A Spirited Valentine ...

[flynnibus]

Agree, there is a lot going on. But as has been mentioned in the last page or so, some of it isn't great.

Yeah, but I was responding to the comment "There's nothing going on... no news or anything. Nothing to talk about" - not so much about how you feel about one item or another.

It's one of the more active times on the property in years... there is plenty to discuss. I think the Mickey Defenders are tyring though. If you don't just love anything Disney does... why are you here? They can't comprehend some people look at Disney more than just their personal escape.

 

[WDWdream97]

So is Apple not coming at all? ... I was told it still was (on the plot near the restroom across from PH) planned.

Apple's typical store aesthetic would work nice with the Coke store.

 

[FigmentForver96]

Yeah, but I was responding to the comment "There's nothing going on... no news or anything. Nothing to talk about" - not so much about how you feel about one item or another.

It's one of the more active times on the property in years... there is plenty to discuss. I think the Mickey Defenders are tyring though. If you don't just love anything Disney does... why are you here? They can't comprehend some people look at Disney more than just their personal escape.

I see where some people come from on both sides which is why I'm trying to find a middle ground. Disney Springs is a big improvement adding an array of new options and sticking with some classics. Hotel renovations have been hit or miss but the fact they are investing opens door to new opportunities and I'm willing to give each a change. (Partially because I really like the beach club remodel and the new cabins at WL look great to me). Pandora is looking more and more impressive each day and while I'm no insider by any means, if what a friend of mine is saying is true, it could be the most amazing thing to be built this decade next to Star Wars. Plus that, Star Wars will open in a few years. Toy Story Land, ok that's a flop. Epcot seems to be on the brink of something new regardless if it's about to send the last pieces of EPCOT Center to the grave. (I personally hate the idea but I guess the idea of major investment is exciting at least. For the first time in years we are looking at new experinces and attractions opening year. Sorin and Frozen Ever After (gag) have opened, pandora this year with Rivers of Light. Toy Story Land next year and so forth. Disney has finally turned back on the machine but I can be patient with them bringing it but it's the content the machine makes that worries me.

Anyway sorry for all that. Just my two cents

 

[WDW1974]

I'm usually not big on anything Brooks Barnes writes and this is absolutely PR, but still might be interesting (especially since y'all can't help but talk movies):

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/...on-gamble.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=1

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I'm usually not big on anything Brooks Barnes writes and this is absolutely PR, but still might be interesting (especially since y'all can't help but talk movies):

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/...on-gamble.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=1

$300 million is a good chunk of change to budget Beauty and The Beast but it looks like it will be a hit. For some odd reason I'm looking forward to the Dumbo movie. I predict Disney will do one to many Live action remakes.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Hey @WDW1974 Is the Tower of Terror still safe at DHS? The GotG at Ellen's Energy has gone quiet. Any movement? Is SWL at DHS going smooth with it's build or any bumps in the road?

 

[WDW1974]

For that matter, a lot of familiar names from LP and this site have disappeared in the last few years. I think Disney's lost its pull for a lot of us who used to be more invested in the brand. That's a good sign for the company's future, right?!

You just grow and change and Disney has disappointed so many of us for so long. I started having issues with WDW upkeep and decisions close to two decades ago. I have likely seen two periods of things hitting rock bottom (2000-03 and then 2007-12) with some improvement following. I have lost a lot of passion for the BRAND, which should worry Disney but absolutely doesn't. The pull isn't there for me, even though I am seeing a lot of micro level improvement at WDW and excited over some major projects like Pandora. Maybe it's just too damn little, too damn late added in with the fact that WDW was once relaxing and now is the exact opposite of that. I dunno.

I am planning on returning this year because of where I live (and because my other half says I will!), but I also have plans to visit every Disney resort in the world (except for one) between now and late fall. That must in some way show the BRAND still has a pull to me, but more likely is because Disney's international product still impresses me more than most of what they do stateside.

DVC and DCL also factor into my dollars going into Disney's vaults.

