July 19th, 2006 Walt Disney World Update

[DisneyRoxMySox]

Thanks for the update! Great all around. :wave:

 

[JuanD_20k]

Then where the hell are these trams?

Sure there may be some things slowing down loading, but when that tram is finally loaded and ready to go, where is the tram that should be ready to board right behind it?

It's not just getting back to the cars (which also takes a long time), it's getting to the TTC....I've waited near 20 minutes before for a tram. That's just ridiculous.

Depending on what route and which lots that were parked on the particular day it could take a while for the trams to come around.
Being a CM who worked in parking I know that there are many problems that can occur while on the trams. For instance there are a lot of safety concerns that must be addressed so that the ride is safe no matter how long people have been waiting.
Trams being right behind the loaded tram depends on how long it takes for the people to unload. If there are people on the trams that take forever unloading all of their stuff then obviously a tram would be late and not right behind the other one. There are a lot of variables that can influence the arrival times of trams. So dont vent on the trams/parking crew theres a lot of things going on there.

 

[zeroFantasy]

That is way too long. I would have got a Fastpass for that wait. If they were still giving them out. If not I would say lets go before Reflection of Earth goes off.

The fastpass was out the door and looked like it was worse than standby, but actually wasn't THAT bad because the queue inside is shorter for fastpass.

 

[Enderikari]

Wow, you're the "nice CM" who's supposed to bring the magic to millions of guests?

Not saying that I am a cast member... But I do believe in the Disney magic, I still get magical feelings every time I see Cinderella Castle, and I go to the parks simply to find first time visitors and watch the magic and pixie dust unfold in front of their eyes. I feel nothing but pity for the ones who have nothing better to do but come to the parks every day just to look for something new to complain about... There have always been things to complain about, since the park opened in 1971, but people have always been able to look past them. Now, thanks to the magic of the internet, self-aggrandizing demagogues with a pinchant for wanting attention can post their pictures and force their loss of pixie dust onto everyone else.
Shame on them, I cannot understand how one continues to pay the gate price to go to WDW, just to grouse. I was quite serious when I advised you to take a year off, it would do wonders to bring back your lost pixie dust... You'll see that its not the parks... its always been your imagination, or lack thereof.

Follow the crowd? I can sure as hell see how badly things are run through my own eyes, thank you very much.

And in order to see that, you have to see around Jim Hill, Kevin Yee, and Al Lutz... Fine company you are in

It's not me losing the magic, it's Disney, and there are quite a few folks out there who would agree.

Patently false, as discussed above... In fact, look above and you will see a few people agreeing with me, but since it is easier on the internet to be negative than postive (Negative gathers all the attention, seems to be the goal here), you will find more negative responses, but you know what? The general feeling around WDW is positive, despite what you try to pass off as "NEWS"

Then where the hell are these trams?

Doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing... Transporting guests to their cars, then returning to the TTC when safely possible

Sure there may be some things slowing down loading, but when that tram is finally loaded and ready to go, where is the tram that should be ready to board right behind it?

In the lot, waiting for the guest who boarded with a open stroller to fold it once again before driving... Or assisting a guest who needs help exiting the tram to safely move to their car, or.... caught behind another tram who is doing those things

SSE doesn't even have a line at 2pm, I know that. HM usually never has a line after 6-7pm, I know that as well. And I certainly know that SGE doesn't have the big waits it's supposed to. Not even running FP and still having that small of a wait for a near two-year-old attraction is just sad, AE was having longer waits this far into its run. That photo was taken at 8:45pm, two hours before park closing and it's happening while Space's line is out the door and Buzz is running with a 1/2 hour wait. I have seen it with barely a line much earlier in the day as well.

I'm not "following" anyone....I'M JUST REPORTING WHAT I SAW. Is that such a crime?

And you saw exactly what you wanted to see, what you set out to see, and, instead of shifting your paradigm, you instead fit the facts into your own opinions, would you care for the tip board times tomorrow, or the next day, or the next? I can take my camera out at noon and show you the lines for Stitch, I can take that same camera and capture smiling faces coming out of Stitch, or Journey Into Imagination, watching Share a Dream Come True (Well, barring rain of course), meeting Mickey, or sharing a Mickey Premium bar.... what does that prove... I would be "REPORTING WHAT I SAW" and what I would see would be magic, not tragic.

I went to Universal Orlando yesterday and found the complete opposite. I was greeted by security with a "Hello, have a nice day." Employees were friendly as always and even chatted with me at the end of a few lines (plus they all look like they're having a good time running the rides like at ROTM and Jaws). I didn't have to wait 20 minutes for a tram and it didn't take an hour to get into the park I desired to visit.

That's right, you didn't have to wait for a tram, you had to walk the mile and a half to the parks, how is that better? I personally find visiting UO (I am an AP there) to be a huge pain because of all the walking it takes to get to the parks I want to go to... Thats not a benefit

Being a single rider, the SRL came in handy at a lot of attractions (of course it's something WDW has at only TWO attractions).

