A Spirited Valentine ...

[WDW1974]

Any details you can share about what the dining changes will be?

Not beyond what I have placed out. Nothing has been fully decided (unless it just happened). But dining in 2022 on the Disney Spirit will not be the same as dining in 2017 on the Disney Dream or Disney Magic.

 

[flynnibus]

Speaking of DCL, I'm finally taking my first one next week and I couldn't be happier! Year 25 is shaping up to be a great one

Live it up and get some tips from the regulars. There is definitely some bonus you can get from the pros and miss the least! First cruise can be overwhelming with things that differ from the wdw vacy!

 

[WDW1974]

http://www./2017/04/photos-new-pate...-based-driving-ride-universal-orlando-resort/
Anybody know what this is for? Looks like Mario kart but the article also says it could be for a few other things.

I have seen animation for all the attractions for Nintendo and ... and that is a good guess!

 

[WDW1974]

Universal already made fun of them

https://twitter.com/UniversalORL/status/851765550283980801

While I love that whomever plays 'Tweeter Manager' for UNI seems to have a sense of humor, I find it amusing how they want to make fun of these Lifestylers when they ply others with free airline flights, hotel rooms, meals etc to talk up their products. In other words, UNI is just as bad, if not worse, than Disney in the whoring department.

 

[WDW1974]

Does this mean get your cruises in now???

As 'change' when applied to disney has generally not been an improvement.

I really don't know. ... Although DCL is getting to price points where I can't justify it. No cruises for me in 2017. Next year? Planned but ...

 

[WDW1974]

There's something fascinating about a PR organization that fawns over mommy bloggers and lifestylers, but won't invite one of the most popular movie sites to its theme park press events.
https://twitter.com/slashfilm/status/851896861048754176
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Mommy Bloggers are gods in retail. ... All the social media 'experts' (just what these people are is a whole other thing) agree.

I was amused recently that one of the biggest whores in the biz was whining about not getting an invite to Pandora's debut event (not naming because I am tired of giving publicity to people who think there is no such thing as bad pub!)

 

[Kman101]

That special event stuff is a lot more than what WDW has seen. Unless, a new food booth at one of the eight Food and Booze Fests is counted as something new at Dizzy World.

Oh I agree with you and their new stuff will still put WDW to shame with what they put out (NFL) ...

 

[WDW1974]

Speaking of lifestylers, gonna post this here for posterity. #RIPDisflix
View attachment 199345

Oh gawd, I can't believe I missed this Drama of the Week!

Who was behind this deal? Old whores or new?

 

[Kman101]

Mommy Bloggers are gods in retail. ... All the social media 'experts' (just what the eff these people are is a whole other thing) agree.

I was amused recently that one of the biggest whores in the biz was whining about not getting an invite to Pandora's debut event (not naming because I am tired of giving publicity to people who think there is no such thing as bad pub!)

And some are still going on and on about Pandora, obviously trying to be "the first" to get in ... I don't get basing your life around Disney Parks. I love them but I couldn't imagine spending just about every day in one and having to cover princess breakfasts and parking garage openings. To each their own, I'm not judging them but I don't really get it. (I don't lump all of the bloggers together, like WDWFigment or AllEars or even MouseSteps, they cover some things and are in the parks a lot but not on a daily basis)

 

[Thanks phoenicians]

And a very Happy 25th B-Day to Euro Disney (aka DLP). Beautiful park and resort in a lovely area just minutes from one of the greatest cities in the world that, no, should not have been built in Spain. Looks like Disney's neglect over the years has actually been a positive as the park is sparkling and, beyond the atrocity that is one of John Lasseter's favorite rides, and not a huge amount has been lost in a quarter of a century.

I believe @WDWFigment is leading the American blogger brigade over there according to his Tweeter.

I look forward to visiting later this year, but the resort has been trending upward now since at least 2014. I still kick myself for having a chance to be at the opening in the ancient days of 1992 (I have clothes older than that!) and didn't take it.

What would be the best international Disney park for the first time away from WDW and DL? We're planning within the next year or two to finally start crossing some of those off the bucket list but obviously some parks maybe harder than others for foreigners. I was thinking DLP maybe (especially now sense they've cleaned it up a bit the last couple years)

 

[brb1006]

Visit it and then judge for yourself!

Stitch in the Tiki Room isn't great, but it isn't awful either. And better than taking it away;
Fantasyland may look dated in parts, but every attraction looks and functions like it opened today;
Mansion is perfect just the way it is;
Tomorrowland may well be stuck in the 80s. But it still looks timeless at the entrance. Much better than whatever was done at the MK;
No, Monsters doesn't belong there. But at least it is a kewl E-Ticket;
TDS is quite breathtaking in parts, although I can argue that DLP and DAK are more beautiful ... even DL until recently. Yes, it is getting a lot of character IP. But Stormrider really wasn't that good ... and the port will be Scandinavia ... Frozen will be part of it, yes.

Like I said, visit and then see how you feel.

Not to mention having the best electrical parade seen in any Disney Park. They even have a Christmas edition.

 

[brb1006]

What would be the best international Disney park for the first time away from WDW and DL? We're planning within the next year or two to finally start crossing some of those off the bucket list but obviously some parks maybe harder than others for foreigners. I was thinking DLP maybe (especially now sense they've cleaned it up a bit the last couple years)

TDR

 

[WDW1974]

Pay to watch other people in the theme parks? If just one person even considers opening up their wallet or pocketbook for this, I am officially giving up on humanity as we know it. Seriously. Game over.

Just curious since you are Batman, do you know Bane?

 

[WDW1974]

Speaking of DCL, I'm finally taking my first one next week and I couldn't be happier! Year 25 is shaping up to be a great one

You are 25? A child. Enjoy it. It's all downhill after 27!

