A Spirited Valentine ...

[Californian Elitist]

OK, Very Early Happy Birthdays to the Kids of MAGIC Land!
(I have clothes older than both of you. And I certainly have Disney ephemera much older than both of you from trips I took and ... and so old, so ancient ... so wise!)

Thank you, Spirit! And you are most definitely not old. I've always said that just because we get older, it doesn't mean we have to get old, and you haven't gotten old.

 

[WDW1974]

Wait until you hit 50 - that was my toughest birthday. Of course it might have had to do with my son having surgery first thing in the morning in one hospital, my father having surgery at noon in another (just across the river from each other, thank God) and stopping off at a funeral at a church halfway between them. I brought my son home, got my neighbor to stay with him, went to the funeral and continued on to the hospital to sit with my mother and stay until my dad was settled in his room.

But, you can't tell from this picture taken a few months later.

I am concerned about 50, no doubt. I wasn't thrilled about 40, although I felt young (and certainly looked younger than I do now), but was generally OK. (Again, though, most people here think I am 72, so it is all relative! And that woman in Italy who died today at 117 could have called a 90-something a snot-nosed kid!)

Your 50th truly sounds hellish and no, no one could tell from that hot pic of yours here! ... I think I told you privately once, but I thought that pic was of someone famous that you had put up. But the Hillbilly told me he met you at some point (2004ish?) and said that you were, indeed, well ... quite lovely in person and that was your photo.

I do feel like I am falling apart physically ... like perhaps I should be going for a run (or even a walk) now instead of posting here, but I have always said that the fan community would kill me!

 

[WDW1974]

for new ships...I've always assumed one would be called the Disney Marvel since it can have a double meaning, I don't like Spirit because it has been used for too many other cruise lines.

BOO TO YOU!!!

I think I'm never speaking to you again!

And Magic and Fantasy have both seen lots of action. I've been at Port Canaveral on the Disney Magic and the Carnival Magic is right across the way.

 

[WDW1974]

Another thread of mine turns to Star Wars movie talk ... so not surprising. I actually liked the trailer, but I need to be honest, if they never made another SW film ever I would be fine. I just am not enthralled by that soap opera in space.

 

[ford91exploder]

What is "sniping"?

Using software that automatically places your bid in the last 10 seconds of an ebay auction.

The virtual equivalent of holding up you paddle when the auctioneer finishes saying 'going three times'

 

[WDW1974]

So I just debriefed a coworker who was at the world for the last week. He is a 'disney is awesome' guy.. he doesn't study it, he just thinks the WDW experience is incredible and Disney is magic.. kind of guy. He has two kids (4 and 8) so he is prime demographic. He pays for a deluxe, he buys the dining plan.. he uses a travel agent. Disney's prime type of customer. When I talk to him about the realities that I know of and my longer term experiences with Disney, it usually falls on deaf ears because he doesn't have the same perspective.

Anyway.. chatted today after he's back from a stay at AKL in a savannah view DVC room. First thing he talked about? How awful the buses were.. like.. almost ruin my vacation type of tale. Waiting 40mins for a bus.. or stories like 'bus service started at 4pm to DS, but first bus didn't show until 4:30, and with traffic we didn't get to DS until almost 5:30'. Remember, this is the guy who just pays to make problems go away.. and his take away was "AKL was cool, but I'll never stay there again due to the buses". And it wasn't just 'at park close', but problems moving between locations.. problems moving between resorts.. complaints about the AK bus sharing stops with the water parks and of course the different AK stops. It also took them more than 2hrs to get to his resort on Magical Express due to slow boarding and multiple drop offs. Arriving at 1am after a 2hr ME experience was not a great kickoff for his vacation.

He didn't do parkhoppers, and actually said he was glad he didn't, because he felt like he would never be able to use them due to how long it was taking to get anywhere with the buses.

