VVFF4LKitchen Calamity is just a knife in the back to anyone who remembers Kitchen Kabaret.
VVFF4LKitchen Calamity is just a knife in the back to anyone who remembers Kitchen Kabaret.
Tell that to Toy Story Land.When you give yourself 3.7 years to build... you don't have to worry about deadlines.
I came back about two weeks ago, and honestly the crowds weren't bad at all...I just got back yesterday! The parks are still (mostly) awesome and yes, a lot of it is nostalgia; so still magical for me. But two things that are getting worse and worse are testing the magic... The cost of literally everything and the insane crowds. The increasing IP is not the direction I would've liked, but at least it's new stuff. I'll have to try Universal one of these days (still haven't been).
Funny I had a friend come back from a Universal/Disney trip about a month and a half ago - he commented about how both were really crowded, but he got more done in Disney because at Universal he had to wait 30+ minutes in the Express Pass line vs the 5-10 minutes in the FastPass line at Disney....At some point nostalgia gets overruled by cost. Disney is still better in most ways than UNI .. however .. if you're willing to forego some of the pixie dust experience, you'll get more value for money and less crowds at UNI, which is definitely a bonus when you're trying to take a vacation and not do a schedule bound boot-camp. You definitely don't get the same dark ride and immersive attractions but maybe you get a more relaxing week away from work without injuring your elbows?
Back to the topic at hand though. Epcot is my favorite park and I'm sad to see the edutainment fade into obscurity but I have to admit I'm kind of excited for the GotG attraction - I think Disney will be doing this one right top to bottom. I think this is pivotal moment for them, what with changing from traditional dark ride to e-ticket in Epcot. Walt will be turning in his grave but for some reason I think this will work out as long as they try and balance out thrills and family experiences between FW east and west. IMO of course.
Is it weird that this has long been officially announced and is now about to go vertical, yet the only name for the attraction that we've seen is "'Guardians of the Galaxy'- themed rolled coaster"?
Just strikes me as odd.
I remember exiting through those doors when the last ride ever had an e stop and we got to walk around the diorama. It was an amazing goodbye that gave me a lot of closure. It might be why I’m not that mad about losing probably my biggest childhood favorite.From today.
The steel in the background has been there since they laid the concrete. I think it might just be for a crane, but the semi-truck is new though.
Found the old Dream Builders signs at the old exit. Also note the dust/debris coming from under the tarp. Presumably they've torn down some part of the exit doors/area. When the pavilion closed you could hang out back there for a good while even when they were taking stuff out of the ride, but of course the doors never opened.
The rain on Sunday is already gone from the water feature. Summer is here.
I tried to stitch together a panorama of the graphics along the construction wall, but Photoshop doesn't want to be a team player for some reason. It's pretty, though.
We had days where EC was nearly a ghost town and other days where it was packed to the gills; locals coming in to kick off their weekend drinking. MK was largely packed pretty decently.I came back about two weeks ago, and honestly the crowds weren't bad at all...
Funny I had a friend come back from a Universal/Disney trip about a month and a half ago - he commented about how both were really crowded, but he got more done in Disney because at Universal he had to wait 30+ minutes in the Express Pass line vs the 5-10 minutes in the FastPass line at Disney....
Some of us are still in mourning. To walk by the ride last week killed me. To look inside from the monorail was a dagger in the heart. I remember standing in a line like this to see and ride the ride:I remember exiting through those doors when the last ride ever had an e stop and we got to walk around the diorama. It was an amazing goodbye that gave me a lot of closure. It might be why I’m not that mad about losing probably my biggest childhood favorite.
If you go to HHN you might encounter this, though I’ve attended that event every year since the mid-2000s and never really have.Admittedly, my last visit to Universal was a decade ago. But back then, I couldn't help but notice how "rougher" the crowds seemed to be and how much more prominent loud and filthy language was in use compared to Disney.
They both have their pros and cons. I don't really see why some feel the need to constantly spout the Universal is better mantra. There are plusses and minuses to both. Universal and Disney are two very different experiences. Both have crowds. I personally have a more nostalgic pull towards Disney, and I still think they do it better. Universal has done some great things. I love the park, I always have but it's not the second coming. Can't we just enjoy them both? LOL
Universal does appear to have a bit more 'down time' so to speak. Certain things can be more relaxing. But if you build yourself up to hate everything WDW does, how can you ever enjoy it? (not saying you of course) People have set themselves up to hate the APP, to hate FP+, to hate the crowds. If you have the mentality that everything is awful, even if it can be at times, then that's what you're going to get ... it's a matter of how you want to look at a situation. There's no denying the parks need more to do and are horribly crowded a good majority of the time (you can still find lesser crowds but it's of course busier overall). You can choose to go into it and be miserable they're crowded or you can have a different attitude about it. I don't like crowds either. But it is what it is at this point. They really need to do even more building than they are. I know they're trying to solve decades worth of not doing anything but they're hurting big time. The parks should have double what to do at this point ...
