A Terror-rific Spirited 13th (ToT fans have lots to fear)...

[Pam Hates Penguins]

Should we start building a wall in front of the Mexico pavilion

If the American and Mexico pavilions were right next to each other:

Haha. Trump2016.

 

[Phil12]

Then there are the animatronic figures. Olaf is a non-human figure. His motions have no comparative basis, so they immediately look appropriate. The human characters though have sticks for limbs and their spindly arms flail about as though there marionettes. This weird flailing is made worse by the fluidity of the projected faced, which themselves create an odd glow and seams along the sides of their faces as though all of the characters have all had the same botched face lift.

It's because Elsa (and the entire family) have mystical powers far greater than what we have seen in the first film. These powers make them move in ways that may seem odd to you, but to little girls they move just fine.

 

[WDW1974]

The thing is, when you disregard theme, it's no longer a theme park. It's in the name.

I would argue that many Disney theme parks -- with the MK at the top of the list -- are absolutely not theme parks anymore. The MK's seven ... oops, now we're back to six ... themed lands are not. They are simply different costumes worn by the same cast of characters.

What story does Liberty Square tell? What story does Tomorrowland? How is Main Street different from Disney Springs?

Worse, most people have no clue what it is that they're missing.

 

[WDW1974]

Both fans of EPCOT and of Frozen got the short end of the stick. EPCOT's integrity is undermined (Frozen in WS is akin to Baloo the Bear showing up in Pirates of the Caribbean), while Disney now has to serve a massive demand and even bigger expectation with a low capacity ride in a what is at best a semi-Frozen area.

If Tokyo and Anaheim open killer Frozen areas, with high capacity, the issue may be raised again whether Frozen shouldn't get a presence elsewhere.

Poor EPCOT though will never recover, it will get worse, sitting on the brink of being turned into superhero princess land, which on a spreadsheet covers multiple demographics so well, including the diehard fan, who will forgive everything because Dreamfinder returns in Imagination 3.0.

Agree with everything above except the latter, which I realize was tongue in cheek. I know of no serious plans to return Dreamfinder in anything beyond comics and retro tees. Fanbois may think Disney cares about what is largely viewed as an unimportant and obscure character from the past, but it doesn't.

 

[WDW1974]

Considering I lived there and was at the opening of EPCOT, I know exactly what it was. That ship has sailed and likely never coming back. I may not like it, but I'm a realist about what I can change and what I can't. So instead of getting my blood pressure up over it, I enjoy the attraction for what it is.

And apologies, I never meant to belittle anyone.

I enjoy EPCOT for what it is today too: the largest outdoor bar in FL and a place to get some decent, but overrated and very overpriced meal with some way kewl fireworks at the end of the night. But the idea that there couldn't be an EPCOT Center 2.0 is laughable. If there could be a DCA 2.0, then there absolutely could be a new, fixed and relevant EC that didn't revolve around misplaced toons, superheros and other IP.

What's missing? Not simply visionary leadership, but leadership that gives a damn.

 

[WDW1974]

Actually, it does seem you want to argue about films.

No, no I don't.

I get the prevailing fanboi BS 'tude, which is "I've always been a Marvel fan" and "I love everything they do" and "They only make great films and if you don't like any of them, especially crap like Avengers AoU, there's something wrong with you" and "Spidey and Hulk and Thor are as Disney as Mickey, Minnie and Donald" etc.

My 'tude is simply enjoy what you will, but I don't want every thread devolving into a discussion of box office.

 

[WDW1974]

@WDW1974 Have you heard any rumblings about the Weatherman getting a contract extension past 2018??

That seems to be a popular rumor in the Disney Twitverse. I was in LA recently for a little TV awards show and talked to more than one industry type and that doesn't seem likely. Although he'd like it, I believe. Wall Street would too, although I am beginning to see some tarnish on him over issues like ESPN, Shanghai delays etc.

The worst thing is that some analysts act like there isn't anyone out there who could do the job, which is the same BS that was heard when Michael Eisner started becoming long in the tooth. A decade at the top is plenty.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Leave for a few days ... and the inmates trash the asylum. I'd love to catch up ... back on page 40-something, but I have no desire tor arguing with trolls who want to rip Walt (if someone is blatantly trolling, report them to the mods, folks, unless you want to read more crap and less substance) and argue about films etc.

I'm planning on being around through the earnings call because I love watching people with unnatural connections to BRANDS and corporations acting like Cubs fans after 108 years.

BTW, make sure when you see Dr. Strange that you stay until after the credits for the scene

Spoiler

with Thor because every Marvel film is simply a preview of the next.

Please put this in a spoiler tag otherwise @PhotoDave219 will yell at you.

 

[RSoxNo1]

How much marketing do they do for ANY meet-greet-and-gropes?

When Princesses are involved it at least gets a mention on the Parks Blog.

 

[WDWBear84]

@WDW1974 What do you think about universal take at magic bands at Volcano Bay?

 

[RSoxNo1]

Should we start building a wall in front of the Mexico pavilion

@WDW1974's favorite blogger Derek Burgan already did it.

Warning, political satire in this post:
SATURDAY SIX 2016 Election Special: A look at how Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton as President could affect Walt Disney World
http://blog.touringplans.com/2016/11/05/s6_electionspecial/

 

[WDW1974]

Universal isn't all that happy about the paper box that is stocked with Daily Bugle newspapers (Spider-man) and clearly mentions Daredevil (ad for The Law Firm of Nelson & Murdock) on the front that is part of the new theming for the area of the M&G.

