Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[NoChesterHester]

And now, after all our Sopranos talk...

Gandolfini's gone....

Damn.

Wow... Devastating. Almost six years to the day the final episode aired.

 

[WDW1974]

I think Kalogridis can deal with and hopefully foil any bad ideas from within TDO, He is President after all. He is only powerless when it comes to Burbank's bad ideas like NextGen.

Let's not make my pal Georgie into something he isn't here. He was part of the team behind Destination Disney and NGE is a DIRECT descendent of that.

 

[WDW1974]

Thats irrelevant. Its called stealing the thunder.

YES ... It is why meetings have been held on multiple coasts across multiple divisions. Disney didn't want this info out before they carefully let it out through their own social media channels. Niles sorta blindsided them and this MAGICal group led by @pheneix , myself and others just frosted their unsurprise cake.

 

[WDW1974]

Hey, no ones tackled the most important question of all. Will the lifestyler brigade be able to cope with having to go to the Studios for 5 solid years of construction pics for their blogs?

I am sure they are already wetting themselves with what I like to call MCWA.

Oh, that stands for MAGICal Construction Wall Anticipation.

As an aside, I wonder how many were invited to UNI's opening tomorrow ...they don't seem to have as many bottom-feeders at their events.

 

[WDW1974]

Which is why my confidence in WDW pulling off Universal levels of quality with these additions is at absolute zero.

New Fantasyland = Dreadfully weak creative papered over by ridiculous amounts of money spent and a fan base that thinks being associated with Disney brand merchandise makes them better people. Disney is the Abercrombie of theme park brands and they know it.

Avatar = Well this one could turn around alright. Eventually. One day.

I love the analogy, even if most WDW guests can't fit into Abercrombie clothing (yep, even with their beloved baked buns gone from MSUSA). I've said it many times, but there is a strong mental illness component in the fan community (much like the social media/Disney Lifestyle contingent) and people absolutely feel better and more special when they can associate themselves with TWDC.

Spirited aside: I finally joined D23 because they finally priced it at what I felt it was worth.

Spirited anecdote: a friend recently asked for advice for his first visit to DLR. I almost choked (no Spurs jokes, please) when I heard he wanted to stay at the DLH and what it would cost. I explained how he could likely save well over $1000 on a four night stay by opting for a non-Disney choice. But said friend, who I will bet you anything winds up at the DLH, asked what the 'emotional value' was of spending his first visit on property. This is the mentality that Disney goes for. Intelligent people acting like they are under the influence.

 

[WDW1974]

No, not quite. But you were close when you mentioned what Abercrombie's CEO boasted.

A lot of low self-confidence consumers shop Abercrombie and wear it because it makes them look "cool." It's a self-esteem boost. Disney, through its exhaustive retelling of the "relatable girl becomes a princess and becomes happily ever after" story and its reputation for maintain perfect hyperreality environments for consumers to play in, also attracts a lot of low-self confidence consumers. When they visit the Magic Kingdom or when they wear a Disney shirt out in the real world, they get a self-esteem boost. They have become associated with "Disney," therefore they have become "better."

Everyone should think about that for five minutes. Then they will immediately understand why certain brands and releases of Disney merchandise basically sell themselves no matter high of a price Disney puts on them, while other more seemingly "sure thing" pursuits fall flat on their face.

You are going to make this old Spirit cry. I was about to buy some D23 crap so I could make fun of all the non-D23 Disney fanbois.

 

[WDW1974]

Large and XL in bikinis doesn't always mean fat. (Wink)

Did you buy pics of me in my Ariel two-piece that I wore on my recent cruise on the black market??!!!?

 

[WDW1974]

Hey, I think that would make a great avatar for your profile on here!! Would tell people all they need to know about you in one picture...

It may well become one ...it has been thought about.

 

[englanddg]

I love the analogy, even if most WDW guests can't fit into Abercrombie clothing (yep, even with their beloved baked buns gone from MSUSA). I've said it many times, but there is a strong mental illness component in the fan community (much like the social media/Disney Lifestyle contingent) and people absolutely feel better and more special when they can associate themselves with TWDC.

