More Wrapped Buses

[CaptainAmerica]

A plain bus is neutral. A step below themed but still above a contradiction to the intended Resort experience.

The big-R "Resort" (i.e. Walt Disney World) is far from cohesive, all transportation systems aside. There's nothing cohesive about a yacht club, a hunting lodge, an African savanna, Germany, an 1800s equestrian-themed hotel, monsters, aliens, a mysterious elevator, a music studio, a fossil site, and a fantasy castle all within walking distance of one another.

Cohesive theming within individual resorts, parks, or lands makes sense. Trying to tie ALL of Walt Disney World together as one "in-story" experience is stretching the narrative to say the least.

 

[flynnibus]

No, that is your notion of a resort. The Grand Floridian is a resort, the Polynesian is a resort, Contemporary is a resort, etc. Each of those places, should you desire, can keep you entertained without leaving the premises. All of the deluxe hotels, could in a sense, be considered standalone resorts. The moderates and values however, not so much.

You see to be forgetting that title... Walt Disney World Resort....

People stayed on property hotels to stay IN the bubble... no bothers with parking, driving, etc. The magically Disney transportation system of monorails, boats, and trains were all forms of transportation that wisked you from the park to your disney resort... so your whole trip, not just your park visit, was in this Disney reality.

 

[doctornick]

I think the odd thing about the complaining is that the Agent Carter bus, at least, is far better themed than the ordinary buses. It makes the ordinary bus look like something distinct and interesting. While it may be an advertisement, IMHO it is one that actually enhances the environment.

Beyond that, I don't see how doing the wraps or not damages the WDW experience. The buses are not "on stage" and part of the theming and environment to begin with. I'm actually sympathetic to most arguments about intrusions of the outside world into the theme parks, but this strikes me as an odd place to draw a line.

 

[flynnibus]

Then I am not sure what theme park you are visiting, because these pervasive ads and in your face corporate sponsorships have been around since Walt opened Disneyland in 1955. In fact one could argue that there is much less in your face corporate presence today than there was 30 years ago.

Product placement and naming is not the same as big billboards. Walt's sponsorship deals to fund the park were done in ways to plug into the theme park experience (with the exception of his 'we got nothing else...' TL.. which at least had a little basis in the land).

Seeing the latest ABC TV Shows on a bus... no such integration or purpose. It's purely advertising.

 

[flynnibus]

Cohesive theming within individual resorts, parks, or lands makes sense. Trying to tie ALL of Walt Disney World together as one "in-story" experience is stretching the narrative to say the least.

One can have a cohesive experience without things being interconnected stories - see the freaking MK itself.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

One can have a cohesive experience without things being interconnected stories - see the freaking MK itself.

The "M" in "MK" wouldn't happen to stand for "Magic," now would it? They have an "out" when it comes to cohesive theming.

 

[flynnibus]

I think the odd thing about the complaining is that the Agent Carter bus, at least, is far better themed than the ordinary buses. It makes the ordinary bus look like something distinct and interesting. While it may be an advertisement, IMHO it is one that actually enhances the environment.

Its not THEMED at all - it's decorated with an pretty piece of marketing.

The buses are not "on stage" and part of the theming and environment to begin with. I'm actually sympathetic to most arguments about intrusions of the outside world into the theme parks, but this strikes me as an odd place to draw a line.

It is on stage.. and why Disney went to great lengths to manage all the public spaces of the property.. and not just within the theme park or resort gates.

How quickly people forget how distinctly different the Disney property is vs the outside world once the company drops all the special touches.

 

[flynnibus]

The "M" in "MK" wouldn't happen to stand for "Magic," now would it? They have an "out" when it comes to cohesive theming.

I'm just gonna leave this right here...

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm just gonna leave this right here...

Dude. It's an UGLY bus. They covered an ugly bus and made it less ugly and you're complaining. If they covered a MAGICal bus and made it less MAGICal, then your point would be well-taken. It's a plain white bus.

 

[DVCOwner]

The mental gymnastics that you "faithful" go through to justify every crass commercialistic move this company makes is astounding. This is plain bad show. Visual white noise. It is there, big as a billboard, to pummel your senses with their message. We, as a society, have gotten used to it in our daily lives and some of us seek out places without it for our vacation time. WDW was a more relaxing place before this mindset took over the place. Between ADRs, FP+, and the barrage real life banner ads, a WDW vacation is nothing less than relentlessly stressful.

The mental gymnastics that some people go through to make everything Disney does bad is astounding. If you applied this same standard to Disneyland the day it opened you would have to say it was a plain bad show. The first thing they did at Disneyland was to turn the opening into a TV show that had commercials and sponsors. This was bad show.

