Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[PhotoDave219]

Why would I pick on anyone for that? It's largely how I visit WDW and have for the last 15 years or so.

But can we bash the Lifestylers anyway? At least Lou, Wannabe Lou, Brigante and whoever shut their site down when UNI didn't deem them important enough for the Transformers debut.

Works for me..... I do like how Uni is more selective with their social media folks.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Transformers can't be better than Spidey because Disney owns his web-slinging (even if Sony has movies in the pipeline through the end of the decade that Disney can't do a damn thing about).

Disney already made their peace with the Sony/Spider-Man deal. Iger got the rights for the Spider-Man movie merch in exchange for Sony having permanent film rights for Spidey, so we don't have any more rush jobs like Amazing Spider-Man. Now Disney controls all Spidey merch.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Transformers can't be better than Spidey because Disney owns his web-slinging (even if Sony has movies in the pipeline through the end of the decade that Disney can't do a damn thing about).

The ride film for Transformers: The Ride-3D was done by the now Disney subsidiary Industrial Light and Magic.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

It's the impatient... now now now mentality that has propagated through our lives. The notion of putting the big movies on 3 or 4 screens in a single multiplex... plus the size of the multiplexes makes it so everyone can see the movie as soon as they want. There is no need for a movie to run for 8-10 weeks because the excess demand, combined with the front-end loaded advertising makes for a boom or bust 1-3 weeks.
Remember when you used to go and find the movie 'sold out' and had to pick another movie? I have to imagine theatres are actually losing money compared to the old model.. where people would see their second choice, and then come back another night to see their first choice.
Now with internet ticketing and so many screens.. you never show up to find yourself shutout.
Theatres have kind of whored themselves out... there is no more drawn out relationship.. just hit it and quit it

Beauty & the Beast opened on 1,960 screens in 1991.
Monsters University opened on 4,004 screens.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Disney already made their peace with the Sony/Spider-Man deal. Iger got the rights for the Spider-Man movie merch in exchange for Sony having permanent film rights for Spidey, so we don't have any more rush jobs like Amazing Spider-Man. Now Disney controls all Spidey merch.

I bet for the right price, Spidey appears in an Avengers film.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

I bet for the right price, Spidey appears in an Avengers film.

Brother, I've been workin' on it.

 

[alissafalco]

So no more EMH, I'm curious as to what their selling points will now be to stay on property? Magical express? 3 fastpasses? Wow, big deal.

 

[StageFrenzy]

Works for me..... I do like how Uni is more selective with their social media folks.

Uni seems to have a uneven relationship with social media. The online team and upper management seem to encourage it, while in park security seems to get a bit butt hurt. Is the site that had the hissy fit one of the ones that was getting backstage pics? In park security has been trailing some of the people who do regular photo updates and have trespassed someone as well.

 

[ParentsOf4]

So no more EMH, I'm curious as to what their selling points will now be to stay on property? Magical express? 3 fastpasses? Wow, big deal.

WDW is always looking to cut opex. One way to do so is to reduce operating hours.

On a few threads, people have commented along the lines of "I went last year for Spring Break and MK was open till 1 AM; this year it was only open to 11 PM." It appears this trend continues this summer, despite reports of increased crowds.

We've already seen evening EMH cut back from 3 to 2 hours. I did not read a storm of protest which corporate Disney will likely interpret as a sign that even further cutbacks are possible. For now, I think morning EMH might be safe. Even Uni and my local Six Flags offer early opening and we all know WDW of late has been striving to achieve the level of excellence of Six Flags!

As far as onsite perks, let's see what happens with MyMagic+.

 

[Nemo14]

So no more EMH, I'm curious as to what their selling points will now be to stay on property? Magical express? 3 fastpasses? Wow, big deal.

Don't forget the magic bubble!

 

[rael ramone]

So no more EMH, I'm curious as to what their selling points will now be to stay on property? Magical express? 3 fastpasses? Wow, big deal.

The Magical Motorcoach of course. Guaranteed to arrive at the park after your morning FP+ expires.

 

[Cody5242]

I found World War Z to be rather boring. Maybe I was thinking about how much better the movie would have been if it had sticked with the book

 

[Bolna]

Since this is the movie thread: While the German market is tiny compared to the US market, I found it interesting that Monsters University and Man of Steel both started on the same weekend here. MU got in as #1 and did beat MOS by quite a margin.