Walt Disney - "We believed in our idea - a family park where parents and children could have fun- together." 'nuff said


[Quote}Queues and walkways in general were kept quite clean, unlike the PhilarMagic queue and theater I encountered the night before (we were delayed getting into the theater by about 5-6 minutes because there was so much trash in the theater to be cleaned up).[/Quote]
Two choices, spend 5 minutes cleaning the theater from the last rowdy crowd, and listen to the ones who are never happy complain a little bit, or let people into the attraction when its dirty and listen to people who love to complain complain a lot.... You are getting further from your point here, going so far as shooting yourself in the foot

Those few hours I spent were extremely enjoyable after the crap I've put up with at WDW over the past few weeks. I've had a security guard yell at me for just trying to get to a turnstile because I didn't have a bag at Epcot, I've had a woman follow me after taking a photo of a wait times board,

Ever think about what you may be doing to cause this behavior, maybe acting suspicious, maybe jaunting right in thinking you own the place? Have respect for the cast members, it makes it that much more easier to respect you... Treat them as human beings and you will see a much more pleasant demeanor. I am not excusing their behavior, its not appropriate to act that way... but I find it coincidence that it all seems to be happening to you.

I've had to see a manager at MK pretty much yell at folks who were waiting for something to happen for the Pirates re-opening (telling them that she could care less if they waited, that they could stand there all day long and she "suggested" they go on the ride itself),

True... and you know what was at fault for that? Rumor mongering internet fanboys who were telling everyone that Johnny Depp was going to be there. Instead of having large groups of people wait a long time to be disappointed, thus increasing their disappointment. The yelling comes for the sheer number of people who were there. Her remarks were in response to all the people who were yelling at her that they were SURE that Depp was going to be there, not trusting the people who are running the place to know whats going on. Its a common thing, that should be dispelled, people who post things on the internet DO NOT know more than Cast Members in certain areas (and if you knew who SHE was, NO ONE should have questioned her)

I've been going to WDW nearly every month for 18 years and I'm absolutely tired of putting up with the ____ anymore.

Glad to see you are following my recommendation, I wish you nothing but the best, and really do hope you rediscover what make WDW so magical... I don't think it has left your heart completely, I think it has just been tarnished by so many days spent searching for wrongness. Take a break, a month, a year... Mickey will be glad to welcome you back when you feel comfortable searching out the big guy, just for a hug.

 

[mousermerf]

I don't get how you can put big blinders up for Uni but not for WDW...

They opened the Suess ride with areas unpainted, scenery with holes in it, and a few structures they modified really needing some spackle and paint. That's not pretty.

And I go as often as you do, or more often... and Uni stopped impressing me when they let IOA get really run down. I've literally had paint come off on my hand after touching some things that had weathered poorly. I gripe about things like the TTA no getting nough love/paint, but nothing has ever looked as bad as Suess Landing and the Toon island did before they finally got repainted.

People complain about the jumping Brer Rabbit, but when was the last time the Boat Wash on the Bilge Rat Barges worked fully? Or how about several of the animatronics in Spiderman and MIB?

And have you seen the Curious George play area? Or heck.. the MIB towers before they painted them, they were literally falling apart. Things can get bad at WDW, but i've rarely seen them that bad.

As for stitch, it fluctuates. It's not my favorite attraction, but it does use the full and extended queue. It did just the other day.

 

[Punkss]

I went to Universal Orlando yesterday and found the complete opposite. I was greeted by security with a "Hello, have a nice day." Employees were friendly as always and even chatted with me at the end of a few lines (plus they all look like they're having a good time running the rides like at ROTM and Jaws). I didn't have to wait 20 minutes for a tram and it didn't take an hour to get into the park I desired to visit. Being a single rider, the SRL came in handy at a lot of attractions (of course it's something WDW has at only TWO attractions). Queues and walkways in general were kept quite clean, unlike the PhilarMagic queue and theater I encountered the night before (we were delayed getting into the theater by about 5-6 minutes because there was so much trash in the theater to be cleaned up). Those few hours I spent were extremely enjoyable after the crap I've put up with at WDW over the past few weeks. I've had a security guard yell at me for just trying to get to a turnstile because I didn't have a bag at Epcot, I've had a woman follow me after taking a photo of a wait times board, I've had to see a manager at MK pretty much yell at folks who were waiting for something to happen for the Pirates re-opening (telling them that she could care less if they waited, that they could stand there all day long and she "suggested" they go on the ride itself), I've witnessed a CM work his way through the MK pre-opening crowds using his CM badge (he was in street clothes --- not even working!), I've had to take an hour-long journey just to get back to my car at the TTC at night, and just a hell of a lot more stuff. I've been going to WDW nearly every month for 18 years and I'm absolutely tired of putting up with the ____ anymore.

I'm sorry you find it so bad, I went 2004 with my girlfriend her first time and my second (my first being 8 years old, 15 years gap), and we found the entire place mesmerising. We found the parks to be run extremely well despite large crowds, there was always something happening, it was beautiful clean and under control. Universal was the same and not much between the two other than the fact they cater for different audiences.