What ship are you on?

 

[Disney Analyst]

You are 25? A child. Enjoy it. It's all downhill after 27!

What ship are you on?

Great, I just turned 26... so I've only got one good year left?! Crap.

 

[WDW1974]

And some are still going on and on about Pandora, obviously trying to be "the first" to get in ... I don't get basing your life around Disney Parks. I love them but I couldn't imagine spending just about every day in one and having to cover princess breakfasts and parking garage openings. To each their own, I'm not judging them but I don't really get it. (I don't lump all of the bloggers together, like WDWFigment or AllEars or even MouseSteps, they cover some things and are in the parks a lot but not on a daily basis)

AllEars gets a pass on me for almost everything. Deb Wills threw herself into it when the Internet was new and started that site for largely trip planning and news that related to it. I cringe when she gets 90 seconds with a Bob Iger or Tom Staggs at an event now and her questions are "How amazing is (blank)?"

Mousesteps has a certain sleaze factor around it. When they were taken off the DCL list, they got Carnival to toss them free cruises and they make sure Disney knows. Somehow they have gotten the Four Seasons to toss freebies when they don't look like the type of people who would be comfortable in classy digs. They practically live in the parks ... although so does Wills and her peeps.

WDWFigment has the most interesting business plan of all, even if I haven't gotten him to admit it yet. He seems intent on wanting to have the go-to site for every aspect of worldwide Disney planning, all resorts. Hence the huge amount of content he's blasted out in the last few years. Whether it's a snack bar at TDS, a Harbor Blvd. hotel near DLR or a new character experience at WDW, Tom wants to be on top of it. While others stake out little pieces of turf to cover, he's basically decided that anything relating to the six Disney resorts around the globe, DCL and DVC are in the wheelhouse. He even -- FINALLY! -- began visiting and blogging UNI on both coasts in the last few years. It's a lot to bite off when you have no staff beyond you and your wife, but if it can be monetized down the road? Personally, I'm much more of a fan of Tom's amazing nature photography than his opinion on the Chef Mickey's dinner buffet or whether the Beach Club is better than the Poly. But his site is one of the only Disney sites, beyond this one, that I regularly check out. So, kudos to him. And he's also a nice guy too!

 

[ScoutN]

What ship are you on?

We are following through on the one I told you we really want to do out west. And then some.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Definitely saw King Richard (who I never saw at WDW).

That was King Leonidas from Bedknobs & Broomsticks. King Richard has never been turned into a character (and never likely will be).

Whoops! Thanks for clarifying that, I just assumed it was Richard since he was around the Robin Hood characters. I had no idea Leonidas was ever a character at the parks.

Double clarification: You probably meant that you thought it was Prince John, who can be a M&G character. And yes, it was weird that they teamed up Leonidas with the Robin Hood crew.

Leonidas on top, Prince John below...

 

[Kman101]

AllEars gets a pass on me for almost everything. Deb Wills threw herself into it when the Internet was new and started that site for largely trip planning and news that related to it. I cringe when she gets 90 seconds with a Bob Iger or Tom Staggs at an event now and her questions are "How amazing is (blank)?"

Mousesteps has a certain sleaze factor around it. When they were taken off the DCL list, they got Carnival to toss them free cruises and they make sure Disney knows. Somehow they have gotten the Four Seasons to toss freebies when they don't look like the type of people who would be comfortable in classy digs. They practically live in the parks ... although so does Wills and her peeps.

WDWFigment has the most interesting business plan of all, even if I haven't gotten him to admit it yet. He seems intent on wanting to have the go-to site for every aspect of worldwide Disney planning, all resorts. Hence the huge amount of content he's blasted out in the last few years. Whether it's a snack bar at TDS, a Harbor Blvd. hotel near DLR or a new character experience at WDW, Tom wants to be on top of it. While others stake out little pieces of turf to cover, he's basically decided that anything relating to the six Disney resorts around the globe, DCL and DVC are in the wheelhouse. He even -- FINALLY! -- began visiting and blogging UNI on both coasts in the last few years. It's a lot to bite off when you have no staff beyond you and your wife, but if it can be monetized down the road? Personally, I'm much more of a fan of Tom's amazing nature photography than his opinion on the Chef Mickey's dinner buffet or whether the Beach Club is better than the Poly. But his site is one of the only Disney sites, beyond this one, that I regularly check out. So, kudos to him. And he's also a nice guy too!

I can see that about MouseSteps. That doesn't at all surprise me. I just included them because I don't see them in there every day but yeah, I was sort of hesitant to include them.

Agreed about Tom. I enjoy his site immensely. He's fair. And entertaining. And it's more than just covering the latest cupcake or parking garage opening.

 

[WDW1974]

What would be the best international Disney park for the first time away from WDW and DL? We're planning within the next year or two to finally start crossing some of those off the bucket list but obviously some parks maybe harder than others for foreigners. I was thinking DLP maybe (especially now sense they've cleaned it up a bit the last couple years)

DLP. Always the answer to this.

It was my first. Then came HKDL ... and finally TDR. And SDL is coming!

But DLP is the easiest international resort to navigate for an American. Language isn't an issue. Food isn't an issue. Even getting there is easy. And you also have one of the greatest cities in the world about 35 minutes away via train. Cost , at least with tourism down due to the terror attacks, is now very inexpensive for most Americans. Tokyo can be inexpensive (like for most of my upcoming trip!), but it can also be quite pricey (like for the last four days of my upcoming trip!)

I know some would disagree ... just like some people would go to TDR and go to TDS first. I always advise Day 1 in TDL ... something sorta familiar and comfortable and so you get the cultural differences out of the way in a park where you've already been on some version of almost everything.