My takeaway from my visit the week prior was I was amazed by how bad traffic has gotten around property now, even during the normal daytime hours.. where are all these people coming/going ??? Driving on property used to be an easy alternative because it was pretty much carefree except at park closing.

But was shocking to me was this was the first time this guy has ever been anything but 'Disney can do no wrong'. The conversation was really he was talking about NOT going back to WDW after this experience. The transportation issues drug his enjoyment of his trip down that bad.

They finally grasp that transport is causing them to lose Guests (victims?) and that is behind the road work, the added buses, the special people upcharge buses backstage, the new transport concierge/Disney uber driver positions, the gondolas etc.

To me, though, it's way too little. And a good 15-18 years too late.

 

[ford91exploder]

Another thread of mine turns to Star Wars movie talk ... so not surprising. I actually liked the trailer, but I need to be honest, if they never made another SW film ever I would be fine. I just am not enthralled by that soap opera in space.

Is it so surprising since all Disney seems to be interested in is hawking Star Wars and Marvel...

 

[WDW1974]

To all you young whippersnappers--- wait until you are 84 and have experienced WDW for most of its anniversaries, always as an adult, for over forty years. Then you really know that it certainly is not what it once was. Sure, change is to be expected and experiences at the park should be kept current with what is wanted by new generations. It is still possible to have a good time at WDW if you don't dwell on the things you miss, some inconveniences or how you wish it was. Plus, new things are coming..
However, it is inescapable that it is more crowded than ever, TODDLERS RULE, attractions have been closed or replaced by meet and greets called attractions, the whole property is now becoming less an oasis than an urban jungle, many of the little things like prime viewing areas now cost extra for a party, parades have disappeared and what were once little freebies simply do not exist. While it was always expensive, the value of what you are receiving for the money spent has declined the same as it has with many other companies...
Obviously, someone in their twenties or thirties cannot compare what it was with what it is now. You realistically can't compare what is now with something never experienced..

Age and wisdom, I like that!

But, no, you can't. And intelligent people of any age get that. My girlfriend never visited WDW until 13 years ago. She absolutely doesn't know what EPCOT Center or the Disney-MGM Studios felt like ... or the original Vacation Kingdom. She is one of the smartest people I know. She has read a lot about the history. She's watched some of @marni1971's videos. She's seen my photos and heard my stories. But you can't know what it felt like. And the WDW of the 21st century is not at all like the one of the 20th century.

You simply don't know what you don't know.

 

[flynnibus]

They finally grasp that transport is causing them to lose Guests (victims?) and that is behind the road work, the added buses, the special people upcharge buses backstage, the new transport concierge/Disney uber driver positions, the gondolas etc.

To me, though, it's way too little. And a good 15-18 years too late.

Without doing the napkin designs.. I'm still shocked that after all these years disney didn't invest in a 'express lane' with limited interruption setup for their buses in the road network. I mean, the buses have a lot of operational 'pros' for them.. but Disney seems to have allowed the system to fall so far behind that its almost impossible to defend their setups.

Seriously, this guy just three weeks ago was like 'Disney is the best' and could find no energy to focus on anything bad about it.. this week he was pushed all the way to 'I dont know when our next vacation will be there..'. I was shocked.

I wish the dreams of innovative new transportation thinking were still alive in the florida project :/

 

[WDW1974]

AMAZING thread in progress here:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...nd-20000-leagues-artwork.426323/#post-7663676

Using my thread to tell people to leave here?!?!

I actually would like to see what's going on there. I heard Thor is in the house.

 

[WDW1974]

Shoutout to @Tom Thordarson for his side of the story behind Journey To The Center Of The Earth at Tokyo. You guys seriously need to check out that thread for his responses. We seriously need more Imagineers like him.

Most of the best are long gone or forced to crap like Joe Rohde on the Guardians Tower deal. There still is plenty of talent, but far more have walked out the door and are ex-Imagineers.

