Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[Magenta Panther]

Dude, it goes without saying that Star Tours 2 will not close in the midst of all this refurb work. Which is why I forgot to say it.

Disney doesn't give a rip about the Muppets in their theme parks. While I am prone to stand by articos on rumors I have seen hard evidence with my own eyes that says this 3D movie is not long for this world. We shall see how this plays out.

And good riddance. I don't give a rip about them either, and neither do most guests, I bet. Not that I'm overly thrilled about Star Wars stuff taking their place, when a Fantasia dark ride or something with Oz (since Disney actually MADE an Oz film - and a very successful one at that) would be more DISNEY...but the Disney suits no doubt believe that Star Wars would be more attractive to guests, although there's no guarantee the new Star Wars movies will be hits after all...I don't think there's the same level of pent-up demand in audiences that helped those awful prequels make money...only time will tell...

 

[doctornick]

so do you guys think indy is going to be axed?

That's what I'm wondering. If "Echo Lake" stays as a distinct land and there is a separate Star Wars land, then I've got to think that IJ stays (or gets replaced by an IJ ride) and probably something in the American Idol/Sound Dangerous Buildings -- otherwise, "Echo Lake" is kinda nothing.

If Star Wars expands but remains part of Echo Lake, then I guess everything (IJ stunt show/American Idol/Sounds Dangerous building) could be potentially used for SW.

If Echo Lake is rebranded as Lucasfilm, then IJ would stay in some capacity, but that doesn't seem to be articos is hinting.

 

[doctornick]

And good riddance. I don't give a rip about them either, and neither do most guests, I bet. Not that I'm overly thrilled about Star Wars stuff taking their place, when a Fantasia dark ride or something with Oz (since Disney actually MADE an Oz film - and a very successful one at that) would be more DISNEY

You know that DISNEY actually MADE a Muppets film too, right?

 

[RSoxNo1]

There were rumblings that Disney wanted to close both stunt shows at DHS, but I don't know how true that was. Indy takes up a ridiculous amount of space, but if they're looking to lengthen a day in that park there is suitable expansion land behind Star Tours without closing Indy. It would require moving a road, but that's minimal. From a thematic purpose it could also solve the "problem" of blending the theme directly from Hollywood Boulevard straight to Star Wars Land.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=28.355170&lon=-81.557565&z=17&m=b

 

[Rodan75]

Even with it being a Friday, I'm surprised TWDC didn't debunk this, the tone for D23 has been set, anything less than the speculation from today is going to hurt the stock. (Especially if Lone Ranger doesn't bank)

 

[GoofGoof]

Even with it being a Friday, I'm surprised TWDC didn't debunk this, the tone for D23 has been set, anything less than the speculation from today is going to hurt the stock. (Especially if Lone Ranger doesn't bank)

Just a theory, but maybe they floated the rumor on purpose to gauge public reaction. Or there could be an internal Cars vs Star Wars difference of opinion. The Star Wars camp throws this out there to show how popular it would be. If 74 is correct and nothing concrete has been decided yet the overwhelming fan reaction to Star Wars could push it over the top...or is that just wishful thinking?

 

[yeti]

I will look and look forward to reading your thoughts. But feel free to drop anything in here ... I'm sure you can do comparisons with WDW, which make it fit. Many people are too lazy to read or contribute to those forums and threads that are wondeful die quickly.

I would be happy to and will do so when I think it's relevant. What I don't want is to persistently make every topic a contest between the two resorts, ala TDRFAN on Micechat. I mean, look where he ended up...

http://www.shotglassdigital.com/release_category/rebelforceradio/

Top one on the list. The discussion on DHS is right at the beginning.

These guys are legit. Great sources deep within Lucasfilm.

Top men?

 

[NoChesterHester]

Since Man of Steel was mentioned earlier in the thread... I thought I'd just warn everyone.

It was awful. So utterly disappointed. Bah.

 

[invader]

Since Man of Steel was mentioned earlier in the thread... I thought I'd just warn everyone.

It was awful. So utterly disappointed. Bah.

To add to this, go to This Is The End!! Great movie IMHO.

 

[Sue_Vongello]

Sunset Blvd, Echo Lake, Pixar Place, Animation, Star Tours, Muppets are staying within DHS.