We travelled over from the UK, saving up for 1 and 1/2 years and felt it was more than worth it and we plan to go back next year if budgets allow. We had an amazing time and felt that these were premier places. As for AK being 1/2 day park. We spent 1 1/2 days there! We just took our time, took it all in and visited everything.

 

[polarboi]

Now I know I love you, Enderikari.

Not saying that I am a cast member... But I do believe in the Disney magic, I still get magical feelings every time I see Cinderella Castle, and I go to the parks simply to find first time visitors and watch the magic and pixie dust unfold in front of their eyes.

Oh, me too... I love that! To me, the best thing in the world is going to WDW with a first-time visitor or watching the first-timers throughout the parks. These people don't know that they're supposed to hate Stitch and complain every time they see him around the parks; they don't know that Pixar is somehow evil or that the attraction they're enjoying replaced someone's favorite extinct attraction. Most of the time, they don't even notice the construction walls, which are designed to be unobtrusive. These first-time visitors enter the gates and find themselves transported to magic lands. And if you watch them without cynical fanboy eyes, you realize how amazing it is that Walt Disney's vision is still having that kind of effect on people in an age where modern marvels surround us and we have theme parks all over the world.

Somehow, against all odds, the Disney company has kept Walt's vision alive. To do that, they have to be even more creative than before. And they're doing it.

I feel nothing but pity for the ones who have nothing better to do but come to the parks every day just to look for something new to complain about... There have always been things to complain about, since the park opened in 1971, but people have always been able to look past them. Now, thanks to the magic of the internet, self-aggrandizing demagogues with a pinchant for wanting attention can post their pictures and force their loss of pixie dust onto everyone else.

Oh... oh... if this quote weren't so long, I'd make it my sig.

It's true! People act like the parks have somehow gone downhill. But get your hands on a copy of the original Disneyland opening broadcast (I have it on DVD) and you'll see just how far we've come. I think there are a lot of people (especially a lot of 20-somethings) who look back on the WDW of the past through the rose-colored lenses of a child on his or her first trip to the World. Things like APs and the internet make it possible to obsess over minor details and debate about unfounded rumors. And the magic goes out the window.

It's like when we had a thread that went on for pages and pages about some dirt on top of Spaceship Earth. Should it have been cleaned? Yeah, and I'm glad it was. But seriously - only a couple of people would probably have noticed if we hadn't all had our attention brought to it by the internet. And suddenly, everyone's crying "Bad show, Disney!" and complaining that it's just not as good as the "good ol' days."

Ever think about what you may be doing to cause this behavior, maybe acting suspicious, maybe jaunting right in thinking you own the place? Have respect for the cast members, it makes it that much more easier to respect you... Treat them as human beings and you will see a much more pleasant demeanor. I am not excusing their behavior, its not appropriate to act that way... but I find it coincidence that it all seems to be happening to you.

Yep... I've had my share of negative cast member experiences, which is a shame. But I find them to be the exception rather than the rule. And never outside of WDW have I encountered so many friendly, helpful employees willing to go far out of their way to help customers. As a WDW guest, I make a point of smiling to the unappreciated CMs and making small talk with them when appropriate... and I get wonderful treatment right back.

WDW's operations aren't perfect, and never will be. But they do much more now than they ever did before, and they do it beautifully. What's changed is your expectations and your knowledge of behind-the-scenes tidbits (e.g. internet rumors) that wouldn't have colored your vision before.

-p.b.

 

[zeroFantasy]

I don't know what the fight is all about . Disney is awesome!

 

[DisneyJill]

I've been going to WDW nearly every month for 18 years and I'm absolutely tired of putting up with the ____ anymore.

Did someone hold a gun to your head forcing you to go every month for 18 years? No? Didn't think so. Don't go then, if all you're going to do is complain! They'll find someone else to sell a ticket and food and souvenirs to. It's all in the eyes of the beholder, so keep in mind that just because your view is somewhat skewed right now, other people's are not and they are entitled to their opinion as well.

 

[NemoRocks78]

Now, thanks to the magic of the internet, self-aggrandizing demagogues with a pinchant for wanting attention can post their pictures and force their loss of pixie dust onto everyone else.

There you go with that attention ________ again.

I didn't do these things for attention. I did them for the people who aren't able to make it to WDW very often. I don't always take photos and complain either. I take photos of refurbishments, wait times, crowds, weather, and construction so people are informed of what is going on in the place they (and I used to) love most. Have you even looked at my other pictorials? I doubt it. I also like to throw in other stuff, like the couple Celebration photos that were in this one, and in others I add just plain ol' photos of or in an attraction/resort. I like to give folks a feel of what I've done and what I'm doing next (hence the "welcome to the ____" with a photo of something in that particular park).

Doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing... Transporting guests to their cars, then returning to the TTC when safely possible

Then there aren't enough out there. Tell me, how many total trams can they run at once?

In the lot, waiting for the guest who boarded with a open stroller to fold it once again before driving... Or assisting a guest who needs help exiting the tram to safely move to their car, or.... caught behind another tram who is doing those things

And seriously, how often does that actually happen? I've never been in a tram that has stopped because someone didn't fold a stroller (the CM usually has them take care of that BEFORE they leave) or took longer to leave a stop because a CM had to help a guest out.

