts and ends with Mickey's Minions (and Billions).

If Disney isn't going to be professional in the least bit because you and your organization are going to have ethics and standards and not simply provide de facto PR/propaganda for Cupcake (and the more high level folks like Jackie or Bryan) and Co, then why not NAIL them for it?!

What does your publication have to lose? And don't they have it coming?

It would go national ... hell, it would go international if done right.

Bottom line, you stop inviting legit media when you've lost all confidence in your product and you know it isn't what it should be.

I'm not disagreeing with you, because that's an article I've wanted to write for years. However...

1) even though I've been with the Weekly nearly 10 years, I'm only a freelancer (not staff) and must defer to my editors & publisher on those kind of decisions.

2) the bad blood between Disney PR and OW goes back long before me, to the days when Charlie Ridgeway was at WDW and Jim Hill wrote a critical column for the Weekly:
http://www.orlandoweekly.com/orlando/eye-drive/Category?oid=2240448

3) WDW does cooperate with us in the sense that I could request a comp park pass if I wanted (I don't, I pay for my AP). They just don't invite us to media events, but that doesn't stop me from covering them; I was as the Frozen Summer parade debut standing just outside the press corral, and had a better view than they did ;-)

4) I've tried addressing the issue in print a few times over the years, and always get a big backlash. Not only do most readers not care about media access, they think I'm a big whiner if I complain about it.

I'd love to think a front page article from me would bring the whole Disney PR machine crashing down. But realistically, it would barely merit a shrug...

 

[Nubs70]

Remember a simpler time? Pepperidge Farms does...View attachment 98215

Could one not bring one of these along and wire it up for the duration of your stay? Then replace with the original prior to leaving?

 

[BrerJon]

If not IASW, then something else. Test Track and Frozen Ever After are going to make that stretch unbearable next year. They can't leave a gigantic empty space closed with the two most popular attractions directly next to it.

Most of the Odyssey building is the kitchen and the Cast Member cafeteria it serves - the actual onstage footprint of the Odyssey is *tiny*, enough for a festival center but no way big enough for a show building, let alone one that would need a water system like IASW or Maelstrom.

Even if they demolished the whole thing and relocated CM dining, it's cornered by Test Track and Gran Fiesta so there's little room to expand back, install pumps etc., so not a chance of any ride going in there unfortunately.

The Millenium Tent however is *enormous*, and could easily hold all the Festival Center events with room to spare *and* have areas roped off for private parties at the same time, so they really should move it there.

 

[mahnamahna101]

Most of the Odyssey building is the kitchen and the Cast Member cafeteria it serves - the actual onstage footprint of the Odyssey is *tiny*, enough for a festival center but no way big enough for a show building, let alone one that would need a water system like IASW or Maelstrom.

Even if they demolished the whole thing and relocated CM dining, it's cornered by Test Track and Gran Fiesta so there's little room to expand back, install pumps etc., so not a chance of any ride going in there unfortunately.

The Millenium Tent however is *enormous*, and could easily hold all the Festival Center events with room to spare *and* have areas roped off for private parties at the same time, so they really should move it there.

Ohh ok! I didn't realize just how small the area really was.

Honestly, I was just a little mislead by people suggesting IASW could fit there. That's armchair Imagineering for you. if they reopened Odyssey and fixed Energy and reopened/expanded WoL, that little area wouldn't be as crowded when Frozen opens. Epcot's left side just needs to be fixed up for when Frozen Ever After opens up.

I wouldn't mind IASW going into one of the WS expansion pads, though... if TDO won't bother to give us new countries. World Showcase desperately needs to expand its attraction count.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

World Showcase desperately needs to expand its attraction count.

Why's that? Their current "attractions" are revenue-generating. Why would they sacrifice those for attractions in a park that's doing just fine attendance-wise?

 

[BrerJon]

Honestly, I was just a little mislead by people suggesting IASW could fit there. That's armchair Imagineering for you. if they reopened Odyssey and fixed Energy and reopened/expanded WoL, that little area wouldn't be as crowded when Frozen opens. Epcot's left side just needs to be fixed up for when Frozen Ever After opens up.

