Al Lutz says TDA doesn't want MSE back

[DisneyParksFan1]

No, you will find much more factual information from the insiders on this site than you will in any of Kevin Yee's articles, some of which are nothing more than a recap of what was discussed in these forums.....

I agree. I've found that the insiders on this site are very reliable.

So I guess IMO, the WDWMagic forums is the insider for WDW.

 

[wm49rs]

I agree. I've found that the insiders on this site are very reliable.

So I guess IMO, the WDWMagic forums is the insider for WDW.

I think you can find a good deal of what is reported here on other sites and in the "mainstream media" quite often. Steve, Raven, Lee, Marti, et al have built a very good reputation, and deservedly so. I've seen some of the other sites and forums out there, and very rarely can they bring to the table what is found on WDWMagic......

 

[DisneyParksFan1]

I think you can find a good deal of what is "reported" here on other sites and in the "mainstream media" quite often. Steve, Raven, Lee, Marti, et al have built a very good reputation, and deservedly so. I've seen some of the other sites and forums out there, and very rarely can they bring to the table what is found on WDWMagic......

I completely agree. It makes you proud to be a part of such a forum.

 

[DisneyNut2007]

See, but backstage/infrastrcture isn't my problem as a guest. If I have to shell out nearly $80 for a day ticket to MK or DL, I get better value at DL because the park is cleaner and better kept, there are more attractions, the attractions are regularly improved/plussed, there is more entertainment by a landslide, and the food is better.

The fact that WDW has more infrastructure to maintain is of little importance to guests when comparing the quality of the parks in California vs. Florida.

Paging Kaos, paging Kaos...

 

[RSoxNo1]

Then I'm guessing Kevin Yee is the closest thing to an official insider we have for WDW?

Also, MSEP was upgraded at WDW? I thought it was the exact same thing from DCA. I'm not doubting you, simply curious.

Kevin Yee does have some inside sources, but most of his work stems from having an understanding of how the parks work (He worked out Disneyland for years). Most of his articles are speculative, he's a smart guy so he can deduce things pretty accurately in terms of "why is Disney doing this", but in terms of rumors, he's not a particularly strong source.

 

[DisneyNut2007]

Kevin Yee does have some inside sources, but most of his work stems from having an understanding of how the parks work (He worked out Disneyland for years). Most of his articles are speculative, he's a smart guy so he can deduce things pretty accurately in terms of "why is Disney doing this"...

I can't agree with that.

Yee is nothing more than an overly-nihilistic blogger who takes delight in being mean and hateful for no reason. Just like Lutz.

 

[zifster]

Its doubled the nightly capacity for DCA. Its so successful that they are planning on extending the annual hours for the park.

LOL. No comment. :hammer:

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Kevin Yee does have some inside sources, but most of his work stems from having an understanding of how the parks work (He worked out Disneyland for years). Most of his articles are speculative, he's a smart guy so he can deduce things pretty accurately in terms of "why is Disney doing this", but in terms of rumors, he's not a particularly strong source.

To his credit, I don't think he presents himself as "the rumor guy". Al's articles are almost entirely backstage grumbling and future plans, but most of the things that Kevin reports on are accessible to the average guest.

 

[TP2000]

He's covering his butt, because the MSEP was never supposed to go back to California this year.

Then why did this WDW Parade manager say what he did about packing it back up and sending it back to California at the end of summer in this WDW video?

WDW Parade Manager Guy (official title) "We are running this for 10 weeks. At 10 weeks and 1 day, I start to cut wires and figure out how to get it back to California"

Skip to the 3:15 mark of this promotional video for the information about sending the Electrical Parade back to California at the end of the summer... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucXHPX4Ozh0&feature=player_embedded

In addition to that off the cuff remark, at the beginning of summer the official Disneyland.com calendar for the Christmas season at DCA had nightly showings of the Electrical Parade scheduled for the Thanksgiving week, and then again for the weeks around Christmas. Then that winter run of the Electrical Parade was removed from the Disneyland.com website in July. Kind of odd, don't you think?

It appears that at least some levels of the Disney organization were planning on getting the Electrical Parade back to DCA this winter. But that plan has obviously changed.

 

[TP2000]

Al is right for the most part and the article is dead on target. DCA doesn't need the parade any longer and it would just complicate things during the construction. Disneyland is getting a wonderful new parade next year that looks like it will be as good as anything they have ever done. The have Fantasmic, the nightly fireworks, and now World of Color and Glowfest at night. All in two parks. All of this is the outcome of YEARS of planning and spending and updating etc. Before 2004 the Disneyland resort was really hurting vs WDW. Now they have risen to the challenge of the APers and continued to raise the bar over the past 5 years.

