Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[IWant2GoNow]

NGE is the latest trend in trying to get more money out of the same # of guests. It is based on the incorrect belief that the theme park market in Central Florida is mature. Universal Studios has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is incorrect.

Oh, I'm familiar with what it is, but I'm just confused at why Disney thinks it's such a spectacular addition that it needs this type of investment. I guess I didn't word that first sentence well enough. "Disney's inner workings behind NGE" is how it should have read.

 

[SirLink]

lol - trust me... this project has A LOT more problems then NextGen
and
WDW has more attractions that all other Disney Parks

O Really? So How does DLR have more than the amount of WDW, distributed over 2 parks ... OK pal.

 

[devoy1701]

The Fast Pass line for RSR was *hours* long during the peak season. Folks don't have to wait in such a line if there is a virtual queue . . . you run like mad, get the RSR FP. Or maybe get there at rope drop and run like mad to ride RSR before the line gets crazy long. I think on opening day it was something like 7 hours for the attraction.

have you been? The FP line for RSR isn't "hours" long. You get in the park around 8 with official rope drop at 9am. If you line up for a FP around 8:30, you can have one within 10-15 mins after 9am. Have someone stand in line, and someone else go grab some coffee on Buena Vista Street. There was no running like Mad. And you can't really compare Opening day to normal operations.

The $1 billion dollar price tag for Next Gen is for implementation at all Disney resorts worldwide. NextGen infrastructure saves money in many instances, and isn't $1 billion for WDW, more like $175-$200 million . . . if that, I can see there being an inflated budget and execs claiming they made the rollout even more successful. The word is that NextGen is making WDW money, and will probably pay for itself in a reasonable time frame.

Wanna bet?
It's also now 2.5 billion plus and rising. Solely for WDW.

You sound like the desperate scapegoat trying to justify this 3 billion dollar mess. You have no idea what you're talking about. The minor conveniences you get out of this system (which I'll add do not outweigh the multitude of major tech headaches and screwups the system creates) do not justify the ridiculous 2-3 billion dollar expenditure. No family is gonna get addicted to this technology unless they're literally insane - or you, I guess.

I was going to respond...but @Skip hit the nail on the head... @Pixiedustmaker has no idea what he's talking about.

I totally agree with all that- I feel the Universal bubble as well. It starts the minute I arrive at my Universal resort- suddenly I'm more laid back and relaxed. I never have to worry about getting my car, or where to park, or a big pet peeve of mine- whether I want to carry a bag or not- no bag check lines! Just back and forth between high excitement and childish delight, fine dining or the easiest of casual meals, with total pampering in between.
All my favorite moments with family and friends in the last few years (only counting Orlando) have been at Universal.
Sorry to say, because I used to be one of the most pixie dust addicted, but I haven't felt a "bubble" at Disney in years. Really hoping my first visit to Disneyland this year gives a bit of Disney "bubble" like I used to remember.

It's the bus system/transportation infrastructure. It's needs a HUGE investment. What better way to take you out of the "magic" then the mass exodus from Magic Kingdom at 11pm taking 40 minutes to get from the end of Main Street to the gates, then having to wait over an hour just to be crammed into a resort bus like sardines? They should have solved this problem years ago! How should TDO invest in technological upgrades to WDW? upgrading the monorail system to be automated and on a fixed schedule for one!

Don't worry about Disneyland...it still has that charm you're looking for!

"Fresher': They'd better be; so much is new! Comcast is spending a zillion dollars, most of it very recently. Uni was in a different tier forever, and Comcast decided that they are going to invest a fortune to compete. Well done. Competition rocks!

"More dynamic": There's definitely variety, but I don't know if I'd call it more dynamic.

"Better maintained": Not when I was there a few months back (save for the newest attractions).

"Huge new attractions on the way": Fact

There's nothing like stiff competition and loss of market share (revenue) to provide a sense of urgency. No matter what other underlying issues are at play, Disney will not want to lose money to Universal and deal with the media trumpeting Uni's rise from mediocrity. Disney will push back, even if the execs are motivated solely by ego and money. Even if their mentality is just to pour in money and build a bunch of lands/attractions, I'm good with that. In the end, we consumers will be the winners with an improved WDW, and truely world class parks at Uni.

I'm happy for you that you are "clean and sober" '74, but in a few years when you're walking around Cars Land, Pandora, Disney Springs, riding the 7DMT or chillin' in Star Wars Land, you'll relapse like a cheap starlet at a liquor fuelled frat party. It's in your blood. See you on 'The Dark Side' in Star Wars Land. (Btw..."'74, I am your father")

Cheers

Comcast/Uni has spend a helluvalot LESS than WDW has! How about that for a smack in the face! Zillions of dollars my left toe!

