Spirited News and Observations and Opinions ...

[WDW1974]

Another quick note (aren't quickees the best?), but I loved the following quote about the film Escape From Tomorrow in the New Yorker:

''...and a world where Disney gets to determine everything said about Disney would be a poor place indeed.''

Obviously, I agree unless you believe TWDC likes me as much as the community does. I think that's precisely what Disney wants (wouldn't any company or at least 99% of them today?) and precisely why this film was made.

The creator has said he doesn't care whether the film gets released widely, and that is very wise on his part as he can then (rightly) claim it as not-for-profit art/social commentary and Disney will have one helluva mountain to climb (and one loaded with bad publicity) if they go after him.

They really should just focus on the little guys ... the Jeff Langes of the world, the Lou Mongellos, the Tom Corlesses ... but I keep hearing that they would but they just can't tell these guys from other parkgoers taking MAGICal videos of construction walls to go home with.

 

[WDW1974]

Or have Lufthansa acquire all US airlines...
A guy can dream

I am not a fan of Lufthansa after flying them allegedly in 'First Class' from Barcelona to Paris. In reality, all they do is use A320s with three seats up front, but don't seat anyone in the middle and you get better food. Again, I'm sure that's more akin to taking a flight from JFK to Miami on a Delta flight.

Losing two suitcases for two days (one of which had pretty much everything I needed for said trip) didn't help me feel any better about them either.

 

[WDW1974]

It's weather like this that keeps me in Los Angeles. Stay warm!

Well, I finally get what y'all are complaining about. We had our first cold front of the year go through paradise this afternoon ... it is a frigid 63 degrees right now outside the Spirit Cave and will likely drop all the way down to 55 before morning.

Good thing I'm planning on sleeping through morning!

 

[maxairmike]

A quick note here, but Numbers 1 and 2 will be visiting WDW next week to check on the progress (or lack thereof) of MyMagic+. No, not talking about @Lee and myself.

This visit will be by Bob Iger and Tom Staggs and won't be a fly in and fly out deal.

Hope they're not expecting to see much beyond pretty posts with Mickey heads sitting there unused or covered up with tons of construction walls blocking half the turnstiles, because that's what it has been like as a guest lately! The POS terminals are there, but it still sounds like they're a mini nightmare and haven't decided how to handle purchases for sure. The new entrances are functional, but hasn't saved labor, and probably actually increased labor costs (Guest Relations folks get paid a little bit more than the average turnstiles person), not to mention the stellar physical barriers of...rope! Yes, MAGICal rope is their new secure lock for the new entry system!

 

[Lee]

A quick note here, but Numbers 1 and 2 will be visiting WDW next week to check on the progress (or lack thereof) of MyMagic+. No, not talking about @Lee and myself.

Damn....for a second there....
Nah...Too good to be true.

 

[WDW1974]

I have to ask, WL DVC was seriously being considered? We, hadn't heard a peep about that one in a long long time.

Do you mean World Showcase DVC or FW DVC?

The latter was definitely being considered. The former was at least through blue sky.

 

[WDW1974]

I know Disney will accept Fastpasses late if an attraction features downtime, but I ask what was wrong with the previous system? Utilize the late return policy, link it to your ticket/app and make it only available day of. You can still data mine guests to the point where they feel violated, many guests aren't going to care. However, this sounds more and more like it's going to ruin vacations.

I think you hit on what I've mentioned has been a MAJOR concern of Ops folks on implementing this system. If attractions go down (and they will ... they go down now more than ... OK, no fanboi jokes ... more than ever before because of their current conditions) and you start a cascade of backups and late FPs, it effs the system in a VERY big way.

I don't know about ruining vacations, but I do know this will ruin vacation days in many cases. The system can't handle all those 'late' arrivals that have been allowed, even if Disney is the reason why they are late.

I asked why not to someone who was on the team and got off it and was told 'because total chaos would [be the] result'' ...

I wonder how much of this blame will go back to Cisco/Accenture.

 

[PhotoDave219]

A quick note here, but Numbers 1 and 2 will be visiting WDW next week to check on the progress (or lack thereof) of MyMagic+. No, not talking about @Lee and myself.

This visit will be by Bob Iger and Tom Staggs and won't be a fly in and fly out deal.

I swear to god, I hope they have the same guests in Yachtsman that I had to eat around tonight.

has become with Signature Dining?

 

[WDW1974]

After years in SoCal, I can't wait to get the h@ll out. Grass, greener, yada. On the other hand, after various years on projects in FL, I couldn't deal there, either.

As someone who split time between coasts from 2001-2008 (and was there plenty from the late 90s on and since), I am not blind to the 'issues' of SoCal. I had never had a homeless person come up to me and ask for money until I visted DL in 1990 and went for a meal at McD's across the street. ... It took me a few years to actually realize how close (and beautiful) the mountains were because they couldn't be seen due to smog. ... And while I actually am in the entertainment/media business, I am not all that thrilled when my barista at the Starbucks in Redondo wants to tell me about their script or the waitress at Mimi's Cafe in Los Feliz wants me to know what a great actress she is.

What SoCal has that SoFla lacks is simple though: easy accesss to mountains, deserts, Las Vegas, Coachella Valley and much shorter plane flights to Hawaii, Alaska and anywhere I want to go in Asia.