As to the general loss of interest from other oldtimers, I think a lot of it is people who simply feel the same way and just quietly go away (what Disney would very much like the rest of us to do). The company fundamentally doesn't get why it is where it is or its history and legacy. D23 actually has an event called "Eating Like Walt" and all I can think of is this is the absolute opposite of what they should be doing ... Walt had simple tastes and his favorite recipes have been written in every Pam Brandon cook book out there and trotted out at Food Fests and Fan Fests and ... it just is so disingenuous. D23 (did I just start my own tangent in mid-post because I think I did?) seems to exist to celebrate and glorify a past that current management wants to destroy any remnant remaining and fanbois and bloggers and Lifestylers eat it up at the same time they convince you that Thor and BB-8 and Nemo and Chewie and Hulk are really Disney and the Old Dead Guy Walt would have loved them. (If I could thaw Walt out just to get his reaction to Marvel and Star Wars, I would ... imagine the look on fanbois' faces if he reacted like they were turds!)

Totally off-topic went I.

Back to the Lifestylers, I'm pretty convinced that if Brigante is worth what his court docs claim then a Mongello is likely closer to being a double digit millionaire since he was the first on the gravy train and has become a social media 'expert' (yeah, whatever the hell that is). So, no, they aren't all poverty-stricken or using government disability checks to survive.

 

[WDW1974]

I'm assuming that's family money for Ricky? If not, I need to start a blog.

He went to Gulliver Prep down here in SoFl and that is a very pricey private school where the monied elite send their kids. . ... He claimed that both his lanyard business and his website had equal values both in seven figures. But I am sure his family helped. I always get a kick out of the kids of millionaires and billionaires claiming that they earned everything on their own. The reality in this lifetime is that just doesn't happen ... even the blogger who loved to cry poverty and claim homelessness was coming was getting money from various family members.

 

[WDW1974]

What about the off-ramp from I-4 into the orange garage?

I thought it was the first part of a major project that the state hadn't approved for a totally new interchange. ...Isn't the current deal simply an off-ramp for people coming from O-Town?

BTW, for all the folks who complained about parking at DD for years, I see almost no improvement now when it gets busy and I think it is worse when it isn't. You wind up with everyone becoming a 'California driver' meaning you wind up behind a few drivers who clog traffic up looking for the three open spaces on level one when level three has 200-plus open spaces and the roof is empty. I always wind up behind one wanting to go through or over them as they wait to see whether someone is going out or loading up an SUV with six brats.

 

[WDW1974]

Honestly? Disney doesnt interest me as much now that I'm up north again.... Guess you could say that I'm bored with it. Its not a value anymore.

Value is all perception for individuals. I find WDW a much greater value now than in say 2010. Part of that is owning DVC. Part of that is taking advantage of CMs who get family and other friends in for free and are good for 40% off discounts at restaurants and even my AP wound up being a great value this year with 4 1/2 months added for free since they changed the passes available and you can't renew a pass that didn't exist!

So, WDW is a value to me. But it also is a hassle. And can often be depressing when at places that once meant so much to me ... from WL to EPCOT.

But at retail or anything close? HAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHH!!! BWAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHA!!!!

 

[Stevek]

interested to know if anyone has a favorite podcaster or blogger that they will admit to on here...
when i mow the yard, i throw a few different podcasts on to enjoy... im tired of the ones i listen to

Wedway Radio/Now
The Thirty20Eight
Retro Disney World
...yes, I actually enjoy some of the content despite how annoying Tommy can be
Sweep Spot (mainly Disneyland)

 

[WDW1974]

Perhaps what is turning me off Disney the most is the bloggers and lifestylers. There is a cultish quality to it, like the way they tell horror stories from their time as CMs but then immediately insist that is was the best years of their lives. The nervous, over-enthusiastic way they praise every new parking lot and price hike makes me wonder if The Dear Leader is employing shock collars. I can accept Rohde nodding and smiling obediently because his job is on the line, but everyone else is just unsettling.

I agree on the bloggers, but really don't get the fanboi hate/angst over Joe Rohde. The man is a very talented artist. He is an intellectual (follow his Instagram for some thought provoking stuff). And most of the stuff he has been responsible for has turned out quite well.

I get there's this idea that his research trips are responsible for WDI's crazy costs, but they are so far down the list it isn't even funny.