 

[rael ramone]

Thanks, but that isn't the same. What I am talking about was served literally all over property from the Terrace Buffet at Contemporary to Pinocchio's at MK to Village Restaurant etc ..but the Tony's stuff was good too if it's what I think it is (or was).

I just tried a google search for Walt Disney World Italian Dressing. Your post came up 4th on the list. 1st was a .pdf menu from disney.com for Tony's Town Square. 2nd was a Youtube from some guy named Garret chugging Italian dressing.

I wouldn't be surprised if the original WDW dressing was a simple vinagrette (olive oil of some type, some type of vinegar, perhaps some dijon mustard, some sugar, and an off-the-shelf seasoning mix). Mass produced, designed to be shelf stable, but with something relatively simple added to it to taste different (and good).

Salad dressing is something that should *never* be purchased in a store. Buying salad dressing is just as bad as buying pre-marinated steak tips or precut onions.

 

[Cody5242]

What's there to do at WDW over the summer? I only go in the Fall and Winter due to festivities that go on. The weather is nice and perfect unlike the summer where half the tourists smell like BO...

 

[Goofyernmost]

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.

OK, confession time...I know this is going to be shocking, but I am not the brightest bulb on the tree sometimes. Please explain to me exactly what in the pluperfect hell, is the purpose of a FP for Wishes?

Do they have the show an hour earlier then anyone else is allowed to watch? Do they pass out blindfolds and ear plugs to everyone without a FP? I am at a loss to understand, actually two things...Do people really think that they can see a show that is primarily in the sky, if they are standing in a certain spot? (OK, not behind a tree) or will that be just another FP (of three) that Disney will be able to pass out instead of Splash?

It just seems to me that it is getting dumber by the moment. It seems that if someone as intellectually limited as I am starts to think that something sounds stupid, perhaps Disney needs to reconsider just how long they can continue to think that they can do anything and it will be slurped up like a Dole Whip Float.

 

[MattM]

Most will never even consider dining Ruth's or Shula's for a quality steakhouse. They are content with the familiarity of Le Cellier, it is a glorified Outcrap Steakhouse.

Ruth's and Shula's are both very good for chain restaurants, but I'll take it one step further than that...how many of those same people would even fathom going to a non-chain local restaurant, where the steaks are even better than Shulas/Ruths? Probably none.

 

[bubbles1812]

Since this is the movie thread: While the German market is tiny compared to the US market, I found it interesting that Monsters University and Man of Steel both started on the same weekend here. MU got in as #1 and did beat MOS by quite a margin.

Good for MU! That's my next movie to see this week. Though MOS was the international winner overall this weekend:

http://m.deadline.com/2013/06/man-of-steel-speeds-to-345-6m-worldwide-box-office-in-first-9-days/

I always find it interesting to see how movies do domestically vs internationally, especially since the film studios have deemed international gross much more important than domestic in many cases.

 

[bubbles1812]

So no more EMH, I'm curious as to what their selling points will now be to stay on property? Magical express? 3 fastpasses? Wow, big deal.

I would have to agree. EMH was the only thing that made me want to stay on property in February (and I did have an admittedly wonderful time at the Non-Disney Disney resort that is the Dolphin). But 3 measley FPs isn't going to be enough to get me to stay on, especially since at least at this time, FP+ will be open to everyone when they walk in the door... And even if they eventually go to a tiered system as has been speculated, they are going to have to offer a whole lot more than 3,5, or even 7 to justify say the price of a deluxe. And I don't see FP+ motivating people to choose a deluxe more. People still can only afford what they can afford, and the deluxe is out of reach for many.

And the Magical Express definitely aint that great

 

[Lord_Vader]

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.

Not sure about all schools/districts but where I live if a child misses more than five consecutive days or seven total days in a semester without an acceptable medical excuse they are referred to truancy court, state law was changed about five years ago. Many states have been moving to this model because of low attendance or high truancy rates in the public schools.

When my children were young and home schooled, we always came during the off-peak times, preferred early January because the weather is fabulous and the parks are almost empty.