No mention of Indy! Uh oh!!

 

[culturenthrills]

Since Man of Steel was mentioned earlier in the thread... I thought I'd just warn everyone.

It was awful. So utterly disappointed. Bah.

Well, to each his own. I thought it was really good.

 

[articos]

Dude, it goes without saying that Star Tours 2 will not close in the midst of all this refurb work. Which is why I forgot to say it.

Disney doesn't give a rip about the Muppets in their theme parks. While I am prone to stand by articos on rumors I have seen hard evidence with my own eyes that says this 3D movie is not long for this world. We shall see how this plays out.

We're both right.

 

[NoChesterHester]

People were upset because it didn't show anything ... maybe Tony got what was coming to him or maybe he just another order of rings and some chili cheese fries. No one knows.

And unless I missed it, nobody came out when it was over and said 'Yeah, Tony got blown to bits and what you're seeing is him fading to black as the series did.''

If I'm wrong, please correct me. Again, I was not a Sopranos regular.

Here is as short as an explanation as I can make...

The scene was foreshadowed three times in the final season, as confirmed by David Chase in later interviews. The ending forced the viewer to put all the pieces together, but it definitely was clear that Tony was assassinated.

In the final season Tony is fishing with his brother in law. They talk about death. It is clearly stated "you probably never hear it happen." The same scene is flashed back at the end of the next to last episode. Also, Silvo is eating dinner with a rival Capo and they make a big production about the guy getting blasted before Silvio heard or understands that he was shot. Later, he tells Tony that, "I never heard or saw it until it was over."

David Chase confirmed both these scenes are a part of the ending.

On the final scene inside the diner the editing sets up a repeating sequence that continues for the full five minutes. The sequence is the same for the entire time to tell you exactly what is occurring.

1. Door Bell Rings
2. Shot of the room looking at Tony's Face
3. Tony's actual point of view (view through his eyes of who is coming through the door)
4. Side table shot of the group seated
5. View of patrons in the bar
6. Repeat

This sequence continues exactly in that order allowing the viewer to know who is seeing what and who. So when Carmella walks in for example, The bell rings, cuts to Tony glancing up, cuts to his point of view seeing it is her, cuts to side table, shows the patrons to build suspense... Bell rings.

So in the final moments we clearly notice the camera focus on the guy in the grey jacket that comes in with AJ sits at the bar. In the room shot sequence we see him go into the bathroom right behind Tony even though he sat down 20 seconds before.

We see Meadow struggle to park and we hear the bell, Tony's face, then in the sequence we are supposed to get Tony's point of view the screen goes black with total silence.

No music. No noise. He has been killed from behind as the grey jacket man emerged from the restroom behind him. He "never heard it happen."

 

[NoChesterHester]

Well, to each his own. I thought it was really good.

I really really really wanted to like it. Hopefully my next watching will leave me with a better impression.

 

[WDW1974]

I don't have a great deal to add, but I just had a lengthy conversation with someone I deeply trust and I do believe that Niles, indeed, likely has the right story and that much of what you've come to know as TPKaTD-MGMS (which likely will get a new name -- or should -- again to reflect what the park will look like come late this decade) will not exist much past next year or 2015.

I would not be comfortable with any further specifics, but I will say that anything that basically was in the production side of the original park will likely not exist in any form. Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd and the Chinese Theater will all remain as will TSMM (naturally) but beyond that ...?

Three other notes:

1.) This will be the end of the Ozzy and Sharon Holiday Lightacular (almost certainly on a permanent basis) and that may well lead to lower holiday visitation to WDW as a whole;
2.) By the time most work is underway, prices will have increased another few times and look for the Studios and DAK to be priced lower than MK AND EPCOT to reflect the fact that both parks figure to take hits from the construction;
3.) This was leaked to take a hit at the D23 Expo;

 

[WDW1974]

$61 a night in Odaiba? awesome. I love Odaiba

I do too. In many ways, it is the perfect location to visit both TDR and Tokyo for the first time as an American and feel quite comfortable ...

Have you been to Tokyo recently?

