I'm not going to Disney World any more!!!!!!

[The Empress Lilly]

I figured the interactive queue was a little kiddish, since I've noticed WDW vets seem to like interactive queues. I was a little shocked to hear some fans disliking Mansion's queue. I assumed it took away the creepy aspect... Guess I was right.

Why are there vending carts in the queue?!?! Are they there everyday or do they come and go?

The buildup to Mansion stinks nowadays.

The experience has been infantilised, cartoonified, and destroyed. On your left, they closed the Mike Fink Keelboats. A WDW original that added much atmosphere to Liberty Square and the river. In its place, a new mismatching building was erected that houses a visa card kiosk, where Disney employees try to abuse your holiday spirit to steal money from you.
On your right, in place of a graveyard there now looms Rapunzel's tower over 17th century northeast America.

So much for the short, but important walk away from civilisation and up the Hudson river, to the Mansion. Once in the queue, there is clutter everywhere, from vending carts to a hearse to silly interactive elements that hold nobody's interest for more than two seconds.

Once, you entered the Mansion through the family crypt, wolves howling in the distance. Now, you are told a dumb backstory about a cartoon family dwelling there. All that's missing is Eddie Murphy popping up.

Oh, and they placed two huge trees in front of the mansion, which can thus hardly been seen anymore.

 

[BryceM]

The most recent was Frontierland. Did you miss that one?

And this is a WDW site... I think I can guess what everyone will pick.

Oh, I must've missed Frontierland.

But you're right. It's probably better to save that discussion for a site that focuses on ALL theme parks, such as Theme Park Insider. Not for one that is aimed at a certain theme park (or theme park resort in this case). I do think Epcot is one of the best theme parks ever created, even with some of the pavilions in Future World being a mess. I would love to visit Disney California Adventure though. Buena Vista Street alone makes me want to visit, then you factor in Cars Land, Paradise Pier, Pacific Wharf, etc. and you've got me dying to go!

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Random, but since this seems to be a (sort of) Disneyland vs. Walt Disney World thread...

Epcot or Disney California Adventure? This was a recent "Dueling Disney" article on Micechat, and I was wondering what second gate you guys think is currently the best...

(I love comparing parks)

That question has the potential to haunt my conscience.

Let me answer with: classic EPCOT Center for best second gate ever. (Yes that includes you, DisneySea).

Currently? There are times when I think Disneyland's parking lot was a better second gate than Epcot. After the destruction of Future World, TDO now seems intent to destroy World Showcase. Don't count on any end soon to their building ever more and bigger lagoon-side restaurants! A themed food and booze court, that's what TDO is turning WS into. All the better that there are no places left to see Illuminations anymore, that'll teach you to pay $200 for your family to see the fireworks from a reserved spot.

 

[mousehockey37]

Yep. I've been going since the 1970s and except for 1 trip have always done at least 7days/6nites. I'm not a foodie so the whole thing with dining reservations didn't affect my trips, I can always find something to eat and am perfectly happy sitting at the bar in RainForest or PlanetHollywood and eating. I go to WDW for the rides, the shows, the parades and fireworks (if I happen to be in the right place at the right time), and the overall atmosphere. I use FP and the single rider lines A LOT. But I don't "micromanage" my vacation and I'm not going to sit here days/weeks/months ahead of time and "schedule" my FPs. I'm also not going to stand in line for hours to go on rides that I used to be able to get a FP for at the dispenser and/or use the single rider line. When it gets to that I'll start going to the beach or mountains on vacation and WDW can do without my money and concentrate even more on the large tour groups that have retained "professionals" to reserve FPs for them.

This is kind of I feel as well. When I go to WDW, I'm not going for food. I'll make a reservation or 2, but other than that, I'll pick up something in the parks or make my own food on my breaks when I go back to the resort (I'm one that will do a food stop and pick up lunchmeat, snacks, etc, for in the room). I'm a person that I somewhat have a plan of attack for what I want to do on certain days, but the rest of the time, it's just a general idea and I'll change plans based on the weather, etc. If I have to start fighting the nerds of the internet for when I'm going on TSMM or even the HM, then it's starting to go a little too far.

TWDC needs to still remember that there are people out there that aren't internet savvy and/or don't purchase things via the internet. I'm sure you'll be able to call like dining reservations as well, but who wants to wait hours on the phone so you can schedule your rides?

With how the vacation packages work and the size of the families people bring, if people like @MarkinKY eventually stop bringing their families and stop spending thousands of $$ at a time, it will eventually start to make a dent. WDW won't be a family vacation destination, it'll be a group vacation destination.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Why are there vending carts in the queue?!?! Are they there everyday or do they come and go?

No, no, directly outside there are places to get popcorn or whatever. Not like RSR where they sell food IN the queue.