Spirited aside: I finally joined D23 because they finally priced it at what I felt it was worth.

Spirited anecdote: a friend recently asked for advice for his first visit to DLR. I almost choked (no Spurs jokes, please) when I heard he wanted to stay at the DLH and what it would cost. I explained how he could likely save well over $1000 on a four night stay by opting for a non-Disney choice. But said friend, who I will bet you anything winds up at the DLH, asked what the 'emotional value' was of spending his first visit on property. This is the mentality that Disney goes for. Intelligent people acting like they are under the influence.

Tell him I've stayed there. Completely not worth it. Don't get me wrong, it is a nice hotel...but he can get the same room and walk the hotel at night and do everything there outside of swim in the (rather neat) pool. The light up fireworks headboards (actually rather cheesy) and minor Disney touches are not worth the extra cost considering how close partner resorts can be.

EM hour benefits are not worth it at that resort...nor is the "third gate" to California Adventure.

More importantly, the room was small, Mousekeeping was average, the shower water wasn't hot or of great pressure (a pet peeve of mine), the wifi was spotty (didn't work around the pool, firepit or at the bar), and the hotel has incredibly thin walls (I won't get into that in too much detail...lets just say I heard water creaks and other noises...and leave it there)...

Just...not worth it.

 

[ParentsOf4]

A lot of low self-confidence consumers shop Abercrombie and wear it because it makes them look "cool." It's a self-esteem boost. Disney, through its exhaustive retelling of the "relatable girl becomes a princess and becomes happily ever after" story and its reputation for maintain perfect hyperreality environments for consumers to play in, also attracts a lot of low-self confidence consumers. When they visit the Magic Kingdom or when they wear a Disney shirt out in the real world, they get a self-esteem boost. They have become associated with "Disney," therefore they have become "better."

Everyone should think about that for five minutes. Then they will immediately understand why certain brands and releases of Disney merchandise basically sell themselves no matter high of a price Disney puts on them, while other more seemingly "sure thing" pursuits fall flat on their face.

Interesting.

I don't own any Disney wear but admit I have about half-a-dozen coffee cups from WDW and Uni. If I started wearing those in public, I wonder if they would boost my self-esteem.

 

[WDW1974]

This is an excellent analysis! It also does explain the reason for pixie dust addiction very well.

Doesn't it, though?

Pixie dust addiction is a very real thing. Many fans are mentally I'll. They seek others out to justify and enable the behavior (see the lifestylers who think they are working) and they feel a bizarre attachment to the BRAND. They're the ones who couldn't' tell you what a Thor was in 2009, but will now be in line to see it on opening night.

 

[Clever Name]

Spirited aside: I finally joined D23 because they finally priced it at what I felt it was worth.

It's free to join D23. It's fun to be free!

 

[HenryMystic]

I am sure they are already wetting themselves with what I like to call MCWA.

Oh, that stands for MAGICal Construction Wall Anticipation.

As an aside, I wonder how many were invited to UNI's opening tomorrow ...they don't seem to have as many bottom-feeders at their events.

Not sure if this has been answered yet, but here goes:

Out of towners were put up at Hard Rock.

Attendees:
Reporter from IGN
Attractions Magazine
Screamscape
Ricky Brigante
Seth Kuberksy (author of a Universal guide book.)
Theme Park Review (Magic's old pal Adam Roth)
On the go in MCO
Micechat (ofteric)
Both Sentinel theme park writers
Jim Hill

Orlando Informer wasn't invited and had a meltdown. Shut down his site. Brought it back a few hours later.

They were given a tour of Springfield. Treated to goodies in Moes. Were told about Cabana Bay. Tonight, there was a dinner and party for Transformers. Today, they've had access to Head Chef Steve Jayson, Mike West (Uni Creative & WDI), Mark Woodberry, and the project lead of Cabana Bay, Russ Dagon.

Pretty fun day. Wish I could've been there.

 

[WDW1974]

The next stage of this I find more fascinating is how people have taken this to the next level and started associating themselves with blogs/websites that convey that Disney message. Like a Lou for example.

