Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[luv]

Are the Disney Princesses not women too? I'm sure they can do without pasty, overweight men in crocs frequently visiting them.

I doubt anyone who goes to parks daily is pasty, lol.

If waiting in line and posing for a picture is all they're doing, I'm totally fine with that. It makes them happy. It hurts nobody. I'm good with that.

If Disney gives them a free meal once in a while, I'm happy for them. They're probably delighted.

Working with the mentally ill, I've seen some truly upsetting behavior. I wouldn't go into it here, but you name it, I've seen it. (Well, i always say I've seen it all and then someone does some new wacky thing and I find myself corrected, lol. There is no end to the craziness! But as far as crimes go - been there, seen that.) A person having their picture taken at Disney World neither shocks or disgusts me. I think it really is one of the better problems to have.

I feel for people who struggle with mental illness and wish them all the best while they do the best they can.

 

[Lee]

Too many people on this thread are only focusing on FP+ when there is SO MUCH more going on that positively impacts the vacation experience.

I have yet to discover one single way that my vacation will be positively impacted.
Not one.

But that's just me....

 

[nytimez]

I have yet to discover one single way that my vacation will be positively impacted.
Not one.

But that's just me....

Not just you, that's for sure.

I fully realize - and expect - that at least some of my worst fears about this system may not come to pass. But I still fail to see any benefit, and plenty of ways this can make my trips to WDW less enjoyable.

Assuming I ever go again, which is not a given as this unfolds.

 

[HenryMystic]

I have yet to discover one single way that my vacation will be positively impacted.
Not one.

But that's just me....

But I have experienced negative impacts on my vacation already 2 weeks ago...

 

[StarWarsGirl]

The question is how are you going to do that while running into strollers, tripping of curves, and rescheduling that attraction?

^^This. I have to stop if I want to check wait times on my iTouch. An iTouch in motion does not load, and I could hurt myself. I don't mind using my iTouch for wait times, rescheduling or checking dining reservations (my dad always writes them down, but the piece of paper gets left behind, is sometimes wrong, etc.)

The only problem I see with restricting it to the kiosks is that Disney won't want the additional cost of putting in the kiosk and staffing CMs to run it.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Hey! I do not wear crocs!!!

Good

 

[StarWarsGirl]

As it was explained to me, these are mentally ill people who have an abnormal fixation on Disney, going to parks nearly daily.

Daily?! Not that living in that bubble wouldn't be nice, but live your life! (Mentally ill, like you said) I'm fixated on Disney. I think about it on a daily basis. I go 2-3 times a year, spending about a month per year there. But geez, I'd be minor league to those people!

 

[PhotoDave219]

I have a quick story I want to share...

Did you know that Michael Eisner has a person friendship with the multi-billionaire entrepreneur and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. It's a particularly odd friendship, considering that Eisner is Jewish. Anyway, it is because of this friendship that the Crown Prince intervened a couple of times and bailed Disney out when things were not doing so great. This relationship may have also contributed to warming prospects for Middle East peace. Let me explain.

When EuroDisney had its problems, Eisner called his friend, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. Eisner used his friendship to pursued him to buy an ownership stake in the troubled resort, effectively bailing them out. As part of the deal, Eisner agreed to allow the Crown Prince, who is also owner of the Four Seasons chain of resorts, to open one at WDW. It took a long time to get started, but this is why the current Four Seasons resort at WDW is getting built.

Also, during the 2000 events at EPCOT, if you recall, there was a temporary Israeli pavilion. A movie shown at the pavilion declared Jerusalem the eternal undivided capital of the Jewish state. This infuriated the Arab world. The Palestinians sees Jerusalem as the capital of the eventual future state of Palestine. As a response, the Arab League of Nations voted to boycott all things Disney. Eisner responded by paying a visit to his good friend in Saudi Arabia.