My only question would be who at UNI is saying this? I trust YOU (we need to talk soon!) I know that UNI loves to use its PR people, especially top folks like Tom Schroder and Alyson Lundell to leak things to bloggers/Lifestylers/podcasters and I don't trust anything that comes from them. They may be lesser known that Dr. Blondie and Scary Steven and Bland Tommy from Celebration Place, but they are every bit the operators. They know what to leak and to whom and play favorites with people they control.

Anyway, I have no idea whether using something like the Bugle is a no-no. I'd assume both Disney and UNI know. And I don't believe Disney is testing Comcast. Disney may own Marvel, but that is like me owning your home, but you having lifetime rights to live there provided you don't do something like open a crack den or paint it purple. The basic tenets of the deal are ironclad.

 

[WDW1974]

You didn't have to go and ruin it right before I see it...

I haven't seen it either. And I didn't ruin anything. I just said stay for the bonus (but expected and trite) scene after the credits ... unless you have to pee badly!

 

[WDW1974]

I vaguely remember a modicum of branded marketing surrounding the Star Wars Launch Bay.

I know (sigh),.....Star Wars!

Launch Bay is a different animal. It really is a commercial for the BRAND and designed to move merchandise, which still winds up at the local outlet stores as Derek Burgan is quick to report on. BTW, the stuff may well sell at full price, but the sheer volume of it at outlet stores from coast to coast and at DL's Company D/Property Control does give pause.

 

[WDW1974]

What little story there is, is a complete mess with no flow. The entire attraction is an excuse to play the biggest hits from the soundtrack, with the most focus obviously being placed in "Let it Go." To try and avoid the narrative problems of The Little Mermaid, this best hits collection is reformatted to take place after Frozen and Frozen Fever. So instead of randomly jumping between the songs of the film without the film's narrative, the songs have been rewritten and negated of their original meaning and context while still requiring the viewer to be familiar with Frozen to give the borrowed musical elements cache. The film does not present "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?," "For the First Time in Forever," and "Let it Go" as diegetic songs but somehow they are now all known to all of the characters. The context "For the First Time in Forever" and "Let it Go" also suggest soliloquy, meaning these two characters and their struggle which defines the main narrative of Frozen has been reduced catchy "Welcome" tunes.

Outside of the queue and load area, the sets are almost non-existent. There is a lot of fake snow and walls, and rather bare walls at that. Many of those bare walls are, in practice, screens on which projects are shown. To call the projections projection mapping would be a big stretch as the surface and flat and bare, whereas projection mapping requires a three dimensional surface to which the projection conforms. These projections, along with some lighting effects, all show the same snow / ice / snowflake effects and imagery over and over and over and over and over. There is no development of them, they just repeat.

Then there are the animatronic figures. Olaf is a non-human figure. His motions have no comparative basis, so they immediately look appropriate. The human characters though have sticks for limbs and their spindly arms flail about as though there marionettes. This weird flailing is made worse by the fluidity of the projected faced, which themselves create an odd glow and seams along the sides of their faces as though all of the characters have all had the same botched face lift.

Interesting review. I still haven't ridden it, but only one friend who has has said it is anything better than mediocre. And he has an Olaf fetish.

Comcast cannot file suit. They can only seek arbitration in New York.

Yes. Thanks. Good catch. ... But it does not appear anything is happening on that front. ... I just find it very hard to believe that Disney is looking to push things and see how far it can go. They don't really want to spend more on attractions for WDW anyway. And they are pretty free to use Marvel elsewhere, including HKDL where the Iron Man Experience (which looks ready to open) has been pushed to January.

 

[WDW1974]

So do I, but we don't have inside top level people like you and @marni1971 do, and yet you couldn't change anything either. If y'all can't make the change, how can we lowly internet people?

And sorry, don't mean to tell anyone how to feel or what to do.

Not going to speak to Martin as he is capable of doing so. I am quite capable of causing a stir and getting attention and making people stand up and react ... sometimes even act. But the type of change you are speaking of isn't something that can be done via the Internet, even if you had hundreds of thousands of voices saying the same.

But that doesn't mean the voices are not important. They are. And they are often heard.

 

[WDW1974]

Please put this in a spoiler tag otherwise @PhotoDave219 will yell at you.

Nah, he only cares about Star Wars.

 

[WDW1974]

@WDW1974 What do you think about universal take at magic bands at Volcano Bay?

Not much. Not surprising. I'll let you know more after the park opens.

 

[WDW1974]

@WDW1974's favorite blogger Derek Burgan already did it.

Warning, political satire in this post:
SATURDAY SIX 2016 Election Special: A look at how Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton as President could affect Walt Disney World
http://blog.touringplans.com/2016/11/05/s6_electionspecial/

Looks like must reading to me ...

 

[flynnibus]

BTW, make sure when you see Dr. Strange that you stay until after the credits for the scene with Thor because every Marvel film is simply a preview of the next.

Just got back from watching it. A good movie, but not great. I give it a B+... knocked down by the subject matter because it just loses all connection with the real world.. making it hard to stretch as 'concievable'/believable.

I did like the Thor teaser... more so than the second one. I liked Hemsworth in GB too.. so take it for what you will

Rogue One trailer in IMAX is a good tease..