Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

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WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
SPIRITED OPINION:

Have been watching some Disney animation from the 90s recently as part of a little project of mine.

Tonight was Hunchback of Notre Dame. I loved it in 1996. I think I love it more now. What an amazing piece of art that film is. Monsters U or even Tangled are much closer to pure children's fodder compared to what Disney produced in the 90s. Truly the Second Golden Age.

Disney wouldn't make the film today. First, the country has moved so far to the right and Disney has become so conservative and afraid to offend anyone (except guests like me!)
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
nytimez said:
Last time I was there I swear I heard a woman explain to the CM that her child couldn't handle bright lights, darkness, noises or smells.

Needless to say, looking forward to this bit of spirited news.
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If it were at UNI, they very nicely would have suggested she brought her child to the wrong place.

that IS the correct response. If your kid can't handle being in theme parks, then keep them home.

Do not know when I can post. But I am sure my source is reading and will give me a head's up soon.
 
K

Kuhio

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
SPIRITED OPINION:

Have been watching some Disney animation from the 90s recently as part of a little project of mine.

Tonight was Hunchback of Notre Dame. I loved it in 1996. I think I love it more now. What an amazing piece of art that film is. Monsters U or even Tangled are much closer to pure children's fodder compared to what Disney produced in the 90s. Truly the Second Golden Age.

Disney wouldn't make the film today. First, the country has moved so far to the right and Disney has become so conservative and afraid to offend anyone (except guests like me!)
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Disney's films in the latter half of the '90s are greatly underrated. Even Hercules, which is probably the weakest of the batch, has a memorable score and catchy songs.

Mulan is probably my favorite of the lot. I re-watched it again recently and was amazed at how well both the animation and story held up. Unique in the Disney animated canon, it features a protagonist whose actions are directly responsible for affecting countless others for the better -- as opposed to just bettering her own life. It's also incredibly dark -- in what other Disney movie do you have the villain responsible for the deaths of countless innocent men, women, and children? But part of what makes the movie great is the fact that it addresses war in a way that's not sanitized, yet not unnecessarily graphic.

Neither Disney -- nor any other studio, for that matter -- would make Mulan today, either.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I know others have stated this, probably lots as I have again skipped pages in order to post, but people need to view these MM+ tests in that light.

People tend to feel special walking around with a tricked out MAGIC band, while everyone else doesn't (oh, as an aside is there one Lifestyler out there who hasn't had a CM 'pal' somehow manage to get them into a CM only test?) Having everything from those special FPs to being able to 'book' lunches the godawful Be Our Guest to having a member of The Avengers at their call constantly (with freebies and upgrades to offer) again all add to the 'I am SO SPECIAL' vibe that tends to result in positive reviews, even if the guest had many problems.

Folks, whether they are positive or negative about the tests, need perspective. Having a few thousand guests walking around as part of MM+ is not the same as having say 85,000 folks doing so at the same time.

But I do not want to enter a circular debate, so I will stop talking!
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Kuhio said:
Disney's films in the latter half of the '90s are greatly underrated. Even Hercules, which is probably the weakest of the batch, has a memorable score and catchy songs.

Mulan is probably my favorite of the lot. I re-watched it again recently and was amazed at how well both the animation and story held up. Unique in the Disney animated canon, it features a protagonist whose actions are directly responsible for affecting countless others for the better -- as opposed to just bettering her own life. It's also incredibly dark -- in what other Disney movie do you have the villain responsible for the deaths of countless innocent men, women, and children? But part of what makes the movie great is the fact that it addresses war in a way that's not sanitized, yet not unnecessarily graphic.

Neither Disney -- nor any other studio, for that matter -- would make Mulan today, either.
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Hercules is next on my list. I also want to see Atlantis, which came out post 20th century, but I never got around to it

Saw Mulan last and can only agree with you.

Disney doesn't make animated films for mass audiences anymore (jury is out on Pixar right now). They make films for kids that adults may like, or at least be able to sit through.

Mulan and Hunchback are not kiddie fare, much like Walt's great films weren't.
 
HenryMystic

HenryMystic

Well-Known Member
Negative MM+ Impact on my recent trip:

*backups at legacy turnstiles because there are fewer as they covert.
*when I had NexGen ticket, lines were backed up and slow moving at new turnstiles because guests are confused.
*HM's new standby is a ridiculous mess. Also, forced to use interactive queue (I remember our dear Epcot Explorer saying "at least we can skip it" and me telling him he was wrong)
*Pirates queue has also been affected. Half is dedicated to FP+ leaving other half to regularly spill into the outdoor queue.
*got kicked out of a reserved area for msep when it was empty. I didn't want to see msep, only the projection show. The area remained empty throughout. Sat outside the reserved area and still got harassed by CMs who were so concerned with that pitiful parade.
*like the Spirit, I'm a faux 1%er and rely on spirited pals with main gates. I don't like what I'm hearing about the future.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
luv said:
It isn't healthy. That's why it's called mental illness. But they have no more control over it than a person with cancer has of things growing in their body or a skinny guy has over the fact that he can't build up, no matter how many weights he lifts or protein powders he swallows (and if you're one of those guys, lol, there is no way I could know it and I'm so not singling anyone out there - just an example!)