 

[Sue_Vongello]

I don't have a great deal to add, but I just had a lengthy conversation with someone I deeply trust and I do believe that Niles, indeed, likely has the right story and that much of what you've come to know as TPKaTD-MGMS (which likely will get a new name -- or should -- again to reflect what the park will look like come late this decade) will not exist much past next year or 2015.

I would not be comfortable with any further specifics, but I will say that anything that basically was in the production side of the original park will likely not exist in any form. Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd and the Chinese Theater will all remain as will TSMM (naturally) but beyond that ...?

Three other notes:

1.) This will be the end of the Ozzy and Sharon Holiday Lightacular (almost certainly on a permanent basis) and that may well lead to lower holiday visitation to WDW as a whole;
2.) By the time most work is underway, prices will have increased another few times and look for the Studios and DAK to be priced lower than MK AND EPCOT to reflect the fact that both parks figure to take hits from the construction;
3.) This was leaked to take a hit at the D23 Expo;

Muppets? Indy?

 

[WDW1974]

The park already has died in terms of attendance and the corpse is starting to stink. 2012 theme park attendance estimates for DHS and DAK that were discussed last week are pure works of fiction. Like an White House talking point memo.

Just about everything inside DHS that is not Rockin Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror, and Toy Story does not have much of a future. I don't expect them to be even holding up a pretense that DHS is a movie studio or even a "movie studio themed park" when they are finished either.

None of this work that's greenlit even stands a chance of competing against Universal either, which is the most deliciously ironic part of this construction project. Draw attendance back to DHS? Yes, of course. Grow WDW's overall visitation and stop the outbound flow of guests to Universal Studios? Not a chance.

That is what I take out of this. You're likely looking at 2018 before the new stuff begins to open (and I might be optimistic here). By that time you'll have had eight years of Potter 1.0 and 4-5 years of much of the constant flow of new product at UNI. ... I understand Disney thinks it will be able to keep its model of guests spending a week at WDW (at Disney resorts preferably), but that is going to change fundamentally because Disney is taking its sweet time in adding anything (look at the ridiculous time to get a new MK parade ... or build a kiddie coaster) and UNI is just like an assault rifle firing off round after round.

By the time Disney has Pandora opened and the Studios Makeover complete, it's going to take years to get those guests back ... and they may well come ... but they may also cut a day at MK or EPCOT to do so, not a day at the completely transformed RESORT up I-4.

This is Blue Ocean Bullshi-& at its best. Disney sat and sat and sat and thought an IT upgrade/datamining (hey it's worked for our government!) project would be the answer. Now, they can't even say when that billion over budget project will actually go live and they are quaking because they realize what many of us have known for years -- their product is tired and stale across FOUR parks and they actually have to build new reasons for people to visit.

 

[NoChesterHester]

I don't have a great deal to add, but I just had a lengthy conversation with someone I deeply trust and I do believe that Niles, indeed, likely has the right story and that much of what you've come to know as TPKaTD-MGMS (which likely will get a new name -- or should -- again to reflect what the park will look like come late this decade) will not exist much past next year or 2015.

I would not be comfortable with any further specifics, but I will say that anything that basically was in the production side of the original park will likely not exist in any form. Hollywood Blvd and Sunset Blvd and the Chinese Theater will all remain as will TSMM (naturally) but beyond that ...?

Three other notes:

1.) This will be the end of the Ozzy and Sharon Holiday Lightacular (almost certainly on a permanent basis) and that may well lead to lower holiday visitation to WDW as a whole;
2.) By the time most work is underway, prices will have increased another few times and look for the Studios and DAK to be priced lower than MK AND EPCOT to reflect the fact that both parks figure to take hits from the construction;
3.) This was leaked to take a hit at the D23 Expo;

Thanks for the info.

1.) This will be the end of the Ozzy and Sharon Holiday Lightacular (almost certainly on a permanent basis) and that may well lead to lower holiday visitation to WDW as a whole;

Cutting off their nose to spite their face? Why on earth would they cut an offering that is lauded as one of the best things they do?

3.) This was leaked to take a hit at the D23 Expo;

Hit at D23? They don't want it to succeed?

 

[WDW1974]

Muppets? Indy?

Doesn't look good for either of them ...