Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[Taylor]

Actually.... during a tornado, thats your best chance to live than staying in your car. Horrifing terror starts around the 4 min mark

We've always been told that if you're out in a tornado to go into a ditch or anyplace that's downhill, to never stay in your car or under an overpass. An overpass should only be used as a last resort. That video is terrifying I'm glad and lucky that I've never lived thourgh something like that I've been close to it.

 

[PhotoDave219]

We've always been told that if you're out in a tornado to go into a ditch or anyplace that's downhill, to never stay in your car or under an overpass. An overpass should only be used as a last resort.

Im assuming that Zac Snyder (Ryder, whomever the wannabe Joss Whedon is) was referencing that video.

 

[PhotoDave219]

At the same time, the rest of Orlando has caught up/surpassed them. Look at Sand Lake Road. I think it comes down to the Grand Floridian Effect. They are charging high-end rates (or, more likely, offering a "deal" on high-end rates) to people who don't really know what to expect for that kind of money. Less informed guests are easier to please than high information guests.

How many times have we been out at the Grand Fla and have some uninformed guest try to tell us things that just arent true?

 

[71jason]

Sunday Spirited musings ... How do people truly enjoy visiting Florida in the summer?

I asked this same question over the weekend, as my best friend from college and her family were down. It's just not enjoyable walking around EPCOT with a 100-degree heat index and much of the shade gone. It would be hard enough for a trained athlete, let alone someone who's a desk jockey up north 50 weeks out of the year. Honestly surprised we don't see more medical emergencies.

It's odd, back in the 70s/80s, my parents had no problem pulling me out of school for a week. Nor did it seem to impact my education in the long run. But today's helicopter parents seem loathe to do that, and would rather face the misery when school is out.

Wonder where all those Americans are getting the money/jobs that allow them to spend money to visit WDW and spend $400-plus a night on lodging alone?

Were you following us around World Showcase? My friends had the same question. A lawyer and an investment banker, they can afford to shell out for DVC, but they were genuinely shocked by the dress and manner of the crowd around them. To them, it was like walking into a 4-star restaurant in NYC and seeing--well, the typical crowd at California Grill.

 

[WDW1974]

Faux one percenter Spirit, have you dined at Victoria & Alberts?

Yes. It is sublime ... and, thankfully, they aren't stupid enough to include it on the Super Extra MAGICal Pixie Dusted Platinum Dining Package!

 

[Calvin Coolidge]

See, Up is a film I feel is very overrated. The issue I had with it was it seemed like two different films. You have an incredibly powerful opening with a couple dealing with fertility issues and then a man being widowed and living without his other half and it still held me with Russell's arrival ...but when it suddenly went into the talking super dogs realm it just lost me and never got me back.

Up's problem is shared with many Pixar movies (including Monsters U): It's made up of fairly strong concepts for some animated shorts, and then they said "screw it, let's make it feature-length" so they string together the touching love story of the infertile elderly couple with the zany talking dog adventure when really, each of those things is a 15-minute idea. (Wall-E is the worst with this; the first half hour or so is a pretty solid animated short, and then they go to the Axiom and the movie totally falls apart.)

 

[WDW1974]

While we are talking movies, they had a free screening today for AP's at DCA of Lone Ranger. It has the same director, producer, and a couple of the same writers as Pirates 1-3, not to mention Johnny Depp in a Jack Sparrow type role. It should come as no surprise then that you get Pirates as a western and more in the vain of Pirates 2 and 3, than the first one and that should tell you enough. The trailer gives off that impression anyway so I don't think I'm spoiling anything.

I'll still see it, just like I'll see Monsters U and World War Z despite their mixed reviews.

 

[bubbles1812]

Im assuming that Zac Snyder (Ryder, whomever the wannabe Joss Whedon is) was referencing that video.

Yeah. Those girders aren't safe to be under. I wasnt joking. It really does create a wind tunnel and just increases your chance of being sucked out. As Taylor said, it's to the ditch you should go. Obviously that isn't great either but overpasses are worse. And staying in the car isn't good because those can get rolled/picked up easily.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Yeah. Those girders aren't safe. It really does create a wind tunnel and just increases your chance of being sucked out. As Taylor said, it's to the ditch you should go. Obviously that isn't great either but overpasses are worse. And staying in the car isn't good because those can get rolled/picked up easily.

Well thats how all those tornado chasers got killed last month. They tried to outrun it. Cant do that.

 

[WDW1974]

The reduction in hours was discussed on a few threads several months ago although I don't recall them being discussed recently.

It's yet another example of WDW nickel-and-diming its "guests".

I supposed I'd be more sympathetic if we saw it in lower ticket prices or CMs were paid more, but I think it's pretty obvious where the money is going.

I haven't read it anywhere. I just thought it was kinda significant. Last summer, you could count on MK being open 9-midnight and then 12-3 a.m. with EMH on Fridays and Sundays. Now, it's 9-11 with 11-1 a.m. Fridays. ... EPCOT, with its huge BOOZE and food and retail sales, also is down to just Tuesdays from 9-11.

If you include DAK's reduction, you're talking about 10 hours of labor weekly being cut out during the hot summer months ... not insignificant savings for the Mouse, likely.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I'll still see it, just like I'll see Monsters U and World War Z despite their mixed reviews.

My issue with WWZ was that the book was a fantasticly weaved narrative that was a collection of short stories from those who survived. It would have been a fantastic movie if they did it that way.... instead they went "traditional hollywood disaster" film.