 

[DVCOwner]

Dude. It's an UGLY bus. They covered an ugly bus and made it less ugly and you're complaining. If they covered a MAGICal bus and made it less MAGICal, then your point would be well-taken. It's a plain white bus.

You are 100% correct on this one. There is nothing Magical about this bus other than it takes us from one place to another.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The mental gymnastics that some people go through to make everything Disney does bad is astounding. If you applied this same standard to Disneyland the day it opened you would have to say it was a plain bad show. The first thing they did at Disneyland was to turn the opening into a TV show that had commercials and sponsors. This was bad show.

Don't forget the "WDW sucks now" crowd's all time favorite: Horizons: SPONSORED BY GENERAL ELECTRIC.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Themed Resort Transport:

Multi Platform Marketing Strategy:

One complements the resort experience in terms of themed entertainment, one is a rolling product billboard. And anyone that says different is lying or an idiot. Now you can chose to let it bother you or not, but the truth is plain.

And the Pixie Dusters circle the wagons.......

 

[CaptainAmerica]

And the Pixie Dusters circle the wagons.......

Sorry, I know you want me to say I prefer the Disney Infinity bus and claim it's not a multi platform marketing strategy because then you can make me seem like a crazy person, but I'm not going to play ball.

Themed Resort Transport:

I think that bus is brilliant. From a purely logistical perspective, it can't happen at Walt Disney World because they have 25+ resorts, not four. Further, the bus that takes you to the Contemporary one day might be the bus that takes you to DAK Lodge the next. Given the choice between "resort themed buses" and "marketing buses," I'd pick the themed ones every time; but that's NOT the choice. The choice is between "marketing buses" and "plain white buses" and given THAT choice, give me the billboard.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Themed Resort Transport:

Multi Platform Marketing Strategy:

And the Pixie Dusters circle the wagons.......

Sorry, I know you want me to say I prefer the Disney Infinity bus and claim it's not a multi platform marketing strategy because then you can make me seem like a crazy person, but I'm not going to play ball.


I think that bus is brilliant. From a purely logistical perspective, it can't happen at Walt Disney World because they have 25+ resorts, not four. Further, the bus that takes you to the Contemporary one day might be the bus that takes you to DAK Lodge the next. Given the choice between "resort themed buses" and "marketing buses," I'd pick the themed ones every time; but that's NOT the choice. The choice is between "marketing buses" and "plain white buses" and given THAT choice, give me the billboard.

But they don't have to be plain white busses. If I were Disney I would model the busses to reflect the aesthetic of the iconic Disney monorail system. But that is just me.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

But they don't have to be plain white busses. If I were Disney I would model the busses to reflect the aesthetic of the iconic Disney monorail system. But that is just me.

I feel like the monorails look "cool" because of their sleek bodies. If you painted a bus like a monorail it would still be a white bus with a stripe on the side.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

The mental gymnastics that some people go through to make everything Disney does bad is astounding. If you applied this same standard to Disneyland the day it opened you would have to say it was a plain bad show. The first thing they did at Disneyland was to turn the opening into a TV show that had commercials and sponsors. This was bad show.

But stepping back 60 years to day one of the invention of the modern destination theme park resort would be disingenuous, would it not? We now have an established standard. And I may be wrong but the inclusion of bus and monorail wraps is a relatively new (last 10 years or so) thing for the resort? And they are very big, very crass examples of modern marketing. So it is not surprising that the more observant of us notice the change.

 

[arko]

A plain bus is neutral. A step below themed but still above a contradiction to the intended Resort experience.

A plain bus is neutral. A step below themed but still above a contradiction to the intended Resort experience.

the intended resort experience is designed to separate you from as much of your money as they can, nothing more nothing less. Its why they had rides exit in gift shops and the whole left side of main street is one giant interconnected store, or why they offer to pick you up at the airport. just because I recognize what Disney is doing, doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself just the same. If its bad show then its been bad show since Walt opened up Disneyland

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I feel like the monorails look "cool" because of their sleek bodies. If you painted a bus like a monorail it would still be a white bus with a stripe on the side.

Oh, please. Be more creative. Is this bus actually squeezed?

 

[Disneyhead'71]

the intended resort experience is designed to separate you from as much of your money as they can, nothing more nothing less. Its why they had rides exit in gift shops and the whole left side of main street is one giant interconnected store, or why they offer to pick you up at the airport. just because I recognize what Disney is doing, doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself just the same. If its bad show then its been bad show since Walt opened up Disneyland

I just spent about $2K on a 2 day get-a-way. I was flinging money at them to pull my stress level off of 11. 2 nights at a real 4 star resort on the gulf. A full spa package and a 4 star dinner without leaving the resort.

Disney could have a LOT more of my money if they were offering a different product these days.