Universal can throw up all the hotels and parks they want but they have to start offering different experiences. I know many here eat up their thrills but not everyone loves them all. Many can't do simulators. Universal needs to fix this. I know they probably will in time. Universal and Disney are very different experiences. I know it's fun to compare who did it better but I suggest everyone just enjoy them both. The fan war isn't cute anymore to be honest.
And how soon before Universal becomes just as big as WDW (dozens of hotels, numerous parks, busses, other transportation), and just as lazy with investment ... they've already rested on their laurels a bit, even though they've added some things over the years. Nothing's been all that spectacular since Potter. Nintendo needs to happen ASAP. What happens when they become just as crowded as Disney? Growth is great and amazing but you have to accept what comes with it. Personally Universal can take their time building the third park, IMHO. I'm all for them growing but ....
Sadly, the one page Disney took out of Universal's book is to build screen heavy movie based thrill rides. FaP at DAK, GotG at EPCOT, that dude that looks somewhat like Mickey at DHS. For variety, Tron is just a movie based thrill ride.Universal can throw up all the hotels and parks they want but they have to start offering different experiences. I know many here eat up their thrills but not everyone loves them all. Many can't do simulators. Universal needs to fix this. I know they probably will in time. Universal and Disney are very different experiences.
And how soon before Universal becomes just as big as WDW (dozens of hotels, numerous parks, busses, other transportation)
Aha, that would make you a Super Jaded Optimistic Fanboi Being Precocious.This sums up my trip 2 weeks ago. I went with a Disney hater. It was quite annoying. In fact, he told me even the merchandise seemed of better quality at UNI than Disney's. I had to remind him that it was most likely his view of the park that was influencing what he thought of the products.
I for one agree that the nostalgia, the technology and immersion that Disney provide has been un-repeated in any competitor park. I was optimistic with Potterville but the screens killed it for me. I know Disney has been screen hyped as of late, but you do not have to look any further then Mine Train to see how Disney used its history to improve entertainment. This is all why UoE to GotG is so concerning to me.
I mentioned it before and will say it again, GoTG feels like Disney is taking a page out of Universals playbook for the GoTG ride. I am attempting to keep an open mind purely on the basis that it is going to take so long and so much money to complete. I have a little voice that keeps telling me that Disney may surprise me and put something together that is fantastic, entertaining, and still keeps true to what Epcot is really about..Edutainment. I am very cautiously optimistic.
The one advantage Disney has over Uni in this area is the blessing of size (Yep I just said that). The cramped nature of Uni will always impact the quality IMO. Sometime size limits how grand you can make something resulting in a poorer perception of what has been built. I think Volcano Bay really shows that.Sadly, the one page Disney took out of Universal's book is to build screen heavy movie based thrill rides. FaP at DAK, GotG at EPCOT, that dude that looks somewhat like Mickey at DHS. For variety, Tron is just a movie based thrill ride.
Meanwhile, those rides that did set Disney apart from everybody else are being ripped out: Energy, GMR. These were the placemaking rides, the theme-making rides. The parks feel flat and unfulfilling without them.
UNI for its part too is getting too build up. The Cabana Bay corner is suffocating under mediocre hotels and development. Their turn at taking the wrong page from Eisner's WDW book: destroy your tranquil paradise for aggressive concrete and towers.
You are probably right. I try to keep an open mind as much as I can, but also try to maintain my hopes for a better Epcot future.Aha, that would make you a Super Jaded Optimistic Fanboi Being Precocious.
In comparison to Typhoon Volcano defininitely suffers from breathing space. It does not feel like a secluded tropical paradise, like a self-contained world.The one advantage Disney has over Uni in this area is the blessing of size (Yep I just said that). The cramped nature of Uni will always impact the quality IMO. Sometime size limits how grand you can make something resulting in a poorer perception of what has been built. I think Volcano Bay really shows that.
We can always have hope.You are probably right. I try to keep an open mind as much as I can, but also try to maintain my hopes for a better Epcot future.
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