Floridians: Go see DL, Boycott WDW

[dreamscometrue]

I am and have been a pass holder for DL for the last 10 years. Before the 50th Disneyland was in disrepair. Not so much that I would compair it to Six Flags. I recently visited WDW last october and was amazed in the condition and overall experence with in all 4 parks as well as the resorts and hotels. So much that I am visiting again in December 2007. I find both parks to be in great shape, and couln't see anyone ever boycotting!

Great to hear. The Disney parks all are amazing; best theme parks in the world without any peers.

 

[kcnole]

If both of the stretch rooms don't work, or you don't want to spend the labor to run them and staff the extra CM's, then just shut the ride down.

Because it would of course be so much better for those paying guests to not be able to enjoy the rest of the mansion at all. Maybe a part was down in them and they were having to wait on it to come in to fix it. You can rest assured that it seems there is a massive refurb coming our way for HM next year at some point and I too am upset at the shape it is in, but this too shall pass. It won't be left in this state of disrepair forever. I agree that it shouldn't have gotten this far, but plans are being made to fix it back up so I'm not complaining. It can't all be done overnight.

 

[PencilTest]

If both of the stretch rooms don't work, or you don't want to spend the labor to run them and staff the extra CM's, then just shut the ride down...WDW and Disneyland have very different priorities when it comes to operating their signature E Ticket attractions.

Erm...since you don't know why the stretch rooms were down, you're kinda making a broad assumption. It seems to me like their priorities are very much correct by keeping the ride open, even if a relatively small portion of it isn't working. Would you rather see a signature E-ticket attraction closed just because one of the queue rooms wasn't fully functional? I wouldn't.

The CM's didn't seem to care, no one said a word, and the tourists were all still filing right through the disabled stretching room and getting in to their DoomBuggies.

Well yeah, of course they didn't say a word. When have they ever pointed out the malfunctioning parts of rides? I hope I never hear that. How lame would that be? "Enjoy your ride, keep an eye out for the pop-up ghost in the attic. He won't move 'cause he's broken!" That would be weird.

 

[1FoolishMortal]

^ I think he meant that no guests were saying anything. And because one stretching room is down doesn't give them reason to not use the other.

 

[Emberlene]

I'm relatively new to these boards as well. I'm a WDW annual passholder.

My husband and I went to DL for our honeymoon in August and I was surprised by the lack of cleanliness and overall lack of customer service out there.

Cast members were far from helpful (I had to go through 5 cast members before someone could direct me to a place to buy a drink). The lady at the ticket booth was down right rude. And these were just two of our experiences.

Every restroom I went into was down right nasty. I've seen some dirty restrooms at WDW but these were far worse.

My husband and I were very happy to return to WDW.

 

[danzingcutie12]

yea i guess everyone has different experiences...I went to DL this summer and we found the CM to be friendlier than in WDW. But we could go on FOR-EV-ER!!

 

[reactiondaction]

People have different opinions on the parks.
I prefer Disney world becasue of the fact that it is not that high tech.
Disney Land seems to be adding attractions that have nothing to do with Disney, and I don't find that fun or exciting, it just makes Disney seem like any other theme park.

 

[MainSt1993]

If both of the stretch rooms don't work, or you don't want to spend the labor to run them and staff the extra CM's, then just shut the ride down. It was a really tacky stunt in my opinion and cemented in my mind the fact that WDW and Disneyland have very different priorities when it comes to operating their signature E Ticket attractions.

TP2000 - I think we're both old school Disney because I totally agree with you. I was raised on the Disney philosophy that even just one non-functioning show element could be cause to shutter an attraction until it's fixed. It made me very proud to be a part of that magic, and drove us all to the exceptionally high standards that Disney is famous for in everything we did.

 

[wannab@dis]

TP2000 - I think we're both old school Disney because I totally agree with you. I was raised on the Disney philosophy that even just one non-functioning show element could be cause to shutter an attraction until it's fixed. It made me very proud to be a part of that magic, and drove us all to the exceptionally high standards that Disney is famous for in everything we did.

That makes absolutely no sense. Why would you EVER shut down an entire attraction when there's a single element missing?

You would allow all the guests during that time to miss a 99+% experience over a such a small issue? :veryconfu

 

[MainSt1993]

That makes absolutely no sense. Why would you EVER shut down an entire attraction when there's a single element missing?