We all are what we are. Some of us are gifted, talented and lucky. Some of us aren't. Most of us shine in a unique way, somewhere.

I haven't waited to greet a character since my son stopped and that was about ten years ago. But if some guy who goes to the parks every day wants to stand around to meet Flik, I have no problem with that. He didn't hurt me. He isn't hurting anyone.

They can't help it. They're doing their best with what God (or fate or Mother Nature) gave them. We all are. :)
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I am going to keep this short and as sweet as I can because I know you meant well with the above. But having just lost one of my dearest friends to the ravages of cancer, I think -- no, I know that your comparison is way off. Way, way off.

Someone who decides they are going to spend every day waiting for toilets to open in a theme park, so they can be the first person to put pics up on their site and situations of that ilk are absolutely able to say 'I'm going to try and get a real job or go back to school or even write a book on Disney bathrooms' ...there are degrees to mental illness and most of these folks (while in need of professional help) are capable of changing their lives in ways that say a meth addict can't. They opt not to.
 
HenryMystic

HenryMystic

Well-Known Member
New Fantasyland...oh boy...lets just say my opinion hasn't changed, and it was a terror to walk through. Mermaid is decent.
Test Track is an improvement.
Fountainview's new exterior look is puzzling.
Had a good dinner at Landscape of Flavors.
MK was slammed and Citrus Swirls are overrated.
I still don't understand the Star Tours hype/love.

Transformers is great. Amazing how fast it was built. The transition between floors is seamless.
Twirl and Hurl is hilarious.
I didn't want to leave USF and especially Springfield.
If you think you can do UOR in a day, you are sorely mistaken. I had 2 days and didn't get to most of IoA and I'm a UOR pro compared to most.
 
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tirian

tirian

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
Hercules is next on my list. I also want to see Atlantis, which came out post 20th century, but I never got around to it
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I watched it last week for the first time in my life and enjoyed it. Maybe my friends disliked it on its release because we were accustomed to *great* Disney movies instead of mediocre ones. Compared to today's animated fodder, "Atlantis" is impressive.

WDW1974 said:
Disney doesn't make animated films for mass audiences anymore (jury is out on Pixar right now).
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Is it? The jury seems decided after three yawns in a row.

WDW1974 said:
Mulan and Hunchback are not kiddie fare, much like Walt's great films weren't.
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Period music and acting styles aside (I'm looking at you, Snow White), his films are still considered the best with good cause. Has anyone, including Pixar, approached the power of "Pinocchio," the daring of "Fantasia," or the simple heart of "Dumbo"? Today's animated movies beat viewers over their heads with milquetoast morality and coy plays for sentiment. Walt was accused of saccharine back in his day; I wonder how those critics would handle the three endings of "Finding Nemo"?
 
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L

Longhairbear

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
REAL SPIRITED NEWS***

OK, here goes. TDO management has been pulling its collective hair out over the NGE rollout. That is fact. That also isn't news. This is.

Last week, a top WDW dog fed up over massive issues with MM+ walked in and fired all the coders. I am trying to get clarification on whether the entire coding team (meaning everyone) was replaced or just a particular group due to frustration over the pace of rollout. I believe it was the entire team.
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Firing all the coders! Now that's how to make things go faster. I wonder what this Top Dog's back up plan was for replacing them? I'm assuming this doesn't mean the whole thing is being scrapped, darn it all.
And wouldn't it be fun to chat with those fired, and get some inside info from their perspective.
 
Funmeister

Funmeister

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
REAL SPIRITED NEWS***

OK, here goes. TDO management has been pulling its collective hair out over the NGE rollout. That is fact. That also isn't news. This is.

Last week, a top WDW dog fed up over massive issues with MM+ walked in and fired all the coders. I am trying to get clarification on whether the entire coding team (meaning everyone) was replaced or just a particular group due to frustration over the pace of rollout. I believe it was the entire team.
Click to expand...

Almost sounds like a page out of what DIsney used to (and still does to a point in some cases) do on how they utilize DDC (Disney Development Company) and Buena Vista Construction Company. Hire a team for a construction project. Make unobtainable deadlines and goals. Three quarters of the way through...fire them all and bring in DDC or BVCC to finish it up at cheaper rate and get a reduced contract for the work tht had already been done prior.

Could this be a similar situation? (In theory?)
 
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