NYT: "Universal....Takes Aim at Disney"

[Captain Chaos]

74, thank Odin you are back... Start spreading that Spirit Dust around... We need to balance out the pixie dust (fantasy) with Spirit Dust (reality)...

BTW, I copyrighted the phrase, so no one can use it without paying me a royalty...

 

[Tom]

Did I confuse ya, Tom?

I only slept 13 hours today to catch up from the travel deficit and could be unclear.:snore:

El Spirito, you're CLEARLY in a fragile state of mind. You implied that touring World Showcase is NOT the same as touring the "real" Europe.

 

[WDW1974]

74, thank Odin you are back... Start spreading that Spirit Dust around... We need to balance out the pixie dust (fantasy) with Spirit Dust (reality)...

BTW, I copyrighted the phrase, so no one can use it without paying me a royalty...

Ah, so you are whoring off my good name are ya?

I'll have to send a pair of my minions of darkness to your home in the middle of the night.

And they will be bringing pins and vinyl too!:drevil:

 

[WDW1974]

El Spirito, you're CLEARLY in a fragile state of mind. You implied that touring World Showcase is NOT the same as touring the "real" Europe.

Oh, I only implied it?!?!

You're right. I meant to state it in a loud, shout it from the rooftops kinda way.

But I did spend three days at DLP. That's gotta count in the Pixie Dust Dept, right?:ROFLOL:

 

[Captain Chaos]

Ah, so you are whoring off my good name are ya?

I'll have to send a pair of my minions of darkness to your home in the middle of the night.

And they will be bringing pins and vinyl too!:drevil:

I prefer the plastic Orange Bird cup!!!

 

[John]

74, Honestly what did it cost you to spend that much time in Europe? Airfare included.

 

[WDW1974]

I prefer the plastic Orange Bird cup!!!

Off-topic Spirited rant***

How many of the fanbois, bloggers, webmasters that are going as soft as bad tangerine over the OB's return even knew he existed 2-3-4 years ago?

I bet that number is tiny.

But I bet Jenn Fickley Baker has an awesome tee and Tommy Smith has a poster in his home!

 

[WDW1974]

74, Honestly what did it cost you to spend that much time in Europe? Airfare included.

I could blow off the question as being personal, but well ... I think it's best to simply state that I spent 'a lot' but am a savvy traveler and I'll also say that some folks here likely spend more on a 10-day WDW trip than I did for five weeks in Europe.

 

[Skip]

74, thank Odin you are back... Start spreading that Spirit Dust around... We need to balance out the pixie dust (fantasy) with Spirit Dust (reality)...

BTW, I copyrighted the phrase, so no one can use it without paying me a royalty...

Are you using Disday's personal copyright rules? Because watch out, that copyright of yours may expire whenever it's convenient for 74 to use the phrase... :lookaroun

 

[Captain Chaos]

Are you using Disday's personal copyright rules? Because watch out, that copyright of yours may expire whenever it's convenient for 74 to use the phrase... :lookaroun

I only used his copyright rules for my book... SPIRIT DUST FOR DUMMIES... I copyrighted the title and all the names in the book... I was told I could... BTW, I also have a super secret contract that no one knows about, even the person who signed it... I will release a forgery to the SEC this week...

 

[NoChesterHester]

(Rooting for Theme Park Wars)

My Pom Pom's are out. Is the tutu too much?

 

[Skip]

I only used his copyright rules for my book... SPIRIT DUST FOR DUMMIES... I copyrighted the title and all the names in the book... I was told I could... BTW, I also have a super secret contract that no one knows about, even the person who signed it... I will release a forgery to the SEC this week...

But you'll spill all the details to Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood fame, right? She always gets the big insider scoops!

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

Please back me up next time someone on this board says they'd rather go to World Showcase than visit the actual countries in question.

I'll back you up, too. I've been to all of the actual countries in World Showcase except for China...that's on my to do list.

 

[Captain Chaos]

But you'll spill all the details to Nikki Finke of Deadline Hollywood fame, right? She always gets the big insider scoops!

No... But I will let my associate spill all the details in an email to a complete stranger... And then make them promise not to tell anyone the juicy info....

 

[HiYa Pal]

I'm all for theme park wars!! Disney, while it is my love, and evokes emotions that Uni could never, needs some more thrills (or really any), and Uni needs to step it up on general maintanence and theme (Seuse land looked HORRIBLE last time I was there and was a bit disappointed in some of the Potter themeing looking cheap and not well done.