I don't know what was discussed and who proposed what, but immediately after the meeting, Saudi Arabia convinced a majority of nations in the Arab League to lift the boycott on Disney unconditionally. Coincidentally, around this time, Saudi Arabia presented their own vision on Middle East peace. The vision recognizes Jerusalem as the united capital of Israel, but it cleverly takes the land immediately outside Jerusalem in the West Bank (that the Palestinians today say is part of Jerusalem) and renames this territory "Al Kudz", which is Arabic for Jerusalem, and make this the Palestinian capital. This would allow the Palestinians to claim Jerusalem as its capital in any final peace treaty, and allow Israel to continue to claim Jerusalem as its undivided capital.

As a side note, my cousin (the same one who recently
got married and roomed with Steve Jobs' daughter Lisa while in college - and is good friends with her) once went on a date with one of the younger prince' of Saudi Arabia (before she got married). My cousin, being Jewish, asked him how he felt about going on a date with a Jewish girl. He told her that he and the Royal Family have many Jewish friends and secretly do business with Israeli companies. He told her that they have no problem with the Jewish people or the State of Israeli. They just can't say that publicly or the Arab masses will dethrone them.

On a side note, my cousin said throughout the date, he was obsessed with talking about how much money he has. No matter what she would talk about, he would always steer the conversation back to how much money he has...

 

[PhotoDave219]

Absolute side note, tangent.

So the original illuminations Preshow loop (1999-2005) is happening right now.

 

[WDW1974]

Question what IS a "Lifestyler"????

Generally, arrested development adults who can't make it in the real world, who move to Orlando to be closer to WDW (often taking money from spouses, ex's, friends, family, charity etc...) start blogs or websites devoted to Disney and then spend 5-6, even even seven days of the week at the parks. They group together so they can convince themselves that their behavior isn't in fact indicative of underlying mental illness (many view the world like a middle school student might) and Disney has fed this behavior by foisting freebies on them for 'coverage' on largely insignificant ( but not all) websites.

Many of them (again, not all) have all sorts of other 'issues' as well. It is not a term of endearment.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

We decided to scrap our 5pm ADR for the GF Café and left the MK to go swimming at BLT. After we walked back, got a snack, changed into our bathing suits, as soon as we put our towels down on a lounge chair the thunder started and they closed the pools. Since we canceled our ADR we decided to go back to the MK for the rest of the night. However, I looked at the MDE and it showed that 5 or 6 attractions including Splash and BTMRR were temporarily closed (my guess is due to the thunder/lightning). What did we do? Made a quick ADR for Kona (party of 6) and was on the monorail to the Poly in 20 minutes for dinner and then onto the MK for the rest of the night. All on the go, spur of the moment.

Now you need a weather channel app...

Was that Sunday, August 18? If so I was there, and the cause was partially the storm, yes. Pirates was down due to a technical issue and came back. A lightning strike hit over in Tomorrowland. I heard and saw it from Adventureland, and another member told me she was on Peoplemover and the ride stopped. They were then evacuated. Multiple rides were then down, including PeopleMover, Buzz, Stitch (which can stay down as far as I'm concerned) Carousel of Progress, Monsters Inc., Under the Sea, and others. Wishes was delayed 45 mintes, the second MSEP never happened. Yes I found all this out from my MDE app. Buzz came back up, but so many effects were off that they should NEVER have reopened it. It was worse than Splash Mountain before the refurb

 

[WDW1974]

Interesting post you quoted, Dave. I must have missed it. I don't see what the point of it (like the Netflix godawful revival of Arrested Development) here is. But interesting ...

 

[luv]

Generally, arrested development adults who can't make it in the real world, who move to Orlando to be closer to WDW (often taking money from spouses, ex's, friends, family, charity etc...) start blogs or websites devoted to Disney and then spend 5-6, even even seven days of the week at the parks. They group together so they can convince themselves that their behavior isn't in fact indicative of underlying mental illness (many view the world like a middle school student might) and Disney has fed this behavior by foisting freebies on them for 'coverage' on largely insignificant ( but not all) websites.

Many of them (again, not all) have all sorts of other 'issues' as well. It is not a term of endearment.