 

[WDWDad13]

O Really? So How does DLR have more than the amount of WDW, distributed over 2 parks ... OK pal.

you might have misread that? I said WDW has more attractions then DLR does (and other Disney Parks)

 

[WDWDad13]

I blame NextGen for the Lone Ranger flop! lol

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Slightly off topic, but two weeks at Universal's brand new Cabana Bay, in a family suite, is coming out to cost less than one week at Disney's cheapest hotel. And when you factor in the cost being split between me and my friend, it's even less.

I'll be booking a trip soon.

 

[MattM]

I know I'm new here but, good heavens, do you work for Universal? I feel like I'm reading the text from an infomercial.

You will probably get hammered for saying that and not falling in line. But you are not wrong.

You also have to realize the double standard here that if Disney were to let another company build hotels on their property, then they are just giving up, not being creative, etc. But Universal allowing Loews to build/run hotels on property is perfectly fine.

P.S. - Tell the guy who runs the Sox Twitter account that the Rays play in St. Pete, not Tampa

 

[SirLink]

you might have misread that? I said WDW has more attractions then DLR does (and other Disney Parks)

Yep DLR has more attractions than WDW. I don't class M+Gs as attractions.

 

[bhg469]

Slightly off topic, but two weeks at Universal's brand new Cabana Bay, in a family suite, is coming out to cost less than one week at Disney's cheapest hotel. And when you factor in the cost being split between me and my friend, it's even less.

I'll be booking a trip soon.

This is one of those "wish I would like more" posts. Universal might as well turn on a no vacancy sign permanently on this resort. I will probably not stay anywhere else on my future visits to Orlando. That place looks fantastic and the price is pretty unbelievable for what they are offering guests. My question is, will disney finally realize that the all stars are worth sightly more than motel 6 prices?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

There seems to be two camps here so maybe I can help y'all find common ground. If NGE had been kept on budget and everything worked, everything you say would be true. It would be driving revenue growth, cost reduction, and guest satisfaction. The problem is, NGE is neither on budget nor functioning properly. Think of it like a movie. Spending an Avengers amount of money is fine, as long as you make Avengers level box office figures. NGE is the John Carter of the parks and resorts segment only on a much grander scale.

My line of thinking too!

NGE has some swell basic concepts. Then management decided it would be hip and a sign of being touch with modern tech if they would heap it all together in a giant IT overhaul.

At that point NGE suffered from a well documented disease: if you do not set a clear specific goal for an IT project, it will eat you alive. The IT guys will take over, and they do what those guys would do if left unchecked: conceive and write endless code and implement fab tech and gadgets and stuff. All cutting edge, all beta, all unproven. All fabulous toys for the IT geeks to try their hands on.

But it will eat the company alive, which is invariably run by people who do not understand the tech but are blinded by the utopian promises of it all, and think they are playing Steve Jobs.

 

[WDWDad13]

Yep DLR has more attractions than WDW. I don't class M+Gs as attractions.

DLR has more attractions than WDW? Have you been to both? Attractions are not just "rides" either

 

[Radok Block]

During Food & Wine...why no up priced prepacked groceries to buy after seeing that fabulous recipe you saw prepared by a Foodnetwork celeb to bring back to your kitchen equipped DVC?

This is a terrific idea. Impulse buying at its best, and you'd get quality and a good experience to boot.

 

[danjen2331]

Pool and hotel were both amazing. My Disney exec friend put it quite simply ''We have nothing that can compete with that product, just as we can't compete with the new Bonnet Creek resorts or the Ritz.''

I have trouble believing that... Did you stay at Portofino? The rooms were big and nice, yet the room I stayed in had multiple things that were brocken. (Such as a door handle falling off) The dining was also good, and BiCE was excellent. Everything else was pretty bland. The beach pool is not "Stormalong bay quality" not even close! The quiet pool was also just any Disney or other resort quiet pool. The pool lunch was way worse than Hurricane Hannah's at BC. Meanwhile the decor of the Hotel was very fake feeling. It felt like Vegas. To me the Disney Deluxe's never feel like Vegas. (Did you see the fake indoor Italian street) I'm sure when you quote a Disney ex saying "we have nothing that compete with that product" they mean the price to hotel room, not the poorly layed out, tacky themed (I do enjoy fake fountains painted on walls) and slumping quality of the overall resort. (No more DVD players and you have to pay for wifi).
Also, if you just went in July you must have been there while they re-painted te facades? Were you notified of this before hand? I found that the construction was very noicy and unpleasant (At Disney you never walk under open scaffolding) You make it seem like Portofino is way better than all Disney Deluxe's, yet there are reasons why Portofino has a worse trip advisor rating then many Disney Deluxe's.

 

[GLaDOS]

DLR has more attractions than WDW? Have you been to both? Attractions are not just "rides" either

Are we talking about attractions outside the parks? Because then WDW might have a chance at winning.

DLR has more attractions in-park in its 2 parks than WDW does in its 4.

