Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[Wikkler]

My thought was that it was intentional. They don't want to start up the meet and greet until the mine train is completed and the walls are down. Don't forget currently that location is outside the construction wall. If I had to guess it has been done for quite a while, they just don't want to start it yet.

It was said: "2013"... Disney, Y U CHANGE DEADLINES?

 

[Big C 73]

My thought was that it was intentional. They don't want to start up the meet and greet until the mine train is completed and the walls are down. Don't forget currently that location is outside the construction wall. If I had to guess it has been done for quite a while, they just don't want to start it yet.

I had not thought about it, but that could be true.

 

[Cody5242]

I'm sure the Gringotts rollarcoaster ride will rely on heavily on video screens as well

 

[DisneyLeo18]

Would it really be correct to say that the Hogwarts Express is screen based when it is actually 2 full blown Doppelmayr Trains? Big Dif between Hogwarts Express and Honey I Shrunk the Audience.

I haven't been to Universal/IoA in a few years, so I can't comment on their new rides.

But I think it was a bit much for everyone to jump on the comment as someone implying the rides are a lesser experience because they rely on screens.

And I agree with the earlier post that mentioned it taking disney a year and a half to build meet and greets being inexcusable as well.

 

[PhotoDave219]

OK, I think I understand better now. As I posted a few weeks ago, I don’t think Transformers is a particularly good attraction. It suffers by comparison to Spider-man, which (IMHO) remains a much better attraction. My considerably less than stellar opinion of Transformers is based primarily on the overall story; essentially every scene is one weird looking Transformer fighting with some other weird looking Transformer, all of them looking essentially the same to a non-Transformer kinda guy. What exactly is the story?

Beyond that, Spider-man offers more variety and, I think to your point, better integration with the non-screen elements of the attraction. Flames, smoke, moving dump trucks, “levitating” boxes, etc. all make Spiderman a more complete experience. Still, Spider-man, like Soarin’, Mission: Space, and Toy Story Mania, heavily relies on the screen as its primary means of presenting guests with the ride experience. I really like Soarin', Mission: Space, and Toy Story Mania, although none of them make my "Orlando Top 10" list. IMHO, they are all more fun than Transformers.

Conversely, Journey of the Little Mermaid is just plain mediocre; not because it employed 1950s technology but because it did it so poorly.

By the way, didn't someone just mention that FJ's projection was recently upgraded because it was out-of-focus?

Yes, I rode FJ about 3 weeks ago. I did not get violently ill but I was about 30 seconds from it.

Its a fantastic ride and great use of technology, it just throws guests around violently and I cannot handle that physically anymore, considering it took about 2 weeks to get the headaches to go away.

I agree that Journey is a very poorly executed attraction. I cant defend that. I'm looking forward to mine-train, I just hope I am able to ride it.

 

[PhotoDave219]

My thought was that it was intentional. They don't want to start up the meet and greet until the mine train is completed and the walls are down. Don't forget currently that location is outside the construction wall. If I had to guess it has been done for quite a while, they just don't want to start it yet.

Could be they're just waiting for FY14 to start on October 1.

 

[Wikkler]

As a great man once said, "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, unless you're Disney"...

 

[doctornick]

I still enjoy food and wine but it has to be during the week and if you're on the dining plan it really ruins everything. I do miss the dining plan being really worth the cost..

Actually, I think the F&W is the one time (at this point) where the DDP makes economic sense since you can use your snack credits at the kiosks and get food items at a bargain compared to other snack choices with the DDP.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Actually, I think the F&W is the one time (at this point) where the DDP makes economic sense since you can use your snack credits at the kiosks and get food items at a bargain compared to other snack choices with the DDP.

In that case, I'm surprised they'd let free dining and food and wine overlap at any point.

 

[asianway]

Actually, I think the F&W is the one time (at this point) where the DDP makes economic sense since you can use your snack credits at the kiosks and get food items at a bargain compared to other snack choices with the DDP.

Anyone got an email addy to an Epcot finance guy? We need to get this taken care of

 

[ToTBellHop]

In that case, I'm surprised they'd let free dining and food and wine overlap at any point.

And what does this tell us about bookings this fall?

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Yes. Thats fine. But the crapfest that is Mermaid does not make people throw up as out of focus projectors on Potter.

Like I said, if we're going to criticize Disney as much as we do (and we should, to hold them accountable), Universal is free-game too. They don't get a pass simply because theyre actually building things.