 

[Taylor]

Yeah. Those girders aren't safe to be under. I wasnt joking. It really does create a wind tunnel and just increases your chance of being sucked out. As Taylor said, it's to the ditch you should go. Obviously that isn't great either but overpasses are worse. And staying in the car isn't good because those can get rolled/picked up easily.

And in today's world there's no way you should still be on the road long enough to get sucked up by the tornado with how good they are about getting warnings out these days.

 

[bubbles1812]

Well thats how all those tornado chasers got killed last month. They tried to outrun it. Cant do that.

I never suggested that? And would never suggest that. I'm just saying your suggestion to "get under the girders" is wrong. Overpasses = wind tunnels. You go to the ditch, and take whatever you can there to cover your head. It isn't great but you have a better chance there than under an overpass where you can be ripped out by the wind streaming through at increased speeds from from even what the tornado is putting out. I see you are from Athens... Welcome to Tornado Alley.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I asked this same question over the weekend, as my best friend from college and her family were down. It's just not enjoyable walking around EPCOT with a 100-degree heat index and much of the shade gone. It would be hard enough for a trained athlete, let alone someone who's a desk jockey up north 50 weeks out of the year. Honestly surprised we don't see more medical emergencies.

I remember having to call an Alpha back when I worked there because a guest was suffering from heat exhaustion (2004), the guest had one large diet coke & was susceptible to heat related problems, 95 degrees, was in park for 5 hours at that point.

Also Had to get a CM to call for an Alpha for a guest who passed out during SWW near the bathrooms. (Lunchtime, 90+ degrees again)

 

[PhotoDave219]

I never suggested that? And would never suggest that. I'm just saying your suggest to "get under the girders" is wrong. Overpasses = wind tunnels. You go to the ditch, and take whatever you can there to cover your head. It isn't great but you have a better chance there than under an overpass where you can be ripped out by the wind streaming through at increased speeds from from even what the tornado is putting out. I see you are from Athens... Welcome to Tornado Alley.

Er, I need to update that. I lived in Athens until 2011.

 

[misterID]

See, Up is a film I feel is very overrated. The issue I had with it was it seemed like two different films. You have an incredibly powerful opening with a couple dealing with fertility issues and then a man being widowed and living without his other half and it still held me with Russell's arrival ...but when it suddenly went into the talking super dogs realm it just lost me and never got me back.

But I absolutely loved WALL*E, Incredibles, Cars and Ratatouille and others don't.

I have to say, Up! was a pretty big emotional wallop, and I don't see many animated films centering around an old man dealing with issues like he did, mortality, death of a close loved one, time, and even the little boy dealng with his father not wanting him, in a really delicate way. That opening scene was probably the best of any animated film I've ever seen.

The best animated film is Dumbo. I swear, it was the only film that has ever made me want to cry. That scene with dumbo finding his mother in the cage is still probably one of the greatest cinematic scenes in film history (not just animated) and it STILL almost makes me cry. So considering my favorite animated film is about a flying elephant with huge ears and a talking mouse and jive-talking crows, super dogs don't really bother me

 

[stevehousse]

About movies being in and out of theatres so quickly today has a lot to do with the switch to digital projection. I am a manager at a movie theatre, so i deal with this exact thing.

Back when movie reels were in, you would get shipped the film reel, but th film reel only had the movie, no trailers. You would have to take the preview reels that came in and splice it together with the movie, an the. After that you would have to view the movies for any discrepancies in te film before you could play them for the general public.

Now that digital has taken over the movie reels are gone and you get shipped now te movie on a hard drive that you download and are good to go. No more splicing film, etc. now in order to play the new digital movies, you need special access keys that get sent to you that "unlock" the films to play for piracy reasons. Those keys are good for a maximum of 2 weeks, which is the amount of time a film must stay in a theatre. After that, you can get a new key to play the movie for longer if needed.

Since the process is so much quicker, its easier to get films out of your theatre that aren't doing to well, or made enough money tht you don't new to keep them aroun because of new content on the horizon.

 

[bubbles1812]

Er, I need to update that. I lived in Athens until 2011.

Sorry this is the last I will say on the subject since tornado safety is wildly off topic but having lived in the Midwest my entire life dealing with tornadoes, tornado warnings, watches ect, I take it seriously when someone has bad info that could cost lives.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ddc/?n=over

As it says at the link... That 91 storm was very weak. And those people were very lucky. Overpasses are terrible places to seek shelter the face of a strong tornado. Under the girders is not the place to be.

 

[WDW1974]

Interesting, as you know, this isn't the first time Disney tried to do away with EMH. They brought the characters to the resorts. Yeah, that went over well. Disney is like our freedom, no one cares or notices it going away here and there. Until one day, people say what the H.ell happened as its gone.

Yes, but the first time was after 9/11 and the parks were dead. I had no issue with them doing whatever was needed during a national crisis period.

This time they are doing it strictly for financial reasons. This time they are using the excuse that MM+ will enable guests to see more than ever before (enjoy the FPs for Wishes, the Aladdin spinner and PoC)so there is no need for any extra hours.

But there will be on this. Not when they phase out the night hours (likely after Spring Break), but when all those Mommys (some who even blog) can't get their morning hours, watch out!

 

[WDW1974]

@WDW1974 what'll happen to APs cause of magic bands?

APers are supposed to get them as well.