Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[WildcatDen]

And reason won out. . .

 

[Clever Name]

These are my questions as well. If Cars Land is off the table, then shouldn't that mean that Osborne Lights are safe for now?

Osborne Lights is out of date with modern society. It's very labor intensive to set up (and take down, store, maintain, etc.) and it isn't a big draw. I realize that there is concentrated fan base that really adores this attraction but there are similar groups that liked 20K and Snow White as well. We've got to move forward!

 

[tirian]

Osborne Lights is out of date with modern society. It's very labor intensive to set up (and take down, store, maintain, etc.) and it isn't a big draw. I realize that there is concentrated fan base that really adores this attraction but there are similar groups that liked 20K and Snow White as well. We've got to move forward!

I know this is loaded with sarcasm; have you been to the Studios during the Christmas season? You can't move.

 

[luv]

Seems like it to me....

I'm not trying to dump on anyone or anything. I prefer mugs and license plates to political opinions and insults.

 

[crispy]

I don't really know how to respond to this anymore. I have many, many times.. Can you bookmark it for the next time someone responds to me as you did?

Here goes :

Disney doesn't want my business, not because I am 'difficult' or any such nonsense, but because of my expectation that they deliver the product they pimp, the product I grew up on, the product they conditioned me to accept.
They want me to just go away. But, if I do, it won't change a damn thing. Indeed, they'll just replace me with a rube who doesn't know any better and thinks WDW 2013 has never been better.

I spend a tiny fraction of what I once did. The days of blowing thousands in a week at WDW are now ancient history. I stay off-site or with extreme discounts onsite or on friends DVC for NOTHING. My days of walking out of the Art of Disney with giant boxes and AmEx statements is over. The DDE days of eating at WDW locales is long gone. And let's not forget how much Disney loses on me in Coke sales! (on that alone, Bob and Willow will have go sell one of the seven homes!)

For all practical purposes, Disney barely makes anything on me. Yet, I still get to enjoy parts of WDW, and enjoy the company of family and friends in the area.

If I stop going, believe it or not, I am just playing into Disney's hands as i will no longer have first-hand knowledge to point out that they are not running their business in a smart fashion for the long term benefits of fans, guest, cast AND shareholders.

So, I'll keep going and, try as they might, they won,t be doing much more than breaking even with me as a guest.

I have been chewing on this post for the past couple of days, and while I do understand your POV, I think it's harder for the average person who doesn't have friends who are cast members or are DVC owners to justify doing this. I only have a certain amount of dollars per year to spend on vacation, and at this point, I am hard pressed to spend it WDW because I am not getting what I pay for. Fortunately, I do have one CM friend who occasionally allows me to use his discount, but that is not something I can always count on. (I am now sucking it up and spending a few days onsite in October because my girls want to see the new Fantasyland, and he offered for use his discount and get us into the park).

I truly appreciate you not playing into their hands and keeping their feet to the fire, but the average guest doesn't have a voice or a platform. The only thing that many of us have is our vacation dollars and how we choose to use them. It seems like we are no longer honored guests, but walking wallets these days anyway.

 

[dhall]

Not specific to NGE -- but the larger trend is getting some attention & study.

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/08/what-does-it-really-matter-if-companies-
are-tracking-us-online/278692/

------

ps -- 40 pages in two hours, mostly by skimming known and recently discovered trolls.

 

[RSoxNo1]

.667 is a pretty good batting average. If you were in MLB, you would be a very rich man.

Nah, you'd probably be suspended for 215 games.

 

[scout68]

Nah, you'd probably be suspended for 215 games.

but still playing...

 

[Nubs70]

There have been rumors of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory replacing The Lost Continent... Which would really depress me because I love The Lost Continent, even with it's lack of attractions. If it had to replace anything, I would vote Toon Lagoon off the island... Pun intended.

*hehe*

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory???? Will they have the farting bubble room? Wait, that was the Simpsons, but wait, that could be the perfect cross promotion.

 

[culturenthrills]

There's a lot of sounds coming from the hallways and offices and cubicles of TDO, chuckling wouldn't be one.

People need to look beyond the simple attendance figures (which are not accurate anyway, but PLEASE let's nor start that inane and never-ending debate). One business is growing by leaps and bounds, the other is treading water at best and hoping for giant leaps in revenue due to a flawed system they can't get up and running.

