Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[WDW1974]

Spirited Trip Musings:

Sitting in the lobby of the WL sorta felt like you were an outsider on the set of Honey Boo Boo.

Sitting in the lobby of the Portofino Bay sorta felt like you were at an upscale resort where chowing down on a chicken finger basket in the lobby just wouldn't be done.

Do you think the @EPCOT Explorer is too excited to sleep tonight? Opinion @Lee?

I'm sorry @WDWFigment but when you pen a column about refillable mugs, you are a lifestyler!

Watching the MK get a third bus loop makes you think that Walt would be so proud.

Anyone else think it's time for the UGLY Memories sign and pics in front of the train station go go bye-bye?

I can't help but feel the MK has the same dirty vibe of a typical McD's where every surface needs a deep cleaning.

Work lighting is great if the park is closed and work is being done. Work lighting on in a half dozen EPCOT attractions during park hours is not so great.

Don't kid yourself, summer season ends this week at WDW. Free dining season is what comes next.

No, you do NOT EVER tell a guest that they can't use a restroom unless there is someone dying inside it.

UNI opened Transformers and Springfield USA. Sea World opened Antarctica. Exactly what did WDW offer in the summer of 2013 that was new and different from the summer of 2012 or the summer of 2011 or the summer of 2010 or the summer of 2009 etc ?

So, first the trees came down to improve views of the giant phal... I mean castle. Now, all the gift shops are half empty and look ridiculous so 500-pounders on ECVs can just drive right through. I so love that UNI doesn't feel the need to cater to these folks or the mental defectives of social media. I can't wait to not see them at the opening of Potter 2.0 next year!

Didn't see one lifestyler at Aquatica. You think they may have bathing suit and self-image issues?

That McCafe commercial was shot in one of my favorite places to jog in Manhattan Beach.

Not only did I steal soda brazenly from 4-5 resorts, even when I wasn't thirsty, but I may have swam at a resort I wasn't staying at too.

So, Peoplemover cars were hitting each other and almost caused an injury to myself in May. A comment was left at City Hall. Two months later and nothing has been addressed and the trains are still bumping at load.

Anyone want to tell me that PotC and JC aren't in awful shape?

Watching Artist Point's manager dance around like a nervous bride on his honeymoon night because George Kalogridis wanted BBQ was amusing.

People who actually pay to visit Central Florida theme parks in the summer are insane or British (is that the same? ;-) )

Celebrate the Dream still excites me more than anything in new fantasyland.

Does WDW no longer manufacture LE pins?

Does WDW not sell any Marvel merchandise in its parks?

I loved Incredible Hulk room keys at Portofino Bay.

So, the Disney Archives were in town last week going over Captain Jack's for anything they want to save.

Can you visit WDW and not have a Dole Whip, a Cinnamon bun, a churro or a turkey leg? YES!

I'd rather have a sundae at Friendly's on I-Drive than any 'treat' at the MK. So, I did... Twice.

No, Transformers doesn't raise the bar in O-Town attractions, but it does equal Spidey, something Disney hasn't been able or willing to do since 1999.

Potter recently had all new projections put in that are in perfect focus as the older ones weren't and they were making people sick. In similar news, Soarin still looks like CA is under alien attack from giant dust bunnies.

People flat out can't drive in FL, whether they are tourists or locals. Three accidents within 1000 feet of the exit to Aquatica at the same time on a clear afternoon, including an SUV flipped in the middle of an intersection.

BLT is a great place for great drinks that the DVC is destroying by demanding exclusive use. Here,s a secret, take the bridge across to the fifth floor, get on the elevators for the 15th, get off, walk up the stairs and walk in. The bartenders will be happy if you are drinking.

More serious thoughts to come this weekend if you all buy me a new computer ...hey, I see it working for lifestylers.

 

[WDW1974]

Because John has been noticeable absent in Glendale since Cars Land was in the latter stages of production. Tony and John are friends, not close by any means, but definitely on good terms. Tony and Pete Doctor, however, are very close.

True on all counts.

 

[ChrisFL]

Can you visit WDW and not have a Dole Whip, a Cinnamon bun, a churro or a turkey leg? YES!

Me too...its all about cream cheese pretzels now...that's Disney's best kept secret.

And yes, people can't drive in Florida and its getting worse all the time.

 

[HMF]

Anyone else think it's time for the UGLY Memories sign and pics in front of the train station go go bye-bye?
.

Based on their recent history I would reckon it will go when either the 50th Anniversary comes around or they come up with some new Manufactured promotion and put something even uglier there.

