Disney's "Summer to Remember"

[Mawg]

The same few people who tend to constantly complain about WDW (but still are on here everyday posting instaed of on a Universal or Seaworld fan site) are on here complaining about a non event that every single person on these boards knew was a non event...wow, you 'guys' look rather desperate. You're trying a bit too hard to find stuff to complain about. Rather pathetic.

Yes, but the squeaky wheel does get the grease. I for one love Disney World and the sense that I’ve left the real world when I’m there. But, negative feedback keeps executives from sitting back thinking we don’t need to do anything and can invest the money in other things.

 

[wdwmagic]

Yet your news post with the AoA room video has zero replies. All the other bits of news from this media event are what people are focusing on here.

Because the audience of WDWMAGIC is very different to the masses, most of who have no idea that AoA is opening up soon. I think people often lose track of the fact that Disney have to market to people who are completely uninformed.

 

[devoy1701]

To educate people who don't spend every minute of the day pouring over every detail of WDW. In particular, Art of Animation Resort - a MASSIVE new hotel that is 1 month away from opening.

Will those who don't pour over every detail of WDW daily care that a new resort is opening in a month? I don't think the new resort is going to make ppl book a vacation. Unless the thought is 'WOW SeaWorld has this new Turtle Attraction opening! Oh, and we can stay at that new Disney resort I heard about when we go visit SeaWorld!"

 

[wdwmagic]

But Disney's blameless for overselling this thing as the "Summer to Remember"?

Their media "events" have become such a joke, I'm amazed these PR folks keep their jobs.

If it were not for Twitter and people clambering for any bit of info they can get their hands on, the Summer to Remember would not even have hit the radar. Attraction announcements are nothing to do with PR folks. They job here was to inform about AoA and the attractions opening up to support that - i.e. FLE and Test Track.

 

[TP2000]

Phineas and Ferb, I really think you should go to Disneyland this summer where things get done.

The Phineas & Ferb Rockin' Rollin' Dance Party has been performing daily at Disneyland Resort since last summer. It's a wildly popular little parade/show, and the general consensus seems to be that it's such a big hit with the California audience that a version should be brought out to WDW.


Phineas & Ferb at Disney California Adventure Park by Reto Kurmann, on Flickr

I have no doubt a WDW version of Phineas & Ferb's Rockin' Rollin' Dance Party will be sent out to Florida for the Summer To Remember promotion.

This was the "Holiday Edition" of the Phineas & Ferb show they did last Christmastime in a clip from the Disney Parks Blog, but they've also got a regular version that debuted last summer that I'm sure will be sent to WDW this summer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc2jhTnBVgg&feature=relmfu

 

[TP2000]

Because the audience of WDWMAGIC is very different to the masses, most of who have no idea that AoA is opening up soon. I think people often lose track of the fact that Disney have to market to people who are completely uninformed.

I think your point about today's "event" being a main catalyst for getting info out about AoA is a very valid one, and we do often lose sight of the fact that 99.5% of visitors to WDW don't obsess over stuff to the extent website fans do.

But I also have to wonder why they felt the need to wrap the AoA press releases into a "Summer To Remember" marketing gimmick? As a way to get local media to cover the AoA news in their hometown papers or news shows, perhaps? (I'm giving TDO's marketing team the benefit of the doubt there.)

 

[TalkingHead]

If it were not for Twitter and people clambering for any bit of info they can get their hands on, the Summer to Remember would not even have hit the radar. Attraction announcements are nothing to do with PR folks. They job here was to inform about AoA and the attractions opening up to support that - i.e. FLE and Test Track.

Why the name "Summer to Remember," though?

"Summer of Magic" or "Summer of Dreams" are horrible, too, but at least they don't oversell what's going on this summer at WDW.

If PR isn't in charge of these sorts of things, who is?

 

[Mawg]

The Phineas & Ferb Rockin' Rollin' Dance Party has been performing daily at Disneyland Resort since last summer. It's a wildly popular little parade/show, and the general consensus seems to be that it's such a big hit with the California audience that a version should be brought out to WDW.