 

[WDW1974]

Just a random question but anyone think they could announce something big for the water parks at D23. I know it's unlikely but they could both use more attractions especially a thriller at TL and maybe another raft ride at BB.

I don't know of anything planned for them right now. I think Disney will be eagerly watching how Volcano Bay effects both UNI and themselves before deciding on doing anything ...

 

[WDW1974]

FWIW....

I just returned from a week at WDW. At AKL. In DVC accommodations....

Magical Express was a joke. Waited nearly an hour to leave the airport, then got dropped off after POP and AOA. Nearly 2 hours. Horrible.

Aside from Disney Springs, which we waited approx 45 minutes for a bus each way, bus service was normal. The wait times were not excessive, rarely more then 10 minutes. And we rode the buses 4x per day.

There was issues elsewhere, and if you click my super sweet trip report http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/live-ish-blog-my-thoughts-and-observations-april-7-13.926066/ you'll see I have discussed them. ahem, scooters, ahem....

You had me at scooters ... plus having a moderator edit your post!

 

[WDW1974]

Lots, we always did when onsite when you are at a bus stop tired after a long day at the parks. Then the ECVs drive up with the inevitable entourage and fill the bus now you have a 20-45 minute wait for next one. After that routine rental cars were always procured. One sometimes two depending on plans

I am all for access. A dear friend of mine ... no, actually multiples if I include Anaheim require scooters due to real health issues (not eating all of the time and refusing to move). But the absurd amount of people in them who do NOT need them and the ridiculous load times absolutely negatively impacts other Guests all day, every day at WDW. Disney is not helping solve the problem at all.

 

[WDW1974]

What is "sniping"?

What my fans here do when I am blunt or tell them something they don't want to hear.

 

[WDW1974]

Thank you, Spirit! And you are most definitely not old. I've always said that just because we get older, it doesn't mean we have to get old, and you haven't gotten old.

You are too kind!

 

[WDW1974]

Is it so surprising since all Disney seems to be interested in is hawking Star Wars and Marvel...

No, except Disney loses me along the way. I truly don't care much for SW or Marvel and Disney just is intent on shoving it down our throats and telling us that Rey and Chewie and BB8 and Thor and Hulk and Tony Stark are as much Disney as Mickey, Donald and Goofy and ... no, just not for me. But for the kids of today? Probably will turn that way.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Using my thread to tell people to leave here?!?!

Anything I can do to help!

 

[DDLand]

Another thread of mine turns to Star Wars movie talk ... so not surprising. I actually liked the trailer, but I need to be honest, if they never made another SW film ever I would be fine. I just am not enthralled by that soap opera in space.

I'm starting to get the vibe that we're closer to the end of the franchise era than we are to the beginning. Every studio is imploding; the tent pole strategy is sinking Hollywood.

To Disney's credit, they picked extremely strong horses for this leg of the race, but trends never last forever. Disney believes that they've derisked Hollywood, but I find that doubtful.

Disruption has got to be coming; never bet against change.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Another thread of mine turns to Star Wars movie talk ... so not surprising. I actually liked the trailer, but I need to be honest, if they never made another SW film ever I would be fine. I just am not enthralled by that soap opera in space.

I'm a far cry from the biggest Star Wars fan out there, but I do generally find a lot to enjoy in the franchise (hit or miss though it can be) and I have even found myself delving outside of the film series occasionally (video games, which I won't bring up here as you don't like to talk about those). I'm enough of a fan that I want to see the franchise continue and succeed, though only if they can maintain a sense of quality.

This trailer didn't interest me at all though and deflated my interest considerably. I still want to see the movie based on my positive reaction to Force Awakens (and I enjoyed Looper which was written/directed by the same guy), but that clip definitely left me with a sour first impression. This is the first time i've come away from a numbered Star Wars teaser/trailer less interested than before I viewed it (Rogue One I didn't care about either, and the final film also left me entirely uninterested).