Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[lazyboy97o]

Speaking of NextGen, the new touch-to-pay/card swipe terminals are ugly and annoying. If my local Publix can automatically handle me swiping my card whenever I want, so should Disney. And the mag stripe facing away seems to be the complete opposite direction I hold my card everywhere else I use it. Not very intuitive from a company that claims an obsession with detail. And again, just as a piece of industrial design, they're ugly and stick out when they should disappear until they're right where you'd expect them when needed.

 

[WDW1974]

Would that IOA land be Seuss Landing or what's left of the Lost Continent? Interesting stuff.

Neither. Seuss will be getting a MAJOR addition.

 

[tissandtully]

Neither. Seuss will be getting a MAJOR addition.

Well, that narrows it down. Goodbye Dudley, hello JP expansion? Kind of bittersweet if it happens, my first job while in college was opening IOA and selling beer and pretzels in front of Dudley.

 

[JenniferS]

Of course, these games in line simply wind up being a distraction and also slow things down with the 'do I pass then or not?' conundrum that we saw in Space Mountain and Pooh.

I was most confused in November. What exactly is the protocol in these situations?
When my 9 year old niece lingered to play the interactive games in the Mermaid and SM queues, I just directed people behind us to go on ahead. However, the times that we walked past people (without waiting for permission, [my bad] - but they were clearly engrossed in their endeavours), boy, oh boy, did we get some sour looks.

 

[WDW1974]

I'm glad you had a nice vacation.

What is this about Wishes? Will fireworks be combined with these CTM-type shows for a less good night show? If not, everyone can yell at me again for being so dumb and I will be DELIGHTED to hear how dumb I am!!!

I really like Celebrate the Magic. I am still shocked it barely gets a heartbeat of attention from fanbois.
As to the new pyro show, which should debut either fall 2015 or spring 2016, I don't have details on what form it will take ... yet. Sorry.

 

[stlphil]

Neither. Seuss will be getting a MAJOR addition.

It's got to be Toon Lagoon. The rides there are good, but no one plans a trip to Orlando based on that IP.

 

[stlphil]

Oh, and welcome back.

 

[luv]

Speaking of NextGen, the new touch-to-pay/card swipe terminals are ugly and annoying. If my local Publix can automatically handle me swiping my card whenever I want, so should Disney. And the mag stripe facing away seems to be the complete opposite direction I hold my card everywhere else I use it. Not very intuitive from a company that claims an obsession with detail. And again, just as a piece of industrial design, they're ugly and stick out when they should disappear until they're right where you'd expect them when needed.

It is the opposite of everywhere else, lol, but you get used to it pretty quickly. At first, those machines were so wobbly, too! You couldn't swipe without like two people holding them down, lol. That's better now. It can usually work fine without being held down at all (or just with the CM holding it).

I do wish I could swipe without having to wait for them to press whatever they need to press. If it could work like Publix or Wal-Mart, that would be great. Gotta agree on that!

For a while there, the staff had to do gift cards in the water parks - you couldn't scan your own. But now that seems to be working fine. So maybe the rest will get better, too. This is all new still.

 

[tissandtully]

I really like Celebrate the Magic. I am still shocked it barely gets a heartbeat of attention from fanbois.
As to the new pyro show, which should debut either fall 2015 or spring 2016, I don't have details on what form it will take ... yet. Sorry.

I really like it too. Of course anytime WreckIt Ralph shows up in anything I'm gonna like it. We need more of him. His meet and greet line is always long.

 

[WDW1974]

Speaking of NextGen, the new touch-to-pay/card swipe terminals are ugly and annoying. If my local Publix can automatically handle me swiping my card whenever I want, so should Disney. And the mag stripe facing away seems to be the complete opposite direction I hold my card everywhere else I use it. Not very intuitive from a company that claims an obsession with detail. And again, just as a piece of industrial design, they're ugly and stick out when they should disappear until they're right where you'd expect them when needed.

Ah, yes. Those MAGICal terminals with 1990s tech that some fans are so enthralled by. They generally worked about 65% of the time. And the whole having to punch in a pin takes away any/all convenience they provide. Another part of NGE that's value has been greatly overstated.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

2 questions:
1. What's your take on the enhancements coming to the disney magic cruise ship?
2. I remember before you left, you talked about how disney forgot about the swan and dolphin in terms of their nge/mm+ plans and were gonna schedule a meeting with the managers of those hotels. Any updates to that situation?

Once more, it's good to have you back!