Phineas & Ferb at Disney California Adventure Park by Reto Kurmann, on Flickr

I have no doubt a WDW version of Phineas & Ferb's Rockin' Rollin' Dance Party will be sent out to Florida for the Summer To Remember promotion.

This was the "Holiday Edition" of the Phineas & Ferb show they did last Christmastime in a clip from the Disney Parks Blog, but they've also got a regular version that debuted last summer that I'm sure will be sent to WDW this summer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sc2jhTnBVgg&feature=relmfu

That wasn't the point of my Post. I was refering to the link to the video about Phineas & Ferb wanting to know what you want to do this summer. We'll I'm going to Disneyland to see a long construction project that is now complete. That'll be a Summer to remember. Or, I could go to Disney World and see all the things that aren't done yet and wish they were not as much as a summer to remember but a summer to look forward to in 2014.

 

[rodserling27]

Go on... name names...

Martin for some reason I pictured you doing this after you read his little thing:

Yes, but the squeaky wheel does get the grease. I for one love Disney World and the sense that I’ve left the real world when I’m there. But, negative feedback keeps executives from sitting back thinking we don’t need to do anything and can invest the money in other things.

This is very true. Saying nothing is the worst possible thing anyone could do.

If it were not for Twitter and people clambering for any bit of info they can get their hands on, the Summer to Remember would not even have hit the radar. Attraction announcements are nothing to do with PR folks. They job here was to inform about AoA and the attractions opening up to support that - i.e. FLE and Test Track.

I concur to the bolded type. I only heard about it from a tweet/facebook posting by Inside The Magic. Otherwise, it would have gone completely unnoticed. But I'm not excusing them for lack of new things...

Forgive my rant, but why exactly are we clamoring for new things right now? We have quite a few exciting things on the way...are they blockbuster E-Ticket attractions? Well no. . .maybe Avatarland will be. . . but honestly, given the recent history of the people running this company, are you all really that surprised that nothing "new" or "improved" got announced for the immediate future?

 

[TalkingHead]

I wouldn't define the local coverage as "huge"... it's a perception I guess, but yeah.. not 'huge'... it's one attraction, and it's old tech...

Now, when the arctic attraction at seaworld opens.. That'll be 'huge'

What's the old tech? I was under the impression TurtleTrek represented new tech, at least for Orlando.

From the Sentinel article:

>> SeaWorld Orlando debuts today a movie format not seen anywhere else in the world, part of a high-tech boomlet at the marine-oriented theme park.

The new TurtleTrek attraction includes a 3-D, computer-generated film projected on the inside of a dome, giving visitors a 360-degree view of a virtual undersea environment. <<

 

[menamechris]

The same few people who tend to constantly complain about WDW (but still are on here everyday posting-even though they think WDW is so flawed these days-instead of on a Universal or Seaworld fan site) are on here complaining about a non event that every single person on these boards knew was a non event. Wow, you 'guys' (or girls) look rather desperate. You're trying a bit too hard to find stuff to complain about. Rather pathetic.

You're right. Criticism of WDW is completely unwarranted. Right? Amazing things are happening and ground breaking, exciting, innovative experiences are being developed all over Orlando....except at Disney. Pretty and cute? Yes, Disney wins the gold star. And to know this is all WDW seems to have intention of accomplishing in the next few years, while the competition up the road gets serious...is less than exciting. I think all of us want to cheer for Disney...but I think many are scratching their heads and asking 'what for' when most new and exciting experiences are happening elsewhere. Does that mean I hate Disney? No. It just means I expect more.

 

[wdw71fan]

What's the old tech? I was under the impression TurtleTrek represented new tech, at least for Orlando.

From the Sentinel article:

>> SeaWorld Orlando debuts today a movie format not seen anywhere else in the world, part of a high-tech boomlet at the marine-oriented theme park.

The new TurtleTrek attraction includes a 3-D, computer-generated film projected on the inside of a dome, giving visitors a 360-degree view of a virtual undersea environment. <<

it's older tech executed in a new way... I wouldn't call it innovative.