And you saw exactly what you wanted to see, what you set out to see, and, instead of shifting your paradigm, you instead fit the facts into your own opinions

I never ONCE mentioned that I hated SGE and I think it needed to close in that pictorial. Not once. Again, I was reporting what I saw. If it had a long wait, I would've taken a picture of that and said "Wow, SGE has a pretty long wait today."

I can take that same camera and capture smiling faces coming out of Stitch

I could take an audio/video recorder and listen to the comments of people coming out of there, but hey, that's another thing for another thread, not here.

That's right, you didn't have to wait for a tram, you had to walk the mile and a half to the parks, how is that better? I personally find visiting UO (I am an AP there) to be a huge pain because of all the walking it takes to get to the parks I want to go to... Thats not a benefit

More than half of the way is moving walkways, and I can sure as hell make it to one of the parks faster than I could make it to MK taking a tram by just walking. Not only that but walking through CityWalk is nice, you can stop and make dining reservations, you can check movie times if you want to see a movie, and you can stop and browse through store.

Walt Disney - "We believed in our idea - a family park where parents and children could have fun- together." 'nuff said

Families aren't the only people going to those parks.

Two choices, spend 5 minutes cleaning the theater from the last rowdy crowd, and listen to the ones who are never happy complain a little bit, or let people into the attraction when its dirty and listen to people who love to complain complain a lot.... You are getting further from your point here, going so far as shooting yourself in the foot

Why don't they clean quickly throughout the day though? The queue could've been cleaned at any time (once you get into the evening this thing never has a wait) but it wasn't. I've never seen a queue as dirty as that one.

Ever think about what you may be doing to cause this behavior, maybe acting suspicious, maybe jaunting right in thinking you own the place? Have respect for the cast members, it makes it that much more easier to respect you... Treat them as human beings and you will see a much more pleasant demeanor. I am not excusing their behavior, its not appropriate to act that way... but I find it coincidence that it all seems to be happening to you.

1. I was waiting to get to the turnstiles behind folks who had to have their bags checked. Usually I'll take the 'Guests Without Bags' line but it wasn't running today (it's not used all the time, I've come a lot of times when it isn't). It got to the point where no one was waiting to go through the turnstile and I was standing behind one family who was trying to get their tickets out of their bag before having it checked. When this happens I just go around the people and to the turnstile. However, this was a big family, and their two strollers and all of them together were blocking the way. No one was behind me to get in either, so I just went around the chain and hopped over it so I could get through the turnstile quickly and into the park. Once I was on the other side, the security guard shoots me a 'mean look' and yells, "What do you think you're doing? Don't you DARE ever do that again. Get to the back of the line!" I say, "sir, I don't have a bag, there's no one going through, and I'd like to get into the park," (I could've yelled back, cursed, etc. but I didn't, just asked calmly) but he replies with "I don't care, get to the back of the line, you're gonna wait to go through." I just walked off and went through another turnstile. The way he treated the situation was not good at all, I mean, it's not like I was trying to hop the rail into the park....

2. I always feature wait times in my pictorials so I went to the Epcot times board to take photos. I wasn't "acting suspicious," I was just trying to take a few photos. As I'm doing it, the two CMs working the board just stare at me and started whispering to each other. I got my photos and walked off. Then, as I'm heading to Test Track, I could see one of the women following me! I cut into Mouse Gear and looked back and she was heading back to the board. Must I be considered a terrorist for taking a photo of a freakin' board?!?

True... and you know what was at fault for that? Rumor mongering internet fanboys who were telling everyone that Johnny Depp was going to be there. Instead of having large groups of people wait a long time to be disappointed, thus increasing their disappointment. The yelling comes for the sheer number of people who were there. Her remarks were in response to all the people who were yelling at her that they were SURE that Depp was going to be there, not trusting the people who are running the place to know whats going on. Its a common thing, that should be dispelled, people who post things on the internet DO NOT know more than Cast Members in certain areas (and if you knew who SHE was, NO ONE should have questioned her)

I don't care who she is, she shouldn't be yelling at people. She could've handled the situation a hell of a lot better (and as I've said before in other threads, I think it's a damn shame that WDW couldn't have even held a little something for the re-opening in front of the guests....it would've made those people a bit happier to see something, even if it had been just a ribbon-cutting ceremony with a little show).

I think it has just been tarnished by so many days spent searching for wrongness.

You don't even know me....I don't go looking for "wrongness," I see it and I encounter it. Period.

 

[NemoRocks78]

I don't get how you can put big blinders up for Uni but not for WDW...They opened the Suess ride with areas unpainted, scenery with holes in it, and a few structures they modified really needing some spackle and paint. That's not pretty.

I've been on that thing three times, show me where that stuff is.

Or how about several of the animatronics in Spiderman and MIB?

What hasn't been working in Spider-Man? I know some things aren't going in MIB, but it's seriously no different than what happens with the stuff at Splash.