 

[BryceM]

That question has the potential to haunt my conscience.

Let me answer with: classic EPCOT Center for best second gate ever. (Yes that includes you, DisneySea).

Currently? There are times when I think Disneyland's parking lot was a better second gate than Epcot. After the destruction of Future World, TDO now seems intent to destroy World Showcase. Don't count on any end soon to their building ever more and bigger lagoon-side restaurants! A themed food and booze court, that's what TDO is turning WS into. All the better that there are no places left to see Illuminations anymore, that'll teach you to pay $200 for your family to see the fireworks from a reserved spot.

It's truly sad that bad management is what is holding Epcot back. Even with the flaws, I still do think that Epcot is one of the best theme parks in the world. Future World is not completely destroyed. There are redeeming things such as Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth, The Seas (not the ride, but the rest of the pavilion), Mission: Space (honestly a neat ride and the interactive space themed area is very cool) and Innoventions. Test Track does finally feel like an attraction worthy of being in Future World, but I feel like it's missing something now. Or it's trying too hard to be something that it isn't.

If TDO continues to cartoonify Epcot, then all hope will be lost. I just hope that they begin to turn Future World around. It has the potential to be great again.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

FP+ is opt in. As long as they don't get rid of traditional FPs, I have no problem with it.

 

[mousehockey37]

FP+ is opt in. As long as they don't get rid of traditional FPs, I have no problem with it.

Pretty sure that the traditional ones are going away once the + is operational. That was something I asked on another thread and it was said they would more than likely go away.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Pretty sure that the traditional ones are going away once the + is operational. That was something I asked on another thread and it was said they would more than likely go away.

My understanding from what I went over on the blog was that it would not go away. In the comments, one of the writers said that spontaneous planning would still be possible. Whether or not that means using Standby or keeping the traditional FPs or going to a kiosk to get FPs once you arrive remains to be seen. I think they would get a backlash if they got rid of it entirely. But that's just my thought.

 

[Mark In KY]

You sound like a true, natural Disneylander.

I have been to SoCal once, not to DL but for a wedding. One trip there was 500 trips too many.

 

[mousehockey37]

My understanding from what I went over on the blog was that it would not go away. In the comments, one of the writers said that spontaneous planning would still be possible. Whether or not that means using Standby or keeping the traditional FPs or going to a kiosk to get FPs once you arrive remains to be seen. I think they would get a backlash if they got rid of it entirely. But that's just my thought.

Wouldn't surprise me if they phase out the paper FP. Remember, part of this new thing is that they want you on your smartphone the whole time using their app. So if they have you on your device where you can burn your 3 FP's for the day, they'll "save some trees".

Backlash is going to happen with this new system no matter what.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Random, but since this seems to be a (sort of) Disneyland vs. Walt Disney World thread...

Epcot or Disney California Adventure? This was a recent "Dueling Disney" article on Micechat, and I was wondering what second gate you guys think is currently the best...

(I love comparing parks)

I'm not an Epcot fan. I like going there and walking around the countries at night, and the food there is the best, but there's more stuff that I'm interested in doing in the other parks. DCA wins.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

And this is a WDW site... I think I can guess what everyone will pick.

DCA is better than Epcot. Though I tend to favor WDW, I'm not going to say Epcot is better than DCA when it's not just to side with WDW.

 

[mousehockey37]

The USA is evolving into a Nation of part-time employees. It is apparently more "cost effective" to have a larger work force of 29 hr./wk. employees, who have to work several part-time jobs, than a smaller one of full-time employees and have to provide medical insurance. The "business mandate" may have been delayed now until 2015 but many service industry companies are still transforming their work force to part-time employees. I recently had this conversation with one of my sons who works for Bucca di Beppo restaurants and is experiencing the transformation first hand.

I quoted this post earlier, but had an additional separate thought.

If this is truly how the businesses of the nation are headed, and they go to work forces of part timers, places like WDW are doomed. It costs thousands of $$ to visit WDW. If the nation of part timers is getting paid what part timers do (minimum wage at the least), TWDC (or any tourist destination) is going to see things change in a hurry. People will have to use their $ for survival and bills rather than going on vacations to far away places.

There are many different ways that people can afford to go on WDW vacations, but credit only goes so far before you max and part time employers aren't going to offer overtime. Also, part time employers don't offer paid vacation, if you're lucky, they'll let you take off a period of time without getting pointed, but you won't get paid for that time you're away.

