Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[englanddg]

What was the bad advice and how much money did you lose? Just curious.

Should Ricky have a disclaimer played in front of all his videos and podcasts that say everything he says is opinion and he has been given free things? To me insidethemagic is a podcast you listen to if you're riding on the train and interested in Ricky's opinions or ride videos. It's a fun diversion.

And that's about it.

I made it clear that I don't give a flip about "Ricky"...and so, no, I didn't take his "advice" to heart. He's a blogger, and I never took him seriously. His posts are fun, and that's all I saw them as.

 

[vagabondarts]

So, before you get into a debate about who is more self-righteous, I'd say that the person who pays for it themselves (the Guest, you know, that person who this is supposed to be built around) is most important...

But, please, continue your debate.

Don't put words in my mouth. You guys are jumping all over this guy and I'm saying you're all out of line.

If you think there's a higher standard of journalism then put yourselves out there, post some videos of yourself asking imagineers tough questions on camera, deny freebies, and pay everything out of pocket.

 

[vagabondarts]

I made it clear that I don't give a flip about "Ricky"...and so, no, I didn't take his "advice" to heart. He's a blogger, and I never took him seriously. His posts are fun, and that's all I saw them as.

except you took his advice, which was bad, and it cost you money. Right? That's what you said.

How can you do all of that and not take him seriously at the same time?

 

[englanddg]

If you want to know how much money I lost? Well, that is a fun conversation...it has to do with ADRs, how the overall value had dropped at WDW, and what is considered "guest service"...

It's a long conversation, but one that I'm sure won't be welcome here...

 

[nytimez]

Don't put words in my mouth. You guys are jumping all over this guy and I'm saying you're all out of line.

If you think there's a higher standard of journalism then put yourselves out there, post some videos of yourself asking imagineers tough questions on camera, deny freebies, and pay everything out of pocket.

This is a cop-out. This is like saying if you don't like the work a mechanic did on your car, go and fix it yourself.

Let me ask you a question, assuming you are being sincere and not just trolling: Why is it so bad that people want good, accurate, honest and unbiased information?

I don't see this as piling on Ricky - and in any case, he's clearly aware of this conversation and could join in at any time if he feels it is - because the problem isn't Ricky. It's the dozens, maybe hundreds, of Rickys being worked over by the mouse to the point where good information is being drowned out by all the bad.

Ricky has just become something of the poster boy for it since his wife decided to join in... but while I can't speak for anyone else, I'm pretty sure most people here will tell you Ricky by himself is not the problem.

 

[vagabondarts]

If you want to know how much money I lost? Well, that is a fun conversation...it has to do with ADRs, how the overall value had dropped at WDW, and what is considered "guest service"...

It's a long conversation, but one that I'm sure won't be welcome here...

I won't be disagreeing with you on falling standards at WDW.

 

[englanddg]

Don't put words in my mouth. You guys are jumping all over this guy and I'm saying you're all out of line.

If you think there's a higher standard of journalism then put yourselves out there, post some videos of yourself asking imagineers tough questions on camera, deny freebies, and pay everything out of pocket.

I post videos every year, I dined with an Imagineer last year (Diego Parris)...I skipped it this year (even though it dinged my credit card) because I was not interested...

I gave you all an easy out for the "journalism" response...run with it or be damned.

Please don't preach to me about it.

 

[englanddg]

except you took his advice, which was bad, and it cost you money. Right? That's what you said.

How can you do all of that and not take him seriously at the same time?

You should review the thread, and see how I've defended his position.

But, you are too lazy to do that.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

So he should't accept free stuff because he's a professional or it doesn't matter because you don't consider him one anyways?

I'd classify him as semi-professional non-quality media. (Which is not the same as saying his websites isn't quality)



Overall, I think there is too much fuzz about some bloggers. WDW has always wined and dined every possible media outlet. Walt and Eisner would be proud of events such as the opening of the new Cali Grill. Solid old school marketing.

These media are not investigative journalists. Not back then and not now. They are travel sections of newspapers, fanclub magazines, blogs. It is entirely besides the point to hold them to the standard expected of quality objective media.

So I'd go the other way: what immature audience needs to have spelled out on every blog / travel channel 'documentary' that this is not quality objective media? Quality media requires quality readers. When these are absent, when your audience apparantly does not understand in the first place the difference between quality media and marketing, then under what obligation are you to inform them at every step?
Must McDonald's spell out on every package that their burger is not meant as a healthy substitute for a quality meal? Must Ronald McDonald answer every dumb question about whether he is a either a paying guest or an independent food critic? Or can he leave it with the understanding that most people understand there are other categories besides those two.

 

[vagabondarts]

This is a cop-out. This is like saying if you don't like the work a mechanic did on your car, go and fix it yourself.

Let me ask you a question, assuming you are being sincere and not just trolling: Why is it so bad that people want good, accurate, honest and unbiased information?

I don't see this as piling on Ricky - and in any case, he's clearly aware of this conversation and could join in at any time if he feels it is - because the problem isn't Ricky. It's the dozens, maybe hundreds, of Rickys being worked over by the mouse to the point where good information is being drowned out by all the bad.