 

[tissandtully]

Ah, yes. Those MAGICal terminals with 1990s tech that some fans are so enthralled by. They generally worked about 65% of the time. And the whole having to punch in a pin takes away any/all convenience they provide. Another part of NGE that's value has been greatly overstated.

I think RFID touch to pay is cool It would be a security nightmare without the pin though. So many lost KTTW cards.

 

[luv]

I really like Celebrate the Magic. I am still shocked it barely gets a heartbeat of attention from fanbois.
As to the new pyro show, which should debut either fall 2015 or spring 2016, I don't have details on what form it will take ... yet. Sorry.

You're worthless.

I like CTM, too. I liked last summer's show better (minus the pictures of random people), but I do like it. I just like Wishes, too (so very much), and do not want a less good fireworks show, which is what I've been suspecting since this whole pre-show thing began.

It is VERY unlike Disney to add something good. They just don't add. They subtract. They dumb down. They cut back.

So when a cool pre-show began, I heard the faint whisper of Taps playing in the distance.

Everyone said I was crazy and I hope I was and am. I just can't shake the feeling that the night show at the MK will end up being less good, when all is said and done.

 

[WDW1974]

I was most confused in November. What exactly is the protocol in these situations?
When my 9 year old niece lingered to play the interactive games in the Mermaid and SM queues, I just directed people behind us to go on ahead. However, the times that we walked past people (without waiting for permission, [my bad] - but they were clearly engrossed in their endeavours), boy, oh boy, did we get some sour looks.

I have no idea, but I am not waiting behind folks who decide to stop and play. What's a few fist fights in queues right?

I got plenty of dirty looks when 14 people were standing in a line or blob with some issue with the new Mickey heads and I simply went around them to an open one and walked right in (BTW, Disney is already having issues with folks walking in the new non-turnstile turnstiles. That will only get worse.

 

[tissandtully]

I have no idea, but I am not waiting behind folks who decide to stop and play. What's a few fist fights in queues right?

I got plenty of dirty looks when 14 people were standing in a line or blob with some issue with the new Mickey heads and I simply went around them to an open one and walked right in (BTW, Disney is already having issues with folks walking in the new non-turnstile turnstiles. That will only get worse.

Yeah, I always walk to an open one too, that seems to be the best / proper method.

 

[WDW1974]

Oh, and welcome back.

Thanks. This is a very exciting time in themed entertainment. ... Antarctica opened today at SW .... Simpson's details were given by UNI .... Paramount Park in Spain looks like it will really happen ... And Disney ... Disney ... Um ... Hey, that kiddie coaster is taking shape across from the crappy and overrated Be Our Guest dining trough at MK.

 

[luv]

You can't always get to the open one. Sometimes it is all blocked by family members, watching the other people screw around with their ball thing.

I'm so tired of calling these "ball things" and "finger things". They need names!!!!

 

[tissandtully]

You can't always get to the open one. Sometimes it is all blocked by family members, watching the other people screw around with their ball thing.

I'm so tired of calling these "ball things" and "finger things". They need names!!!!

Tapstiles?

 

[RyenDeckard]

Thanks. This is a very exciting time in themed entertainment. ... Antarctica opened today at SW .... Simpson's details were given by UNI .... Paramount Park in Spain looks like it will really happen ... And Disney ... Disney ... Um ... Hey, that kiddie coaster is taking shape across from the crappy and overrated Be Our Guest dining trough at MK.

It's an exciting time to be a Theme Park fan, but a scary time to be a Disney fan.

Seeing some of the freak outs from people who are REALLY into the pixie dust is interesting, it's almost like they know the king is dead.

 

[WDW1974]

2 questions:
1. What's your take on the enhancements coming to the disney magic cruise ship?
2. I remember before you left, you talked about how disney forgot about the swan and dolphin in terms of their nge/mm+ plans and were gonna schedule a meeting with the managers of those hotels. Any updates to that situation?

Once more, it's good to have you back!

1.) like the look of the buffet and new bars/clubs ... Am not the target demo for the Marvel play area. ... Do NOT like the removal (dumbing down) of one staircase or the problematic chandelier ... Have a cruise booked on the ship for fall 2014, so I may get to experience in person .

2.) Wasn't just Swan/Dolphin, but also DD Hilton. I need to check on that and see what, if anything, has been determined.

As an aside, I had great meals at Il Mulino and Garden Grove at Swan. Why are folks afraid of dining over there? Too upscale for the average WDW guest?