 

[Mark In KY]

I also don't have a smartphone. I have a very reliable "make and take phone calls" cell phone. I have a nice camera, I have a nice computer, I have a nice MP3 player; I have successfully avoided the marketing ploy of "carry around a phone that will allegedly do it all". Many (if not most) days I don't take my cell phone into the parks. I'm on vacation, I'm not directing the war in Afghanistan or managing NASA. And I always leave the laptop at home. There is absolutely nothing on the Internet that I can't do without for a week. I've never stayed in a Disney hotel room that didn't have ESPN so that at nite I could catch scores and highlights. I don't "Facebook" and I don't need "apps". I surf the Internet quite capably and shop quite a bit on-line, but vacation is an entirely different story, and I will dump WDW when I can only get FPs days/weeks/months ahead of time. If I am going alone I don't need any dining reservations, if one or more of my sons are coming along then I do get one for the seafood buffet at The Beach Club and other than that we eat whenever and wherever. We do drink a tanker truck full of beer though.

 

[Mark In KY]

I quoted this post earlier, but had an additional separate thought.

If this is truly how the businesses of the nation are headed, and they go to work forces of part timers, places like WDW are doomed. It costs thousands of $$ to visit WDW. If the nation of part timers is getting paid what part timers do (minimum wage at the least), TWDC (or any tourist destination) is going to see things change in a hurry. People will have to use their $ for survival and bills rather than going on vacations to far away places.

There are many different ways that people can afford to go on WDW vacations, but credit only goes so far before you max and part time employers aren't going to offer overtime. Also, part time employers don't offer paid vacation, if you're lucky, they'll let you take off a period of time without getting pointed, but you won't get paid for that time you're away.

WDW will simply continue to market to large foreign and domestic tour groups on an even larger scale. It will become one of those places that a "regular" family/tourist might go to for a day or save up 10 years for a longer trip. At least that's my prediction.
We have got bigger problems than WDW maintainance, FPs, and prices, eh?

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I also don't have a smartphone. I have a very reliable "make and take phone calls" cell phone. I have a nice camera, I have a nice computer, I have a nice MP3 player; I have successfully avoided the marketing ploy of "carry around a phone that will allegedly do it all". Many (if not most) days I don't take my cell phone into the parks. I'm on vacation, I'm not directing the war in Afghanistan or managing NASA. And I always leave the laptop at home. There is absolutely nothing on the Internet that I can't do without for a week. I've never stayed in a Disney hotel room that didn't have ESPN so that at nite I could catch scores and highlights. I don't "Facebook" and I don't need "apps". I surf the Internet quite capably and shop quite a bit on-line, but vacation is an entirely different story, and I will dump WDW when I can only get FPs days/weeks/months ahead of time. If I am going alone I don't need any dining reservations, if one or more of my sons are coming along then I do get one for the seafood buffet at The Beach Club and other than that we eat whenever and wherever. We do drink a tanker truck full of beer though.

I think there are enough people like you that Disney would not force you to plan your entire vacation.

My dad beats you, though. He doesn't have a cell phone at all . We take the laptop because he needs to keep up with work while he's away. My mom and I both have smartphones because it was the same price for a smartphone verses a regular one. I also have an iTouch. We use it in the parks to check wait times instead of rushing from ride to ride to find the shortest wait. I play games on it during the bus ride or in super long lines.

According to the Disney Parks blog, spontaneous planning will still be available. I have a feeling based on how murky some of the info is that Disney is trying to decide exactly how to do the system themselves.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Guys, let's not get political for the sake of this thread please.

 

[Mark In KY]

I think there are enough people like you that Disney would not force you to plan your entire vacation.

My dad beats you, though. He doesn't have a cell phone at all . We take the laptop because he needs to keep up with work while he's away. My mom and I both have smartphones because it was the same price for a smartphone verses a regular one. I also have an iTouch. We use it in the parks to check wait times instead of rushing from ride to ride to find the shortest wait. I play games on it during the bus ride or in super long lines.

According to the Disney Parks blog, spontaneous planning will still be available. I have a feeling based on how murky some of the info is that Disney is trying to decide exactly how to do the system themselves.

My cell phone is probably as old as you are . I'm retired so keeping up with work is no longer an issue. I carry my digital camera which fits nicely into a pocket and my wallet, that's it. I use FP and the single rider lines so I don't need to check on wait times and on the bus or in long lines I can always find someone to chat with. I've met some very nice, very interesting people that way from all over the USA and the world.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

It's truly sad that bad management is what is holding Epcot back. Even with the flaws, I still do think that Epcot is one of the best theme parks in the world. Future World is not completely destroyed. There are redeeming things such as Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth, The Seas (not the ride, but the rest of the pavilion), Mission: Space (honestly a neat ride and the interactive space themed area is very cool) and Innoventions. Test Track does finally feel like an attraction worthy of being in Future World, but I feel like it's missing something now. Or it's trying too hard to be something that it isn't.

If TDO continues to cartoonify Epcot, then all hope will be lost. I just hope that they begin to turn Future World around. It has the potential to be great again.

Awesome! That's just about my list of redeeming EPCOT stuff!