So, is Unleash the Villains still happening?

[Tip Top Club]

Faciller, Cruella, hook, ratcliffe, sherif, big bad wolf, and frollo were roaming and not forming lines.

The three set spots around echo lake were alternating between bowler hat guy, oogie, and Shan Yu and Maleficent, Jafar, and Evil Queen.

 

[Piebald]

Where was Dr. Facilier? Was he one of the 10:30 MnGs?

He had no line in front of the hat. Hook, Governor Radcliffe, Big Bad Wolf, Frollo and Facilier were the ones I saw in front of the hat with no lines. Just wandering.

 

[WDW1974]

Sounds like a disaster from reports online and friends there. George, Danny and the ops team did one poor job of planning.

They should have figured that fans would come out in force because they are so desperate for anything new or special.

If you can't manage to schedule enough crowd control CMs and do enough planning to ensure people don't spend 2-3 hours on buses parked on Buena Vista Drive. On a very slow Friday (tonight was Yom Kippur) with a hard ticket party at MK, then you really don't belong in the theme park business.

On another note, I read a Tweet about someone proud they waited in line 2 1/2 hours to meet Oogie Boogie. I'd suggest a mental health checkup.

 

[JimboJones123]

I'm towards the front of the park, trying to hang until fireworks. The line at guest relations is ~20-25 people deep. Out to the front of Sid Cahuenga's truck.

The line at GR outside the park 90 minutes to close was about 20 deep too. Too many people complaining (and trying to get free stuff).

 

[JimboJones123]

Of course, Disney will ignore the lesson of "People love meeting the villains" and continue to keep anyone that isn't Captain Hook out of rotation.

How many times can one see Chip and Dale over a week?

 

[WDW1974]

The line at GR outside the park 90 minutes to close was about 20 deep too. Too many people complaining (and trying to get free stuff).

it sounds like Disney should be handing out gift cards to make up for its inept operations management of a theme park ...

 

[Jason1980]

I don't think it's much better in DL. I've not been in the park but the roads around Anaheim were in absolute gridlock at 8.30 this evening. It's absolute mayhem trying to get into the carparks so I hate to think what it's like inside the parks.

 

[wcjordan06]

I don't think it's much better in DL. I've not been in the park but the roads around Anaheim were in absolute gridlock at 8.30 this evening. It's absolute mayhem trying to get into the carparks so I hate to think what it's like inside the parks.

Reports I'm seeing from those at DL, it's a mess also. Good for those of us holding onto the hope for more villain presence, but terrible for those at DL and DHS. No pics have popped up for me from DL, wonder if they got any different rare villains show up there..

 

[WDW1974]

I don't think it's much better in DL. I've not been in the park but the roads around Anaheim were in absolute gridlock at 8.30 this evening. It's absolute mayhem trying to get into the carparks so I hate to think what it's like inside the parks.

You think I have any faith in Michael Colglazier's management abilities?

 

[PhotoDave219]

Sounds like a disaster from reports online and friends there. George, Danny and the ops team did one poor job of planning.

They should have figured that fans would come out in force because they are so desperate for anything new or special.

If you can't manage to schedule enough crowd control CMs and do enough planning to ensure people don't spend 2-3 hours on buses parked on Buena Vista Blvd. On a very slow Friday (tonight was Yom Kippur) with a hard ticket party at MK, then you really don't belong in the theme park business.

On another note, I read a Tweet about someone proud they waited in line 2 1/2 hours to meet Oogie Boogie. I'd suggest a mental health checkup.

I'll post my thoughts later but I'll leave it this way.

Entertainment saved operations .

Front like saved management's .

Overwhelming opinion is that people had fun but it was an operational disaster

 

[Animaniac93-98]

How many times can one see Chip and Dale over a week?

If you own the calendar, every day.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Of course, Disney will ignore the lesson of "People love meeting the villains" and continue to keep anyone that isn't Captain Hook out of rotation.