 

[WDW1974]

Probably good ol'fashion WDI politics. Somebody didn't like somebody else's project getting greenlit and threw them under the bus.

Not quite. Iger's dream 3rd gate is all Marvel, so with buying Lucasfilm, Star WArs made more sense.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Not quite. Iger's dream 3rd gate is all Marvel, so with buying Lucasfilm, Star WArs made more sense.

Any updates on HKDL's Marvel land?

 

[HMF]

Not quite. Iger's dream 3rd gate is all Marvel, so with buying Lucasfilm, Star WArs made more sense.

Am I alone in thinking that DLR is really not in need of a 3rd gate. They just had to spend a billion dollars to fix the half-cooked second one.

 

[Captain Neo]

Not quite. Iger's dream 3rd gate is all Marvel, so with buying Lucasfilm, Star WArs made more sense.

Ah interesting. So they seem pretty interested in a 3rd gate out in Anaheim then. Probably a smarter investment than MM+!

Also interesting that DL fans (ie the people that are in the park every day) are saying the peoplemover track is g walled off in some places so it looks like work is beginning there sooner rather than later while at WDW they still think timeshare schemes and getting people to buy into big brother surveillance programs is the winning strategy in running a successful theme park operation.

 

[Longhairbear]

Spirited Trip Musings:

Sitting in the lobby of the WL sorta felt like you were an outsider on the set of Honey Boo Boo.

Sitting in the lobby of the Portofino Bay sorta felt like you were at an upscale resort where chowing down on a chicken finger basket in the lobby just wouldn't be done.

Do you think the @EPCOT Explorer is too excited to sleep tonight? Opinion @Lee?

I'm sorry @WDWFigment but when you pen a column about refillable mugs, you are a lifestyler!

Watching the MK get a third bus loop makes you think that Walt would be so proud.

Anyone else think it's time for the UGLY Memories sign and pics in front of the train station go go bye-bye?

I can't help but feel the MK has the same dirty vibe of a typical McD's where every surface needs a deep cleaning.

Work lighting is great if the park is closed and work is being done. Work lighting on in a half dozen EPCOT attractions during park hours is not so great.

Don't kid yourself, summer season ends this week at WDW. Free dining season is what comes next.

No, you do NOT EVER tell a guest that they can't use a restroom unless there is someone dying inside it.

UNI opened Transformers and Springfield USA. Sea World opened Antarctica. Exactly what did WDW offer in the summer of 2013 that was new and different from the summer of 2012 or the summer of 2011 or the summer of 2010 or the summer of 2009 etc ?

So, first the trees came down to improve views of the giant phal... I mean castle. Now, all the gift shops are half empty and look ridiculous so 500-pounders on ECVs can just drive right through. I so love that UNI doesn't feel the need to cater to these folks or the mental defectives of social media. I can't wait to not see them at the opening of Potter 2.0 next year!

Didn't see one lifestyler at Aquatica. You think they may have bathing suit and self-image issues?

That McCafe commercial was shot in one of my favorite places to jog in Manhattan Beach.

Not only did I steal soda brazenly from 4-5 resorts, even when I wasn't thirsty, but I may have swam at a resort I wasn't staying at too.

So, Peoplemover cars were hitting each other and almost caused an injury to myself in May. A comment was left at City Hall. Two months later and nothing has been addressed and the trains are still bumping at load.

Anyone want to tell me that PotC and JC aren't in awful shape?

Watching Artist Point's manager dance around like a nervous bride on his honeymoon night because George Kalogridis wanted BBQ was amusing.

People who actually pay to visit Central Florida theme parks in the summer are insane or British (is that the same? ;-) )

Celebrate the Dream still excites me more than anything in new fantasyland.

Does WDW no longer manufacture LE pins?

Does WDW not sell any Marvel merchandise in its parks?

I loved Incredible Hulk room keys at Portofino Bay.

So, the Disney Archives were in town last week going over Captain Jack's for anything they want to save.

Can you visit WDW and not have a Dole Whip, a Cinnamon bun, a churro or a turkey leg? YES!

I'd rather have a sundae at Friendly's on I-Drive than any 'treat' at the MK. So, I did... Twice.

No, Transformers doesn't raise the bar in O-Town attractions, but it does equal Spidey, something Disney hasn't been able or willing to do since 1999.

Potter recently had all new projections put in that are in perfect focus as the older ones weren't and they were making people sick. In similar news, Soarin still looks like CA is under alien attack from giant dust bunnies.

