Rumor concerning Phil Holmes

[tirian]

I just have to delurk to say this thread is fascinating to me. As someone who hasn't been to WDW in 20 years (but planning to go back in 2011!) hearing about all of these issues ALMOST makes me not want to go back. You don't get this kind of info on other disney sites that's for sure

The resort is still a wonderful place to visit. Many of the lower- and mid-level managers (some of which are getting laid off right now) work hard to maintain what they can...

...but the executives running the place are still relying on their predecessors' work, and when you ride someone's coattails long enough, you eventually fall off.

 

[SirGoofy]

The resort is still a wonderful place to visit. Many of the lower- and mid-level managers (some of which are getting laid off right now) work hard to maintain what the can...

...but the executives running the place are still relying on their predecessors' work, and when you ride someone's coattails long enough, you eventually fall off.

Agreed. I'm not saying WDW shouldn't be visited. I'm just saying MK could(and should) be maintained better.

 

[WDW1974]

Yes DL gets millions of tourists, but as a percentage, DL gets a much higher local visitor base than WDW does.

When last I heard (from a TDA exec) the percentage of what they consider local (I put their definition in a prior post) vs. non-local was around 2-to-1. This goes back a few years, but I doubt it has changed significantly.

DL is primarily visited by locals. WDW is primarily visited by tourists. There lies the difference.

OK, this may just be a semantics issue for me ... but I don't like the word 'primarily' ... maybe something is being lost in the translation, but I feel that puts you on this slippery slope that DL is for people who live in LA or the OC mostly and WDW is for people who live everywhere from Albany (NY or GA) to Athens (GA or Greece) or from Toronto to London.

Again, yes WDW gets more tourists ... but the idea DL is a 'locals' park is not true.

Yes I agree with you on the entitlement issue. Nothing Disney can do about that though. It's a sign of the times, but they are bowing down to the crazy attitude of a lot of guests.

I think they can. They can not give into it. They don't give into it at their other resorts. It's very simple. Disney doesn't guarantee that anything will be open on anyone's visit. And that's OK and rational and normal. If someone's magical $5,000 WDW vacation will be ruined because (fill in the blank attraction) is closed, then they have serious 'issues' and should spend the money on a good mental health care provider.

That said, I'd love to just hang out at MK City Hall on April 19th (is that Space Mountain's first day closed or last day open?) and listen to people come in looking for free tickets, meals and hotel stays because a rolley coaster is closed. I think Disney should just have a statement on paper and the GR hosts should just hand it to the guest and say 'have a magical day! next guests in line ...'

 

[jt04]

Wow. By your own admission, you are an idiot. :brick:

Sorry, but I have to call you out on this.

That's just not right, and your admission to doing so is an invitation to disaster.

I'm certain that this post will be deleted and I'm hoping that your's will be too.

Hey I was a fun loving kid what can I say. I was running around the place before you were born probably. Same for if IYHW. Only tried it once in Mr Toad, almost got run over by my own vehicle. :dazzle:


Don't try this kids, you will lose your passes and be banned for life

 

[SirGoofy]

That said, I'd love to just hang out at MK City Hall on April 19th (is that Space Mountain's first day closed or last day open?) and listen to people come in looking for free tickets, meals and hotel stays because a rolley coaster is closed. I think Disney should just have a statement on paper and the GR hosts should just hand it to the guest and say 'have a magical day! next guests in line ...'

:lol:

My favorite was working SSE during the "finishing touches"(seems to me it's still in that stage) stage the two weeks before it was to open. You wouldn't believe the number of people who "Only paid to come to Epcot to see SSE."

 

[DoctorPrius]

That said, I'd love to just hang out at MK City Hall on April 19th (is that Space Mountain's first day closed or last day open?) and listen to people come in looking for free tickets, meals and hotel stays because a rolley coaster is closed. I think Disney should just have a statement on paper and the GR hosts should just hand it to the guest and say 'have a magical day! next guests in line ...'

If they get a huge number of complaints its really there fault for closing so many rides without replacement (or in some cases replacing attractions with incredibly poor replacements) and not building more e-tickets. There is NO excuse for 20k not to be open or replaced with a new attraction right now. There is no excuse to have the 2 skyway buildings just sitting there and no excuse for not greenlighting any new substantial projects since the 1993 debut of Splash Mountain and the 1994 debut of New Tomorrowland.

Magic Kingdom is an absolute joke.

 

[dxwwf3]

That said, I'd love to just hang out at MK City Hall on April 19th (is that Space Mountain's first day closed or last day open?) and listen to people come in looking for free tickets, meals and hotel stays because a rolley coaster is closed. I think Disney should just have a statement on paper and the GR hosts should just hand it to the guest and say 'have a magical day! next guests in line ...'

When I'm at the MK in June, I plan on going by City Hall and thanking them for finally refurbishing the WDW Space Mountain.

 

[WDW1974]

Well said :sohappy:

For me, I also have to deal with the fact that replacements for things like the original Tiki Room, The Timekeeper, and yes Alien Encounter are attractions that are either atrocious (I'll let you guess which one ) or are mediocre in my mind and are not must see's every trip. In the late 90's I always spent the most time in the MK. Now, probably the least amount of my time spent in the parks is at the MK.

Good point.

I'd always see at least two of the three attractions you list above on my visits when they existed. Now, most times, I visit none of their replacements. Depending on crowds and other conditions that could remove a few hours of entertainment from a MK day.

Since EPCOT Center opened, no WDW park has come close to getting the amount of time/visits as well as my money. But in the 80s and 90s I still spent a lot of time at MK.