There's been chatter that he is about to take on a major project at Disney when Pandora wraps and that can only be a good thing. Oh, and he isn't responsible for decisions like Guardians Tower. He's responsible for making it the best it possibly can be after it is forced on him.

 

[WDW1974]

There's nothing going on... no news or anything. Nothing to talk about. So we're left with discussion on whether or not SWL fits and whether or not some low-quality picture shows absolute proof that a parade magically traveled to France on its own.

Nothing against you, Spirit (or anyone else here), just seems like it's been a couple of slow news months. Hoping it'll pick up soon.

Actually, it is the opposite of slow. It is a very busy time with lots of news coming out officially and other stuff leaking ... there is so much more going on in the Disney (and UNI) worlds now. But I guess a lot of people just don't care or don't care as much as they once did. I'm not saying anything is wrong with either feeling.

 

[WDW1974]

I think just the opposite. There is a lot going on..

A Major land is opening..
Disney is on the cusp of the first major transportation change in decades
Multiple Resorts are going under the knife..
Disney Springs continues to build out and open new properties..
Two other major lands are under construction...
Numerous transportation tweaks have been rolling out
Two Theme Parks are basically under major scrutiny for their long term identity...

ETA: The park's biggest fireworks show is changing.. and more!

I think it's one of the more interesting times in WDW in quite a while... but much of it has to do more with long term directions and choices.. and less about 'what do you think of the new XYZ ride' chit chat. From a business perspective and operational stance... it's huge.

Didn't see this before posting, but THIS^^^ ... plenty is going on. And Flynn is only talking about WDW ...

 

[MotherOfBirds]

I agree on the bloggers, but really don't get the fanboi hate/angst over Joe Rohde. The man is a very talented artist. He is an intellectual (follow his Instagram for some thought provoking stuff). And most of the stuff he has been responsible for has turned out quite well.

I get there's this idea that his research trips are responsible for WDI's crazy costs, but they are so far down the list it isn't even funny.

There's been chatter that he is about to take on a major project at Disney when Pandora wraps and that can only be a good thing. Oh, and he isn't responsible for decisions like Guardians Tower. He's responsible for making it the best it possibly can be after it is forced on him.

Agreed on all points. I've a lot of respect for the man and I understand he's in a difficult position.

 

[WDW1974]

I have been lucky enough to never see them at Disney, but there is one place they run rampant now: IAAPA Attraction Expo in November. The first two days of the expos, the press conference are a complete zoo due to the insane number of lifestylers and bloggers that now attend the expo. When I first returned back in 2012, the number was still manageable, but it is now so bad during the first two days that I tend to skip the press conferences entirely and return later to speak with the important people. One thing this year I noticed were a handful of bloggers who were obvious Disney plants or Celebration Plaza approved people that did not seem to grasp that this is a professional expo and that there is a dress code.

In addition to the large companies and obvious things like roller coasters, I am one of the few media that take an interest on the water park side and other things. I am also one of a handful of media who attend the four days plus extra events. I am planning on attending the Asian Attraction Expo in Singapore this year so I can meet different companies and since there will be a lot less media people around, have a better chance at interviews.

Yup. It's just like how every Disney blogger/podcaster/Lifestyler now gets free movie previews and free 'review' copies of every Blu-ray because suddenly these people are all qualified to review films.

Well, they all are clearly industry pros, right? They aren't just at IAAPA for free Dipping Dots and churros, right?

Both of the above are just examples of 'any publicity is good publicity' and why Disney and IAAPA are more than willing to toss out a few crumbs to the online masses out of the idea that it is worth any publicity they gain. ... I am not a regular at IAAPA, but can only imagine someone who attended 15 years ago, and hasn't been since, returning. It's like watching a blogger pretending to be a journalist. Funny and sad at the same time.

On the Disney side for me, the shine is completely off and I only go one or two days a year now when I am in town for IAAPA. I could realistically visit all 6 resorts this year, but I don't have the heart to do it. I already did Tokyo in January, will do Shanghai in October, WDW in November and I could HKDL on the way to or back from Singapore. I have other things to do though and what would it give me honestly? I'll probably have a lot more fun attending a NJPW (japanese pro wrestling) event in Osaka in June versus going to HKDL.