People flat out can't drive in FL, whether they are tourists or locals. Three accidents within 1000 feet of the exit to Aquatica at the same time on a clear afternoon, including an SUV flipped in the middle of an intersection.

BLT is a great place for great drinks that the DVC is destroying by demanding exclusive use. Here,s a secret, take the bridge across to the fifth floor, get on the elevators for the 15th, get off, walk up the stairs and walk in. The bartenders will be happy if you are drinking.

More serious thoughts to come this weekend if you all buy me a new computer ...hey, I see it working for lifestylers.

I think I need a Dole Whip. The ice cream shop on Palm Canyon Drive, across from the Marilyn statue just started selling them. Big Dole Whip sign was added to the shop's signage too.

 

[cheezbat]

Me too...its all about cream cheese pretzels now...that's Disney's best kept secret.

And yes, people can't drive in Florida and its getting worse all the time.

Mmmm...cream cheese pretzels!!

And those awful drivers here in Florida are mainly idiotic tourists lost or on their cell phones...or both!
(I'm a good driver gosh darn it!)

Hey @WDW1974 any news on the possibility of a flume ride at Universal Studios down the road? The park needs a water ride.
Also, we know Imagination is getting a new ride or something...any news on updates for Universe of Energy or WOL pavilion? Poor poor Epcot.

 

[JenniferS]

The vast majority of people I have helped plan trips to WDW don't get park hoppers. If they leave a park early, they go to their hotel and use the pool/chill or go to DTD and shop, go to another resort for dinner, etc. I'd be really curious as to the percentage of people who get park hoppers as part of their tickets.

Now, I absolutely agree that the cheap additional days on MYW tickets drives attendance at those parks.

In all of our trips (8 in the last 10 years alone - each with a 9 or 10 day MYW ticket), we have never NOT added PH as an option. Whether or not we add the Waterparks and More option depends upon the time of year, and if we have the kids.

During those 9 or 10 park days, we usually park hop all but one or two of those days. We have often hit three parks in a single day; but never four.

When planning our trips, each day is divided into four segments:
8:00-1:00 - morning
1:00-4:00 - afternoon
4:00-8:00 - early evening
8:00-midnight - evening

The "afternoon" segment is usually the most fluid part of the day. Depending on the weather, our energy level, and where we want to eat lunch, this is the segment of the day which is determined on the fly. It might be added to our morning or early evening park, or it may be pool/nap time back at the hotel.

I think Disney will be forfeiting a lot of money if they eliminate the Park Hoppers.

 

[Scuttle]

Me too...its all about cream cheese pretzels now...that's Disney's best kept secret.

And yes, people can't drive in Florida and its getting worse all the time.

Try coming back from Germany after 2 weeks on the Audubon. Then you truly realize how horrible FLA drivers are.

 

[Voice of Disney sanity]

In my defense, I said it was not a fair comparison, but they did make yummy sammies.

The point is that if a business is not doing well one of the options is to close the underperforming unit. Newport News was the ONLY US builder of Nuclear powered Aircraft Carriers and one of only two builders of Nuclear powered Submarines. Seems like a favorable position right? Did not keep Northrop from spinning them off.

On a grander scale, there once was this country that went by the name of USSR. Got into a bit of a spending was with some country from the West and now the USSR ceases to exist as it was once known. Now again, not apples to apples but just saying, nothing would surprise me at this point.

Is the inaction a pause to see how to retaliate, or a pause to contemplate other options?

And by no means am I saying people do not care. You would not be here if you did not. We all care. Maybe it's the suits that don't?

I think a better comparison for this is how Nintendo was on top of the video Game world and became complacent and cocky and along came the Sony playstation and dethroned them. At the time everyone was positive something like that was impossible. Nintendo was just to big and loved. No way anyone wold ever dethrone the video game kings. Then the same thing happened to Sony playstation with the Xbox.
I'm pretty sure spirit is right about this. We Are witnessing the same thing in the theme park business right now. Is it possible disney can prevent this? Well of course. But they're going to have to act immediately, decisively, and quickly or they WILL be dethroned. Are there any signs they're about to do this? I'm not seeing any.

 

[IHeartArt]

Anyone else think it's time for the UGLY Memories sign and pics in front of the train station go go bye-bye?

Here here. That sign is the baby brother of the hat. Both serve the same purpose, both are entirely unnecessary.

Potter recently had all new projections put in that are in perfect focus as the older ones weren't and they were making people sick.

