News and observations from the past month

[misterID]

Doesn't it make more sense in the scene for the Paperboy to be facing "out" towards the matte painting of the street rather than "in" towards the the room the printing press is in?
Why would he be trying to sell papers to the men printing them?

No, he's selling the paper to the passing guests!!!!

Even just visually, it looks stupid to be facing away.

@HMF unless you know something we dont, I really don't think anyone cares about what we think. They might read the site but I haven't seen anything that suggests that they care. I'm sure WDI has to do what they have to do sometimes, but again, they're not complete angels in WDW problems, either.

 

[Bairstow]

No, he's selling the paper to the passing guests!!!!

But we're "in" the printing press room.

If in fact he was trying to sell the papers to the guests, that presents a different set of thematic problems, as he's the only animatronic who acknowledges the guests' presence.

 

[PhotoDave219]

They operate rides on a daily basis at reduced capacity. Stuff like running one load side of Big Thunder.

And having recently talked to a front line CM, I know for a fact that FP+ is causing a major increase in the Stand By lines. The major issue is that they are having a difficult time getting some of the bands to "read". Some people are having to try and swipe the band multiple time the try tapping, them eventually having to take the band off and basically cup their hand around it while pressing the thing against the reader. It has gotten to the point where some CMs are not even checking validity and just letting anyone with a band that walks into the FP+ queue get on. I know someone who rode Space 4 times without a single FP+ ressie . They just walked through the queue, showed the CM their band and were waved through. They did this, not because they actually wanted to ride, but because they wanted to see if they could. With anyone simply walking into the FP+ line ressie or not, the stand by line is taking a beating.

FWIW, I had ZERO issues with the FP+ and my Magic Band today. Test Track (and their kiosks!), Soarin, & a handheld one for illuminations.

Operations needs to enforce this stuff right off the bat or things will get out of control in a hurry.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Quick thought on MM+....

When you jump through all the hoops - that is set up your account, link everything to the magic band, make your FP+ ressies, and all that other stuff?

It works. Unfortunately..... thats a PITA for the person who just wants to jump in the car and go to Disney.

 

[HMF]

@HMF unless you know something we dont, I really don't think anyone cares about what we think. They might read the site but I haven't seen anything that suggests that they care. I'm sure WDI has to do what they have to do sometimes, but again, they're not complete angels in WDW problems, either.

I don't know anything you don't. It's just that I feel that divisiveness and dogmatic thinking has led our world into a crisis.

 

[Matt_Black]

I don't know anything you don't. It's just that I feel that divisiveness and dogmatic thinking has led our world into a crisis.

You're probably projecting anxiety over current events onto a theme park, but the overall sentiment is nice enough.

 

[flyerjab]

Quick thought on MM+....

When you jump through all the hoops - that is set up your account, link everything to the magic band, make your FP+ ressies, and all that other stuff?

It works. Unfortunately..... thats a PITA for the person who just wants to jump in the car and go to Disney.

That is what we noticed as well when we went over Labor Day weekend. As far as our camp is concerned, we live in PA so spontaneity is slightly out of the question. Also, my wife loves planning trips so going to WDW has become that much more enjoyable with the magic bands. Personally, I have never had an issue with this program. Then again, I have not been traveling to WDW my entire life, only within the last 4 years, so the decline that is spoken about on this site is something I have not had the displeasure of experiencing. My baseline of expectations from WDW is quite different from other people that post here. Not because I don't believe that their viewpoint is true to them, just that it will take me several more years to even be able to judge WDW in the same way.

 

[ford91exploder]

FWIW, I had ZERO issues with the FP+ and my Magic Band today. Test Track (and their kiosks!), Soarin, & a handheld one for illuminations.

Operations needs to enforce this stuff right off the bat or things will get out of control in a hurry.

Interesting, @PhotoDave219 report is one of the first reliable reports that NGE features are working correctly, Could the read/room charge issues be load related as in TDO did not provision adequate bandwidth to the data center which is probably in Burbank or NYC.

 

[JimboJones123]

No, he's selling the paper to the passing guests!!!!

Even just visually, it looks stupid to be facing away.

@HMF unless you know something we dont, I really don't think anyone cares about what we think. They might read the site but I haven't seen anything that suggests that they care. I'm sure WDI has to do what they have to do sometimes, but again, they're not complete angels in WDW problems, either.

And change his script back.

EXTRA! EXTRA! NEW YORK DAILY!

The paper is still the New York Daily. It is a little thing, but adding that it is a Daily paper is kind of the point of why it was included. Itadds personality to the attraction. A kid. Working. Taboo. So much story is lost by sticking his nose in the corner and changing his script.

 

[JimboJones123]

Quick thought on MM+....

When you jump through all the hoops - that is set up your account, link everything to the magic band, make your FP+ ressies, and all that other stuff?

It works. Unfortunately..... thats a PITA for the person who just wants to jump in the car and go to Disney.

Or APs that make blanket reservations every weekend if they go or not.

Next year travel books are going to list the top 5 MM+ grabs for each park, I'm sure. Then it will be like dining reservations.

"I did not get my top picks. Disney sucks."

There will be a negative backlash along these lines. It may noy be pretty. It already exists with how guests view Cindy Castle, Fireworks, Midway Mania, Sorin'.