Golden goose? How about burnt goose?

Guest spending, Guest spending, Guest spending. Uni is kicking WDW butt in this area. The only reason WDW has not seen a significant drop in guest spending is because they keep jacking up the prices. While Uni has kept the prices pretty consistent. If Disney had Butterbeer they would have doubled the price of it by now.

 

[BryceM]

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory???? Will they have the farting bubble room? Wait, that was the Simpsons, but wait, that could be the perfect cross promotion.

I honestly don't think it will happen.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Possibly. Nothing has been signed, sealed or delivered. It is one of three IPs that UNI is looking to snag theme park rights for.

Is Willy Wonka one of those 3?

 

[Clever Name]

I know this is loaded with sarcasm; have you been to the Studios during the Christmas season? You can't move.

The fact remains that WDW must do all that it can to lessen its carbon footprint. They've made great strides in recent years. As an example, the Osborne Lights were completely replaced with modern LED bulbs to save energy and that's a step in the right direction.

However, WDW has to look at its total energy consumption and make cuts in a responsible way. They can't just shut down the monorail. Instead, they have cut back on monorail usage. They can't just turn out the lights at the MK but they can shorten the hours during slower visitation periods. Other lighting at WDW has been switched to LED technology as well.

I guess what it all boils down to is that all the entities at WDW have to pitch in and do their part. I suppose since DHS will be undergoing major reconstruction over the next few years, the Osborne Lights were an obvious energy drain that could be easily shut down without any safety concerns. I'm sure they realize that some fans will be upset but they also know that if they had a nickel for every upset WDW fan, they'd have enough money to install the NGE system! It's a win, win for WDW!

 

[luv]

I honestly don't think it will happen.

A ride...somewhere else...could be kind of cool. I'd like to see what they'd do with that, assuming they're using the old version and not that new one. But it must be voted off the island! (That was funny.)

 

[BryceM]

A ride...somewhere else...could be kind of cool. I'd like to see what they'd do with that, assuming they're using the old version and not that new one. But it must be voted off the island! (That was funny.)

Alton Towers in England has a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ride, but I'm sure Universal could do much better... No offense to Alton Towers. But yes, I think that the next island to go should be Toon Lagoon. I like it, but it's my least favorite of the 7.

 

[luv]

I love Toon Lagoon. It's funny. i like being in the comics. Kids today (even many parents of young kids, I think) have no idea who Hagar was, etc. So, if they have to re-do it, then they do.

I wouldn't mourn it like I do Jaws.

 

[WildcatDen]

Nah, you'd probably be suspended for 215 games.

Nice! Of course, I think Roy Hobbs had to have stretches where he hit at least .600, maybe higher. That mid year slump pretty much killed his season. . .

 

[WildcatDen]

mostly by skimming known and recently discovered trolls.

Don't worry. most trolls turn to stone if they are out until sunrise. . . or is that vampires? I wonder why people who get tired of the same old arguments and decide to 'play in the sandbox' a little are immediately called trolls? Of course, it it is a troll I must be, then call me Bert. . .

Since I led in with the LOTR, anyone else notice how Spirit did not sweep away the idea that UNI may be looking at Middle Earth in a rather serious way. Sure to some, Potter will crush Star Wars (I do not share that sentiment. If done RIGHT, Star Wars could be awesome), but the addition of LOTR to Potter may well be unstoppable. I mean, come on Sauron and Voldy. Don't think Yoda can Jedi Mind Trick that combination away.

 

[englanddg]

Don't worry. most trolls turn to stone if they are out until sunrise. . . or is that vampires? I wonder why people who get tired of the same old arguments and decide to 'play in the sandbox' a little are immediately called trolls? Of course, it it is a troll I must be, then call me Bert. . .

No. You got it right.

Vampires glitter and sparkle.

 

[doctornick]

I love Toon Lagoon. It's funny. i like being in the comics. Kids today (even many parents of young kids, I think) have no idea who Hagar was, etc. So, if they have to re-do it, then they do.

I wouldn't mourn it like I do Jaws.

Personally, I think the bigger issue with Toon Lagoon is that it has only water rides. The park has too high a ratio of water rides and if you don't want to get wet, it limits what you are willing to do in the park.