Need examples? Look at the massive number of little upgrades to attractions that they "overdid" in execution. The reopening of the castle walk-thru is absolutely wonderful. Even just recently the upgrades to the effects in SW. Pixie Hollow here vs. WDW. Same idea but a completely different level of execution. Look at Peter Pans Flight?!!!!!! I cannot even ride it at WDW anymore because the difference in the experience is so poor compared to DL.

Yup, that pretty much sums it up.

Tonight I visited Disneyland for a few hours with friends. I rode the newly upgraded Snow White's Scary Adventures for the first time. You know what Tony Baxter just did??? He added these really cool digital projection effects to the entire transforming witch scene and the finale' scene where the witch dies. It looks AMAZING and has totally buffed up and polished up a silly little dark ride. There was no press release, no big merchandise push, not even a mention on the Disney Parks Blog. Only Al Lutz mentioned it a few months ago, and now it's installed, and it's fabulous. At a silly little dark ride that has been there in several different formats since 1955. Just because it's a better show for the few hundred people per hour that go on that little dark ride in a little corner of the park.

And this is on top of the snazzy 21st century version of Peter Pan's Flight across the way, and the other audio and digital upgrades the four other Fantasyland dark rides have gotten in the past few years. Snow White's digital projection technology is just the latest, and certainly not the last.

I have no idea why WDW management has no interest or ability to get these types of minor yet noticeably superior upgrades added to their rides. You go on Peter Pan at WDW and you would swear that Richard Nixon was still in the White House and the maintenance team has been calling in sick for the past year. :lol:

It's just absolutely bizarre how differently the two properties are being managed and operated right now. As someone who visits Disneyland at least twice per month, I've lost track of the number of times I've personally seen John Lasseter running around Disneyland as a guest, usually with his family and an exasperated tour guide in tow. And I don't even know who the executive Imagineer is in charge of the Magic Kingdom. Tony Baxter owns Disneyland and spreads TLC over it liberally, while Bob Weis is in charge of the 1.2 Billion Dollar DCA Makeover. But who is in charge of Magic Kingdom's TLC and random upgrades? It certainly isn't Meg Crofton.

It's just bizarre how the two properties owned by the same company can turn out so differently.

 

[Kamikaze]

See...this is business culture within Disney that I simply do not understand!

How is it beneficial to WDC as a whole to have the heads of the respective 'coasts' sniping at one another and belittling what is essentially their own product!?

I understand you want your particular interests to thrive...but what purpose does it serve to undermine your associates? Especially publically?

Al Lutz does not work for or represent The Walt Disney Company

 

[wdwmagic]

Then why did this WDW Parade manager say what he did about packing it back up and sending it back to California at the end of summer in this WDW video?

WDW Parade Manager Guy (official title) "We are running this for 10 weeks. At 10 weeks and 1 day, I start to cut wires and figure out how to get it back to California"

Skip to the 3:15 mark of this promotional video for the information about sending the Electrical Parade back to California at the end of the summer... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucXHPX4Ozh0&feature=player_embedded

In addition to that off the cuff remark, at the beginning of summer the official Disneyland.com calendar for the Christmas season at DCA had nightly showings of the Electrical Parade scheduled for the Thanksgiving week, and then again for the weeks around Christmas. Then that winter run of the Electrical Parade was removed from the Disneyland.com website in July. Kind of odd, don't you think?

It appears that at least some levels of the Disney organization were planning on getting the Electrical Parade back to DCA this winter. But that plan has obviously changed.

Because it was a PR video that was designed to give people the impression that it was a limited summer run. That's also why all the publicity material had an end date of Aug 15.

 

[wdwmagic]

And I don't even know who the executive Imagineer is in charge of the Magic Kingdom. Tony Baxter owns Disneyland and spreads TLC over it liberally, while Bob Weis is in charge of the 1.2 Billion Dollar DCA Makeover. But who is in charge of Magic Kingdom's TLC and random upgrades? It certainly isn't Meg Crofton.

It's just bizarre how the two properties owned by the same company can turn out so differently.

Eric Jacobson is the MK lead WDI.

 

[peter11435]

Because it was a PR video that was designed to give people the impression that it was a limited summer run. That's also why all the publicity material had an end date of Aug 15.

Exactly. The PR machine at Disney works well. The parade was never intended to end its Florida run in August. Did anyone notice that MSEP is on the cover of the current park maps. The Orlando parks only reciece new park maps 4 times a year. The next batch will not be out until September. If the parade were to be leaving in August it would never have been shown on the cover as that would mean it would still be on the cover a month after it left.

 

[Tigger1988]

Then why did this WDW Parade manager say what he did about packing it back up and sending it back to California at the end of summer in this WDW video?