Ricky has just become something of the poster boy for it since his wife decided to join in... but while I can't speak for anyone else, I'm pretty sure most people here will tell you Ricky by himself is not the problem.

I guess I don't know who else you are referring to.
If there are more than a couple then its news to me.

I don't see it as a cop out. It's not like that at all. What's stopping someone from being the journalist that exposes the lax approach to WDW lately?
Instead of wanting that level of journalism from one of the hobbyist bloggers, and tearing them down because of it, maybe take it on yourself to be that guy.
(This isn't directed at you, specifically, just a general thought related to all of the high-mindedness.)

 

[bhg469]

Ricky is only brought up because he has the only representation here. My biggest beef is that no one in that room has or will ever say to a higher up "what are you doing to better our experience?". Your product is stale and tired. Your parks are a glimmer of what they once were... Fix it fix the yeti, announce a new IP. Give us the next attraction that people will love without taking one away.

It seems these bloggers take their perks and smile and don't discuss major issues.

 

[englanddg]

Ricky is only brought up because he has the only representation here. My biggest beef is that no one in that room has or will ever say to a higher up "what are you doing to better our experience?". Your product is stale and tired. Your parks are a glimmer of what they once were... Fix it fix the yeti, announce a new IP. Give us the next attraction that people will love without taking one away.

It seems these bloggers take their perks and smile and don't discuss major issues.

I complained quite clearly in my trip report.

 

[vagabondarts]

You should review the thread, and see how I've defended his position.

But, you are too lazy to do that.

Oh come on, cant you just answer? Too lazy?

 

[vagabondarts]

The only conclusion I can reach is that unless locals treat WDW as their own to the degree that Southern Californians treat Disneyland, nothing will change.

No blogger, or freebie-loader, or "journalist" will be able to affect as much change

 

[HMF]

That's not his fault, and he's probably ignorant to it.

And there's the problem. When you are in charge of something whether you are the manager of a restaurant, A CEO of a major corporation or the President of the United States or a blogger You should understand what your charge is, pay attention to the tiniest details and have a feel for what you are doing. The problem I see with Society in general today is that a lot of people are so apathetic that they don't care about the bigger picture and become too obsessed with their own issues and are so paralyzed by fear they will do just about anything, even if that thing can do incredible amount of damage to society, There are days when I am amazed society functions at all.

 

[bhg469]

I complained quite clearly in my trip report.

I would like to give it a read. Please pm me the link if you would be so kind.

 

[nytimez]

I guess I don't know who else you are referring to.
If there are more than a couple then its news to me.

I don't see it as a cop out. It's not like that at all. What's stopping someone from being the journalist that exposes the lax approach to WDW lately?
Instead of wanting that level of journalism from one of the hobbyist bloggers, and tearing them down because of it, maybe take it on yourself to be that guy.
(This isn't directed at you, specifically, just a general thought related to all of the high-mindedness.)

The discussion was about the roomful of bloggers invited by Disney to an event at the Cali grill - it became about Ricky when his wife took exception to the Spirited characterization of that group... but it was never about him as an individual (I don't even think his name came up) until then.

It's about the larger group of bloggers.

As to what's stopping "someone" from becoming the journalist that exposes the lax approach to WDW lately, it's probably the fact that most of us here are working adults already engaged in other careers. But just because we're NOT the journalist that exposes the lax approach to WDW lately, does that mean we can't have an opinion of the coverage Disney gets - positive or negative - whether it's via traditional media (which also comes up regular) or new media?

The only conclusion I can reach is that unless locals treat WDW as their own to the degree that Southern Californians treat Disneyland, nothing will change.

No blogger, or freebie-loader, or "journalist" will be able to affect as much change

This, to an extent, I can agree with - although it's not quite the same in that the local population of Orlando aren't the proportion of WDW visitors the way locals are at DLR.

 

[englanddg]

Oh come on, cant you just answer? Too lazy?

What do you want me to tell you? That he has reviews that are worthless? That his ideas about how to do Disney carry no weight? That he has an obviously warped view of what the real experience is like?

No, I'm not to lazy...I'm just too polite. I don't want to tear apart what he presents as Disney.

If you would like me to, ask him to offer me a special place as a presenter on his blog, and I can tell you exactly what rocks at Disney and what sucks.

He...doesn't.

 

[vagabondarts]

So I'd go the other way: what immature audience needs to have spelled out on every blog / travel channel 'documentary' that this is not quality objective media? Quality media requires quality readers. When these are absent, when your audience apparantly does not understand in the first place the difference between quality media and marketing, then under what obligation are you to inform them at every step?
Must McDonald's spell out on every package that their burger is not meant as a healthy substitute for a quality meal? Must Ronald McDonald answer every dumb question about whether he is a either a paying guest or an independent food critic? Or can he leave it with the understanding that most people understand there are other categories besides those two.

This right here. You said it way better than I could.

 

[PhotoDave219]

The Walt Disney Company is a multi billion dollar entertainment company.

I'm pretty sure they're gonna continue to make a profit regardless of whether or not Ricky Gets special treatment.

My point being, Ricky needs Disney hell of a lot more than Disney needs Ricky.