I've gotta admit something. I'm loving the jouranalistic schwartz comparing contests that are going on here. It's the highest of high entertainment to someone who has little knowledge or interest in journalism. In the day and age where we're as likely to get timely and accurate news from "Broneyboy_316" on Reddit as we are from CNN, the journalistic lines have shifted so much that it's nearly impossible to follow.
I'm also digging on people complaining on this thread getting off topic, when every single thread devolves into discussion of random things like cheesesteaks, peppered with varied levels of joke telling, and the same points getting discussed over and over with no end. Complaining that this thread got off topic is like complaining that an internet discussion compared someone to Hitler. It's inevitable, and only acceptable when you are the one doing the Hitler comparison to someone else.
IMO
Of course it's ok to question the source. It's one of the first things that happens to anyone on these boards when someone brings in information. We get 6 pages of "sources please!!!". This however has seemed to go on longer than usual, and it's odd to me that we're spending more pages questioning someone with named sources who works for a national publication than we do for those that have never once (for good reason likely) gave a source. Of course there is some history to some of those posters, and varying degrees of how good or bad their rumors have panned out, but it feels like from following through this post that the author has been questioned far longer and far beyond a reasonable level for someone who's reputation is pretty easily verifiable.
Is there a chance that a reporter was told what the company wanted him to hear? Of course. Just as there is a chance that our insiders have been told what the company wanted them to hear. As some dude on the internet said (Abraham Lincoln??) "Question Everything". I do tend to believe that since the author of this article spent time talking to both current employees as well as past employees with a less rosy picture to paint, it is likely that the article holds a good basis in truth. I also tend to believe that anything that came from a current employee of the company was a crafted response to tell the story they wanted told. It's what every single person in the world does to varying degrees. The old quote "History is written by the victors" holds true here.
Of course we should question the author to some degree, just like we should question each and every person who is putting out information. But I do think that there comes a time when questions are asked and answered, and it's time to move along to other conversation.
So while we're now devolving back into PML vs. Spirit and pals, I think it's likely time to consider this thread mostly dead. I thank the author @AustinC for researching and publishing the story and coming in here to have further discussions with us crazy Disney fans. I thank folks like @WDW1974 and @wdisney9000 for adding the degree of skepticism to add perspective. I thank @jakeman and @xdan0920 for questioning their questioning once it went on longer than it probably should have. And most importantly, I thank myself for being as inoffensive as possible.
Thank you, and God Bless America
Well said. I'll take a shot and be the offensive 'ying' to your inoffensive 'yang'.
My personal belief is that the article was the hidden hand of misdirection. A small dose of controlled opposition, if you will. While there is no doubt the article was well researched and written, its objectiveness was elusive to me. Any mention of flaws in the program were brief and shrewdly peppered in between glowing paragraphs of excitement with an almost enchanted fairy tale-esque biography of the birth of NGE and the struggles of the 'founding five' in that trailer behind Epcot who embarked on a crusade to truly enhance the vacation experience for all who journey to this magical place, and in no way were they attempting to,.. how did Rasulo put it?....oh ya, "get a bigger share of their wallet"
The authors journey to discover NGE's effectiveness led him to adorable characters such as the frail old couple who overcame their fears of technology and now embrace it, to the father carrying his tuckered-out little princess and described it as a "life saver" and cant imagine ever going back to the archaic system of legacy FP (which oddly enough never suffered resort wide failure multiple times), yet his quest failed to discover and speak with any of the very real antithetical characters one may discover at Guest Relations any given time of day whose life had not been saved by the magic band and whose FP+ had vanished, again, or whatever random error occurred and they were forced to take more time out of their vacation day. I guess that email Disney sends describing MM+ as giving you "unprecedented control of your vacation", is just for fun.
I did learn some fun facts though. Apparently there were disgruntled but extremely talented parents who could be seen skillfully "juggling" multiple park maps and SPF 75 lotion and strollers with room keys and credit cards ALL AT ONCE! I found it strange that in all my years I never had to use my credit card at the exact same time i applied sun tan lotion while trying to find my location on multiple park maps with my room key in hand. But these people are real, and fret not, because Ms Crofton and her team did not let their struggles go unnoticed. Im sure any day now they will release the prototype Magic band that protects your child from the harmful UV rays of the sun while simultaneously serving as a stroller.
My personal opinions aside, I honestly give kudos to the author for a very well written article and I look forward to any follow up stories that may come along. Even though I feel the objectivity of the story was a bit lacking in some areas, i sincerely appreciate what is by far the most in depth story on the subject yet.
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