You would allow all the guests during that time to miss a 99+% experience over a such a small issue? :veryconfu

One example from DLR is Pinnochio - if the star isn't working (the "When You Wish Upon a Star star), the attraction goes 101 until the light is fixed. Disney isn't about rides. They're about attractions and adventures. It's not a simple drop ride, rather it's an abandoned frieght elevator trying to kill you. It's not a roller coaster, it's a super-stretch limo racing you to a rock concert. When you start slacking on the show elements so long as people physically move through the ride, you stop standing out as the benchmark to which all others are compared. It's Disney's relentless attention to detail that draws many of us to fan sites such as this, and keeps us coming back frequently to their many resorts.

 

[wannab@dis]

One example from DLR is Pinnochio - if the star isn't working (the "When You Wish Upon a Star star), the attraction goes 101 until the light is fixed. Disney isn't about rides. They're about attractions and adventures. It's not a simple drop ride, rather it's an abandoned frieght elevator trying to kill you. It's not a roller coaster, it's a super-stretch limo racing you to a rock concert. When you start slacking on the show elements so long as people physically move through the ride, you stop standing out as the benchmark to which all others are compared. It's Disney's relentless attention to detail that draws many of us to fan sites such as this, and keeps us coming back frequently to their many resorts.

But what you are describing is a utopia and it's also rather far-reaching. If a major show element is not working (elevator not dropping) then, yes, it makes sense for the attraction to not be operational. But if a small show element is not working, then the attraction should be open and entertaining the guests. Those first-timers, once in a lifetimers, and once every several years guests should be able to see the attraction even with minor elements missing.

That brings them back and kindles the magic. Having a closed attraction does not.

 

[Bravesfn1]

One example from DLR is Pinnochio - if the star isn't working (the "When You Wish Upon a Star star), the attraction goes 101 until the light is fixed. Disney isn't about rides. They're about attractions and adventures. It's not a simple drop ride, rather it's an abandoned frieght elevator trying to kill you. It's not a roller coaster, it's a super-stretch limo racing you to a rock concert. When you start slacking on the show elements so long as people physically move through the ride, you stop standing out as the benchmark to which all others are compared. It's Disney's relentless attention to detail that draws many of us to fan sites such as this, and keeps us coming back frequently to their many resorts.

I agree with you, I just hope that some of the problems with Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, and other attractions get fixed in the near future. Splash Mountain is going down for a refurb in January which will be good and hopefully some of the effects will be restored to its previous working capability.

 

[DDuckFan130]

The hopping rabbit was working Thanksgiving weekend...

:lookaroun

 

[MainSt1993]

But what you are describing is a utopia and it's also rather far-reaching. If a major show element is not working (elevator not dropping) then, yes, it makes sense for the attraction to not be operational. But if a small show element is not working, then the attraction should be open and entertaining the guests. Those first-timers, once in a lifetimers, and once every several years guests should be able to see the attraction even with minor elements missing.

That brings them back and kindles the magic. Having a closed attraction does not.

Part of the magic is the suspension of reality. Animals can't dance and sing (or at least they shouldn't!) in real life. If I'm on a log riding through Splash Mountain or a boat in Pirates and all the sudden we float past a cluster of frozen animatronics, I'm snapped back into reality. Think of how jarring it is when a CM has to come over a loudspeaker because someone inside the attraction is being an idiot. How lame would it be if you're on ToT and the doors open and the room is just dark? What would RnRC be without the soundtrack?

Personally, I'd rather them go down, reset the computer or whatever, then start taking guests again. Many of these things are quick fixes (within an hour, usually much less). I may be wrong, but I believe on DLR's Space Mountain v.2.0 (the first attempt at sound), if the sound went out on one of the trains, they could send the vehicle through empty and by the time it reached the station again the onboard computer would have had enough time to reset and be functioning again. In that instance you loose 12 people off your hour's throughput? Big deal. In others, maybe the line stops moving for 15-20 minutes. Again, big deal. What's a park hopper cost these days? Over $80, right? That's a lot of money. I think it's reasonable to expect to see the attractions as they were meant to be seen.

The problems with Mansion sound so acute, you have to wonder if it looks this bad to the public, what do the systems look like that we can't see? I'm not suggesting they're running an unsafe attraction, but the situation does beg the question.

I'll also add that it's not just the hard-core fans that notice this stuff. A guy from my office took his family down to WDW last month. He hadn't been since he was a kid. For the attractions at MK that are still there from when he last visited decades ago, he said it was like a time capsol. They were exactly the same - and felt dated/worn out. This is a dude who isn't in to details, and he noticed it. He added that having rented a suite at the Poly, when you're spending that much money you pretty much expect close to perfection, and aspects of the trip were far from that. They had fun, but aren't dying to go back. So, these things do take a toll over time.