You could make this a hard ticket event and it would sell.

 

[WDW1974]

I'll post my thoughts later but I'll leave it this way.

Entertainment saved operations .

Front like saved management's .

Overwhelming opinion is that people had fun but it was an operational disaster

I do not understand how things like this happen in 2013. It is not like Disney is new to running theme parks, but sometimes you'd never know it.

Glad I was there May 4th and not tonight!

 

[luv]

I hope Disney takes note of the fact that people like villains.

I'm not much for M&Gs, but would have liked a pic of my friend and I with Jafar. Kinda bummed I missed it and the fireworks...but that traffic was too much.

 

[WDW1974]

You could make this a hard ticket event and it would sell.

There have been no less than three separate attempts to do a hard ticket Halloween event, more grown up than the MK parties, at the Studios since the late 90s.

They always get shot down.

 

[Tip Top Club]

I'll post my thoughts later but I'll leave it this way.

Entertainment saved operations .

Front like saved management's .

Overwhelming opinion is that people had fun but it was an operational disaster

Just quoting for Truth. Entertainment did a great job tonight. Hades Face Character, Meg, Pain and Panic were great. (Though I would like to see something different besides Mulch, Sweat, and Shears) Not to mention Shan-Yu, Bowler Hat Guy, and Oogie! I would say they did fantastic.

Operations really did not do a great job tonight thought, it was an absolute mess and they all seemed surprised by it. I felt terrible for the front line cast tonight, they are simply not used to dealing with crowds this size, and I saw a lot of them that legitimately looked scared of the crowd, as if they were not set up for success. To Clarify I certainly don't blame them, but I do blame their management at all levels. Meanwhile while the walkways were clogged and the scared employees were doing the best they could I saw several managers just standing around texting while their poor employees were drowning.

Anyway I hope they realize a few things from this event:
1. That there is a market for Villains. Let's hope for something along the lines of Star Wars Weekends soon!

2. That Studios Desperately needs to be expanded.

3. That Studios parking and infrastructure desperately needs to be expanded. The park never Phased Closed tonight and yet traffic was backed up to the Magic Kingdom Toll Plaza at One point?!?! Excuse me?!

 

[Sped2424]

I really feel bad for all the cm's tonight, I literally had to pull a lady aside and sit and explain to her why it wasn't the cm's fault that the she couldn't stand in the traffic walk way (losing my own spot btw which was awesome) but she was literally pushing and touching the cm's chest while yelling (In spainsh which the cm did not know so I had to help the guy out) She eventually gave up and left to another section. And then all the cutting that occurred for the villains line was crazy (There was no organized line or que) so more people yelled at the cm's for that. The fireworks were cool, I am just glad I am back home away from the madness! Man did all that merchandise fly everyone had the special edition villain ears. But apparently everyone was complaining about what an unorganized mess tonight was (which it really, really, really, was) The line for guest relations was needless to say long. At least ooggie boogie looks pretty sinister

 

[Animaniac93-98]

2. That Studios Desperately needs to be expanded.

It also needs to use its existing space better. That Star Tours had a 10 min wait during all of this says a lot. Bet the backlot and america/new york street areas were dead too. They should have spread things out more.

 

[Tip Top Club]

Hopefully if this turns into a regular thing (Which I have no doubt it will) they will be able to spread it out more.

 

[Sped2424]

So something good that came out of tonight (ps all photos were taken with permission of the mother)
The villains like I said where 30 minutes late leaving everyone angry and disappointed when this little diva walked onto the stage.

She just walked to the center and stood there for everyone to start saying "MALEFICENT IS HERE" it was beyond awesome, She even autographed a couple peoples books

She even puts on a classic maleficent pose and stares angrily at everyone, you would think TDO sent her out for crowd control, but then the moment took a turn for the epic.

'

Maleficent came out, loved her costume and even posed with her and commented on how she loved her magic staff. So much win.