I was wondering if it was just me or if those screens were a lot brighter... although, gotta say, the last screen that transitioned back to the Room of Requirement was on a blue-screen standby that looks like you're typical projector. It was pretty hilarious! Now there's something that you don't need to be told will become a memory. :3

 

[Californian Elitist]

Am I alone in thinking that DLR is really not in need of a 3rd gate. They just had to spend a billion dollars to fix the half-cooked second one.

No, you're not. I don't believe another park in Anaheim is necessary, either.

 

[Voice of Disney sanity]

WDW was unquestionable better taken care of in the 90's than it is today. Can't fathom why anyone would try to debate that...

Heck a while back one of the in the know people on here (may have been Lee, I forget) mentioned how Disney used to have a dedicated crew specifically for lightbulb work that walked around every night after hours and replaced them whenever they died. It was even company policy back then to replace bulbs BEFORE they burned out (I think it was whenever they reached 80% of their intended life), so it was usually just defective bulbs that ended up burning out during guest hours.

While it was not entirely unheard of to come across a non-working show element in a ride (though much rarer and harder to spot), in most cases the elements were fixed within a day or so (was even often the case where just riding again later that same day the element would be functioning again). Very reasonable and respectable time. They didn't let broken elements remain broken for long at all, even if it was complex and difficult to keep working.

I believe it's also common knowledge that Disney fired a bunch of their maintenance crews at WDW more than a decade ago and eliminated many of those positions entirely.

The thought that WDW is better maintained now than it was about 15-20 years ago is absolutely absurd.

The last time we were in wdw was April we were there for 7 days and I rode splash mountain on the first day and on our last day and the same empty plastic water bottle was floating in one of the water pots that shoot little pellets of water up In The air on both days. Friggin ridiculous that it was there for AT LEAST 7 days. It would have taken no more than 2 minutes to remove it. It was very sad to me. That sort of thing would have never happened pre 2000 or at least never did to us in 15 or more visits we had pre 2000

 

[TalkingHead]

Do you think the @EPCOT Explorer is too excited to sleep tonight?

Is this his first trip to a Disney Resort that doesn't pride itself on selling timeshares? He'll never be the same. (Is that a good thing?)

Anyone else think it's time for the UGLY Memories sign and pics in front of the train station go go bye-bye?

When did the notion of never-ending celebration decorations begin? Within the last decade?

I can't help but feel the MK has the same dirty vibe of a typical McD's where every surface needs a deep cleaning.

The restrooms aren't much better than Texaco's. (RIP Quail Tiles)

Work lighting is great if the park is closed and work is being done. Work lighting on in a half dozen EPCOT attractions during park hours is not so great.

No one ever accused Disney of being detail-oriented...

UNI opened Transformers and Springfield USA. Sea World opened Antarctica. Exactly what did WDW offer in the summer of 2013 that was new and different from the summer of 2012 or the summer of 2011 or the summer of 2010 or the summer of 2009 etc ?

Beta-Testing.

Not only did I steal soda brazenly from 4-5 resorts, even when I wasn't thirsty, but I may have swam at a resort I wasn't staying at too.

You're an awful spirited being. Simply, the worst. (Did I do it right?)

So, Peoplemover cars were hitting each other and almost caused an injury to myself in May. A comment was left at City Hall. Two months later and nothing has been addressed and the trains are still bumping at load.

No one ever accused Disney of being detail-oriented...

Potter recently had all new projections put in that are in perfect focus as the older ones weren't and they were making people sick. In similar news, Soarin still looks like CA is under alien attack from giant dust bunnies.

No one ever accused Disney of...never mind.

People flat out can't drive in FL, whether they are tourists or locals. Three accidents within 1000 feet of the exit to Aquatica at the same time on a clear afternoon, including an SUV flipped in the middle of an intersection.

True or False: FL drivers get worse the further south you go. I tend to think of Miami as the worst, probably Tampa second, Orlando third.

 

[JenniferS]

The last time we were in wdw was April we were there for 7 days and I rode splash mountain on the first day and on our last day and the same empty plastic water bottle was floating in one of the water pots that shoot little pellets of water up In The air on both days. Friggin ridiculous that it was there for AT LEAST 7 days. It would have taken no more than 2 minutes to remove it. It was very sad to me. That sort of thing would have never happened pre 2000 or at least never did to us in 15 or more visits we had pre 2000

I believe you, of course ... but, wow, that is unbelievable.

Shame on Maintenance for not removing it. But shame on the numbskull who chucked the bottle in the first place.