And have you seen the Curious George play area? Or heck.. the MIB towers before they painted them, they were literally falling apart. Things can get bad at WDW, but i've rarely seen them that bad.

Falling apart? All I could see is that they needed some paint, that's it. And if we're on the subject of Curious George, then take a look at some of the parts of Toontown Fair as they need some help too.

And never outside of WDW have I encountered so many friendly, helpful employees willing to go far out of their way to help customers.

I don't see too often anymore, but I do see it in a lot of Universal employees. Hell, I was waiting in line the other day to get into Soundstage 21 for the TNA iMPACT! television tapings, and it started to rain....there was a woman wheeling herself around in a wheelchair, just across the way near Twister, and I saw an employee run up to her and help get her under cover at the Aftermath shop. That's what I call helpful.

Did someone hold a gun to your head forcing you to go every month for 18 years? No? Didn't think so. Don't go then, if all you're going to do is complain! They'll find someone else to sell a ticket and food and souvenirs to. It's all in the eyes of the beholder, so keep in mind that just because your view is somewhat skewed right now, other people's are not and they are entitled to their opinion as well.

I've gone a lot for these 18 years because I ENJOYED IT. Things there are just too messed up for me to do that anymore.

 

[InsideOtherPark]

NemoRocks your posts sound more and more like a viral for Universal.

 

[Enderikari]

In my uninformed, biased, and completely oblivious opinion there aren't enough out there. Tell me, how many total trams can they run at once?

There, fixed that for you... And the answer to your question is... I genuinely don't know, I don't let little things like 10 minute waits get in the way of me enjoying the park. I would want to say around 5 or 6, depending on how many lots are full, but I could be completely wrong.

And seriously, how often does that actually happen? I've never been in a tram that has stopped because someone didn't fold a stroller (the CM usually has them take care of that BEFORE they leave) or took longer to leave a stop because a CM had to help a guest out.

An unscheduled stop for the tram is a semi-regular occurance... For any number of safety reasons.

I never ONCE mentioned that I hated SGE and I think it needed to close in that pictorial. Not once. Again, I was reporting what I saw. If it had a long wait, I would've taken a picture of that and said "Wow, SGE has a pretty long wait today."

That's right, instead you let your own biases dictate the photos and caption you use. You have mentioned before your distaste for Stitch's Great Escape, you let that distaste color your comments... And you don't even seem to realize that if you are REPORTING, saying anything other than "Stitch had a 35 minute wait today around 11 am, but attendance dropped down to about 10 minute waits after 3 pm" (the 35 minute wait at 11 am is true for today, by the way) you are trying to push your bias onto folks.

I could take an audio/video recorder and listen to the comments of people coming out of there, but hey, that's another thing for another thread, not here.

Sure thing, go for it, but instead.. let's just ask people as they get out of the ride at random times what they thought of the attraction, wouldn't that provide better results? Of course, I won't waste my time because Disney pays people to do that anyway, and a majority of the responses (I won't say all, not as positive as Splash, but a higher percentage than say, Carousel of Progress) are postive... So get your recorder, I have facts on my side.

More than half of the way is moving walkways, and I can sure as hell make it to one of the parks faster than I could make it to MK taking a tram by just walking. Not only that but walking through CityWalk is nice, you can stop and make dining reservations, you can check movie times if you want to see a movie, and you can stop and browse through store.

Hoo-Ray! Instead of sitting down in preparation for a good long day of walking (which is one of my primary reasons for going to the parks nowadays, I don't ride rides, I watch for magical situations and try to maintain my girlish figure ; I get to stand on a succession of moving walkways, and then be forced to walk through a louder, more obnoxious version of Downtown Disney to WALK more, without the benefit of moving walkways, to the park of my choice. And don't forget being accosted on the way there by people trying to get me to sign up for a Universal Credit Card I don't need, but they have no qualms about jumping in front of me to try and sell me one. Dining reservations? Can do at City Hall, right inside the park, where the theming is better... Movie times? What movies play in the turn of the 20th century, though I am sure if I asked, City Hall could help me with that too. And browsing through shops? Isn't there enough of that at Disney for you?

Families aren't the only people going to those parks.

Correct... But it is intended for families to be able to ride together... The joy that it can bring to groups of one is amazing, but secondary.

Why don't they clean quickly throughout the day though? The queue could've been cleaned at any time (once you get into the evening this thing never has a wait) but it wasn't. I've never seen a queue as dirty as that one.

Ignoring the fact that a 5-10 minute cleaning can be considered quickly, I have never seen, anywhere, as many custodial hosts and hostesses than what I see at Disney parks... They have a big job to do, it IS the busiest theme park in the world, and you better believe that they clean throughout the day. If you think the queue is dirty, tell someone, preferably someone with a radio, one quick call and custodial comes along to take care of it.