Odyssey's one kitchen / two restaurants concept is quite neat, so it would be a shame to lose that - it's also a great location for Cast Members because whether they work in Future World or World Showcase, it's between the two, but they should definitely reopen the guest restaurant permanently to suck some crowds away from Norway. Make it Quick Service character dining and you have a nice overflow for the Frozen crowds.

 

[mahnamahna101]

Why's that? Their current "attractions" are revenue-generating. Why would they sacrifice those for attractions in a park that's doing just fine attendance-wise?

Because Epcot has almost double MK's maximum capacity (could fit 180,000-200,000 max if every expansion pad were filled and Odyssey/WoL reopened and a PeopleMover was added to the top level of Innoventions), and only does 55-60% of its annual attendance

Epcot has only increased 5% from 1994 to the present. It should be at 80-85% of MK's annual attendance with how much capacity they have.

The expansion pads at World Showcase are enormous. You could easily fit 2-3 new countries and give each current country a new attraction without having to close much of anything, other than relocating some resources to backstage areas.

With Test Track/Soarin' wait-times and soon-to-be Frozen Ever After wait-times the way they are, World Showcase can't afford to only be a place to eat and drink when there's so much room to expand. 1 dark ride and 4 shows aren't enough for the masses that will come for Frozen.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Because Epcot has almost double MK's maximum capacity (could fit 180,000-200,000 max if every expansion pad were filled and Odyssey/WoL reopened and a PeopleMover was added to the top level of Innoventions), and only does 55-60% of its annual attendance

Epcot has only increased 5% from 1994 to the present. It should be at 80-85% of MK's annual attendance with how much capacity they have.

The expansion pads at World Showcase are enormous. You could easily fit 2-3 new countries and give each current country a new attraction without having to close much of anything, other than relocating some resources to backstage areas.

With Test Track/Soarin' wait-times and soon-to-be Frozen Ever After wait-times the way they are, World Showcase can't afford to only be a place to eat and drink when there's so much room to expand. 1 dark ride and 4 shows aren't enough for the masses that will come for Frozen.

Epcot could build 12 new countries and it would still do 55-60% of MK's attendance because MK is MK and Epcot is not.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I don't remember the giant spider, I think there was some cross-dressing?

This isn't safe for work, but there is a fantastic Kevin Smith story related to Wild Wild West. I encourage Kevin Smith fans to look up "Kevin Smith John Peters" on youtube. It looks like the top clip with an offensive title is 19:28, that's the correct story.

 

[mahnamahna101]

Epcot could build 12 new countries and it would still do 55-60% of MK's attendance because MK is MK and Epcot is not.

World Showcase
Mt Fuji E-ticket in Japan
Mulan dark ride in China
Matterhorn E-ticket clone with Switzerland pavillion
Mary Poppins dark ride in UK
Rhine River Cruise in Germany
Gondolas in Italy
Relocated IASW
Russia or Greece pavillion (D/E-ticket included)
World Showplace bulldozed for Canada river rapids E
Odyssey reopened

Future World
Mission Space fixed
Jr. Autopia added by Test Track
Energy updated
WoL reopens (D-ticket Omnimover, E-ticket family coaster, stage show, exhibits) - uses Energy expansion pad
New show to replace Kitchen Kabaret
Train of Thought PeopleMover added to second level of Innoventions
Innoventions update
Spaceship Earth update
Imagination overhaul (trackless dark ride for Figment, new Bing Bong show to replace EO)
Weather Pavillion with show and E-ticket EMV dark ride added between Land/Nemo

If Epcot couldn't come close to MK with that lineup, then I'd believe you.

The only reason Epcot does 55-60% of MK's attendance is because Soarin', Spaceship Earth and Test Track are the only major attractions in the entire park. Mission Space and the rest are either mediocre or too small-scale to be considered a draw.

You say that MK needs less crowds... expanding Epcot is a way to do so. Yet you say it's impossible for Epcot to truly grow. If the entire park were made appealing beyond Test Track and Soarin', it could easily do at least 75-80% of MK's numbers. Unlike DHS and AK, Epcot has the potential to fit 200,000 people at once.