While Lou likely has his own issues (just look at him and ask if sane would be a word you'd use to describe him), I think he is moreso a savvy self-promoter who saw an opening and drove a tank through it. I've heard that of late folks at Disney have issues with him because they finally caught on that there is one BRAND he loves more than Disney -- namely his own.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I love the analogy, even if most WDW guests can't fit into Abercrombie clothing (yep, even with their beloved baked buns gone from MSUSA). I've said it many times, but there is a strong mental illness component in the fan community (much like the social media/Disney Lifestyle contingent) and people absolutely feel better and more special when they can associate themselves with TWDC.

Spirited aside: I finally joined D23 because they finally priced it at what I felt it was worth.

Spirited anecdote: a friend recently asked for advice for his first visit to DLR. I almost choked (no Spurs jokes, please) when I heard he wanted to stay at the DLH and what it would cost. I explained how he could likely save well over $1000 on a four night stay by opting for a non-Disney choice. But said friend, who I will bet you anything winds up at the DLH, asked what the 'emotional value' was of spending his first visit on property. This is the mentality that Disney goes for. Intelligent people acting like they are under the influence.

WRITE THE BOOK!!! WRITE THE BOOK!!!

 

[HenryMystic]

Speaking of the Cabana Bay lead Russ Dagon, he said, "I hesitate to use the term value because that reeks of cheap."

I think I may be in love. (Insert fanboi/WDI joke here)

 

[WDW1974]

Wow I just caught up on this thread after getting a bit behind. Spirit's threads are the best.

You know what is refreshing? That I am reading through pages and pages of stuff about NEW attractions. And it seems mostly to be about WHEN not IF. It seems almost certain that something big is going to happen at DHS (Big, Spirited change!) sooner rather than later (note: "sooner" is a relative term, this is Disney after all so five or six years counts as "sooner").

It is SO great that there has been very little talk in this thread about MM+, FP+, wristbands, RFID this, RFID that, 180-days-in-advance dining reservations, 60-days-in-advance Haunted Mansion reservations, 30-days-in-advance Dole Whip reservations , etc.

I'm lovin' my WDWMAGIC again!

we could all whine about Starbucks ruining MSUSA (the same one that has been in state of looking like an outlet mall since the mid-90s) ...or I don't even know, what is the community about these days?

 

[englanddg]

we could all whine about Starbucks ruining MSUSA (the same one that has been in state of looking like an outlet mall since the mid-90s) ...or I don't even know, what is the community about these days?

Cinnamon Rolls...

 

[WDW1974]

Need I remind you that Monsters Inc Doors Coaster (or Crush's Coaster before that) has been in WHEN mode for about 5 years.

I'm not saying that it's not refreshing to see more rumors surfacing with even more details than before, but there's still a lot of "IF" involved WHEN we are talking WDW and TDO. Not to mention that these timelines are also 5 years out! I'm not getting any warm and fuzzies from this stuff. Not when punch # 2 of Uni's 1-2 Potter Punch is going to be opening a lot sooner!

I understand and appreciate the skepticism of anyone when talking about TDO. But I also can't help but feel that many fans aren't excited by the size and scope of these changes.

If WDW was not such a stale product, then I might understand that 'tude. But considering the lack of major changes at the parks, I don't get it.

 

[Bolna]

Spirited anecdote: a friend recently asked for advice for his first visit to DLR. I almost choked (no Spurs jokes, please) when I heard he wanted to stay at the DLH and what it would cost. I explained how he could likely save well over $1000 on a four night stay by opting for a non-Disney choice. But said friend, who I will bet you anything winds up at the DLH, asked what the 'emotional value' was of spending his first visit on property. This is the mentality that Disney goes for. Intelligent people acting like they are under the influence.

For a fan, shouldn't the emotional value be standing on the original Main Street USA, riding the It's a Small World that was at the World Fair, eat a Dole Whip while listening to the Tiki Birds, admire the rock work in Carsland and spend the evenings by watching all the different night time offerings? What has the bed I sleep in to do with it?