1. I was waiting to get to the turnstiles behind folks who had to have their bags checked. Usually I'll take the 'Guests Without Bags' line but it wasn't running today (it's not used all the time, I've come a lot of times when it isn't). It got to the point where no one was waiting to go through the turnstile and I was standing behind one family who was trying to get their tickets out of their bag before having it checked. When this happens I just go around the people and to the turnstile. However, this was a big family, and their two strollers and all of them together were blocking the way. No one was behind me to get in either, so I just went around the chain and hopped over it so I could get through the turnstile quickly and into the park. Once I was on the other side, the security guard shoots me a 'mean look' and yells, "What do you think you're doing? Don't you DARE ever do that again. Get to the back of the line!" I say, "sir, I don't have a bag, there's no one going through, and I'd like to get into the park," (I could've yelled back, cursed, etc. but I didn't, just asked calmly) but he replies with "I don't care, get to the back of the line, you're gonna wait to go through." I just walked off and went through another turnstile. The way he treated the situation was not good at all, I mean, it's not like I was trying to hop the rail into the park....

Boy, there are three sides to every story, your side, their side, and the truth... That's really all I think I need to say about that. Perception is easy to skew, and for some, perception dictates reality

2. I always feature wait times in my pictorials so I went to the Epcot times board to take photos. I wasn't "acting suspicious," I was just trying to take a few photos. As I'm doing it, the two CMs working the board just stare at me and started whispering to each other. I got my photos and walked off. Then, as I'm heading to Test Track, I could see one of the women following me! I cut into Mouse Gear and looked back and she was heading back to the board. Must I be considered a terrorist for taking a photo of a freakin' board?!?

Boy, that does sounds like suspicious behavior to me, did they approach you, stop you, or affect your journey in any way? You just described what some people may consider suspicious actions, even though it was after they started following you. Is taking pictures of the wait time board suspicious? It can be, but since you say you take these pictures with every pictorial, and it happened once, I think you are batting a pretty good average in the "Not getting followed" field. I personally enjoy the fact that CMs are looking out for suspicious behavior, makes me feel safer.

I don't care who she is, she shouldn't be yelling at people. She could've handled the situation a hell of a lot better (and as I've said before in other threads, Because I will never be satisfied with anything Disney does, no matter how cool,I think it's a damn shame that WDW couldn't have even held a little something for the re-opening in front of the guests....it would've made those people a bit happier to see something, even if it had been just a ribbon-cutting ceremony with a little show).

There, fixed that one for you too... Why did Disney have to do anything? On what planet do you think Johnny Depp would want to fly out to WDW, when he possibly could have other things to do? Why should Disney do a ribbon-cutting ceremony, when the only reason they would be doing it is because a bunch of disatisfied internet fan-boys were setting themselves up for disappointment? No matter what Disney would have done, there would be folks (I have a feeling you would be one of them) who would say, "Oh, they should have done this." No they shouldn't have, because the ride was opening from a refurbishment... Nevermind... you would never understand the intricacies of the fine balance MK has to strike between safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency.

You don't even know me....I don't go looking for "wrongness," I see it and I encounter it, you recognize the ability to get attention from it, you put it all over the internet, you get a small sense of joy when zealots agree with you, and continue to bask in negativity. Period.

Seriously, I think at some point you really did enjoy Disney... No one starts a tradition of coming once a month for 18 years without geniunely enjoying it... You have lost it. Disney hasn't lost it, the pixie dust is still there to discover. Time...Time has stolen the pixie dust from you, as it has from anyone who sees the negative aspects of WDW as something "new." There was chipped paint and tired cast members 15 years ago, just as there are now. But 15 years ago you hadn't become disillusioned, because, as mentioned earlier, your many trips to WDW have caused you to become familiar with the parks... Familiarity and comprehension do NOT go hand in hand. You see things, like a dirty queue in Philharmagic, but you have no idea how the custodial staff works, so, you become disillusioned, thinking if you were to come an hour later, the queue would still be dirty (it wouldn't). Allow WDW a little bit of time to become less familiar, and allow yourself time to remember what is was like anticipating a trip to WDW, not, as it is now, a simple "well, I think I will pop over for a few pictures, to show everyone at home what the Stitch line is like."

In all sincerity, good luck, I want you to enjoy WDW again... But it is a decision that you will have to make

 

[Lewis Carroll]

There, fixed that for you... And the answer to your question is... I genuinely don't know, I don't let little things like 10 minute waits get in the way of me enjoying the park. I would want to say around 5 or 6, depending on how many lots are full, but I could be completely wrong.


An unscheduled stop for the tram is a semi-regular occurance... For any number of safety reasons.


That's right, instead you let your own biases dictate the photos and caption you use. You have mentioned before your distaste for Stitch's Great Escape, you let that distaste color your comments... And you don't even seem to realize that if you are REPORTING, saying anything other than "Stitch had a 35 minute wait today around 11 am, but attendance dropped down to about 10 minute waits after 3 pm" (the 35 minute wait at 11 am is true for today, by the way) you are trying to push your bias onto folks.


Sure thing, go for it, but instead.. let's just ask people as they get out of the ride at random times what they thought of the attraction, wouldn't that provide better results? Of course, I won't waste my time because Disney pays people to do that anyway, and a majority of the responses (I won't say all, not as positive as Splash, but a higher percentage than say, Carousel of Progress) are postive... So get your recorder, I have facts on my side.