Disney does a fantastic job of building up incredible demand with no hope lf fulfilling it with supply.

 

[muteki]

And how long as the mean green machine in the SSE Industrial age been under a tarp?

It's still covered?

How hard is it to make a wheel spin?

 

[ScoutN]

It's still covered?

How hard is it to make a wheel spin?

As of Saturday a week ago. Cannot recall if it was that way in May.

 

[muteki]

As of Saturday a week ago. Cannot recall if it was that way in May.

It wasn't covered in April, but it wasn't spinning either. Haven't seen it move in years.

I was happy to read it was getting some attention, because it adds a lot to that scene, but didn't think it would be a complicated fix.

It's probably bolted directly to the foundations, or they would have to open up SSE to fix it. Maybe a strobe light would help?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Interesting, @PhotoDave219 report is one of the first reliable reports that NGE features are working correctly, Could the read/room charge issues be load related as in TDO did not provision adequate bandwidth to the data center which is probably in Burbank or NYC.

My friend did the room charges and had the stay; from what I witnessed he didnt have any issues.

I think its getting to the point where either it works or it doesnt. Meaning... that when there are issues, there are really big issues.

Its very convenient, except for that its icky and sweaty as hell on my wrist in the 95 degree heat. And the whole tracking bit.

 

[PalisadesPkteer]

After reading Martin's report How can any of you still go to Disney World? The place is a dump and its an insult to Walt and Roy Disney to even give these guys $100 a day to visit. Stop going, send the message that this kind of state the parks are in is unacceptable and then return once WDW has been brought up to it's former high standards otherwise your just wasting your hard earned cash to boost attendance numbers for a corporation.

I have done this for the last 2 trips and will do so for my trip Dec. 14 - 17 2013. I used to go to WDW and nowhere else. In 2011, did not go to Disney at all. Only Sea World, Busch Gardens Tampa, and both Universal resorts. Quite a change for a guy who had gone to Sea World only 1 time in 2000 and stopped until 2011, never had gone to Busch Gardens and had been to Universal only 1 time in 2001 and again did not go again until 2011. Trip 2012, Sea World, Busch Gardens, both Universal resorts and 1 day (regret this now) to WDW (MK and EPCOT). Trip to WDW on that day was not pleasant at all. Lines for POTC and HM were disgustingly long. Will not happen again unless things change at WDW and fear it will be a long wait for that.

 

[flynnibus]

The thing is.. Disney can easily change the wristband into something else. Or even change the design of the band. 'one size fits all' is a tough order... but the placement near the wrist is still a very important design factor for reach.

Maybe they should make rings

 

[CDavid]

The thing is.. Disney can easily change the wristband into something else. Or even change the design of the band. 'one size fits all' is a tough order... but the placement near the wrist is still a very important design factor for reach.

Maybe they should make rings

Separate the RFID components from the band, something like a car key FOB, and make them attachable to watch bands, lanyards, key chains, bracelets, or similar (or just dropped in a pocket). Some of the criticism then goes away.

 

[flynnibus]

Separate the RFID components from the band, something like a car key FOB, and make them attachable to watch bands, lanyards, key chains, bracelets, or similar (or just dropped in a pocket). Some of the criticism then goes away.

You don't want dangling things that get caught on something.. because they get pulled, they then get broken, and heaven forbid someone hold Disney liable for getting their arm or similar caught or dragged into something because of a dangling token.

Things you 'put away' like a keychain are less desirable because you introduce the cycle of 'finding it, getting it out, putting it back away'. Add that to something you consider valuable.. like your keys.. and you introduce a new risk of losing valuable things. The more you handle it, you increase the risk of misplacing it, dropping it, etc.

You also need something that people of all sizes and postures can use. That's why you put something like this at hip level... so people standing, sitting, kids, adults, etc can all reach it.

You have to think of something that
- doesn't hinder movement
- doesn't cause drag or catch risks
- can be extended to reach on a counter, at hip level, or where ever you place the reader
- must be able to be positioned for almost direct contact with a reader
- is convenient to access because you are expecting people to use it frequently

One thing I thought of as an alternative was the shoe token. Like you use in running races. Something you attach to shoelaces or the shoe. This is very convenient and could be accommodated by moving the readers. The problem is if you require close contact and don't allow the system to work at range... you can't get everyone's feet in a position without them kicking the readers or having readers at different heights. Putting it on the floor wouldn't work for people in chairs/ECVs... and not everyone has use of their feet either :/

If you made the chip readable at a greater distance, you open up more risk of fraud.

The having to be accessible by all sizes and postures is what makes it difficult.. and what makes the hand/wrist so attractive.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

They could just put it in an ankle bracelet. That seems to work OK for The Sheriff's Office.

 

[CDavid]

You also need something that people of all sizes and postures can use. That's why you put something like this at hip level... so people standing, sitting, kids, adults, etc can all reach it.

This is why separating the RFID from the band would work so much better, because then it can be up to the wearer how to best carry the device. You may be concerned with dangling things like a lanyard, but that might work better for someone else, while others might just want it loose in the pocket or on their key chain (if you manage not to lose your keys in the real world - why would this be so much more of a concern in a theme park?). Putting the thing on a watch band is exactly the same principle as the current colored band (so I really can't see the objection there) but with me picking the style, size, and material.