I am actually happy to hear that they group together. I wondered. That's good, that they found each other. You mighty disagree, lol, but I think it's good.

I am curious about how you know so much about their friendships, finances, views on the world, etc. Care to share?

 

[WDW1974]

@flynnibus ...very well said in 6669. I just wish we could discuss developments as they occur and not keep repeating the same old.

I am going to try and get some newsy stuff out before the weekend (no, no E-Ticket news) myself.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Interesting definition I read in my Marketing Class textbook: Marketing Myopia- the mistake of paying more attention to the specific products a company offers than to the benefits and experiences produced by these products.

Disney seems to be suffering from this in a way. They seem incredibly focused on Fastpass+. But do guests really need or want this? What's wrong with the old system? Why not build new rides, which is what the public wants? How does FP+ enhance my experience? I know there are plans for that, but the money spent on FP+ could have been spent elsewhere.

Now I like the new entry systems. They are much faster. Touch to pay is okay, and the door locks are better. But my main complaint is FP+. Too scheduled IMO and it seems in the opinion of many guests.

Also, a CM tried to tell us that in FL they can't take your picture like they do in DLR to identify who you are because it is illegal. I'm curious if anyone knows if this is true or pure BS.

 

[GSP Guy]

Generally, arrested development adults who can't make it in the real world, who move to Orlando to be closer to WDW (often taking money from spouses, ex's, friends, family, charity etc...) start blogs or websites devoted to Disney and then spend 5-6, even even seven days of the week at the parks. They group together so they can convince themselves that their behavior isn't in fact indicative of underlying mental illness (many view the world like a middle school student might) and Disney has fed this behavior by foisting freebies on them for 'coverage' on largely insignificant ( but not all) websites.

Many of them (again, not all) have all sorts of other 'issues' as well. It is not a term of endearment.

While we are at it, could you please define "Fanboi?" I am uncertain if I really want to know after learning on here what a Bronie is.

 

[luv]

While we are at it, could you please define "Fanboi?" I am uncertain if I really want to know after learning on here what a Bronie is.

I don't think there are as many Bronies as people say. I never had one. I don't recall any males with stuffed animals that weren't also mentally retarded. Women - yes, especially the Borderlines. But not men.

And never a little pony.

Fwiw. Don't mean to take this too far OT.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

While we are at it, could you please define "Fanboi?" I am uncertain if I really want to know after learning on here what a Bronie is.

A fan who believes that the thing they are a fan of can do no wrong

 

[Darth Sidious]

Interesting definition I read in my Marketing Class textbook: Marketing Myopia- the mistake of paying more attention to the specific products a company offers than to the benefits and experiences produced by these products.

Disney seems to be suffering from this in a way. They seem incredibly focused on Fastpass+. But do guests really need or want this? What's wrong with the old system? Why not build new rides, which is what the public wants? How does FP+ enhance my experience? I know there are plans for that, but the money spent on FP+ could have been spent elsewhere.

Now I like the new entry systems. They are much faster. Touch to pay is okay, and the door locks are better. But my main complaint is FP+. Too scheduled IMO and it seems in the opinion of many guests.

Also, a CM tried to tell us that in FL they can't take your picture like they do in DLR to identify who you are because it is illegal. I'm curious if anyone knows if this is true or pure BS.

A few things but firstly to your question posed in the last sentence... Disney used to put your photo on your park hopper way back in the 90s and they are also heavy users of facial recognition cameras... so I doubt their is any law against photos, especially on private property.

As to marketing myopia, it is quite an interesting thought but very complicated in the Disney example. While in a highly generalized analysis it is true that MM+ is a sales tool and it has taken money away from projects that fans want... it also is a tool that produces highly sophisticated marketing analytics. With those analytics they can actually come close to, if not actually define your wants as a consumer. MM+ likely falls into an example of myopia but I am not sure it is so clear cut.

 

[Darth Sidious]

While we are at it, could you please define "Fanboi?" I am uncertain if I really want to know after learning on here what a Bronie is.

Replace the ponies with a mouse named Mickey and yeah... same thing.