 

[wannab@dis]

I'll also add that it's not just the hard-core fans that notice this stuff. A guy from my office took his family down to WDW last month. He hadn't been since he was a kid. For the attractions at MK that are still there from when he last visited decades ago, he said it was like a time capsol. They were exactly the same - and felt dated/worn out. This is a dude who isn't in to details, and he noticed it. He added that having rented a suite at the Poly, when you're spending that much money you pretty much expect close to perfection, and aspects of the trip were far from that. They had fun, but aren't dying to go back. So, these things do take a toll over time.

And now we have the good old catch 22. Many of the hard core "fans" (seems an oxymoron sometimes) around here would absolutely FREAK out if any changes or updates were made to the classic attractions. But yet if they don't update and make changes, you claim they will "dated/worn out" and that would be a problem.

I'm all for changes and I'm all for updates to the attractions. I think they should do their utmost to make sure all the show elements are in prime and working condition. It really comes down to definition of what show elements are significant and which ones can be missed for a period of time.

I personally think RnRC without the audio is a major issue but the stretching room at HM is not. I would be sorely disappointed to miss the attraction if that happened to me. Missing the stretching room would be easily overlooked.

No matter what some may dream, Disney parks are built and ran by humans using mechanical devices built by humans. They do fail and that's a simple fact of life.

 

[FantasMickeyM]

No way I'd boycott it, I LOVE :kiss: DISNEY WORLD! :sohappy: And they have so many visitors, so even if a few of you do boycott it, they won't even know. Even if enough people were going to boycott it, what good is that gonna do?

They update the parks all the time, they've just done Pirates of The C, opened new Nemo attractions, about to start on Pooh and Typhoon Lagoon.. And they're planning more as we speak!

I'm off to Disney World soon and am looking forward to it like crazy!!!! :king::xmas::lol::slurp::sohappy:

 

[mharrington]

I've been to Disneyland frequently, a lot more so than WDW, that's why I like that one best. I've been going to Disneyland at least once a year since I was born. But in that same time frame, I've only been to WDW six times: 1986, 1988, 1991, 1996, 2002, 2003.

Also, I've said it before and I'll say it again: Disneyland may have less than Disney World, but there is one thing California does have that Florida doesn't, namely, quality. And the moral of one of Aesop's Fables is: "Quality is more important than quantity."

BTW, can anyone find the administrators and get them to lock this thread, please?

 

[MickeyfromSTL]

I think the issue hear is that DL was the original. The classics (pirates/haunted mansion/small world) at WDW are copies of the original. It would be very hard to make a copy as good as the original no matter how much work is put into it. Also one must remember that WDW has so many more attractions it would be hard to bring the detail of DL to WDW. I enjoy WDW because it has a distinct Disney feel and it is spread out enough where you are not on top of each other and because the much greater number of attractions. I think the two parks are different, and should be evaluated under different standards. Both very Disney but if you are looking for the originality in a park the only that one can get that experience is at the original (DL).

 

[PencilTest]

When you start slacking on the show elements so long as people physically move through the ride, you stop standing out as the benchmark to which all others are compared.

To what extent? Then you start standing out as the park that closes down its E-ticket attractions because one small non-pivotal show element is out.

What's a park hopper cost these days? Over $80, right? That's a lot of money. I think it's reasonable to expect to see the attractions as they were meant to be seen.

For 80 bucks, I think it's also reasonable to expect to see more than half the attractions open, even if a light bulb isn't working. How ed would you be if you were at the Magic Kingdom for the first time, and you asked a CM why the Pirates of the Caribbean was closed and they told you it was because one of the pigs wasn't moving?

Really, this could all be argued on a case-by-case basis. If some major part of a ride goes down, then yeah, you close for emergency repairs. But the small stuff that periodically crashes? Well, that's kind of what the scheduled maintenance closures are for, right?

 

[FantasMickeyM]

I think the issue hear is that DL was the original. The classics (pirates/haunted mansion/small world) at WDW are copies of the original. It would be very hard to make a copy as good as the original no matter how much work is put into it. Also one must remember that WDW has so many more attractions it would be hard to bring the detail of DL to WDW. I enjoy WDW because it has a distinct Disney feel and it is spread out enough where you are not on top of each other and because the much greater number of attractions. I think the two parks are different, and should be evaluated under different standards. Both very Disney but if you are looking for the originality in a park the only that one can get that experience is at the original (DL).

I think the issue here is that Walt himself was dissatisfied with the way Disneyland turned out, mainly because all the tacky businesses that had sprung up around it of course .. But still he had learned from his mistakes and wanted to start over and make it right this time! So rather than Disney World being a bad copy of Disneyland, I see it more like when they made Disney World they had already tried and tested things, and knew what worked and not. I think they definately got it right with Disney World and that Walt would have been extremely proud and happy about how it has turned out! :sohappy:​