Hoo-Ray! Instead of sitting down in preparation for a good long day of walking (which is one of my primary reasons for going to the parks nowadays, I don't ride rides, I watch for magical situations and try to maintain my girlish figure ; I get to stand on a succession of moving walkways, and then be forced to walk through a louder, more obnoxious version of Downtown Disney to WALK more, without the benefit of moving walkways, to the park of my choice. And don't forget being accosted on the way there by people trying to get me to sign up for a Universal Credit Card I don't need, but they have no qualms about jumping in front of me to try and sell me one. Dining reservations? Can do at City Hall, right inside the park, where the theming is better... Movie times? What movies play in the turn of the 20th century, though I am sure if I asked, City Hall could help me with that too. And browsing through shops? Isn't there enough of that at Disney for you?


Correct... But it is intended for families to be able to ride together... The joy that it can bring to groups of one is amazing, but secondary.


Ignoring the fact that a 5-10 minute cleaning can be considered quickly, I have never seen, anywhere, as many custodial hosts and hostesses than what I see at Disney parks... They have a big job to do, it IS the busiest theme park in the world, and you better believe that they clean throughout the day. If you think the queue is dirty, tell someone, preferably someone with a radio, one quick call and custodial comes along to take care of it.


Boy, there are three sides to every story, your side, their side, and the truth... That's really all I think I need to say about that. Perception is easy to skew, and for some, perception dictates reality


Boy, that does sounds like suspicious behavior to me, did they approach you, stop you, or affect your journey in any way? You just described what some people may consider suspicious actions, even though it was after they started following you. Is taking pictures of the wait time board suspicious? It can be, but since you say you take these pictures with every pictorial, and it happened once, I think you are batting a pretty good average in the "Not getting followed" field. I personally enjoy the fact that CMs are looking out for suspicious behavior, makes me feel safer.


There, fixed that one for you too... Why did Disney have to do anything? On what planet do you think Johnny Depp would want to fly out to WDW, when he possibly could have other things to do? Why should Disney do a ribbon-cutting ceremony, when the only reason they would be doing it is because a bunch of disatisfied internet fan-boys were setting themselves up for disappointment? No matter what Disney would have done, there would be folks (I have a feeling you would be one of them) who would say, "Oh, they should have done this." No they shouldn't have, because the ride was opening from a refurbishment... Nevermind... you would never understand the intricacies of the fine balance MK has to strike between safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency.



Seriously, I think at some point you really did enjoy Disney... No one starts a tradition of coming once a month for 18 years without geniunely enjoying it... You have lost it. Disney hasn't lost it, the pixie dust is still there to discover. Time...Time has stolen the pixie dust from you, as it has from anyone who sees the negative aspects of WDW as something "new." There was chipped paint and tired cast members 15 years ago, just as there are now. But 15 years ago you hadn't become disillusioned, because, as mentioned earlier, your many trips to WDW have caused you to become familiar with the parks... Familiarity and comprehension do NOT go hand in hand. You see things, like a dirty queue in Philharmagic, but you have no idea how the custodial staff works, so, you become disillusioned, thinking if you were to come an hour later, the queue would still be dirty (it wouldn't). Allow WDW a little bit of time to become less familiar, and allow yourself time to remember what is was like anticipating a trip to WDW, not, as it is now, a simple "well, I think I will pop over for a few pictures, to show everyone at home what the Stitch line is like."

In all sincerity, good luck, I want you to enjoy WDW again... But it is a decision that you will have to make

How much does disney pay you?

 

[yodathefrog]

1. I was waiting to get to the turnstiles behind folks who had to have their bags checked. Usually I'll take the 'Guests Without Bags' line but it wasn't running today (it's not used all the time, I've come a lot of times when it isn't). It got to the point where no one was waiting to go through the turnstile and I was standing behind one family who was trying to get their tickets out of their bag before having it checked. When this happens I just go around the people and to the turnstile. However, this was a big family, and their two strollers and all of them together were blocking the way. No one was behind me to get in either, so I just went around the chain and hopped over it so I could get through the turnstile quickly and into the park. Once I was on the other side, the security guard shoots me a 'mean look' and yells, "What do you think you're doing? Don't you DARE ever do that again. Get to the back of the line!" I say, "sir, I don't have a bag, there's no one going through, and I'd like to get into the park," (I could've yelled back, cursed, etc. but I didn't, just asked calmly) but he replies with "I don't care, get to the back of the line, you're gonna wait to go through." I just walked off and went through another turnstile. The way he treated the situation was not good at all, I mean, it's not like I was trying to hop the rail into the park....

But in essence you were hopping a rail to get into the park. Ropes/rails are there for a reason, and part of that is not to be used as a hurdle. I guess I fail to see the logic in hopping over any barrier, especially in front of security. That is just asking for a reprimand. Not to mention all the people in that line that were ticked because they saw you do it. If everyone did it, there would be Chaos...that is what the security personel are trying to avoid. Thus, the reprimand.