First of all, the motion blur on Forbidden Journey was intentional to ease the motion sickness problems. They have since changed the projectors and have brand new animation that doesn't have the motion blur (it is crisp HD now) and they have toned down the ride profile. And Disney has their own screen based "Project Vomit" that is far worse at making people sick than Forbidden Journey.

And I agree that Universal is NOT without it's faults, but I don't believe that screens are a major fault. Screens are their schtick. Just like AAs are Disney's. One of Universal's biggest issues is that a lot of the counter service restaurants are pretty bad. But they do have Thunder Falls, Burger Diggs, Three Broomsticks, Cafe La Bamba, and now Fast Food Blvd. So they are working on it. And Universal has some rather outdated attractions like Twister.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I'm sure the Gringotts rollarcoaster ride will rely on heavily on video screens as well

Yes it will. And in ways NEVER seen before. As will the Hogwarts Express.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

And what does this tell us about bookings this fall?

Well they could have given me free dining.

Granted, I only booked one night and I have no plans to buy even a one day MYW ticket, but they still could have given me a free meal at Jiko!

I would have even worne a shirt with sleeves this time.

 

[stevehousse]

Yes it will. And in ways NEVER seen before. As will the Hogwarts Express.

The screens for the Hogwarts express train are simply another form of the port hole screens on the Disney cruises...

 

[Disneyhead'71]

The screens for the Hogwarts express train are simply another form of the port hole screens on the Disney cruises...

Not really. The portholes don't use parallax glassesless 3D monitors. The Hogwarts Express will be the first ever use of the projection technology.

And Gringott's will use 3D Musion creating the closest thing to an actual hologram available.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

The screens for the Hogwarts express train are simply another form of the port hole screens on the Disney cruises...

LOL. That's amazing! Have you already been on the ride? Did you like it?

 

[nytimez]

They want a F&W Festival? Fine. Set the stalls up in the parking lot.

A drink-n-drive-through... brilliant!

Rollin down the Epcot parking lot... smokin indo... sippin' on gin and juice
LAID BACK!!!

 

[crispy]

I think you're on to something there.

But also, there's this thing going on where fans just keep feeding each other hype. And it just keeps building and building. Look at the Disney Food Blog. They recently ran a glowing review of the food at Chef Mickey's. Here's some excerpts:











Chef Mickey's is a fun place to take the kids. But the food is Golden Corral level in every way but price. A bad review from them is something like, "It just didn't live up to the awesomeness of <insert over-rated cupcake>, but it's still worth a try if you like that sort of thing."

I post what I consider to be honest feedback and I'll give them credit for not deleting it. I think AJ is being sincere with her reviews even if they are almost uniformly positive. I enjoy the site or I wouldn't keep coming back. But I wish they could be more objective.

The same mentality dominates here in the Dining forum. In fact, every time the DFB posts a raving review of the latest cupcake with different colored frosting, someone posts an enthusiastic link to the article. And then a bunch of posters immediately "ooh" and "ahh" like they have never had baked goods before.

Sorry, but I just had to laugh at this review, and I like Chef Mickey's just fine. The over-the-top, almost orgasmic praise of the food is just hilarious. Of course, if I were getting free trips to WDW and DLR to write over the top dining reviews, I guess I would gush as much as possible, too.

I have mentioned before that I don't have a sophisticated palate. I am pretty adventurous, but some of the nuances of a fine dining experience are just wasted on me. That being said, I hate, absolutely hate how people refer to themselves as "foodies" (another made up word that makes me cringe) and then wax poetic about some of the mediocre food at Disney. For example, I just don't get the love for a place like 'Ohana. I have been there a few times and didn't care for it. I assumed at first that I must be missing something because I just didn't care for the food. It finally hit me that many people were so enamored with the huge quantities of food that the actual taste was secondary. I bet that if that if they served normal portions instead massive quantities that no one would eat there. Why? Because the food just isn't very good!

I have found that my best dining experiences at Disney are usually at places that no one bothers to visit. I just posted about the Grand Floridian Café in another thread. The food and service I have had there has always been excellent, and it's usually half empty. I will gladly eat there and let other people have places like 'Ohana and LeCellier.

 

[Lee]

A drink-n-drive-through... brilliant!

Rollin down the Epcot parking lot... smokin indo... sippin' on gin and juice
LAID BACK!!!

With Disney's mind on my money...