I am similarly surprised by the vast quantities of chewing gum which seems to come flying out of folks' mouths and somehow manages to stick to the walls in some of the dark rides.

 

[RSoxNo1]

John Lasseter is friends with Tom Fitzgerald... that should scare you.

The Marine Biologist?

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I think a better comparison for this is how Nintendo was on top of the video Game world and became complacent and cocky and along came the Sony playstation and dethroned them. At the time everyone was positive something like that was impossible. Nintendo was just to big and loved. No way anyone wold ever dethrone the video game kings. Then the same thing happened to Sony playstation with the Xbox.
I'm pretty sure spirit is right about this. We Are witnessing the same thing in the theme park business right now. Is it possible disney can prevent this? Well of course. But they're going to have to act immediately, decisively, and quickly or they WILL be dethroned. Are there any signs they're about to do this? I'm not seeing any.

Nintendo really isn't precisely comparable to Disney, regardless of some similar mistakes. The game market has worked somewhat differently from the theme park business from my experience.

The Playstation actually owes its existence to Nintendo in the first place. Nintendo originally had a partnership with Sony to help them with the hardware in their Super Nintendo. They were going to develop a CD-ROM attachment to allow the SNES to accept CD-based games (it used cartridges which held very limited amount of data). But due to a loophole in the contract, Nintendo found that the contract allowed Sony pretty much complete ownership over several of Nintendo's game IP's if made for the CD addon. The addon was canceled and Nintendo attempted a similar partnership with Philips (which also didn't end much differently as Philips even made their own short lived and rather bad game system called the CDi. Due to similar contract disputes they were allowed to make several Nintendo IP's on their CDi). Sony decided to spite Nintendo by creating their own game hardware, the Playstation, using a combination of their own tech mixed with what they had learned from working with Nintendo. So in a twist of irony I guess you could say Nintendo created their own competition. Though I suppose that could be compared to Disney's imagineers all being fired and going to Universal...

But before the PS1 was made, unlike Disney Nintendo still had healthy competition throughout most of their game-related history (Disney remained relatively unchallenged throughout the majority of their existence). Their original Nintendo Entertainment System didn't have much competition (mostly because at the time of the NES' release the game industry was in the midst of a massive crash and many thought games were done for). The NES' challenge was to overcome the video game crash, the volatile state of the industry itself was enough of an incentive to do things right. But their followup system (Super Nintendo) was met by Sega and their Genesis (or Mega Drive as it's more commonly known outside of the US). While the SNES is generally agreed to have won that battle (it's considered a contender for greatest game system ever), Genesis remained a pretty healthy competitor. Sega didn't remain competitive afterwards though, they ruined their company with a combination of poor addons for the Sega Genesis to try to increase the system's lifespan and marketing potential (the Sega CD and 32x), lower quality games (Sonic the Hedgehog went downhill after the Genesis) as well as a major failure in their Sega Saturn console. Sony basically took over to challenge Nintendo and won the next generation against the Nintendo 64. N64 was actually the more powerful system, but Sony won because they got a bunch of third party developers on their side due to the Playstation's easiness to program for and the fact that it used CD's instead of cartridges (CD's were both much cheaper to manufacture as well as having much more data for more content).

It's really the handheld game market that Nintendo has remained relatively unchallenged in over the years. There have been attempts from Sony and Sega to challenge them, but without very much success overall. And for mostly good reason, Nintendo still actually makes extremely good games despite people complaining about weak hardware and poor system launches. Sony's Playstation Portable is the closest anyone has gotten to really putting up anything close to a decent fight against Nintendo's portables (Nintendo DS still destroyed it though).

In the many gaming generations, among competing consoles and handhelds it is rarely the more powerful and feature rich game system that ends up winning the war. It's the system that has the best library of the funnest games. PS1 beat N64 despite being less powerful. Same goes for the PS2, beating out the more powerful Gamecube and Xbox. Pretty much every Nintendo handheld has been less powerful than the competition, yet Nintendo remains the champ on the handheld front (again, large library of great games trump hardware power).

The Wii U will be interesting to watch. So far it's doing quite poorly in sales. The complaints being a lacking game library and poor third party support. This is often a problem with game systems, they launch with a poor lineup of games and few people want them at first. We'll see what happens when the holidays arrive though, there's a new Mario game coming out and that always drives sales by a huge amount. It also has a head start against the PS4 and Xbox One. Should be an interesting generation regardless of what happens. Nintendo have at least shown they still know how to make fantastic games.