Oh, and it definitely has a better climate.

 

[WDW1974]

The past two years the island has been a lot less green but where we stay on ka'napali is still heaven on earth to me.

And yet, even with all maui's paradise-ness, wdw was still my favorite vacation spot. Time to step it up Disney, it's going to take more then another kiss from Snow White to put you back in the number one spot.

Spirit, do you think I'm crazy for having a lot of hope for D23?

Nah, there are going to be announcements and pronouncements this year.

But I do think you're crazy for placing WDW above Hawaii!

 

[WDW1974]

Nothing like flying the 777. I remember when they were flown on domestic routes more regularly too. Now you can usually only fly domestically on one if you're fortunate enough to be on a plane that is re-positioning (i.e. Tokyo-Houston, Houston-Newark, Newark to London, etc). Though this isn't that common either since those jets can easily fly from Houston to London.

I haven't had that happen in years. I'd actually guess those are more common now since the merger.

But Delta regularly does an Atlanta-LAX run on a 777 and I've taken it quite a few times, because I'd honestly rather be sitting in coach on a 777 than hoping for an upgrade on a packed 757-300 or 737-800/900 with UAL.

The upgraded UA 767s are nicer than the UA 777s.. and the newer Airbus' are better than both of them. The UA 747s are still a mixed bag but mostly bad. This last trip was the first upgraded 757 I was on and it was nice.. except for the return of the 'pay for the headphones' mentality of stupid United.

When you say UAL 767s are you talking about pre-merger UA metal or the newer CO planes?

And, yes, those ancient UA 747-400s are OK if you are in business, but I've had a few flights to/from China in Economy Plus and honestly hated them. And they are so loud and rough on takeoff versus say a 777 or A330 where you sometimes barely ever hear the engines.

Having virtually unlimited video libraries on the Lufthansa flights is great. But its hard to not love the full recline+booths in the upgraded UA 767s.[/quote]

 

[Californian Elitist]

Well, I finally get what y'all are complaining about. We had our first cold front of the year go through paradise this afternoon ... it is a frigid 63 degrees right now outside the Spirit Cave and will likely drop all the way down to 55 before morning.

Good thing I'm planning on sleeping through morning!

55 is near freezing for me. Anytime it gets blow 50, I've got my sweatshirt, long socks and three blankets ready.

 

[nytimez]

has become with Signature Dining?

It's just not worth it anymore. Especially if you have a car. And taste buds.

 

[stlphil]

I think you hit on what I've mentioned has been a MAJOR concern of Ops folks on implementing this system. If attractions go down (and they will ... they go down now more than ... OK, no fanboi jokes ... more than ever before because of their current conditions) and you start a cascade of backups and late FPs, it effs the system in a VERY big way.

I don't know about ruining vacations, but I do know this will ruin vacation days in many cases. The system can't handle all those 'late' arrivals that have been allowed, even if Disney is the reason why they are late.

I asked why not to someone who was on the team and got off it and was told 'because total chaos would [be the] result'' ...

I wonder how much of this blame will go back to Cisco/Accenture.

I mentioned in an earlier post that well over half of IT infrastructure projects are considered at least partial failures. But they are only failures from the point of view of the end-user company. But the consultants (like ACN) always end up doing just fine, regardless.

 

[M.rudolf]

Didn't know where to post so I guess this the place for observations, we spoke earlier about oz and word of mouth is the test screenings are a little below ok, but the movie Planes is testing thru the roof, better than either cars films, so keep an eye out they are test screening in the Midwest in the coming weeks and from the way things are looking this could be a hit, the film is testing higher than Ralph. So keep your eyes open for test screenings and look for a big push from disney

 

[flynnibus]

When you say UAL 767s are you talking about pre-merger UA metal or the newer CO planes?

Premerger UA.. the 767s were the first they overhauled where they added the full reclining booths to business class.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Didn't know where to post so I guess this the place for observations, we spoke earlier about oz and word of mouth is the test screenings are a little below ok, but the movie Planes is testing thru the roof, better than either cars films, so keep an eye out they are test screening in the Midwest in the coming weeks and from the way things are looking this could be a hit, the film is testing higher than Ralph. So keep your eyes open for test screenings and look for a big push from disney

How about MU?

 

[M.rudolf]

How about MU?

Haven't heard a word about it yet, I don't think they've tested it yet being a larger film they may wait till 3 months out for testing. That's how they handled toy story 3. What surprises me is Pixar is testing at all before toy story 3 they didn't. They also didn't test Brave so who knows what their criteria is

 

[Cosmic Commando]

55 is near freezing for me. Anytime it gets blow 50, I've got my sweatshirt, long socks and three blankets ready.

So you mean you don't know that feeling where the nose pads on your glasses catch the -20 wind chill and cool down close to absolute zero so it feels like you have two ice cubes sitting on either side of your nose and the wind blows so hard in your face that it makes your eyes tear up? Pssh. You haven't lived!

 

[Californian Elitist]

So you mean you don't know that feeling where the nose pads on your glasses catch the -20 wind chill and cool down close to absolute zero so it feels like you have two ice cubes sitting on either side of your nose and the wind blows so hard in your face that it makes your eyes tear up? Pssh. You haven't lived!

I certainly haven't, but I've experienced cold where the brisk chill goes straight through your body and hurts your bones. Good enough for me.