You are one of the few here lucky enough to travel regularly to places beyond the familiar. I don't think it means your opinions don't count, just that you are atypical. Most theme park fans here who have never traveled to Hong Kong are not going to skip HKDL and (unless they are simply Disney addicts) Ocean Park. I lived there and would still not skip them!

 

[flynnibus]

You just grow and change and Disney has disappointed so many of us for so long. I started having issues with WDW upkeep and decisions close to two decades ago. I have likely seen two periods of things hitting rock bottom (2000-03 and then 2007-12) with some improvement following. I have lost a lot of passion for the BRAND, which should worry Disney but absolutely doesn't. The pull isn't there for me, even though I am seeing a lot of micro level improvement at WDW and excited over some major projects like Pandora. Maybe it's just too damn little, too damn late added in with the fact that WDW was once relaxing and now is the exact opposite of that. I dunno.

I am planning on returning this year because of where I live (and because my other half says I will!), but I also have plans to visit every Disney resort in the world (except for one) between now and late fall. That must in some way show the BRAND still has a pull to me, but more likely is because Disney's international product still impresses me more than most of what they do stateside.

DVC and DCL also factor into my dollars going into Disney's vaults.

As to the general loss of interest from other oldtimers, I think a lot of it is people who simply feel the same way and just quietly go away (what Disney would very much like the rest of us to do). The company fundamentally doesn't get why it is where it is or its history and legacy. D23 actually has an event called "Eating Like Walt" and all I can think of is this is the absolute opposite of what they should be doing ... Walt had simple tastes and his favorite recipes have been written in every Pam Brandon cook book out there and trotted out at Food Fests and Fan Fests and ... it just is so disingenuous. D23 (did I just start my own tangent in mid-post because I think I did?) seems to exist to celebrate and glorify a past that current management wants to destroy any remnant remaining and fanbois and bloggers and Lifestylers eat it up at the same time they convince you that Thor and BB-8 and Nemo and Chewie and Hulk are really Disney and the Old Dead Guy Walt would have loved them. (If I could thaw Walt out just to get his reaction to Marvel and Star Wars, I would ... imagine the look on fanbois' faces if he reacted like they were turds!)

Totally off-topic went I.

Back to the Lifestylers, I'm pretty convinced that if Brigante is worth what his court docs claim then a Mongello is likely closer to being a double digit millionaire since he was the first on the gravy train and has become a social media 'expert' (yeah, whatever the hell that is). So, no, they aren't all poverty-stricken or using government disability checks to survive.

What I didn't expect is the new local hot weather girl... a website claims her salary is 1.6mil! What kind of green do you think Lou gets for his tv spots?

 

[HMF]

I agree on the bloggers, but really don't get the fanboi hate/angst over Joe Rohde.

Well, to be fair, Disney is parading him out in front of a camera as the face of the dumbest decision in WDI history.

 

[HMF]

Actually, it is the opposite of slow. It is a very busy time with lots of news coming out officially and other stuff leaking ... there is so much more going on in the Disney (and UNI) worlds now. But I guess a lot of people just don't care or don't care as much as they once did. I'm not saying anything is wrong with either feeling.

Well, most of what I am hearing doesn't get me excited, it makes me angry.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I think the bloom is off the rose for a lot of the Disney podcasters. Maybe I'm confusing commonality with causality, but I think the community as a whole started to fade/drift apart when the original WDW Today group retired. Their annual events seemed to rally much of that community, and serve as a common base, if not a glue.
The group at DISUnplugged still seem to be maintaining their level of popularity, but they always seemed to be a bit apart from the rest of community, anyway.
I know there's not a lot of love around these parts for Jim Hill, but I really enjoy Disney Dish, and I'll listen to just about anything upon which he and/or @lentesta make a guest appearance.
Tom C's show is the complete unmistakable garbage it's always been, and I don't think Ricky podcasts at all now.
Lou? He seems like a nice enough guy, but all of that saccharin sweetness can get to be too much. Whenever he posts a review of anything, I roll my eyes and think, "Don't tell me; let me guess. It was all the best stuff ever, and you loved everything." Not the most helpful of reviews, IMO.

I heard The E-Ticket Report is a good "debate style" show.