Now ... I admit it, if I am there more than 3-4 hours unless I'm just enjoying time with friends, I am bored.

Doesn't happen at DL ... doesn't happen at DLP ... didn't even happen at HKDL. ... But at MK ... it happens regularly now.

 

[jt04]

When I'm at the MK in June, I plan on going by City Hall and thanking them for finally refurbishing the WDW Space Mountain.

I was thinking the same thing. In fact that will be my first stop.

 

[DoctorPrius]

When I'm at the MK in June, I plan on going by City Hall and thanking them for finally refurbishing the WDW Space Mountain.

I wish there were more people like you in this world.

 

[WDW1974]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jt04
I used to jump out all the time (pre mats), my feet are fine.


Seriously though, I do agree that new lap bars would be necessary.

You can't make everything idiot proof. There is nothing stopping people from jumping out of a lot of rides. Especially boats. I don't see those rides being shut off.

Wow. By your own admission, you are an idiot. :brick:

Sorry, but I have to call you out on this.

That's just not right, and your admission to doing so is an invitation to disaster.

I'm certain that this post will be deleted and I'm hoping that your's will be too.

I'd hope that it wouldn't.

Grounds for getting one's @ss removed from a park? Sure. But for removing a post? Nah.

I think the post speaks volumes.

 

[wdwmagic]

Doesn't happen at DL ... doesn't happen at DLP ... didn't even happen at HKDL. ... But at MK ... it happens regularly now.

How about Space Mountain Mission 2 at DLP? That goes down for me as being the worst replacement/refurbishment of all time. They took a classic, incredible attraction, failed to touch anything that needed doing (ie. the bumpy track problem) and absolutely destroyed the story, music and overall ride experience.

 

[WDW1974]

I didn't realize that Merf was so "well loved" before he got booted. :zipit:

(Please see my last post on the infamous merf expulsion thread.)

Also I've never heard of anotherdisneyplace.com. I hope he enjoys his new found place on the interwebz!!1111one

I don't know anything about merf ... I recognize the name, but couldn't tell you anything he ever posted (beyond one post last night).

I did find it strange/amusing that a few twits accused me of being him here when I started posting.

The site is LaughingPlace.com ... I sometimes refer to it as anotherdisneyplace.com when I am on another Disney site.

I do consider it my online Disney 'home' ... I just visit here to spread magic and pixie dust.

 

[WDW1974]

:lol:

My favorite was working SSE during the "finishing touches"(seems to me it's still in that stage) stage the two weeks before it was to open. You wouldn't believe the number of people who "Only paid to come to Epcot to see SSE."

I blame the Internet for the rise of entitlement mentality in this context.

In the past decade Disney sites have sprung up like weeds on a foreclosed home's lawn. It didn't take long for people to start sharing their tales of how they bitched about something at WDW and were given something for it ... and it just took off from there.

Ultimately, though, Disney needs to put its foot down on this. There are people who have legit concerns/issues and I have no problem with Disney giving them something for their troubles or even for the guest thinking they should be getting something.

However, closed attractions is just absurd. I can't imagine how the type of human being who would actually complain about something like that is in their daily life.

 

[jt04]

Hey I was a fun loving kid what can I say. I was running around the place before you were born probably. Same for if IYHW. Only tried it once in Mr Toad, almost got run over by my own vehicle. :dazzle:


Don't try this kids, you will lose your passes and be banned for life

^ Hey you forgot to comment on my follow up post.

 

[unkadug]

Hey I was a fun loving kid what can I say. I was running around the place before you were born probably. Same for if IYHW. Only tried it once in Mr Toad, almost got run over by my own vehicle. :dazzle:


Don't try this kids, you will lose your passes and be banned for life

Wow... you really don't pay attention, do you? :lol:

(or else you were a swamp rat)

 

[jt04]

Wow... you really don't pay attention, do you? :lol:

(or else you were a swamp rat)

I was refeing to 74.....or was it merf :ROFLOL:

 

[SirGoofy]

I was refeing to 74.....or was it merf :ROFLOL:

Seriously? You can't even compare Merf's insane ramblings to '74.

 

[WDW1974]

How about Space Mountain Mission 2 at DLP? That goes down for me as being the worst replacement/refurbishment of all time. They took a classic, incredible attraction, failed to touch anything that needed doing (ie. the bumpy track problem) and absolutely destroyed the story, music and overall ride experience.

Unfortunately, I never got to experience the original. I have heard much about it, though, since I know someone who worked on its creation.

Mission 2 doesn't bother me as much as it likely would have had I gotten a chance to ride the original.

I can't explain why Disney dumbed it down any more than I can explain Stitch's Great Belchoff or Journey Into WDI's Lack of Imagination versions 2.0 and 3.0 or Tiki Room Under Tom Fitzgerald's Management.

My biggest 'issue' with SM at DLP is simply it is borderline unsafe to ride because it is so rough. I think if they fixed the coaster, I'd likely be OK with Mission 2 because it's a kewl track layout, the effects are very nice and it is in total darkness.

But if I had experienced the original, I am sure I'd consider this yet another example of Disney breaking something that worked fine and replacing it with a lesser product.

BTW, isn't this the weekend when DLP is premiering their Mickey's Magical Party stuff to the media?

 

[jt04]

Seriously? You can't even compare Merf's insane ramblings to '74.

74 used merf as a reference today. Enough said :zipit::ROFLOL:





Merf we hardly knew you :wave: