Gran Fiesta debacle...

[EpcotServo]

Here is the way I see it. There are no people that blindly except everything Disney does as the end all be all of theme parks. On the flip side, I dont think there is anyone here who loaths Disney and thinks everything they have done from day one is totally wrong.

My issue with this particular thread is that the non-incident is being made out to be a traggic mistake. It is being made to sound like there were thousands of guests marching on the corporate offices of WDW demanding that the attraction be opened. There has been nothing provided to indicate that there was anything but mild to moderate dissappointment by a few people.

If I have missed the documented mass-rioting please direct me to it.

I think when it comes down to it, the only mistake Disney really made was not thinking people cared. I really think they just thought nobody cared enough to go to the trouble to make a point to inform everyone. That's what I think was the only real mistake.

And for the record here's what the time guide for April 1st through 2nd said...

El Rio del Tiempo World Showcase
........Reopens as Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros early April

I, and I assume everyone else thought that ment exactly what it said. It is early April after all!
:lol:

(Oh, and also for the record, I don't think it was a big mistake. I just think they could've done alot better.)

 

[Wilt Dasney]

I, and I assume everyone else thought that ment exactly what it said. It is early April after all!
:lol:

If it opens this weekend, they're still meeting the early April benchmark.

 

[joshwill]

Because it's actually the company's policy to do that. I read here that Grand Fiesta wasn't open and didn't make the trip. I had intended to be there in the morning, but had to do some work. If i had gone by Disney's website - which is supposed to be accurate - I would even now see that Grand Fiesta is an operational attraction at Epcot.

i cant believe all this over a revamped "its a small mexico". they arent even bothering with passholder and dvc previews, are they?

i wonder why? (that was sarcastic)

 

[jmvd20]

I, and I assume everyone else thought that ment exactly what it said. It is early April after all!
:lol:

Which brings us to the next part of the story - when exactly does early April end and somewhat early April begin? :shrug:

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Which brings us to the next part of the story - when exactly does early April end and somewhat early April begin? :shrug:

My (admittedly arbitrary) system is:

1-10: Early
11-20: Mid
21-xx: Late

 

[DisneySaint]

This thread is amusing ... dozens of people wailing about what's going to be a mediorce ride not being open the exact second they "said" it would. Honestly, just deal with it. You'll be back to Disney and it'll be open and you'll forget this ever happened. What do you want them to do if it's not ready? Open up a partially-finished attraction? They may have some major safety issue they need to address. I think it's just plain ignorant for anyone to make a complaint about this. When has anything Disney said ever been in stone? Things change, priorities change, budgets change, work-related problems come up ... and so on.

Disney's official status on it is: "To Be Determined".

 

[mousermerf]

i cant believe all this over a revamped "its a small mexico". they arent even bothering with passholder and dvc previews, are they?

i wonder why? (that was sarcastic)

They also never had previews for Turtle Talk and it became popular enough to spawn a sister attraction in DCA and to garner hour+ lines.

Sometimes they underestimate the public's interest.

 

[mousermerf]

This thread is amusing ... dozens of people wailing about what's going to be a mediorce ride not being open the exact second they "said" it would. Honestly, just deal with it. You'll be back to Disney and it'll be open and you'll forget this ever happened. What do you want them to do if it's not ready? Open up a partially-finished attraction? They may have some major safety issue they need to address. I think it's just plain ignorant for anyone to make a complaint about this. When has anything Disney said ever been in stone? Things change, priorities change, budgets change, work-related problems come up ... and so on.

Again, the issue isn't that it didn't open, but rather the poor way in which the whole situation was handled.

 

[Pongo]

They also never had previews for Turtle Talk and it became popular enough to spawn a sister attraction in DCA and to garner hour+ lines.

Sometimes they underestimate the public's interest.

That's because Turtle Talk was/is something new and amazing.

Gran Fiesta... not so much. Just another boat ride. IMO, it's really no big deal they haven't opened it yet. Like the tickets say, rides are subject to closure at any time without explanation.

I can understand why you would be this upset if it were your only vacation of the year and El Rio was your favorite ride, but being a local-ish person like myself... you can always go back next week :shrug:

 

[EpcotServo]

If it opens this weekend, they're still meeting the early April benchmark.

Yea, that's true. But at 9 through 11 o' clock would you consider that as the ride is closed? I think something along the lines of "The Gran Fiesta Tour opening has been delayed, and will be opening early april" might have done the job a little better I think. It was true in hindsight, but to everyone that morning that was pretty vauge at that point.

(Oh, and I forgot to mention that they had plenty of brand new Donald stuff for sale in the shop. No need to tell you we got the date wrong, but you can buy a Donald mug!
Just kidding, please don't start another fame war over that.)

 

[DisneySaint]

Again, the issue isn't that it didn't open, but rather the poor way in which the whole situation was handled.