 

[CaptainMichael]

I'm gonna step in here real quick and ask all parties to please get back on topic.

I didn't know about them changing the signs in the Adventureland/Frontierland tunnel. Thanks for the time and effort NemoRocks, and I hope WDW trips are more enjoyable for you in the future.

 

[NemoRocks78]

In my uninformed, biased, and completely oblivious opinion
Because I will never be satisfied with anything Disney does, no matter how cool
you recognize the ability to get attention from it, you put it all over the internet, you get a small sense of joy when zealots agree with you, and continue to bask in negativity.

Wow, I can only wonder how you handle things with upset guests at GR.

I would want to say around 5 or 6, depending on how many lots are full, but I could be completely wrong.

That's about the number I was thinking of, and it's still not enough.

That's right, instead you let your own biases dictate the photos and caption you use. You have mentioned before your distaste for Stitch's Great Escape, you let that distaste color your comments...

"SGE still runs without FP and can't even keep a 10 minute wait LOL."

I am not saying I hate SGE there. Just because I have previously said I didn't like means that I'm no longer allowed to give updates on its lines? :brick: It couldn't even hold a 10 minute wait in the evening on the 4th of July, one of the biggest days of the year. Everyone always said this was going to have long lines and do much better than AE, when in reality it hasn't done that. Two years after AE opened it was still getting lines that went out into the walkway.

Dining reservations? Can do at City Hall, right inside the park, where the theming is better...

You need theming to make a dining reservation?

And browsing through shops? Isn't there enough of that at Disney for you?

Hey, at least I can purchase more than a stuffed character and a t-shirt in their stores.

But it is intended for families to be able to ride together... The joy that it can bring to groups of one is amazing, but secondary.

....and I'm sure if a family wanted to ride together, they would take the stand-by line. People who are riding alone or who would like to get through the line faster would like to take the SRL.

If you think the queue is dirty, tell someone, preferably someone with a radio, one quick call and custodial comes along to take care of it.

If Disney is so perfect then I shouldn't have to tell someone, they should have people going through there regularly and cleaning up. IIRC there are barely any trash cans in that place so I'm not too surprised.

Perception is easy to skew, and for some, perception dictates reality

Since it happened to the guy who talks down about Disney the security folks must be right.

On what planet do you think Johnny Depp would want to fly out to WDW, when he possibly could have other things to do? Why should Disney do a ribbon-cutting ceremony, when the only reason they would be doing it is because a bunch of disatisfied internet fan-boys were setting themselves up for disappointment? No matter what Disney would have done, there would be folks (I have a feeling you would be one of them) who would say, "Oh, they should have done this." No they shouldn't have, because the ride was opening from a refurbishment... Nevermind... you would never understand the intricacies of the fine balance MK has to strike between safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency.

Did I ever say Depp had to come? No. It would've been nice but I was expecting him not to from the beginning. Something, anything could've been done for the guests. Universal held a huge bash for Revenge of the Mummy (with the stars), and even had a good amount of stuff for something as small as the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride, which has recieved near zero marketing outside of the park itself. And it may be opening just from a refurbishment, but they're certainly treating it like a new ride...."it's a small world" never got billboards.

thinking if you were to come an hour later, the queue would still be dirty (it wouldn't).

So they'll clean up a day's worth of trash an hour before park closing but they couldn't do it during the afternoon and evening?

"well, I think I will pop over for a few pictures, to show everyone at home what the Stitch line is like."

I think at some point you really did enjoy Disney... No one starts a tradition of coming once a month for 18 years without geniunely enjoying it....

Of course I enjoyed it, I was a kid and loved the Magic Kingdom to death. As I got older, I still continued to enjoy it. I saw friendly CMs, clean walkways, attractions that were well maintained, and much more. I don't see that anymore, which is a damn shame.

 

[NemoRocks78]

Not to mention all the people in that line that were ticked because they saw you do it.

As I already mentioned, there was NO ONE behind me. The family was taking way too long getting their tickets out, which they should've done either before coming to the security table or after they had gone through it. When the 'Guests Without Bags' line is not running, I'm always able to walk by the people waiting to have their bags checked without any problems since I rarely have a bag, but I was unable to because they were crowded around the whole area. The guard should not have reacted in the way he did, especially since the family was still there and they had small children.

I'm gonna step in here real quick and ask all parties to please get back on topic.

I didn't know about them changing the signs in the Adventureland/Frontierland tunnel. Thanks for the time and effort NemoRocks, and I hope WDW trips are more enjoyable for you in the future.

Not a problem, thanks man.

 

[bigang]

its ok if you never go back to wdw , one less person in line !!!

 

[ClemsonTigger]

How much does disney pay you?

You can't pay enough for someone to feel that way about the World. One could ask how much Universal pays some of the posters here too, but that would be equally inappropriate.

I have been going to WDW regularly since 1971, and while I've seen attractions come and go, seen Epcot from the beginning, MGM and AK too. I have to say the only thing that has really changed for the worse during that time are the guests. Behavior, wanton destruction of property, and expecting to have everything handed to them because they spent a few dollars. THAT is what's gone downhill!