 

[devoy1701]

it's older tech executed in a new way... I wouldn't call it innovative.

great...not new and innovative... So why haven't we received this tech at Soarin' yet?

 

[GLaDOS]

it's older tech executed in a new way... I wouldn't call it innovative.

Using something in a new way certainly is innovative.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I prefer the corps-has a nice ring to it.

Don't forget about the merch previews. Half those unemployed bloggers probably supplement their income in that stuff, yay Duffy vinyls!

LOL... I like that... corps... Get a shirt made, now!!

 

[Captain Chaos]

And kudos must be given to finally opening the resort that was halted through no fault of TDOs. Even if the theming may not to be everyone's liking, moreso the fact its appealing to and aiming to help the value level of the market and not the DVC.

I think the theming of AoA is fantastic, to be honest... I think it's a nice looking hotel and I give them kudos for coming up with this design...

The same few people who tend to constantly complain about WDW (but still are on here everyday posting-even though they think WDW is so flawed these days-instead of on a Universal or Seaworld fan site) are on here complaining about a non event that every single person on these boards knew was a non event. Wow, you 'guys' (or girls) look rather desperate. You're trying a bit too hard to find stuff to complain about. Rather pathetic.

What's even more pathetic, honestly, is excepting mediocrity... And the people who defend it are just as pathetic.. Have you had your daily dose of pixie dust??? If not, I hear a former NJ lawyer is ready to pass a ton of it out, after he finished his free meals, hawks his free Disney merchandise, and brags how magical Disney World is... And how great all the NEW offerings coming to Disney will be... And unlike you, I'll name names of the pixie dust snorters....

 

[lazyboy97o]

Indeed. It's so sad, almost annoying, that this none event was just a feeble PR spin attempt to distract attention away from Seaworlds new Turtle Trek which opened today, and Universals new day and night entertainment this summer. And also to distract attention away from the fact that WDW has nothing new to offer this summer, entertainment or otherwise.

Which is the sort of tactic that Disney fans used to laugh about because it was so clear the competition had so little to really offer.

The internet once again is to blame for a lot of the hype-of-nothing though. The whole Summer to Remember was not meant to be a public slogan for the summer. It was a name given to a media event. The internet people then post that around, and before you know it, WDW now has a big huge 'Summer to Remember".

I believe the real purpose of this event was to get eyes and ears onto the fact that Art of Animation is opening up in a months time. The FLE and TT are side dishes to that. The focus here was not new attraction announcements.

If Disney wanted a general media presentation for the public at large, and not the fans, then there was no need to get the fan sites involved in the first place.

 

[PlaneJane]

I think the theming of AoA is fantastic, to be honest... I think it's a nice looking hotel and I give them kudos for coming up with this design..

I do think its a better theme than POP what it was going to be called "the golden years" or something like that what were the 30's and 40's going to be war and depression?

 

[Captain Chaos]

I do think its a better theme than POP what it was going to be called "the golden years" or something like that what were the 30's and 40's going to be war and depression?

War and depression, no that's the last 10 years LOL... 2001 - 2011

 

[AmongMadPeople]

If Disney wanted a general media presentation for the public at large, and not the fans, then there was no need to get the fan sites involved in the first place.

Fan sites are media, and they play a big role in disseminating news. They just cater to a high affinity market, whereas general news media caters to casual travelers, families who go as a rite of passage for their kids.

Whether or not you consider today news is a different story, and what a lot of people seem upset about. Art of Animation, new rooms at Riverside (which I'm not sure has happened yet, since I haven't seen posting about them) those are exciting pieces of information for casual travelers. People posting on a site like WDWMagic aren't just casual travelers, so that information doesn't cause excitement here. But Test Track update, Be Our Guest sneak peak, that caters to guests who are plugged into the company. (ETA, really all these topics can be interesting to anyone, but how different types of guests interpret them can vary wildly) I am the only one who feels like today produced some interesting information? I didn't have expectations or high hopes, so I'm not disappointed by what we did get.

Also, is there a Summer to Remember marketing campaign? I think we're blurring the line between marketing campaign and industry event. This seems like an industry event and the industry happens to be related to marketing.