WDW Parade Manager Guy (official title) "We are running this for 10 weeks. At 10 weeks and 1 day, I start to cut wires and figure out how to get it back to California"

Skip to the 3:15 mark of this promotional video for the information about sending the Electrical Parade back to California at the end of the summer... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucXHPX4Ozh0&feature=player_embedded

In addition to that off the cuff remark, at the beginning of summer the official Disneyland.com calendar for the Christmas season at DCA had nightly showings of the Electrical Parade scheduled for the Thanksgiving week, and then again for the weeks around Christmas. Then that winter run of the Electrical Parade was removed from the Disneyland.com website in July. Kind of odd, don't you think?

It appears that at least some levels of the Disney organization were planning on getting the Electrical Parade back to DCA this winter. But that plan has obviously changed.

You aren't aware how PR and marketing work do you? They wanted to get guests down for the "Summer Nighttastic" return of the parade and "New" fireworks (which were just old Pirate and Princess party fireworks). Grab guests with the "LIMITED TIME ONLY" label and then bust out with the "due to popular demand..." extension. The parade was never seriously going to be packed up again after being there for 2 months.

 

[Captain Chaos]

:lookaroun

Hopefully it's for the 40th!

Soon means 10 years from know.. You know, can't ruin those once in a lifetime vacations during the next 10 years!!!!

 

[TP2000]

Because it was a PR video that was designed to give people the impression that it was a limited summer run. That's also why all the publicity material had an end date of Aug 15.

Wow. I've never seen Disney ask their lower management to outright lie like that to media. This guy in the video is a complete liar then, if he knew there were no plans whatsoever to pack up the parade after the 10 week run.

That's a pretty bold move on Disney's part to push their operations management in front of media cameras and ask them to lie to the public, all captured on video for eternity.

.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Wow. I've never seen Disney ask their lower management to outright lie like that to media. This guy in the video is a complete liar then, if he knew there were no plans whatsoever to pack up the parade after the 10 week run.

That's a pretty bold move on Disney's part to push their operations management in front of media cameras and ask them to lie to the public, all captured on video for eternity.

.

No one in the company will ever admit they were bluffing on this. They can just say that "popular demand" forced them to extend the run, if hardcore fans try to call them out on it. Obviously, none of us are in a position to disprove that.

But I agree that common sense says the parade was never going to be shipped across the country for a summer engagement, then shipped right back for Christmas. It would have been a goofy thing to do under any circumstances, but when you consider the glut of nighttime entertainment at DLR right now and all the construction at DCA, it makes a lot of sense for WDW to keep the parade for now. I think the writing was always on the wall for this extension, whatever the "official" word was.

I do hope the parade makes its way back to DLR someday...but not to DCA, and not as "Disney's Electrical Parade." It belongs on Main Street.

 

[TP2000]

No one in the company will ever admit they were bluffing on this. They can just say that "popular demand" forced them to extend the run, if hardcore fans try to call them out on it. Obviously, none of us are in a position to disprove that.

But I agree that common sense says the parade was never going to be shipped across the country for a summer engagement, then shipped right back for Christmas. It would have been a goofy thing to do under any circumstances, but when you consider the glut of nighttime entertainment at DLR right now and all the construction at DCA, it makes a lot of sense for WDW to keep the parade for now. I think the writing was always on the wall for this extension, whatever the "official" word was.

Yeah, now that World of Color is such a huge hit (I've seen it four times and LOVE IT!), DCA really doesn't need this night parade. It would just get in the way, especially with the big Mermaid building under construction directly opposite Paradise Park with the parade route running in between. Check out the pics in the Al Lutz update to see how tight a squeeze that area is!

I've just never seen Disney tell their front line operations management to lie through their teeth to a media camera before. PR schmooze from a spokesman with carefully worded corporate "talking points" is one thing, and Disney does great at that. But to get some shop manager down on the parade warehouse floor to lie to media cameras about his plans to pack up the parade again after a 10 week run???? That's a new low for Disney, if it's really what they asked this guy to do for the cameras.

.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

I've just never seen Disney tell their front line operations management to lie through their teeth to a media camera before. PR schmooze from a spokesman with carefully worded corporate "talking points" is one thing, and Disney does great at that. But to get some shop manager down on the parade warehouse floor to lie to media cameras about his plans to pack up the parade again after a 10 week run???? That's a new low for Disney, if it's really what they asked this guy to do for the cameras.

.

If it makes you feel any better, it wouldn't surprise me if front line managers were as in the dark about the "real" plans as the rest of us. Maybe the guy really believed his assignment was to send the parade back after a couple months. :shrug:

(In which case, the only true prevaricators would be the big, bad suits...and it seems everybody already hates them, anyway.) :lol: