Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts Tres

[TalkingHead]

This may sound odd, but I think Lost in Translation has "suffered" from Scarlett Johansson's stardom. It's not really a movie for mainstream audiences, but due to her rise in popularity, it became somewhat of a mainstream film.

Interesting point. It also explains why Brad Pitt should never have been in The Tree of Life.

His agent should've said to him, "Think of your fans, Brad! They're going to end up going to a Malick film just because your name is on the poster! And they're going to act like barbaric animals snickering and groaning when they realize you aren't running around blowing up zombies."

 

[rael ramone]

It wasn't simple ...had lots if herbs and 'stuff' (hey, I was a kid and last had the stuff in 1995 when I found Trail's End at FW still using it). I bet George K knows what I am talking about. I doubt anyone working in WDW Food and Beverage does. They probably also don't recall the endless salad bowl at Boatwright's with homemade childlike ranch dressing, either.

I love talking about food.

Last night I had some 'Tonys' on a salad with garden fresh lettuce. Our 'modification' to Tonys is to replace the 'cajun seasoning' with homemade chili powder.

Many times I've tried to replicate stuff from memory. What kind of herbs did it have? Was it sweet (perhaps from sugar or honey, or a sweeter vinegar like rice wine)? Perhaps a licorice, anise like quality (suggests the presence of tarragon)? Did it stay blended together (if so, likely it had some dijon mustard in it)? Did it have a 'kick' to it? Was it acidic (meaning a higher vinegar and/or lemon juice ratio than most dressings have)?

Sometime you should go down into the Spirit Cave and try some combos out. Get some herbs & spices (all acquired from a quality online spice purveor and/or grown yourself (nothing says 'I hate my family' like a bunch of plastic bottles with the name 'McCormicks' on it), try different oils, different vinegars (balsamic, rice wine, maybe even some coconut vinegar from the local Asian market), and maybe some fresh garlic.

 

[WDWFigment]

Interesting point. It also explains why Brad Pitt should never have been in The Tree of Life.

His agent should've said to him, "Think of your fans, Brad! They're going to end up going to a Malick film just because your name is on the poster! And they're going to act like barbaric animals snickering and groaning when they realize you aren't running around blowing up zombies."

No doubt. Look at Tree of Life's score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes versus its score from audiences (84% v. 59%). An average summer blockbuster is going to be roughly the inverse of that.

American audiences generally aren't the best judges of a film's artistic merit...

 

[Rodan75]

Well this is pointing more to attraction demand and capacity. Of the attractions you listed Everest is on the high end of capacity while Soarin', TSMM and TT are on the lower end (with TSMM being the lowest of the ones listed).

The issue here is that outside of Magic Kingdom there aren't enough high demand attractions at the other parks to spread the crowds. There's a reason why the spikes don't occur anywhere near as much in Disneyland. There are a dozen E-tickets in a very small area.

I think the issue is too many returns are set within an hour for the ride capacities at TSMM and TT, it is like they've set the same capacity level within FP for all attractions regardless of ride capacity.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I don't recall the movie billing itself as an introduction to culture in Tokyo, anymore than LOL billed itself as an introduction to culture in America.

Tokyo is certainly more of a facade in that film. Articles like this don't help because the reader sees "Tokyo" "Scarlett Johannson" and that's it.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/travel-tips-and-articles/67077
Lost in Translation (2003) – Tokyo takes on a muted gleam in Sofia Coppola’s Oscar-winner about two guests at the Park Hyatt, sharing a moment away from loveless marriages. Bill Murray is in finest deadpan form, and the movie made Scarlett Johansson a star.

How was the Park-Hyatt Tokyo btw?

 

[Rodan75]

This seems to be their new approach. Have the hours as low as the possibly can be and extend the hours day of.

yeah, that happened every day we were there in late May/early June. Announced Park Hours were extended.

 

[Figments Friend]

OK, I got some MM+ info tonight and while I won't post it yet (much of it is simply things rumored or thought) one thing just es me off to no end. That is that Sid's One of a Kind shop is being closed to be replaced by the central MM+ kiosks.

I don't know what is a more fitting example of what was WDW versus what is and will be WDW.

Wow...did not see that coming ( closing of the shop ). Did not suspect it might be on the chopping block.

I never would have guessed that a SHOP would be closed, but i suppose Joe Average Tourist/Visitor does not even bother going into Sid's.

Yet another location where one could buy UNIQUE merchandise is about to go away.
A little dissapointing to hear it is being changed out.

A real shame, as it was always fun browsing around in there and looking over the current collections.
It will be missed.

Agree regarding your comment ....indeed, contrast and compare.

 

[Sneezy62]

I know it's cliche, but none of this screams "Disney Magic" to me other than shorter wait times. Part of the fun of Disney is the ability to act on a whim. When you're walking through the park and your child wants to ride Dumbo 6 times in a row, you can do it. I know this is a slippery slope argument as well, but step one of the slippery slope is a step backwards. I've asked it before, and I'll ask it again - what incentive is there for Disney to allow guests to schedule attractions in advance. I'm not buying the "operational efficiency" argument because reports from front line cast members claim the exact opposite.

So many good points in your post. In a lot of ways MM+ just plays into a "safe, secure, surprises are bad" mentality. I know it's a pervasive mentality these days but it goes so against good entertainment. At it's best Disney is like a good novel that you can read dozens of times and enjoy and find something new each time. You can find new angles on the plots twists, you can see deeper into the characters actions and conversations. I think legacy FP was a mistake which allowed people to read WDW more like a Cliff's Notes version. MM+ may improve that but it will still be no better than a Reader's Digest Condensed version . Of course a computer program will do the editing. I know the old ticket books carried their own flaws but they gave you a nice table of contents.

 

[flynnibus]

Wow...did not see that coming ( closing of the shop ). Did not suspect it might be on the chopping block.

Not the first time he's brought it up...
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/sids-one-of-a-kind-shop-to-close.852604/

 

[asianway]

Wow...did not see that coming ( closing of the shop ). Did not suspect it might be on the chopping block.

I never would have guessed that a SHOP would be closed, but i suppose Joe Average Tourist/Visitor does not even bother going into Sid's.

Yet another location where one could buy UNIQUE merchandise is about to go away.
A little dissapointing to hear it is being changed out.

A real shame, as it was always fun browsing around in there and looking over the current collections.
It will be missed.

Agree regarding your comment ....indeed, contrast and compare.

It has had reduced hours for months, no longer open when the park first opens or near closing. Then the lack of a day parade sure didnt help the foot traffic during the day.

Sales now down.

Closing justified.

But no one will believe that ops sabotages certain locations/attractions in order to justify their closure...

 

[Lee]

Ack, the only good part about the movie was seeing her in underwear for half of it.

Even that didn't improve it for me.
After hearing all the buzz about it, I watched it right after it came out on DVD.
At the end, I swore loudly and proclaimed it the worst movie I'd seen in years.

Two damaged people, staying in a hotel in Tokyo....do nothing.
No plot. No engaging story. No protagonist/antagonist relationships to hang a story on.
Ugh....just bad.

Interesting point. It also explains why Brad Pitt should never have been in The Tree of Life.

His agent should've said to him, "Think of your fans, Brad! They're going to end up going to a Malick film just because your name is on the poster! And they're going to act like barbaric animals snickering and groaning when they realize you aren't running around blowing up zombies."

Don't get me stared on Malick. The weight of the pretension is enough to bury even the best actor.
I sat through The Thin Red Line....barely. I knew better than to subject myself to Tree of Life.

 

[Figments Friend]

It has had reduced hours for months, no longer open when the park first opens or near closing. Then the lack of a day parade sure didnt help the foot traffic during the day.

Sales now down.

Closing justified.

But no one will believe that ops sabotages certain locations/attractions in order to justify their closure...

Oh no of course not.....those Ops sprites....


Yeah, the location did not help as i have seen folks walk by in droves and not even seem to notice Sid's.
Maybe part of it was by the point people notice it, they are on their way out of the exit gates and more focused on their next destination.
I honestly think a lot of people did not even realize it was a shop. Crazy i know...but i would get that vibe standing around watching people filter by.


You are right regarding the lack of Parades killing the foot traffic.
Still a shame, it was one of the last real unique shops in the Park.

 

[Lee]

But no one will believe that ops sabotages certain locations/attractions in order to justify their closure...

Oh, no....that never happens...

 

[asianway]

Oh, no....that never happens...

Best one and maybe the first was the 20K lagoon tale

 

[Figments Friend]

Not the first time he's brought it up...
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/sids-one-of-a-kind-shop-to-close.852604/

Thanks for the link.....i missed this back in October apparently, or my memory is going ( old age does that to ya...)

Well then i guess i am the only one surprised to hear of it's demise.
After hearing more now about it's lackluster pull, and staggard operating hours, it is plain to see why it is being closed.

 

[Figments Friend]

Best one and maybe the first was the 20K lagoon tale

Still grumpy about that one....i loved the Subs.
Such a cool setting too, but yeah, a challenge to maintain.

 

[luv]

"Lost in Translation" was a bad and boring movie with one good joke in the whole mess...and that joke was shown in the previews.

 

[Fractal514]

Hearing about Ops setting some places up to fail just makes me sad. Do you think these folks have no love for the parks and the quality, or maybe a misguided love that justifies these actions in their minds?

I look at something like Tokyo Disney Sea and think, if I were in charge of Disney World, I'd be ed that I was getting upstaged by Japan. I think that this constant need to not only show profit, but an increase in profit year over year is ultimately the destroyer of quality in this country. You make a good product and you sell it. Naturally the sales increase over time until you hit the natural saturation level. But since just making a good profit isn't enough, since you have to make more profit, and since you've hit saturation, the extra money has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is quality.

Why can't Disney just be happy if it makes a lot of money, why does it have to make the most money possible? (I know the answer to this of course, it just sucks that this is the world we live in.)

 

[71jason]

Have heard from a few folks in O-town that WDW's parks have been very slow the past week to 10 days.

Heard and seen this. Personal theory: the harsh Winter postponed Summer break for a lot of families in the northeast (WDW's main feeder states). Those snow days added up. My friend teaches high school in CT; normally they are out by the 15th at the latest, still in school this week.

Might explain 7 days of July 4 fireworks.

Have also heard that UNI has been packed since Transformers and Springfield debuted ...no reason to doubt any of that. But it should be good to kick us over 200 pages.

Universal has always been more of a locals park. And the promotion for Transformers has been everywhere--the side of a building downtown, billboards, blanket radio ads. Throw in the Summer Concert Series (real artists who still get radio airplay, not cover bands!), I can see this being a good Summer for them. Of course, still nothing compared to next year...

 

[asianway]

Hearing about Ops setting some places up to fail just makes me sad. Do you think these folks have no love for the parks and the quality, or maybe a misguided love that justifies these actions in their minds?

I look at something like Tokyo Disney Sea and think, if I were in charge of Disney World, I'd be ed that I was getting upstaged by Japan. I think that this constant need to not only show profit, but an increase in profit year over year is ultimately the destroyer of quality in this country. You make a good product and you sell it. Naturally the sales increase over time until you hit the natural saturation level. But since just making a good profit isn't enough, since you have to make more profit, and since you've hit saturation, the extra money has to come from somewhere, and that somewhere is quality.

Why can't Disney just be happy if it makes a lot of money, why does it have to make the most money possible? (I know the answer to this of course, it just sucks that this is the world we live in.)

On Wall Street, growth is key. So even though they grew the business through 2 cruise ships, Aulani, DCA 2.0, soon to be Shanghai...its not enough. Higher executive level bonuses are based on income and stock price.

This leads to downward pressure on middle management to exceed those goals in order to make their numbers and get paid their bonuses and keep their jobs.

There is no room for pride anymore.