 

[Eeyore]

I may be incorrectly assuming that the majority of people who participate in this thread are adults. If all of you want this discussion to continue I would strongly encourage people on both sides of the debate to conduct themselves as adults. If you are unable to disagree with someone without insults then I suggest you put that person or persons on ignore. This is a very fast moving thread with a lot of passionate opinions, as always if there is anything you find offensive please use the report feature so that we may be made aware of it. Thank you!

 

[Travel Junkie]

The Fast Pass line for RSR was *hours* long during the peak season. Folks don't have to wait in such a line if there is a virtual queue . . . you run like mad, get the RSR FP. Or maybe get there at rope drop and run like mad to ride RSR before the line gets crazy long. I think on opening day it was something like 7 hours for the attraction.

RSR does not take hours to get a FP and there is no running at rope drop to grab one. Yes there is a long line at opening for FP but it goes extremely quickly. There is also no running at rope drop to get in line at standby. DL has procedures in place to prevent this.

To the issue at hand, DL's huge AP population throws some added problems to how they would manage FP+ in the parks. In theory it would seem nice and easy to make ride reservations before or one you get to the park, but in practice it would be very troublesome. DL has never been a huge backer of fastpass to begin with (they have taken away more fastpass attractions than hey have added ove rthe years.) I doubt if it is implemented in Anaheim it will not be because TDA asked for it.

 

[alphac2005]

Thanks for your thoughtful reply!

Me, I don't really care much who is correct or not. I've got no horse in this race. I think NGE by default is a complicated subject that isn't easily done justice within the constraints of a forum.

I am just very dissapointed with all the brutality and nastiness on a Disney forum. Pixie, I never see him post anything insulting? And no, scepticism is not an insult to authority. And no, thinking for yourself is not an insult to the group.
I do see Pixie being subjected to insults almost as a matter of course. ('The others do it too, so it must be okay, nay, the correct thing to do')

Like I said to Pixie, people have different opinions and it's healthy to have and discuss them. Period. Sometimes, faceless, real-life nameless forums turn into bullying all too easily. I used to get it whenever I posted something that even had the hint of criticism or dose of reality about what was happening to WDW. It's interesting to see that now that the sentiment has flipped, defenders of WDW are barked at like what were the then detractors of WDW.

 

[wdwmagic]

Can I remind some of you to read http://forums.wdwmagic.com/help/terms

In particular:
Be courteous and respect your fellow members. To be clear, personal attacks, aggressive messages, and passive-aggressive behavior is unacceptable. If you take particular issue with another user and are unable to reply in a civilised and constructive way to their posts, you should ignore the user.

 

[wdwgreek]

You guys bring up another point I thought of.
What I find frustrating is the fact he tells us Cleary he has some news he wants to share, but won’t share it. I would much rather instead of being strung along, be told
“Hey guys I have heard X, and Y, but I can’t talk about Z any further due to confidentiality issues, but I’m glad to answer any questions on X, or Y.”
I feel like we are being strung along a little bit, (30 pages latter and nothing noteworthy to report from hin other then I'll tell you guys when I feel like it???) and would overall appreciate to be educated on the information as his nearest convenience!

Thanks for your thoughtful reply!

Me, I don't really care much who is correct or not. I've got no horse in this race. I think NGE by default is a complicated subject that isn't easily done justice within the constraints of a forum.

I am just very dissapointed with all the brutality and nastiness on a Disney forum. Pixie, I never see him post anything insulting? And no, scepticism is not an insult to authority. And no, thinking for yourself is not an insult to the group. It's a free country. The guy is entitled to harbour his minority thoughts.
I do see Pixie being subjected to insults almost as a matter of course. ('The others do it too, so it must be okay, nay, the correct thing to do')

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

This is one of those "wish I would like more" posts. Universal might as well turn on a no vacancy sign permanently on this resort. I will probably not stay anywhere else on my future visits to Orlando. That place looks fantastic and the price is pretty unbelievable for what they are offering guests. My question is, will disney finally realize that the all stars are worth sightly more than motel 6 prices?

I really hate to admit to this, but I went to WDW (for the first time) this past May, stayed at the Polynesian, and while we had a fantastic time (and really loved that hotel) the price is a sore spot. For the same amount we (Mom and I) spent on 5 days/4 nights at Disney/Polynesian, I'm getting two solid weeks at Universal. The room is bigger as well and has two beds and a full shower/bathtub/private commode bathroom, which is awesome for two girls who both love bubble baths, lol

I'm pretty excited about it. As much as I loved the Poly, the price isn't justifiable.

(edit to add) As to when Disney will realize they've priced themselves out of the game... they won't. Not until the numbers are past the point of straining, covering up, and skewing to make everything look rosy and perfectly OK.

I get that we could have stayed at AoA for a lot less than we paid for Poly, but... to be honest, we didn't want to. It doesn't appeal to us and we wanted a more adult experience. The more I look at Uni's hotels, the more impressed I am by them. I'll divide my time between Universal and Disney theme parks, but my head isn't touching a Disney pillow.

Sidenote, book through AAA and you'll get even more discounts.