I can't even begin to fathom how you would think it was poorly handled. :shrug: The CM's trained at GFT are likely rerouted to crowd control or other areas they were previously trained in. They won't pull a whole new set of CM's from Mexico just to run the ride - it's a mix between former and newer CM's.
My opinion is that there is no "situation" to begin with. They said it would probably would be open on the 2nd, it wasn't, so big deal ... it'll open in a couple days and everyone will be over it.

And, in the end, the only thing a park ticket gets you is entrance through the turnstiles. Not 1 attraction is guaranteed to be open and that's heavily disclaimed on the tickets.

 

[basas]

That's because Turtle Talk was/is something new and amazing.

Gran Fiesta... not so much. Just another boat ride. IMO, it's really no big deal they haven't opened it yet. Like the tickets say, rides are subject to closure at any time without explanation.

I can understand why you would be this upset if it were your only vacation of the year and El Rio was your favorite ride, but being a local-ish person like myself... you can always go back next week :shrug:

But perhaps many of the others who rushed to see the ride can't. And again, the issue is not that the ride didn't open, it is that they couldn't even be bothered to tell people in advance of them running to the actual ride. Once they got there, there was no-one stationed to answer questions...

 

[DisneySaint]

Let me itterate again ... Epcot HAD this information the morning of the 2nd. They knew at 9 AM the attraction would not be open due to further testing and finishing touches. I am not of the belief Disney should have paid some CM to stand outside of GFT to tell people it was closed and have an explanation. In my personal opinion, I don't believe they need to explain it - they simply didn't open it b/c it wasn't ready. There's not much that needs to be explained. And think of the poor CM who would get assigned that job.

 

[Pongo]

But perhaps many of the others who rushed to see the ride can't. And again, the issue is not that the ride didn't open, it is that they couldn't even be bothered to tell people in advance of them running to the actual ride. Once they got there, there was no-one stationed to answer questions...

But reality check. Who is rushing to see the retooling of a D-Ticket at best? I don't understand why the absence of one CM is so controversial. Aren't there more important things to worry about?

If the queue has walls around it, I'm pretty sure that any questions are immediately answered. There's also the sign out front of the pavilion saying that the ride is closed. Unless a person planned their whole vacation around Gran Fiesta (again, let me point out how absurd of a notion that is...), I really see no reason for distress.

Again. By purchasing the ticket, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions printed on it. The rides don't have to be open. Disney doesn't have to say why. You (not YOU, just the general pronoun) have no reason to complain.

 

[basas]

Let me itterate again ... Epcot Guest Relations HAD this information the morning of the 2nd. They knew at 9 AM the attraction would not be open due to further testing and finishing touches. I am not of the belief Disney should have paid some CM to stand outside of GFT to tell people it was closed and have an explanation. In my personal opinion, I don't believe they need to explain it - they simply didn't open it b/c it wasn't ready. There's not much that needs to be explained. And think of the poor CM who would get assigned that job.

Of course they knew. So what would have been so hard to throw up a quick sign right outside the park entrance? Was it absolutely required? No! But it would have been good customer service and eliminated the problem and disappointment.

 

[EpcotServo]

Let me itterate again ... Epcot Guest Relations HAD this information the morning of the 2nd. They knew at 9 AM the attraction would not be open due to further testing and finishing touches.

Yea, but if you had no evidence or clues that it would be closed, would you ask? I, and everyone else had no reason to doubt today wasn't the opening.

Again, hate to fuel the flame, just trying to point out what happened.

(Oh, and Pongo, the answer is myself, about five groups of fans, and nearly 40 to 50 groups of regular guests all rushed in first thing when it opened.)

 

[the-reason14]

So is the ride suppose to open this week?

 

[Hakunamatata]

Ahhhhh....I get it now. How dumb of me. On the standard calander, it clearly states on April 2 "Early April ends today". Duh:brick:

 

[DisneySaint]

^ Exactly. If it wasn't ready to open due to whatever reason, fine. But it would have been nice to at least having a CM/sign outside. They obviously knew people expected it to open that day...

There was a sign outside yesterday and there was one there this morning. It was the one that reads: "While El Rio del Tiempo is being refurbished please enjoy Mexican artwork inside" (similar wording)

If you're saying they should have had some sign "explaining" why they weren't open, I really can't agree with that. What would you have had them put on it? "Grand Fiesta Tour has been delayed due to further testing." ? Most of what they could put on a sign is simply communicated by the fact the attraction isn't open.

 

[DisneySaint]

But reality check. Who is rushing to see the retooling of a D-Ticket at best? I don't understand why the absence of one CM is so controversial. Aren't there more important things to worry about?

If the queue has walls around it, I'm pretty sure that any questions are immediately answered. There's also the sign out front of the pavilion saying that the ride is closed. Unless a person planned their whole vacation around Gran Fiesta (again, let me point out how absurd of a notion that is...), I really see no reason for distress.

Again. By purchasing the ticket, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions printed on it. The rides don't have to be open. Disney doesn't have to say why. You (not YOU, just the general pronoun) have no reason to complain.

Pongo, I love you. You are my hero. :sohappy:

Could not agree more.