Two final points: A) met an imagineer a few trips ago who I totally geeked out on and he told me that what they have in store (tech wise) will blow your minds, that was all he said, so don't ask for details
B) One of the joys of Disney owning Marvel is that success for Uni translates to more money for Disney, so while a lot of castmembers refer to them as "the universal problem up the street" a good day for them means a good day for Disney, so let Comcast pump money in to their parks, and let it help fund some Disney expansions

 

[Bolna]

The important thing to remember about Universal is that up until this past year, ownership was always in flux. G.E. and/or Blackstone was always looking to sell the parks and therefore spending the bare minimum to keep the place open. Now, with the success of Potter and Comcast buying the parks and actually wanting them, things are improving and the future is bright.

Meanwhile, TDO is managing WDW like G.E./Blackstone managed UOR but lack of money isn't the issue.

That's a great point. I guess some evil minded people could even say that just as G.E./Blackstone were looking to sell their parks, Disney... :lookaroun

ETA: it's nice to have Spirit back

And I agree with this as well.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I'm all for theme park wars!! Disney, while it is my love, and evokes emotions that Uni could never, needs some more thrills (or really any), and Uni needs to step it up on general maintanence and theme (Seuse land looked HORRIBLE last time I was there and was a bit disappointed in some of the Potter themeing looking cheap and not well done.

Two final points: A) met an imagineer a few trips ago who I totally geeked out on and he told me that what they have in store (tech wise) will blow your minds, that was all he said, so don't ask for details
B) One of the joys of Disney owning Marvel is that success for Uni translates to more money for Disney, so while a lot of castmembers refer to them as "the universal problem up the street" a good day for them means a good day for Disney, so let Comcast pump money in to their parks, and let it help fund some Disney expansions

A) I don't think anyone has ever doubted that Imagineers have lots up their sleeves. The problem is they don't get the budget to build what they create, so they go work for Universal, who's in the business of approving big, technologically innovative attractions right now.

B) You're grossly over-simplifying the Disney/Marvel relationship. Also, I know a lot of cast members, and not one of them has ever referred to Universal as "the problem up the street."

 

[jt04]

The Spirit always takes care of his favorite fanbois ... always.:wave:

:zipit:

I so agree.

If more Americans actually saw more of the world (and not da World), I am convinced we would be a much greater nation for it.

It's easier to live in nationalistic ignorance rather than see what the rest of the world really is like.

I do feel sad because I know many Americans can't afford to live here, let alone travel abroad ... but others choose not to and that's just dumb. I just spent five weeks in Spain, Portugal, France and Germany and experienced so much history, culture and new perspectives on things. Oh, and great food and drinks too!

It's just not the same as World Showcase.

Actually this would be only really true if they spent some time in a so-called "third world" country. Even those who understand this but have not done so really have no idea how fortunate they are to live in the US. It should almost be a requirement for citizenship.

 

[jt04]

I'm all for theme park wars!! Disney, while it is my love, and evokes emotions that Uni could never, needs some more thrills (or really any), and Uni needs to step it up on general maintanence and theme (Seuse land looked HORRIBLE last time I was there and was a bit disappointed in some of the Potter themeing looking cheap and not well done.

Two final points: A) met an imagineer a few trips ago who I totally geeked out on and he told me that what they have in store (tech wise) will blow your minds, that was all he said, so don't ask for details
B) One of the joys of Disney owning Marvel is that success for Uni translates to more money for Disney, so while a lot of castmembers refer to them as "the universal problem up the street" a good day for them means a good day for Disney, so let Comcast pump money in to their parks, and let it help fund some Disney expansions

Knowledge bomb.

Great first post and welcome. :wave:

 

[COProgressFan]

Well, I'd say SQS are more important than cosmetic infrustructure issues ... although if you let them go, pretty soon you have a resort like DLP that is just beautiful, but crumbling in many places (and, yes, literally in many places).

It's such a shame we can't have both. Why not have great show quality and a beautifully maintained park to go with it? (Well, I know why, but...)

The thing that irks me the most about MK right now is that while many building facades have been recently refurbed, there are still so many glaring "cosmetic infrastructure" issues that they are too numerous to count. Tomorrowland is a dilapidated disaster, the monorail station is looking rough, (as are the tribute to 1994 Walk around the World bricks), railings throughout the park are either significantly peeling or have 35 layers of crusty paint on them (rather than being stripped properly), and there seems to be layers of crud in out of reach (but certainly not out of sight) high and low corners everywhere.

Unfortunately these are the things that don't get talked about in NYT articles or corporate boardrooms. But when your park is a dump, guests certainly notice (as even non-Disney fans I know recently saw many of these things...)

SQS is huge, but to me, I think the general upkeep of the environment may actually be slightly more important (or at least of equal merit).